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

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row, his voice booming like a bell, his eyes shining brightly!

"That's the taste! That's right!"

He pointed to the remaining soup at the bottom of the box, then turned to look at Zhou Jianguo, who remained calm and composed, his tone full of disbelief:

"Young comrade, you've really got it! This may look like leftovers, but it's actually incredibly flavorful, brimming with the essence of the dish! This tastes a hundred times better than those so-called improved tofu dishes we just had! This is simply turning the rotten into the miraculous!"

Li Huaide was completely dumbfounded.

He opened his mouth wide, his chin almost hitting his foot.

Leftovers?

That's leftovers?!

If even leftovers can get the big boss to praise them, then what's the big deal about Tan Family Cuisine that Sha Zhu bragged about before?

And this Zhou Jianguo... who exactly is he?

Could he really be a hidden master who keeps his abilities secret?

Ignoring the astonishment of those around him, the high-ranking leader looked intently at Zhou Jianguo and extended an invitation in a solemn tone, his attitude one of complete equality.

"Young comrade, since you understand the taste and the sentiment, could you do me the favor and show off your skills tonight?"

The top leader pointed towards the kitchen, his eyes filled with eagerness:

"Just use what's available in the kitchen, no need for any fancy preparations, just make me a simple meal? Something that will truly satisfy this old man?"

This is already a request.

As Deputy Factory Director Li witnessed this scene, the turmoil in his heart nearly overwhelmed him.

Zhou Jianguo, a fitter, rose to prominence in just a few minutes because of a box of leftovers!

Faced with the high-ranking leader's warm invitation, Zhou Jianguo did not appear flattered.

He simply smiled slightly and casually closed the aluminum lunchbox that had performed such a remarkable service.

"Click".

His movements were graceful and unhurried.

"no problem."

Zhou Jianguo raised his head and walked towards the kitchen.

The moment Li Huaide stepped out the door, his face was all smiles. But now, as if a tendon had been pulled out of his kneecap, his body swayed and he slid limply down the wall.

"Director Li, the ground is cold."

A strong, large hand steadily supported his elbow.

Those hands were calloused, with long, strong fingers—hands that had been clashing with steel for years.

Li Huaide gasped for breath, the cold sweat on his forehead finally breaking free, instantly soaking his meticulously styled, parted hair. He looked up, his eyes a complex mix of emotions, like an overturned palette—a mixture of relief at surviving a disaster, fear of staring into an abyss, and above all, an almost fawning reverence.

That scene was so damn exciting!

It's like dancing the tango on the edge of a cliff; one wrong step and you're shattered to pieces.

"Brother Zhou... Brother Zhou."

Li Huaide's voice was hoarse, and even his way of addressing him changed, "Tell your brother the truth, how many layers of this amazing skill of yours are you hiding?"

That wasn't cooking, that was playing with your life!

Serving leftovers to a high-ranking leader—their audacity must be made of titanium alloy!

Zhou Jianguo remained calm as he took out a rag from his pocket and slowly wiped away non-existent oil stains from the edge of the lunchbox.

"I don't have any special skills."

He didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone calm, "A fitter's job is all about precision, a cook's job is all about controlling the heat. It all boils down to the same thing. Cooking is just something anyone can do."

It's just cooking.

Anyone with hands can do it.

To Li Huaide, those eight words sounded like a top-tier Versailles performance.

Looking at Zhou Jianguo's unusually youthful profile, his sense of awe deepened.

That's what you call a master!

What does it mean to be a master of keeping one's abilities hidden?

That's what you call keeping your true abilities hidden!

Compared to Zhou Jianguo, that silly Zhu, who only knows how to make a lot of noise and dares to show off in front of the big leaders because of his skills, is simply a clown who hasn't been weaned!

"Yes, yes, yes, you're right, brother!" Li Huaide nodded repeatedly, using Zhou Jianguo's strength to stand up straight. Ignoring the factory manager's authority, he reached out and patted the dust off Zhou Jianguo's shoulder. "If you get through this today, you'll be my brother in the factory from now on! Come on, let's go to the kitchen!"

……

Inside the private room.

The top leader did not put down his chopsticks after Zhou Jianguo left.

He picked up the last cabbage leaf, put it in his mouth, and chewed it carefully.

The aroma of oil and the sweetness of vegetables lingered in my mouth, and even though it was cold, the aftertaste was long-lasting.

"Xiao Wang," the big boss put down his chopsticks, staring blankly at the empty aluminum lunchbox, "tell me, when it comes to cooking, is technique more important, or is the heart more important?"

The secretary standing nearby hesitated for a moment, then cautiously replied, "Sir, these... shouldn't they all be important?"

"No."

The leader shook his head, his gaze sharpening—the kind of look only seen on a battlefield.

"That He Yuzhu may have the technique, but he's lost his soul. His dishes are like those elaborately made-up actors—they look flashy, but they're empty inside, hollow!"

He pointed to the lunchbox, his tone becoming more serious: "And this Comrade Zhou can make a box of leftovers look like a massive army! That's called turning the rotten into the miraculous! That's called having a soul! Even if he doesn't use a spatula, he'd definitely be an outstanding person doing anything else!"

At this point, the senior leader snorted coldly, sealing the verdict on the earlier farce: "As for that fool Zhu... he'll never amount to anything. Tell Director Yang that in the future, those empty shells shouldn't be brought to the forefront; they're just embarrassing!"

This one sentence sealed He Yuzhu's fate in the culinary world.

……

back kitchen.

The atmosphere here is completely different from that in the private rooms.

If the private rooms are like still waters running deep, then the kitchen is like a hornet's nest that has been stirred up.

"Where's Master? Why hasn't Master returned yet?!"

Ma Hua was so anxious that he was sweating profusely and could barely hold the spoon in his hand.

He is Sha Zhu's number one apprentice and also Sha Zhu's most loyal and brainless fan.

Looking at the pile of unprocessed ingredients on the preparation table, he felt like the sky was about to fall.

Just now, those two soldiers rushed in and dragged Master away without saying a word. They acted like they were arresting enemy spies, which scared the kitchen helpers so much that they all huddled in the corner and didn't dare to breathe.

"Brother Ma Hua, the front is urging us to prepare the food! They said the big boss is waiting for this boiled cabbage!" A kitchen helper ran over, his voice trembling with tears.

"Hurry up! Hurry up! You're killing me!" Ma Hua slammed the spoon down on the cutting board with a loud crash, yelling, "With the master gone, I'm completely out of my mind! What am I supposed to do? Who dares touch this spoon?"

Just then, the two greasy spring doors in the back kitchen were pushed open.

"I dare."