Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Madam Jia was so angry that her eyes almost popped out, and her fingers trembled like withered branches in the autumn wind.

"You...you brat! You're infuriating!"

……

The next morning.

He Yuzhu opened his eyes groggily, reached for his watch on the bedside table, and saw that it was almost halfway through the twelfth lunar month, and the festive atmosphere of the New Year was already wafting through the cracks in the window.

Time flies faster than a bicycle.

But this year during the Spring Festival, he was the only one tending the stove and heating the dishes; it was so quiet that you could hear the pot lid rattling.

Wait... no, there's also my younger sister, He Yushui. I wonder if she'll be coming back this year.

Thinking about it again, at my age, shouldn't I be looking for a companion?

If a person in their thirties continues to delay, they'll likely become the laughingstock of their neighbors.

Who should we look for? Lou Xiao'e? Ran Qiuye?

He remembered that in the TV series, Lou Xiao'e poured her heart out to Sha Zhu, and even he felt sorry for her when he watched it. That affection was so profound.

If I could really get together with her, it would fulfill a long-held dream of the person I was back then, the one who used to sit in front of the TV.

But upon closer reflection, Ran Qiuye was no less impressive: young, refreshing, and knowledgeable. Later, when the school stopped allowing her to teach and made her sweep the floor, she never complained.

Girls like this are down-to-earth and don't cause trouble.

But then he thought that the steel mill canteen would be contracted out sooner or later, and he might lose his job at any time.

If I really want to make my own way in the future, opening a small shop or doing some business, I will need a helper who can do accounting and understands the market.

Lou Xiao'e is quick-witted and can flip through account books more efficiently than turning pages of a book. With her by my side, the burden on my shoulders can be lightened by at least half.

I've thought about it a lot, but I still can't make up my mind. It's too difficult.

Ultimately, it's because these two people have absolutely no connection with him.

Although the third uncle was enthusiastic and wanted to introduce Ran Qiuye to him, the old man was very greedy and asked for ten yuan as "matchmaker's tea money" without any hesitation.

"Sigh! Forget it, I'll go report to the factory first, and deal with the rest as I go!"

……

At this time, at Lou Xiao'e's home.

Today, her maternal grandfather, the authentic successor of the Tan family cuisine, personally cooked a table full of dishes that were delicious, fragrant, and beautifully presented, all steaming hot.

Lou Xiao'e had warmed her chopsticks by the time she started eating, but before she could even pick them up, she had to listen to her parents' endless lectures and outwit them to get a few words of comfort. She was thoroughly fed up with it.

as predicted,

The topic circled back to blind dates.

"Xiao'e, have you thought this through? When are you willing to meet her?"

Lou's mother urged with a smile.

"No way! I'd rather die than go! You mention it every day, I'm sick of it!"

She picked up a piece of braised pork knuckle and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing with great relish. "Grandpa's cooking is still the best, a hundred times better than my mom's!"

"Eat more if you like it."

Grandpa smiled broadly, but fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"You have no idea, your grandfather's cooking skills are among the best in the capital. He's a true descendant of the Tan family cuisine, no exaggeration."

Mr. Lou joked from the side, "Even I've only gotten to experience this a few times. Today, thanks to my daughter, I'm finally getting to taste the real deal!"

Lou Xiao'e swallowed a mouthful of meat, tilted her head, and asked:

"Then why isn't my mom's cooking as good as my grandpa's?"

"Did she not study hard before? Otherwise, why..."

In her memory, her mother's cooking skills were far from being this outstanding, and she couldn't help but wonder: what's going on?

"The Tan family cuisine has always been passed down only to daughters, not sons. How would I know how to cook it?"

Lou Xiao'e's grandfather had just opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Lou's mother interrupted him.

"Stop!"

As if suddenly remembering something, Lou's mother's gaze darkened, and she glared at Lou Xiao'e, her tone tense: "Don't beat around the bush! Give me the truth, when are you going to meet him? Your Aunt Xu said that the young man is quite reliable. Although he's a worker, his character and abilities are dependable."

"Um……"

Lou Xiao'e sighed inwardly, unconsciously biting the end of her chopsticks with her fingertips. She tilted her head and pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "In a couple of days, I'll try. I'm really busy with schoolwork lately and can't find the time."

Her current strategy boils down to one word: stall. She'll stall until she can't avoid it any longer, then she'll think of another way. She's educated and worldly-wise, and deep down she fundamentally dislikes arranged marriages by parents. This is a new society, a new era, new rules; who still values ​​that kind of arranged marriage?

Before Lou's mother could even retort, she immediately picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, turned to her grandfather, and asked with a smile, "Grandpa, what's the name of this dish? It smells delicious and looks very elaborate."

Looking at her daughter, Lou's mother helplessly rubbed her temples. Why was her daughter so stubborn and unwilling to meet him? She had heard that the man surnamed Xu was indeed steady and ambitious.

Upon hearing this, Lou Xiao'e's grandfather, who was sitting nearby, immediately brightened up and enthusiastically replied, "This is eggplant casserole! Just steaming and stir-frying alone requires nine rounds of preparation; the heat, knife skills, and ingredients all have to be perfect. Try it!"

Lou Xiao'e put the dish in her mouth, and the moment her tongue touched it, she exclaimed, "Absolutely amazing! So fresh, fragrant, and rich, with distinct layers of flavor—truly incredible!"

