Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Wang Huanbo's vacation flowed by unhurriedly amidst the everyday hustle and bustle and undercurrents of the courtyard. Three days later, a brand-new Hongqi sedan pulled up punctually at the entrance of courtyard number 95. This was specially arranged by Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide to take the deaf elderly woman to Peking Union Medical College Hospital for a dental appointment. Although Wang Huanbo was on vacation, he was concerned about the old woman and decided to accompany her personally. An older woman, who usually took the most care of the old woman, naturally went along as well. Lou Xiao'e, upon hearing the news, thoughtfully offered to come and help look after her as well.

The group got into the car, which smoothly drove towards the hospital. Inside, the elderly deaf woman nervously clutched the hem of her clothes. Wang Huanbo sat beside her, gently comforting her, "Grandma, don't worry, Peking Union Medical College Hospital is the best hospital. The doctors are skilled. After your dental checkup, you'll be able to eat comfortably again." Looking at Wang Huanbo's calm gaze, the old woman felt a little relieved and nodded. Lou Xiao'e, in the passenger seat, turned around and handed her a washed apple, "Grandma, have an apple first, it'll sweeten your mouth." An older woman watched this scene, her eyes filled with relief. The street scenes outside the car window rushed past, and sunlight streamed through the window, filling the car with warmth.

At the dental clinic of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the head doctor had already been notified and personally greeted them at the door of the examination room. Seeing Wang Huanbo accompanying them personally, the head doctor's attitude became even more enthusiastic and cautious. The examination process was meticulous and professional, and the result was as expected: the old lady was very old, had very few good teeth left, and most of the tooth roots were decayed. The best solution was to extract them all and install a full set of dentures.

"Pull...pull a tooth? Will it hurt a lot?" The old lady's face showed childlike fear when she heard that she was going to have a tooth pulled.

The head doctor patiently explained in a gentle tone, "Ma'am, you can rest assured. We have excellent anesthetic now; just a tiny bit will be enough to make the extraction painless. It'll feel like a mosquito bite. After a few days, once the new tooth is in place, you'll enjoy eating and speaking clearly—that'll be true bliss!"

Wang Huanbo leaned down and gently patted the old lady's hand, his voice steady and strong: "Grandma, listen to the doctor. Good teeth are essential for a strong body. You still want to try Zhu Zi's braised pork, but you can't do that without good teeth."

With Wang Huanbo by her side, his words seemed to have a reassuring power. The old lady looked at him, then at the concerned director, and finally nodded: "Okay, okay, we'll listen to you, we'll listen to Huanbo."

Over the next few days, Wang Huanbo would come over whenever he had a spare moment to take impressions and have dentures made. Lou Xiao'e was always there for him, running errands, helping him up, handing him water, fetching medicine, and showing him meticulous care and concern. The older woman watched Lou Xiao'e's gentle and delicate profile as she worked, then looked at Wang Huanbo calmly arranging everything, and felt a sweet warmth in her heart, thinking the two were a perfect match.

On the day the dentures were finished, the head dentist carefully put them on the old lady. Looking in the mirror, she carefully opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again, touching her smooth gums. Her face first showed disbelief, then broke into a big, childlike smile: "It's done! It's really done! It doesn't hurt at all, and it looks quite nice! This...this is almost like my teeth when I was young!" She tried speaking a few words, and indeed, her speech was much clearer, no longer slurred.

"Grandma, you look ten years younger now!" Lou Xiao'e teased with a smile.

Wang Huanbo also smiled contentedly. Seeing the elderly man relieved of his pain and enjoying his later years gave him a greater sense of accomplishment than overcoming any technical challenge.

To celebrate the old lady's "new teeth" and to thank Factory Director Li Huaide for his help and the neighbors for their care, Wang Huanbo decided to host a lavish family feast in the small dining room in the west courtyard. The responsibility of cooking unsurprisingly fell to Sha Zhu and He Yuzhu.

