Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

With a burst of heat and a sizzling sound, the stir-fried double crispy dish is ready to be served – crisp, tender, and smooth, with an explosive aroma, and glistening with oil on the plate, the steam rising straight into your nose.

It happened much faster than the cafeteria manager had anticipated.

As soon as he peeked out, the delicious aroma wafted over him, his mind went blank, and his feet involuntarily moved forward.

Pick up a piece with your chopsticks and put it in your mouth. The moment your tongue touches the crispy outer layer, the tender and smooth inside bursts open, so fresh and delicious that it's like chewing up and swallowing the whole spring morning in Jiangnan.

He can't even speak properly anymore.

"Great! Chef He, lunch is all yours!" He couldn't contain his excitement as he picked up the plates and headed out. "I'll take it to Chairman Lou right away, and the menu will be here shortly!"

He had eaten He Daqing's dishes before, but this one was cooked even more intensely and had a more intense flavor; it was clearly a case of the student surpassing the master.

He Yuzhu just smiled and didn't say much. He turned around and went into the kitchen. His eyes swept over the ingredients on the cutting board. He had already drawn up a menu in his mind - old-fashioned dishes of Shandong and Huaiyang cuisine, which he could easily pick out. They were all solid ingredients.

Not long after, the cafeteria manager returned, and as soon as he entered, he gave him a thumbs up: "Chairman Lou ate three bites and immediately approved! You're in charge of the cooking today, it's a sure thing!"

"Sure, I'll take care of it." He Yuzhu agreed readily, took the menu and glanced at it—sure enough, it was all ingredients they had on hand, without any fancy stuff.

When the time came, he rolled up his sleeves and went into battle, his blade flashing and the stove fire roaring.

Ten dishes were served in succession: the braised sea cucumber with scallions was glossy and oily, the clear braised lion's head soup was as clear as a mirror, the braised pork intestines were bright red and tender, and the squirrel mandarin fish was fried to a golden brown and crispy, bursting with juice with every bite... The colors, aromas and flavors were layered upon each other, and there was not a single flaw to be found.

When the food was served, the cafeteria director would take a step and then smell it, almost pressing his nose against the edge of the plate.

Inside the private room, Lou Bancheng lifted the lid of the bowl and his heart skipped a beat.

Luckily, I believed He Daqing's words, otherwise I would have really suffered a big embarrassment in front of my old friend today.

"Come on, have a taste while it's hot!" he said with a smile.

The factory manager of the Shanghai machinery plant glanced over and raised an eyebrow: "Old Lou, when did your cook suddenly become so good? Last time you came, it was just a haphazard stew, but this time even the plating is so meticulous!" He picked up a piece with his chopsticks, and after tasting it carefully, he was even more surprised. "Hmm? The flavor is right too, the cooking time is perfect, the saltiness is just right... Confess, you changed cooks, didn't you?"

Lou Bancheng laughed and said, "I can't hide anything from your old mouth."

That's right, it wasn't Old He who did it, it was his son, He Yuzhu.

"Oh my! No wonder!" The factory manager's eyes lit up. "This craftsmanship is so authentic it could be served at a state banquet!"

The six people at the table started eating at the same time. The first bite was met with a nod, the second with a grabbing motion for the plate, and the third with a frenzied, sweeping motion, leaving the table in a whirlwind of food scraps.

……

"Zhu Zi, well done. Chairman Lou wants to see you."

He Yuzhu was packing up the food quickly when he heard the sound and looked up. It was the canteen manager.

He wasn't surprised at all by this behavior—it's not like ten years from now when everything will be public property; it's perfectly normal for a chef to come to your home to cook and take some leftovers home.

Otherwise, you'll just waste half a day's effort for a pittance.

This time he brought four lunchboxes, which were overflowing.

The kitchen helper next to him was also holding two boxes, one meat and one vegetable, and he couldn't stop smiling—he used to be a logistics worker in the steel rolling mill, and he didn't get paid for helping out for free, but now he was getting a share of the profits.

In his past life, he spent his entire life struggling in the city, exhausting his connections and using his favors to feed his dogs.

In this life, he will not raise anyone else; protecting himself and his sister He Yushui is enough.

Don't pack too many lunchboxes, just enough to eat.

He wiped his hands and asked, "Director, did Chairman Lou and the others enjoy the food?"

"Delicious? More than that!" The cafeteria manager slapped his thigh with delight. "Those guests ate so much they wanted to swallow their tongues! Chairman Lou is now sprawled on the sofa, unable to move, groaning from overeating!"

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "That's good."

"Let's go see Chairman Lou now."

The two walked through the corridor and pushed open the door to the lounge.

The guests had already left, their faces glistening with oil from the meal, and went back to the guesthouse to lie down.

Lou Bancheng leaned back on the sofa, his belly slightly bulging, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

The cafeteria manager knocked twice on the door, and after receiving permission, led He Yuzhu inside.

Lou Bancheng looked up, smiled and nodded: "You must be He Daqing's son, He Yuzhu, right? These dishes today are absolutely amazing."

Especially those Shandong dishes, the cooking time and temperature were even more authentic than what I ate back then.

My old friends are very picky eaters, but they kept eating and couldn't stop.

As he spoke, he took out a thick red envelope from the drawer and handed it to the cafeteria manager: "Give this to Chef He for me."

He Yuzhu took it with both hands, didn't even look at it, and casually stuffed it into his pocket, saying humbly, "Chairman Lou, you flatter me. It's a family heirloom. I've been learning it from my father since I was a child, and I've only recently started to get the hang of it."