"Is it good? Try this one..."

Mrs. Lou stared at her daughter for a while, then exchanged a glance with Mr. Lou and gently shook her head. It seemed that this marriage would have to be put on hold for a while longer.

……

At this moment, in the kitchen of the steel rolling mill canteen.

He Yuzhu was leaning against the wall, resting with his hands in his apron pockets, looking relaxed. Anyway, there was no work to do right now, so he might as well just sit around doing nothing.

The apprentice, Ma Hua, was restless, pacing back and forth. Each time he reached He Yuzhu, he would open his mouth but then swallow his words, his face slightly flushed.

He Yuzhu wondered: Why is this kid acting like he's been scratched by a cat today?

After a long while, Ma Hua finally took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to speak: "Master, do you know what 'Ashima' means?"

"What do you mean?"

"That's the movie! Ashima!"

Only after he mentioned it did He Yuzhu realize that he had heard of the film's name, but had never seen it.

"What? You want to drag me along to see the excitement?" He couldn't help but chuckle.

This brat is actually thinking about watching a movie.

"No, Master... My family introduced me to a girl today, and I'm thinking..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Hua's ears turned bright red, and he lowered his eyes, not daring to look up.

"Ding! A new mission has been triggered for the host. Please choose one."

Option 1: Reject the request, do not leave the post early, and receive a reward of one yuan.

Option 2: Grant leave and receive a reward of seven yuan.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu's lips immediately curled up, revealing that he had been anxious about this matter for quite some time.

However, he always thought highly of this guy: he was hardworking, honest, and stubborn, and he was very loyal to him.

"You want to leave early?" He stared at the MCA with a half-smile.

"hey-hey!"

"Master, you have such sharp eyes! How could you not see this? You are truly the master I admire most in my life!"

When Ma Hua laughed, his mouth almost stretched to his ears.

But the canteen still had to rush to prepare dinner for the workers, so although there weren't as many people as at noon, there were still quite a few. If he left early, He Yuzhu would have to take over the food preparation himself.

Fortunately, his knife skills are now solid, and cutting vegetables is a piece of cake for him.

Besides, he was going to meet someone, something that concerns his lifelong happiness, so how could he stop him? Moreover, Ma Hua is his most trusted disciple, and he couldn't let him down.

Not to mention, the seven yuan reward from the system isn't free; it's enough to buy half a bag of rice, which is both practical and affordable.

He Yuzhu readily agreed: "MCA, you're allowed to go today! Leave this to me."

"Thank you so much, Master! Thank you so much!"

Ma Hua was so excited that his voice trembled. He thanked her repeatedly and then disappeared in a flash.

"Ding. The task 'Approving MCA's leave request' has been completed, and the reward of seven ringgit has been credited to your account."

He Yuzhu glanced at the clock on the wall. He had to hurry; if he waited any longer, a long queue would form at the kitchen door as the workers poured in.

Those people are eyeing the stove with bated breath. If they get impatient and start making a fuss, it will ruin their reputation, and that wouldn't be worth it.

He picked up the cleaver, flicked his wrist, and the blade moved steadily along the cutting board. Now he can slice into thin strips as fine as hair and cut into even pieces; his knife skills are already superb.

At this moment, Liu Lan suddenly approached, her gaze falling on his hands, and she was immediately stunned: When did he learn to be so skilled with his sword?

It seems like it's been a long time since she's seen He Yuzhu personally perform surgery.

I never imagined that it would have progressed this far.

"How did your knife skills suddenly become so superb?" she asked with a smile.

"Not bad?" He Yuzhu smiled, then suddenly remembered something and casually asked, "Liu Lan, you've been working in the cafeteria for three years now, right? Always as an apprentice, are you planning to do this for the rest of your life?"

"Want to learn a couple of tricks from me?"

"Serving food sounds easy, but can you do it for the rest of your life? When a younger, more agile girl comes along, you probably won't even be able to stand at the window and will have to go back to the workshop to swing a wrench."

"this……"

Liu Lan was taken aback, her heart skipped a beat, and she realized, "That's right!"

Although she was close to Deputy Factory Director Li, he was married and could break up with her at any time, leaving her with no way out.

"You...you really want to teach me how to cook?" Her voice softened, but her eyes lit up.

"I haven't given up," He Yuzhu said slowly. "I have rules about taking on apprentices. There are dozens of people in the whole cafeteria, how many of them are qualified? After all, I am a direct descendant of the Tan family cuisine, passed down for more than ten generations."

Upon hearing this, Liu Lan felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Who in the steel mill didn't know about He Yuzhu's culinary skills? The factory relied entirely on him to entertain distinguished guests and make a good impression.

Of course, what she wanted to learn was He Yuzhu's specialty, Tan family cuisine, not the kind of home-cooked meals cooked in large pots in the canteen.

"Master He, when will you teach me how to cook?"

Liu Lan's tone softened noticeably, and she even reached out and took He Yuzhu's arm, her voice carrying a hint of flattery.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance. Whether you can seize it or not depends on how hard you try."

He Yuzhu smiled, a genuine smile playing on his lips.

"Okay!"

"I will definitely study hard, Master He!"

As soon as she said it, she became really serious. She didn't know if He Yuzhu's words had struck a nerve, but she suddenly realized that she should start thinking about the future.

If I can really learn a few solid skills, I'll have something to eat when I get older.