Courtyard House: In times of famine, my hamster became a spirit.

In the empty and quiet hall, a figure dressed in dark blue overalls was carrying a chipped aluminum lunchbox and walking nonchalantly toward the spare coal stove in the corner.

It's Zhou Jianguo.

He walked at a leisurely pace, each step seemingly following a unique rhythm.

The staff around him, who were so nervous they didn't even dare to breathe, seemed to him to be nothing more than air.

He walked to the coal stove, skillfully poked the nearly extinguished flame with a fire hook, and placed the cold lunchbox on it.

"Who is this?" Deputy Factory Director Li's temper flared instantly. "Don't you know what day it is today? Where are the security guards? How could they let this person in?"

Upon seeing Zhou Jianguo, Wu, the officer following behind, was overcome with both old and new grudges and immediately charged out like a vicious dog protecting its master.

"Zhou Jianguo! What are you doing!"

Officer Wu rushed to the coal stove, pointed at Zhou Jianguo's nose, and said in a shrill voice, "Who let you in? Can't you see we're having a reception? Take your lousy lunchbox and get out of here! Don't get in the way. Can you take responsibility for offending such an important person?"

Zhou Jianguo didn't even lift his eyelids.

He took out a box of matches, struck one with a "sizzle," and slowly lit the stove.

The firelight reflected off his face, flickering on and off, making his eyes appear even more unfathomable.

"Eat." Zhou Jianguo uttered two words.

"Go eat in the workshop! This is no place for you to stay!" Officer Wu reached out to lift the lunchbox.

"Smack."

A crisp sound.

Zhou Jianguo's hand had somehow gripped Officer Wu's wrist.

That hand was long and strong, squeezing Wu's wrist so hard that the knuckles cracked.

"Officer Wu, which rule in the factory regulations says workers can't heat up their food in the canteen?" Zhou Jianguo looked up, his calm gaze sending chills down one's spine. "Besides, the big boss's private room is right next door. If you shout and disturb his meal, he'll think our factory is chaotic and we don't even have a quiet place to eat..."

Zhou Jianguo tightened his grip slightly, looking at Wu's contorted face, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "Whose responsibility is this, yours or Deputy Factory Director Li's?"

Officer Wu was in so much pain that his face turned green, but this serious accusation made him hesitant to act rashly.

If the noise really disturbs the higher-ups, Deputy Factory Director Li will skin him alive.

"You...you let go of me!" Officer Wu growled through gritted teeth.

Zhou Jianguo released his grip, sat back down on the stool, and stared at the lunchbox that was gradually steaming on the coal stove: "I'm just heating up some food, five minutes. I won't make a sound, and you shouldn't bother me. Let's all keep to ourselves, understand?"

This isn't a discussion, it's practically a notification.

Not far away, Deputy Factory Director Li watched this scene, his chest heaving with anger. But after weighing the pros and cons, he finally waved his hand with a gloomy face, signaling Officer Wu to come back.

As long as this kid doesn't cause trouble, once the big boss leaves, we'll have plenty of ways to deal with him!

The cafeteria returned to an eerie silence.

Only in the corner did the coal stove emit a faint crackling sound.

However, this quiet did not last long.

"Cough cough... cough cough cough!"

A pungent, spicy smell suddenly wafted from the kitchen, like a tear gas canister, engulfing the entire hall.

It wasn't the normal aroma of chili peppers, but a strange smell that mixed burnt, bitter, and excessive Sichuan peppercorns, hitting you right in the head.

Deputy Factory Director Li had barely taken a breath when he choked, tears streaming down his face. He bent over, coughing violently, "Cough cough! What... what's going on? Why is it so choking? What is He Yuzhu up to?!"

The waiters and security guards in the lobby all covered their mouths and noses, their faces turning red.

Is this the legendary "Imperial Chef's" skill?

Why does it look like a chemical plant has been blown up?

In the corner, Zhou Jianguo remained as steady as a mountain.

He even took a deep breath.

[A true taste sensation, activated!]

In my mind, the information flow is instantly analyzed.

"The oil temperature is 240 degrees Celsius, too high. The dried chilies char instantly upon hitting the pan, and the bitterness comes out before the spiciness. Stupid."

