Courtyard House: The Fisherman Never Goes Sick

The next chapter is even more exciting: Chapter 22, Family Heirloom, awaiting your visit.

They started doing it.

Su Ye first opened the stove vent, and the firewood inside the stove shot up high with a "whoosh," causing the temperature of the large pot to soar.

Secretary Chen watched from the side, and his heart finally felt half relieved—of the two people who came today, at least one was reliable. If the movie hadn't been shown or the food hadn't been served, he really would have wanted to disappear right then and there.

No sooner had Secretary Chen left than Su Ye had already started stewing the Dongpo pork knuckle in the pot. With oil heating up in the large pot, his hands moved tirelessly, producing a continuous stream of authentic Sichuan dishes, such as Mapo tofu and shredded pork with garlic sauce, quickly filling the kitchen with their aroma.

While things were busy here, in the villa's reception room, the top leader and Factory Director Wang were having a lively conversation: "We must keep a tight grip on the factory's output and quality; there can be no slackening, and no wishful thinking. I called you here today mainly to have a few drinks and relax a bit, so you don't put too much pressure on yourselves. According to intelligence, there may be major changes in the next year or two, so we need to prepare sufficient supplies in advance."

Forty minutes later, Secretary Chen knocked lightly on the door and entered, saying in a low voice, "Sir, the food is ready."

"So fast?" The big boss raised an eyebrow.

"Since it's ready, let's eat and chat." The senior leader stood up. "Let's go to the dining room."

The group followed them into the restaurant, where seven dishes were already laid out on the table. The high-ranking leader loved Sichuan cuisine, and a glance at the dishes revealed their essence—they were all authentic and traditional.

"Don't be shy, have a seat." The top leader took his seat at the head of the table, and the others sat on either side according to their rank. Aunt Liu sat opposite him, and the six people filled the seats perfectly.

The high-ranking leader, smelling the aroma of the dishes and looking at the table full of delicious-looking Sichuan food, recalled a few memories and said with a smile, "Looks pretty good."

Factory Director Wang, on the left, quickly chimed in: "Chef Su is the backbone of the canteen. His Sichuan cuisine is authentic and genuine. How could I dare to bring a half-baked cook to fool you?"

The senior leader chuckled, took a couple of bites of food, nodded slightly, and said to Secretary Chen, "Xiao Chen, call the chef over."

"Yes, sir."

A moment later, Secretary Chen led Su Ye in. The big boss suddenly spoke up: "This is twice-cooked pork, the next dish will definitely be Dongpo pork knuckle." Everyone was surprised and amazed.

Su Ye was extremely familiar with this plot, so he pretended to be surprised, glanced at the big boss without saying anything, and turned to the kitchen to get the Dongpo pork knuckle.

Everyone became even more curious and stared at the big boss waiting for an explanation. Su Ye also looked over—this forced the boss to put on a good act so that he could continue the scene.

Su Ye felt as if his entire being had been seen through. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, followed by genuine admiration. He quietly watched the big leader until he had fully displayed his "prestige" before nodding in satisfaction and giving him a thumbs up—his expression showing heartfelt respect.

"Commander, you are truly knowledgeable! You can even guess what Chef Su is cooking. Amazing!" Director Wang and the others exclaimed in amazement, full of praise.

The high-ranking leader felt quite pleased with the admiring looks from everyone. Regardless of how much he disliked Xu Damao, he was still human, and humans are not immune to human nature—otherwise, he wouldn't be sitting here peacefully enjoying Su Ye's authentic Sichuan cuisine, nor would he be surrounded by entourages wherever he went. He genuinely served the people, but he couldn't hide his usual quirks: competitiveness, vanity, the satisfaction of being recognized, and the sense of accomplishment from achieving things—all these human emotions were present in him.

"Come on, everyone, have a bite and try it, see how it tastes." Aunt Liu, as the wife of the leader, greeted everyone with a smile.

