Chapter 61: Opportunity

He Yuzhu nodded repeatedly, looking almost on the verge of tears. "I really know I was wrong, First Aunt. Please, give me a chance to turn over a new leaf."

After much hesitation from First Aunt, He Yuzhu was finally permitted to enter the house.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw the First Uncle sitting in a chair, holding a cigarette between his fingers, his entire figure shrouded in a hazy cloud of smoke.

The room was thick with a heavy tobacco scent that made one want to cough involuntarily.

He Yuzhu hurried over to the window and pushed it open, letting a rush of fresh air flood in.

Turning back to look at the First Uncle, he said with a smile, "First Uncle, you really need to take care of your health. Smoking this much can't possibly be good for you."

The First Uncle glanced at him, his tone still cold. "Hmph, so now you know how to care about my health? That wasn't what you were saying yesterday."

The First Uncle gently laid his pipe down on the floor, tapping it a few times with a slightly weathered palm until the embers were completely extinguished.

Then, with a somewhat abrupt motion, he gave a crisp "snap" as he placed the pipe back onto the table, the sound ringing out with startling clarity in the quiet air.

The noise made He Yuzhu, who was standing nearby observing in silence, involuntarily shudder. It felt as though a sudden gust of cold wind had swept past him, tightening his heart with a pang of anxiety.

He Yuzhu cautiously stole a glance at the First Uncle's expression. That face was currently as gloomy as if it could be wrung for water, casting a heavy pressure upon him like a towering mountain weighing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Gathering his courage, He Yuzhu braced himself and edged closer to the First Uncle. First, he carefully picked up the pipe from the table, skillfully loaded it with shredded tobacco, and respectfully handed it over to the First Uncle, offering an apology as he did so, "Ah, it's all my fault for shooting my mouth off and ruining your mood for a smoke. What a sin."

The First Uncle took the pipe, shot him a disgruntled look, but did not reject the gesture.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu quickly pressed on, "First Uncle, smoke your pipe and listen to me explain slowly. If anything I say sounds unpleasing to your ears, just hit me with this pipe—I won't have a single word of complaint."

His delivery was earnest and sincere, prompting the First Uncle to reluctantly save face for him by bringing the pipe to his lips, taking a deep draw, and slowly blowing out a series of smoke rings.

Through the lingering smoke, He Yuzhu looked at the First Uncle with an apologetic expression and spoke abjectly, "First Uncle, I've been a complete and utter scoundrel. Whenever I touch alcohol, I simply can't control my mouth, and I just blurt out whatever comes into my head," He Yuzhu said, his face a mask of remorse.

"First Uncle, you have to believe me—those words truly don't represent what I'm thinking deep down." He was eager to clear his name, his eyes full of sincerity.

Actually, those words really did represent quite a bit of what was on his mind... He Yuzhu silently added in the depths of his heart, though he didn't dare voice it aloud.

"A person like me has a remarkably good memory. Every bit of kindness that you and First Aunt have shown to us siblings, I've kept engraved in my heart," He Yuzhu said, looking at the First Uncle with gratitude.

"You know, not long after my mother passed away, my father ran off with that stepmother of mine, leaving the two of us siblings behind." At this point, his tone was filled with helplessness and sorrow.

"He does send a little money every month, but aside from that, he doesn't care about a single thing, not even bothering to ask a single question." The more He Yuzhu spoke, the more agitated he became, a hint of anger coloring his voice.

"As for you and First Aunt, you didn't just put in physical effort to help us; you spent your own money too. You're truly kinder than our own birth parents."

Speaking of these things, He Yuzhu's eyes were brimming with gratitude.

Although he knew the First Uncle sometimes had his own little schemes, it was undeniable that the First Uncle was indeed a warm-hearted and good person.

The First Uncle was a level-eight bench worker and drew a substantial monthly salary, but both he and First Aunt were thrifty people who lived frugally, spending a great deal of their money to help others in the courtyard. In particular, he and his sister He Yuzhu were the primary objects of their care.

"First Uncle, back when Yushu and I were still little, you were the one who always looked after us. So, when you grow older in the future, it's only natural and entirely a matter of course for me to take care of you." As soon as He Yuzhu finished these words, he visibly felt the First Uncle's smoking motion pause for a fraction of a second.

The First Uncle raised his head, a probing look in his eyes, and then turned to glance in the direction of He Yuzhu.

He saw that He Yuzhu's eyes were filled with genuine sincerity and firmness, entirely free of suspicion or impure motives.

Seeing this, the expression on the First Uncle's face finally relaxed considerably, and the corners of his mouth upturned slightly.

"So, you no longer feel that I've been deliberately plotting against you?" the First Uncle asked slowly, an uncharacteristic gentleness hidden in his tone.

"And what about this—do you still think I pushed you to marry Qin Huairu just so someone would be around to provide for me in my old age and tend to my burial?"

In truth, He Yuzhu still thought along those lines, but he knew that such words could never be spoken aloud.

He plastered a smile on his face and lightly brushed the topic aside. "First Uncle, yesterday I just had a few cups too many of that heady wine. You mustn't take those drunken ramblings seriously. It was purely liquid courage making me talk nonsense and flap my gums.

The two of us are thick as thieves; how could I ever genuinely think that way about you? That would make me less than human." He Yuzhu spoke with earnest earnestness, making sure to pat his chest to demonstrate his sincerity.

"In my heart, even though you aren't my biological father, you're better than one. That bond is hardly any different. Actually, there's one more extremely important matter I want to ask your help with. Aside from you, I honestly can't find a second person I can trust and rely on to help me out." At this, He Yuzhu's eyes were full of anticipation and pleading.

Hearing this, the First Uncle's minor lingering grievances vanished like smoke in the wind, and a warm smile blossomed on his face.

He took over He Yuzhu's thread of conversation and asked with concern, "What is it? What could possibly have you so worked up that you need an old man like me to step in and help?"

Seeing that the First Uncle was willing to listen, He Yuzhu felt a wave of relief, yet he didn't dare cut straight to the chase, fearing the First Uncle might refuse the moment he heard it.

Thus, exercising patience, he began recounting his background, hoping to lay some emotional groundwork first.

"First Uncle, my life has been so bitter! My mother left when I was tiny, and as for the father I was left with, you saw him yourself—having him is no different from having none at all. He showed zero concern for me as his son. Why, he couldn't even be bothered to show up for my engagement banquet. You can imagine how sour my heart must feel about that.

"Ah, in this day and age, when you run into a tough spot and want to find an elder to give you some guidance, you realize how precious few people around you are capable of offering a helping hand. But come to think of it, apart from you, respected elder, I truly can't find a second person willing to extend a helping hand."

Hearing this, the First Uncle furrowed his brow slightly, a trace of imperceptible worry flashing through his eyes.

He slowly set down his teacup and asked softly, "Yuzhu, what sort of trouble have you run into this time? Don't rush, tell me slowly."

He Yuzhu looked at the First Uncle with gratitude, taking a deep breath as if to expel all his worries along with it.

"First Uncle, you know how I am—straightforward, saying whatever's on my mind."