Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

"Let me tell you, if this pilot program at Daqianmen fails, I'll be the first to take responsibility, and you'll be the second! Go and bring Xu Huizhen back right now!"

"No matter what method you use, begging or deceiving, you must get her back!"

"If she doesn't come back—" Director Li gritted his teeth, "you won't just lose your job! You'll lose your rice bowl, and you'll go to jail! Do you understand?"

Fan Jinyou didn't dare to delay, so he got up and ran to the backyard.

But the house was empty; Xu Huizhen had left just as dawn broke, and there was no trace of her at home.

He had no choice but to wander aimlessly around the streets looking for someone.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed into my mind: Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru are always in cahoots. If I can't find her, I should go find Chen Xueru to find out where she is.

Once he made up his mind, he took off running.

Inside the room, Director Li breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Director Zhang: "Aunt Zhang, I'm leaving this to you."

I'll just mention two points—

"Please speak!" Director Zhang quickly replied.

"First, this is a pilot program! I must stabilize the situation and win back the merchants' hearts!"

"Secondly, Fan Jinyou can no longer be the company manager. He's demoted to a regular employee, and a new person will be chosen to replace him! Remember, pick one out of ten people who understand business, and don't let me bring in any more bad apples!"

After saying that, Director Li turned and left.

Aunt Zhang was dumbfounded.

Did they strip Fan Jinyou?

No problem, it should have been replaced a long time ago.

Where can she find a new manager who knows how to do business?

All the capable men under my command have been sent out; there's no way to find anyone else to recruit.

Her gaze swept across the room and landed on Zhao Yali in the corner: "Yali, why don't you... give it a try?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Zhao Yali almost jumped up. Her face lit up with joy, but two seconds later she waved her hands, "No, no! I can't do it, I can't do it!"

She's the accountant, and she flips through the ledgers more often than anyone else. She knows the manager's job inside and out—not much money to be made, lots of trouble, let whoever wants it do it!

……

The bell rang to signal the end of the workday in the afternoon.

Liu Dong rode his old bicycle, carrying a large basket of ingredients, into the courtyard.

Everyone's eyes widened when they saw it.

Yan Bugui leaned over: "Liu Dong, did you strike it rich today? You bought so many vegetables and meat! How much did it cost?"

"Hehe." Liu Dong chuckled, "We have guests over, Xue Ru's friends are visiting, we have to show them our hospitality!"

He beckoned to He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, come here!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" He Yuzhu came running over, "Brother Liu Dong, what's up?"

"Come on!" Liu Dong put his arm around his shoulder. "You're in charge of cooking tonight, have a couple of drinks with me, and show off your skills!"

"Alright!" He Yuzhu immediately perked up at the mention of cooking. Cooking for Liu Dong, in particular, was his favorite thing to do.

"Brother Liu Dong, my master said that I've mastered the craft and can work on my own now!" He grinned, but after a few seconds, he wilted again.

"What's wrong? You look so miserable?" Liu Dong glanced at her. "Did you break up with your boyfriend?"

One sentence made He Yuzhu blush.

As they talked, they reached the door of Liu Dong's room.

He Yuzhu took the vegetables to wash.

When he returned, Liu Dong asked again, "Zhu Zi, what's on your mind? Tell me, and I'll settle things for you!"

He Yuzhu shook his head: "Brother, you really can't resolve this."

"If I can't settle this, I'm not your brother! Tell me!"

"Hmm." He Yuzhu looked up, his voice lowering, "My dad... doesn't want me and my sister anymore. He said he wants to live his own life and told me to take good care of my sister."

"What?" Liu Dong's mouth gaped open, almost big enough to fit two eggs. "Say that again?"

He Yuzhu repeated, "My father is gone. He wants to pursue a new life and has abandoned us."

Liu Dong frowned.

Is He Daqing about to run away?

He knew this plot well—he'd seen it on TV in his past life. That man had taken a liking to the widow from Baocheng, the two had been having an affair for a while, and finally eloped. As for He Yuzhu and his sister, He Daqing didn't care about them at all.

He Yuzhu is already so old, it's really hard to say the word "raise" anymore.

The problem is—He Yushui is only nine years old!

Isn't this blatant child abandonment?

"Well..." Liu Dong scratched the back of his head and grinned, "Zhu Zi, let me think about it for you, things are a bit tricky!"

"Hmm..." He Yuzhu said in a low voice, "Brother, thank you. In this courtyard, you're the only one who can still speak up for me!"

"You're welcome!"

Liu Dong slapped him on the shoulder: "You just focus on cooking. Leave your dad's affairs to me! I won't rest until I get a proper explanation!"

Actually, it wasn't entirely out of his desire to help He Yuzhu.

The main reason was that he had a grudge against He Daqing.

He Daqing, you're ruthless! Not only did you cut back on my food rations at the factory, but you also made sarcastic remarks.

Just you wait, I'll make sure you live a peaceful life, and then I'll change my name backwards!

"Zhu Zi," Liu Dong suddenly asked, "do you know where your dad often goes to see that woman?"

He Yuzhu nodded: "I know, it's not far from the steel mill, next to the west gate of Shichahai Park, there's a traditional Chinese medicine shop called 'Heshantang'."

"Okay!" Liu Dong replied, "Then you can continue with your work, but the vegetables can't be burnt."

Just then, Chen Xueru and Xu Huizhen returned carrying large and small bags.

"Buying so much again?" Liu Dong asked casually.

Chen Xueru said with a smile, "It's for everyday use. I also brought you two new outfits."

"Oh dear..." Liu Dong said, both amused and exasperated, "Why did you buy me so many? It's not like I don't have any pants to wear."

"Come inside and sit down for a rest!"

He Yuzhu, who was cooking in the side room, stole a glance outside—

Click, click, click...

People are stupid.

My sister-in-law is beautiful, but who is this lady next to her? She's so pretty too! Standing next to my sister-in-law, neither of them is inferior to the other.

Liu Dong is really something; he's surrounded by incredibly beautiful girls.

He Yuzhu felt a pang of sadness.

Soon, the food was ready.

He brought the food into the main room.

Liu Dong said, "Zhu Zi, take some back with you and bring this half-jin of wine with you too. It's not convenient for us to eat together here tonight."

"Sigh... Brother, I understand." He Yuzhu silently served some food, turned around and left.

"It tastes pretty good!" Xu Huizhen took a bite and said with a smile, "This young man is really skillful!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a person suddenly appeared at the door.

Fan Jinyou.

He stood at Liu Dong's door, his face ashen.

"Oh... Manager Fan?" Chen Xueru raised an eyebrow. "You're so busy, what brings you here for a visit?"

Fan Jin ignored her, her eyes fixed on Xu Huizhen: "Huizhen..."

"Stop!" Xu Huizhen immediately waved her hand. "Cadre Fan, don't call me 'Huizhen,' it makes me uncomfortable. Use my surname plus my title, that makes sense. Otherwise, outsiders might think we're related!"

"Uh...Manager Xu..."

"Manager Xu?" Xu Huizhen sneered. "I've already been fired by you. I'm no longer a manager, just an ordinary employee!"