Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 43 Job Agreement Reached

The Dongcheng District Cooperative is a large courtyard with blue bricks and gray tiles, and a large sign with white background and black characters hanging at the entrance.

"What's this? Wild boar, goat."

"Motorcycle! A three-wheeled one!"

He Yuzhu distributed cigarettes and candy to the staff to obtain the information he wanted. The director's surname was Zhou, he was in his early forties, had a good personality, and was even-tempered. His office was on the second floor.

The door was open, and He Yuzhu knocked twice on the doorframe. "Director Zhou, my name is He Yuzhu. I'd like to work as a purchasing agent in our company."

Director Zhou looked up and sized him up. He appeared to be barely an adult, wearing a military overcoat, mud-caked leather boots, and cotton gloves tucked into his pockets with half of them sticking out. "You? A purchasing agent? Young man, how old are you?"

"nineteen."

"A nineteen-year-old working as a purchasing agent? Do you have any experience?" Director Zhou said with a smile.

He Yuzhu didn't answer, but pointed out the window. "That three-wheeled motorcycle by the door is mine. There are two wild boars and a blue sheep in the back, which I just hunted in the mountains. To be able to hunt in the mountains and get this much in the dead of winter, not to mention any other season."

Director Zhou stood up and walked to the window to look out. Two wild boars, their bristles standing on end, and a ram with curved horns, were piled high in the truck bed, almost filling it completely. He paused, then turned to look at He Yuzhu. "You hunted them?"

"I took the taxi. I stayed in the mountains for three or four days."

Director Zhou sat back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table. "Even if you can hunt, the cooperative's purchasing staff not only need to hunt, but also need to know how to buy mountain products and do accounting. Young comrade, this isn't just about having strength."

He Yuzhu took out a cigarette from his pocket and offered one to Director Zhou.

Director Zhou took it, and He Yuzhu lit it for him with a match, then lit his own. "Director Zhou, let me cook you a few more dishes, please try them and then decide."

"Stir-fry?"

"I can cook all eight major cuisines, including Tan Family Cuisine. I can prepare dishes for important guests the cooperative needs to entertain. Don't ask me to cook for others." He paused, "I'm here as a purchasing agent, and I'll also introduce someone to the kitchen. Just washing and chopping vegetables is fine."

Director Zhou stared at him for a long time. "You can cook? Who's your teacher? Have you graduated...?"

"Master Luo from Fengzeyuan is my mentor. Spicy crab, boiled fish, dry pot ribs, Sichuan pepper chicken, and grilled fish are some of the new dishes I introduced a few years ago."

Director Zhou nearly dropped his cigarette. "You're the leading figure in the new-style Sichuan cuisine that was all the rage in Beijing a couple of years ago?"

He Yuzhu nodded.

Director Zhou stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Let's go to the cafeteria."

There was a large canteen in the cooperative's backyard, with iron pots polished to a gleaming shine. The cook, a plump man in his forties, was slicing meat when he saw Director Zhou leading people in. He stopped slicing. "Director, are you bringing in new staff for the kitchen?"

"Old Zhang, take a break. Let this young comrade give it a try."

He Yuzhu took off his military overcoat and placed it on the chair, then rolled up his sleeves. He took out ingredients from the side: pork belly, grass carp, tofu, green peppers, and so on.

His hands never stopped. Sichuan cuisine: Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork; Huaiyang cuisine: Wensi Tofu; New Sichuan cuisine: Grilled Fish; Hunan cuisine: Shredded Pork with Green Peppers; Cantonese cuisine: Sweet and Sour Pork.

The ingredients and seasonings were laid out in a row on the cutting board, and two iron pots on the stove were raised and lowered alternately, the movements so skillful that it was as if they were cooking a home-cooked meal.

The entire cafeteria was filled with delicious aromas, and Fat Old Zhang stood to the side, dumbfounded.

Six dishes were laid out on the table, and Director Zhou called over several cadres from the cooperative to taste them together. One picked up a piece of fish, chewed it a couple of times, and his eyes widened. Another picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork, put down his chopsticks, and remained silent for a long time.

