I Have a Lake as I Walk Through the Courtyard

He Daqing's angry appearance instantly reminded Bai's two sons of their childhood, and they instinctively hid behind Bai.

"Great Qing, are you really going to be so heartless?"

"Am I heartless? You call me heartless for a monthly pension of 10 yuan? 1000 yuan is only enough for ten years. Do you think I won't even live for ten years?"

He Daqing's face turned completely red as he spoke. "Xiaobai, tell me yourself, how have I treated you and your two sons all these years? What about your jobs and the food you've provided? During the three years of hardship, when others couldn't even afford food, your sons had meat at every meal. Who was the heartless one here?"

He Daqing's sudden outburst drew disdainful looks from everyone in the Civil Affairs Bureau, but the one who felt the worst was Yushui! For those three years, her father hadn't even taken care of her.

The white widow closed her eyes in anguish. "I'll give it to you, okay? Please, stop arguing here..."

They arrived in one package, and they left in the same package!

He Daqing slung a cloth bag over his right shoulder with one hand, turned around and looked at the home he had lived in for over twenty years. With tears in his eyes, he followed his daughter and son-in-law as they left.

It was already afternoon when He Daqing arrived at the train station in Beijing. He took a deep breath of air as Li Jianguo quietly approached him.

"It's all in the past! Just think of it as a dream! You still have your nephew and niece! They will definitely treat you like family!"

For years, Li Jianguo has lived in a house that leaks rainwater. As the eldest son in the family, he has given all the benefits his parents provided to his younger siblings, so it's perfectly justifiable for him to say this.

"I find you much more pleasing to the eye than my son. Go back to your room!"

"Okay!"

The three of them returned to the house, and He Daqing immediately got the urge to cook. He prepared a sumptuous meal, making the two children's mouths water.

"Grandpa! Your cooking skills are so much better than the cook at our construction site..."

He Daqing looked at the two children and saw that their features resembled Yushui's. He felt an instant sense of warmth and took out two large red envelopes from his pocket, one for each child.

"Dad! You only have so much money, don't waste it... The children can earn money now!"

"How can that be the same? I'm happy today..."

"Thank you, Grandpa!" The two boys became even more affectionate after receiving the red envelopes.

"I was so blind before! I didn't raise my own child, but instead raised someone else's. Rain, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry to you two siblings..."

"Dad! I'm happy today, let's not talk about those things anymore, it's all in the past..."

"My poor, foolish son! His future is a direct result of my teachings... I still have you, but he won't even have anyone to see him off in his old age!"

He Daqing's actions made the meal impossible to enjoy. Yu Shui and Li Jianguo exchanged a glance and shook their heads in unison.

"Why don't you take some time to go see your brother?"

"I'm not going! He wasn't there when you brought me back, and he didn't listen to me at my wedding. I'll just pretend I don't have this son anymore..."

He Daqing put down his wine glass, as if he had seen through everything. "If he truly cared about me as his father, why hadn't he sent me a single letter all these years? I owe him nothing. I've given him everything I could. As for what happens in the future, let him be!"

The couple sighed, finding the meal utterly unappetizing.

In the days that followed, He Daqing seemed to have truly come to terms with things. Besides cooking for his daughter and son-in-law, he would go to his grandson and granddaughter's construction site to see the two children. Occasionally, when he was in a good mood, he would even show off his cooking skills in the construction site's kitchen, making the workers extremely happy.

When the news reached Sha Zhu, Qin Huairu's eyes lit up like light bulbs. "Zhu Zi! Go buy something and visit your father!"

"I'm not going, and don't mention him in front of me!"

"How could you be so foolish? He's your own father, and he's coming back this time..."

"I told you, don't mention him in front of me!" Sha Zhu suddenly stood up, flicked his apron, and left the stove and the kitchen.

"He's got a real dog's face, he can turn on you in an instant!" Thinking about her husband's personality, Qin Huairu sat alone in the kitchen, worrying.

Lin Feng treated the restaurant like his own home. He had just finished eating and was coming out of his private room when he ran into He Daqing.

"Grandpa! You're back from Hebei! What a coincidence! Have you eaten?"

"Heh! Young man of the Lin family, I've seen countless people in my life, but I truly misjudged you! I've been waiting for you here specifically to find a place to chat?"

"Sure!" Lin Feng readily agreed and led He Daqing into a private room.

Lin Feng handed the menu to He Daqing. "Mr. He, you're an expert, why don't you order a few dishes for us to try?"

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

He Daqing ordered four dishes. Lin Feng smiled but didn't say anything. The waiter quickly sent the menu to the kitchen.

The chefs in the kitchen glanced at the menu. "Chef Nan, these four dishes will probably require your personal preparation!"

Nan Yi curiously took it and looked at it. "Whose is this? Isn't this making things difficult? Each of these four dishes requires a lot of effort..."

The waiter whispered a few words in Nan Yi's ear, and Nan Yi instantly lost his temper after hearing them.

Inside the private room, He Daqing and Lin Feng slowly sipped their tea and chatted casually. They waited for almost two hours before the first dish was served.

"How is Grandpa He?"

He Daqing picked up his chopsticks, took a small bite, and slowly chewed. "Excellent color, aroma, and taste! No wonder he's a descendant of the imperial chefs!"

"I'm relieved to hear that, Mr. He. You've kept me here for two hours. Please feel free to speak your mind; I'll do my best to help if I can!"

"You're such a busy person these days, spending two hours with this old man is already giving me a lot of face, so I'll just speak frankly!"

Lin Feng gestured for He Daqing to drink, and He Daqing drank the tea from his clean cup.

"I originally planned to visit my old buddies after coming back, but after seeing your restaurant, I've changed my mind. I'd like to ask you for a favor—give me a job!"

Lin Feng thought for a moment. "What does the old man think of this restaurant?"

"Very good!" He Daqing's eyes held a hint of anticipation.

"This restaurant has shares in Nanyi. Besides a monthly salary of 3000 yuan, there's also a year-end bonus. The old man wants to come and work here; he'll get the same treatment as him, but he won't get the shares!"

"Of course..."

Lin Feng pondered for a moment. "As the saying goes, two tigers cannot share one mountain. The kitchen is only so big, and you two are both capable people. If you don't feel comfortable working together, it's my fault. I have an idea, but I don't know if the old man would like to hear it?"

This is also He Daqing's biggest worry, because anyone with ability is bound to have a bad temper.

Tell me about it!

"I'm thinking of opening a new cuisine at the restaurant. Lately, we've had quite a few out-of-town guests in Beijing, especially from the south and Hong Kong. They're not used to the local food!"

Upon hearing this, He Daqing instantly understood. "Tan Family Cuisine?"