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and took a bite. The film studio director, chewing as he spoke, said, "I've tasted Master Su's cooking before! I had the pleasure of trying it a few times when I was at the steel mill on business. The flavor is more authentic than many genuine Sichuan restaurants, even surpassing them!"

"That's right, Chef Su is one of Factory Director Wang's greatest assets. Thanks to his culinary skills, many clients have secured partnerships with the steel mill." Seeing everyone say this, the senior leader's smile deepened. "Anyway, anything that can boost domestic demand and increase production without breaking the law is a good solution. If you can find such a master chef to help you negotiate partnerships, I'll wholeheartedly support it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone nodded hastily. Before him, each person was extremely cautious, afraid of saying the wrong thing and offending their leader. Seeing this scene, Su Ye felt even more confident—weren't all of them top executives of large state-owned factories? With a mere stomp of their feet, many things in Beijing would be thrown into disarray. Yet, these people were so subservient before this high-ranking leader; this leader's background was definitely not simple.

"Your dish is quite good. Although you are young, your cooking skills are no less than those of chefs at state banquets!" This person, who had obviously eaten at state banquets, gave Su Ye a huge compliment in one sentence. The chefs who cook at state banquets are all top chefs who are well-known throughout the country. Now, Su Ye, a junior chef in a steel mill canteen, is being compared to them, which shows how superb his skills are.

Everyone was taken aback. They had only thought the food tasted good before, but now, after the high-ranking leader mentioned it, they were astonished to realize just how skilled Su Ye was. Factory Director Wang secretly resolved: from now on, no matter what, he had to keep Su Ye by his side! With this culinary genius on the team, what business couldn't they close?

After listening, Su Ye simply smiled and nodded slightly, without saying much. After all, the factory manager had repeatedly told him before leaving that he should just focus on his work and talk less.

"That's right, Chef Su's dishes are perfect in color, aroma, and taste!" Aunt Liu also praised, "They look beautiful, and they taste even better, with freshness, fragrance, spiciness, and numbing sensation all in one."

Su Ye smiled at her and nodded.

At this moment, the senior leader finally became curious, put down his chopsticks, and looked up at Su Ye: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Are you unable to speak? Or are you mute?"

Upon hearing this, Su Ye knew the time was right and quickly protested, "I'm not mute!"

"Hehe, you're not mute, why don't you answer my questions?" the big boss pressed.

"Our factory manager instructed me to just do my job and not to talk much. You are a high-ranking leader, and I dare not speak casually for fear of offending you and not being able to bear the consequences," Su Ye replied with a smile. His words were somewhat refined, yet neither humble nor arrogant, and they were reasonable and well-founded. Upon hearing this, the high-ranking leader's impression of him improved even more.

"You're calling me 'Big Boss'?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

Factory Director Wang quickly explained, "Sir, I didn't mention your real identity to him."

The high-ranking leader nodded slightly and then asked Su Ye, "Aren't you curious about who I am?"

"Not curious! My master said, 'Those in a position should fulfill their duties, and those not in a position should not concern themselves with politics.' I'm just a cook; I only care about cooking, not who the guests are."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Good, well said! I have high hopes for you, young comrade!" the senior leader said happily. "Xiao Chen, pour him a glass of wine; I'll toast him!"

How could Su Ye allow his superior to toast him? Even Sha Zhu knew to respect his superiors, so Su Ye knew the proper etiquette even better. After exchanging a few polite words and finishing his drink, he said softly, "Please enjoy your meal. The food won't taste good if it gets cold. I'll go to the kitchen and make you some soup." With that, he took his leave and went to the kitchen.

As soon as Su Ye left, the senior leader said to Aunt Liu while eating, "That's a good comrade. He understands his responsibilities and knows what's important and urgent. Unlike that movie projectionist who talks badly about his coworkers behind their backs. He has character issues and isn't worth associating with." Then he turned to Factory Director Wang and said, "I want to discuss something with you. Could Chef Su come and cook for me once a week from now on?"