Chef Zhang picked up a spoon, tasted the Mapo Tofu, turned to look at He Yuzhu, and stared wide-eyed.

Director Zhou put down his chopsticks and looked at He Yuzhu. "With your skills, you're going to work as a purchasing agent at the cooperative?"

"Being a cook is too tiring. Purchasing jobs offer more freedom, but I don't want to go to work every day."

Director Zhou shook his head and picked up another piece of twice-cooked pork. "Where are your kitchen staff?"

"His name is Lao Li, he's in his fifties, an honest and hardworking man who's worked at my stall for two years. I'll bring him here this afternoon."

Director Zhou put down his chopsticks. "Okay, you'll be the purchasing agent, and he'll be the kitchen helper. I've really struck gold today."

"From now on, I will be one of your soldiers," He Yuzhu said with a smile, offering his compliment.

Director Zhou smiled happily, took He Yuzhu's hand, and led him back to the office as if afraid he would run away. He took a registration form from the drawer. "Register. He'll start today."

After He Yuzhu filled out the form, Director Zhou wrote a number in the salary grade column: the salary is set at 48 yuan, according to the highest standard for purchasing staff. The remarks column read "Responsible for purchasing wild game and mountain products, and serving as the head chef for important banquets when necessary."

The average employee of the cooperative earns only about 30 yuan a month. He Yuzhu's salary level is considered that of a key employee in the cooperative, which is much higher than that of the average employee.

Old Li worked in the kitchen washing and chopping. Director Zhou wrote down his salary as 25 yuan, which was considered a wage for an experienced worker. When Old Li was pasting cardboard boxes, he would work until his hands were raw and chapped, but he still wouldn't earn 15 or 16 yuan a month.

He Yuzhu signed the registration form. Director Zhou stood up and shook hands with him. "Comrade He Yuzhu, welcome to the Dongcheng District Cooperative. From now on, we'll be counting on you for the wild game business."

In the afternoon, He Yuzhu rode his tricycle back to the courtyard house to pick up Lao Li.

Old Li changed into clean clothes, sat in the back of the truck, one hand gripping his knee, the other holding onto the truck bed. "Zhu Zi, I'm really worried..."

He Yuzhu didn't turn around, but twisted the accelerator. "Uncle Li, just keep your head down and get to work. Chop and wash the vegetables, just like before."

Old Li stopped talking, his hands still gripping his knees.

The cooperative's kitchen.

Chef Zhang led Old Li around, pointing out each item on the stove, cutting board, sink, and knives to him.

Old Li nodded, tied on his apron, and stood by the sink to start washing the cabbages. His movements were steady, and he washed each cabbage leaf clean and arranged them neatly.

A woman leaned over and whispered, "Old Li, what's your relationship with He Yuzhu?"

"The neighbors in the same courtyard all worked for him for two years; they were all taught by Zhu Zi."

The woman paused for a moment, while Old Li lowered his head and continued washing the vegetables, stacking the washed cabbages into the vegetable basket.

Back in the courtyard, it was only three in the afternoon. He Yuzhu parked his motorcycle in the outer courtyard and walked into the inner courtyard. The holly bushes were dark green, and the osmanthus leaves were dry at the edges.

He Yuzhu returned to the main room, sat down, and lit a cigarette. Old Li joined the cooperative and became a purchasing agent; he no longer needed to go to work every day, and could go hunting in the mountains whenever he had free time.

Director Zhou knew who he was. He was only responsible for important banquets; otherwise, he was relatively free. He would never be able to leave the kitchen, but at least he wouldn't have to cook for others every day anymore.

He finished his cigarette and stubbed it out.

Today, I'll cook a proper meal. It's been raining for days and we haven't had a good meal, plus Xu Damao owes him several. I'll make a lot of dishes tonight to make up for it. Let's invite Uncle Li over and celebrate tonight.

He Yuzhu took out a pheasant, a rabbit, and a blue sheep from his spatial storage, carried them in his hand, and walked towards the central courtyard, deliberately eyeing these beasts with envy.