Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu smiled as he propped up the car and patted the wooden box: "That's right, the ticket was given to me by the boss, so I just bought it on the spur of the moment."

From now on, rainwater will be able to learn about culture and listen to the news, its ears will also have some information.

Upon hearing this, the three aunties' eyes lit up, and they couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Zhu Zi, you're such a wonderful brother! Not only do you raise the child all by yourself, but you also want to broaden her horizons. You care about her more than her own parents!"

"Hey, why bring this up?" He Yuzhu waved his hand, laughing lightly. "We're all family, it's just what we should do."

He greeted them, then turned and pushed his cart toward Zhongyuan.

An older woman and Qin Huairu were vigorously washing clothes on a washboard by the pool. They wanted to say something to him as he passed by, but He Yuzhu didn't stop walking. Instead, he quickened his pace and went straight back into the house.

Inside the house, he carefully placed the radio on the cabinet, then turned around, went out, locked the door, got into his car, and disappeared again at the entrance of the courtyard house.

When we arrived at Fengzeyuan, it was a quiet afternoon.

The stove fire was weak, and the dining hall was empty with hardly any customers—the weekday mealtimes were long past, and it was the quietest time in the kitchen.

"Master!" He Yuzhu called out, his voice clear and bright.

Li Yuanguo was leaning back in his chair, drinking tea. Hearing the sound, he looked up and raised an eyebrow: "Oh, Zhuzi? Didn't you take leave? Why are you back?"

"The matter is settled." He Yuzhu took a few steps closer and lowered his voice. "There's something important I need to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanguo immediately understood.

It's a private matter, but it carries significant weight.

Without saying a word, he stood up, picked up the enamel mug, and said, "Let's go outside and have a chat, master and apprentice."

The two strolled to a shady spot at the alley entrance, where dappled shadows of trees fell on the ground.

He Yuzhu didn't beat around the bush and laid it out directly: Li Huaide wanted to transfer him to the steel rolling mill as the deputy director of the canteen, and there were even rumors of the appointment document.

More importantly, the steel rolling mill is about to be expanded and will become a large factory with tens of thousands of employees in the future, with a promising future.

After listening, Li Yuanguo squinted and pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "That's a good thing."

You're a Level 2 cook now. You know the threshold for Level 1—you need to have the skills and years of experience. If you don't have enough seniority, the judges won't even look at you.

But if you go there, you'll get the待遇 (treatment/benefits) of a deputy section chief, a salary of level 18, and 87.5 yuan a month—the same as a level 1 chef, not to mention the work will be much easier.

He paused, his gaze falling on his apprentice's face: "If you really become a director, you'll earn 99 yuan at level 17, which is a head higher than a level 1 worker."

This isn't just changing jobs, it's climbing the ladder!

He Yuzhu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed: "Master... so you agree?"

"Nonsense!" Li Yuanguo glared at him, then laughed. "As your master, I'd love for you to rise to prominence. What can I do to stop you? Get lost and get the paperwork done! But remember—even if you grow strong, don't forget your roots. Come back and visit often."

He Yuzhu quickly assured him, "Master, what are you saying? You're the only elder in Beijing. When I get married, I'll toast you the first cup of wine I'll offer!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanguo immediately perked up: "That's right, I almost forgot—you're not getting any younger, and it hasn't been easy supporting the family these past two years. When are you planning to find a wife?"

"Let's wait another two years," He Yuzhu grinned. "I'm only eighteen, I can't even get a marriage certificate yet."

But don't worry, with my skills and current conditions—a bicycle, a radio, everything—I'm at least a level-two cook, and a deputy section chief in sight…which girl wouldn't be eager to marry me?

His tone was relaxed, but his eyes were shining.

In this life, he is no longer the master craftsman who only reached level eight at the age of forty.

Now, he's starting from a point far ahead of his previous life.

……

Transferring people is a complicated matter, but it can also be quite simple.

For Li Huaide, it was just a trivial matter of writing a few words and stamping a seal.

The public-private partnership has not been in operation for two years yet, and the system is changing frequently. As long as the reasons are justifiable—to reorganize the kitchen, improve workers' meals, or serve the factory's construction—and people are openly and legitimately asked for personnel, Fengzeyuan simply cannot stop them.

He Yuzhu's background is also impressive: he is a second-level cook with excellent skills and a clean background.

Jumping from a restaurant kitchen to a state-owned enterprise canteen wasn't a lateral move; it was more like a meteoric rise.

After leaving Fengzeyuan, he went straight to Li Huaide's house without delay.

As soon as the door opened, he got straight to the point: "Director Li, my master has agreed."

"Alright, alright, Zhu Zi, with you here to help, I feel much more at ease!" Li Huaide smiled so much that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll submit the report right away, and you'll be officially transferred here as soon as the formalities are completed."

Putting everything else aside, aside from entertaining guests, there's really nothing else that can bother you.

He Yuzhu waved his hand and said decisively, "Stop, stop. If I only do reception, people will say I'm giving special treatment, and that won't sound good." He paused, then straightened his gaze, "Once I get there, I'll train all the chefs in the kitchen one by one, and I won't hold back my skills."

"We strive to ensure that every worker in the factory eats well and has plenty of energy to work!"