"What's wrong with that? Not just once a week, you can come every day! It's Xiao Su's honor to serve the leader." Director Wang hurriedly agreed.

"Sigh, this is against the rules. Once a week is already going too far. It's settled then."

The meal went smoothly. The high-ranking leader was pressed for time and left quickly after finishing, without even saying goodbye to Su Ye—after all, it was their first meeting. But for Su Ye, this was a good start; at least he had left a deep impression on the leader. With more interaction in the future, winning over this leader wouldn't be a problem, would it?

Su Ye followed Factory Director Wang out of the high-ranking leader's house and got into the car to head back. The matter here was basically settled; he wasn't needed for the rest, and Factory Director Wang also had a pile of official business to attend to.

Inside the car, Director Wang couldn't contain his praise: "Xiao Su, you really made me proud today! Not only did the commander praise your Sichuan cuisine, but you also acted and spoke with composure and maturity. I really underestimated you before. So, any thoughts on taking another step forward?"

Su Ye's heart skipped a beat—was this a promotion? But he knew that the domestic and international situation would change soon, and the problems of state-owned enterprises would quickly become apparent: once productivity and supply and demand were balanced, issues like overcapacity and product homogeneity could turn the company into a bottomless pit. He wasn't about to get too deeply involved here; he'd have to go to Hong Kong with Lou Xiao'e to avoid trouble in a few years, and he didn't want to be tied down.

"Thank you for your kind words, factory manager, but I know my limits. The head chef in the cafeteria is my best position," Su Ye declined. "Any higher, I can't stand up even if you help me. I don't want to embarrass you."

Factory Director Wang wasn't surprised—he had long sensed that Su Ye wasn't one to be content with mediocrity, but in these days of nationalization, the path to advancement was incredibly narrow, and even those unwilling had to suppress their resentment. Seeing that Su Ye didn't want to climb the ladder, he didn't try to persuade him, but instead changed the subject to today's meal, even deliberately asking about Sichuan cuisine, probably trying to curry favor with the higher-ups. Su Ye saw through his intentions but didn't expose him, explaining everything in detail.

Upon arriving at the steel rolling mill, Director Wang got out of the car and instructed, "You've been busy all morning, so take a break this afternoon. Leave the canteen to He Yuzhu. There's no production or entertainment tonight, so I'm giving you half a day off."

"Oh, thank you, Factory Manager Xie!"

"Stop being so stingy, hurry up and go, don't let anyone see you and it will make a bad impression."

Su Ye agreed, headed straight for the parking area, pushed his bicycle, and pedaled furiously towards the courtyard house. These days, getting time off was difficult, and he happened to have some free time today. He had originally planned to spend half the afternoon with the old man, but when Lou Xiao'e heard he didn't have to work, she immediately pleaded to go back to her parents' home, saying she missed them. Su Ye couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he changed his mind: "Okay, I'll just tell Grandma and then I'll leave."

After greeting the old lady inside, the two left the courtyard. Passing by the supply and marketing cooperative, Su Ye bought some things—how could a son-in-law visit empty-handed? Besides, he always brought back quite a bit when visiting his father-in-law, and he felt embarrassed to keep taking advantage. Lou Xiao'e said that the family didn't need anything and didn't want him to buy anything, but she felt secretly pleased and hugged his arm even tighter. They chatted and laughed all the way to the Lou family villa.

When Wu Ma saw them, she exclaimed, "Master, Madam, Miss and Son-in-law are back!" Lou's parents quickly came out to greet them. When they saw their daughter, the old couple couldn't stop smiling. Although they lived nearby, their married daughter couldn't come back often, otherwise the courtyard would gossip that the couple was not getting along.

"You're here, why did you buy so much stuff?" Lou's mother chimed in. "You should be frugal with your money, Xiao Su's salary isn't high."

"Mom, I told him not to buy it, but he insisted, and I couldn't stop him!" Lou Xiao'e said, looking aggrieved.