He didn't say much, but his words carried weight, like the freshly cooked dish in his hand—cooked to perfection, still warm.

"Master He's skills are truly exceptional! By the way, do you have a regular job right now?"

Lou Bancheng finally revealed his trump card, his eyes shining as if he had found a gold ingot.

His steel mill's kitchen was empty, and he was looking for a tough guy to keep things under control at the stove—wasn't this guy the perfect candidate? What's more, his father, He Daqing, was a veteran chef in the factory, with impeccable credentials, so taking over was a natural progression.

"Yes, I just became a full-time chef at Fengzeyuan and I'm now the second chef, learning Sichuan cuisine from Master Li Yuanguo."

He Yuzhu replied with a smile, knowing exactly what was going on.

Lou Bancheng's thoughts were written all over his face, but he didn't want to go to the factory for the time being.

Steel rolling mills may seem like a quiet place, but in reality, the profits are extremely thin.

Aside from serving meat to foreign guests, the food brought home on ordinary days was nothing more than stewed dishes in a big pot. How could that compare to the daily meat dishes at Fengzeyuan?

"Li Yuanguo," Lou Bancheng nodded, "I heard that his boiled fish is so spicy that people jump up and down, but they still fight over it."

My wife has mentioned it a few times. Although she no longer cooks, she knows all the skilled chefs in Beijing like the back of her hand.

Despite saying that, he was still unwilling to give up.

He Yuzhu's skills are just to his liking. If he can really poach the guy, he can eat his fill every day from now on.

"Master He, have you ever thought about changing places? Your father has been doing this for so many years, it's only right that you should take his place."

I'll give him whatever he takes; plus an extra ten yuan subsidy—eighty-three yuan a month, how about that?

The moment those words were spoken, the air seemed to heat up a bit.

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat.

This figure is in line with the current standards of top chefs, and is considered astronomical, especially for a young person like him who has just graduated.

But he knew very well that once the public-private partnership came into effect next year, all these high salaries would have to be cut.

Even if he is a level four chef, he can only get level six treatment at most in a state-owned factory.

"Chairman Lou, I'm really sorry," he shook his head and smiled, "I've only just finished my apprenticeship, and according to the rules, I still need to stay with my master for a few more years to hone my skills."

"If I switch jobs halfway through, breaking industry rules, my reputation will be ruined, and I'll be letting Master Li down."

Lou Bancheng sighed, his shoulders slumping: "Ah, what a pity, what a real pity."

He was really interested and wanted to sign the contract on the spot, but now it's a new society and you can't force people to join you, so he had to give up.

"Although I can't come to work at the factory, if you ever need to hold a banquet or make an appearance, just let me know."

My father has received your care for many years, and he remembers that kindness.

Whenever I have free time, I'll personally cook you a feast that will leave your taste buds speechless!

These words struck a chord with Lou Bancheng, and he immediately beamed, "Good! I'll remember what you said, Master He. Don't refuse in the future!"

"Look at what you're saying," He Yuzhu grinned, "From now on, just call me Zhuzi."

The director knows where I live; just give the word, and I'll be there anytime.

……

As He Yuzhu stepped out of the office, he quietly took out the red envelope and lifted a corner—good heavens!

Two big black ten-dollar bills, a total of twenty yuan! That's equivalent to twelve days' wages at Fengzeyuan, and he'd only been busy for half a day today.

Not to mention, they also stole four aluminum lunch boxes, which were shiny and heavy when carried in the hand.

This deal made him more money than his father made from hosting a private banquet.

Previously, He Daqing's banquets cost only eight to fifteen yuan, but when it was his turn, the price jumped to twenty yuan, doubling the price instantly.

Although this time there was a special background, it was enough to make him grin from ear to ear.

He spent some time with Lou Bancheng in the afternoon, and then went to the department store to do some shopping. He didn't get home until after three o'clock.

At this moment, He Yushui was doing her homework on the small wooden table at Uncle Yan Bugui's house.

He Yuzhu was worried. His daughter was young and easily bullied if no one was watching her. She also did her homework sporadically.

I felt a little more at ease leaving it in the care of my third uncle.

He pushed his bicycle towards the courtyard gate and called out, "Yushui, brother's back!"

Before he could finish speaking, a small figure rushed out with a "whoosh"—it was He Yushui.

She glanced at the four lunchboxes on the back rack of the car, her expression calm—she'd been eating meat every meal lately, her face was round and glowing, and she could barely button up her school uniform collar anymore.

These days, being able to gain weight is a blessing.

She stood on tiptoe, tilted her head back, and asked, "Big brother, did you bring me any candy?"

"All you ever think about is eating!" He Yuzhu laughed and pinched her chubby little face. "You'll rot from all that sweetness sooner or later."

As he spoke, he pulled out a handful of milk candies from his pocket. They were neatly wrapped in white paper and smelled delicious.

He shoved the pills into the maid's palm: "Go, distribute them to Jiecheng, Jiefang, and the others. Give each of them two, and keep one for the youngest, Jiedi."

Eight candies, no more, no less, just enough for each of the five family members to have two, perfectly balanced.

However, He Yushui's face clearly showed her displeasure—well, there were only a few pieces of candy, if she gave them all away, what would she eat? But He Yuzhu didn't say a word, and "slap" lightly slapped her on the forehead, laughing and scolding, "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up! I have plenty here, if you don't share, I'll scatter them all and you won't get a single bite."