"Sichuan peppercorns weren't soaked in warm water beforehand; they were fried directly in oil. The numbing flavor only stayed on the surface, and they were already burnt, giving off a bitter, burnt taste. Stupid."

"The most outrageous thing is this fermented bean paste..." Zhou Jianguo tilted his head slightly, as if he could see through the huge iron pot churning in the kitchen. "They rushed to add water before even rendering the chili oil. This is making a spicy soup, not stir-frying vegetables. Is this He Yuzhu's understanding of Sichuan cuisine?"

Zhou Jianguo sneered.

Sichuan cuisine emphasizes "seven flavors and eight tastes," and is an art of complex flavors, rather than simply throwing chili peppers into a pot and stewing them together.

He Yuzhu isn't cooking at all; he's wasting food.

With this level of skill, let alone making the big boss feel the same way he did back then, it would be a miracle if He Yuzhu's ancestors had done something truly virtuous.

"Cough cough... This tastes wrong!" Deputy Factory Director Li choked on the smell, his eyes welling up with tears, and the ominous premonition in his heart grew stronger.

He covered his mouth and nose and rushed to the food delivery area, yelling inside, "Zhu Zi! Can't you handle this? Why is this smell so pungent?"

The kitchen was filled with smoke.

He Yuzhu was waving a spoon with his face flushed red, tears streaming down his face from the smoke, but his excitement was not diminished at all.

"Factory Manager! You're completely out of your depth!" He Yuzhu shouted while coughing loudly, "This is called 'spicy frying'! What kind of Sichuan cuisine isn't spicy? This means the flavor is strong enough! Just wait, this 'Spicy Tofu' will be ready soon, guaranteed to make the big boss cry!"

Want to cry?

Hearing these reckless remarks, Zhou Jianguo couldn't help but shake his head.

I wanted to cry, but it was because the food was so bad that I cried.

Soon, the first dish was ready.

When the waiter brought out the plate, his expression was quite something. He had to maintain a professional smile while holding his breath, as if afraid of inhaling a breath of "poisonous gas".

The tofu in the plate was red, but that red had a dark, gloomy quality to it.

A thick layer of burnt chili shells floated on top, making it look absolutely appetizing.

He Yuzhu even went to the food delivery area himself, sticking his greasy head out, which met Zhou Jianguo's gaze from a corner in the distance.

The two stared at each other across half the hall.

He Yuzhu's eyes were full of provocation and the ecstatic joy of impending victory. He raised his chin at Zhou Jianguo, as if to say: See? This is what I call a real dish! This is what you call something fit for a banquet! What kind of swill is in your lousy lunchbox?

Zhou Jianguo withdrew his gaze expressionlessly.

He reached out and lifted the lid of the aluminum lunchbox in front of him.

"call--"

A plume of white steam rose into the air.

There was no exaggerated golden light, nor was there any striking impact.

But the moment the steam dissipated, the suffocating, burnt, and spicy smell was abruptly diluted.

It was an extremely rich and mellow meaty aroma.

The caramel color from the rock sugar blends perfectly with the fat from the pork belly. The tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture after slow simmering seems to transform directly into aroma molecules, penetrating everyone's nasal cavity.

It smells amazing. Absolutely incredible.

It's not just a simple meaty flavor, but rather has a subtle hint of cardamom and the lingering sweetness of dried tangerine peel.

This flavor is like a gentle little hand, lightly scratching the piece of meat that everyone craves most in their stomach.

Deputy Factory Director Li, who was still coughing, suddenly twitched his nose twice.

He subconsciously turned his head to look at the corner, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Not only him, but also Officer Wu next to him, the waiter carrying the dishes, and even the security guards standing at the door, were all captivated by the aroma at the same time.

"Gulp."

The sound of swallowing saliva was particularly loud in the quiet hall.

Zhou Jianguo picked up a piece of braised pork with his chopsticks.

The chunks of meat trembled slightly, their color as red and bright as agate, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and they shook gently as the chopsticks moved.

He ignored the hungry wolf-like gazes of everyone present, and also ignored the ferocious smile on He Yuzhu's stiff face in the distance.

"Have a meal."

Zhou Jianguo said something casually and put the piece of meat into his mouth.

At the same time, the waiter carrying He Yuzhu's artwork, with stiff steps, pushed open the door to the VIP's private room.