"Oh my, that's great!" Li Huaide's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated and looked at him again. "However... your cooking skills are undeniable, but cooking in a large pot is all about large portions and filling your stomach, which is different from the delicate work done in a small kitchen."

He Yuzhu grinned: "Director Li, you're quite an amateur."

There are different ways to cook food in a large pot, and there are different ways to cook food in a small kitchen.

"Besides—" he lowered his voice, with a hint of mystery, "as long as someone has talent, I wouldn't mind taking on a few apprentices."

But want to reach my level? Don't even dream about it without at least a decade of practice.

He knew very well that half of his skills came from hard work, and the other half... relied entirely on that elusive system.

For an average person learning to cook, it takes three to five years to hone their knife skills alone, and they also have to endure hardship in controlling the heat, seasoning, and pairing ingredients.

Like his senior apprentice Zhang Deliang, who was also exceptionally talented, he only managed to become a fourth-level chef in his thirties, and even then, he had to wait in line for a spot to be promoted to the third level.

Moreover, with supplies so scarce right now, where are we going to find so many good ingredients for newbies to practice with? They've already chopped the chopping block to a pulp, and they still haven't figured out how to cut pork along the grain.

"Okay, if you think that way, things will be much easier." Li Huaide nodded in satisfaction. "Go back and wait for my news. It won't take too long."

Just as he was about to see the guest off, a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He suddenly remembered the wine he had drunk at noon—it was smooth and mellow on the palate, with a hint of medicinal fragrance in the aftertaste. What was even more bizarre was that he was full of energy for the entire afternoon and didn't feel sleepy even at night.

He immediately reached out to stop He Yuzhu: "Wait! Zhuzi, do you still have that bottle of wine you brought today? I won't take it for free, I'll buy it! I'll pay any price!"

After a moment's thought, He Yuzhu said frankly, "That wine is called 'Tiger Bone Strengthening Wine,' a recipe passed down from another of my boxing masters."

It's almost extinct on the market now, and I only have two bottles left myself.

The key issue is that tiger bones are hard to find; the other medicinal herbs and Xifeng liquor are relatively easy to obtain.

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide didn't even blink: "Can I have half a bottle? I'll pay for it! And from now on, if I hear any news about tiger bones, I'll let you know immediately!"

He wasn't just being polite for no reason.

His father-in-law's old comrades-in-arms, after tasting He Yuzhu's cooking, all became incredibly picky. This kid is willing to speak modestly, which shows he knows his limits.

If you take advantage of someone's kindness and offend them, you'll never find someone like that again.

He Yuzhu looked at his sincere expression and nodded: "Okay, I'll bring you a bottle tomorrow."

But let me remind you—for those who don't practice martial arts, one cup every two or three days is enough. Overindulging can easily harm your health; don't blame me if you ruin your body.

"No need for tomorrow!" Li Huaide quickly waved his hand. "Whenever you come to the steel mill on business, just bring it over on your way."

You have to take the money. I can't just take advantage of you without doing anything. This is unacceptable!

Before he finished speaking, he forcefully stuffed two ten-yuan bills into He Yuzhu's hand—a large sum of money these days.

In terms of material costs alone, it's more than enough to buy a bottle of wine.

The problem is, tiger bones are something you can't buy even if you have money! You might be able to get lucky in the forests of Northeast China, but in Beijing? They're as rare as gold!

After reaching an agreement, He Yuzhu pocketed the money, picked up his bicycle, and went home.

I arrived home just in time for dinner.

The lunchbox I brought back from the steel rolling mill today is a rare feast.

Thanks to the large order, the factory has prepared an exceptionally abundant amount of materials this time.

He divided the three main dishes equally into three lunchboxes, and then took them out one by one from the system space after returning home.

He first had He Yushui deliver a portion to Old Lady Li and Old Wang's family, and kept the rest for himself and his sister.

At the dinner table, He Yushui shoveled food into her mouth, her eyes shining. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Brother, that radio... can I listen to it?"

His voice was filled with barely suppressed joy.

In her eyes, this radio was much like buying a computer in later generations—a window to the outside world.

"Sure," He Yuzhu said casually, placing a piece of pork rib into her bowl. "Once you get into a vocational school or high school, you can use it to practice your foreign language."

I also listen to the news regularly to stay informed about national events.

He paused, then tapped her forehead with his chopsticks: "I'll say it again—study hard."

"If you get into a vocational school, I'll get you a women's bicycle; what if you do well enough to get into university?" He smiled, "I'll give you a watch, something sparkly to wear on your wrist."

He Yushui's eyes lit up instantly, and she ate at full speed, as if she wanted to swallow the food in one gulp and rush into the house to open her textbook.

Just as the brother and sister were enjoying their meal, the courtyard gate creaked open.

Immediately afterwards, Yi Zhonghai took the lead, followed closely by Liu Haizhong. Yan Bugui peeked out from the doorway, and only after seeing He Yuzhu inside did he slowly walk in.

He Yuzhu's eyelids twitched, and his face immediately darkened. He said coldly, "I say, old man, your behavior is getting more and more amusing! Even the kids in Old Lady Li's family know how to knock on the door, but you're over fifty and still haven't learned it? Outsiders seeing this will think bandits are coming to rob us!"

"Silly Zhu, what kind of attitude is this? I came here today to give you a bribe, and you show no respect for your elders at all!"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that his face turned red, and he poked He Yuzhu's nose with his finger.