Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

These are all their best-kept secrets; any one of them could impress the gourmets of half the street.

……

"Master He, can we serve lunch promptly at noon?"

It was almost eleven o'clock when Li Huaide rushed over, his forehead still damp with sweat.

He Yuzhu was cleaning the last piece of fish belly without looking up: "Don't worry, the first hot dish will be served at exactly twelve o'clock."

"If you're even a minute late, you can smash my pot."

"Hahaha, that's great!" Li Huaide's eyes lit up. He liked this kind of confident young man the most.

He cupped his hands in greeting, turned and left—his father-in-law had only invited two old friends, but they were both retired leaders who still commanded respect, so the hospitality could not be taken lightly.

Moreover, since his father-in-law only has one daughter, he, as her son-in-law, is practically a son to him, and it's his duty to greet and see her off.

In the kitchen, He Yuzhu had already quietly gotten into the swing of things.

Since his culinary skills broke through to level two a few days ago, his control over the heat has reached a state of perfection.

As the oil in the wok boils, waves of aroma surge outwards.

First, the cold dishes were arranged on the plate: the sliced ​​beef and tripe in chili oil was glossy and red, and the chicken with yellow skin and tender meat was arranged neatly. The porcelain plate was inverted and covered tightly to keep it warm and lock in the aroma.

Then all the stoves were turned on—a clay pot simmered lion's head meatballs, the soup milky white, the slow fire bringing out the true flavor; Wensi tofu lay quietly in the steamer, delicate as snow; on the other side, a high flame was raging, the iron wok swayed and roared, the chili peppers were fried until fragrant, the peppercorns popped, and the whole courtyard was filled with the aroma of rising smoke.

At 11:57, the last dish of Kung Pao Chicken was ready—the peanuts were crispy, the chicken was tender, and the sauce was evenly coated and glistening. With a shake of the pan, the aroma was irresistible!

The dishes that had been cooked earlier hadn't gotten cold yet; He Yuzhu had already put them, plate and all, into a steamer to keep them warm. The temperature was just right, and they were still steaming hot when they were served.

"Oh my god...is this a fairyland?"

As soon as Li Huaide lifted the curtain and entered, a domineering aroma assaulted his nostrils, causing his stomach to rumble. He almost grabbed the chopsticks and started eating on the spot.

Ten dishes were neatly arranged on the worktable, their colors, aromas, and flavors layered upon each other, making one's throat tighten just by looking at them.

"Everything's ready, except for that longevity peach, which needs to be steamed for another ten minutes or so." He Yuzhu wiped his hands, his tone nonchalant. "But it's a birthday banquet, so it's more appropriate to have it made last."

The first-class longevity peach he mentioned originally had slightly inferior ingredients, but he had a flash of inspiration and added some pumpkin puree to enhance the color and aroma. Its appearance was pink and smooth like a peach, and after steaming, it was soft and sweet. When you broke it open, the inner pattern was clear like blooming flower petals.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Li Huaide's eyes lit up, thinking to himself that hiring this kid was like finding a treasure.

Just by placing this dessert on the table, you'll instantly impress everyone!

Together, the two quickly served ten steaming hot dishes to the octagonal table in the main hall. The presentation was exquisite, with meat and vegetables interspersed, and red and green colors complementing each other, resembling a flowing scroll of a grand feast.

"Director Li, the dishes are ready. I'll be waiting in the kitchen. Please feel free to serve me anytime." He Yuzhu took a step back, his posture neither humble nor arrogant.

"Okay, okay, thank you for your hard work, Master He!" Li Huaide nodded repeatedly, his heart filled with joy.

But he also knew the rules—He Yuzhu wouldn't leave now.

The job isn't considered done until the banquet ends and the red envelopes arrive in the account.

If the old man enjoys the meal and orders more dishes, someone has to be ready to fill in.

He also deliberately didn't prepare any takeout boxes today.

The cook sneaking leftovers? That's a bad habit from the old society when people were terrified of poverty.

These gentlemen are all seasoned veterans; if they saw the cook carrying food out, they might think he was looking down on them.

Only a fool would throw away such a valuable connection for a few leftover pieces of meat.

……

"Wow! This smells even better than my birthday celebration!"

An elderly man with silver hair lifted the bamboo curtain and walked in. Before he even sat down, his nose twitched and his eyes widened instantly.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes, their colors enticing and their aromas irresistible; even a starving ghost would be tempted to get up and beg for a bite.

Without saying a word, he picked up his chopsticks and was about to start eating.

"You old codger, still so impatient!"

A laugh and a scolding voice came from behind. It was Li Huaide's father-in-law strolling in. Seeing his old friend so greedy that he didn't care about his image, he couldn't help but shake his head, "This has only just been put on the table, and the wine hasn't even been poured yet!"

The old man swallowed the beef in his mouth, smacked his lips, and said with a look of pure bliss, "Forget about the alcohol, just this meat alone tells me today's meal was worthwhile! It's spicy to the core and fragrant to the bone. Even this old man who hasn't eaten spicy food in decades can eat three bowls of rice!"

As he spoke, he picked up a piece of lion's head meatball and put it in his mouth—with a gentle bite, the minced meat melted, the soup overflowed, and the rich and fresh aroma went straight to the top of his head!

"Absolutely amazing!" He slammed his hand on the table. "This skill is so good, even a five-star chef would have to call him master!"