On the evening of the banquet, the small restaurant in the west courtyard was brightly lit and filled with a festive atmosphere. Invited guests arrived one after another: the elderly deaf woman, dressed in her finest attire, beamed from ear to ear; an older woman, supporting the old lady, also wore a long-lost air of relaxation; Mr. and Mrs. Yan Bugui arrived, flattered (Wang Huanbo thanked the older woman for her daily cleaning); accompanying them were the radiant Sha Zhu and the quiet and elegant Lou Xiao'e. Of course, the most important person was Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide, who took time out of his busy schedule to attend, giving Wang Huanbo considerable face. Only Uncle Liu Haizhong from the middle courtyard was not invited. At this moment, he was sitting in his quiet house, listening to the faint sounds of laughter and smelling the increasingly enticing aroma of meat in the air. His face was ashen, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions, a mixture of jealousy and anger. He felt that Wang Huanbo did not respect him, the "department leader," at all. Wang Huanbo's violent behavior at home scared Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu away, while Liu Guangqi huddled silently in a corner, further strengthening his determination to escape as soon as possible.

In the restaurant, Sha Zhu truly pulled out all the stops this time. The ingredients provided by Wang Huanbo left him speechless: a giant Australian lobster with its claws outstretched, marble-like texture of Japanese Wagyu beef, the so-called "first delicacy of the Yangtze River"—the ribbonfish—and fresh termite mushrooms rushed from the deep mountains of Yunnan… Many of these were things Sha Zhu had never even seen before, let alone cooked! He was so excited that he rubbed his hands together and used all his skills: the braised lobster with scallions was a bright red color and had an irresistible aroma; the Wagyu beef, simmered over a low flame, was tender and flavorful, melting in his mouth; the steamed ribbonfish was cooked to perfection, incredibly tender; the termite mushroom and chicken soup had a golden broth and was exceptionally delicious… Add to that a few refreshing seasonal vegetables and Sha Zhu's signature deep-fried meatballs and braised pork, and the table was piled high with dishes, a feast for the eyes, nose, palate, and palate—a veritable gourmet banquet!

The atmosphere was lively from the very beginning of the banquet. Li Huaide raised his glass first, beaming, "Come on, let's raise a glass together to celebrate the old lady getting a nice set of teeth, wishing her a good appetite and a long and healthy life!"

"Wishing the old lady good health and a long life!" Everyone raised their glasses, and laughter filled the air.

The deaf old lady, wearing her new teeth, carefully tasted a piece of Wagyu beef that Sha Zhu had specially stewed for her until it was tender. The aroma of the meat instantly filled her mouth, and she squinted her eyes in satisfaction, nodding repeatedly: "Delicious! So delicious! Zhu, your cooking is amazing! This old woman hasn't enjoyed eating meat this much in a long time!"

"Grandma, if you like it, eat more!" Sha Zhu was overjoyed.

An older woman quickly served food to the old lady, carefully removing all the fish bones.

Yan Bugui ate with his head almost buried in his bowl, his chopsticks dancing rapidly. As he ate, he praised indistinctly, "Mmm! Delicious! Zhuzi, this beef... how come it's so tender! Amazing! This lobster meat is so bouncy! Oh my, this fish is so fresh it'll make your eyebrows fall off!" His wife, Auntie San, also forgot about her usual frugal eating manners and ate with her mouth full of oil.

Li Huaide took a few bites and nodded repeatedly, saying to Wang Huanbo, "Comrade Huanbo, the ingredients you found are absolutely top-notch! Zhu Zi's cooking skills are also superb! This meal is even better than the one the ministry uses to entertain foreign guests!"

Wang Huanbo smiled modestly: "Director Li, you flatter me. It's mainly because Zhu Zi's cooking skills are excellent. I'm just glad everyone enjoyed the meal."

Lou Xiao'e sat beside Wang Huanbo, eating with refined elegance, occasionally whispering to him about the flavors of the dishes. Their eyes met, a tacit understanding flowing between them. Wang Huanbo naturally looked after her, placing some of the dishes she had glanced at. All of this was observed by a perceptive older woman and the shrewd Li Huaide, each with their own calculations.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, the atmosphere became even more harmonious. Li Huaide changed the subject, smiling as he said to Sha Zhu, who had finished cooking and was wiping his hands as he approached, "Zhu Zi, I'm truly impressed by today's feast! It's impressive in every way, and meticulous in every detail! I think the position of head of the factory's canteen is definitely yours! In the year-end evaluation, you'd better perform well, tone down your fiery temper, and stop shirking your responsibilities so easily. This position is yours!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's face flushed with excitement, and he pounded his chest loudly: "Director Li! Engineer Wang! Don't worry! I, He Yuzhu, swear to Chairman Mao! From now on, I will definitely make the canteen beautiful and clean, ensuring the workers eat and drink well, and I will never bring shame to the leaders! If anyone says I'm not doing a good job, you can hold me accountable!"