Su Ye replied, "It didn't cost much. Besides, the factory manager gave me a raise next month. I'll be a level 5 cook, earning 51 yuan a month, plus a 2.5 yuan subsidy from the canteen. That's enough. My own and my grandma's savings, though not much, are still a three-figure sum." Lou's parents had always thought he was just an ordinary worker earning a fixed salary, never imagining he had savings.

Lou's mother kept saying, "Don't waste money. We don't need you to eat. If you want to spend money, buy supplements for the old lady. We don't need to worry about it. Just make sure you're doing well."

"Alright, you've finally come back, stop nagging." Mr. Lou stopped her. "Aunt Wu, pack up the things and wash some fruit."

The family entered the house, and Su Ye handed the things to Wu Ma, saying "thank you" before sitting down in the living room to chat with Lou's father.

Less than half an hour later, Lou's father suddenly called out to Su Ye: "Xiao Su, come to the study with me, I have something to discuss."

Su Ye's heart skipped a beat—could something have happened so soon? But she remained calm and followed him into the study. Mr. Lou lit a cigarette and remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Little Su, you know our family's situation. I have some things here that need to be stored with a reliable person. I don't feel comfortable putting them in the bank, so after thinking it over, I can only ask you. Is that alright?"

Three words popped into Su Ye's mind: family heirloom!

Su Ye sat there, his mind perfectly clear—Lou's father had probably sensed the changing times and guessed that trouble was brewing, which was why he was preparing a backup plan. He himself might even be a "hidden pawn" planted by the Lou family. Now that he found him reliable, Lou's father was actually planning to entrust his entire life and fortune to him. This trust was half based on his character and half on the bond of kinship with Lou Xiao'e.

If the situation changes drastically in the future, and something happens to Lou's parents, this treasure could be used to bribe officials and save them. It could also be a test for him—wealth has always been the most tempting thing to people; how many cases like the "683" incident have occurred? There are countless examples of families breaking apart and brothers turning against each other for money. Lou's father handing over his life savings wasn't just a simple act of storing things; it was clearly a test to see if he could be a true son-in-law.

He paused, his eyes revealing a hint of guidance, as if he wanted to mentor Su Ye: "Our country has great potential, a good system, and can concentrate its resources to accomplish great things. Becoming prosperous and strong is only a matter of time. There may be growing pains along the way, but they cannot stop the country's progress towards strength. I have faith in our country."

"Dad, Xiao'e told me about the family matters. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. You made great contributions back then. I believe in the country, and I believe in the founding emperor even more." Su Ye said, "But what's the meaning of you leaving so much treasure here with me?" He has a system space, ten cubic meters. It's fine for storing vegetables, meat, and antiques, but it's the most secure place to hide things. No one can find it.

"I trust the country, but we have to be prepared for anything," Lou's father insisted. "Unexpected things can happen at any time, so your mother and I will feel at ease if we give it to you in advance. In a couple of days, I'll have someone deliver the things to the courtyard house under the guise of delivering flour and oil. Find a safe place to hide it, and don't tell anyone except your mother and me, not even Xiao'e—she can't keep secrets."

"Okay, whatever you say." Su Ye agreed, then added, "By the way, I'm cooking at a high-ranking official's house tonight, I think it's a state-owned enterprise, and the factory directors are all there with me. I didn't hear what they were talking about, but I have a feeling they might be making some moves soon. If it's related to your concerns, you can try to find out through your friends, so you can prepare in advance if you have any information."

He didn't go into specifics; with a shrewd businessman like Lou's father, there was no need to be too explicit—a few clues would suffice, and he would follow the trail. A major upheaval was expected in 1962, which would likely trigger a surge of people heading to Hong Kong. This presented an opportunity for Su Ye, who had long wanted to use his foresight. With tight policies on the mainland, he dared not even touch small businesses, fearing being labeled a "speculator," let alone going to Hong Kong. His inability to do so didn't mean Lou's father couldn't; a little hint might yield unexpected gains. Whether there were any real opportunities or not, he'd try his luck first!