Just then, another old man strolled in. Hearing the last sentence, he immediately burst out laughing: "I knew Old Zhang was a good man! How could he treat his old friends so badly? We're really in for a treat today—oh! Huaiyang cuisine? My goodness, it's been so many years since I've smelled this!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already sat down, picked up a spoon, and ladled himself a bowl of Wensi Tofu.

The soup is as clear as water, the knife skills are as fine as hair, and with a gentle sip, it slides into your mouth and the freshness goes straight to your brain.

One bite, and the lively banter at the table vanished instantly.

The chopsticks flew through the air, almost sending sparks flying from the plates.

Only after he had a better understanding of the situation did he slow down, pick up his wine glass, and begin to recount those turbulent old stories, his laughter shaking the rafters.

Li Huaide ate little, sipped his wine slowly, but his eyes shone brightly.

He was overjoyed—this meal was totally worth it! He gained face and strengthened the relationship.

As they were talking, He Yuzhu carried the last dish, "First-Class Longevity Peach," into the restaurant, gently put it down, and turned to leave.

Suddenly, a hoarse voice, tinged with surprise, rang out from the table: "Hey, wait a minute, young man! Did you make these dishes today?"

Everyone turned to look at him.

He Yuzhu stepped to the side and glanced at Li Huaide.

Seeing that the other party simply smiled and nodded, he said frankly, "I was in charge of cooking. I don't know if the elders enjoyed the food."

"Delicious?" The old man slapped his thigh. "It's so delicious! After eating this, even my wife's cooking tastes bland at home!"

The table was filled with laughter.

The old man stopped smiling and stared at him seriously: "If I were to host a banquet sometime, could you come over and cook a couple of dishes?"

He Yuzhu grinned: "You can ask, no problem."

I'm a cook; serving food is my duty.

Director Li knows where I am; just give him a word, and I'll be there in a heartbeat.

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide almost burst out laughing—Good lad, you're really something!

The old man next to him immediately turned and glared at Li Huaide's father-in-law: "Did Little Li find this? Then don't stop him! Old Zhang, say something!"

Grandpa Zhang helplessly shrugged: "Fine, fine, just talk to Huai De directly. You're getting more and more like a deadbeat!"

After the lively gathering ended, He Yuzhu returned to the kitchen. He had just wiped the sweat from his brow when Li Huaide, beaming, followed him over, handed him a thick envelope, and whispered, "Take it, don't refuse." He then personally escorted him out of the government compound.

This time, the distance between the two was no longer the polite distance they once had.

Li Huaide's gaze towards him changed, and he almost wanted to call out "Brother He" to feel better.

……

A cool night breeze blew as He Yuzhu stood at the street corner, opened the envelope, and immediately saw a large ten-yuan note inside. He smiled slightly and said, "Ten yuan...that's quite a lot."

It can't compare to Lou Bancheng's extravagant spending, but considering who we're eating with today, the fact that they can afford to pay this much shows their sincerity.

He doesn't care whether he has a lot of money or a little.

It would be better if they didn't give a single cent—that would actually be better. It's a skill to owe someone a favor and have a long-term, steady relationship.

Especially now, Li Huaide will probably only recognize him as his stove from now on.

I looked up and saw that it was already past two o'clock.

He touched his chin and suddenly remembered something: he had prepared a gift for the kung fu master, but how could he have forgotten about Li Yuanguo?

He immediately went into the grocery store, picked out two boxes of Beijing-style pastries, two bottles of Moutai, and a pack of Panda cigarettes, which cost him almost thirty yuan when he paid.

He might feel a pang of regret if it were someone else, but giving it to Li Yuanguo? He wouldn't even blink.

When I returned to the courtyard house with my things, it was already dark, and smoke was rising from the chimneys of each house, filling the air with the aroma of food.

The old man was squatting by the door watering the flowers as usual when he glanced up and saw the cigarettes and alcohol hanging on his bicycle, and he froze.

"Zhu Zi? Are you crazy? Spending so much money all at once?"

He Yuzhu chuckled, "I'm not crazy. I'm going to pay respects to my master tomorrow, how can I not bring something decent? Uncle, let's talk another day, I still have to go back and cook for Yushui."

"Okay, go ahead and do it." Yan Bugui listened from the side, his heart itching with anticipation.

Why didn't I see him bring a lunchbox today? He usually struggles to even get a bite, and now it's even more out of the question.

But... how about we invite him fishing sometime? That way we can find an excuse and get a nice meal together.

That skill—even a simple stir-fried cabbage with vinegar—is enough to make your mouth water in the middle of the night.

"Zhu Zi!" Old Mrs. Li suddenly called out, stopping him. "I've bought the fabric for you and Yu Shui. Come over later to take your measurements."

"If you pay more, maybe you can make two."

"Okay! I'll bring the rainwater over in a bit."

He agreed and pushed the cart toward Zhongyuan.

By the pool, Qin Huairu was washing vegetables with her head down. Hearing the noise, she looked up and smiled: "Silly Zhu's back?"

He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids, and pushed the cart straight in through the door.

Seeing this scene, Jia Zhangshi, who was sitting at the door of the Jia family, was so angry that her teeth itched – this brat is getting more and more disrespectful!

As soon as He Yuzhu stepped into the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai immediately walked out of his house, stood at the door with his hands behind his back, and said to Qin Huairu in a low voice, "Little Qin, some people are not worth paying attention to."