Yan Bugui quickly chimed in, "That's right! Zhu Zi's cooking skills are more than enough to make him the head of the canteen! Our factory workers are in for a treat!" He was already making a quick calculation in his mind: If Zhu Zi really becomes the head of the canteen, he might be able to get some rare and sought-after items and pull some strings.

Wang Huanbo smiled and nodded, saying to Li Huaide, "Zhu Zi's craftsmanship and sense of responsibility are top-notch, but he's straightforward and needs more experience in management. With you, Director Li, overseeing things and guiding him, we can definitely rest assured."

Li Huaide laughed heartily, gave Wang Huanbo and Lou Xiao'e a meaningful look, and said, "Of course, of course! With Comrade Huanbo's words, I feel even more confident! Come, let's drink another glass to Zhuzi's future promotion, and also to thank Comrade Huanbo and everyone for their hospitality!"

"Cheers!" The atmosphere of the banquet reached its climax. Only Liu Haizhong in the middle courtyard, hearing the faint sounds of laughter and toasting, was so angry that he smashed another teacup and pointed at Liu Guangqi, who was huddled in the corner, and gave him another good scolding, making his own house seem even more desolate and lonely.

The banquet ended happily. After seeing off Li Huaide and the profusely grateful Yan Bugui and his wife, and settling the somewhat tired deaf old lady and the middle-aged woman, Lou Xiao'e rolled up her sleeves and efficiently helped clear the dishes. Sha Zhu, humming a little tune as he wiped the stove, approached Wang Huanbo, asking with a hint of pride and anticipation, "Engineer Wang, how was it? Was the feast good enough for you? Did it let you down? Not worse than Nan Yi's at the branch factory, right?"

Wang Huanbo looked at this straightforward man, smiled, patted his sturdy shoulder, and said confidently, "Zhuzi, when it comes to the skill, grandeur, and understanding and mastery of ingredients in this grand banquet, you absolutely have it!" He gave a thumbs up, "Chef Nanyi apprenticed under the imperial chefs, specializing in the delicate and ingenious preparation of small-scale dishes and palace cuisine—that's his strength. You both have your own merits. Since Director Li has already offered you the position of head of the factory canteen, you can rest assured. In the year-end assessment, show your best, work on your temper, think things through, and don't act impulsively. This position is yours!"

"Alright! With your words, I, He Yuzhu, will risk my life to bring honor to our factory!" With the last weight lifted from his heart, Shazhu was overjoyed and worked even harder.

The moonlight, like water, spilled into the quiet west courtyard. Lou Xiao'e finished getting ready, and Wang Huanbo escorted her to the courtyard gate.

"You've worked so hard today, Xiao'e," Wang Huanbo said softly, looking at her delicate profile in the moonlight. The night softened his features and added a touch of gentleness to his usually calm tone.

"Mr. Wang, you're too kind," Lou Xiao'e said softly, bowing her head slightly. "I'm happy to be of help. The old lady's happiness is more important than anything else."

"When we're not with outsiders, just call him Huanbo." Wang Huanbo looked at her, his gaze gentle yet firm.

Lou Xiao'e's cheeks flushed slightly, and a sweet feeling rippled through her heart. She raised her head, met his gaze, nodded gently, and replied, "Mm."

The gentle night cast long shadows of the two figures. The warm light streaming from the west courtyard window mingled with the bright moonlight, creating a serene and beautiful scene. However, beneath this seemingly harmonious courtyard, turbulent undercurrents simmered. Wang Huanbo knew his vacation was drawing to a close, and the unusual signals detected by "Pangu" and Li Huaide's private discussions about the thorny demands for special steel and precision bearings foreshadowed the impending end of this brief respite. The road ahead remained fraught with challenges. But at this moment, gazing into the gentle eyes of the person beside him and feeling the rare warmth of the courtyard, Wang Huanbo felt an even stronger resolve within him.