Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

Xu Damao strode into the kitchen in two quick steps.

He placed the plate of ham and two steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat and water heavily on the stove as if presenting a treasure.

Then she raised her chin high and puffed out her chest, looking just like a little peacock spreading its tail feathers.

"Brother Zhu, look—"

He pouted, his eyes full of smug satisfaction.

"I'm not one to eat and drink for free. This is a ham I found in my cupboard, and two steamed buns. How about that, pretty generous, right?"

He Yuzhu was wiping the stove with a rag when he heard this and glanced at it from the side.

The plate wasn't big, but the ham slices on it were evenly sliced, clearly the work of a skilled knife worker.

The flesh is rosy in color, and the texture is translucent with a glossy sheen, a unique luster characteristic of high-quality Jinhua ham.

He clicked his tongue inwardly in amazement. The Xu family worked for the Lou family, and the profits were indeed substantial.

This stuff, let alone ordinary families, even his father He Daqing, who was the head chef at Fengzeyuan, might not be able to get such authentic stuff on a regular basis.

Now that we have such a good thing...

He Yuzhu's original plan to simply stir-fry some vinegared cabbage was instantly forgotten.

Wasting resources is a serious crime; there's a proper way to eat ham.

"Okay," he nodded, a smile playing on his lips.

"Since you're so sincere, I'll agree. You can benefit from this at noon today."

He got up, picked up the two steamed buns that Xu Damao had brought, and gently placed them into the steamer.

These days, white flour is precious; it only tastes good when it's thoroughly heated.

After doing all this, he scooped a few soybeans out of the clay pot to see if they were cooked through.

Xu Damao, with his sharp eyes, immediately moved closer like a cat that had smelled fish, craning his neck and staring intently at the few soybeans on the tip of He Yuzhu's chopsticks, swallowing with a "gulp" sound.

"Look how hungry you are."

He Yuzhu chuckled and cursed, but his heart softened.

He held the chopsticks to Xu Damao's lips.

"Open your mouth, taste it, is it mushy or not?"

Xu Damao didn't stand on ceremony, his mouth wide open like a baby bird waiting to be fed.

He Yuzhu shook his head helplessly and carefully put the soybean into the boy's mouth, afraid of burning him.

"It's completely mushy!"

Xu Damao chewed twice, his eyes lit up instantly, then he frowned and smacked his lips.

"Well... why wasn't there any salt? It's a bit bland."

"This is for your aunt," He Yuzhu said, turning around to continue her work.

"The old lady has bad teeth, so she needs to eat light food. I'll make you a bowl of it later, with extra salt."

"Oh……"

Xu Damao nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Although he didn't understand why salt couldn't be added when feeding the old lady, the rich aroma of soybeans mixed with pig's trotters was just too tempting. He smacked his lips, still savoring the taste of those few soybeans.

He Yuzhu found two thick cotton cloths to put in his hands, carefully carried out the casserole, and placed it in a shady corner.

This pig's trotter and soybean soup is the main dish for the old lady and mother; it has to be saved for last.

The large iron pot was put back on the stove.

Add water, cover the pot, and wait for the water to boil.

The cabbage on the cutting board had already been washed and chopped.

He Yuzhu looked at it and felt that the original pieces were too big and not flavorful enough, so he picked up the knife and cut them into evenly sized cubes.

Then I took the few remaining cabbage leaves from the stir-fried cabbage, chopped them up, and threw them into the bowl—in these days, food is precious, and not a single vegetable leaf can be wasted.

The water boiled, bubbling and gurgling.

With a "whoosh," the cabbage was put into the pot.

The emerald green leaves tumbled and struggled in the boiling water.

It slowly softens, its color changing from dark green to a translucent yellowish-green, and a refreshing vegetable aroma fills the air.

It's time to add the ham.

He Yuzhu picked up the plate of ham and tilted his wrist slightly—

"Splash!"

The red and white slices of meat slid into the pot with the flow of water and landed among the cabbage.

When the meat slices are heated, they curl up instantly, and the originally glistening fat melts into the soup, giving the soup a light sheen.

Why not stir-fry it?

He Yuzhu glanced at Xu Damao, who was looking on expectantly beside him, and chuckled to himself.

What kind of family are you from?

These days, who would be willing to use oil when cooking?

With ham, you're considered to have meat; how could you possibly expect to use lard to stir-fry it?

That's something only a spendthrift would do.

The water boiled again.

The unique salty and savory flavor of the ham was released instantly by the heat, overwhelmingly masking the greenness of the cabbage.

The two flavors blended together, filling the small kitchen and making one's mouth water.

He Yuzhu grabbed a handful of chopped scallions and sprinkled them in, then pulled out an inconspicuous little porcelain bottle from deep inside the cabinet—it was a secret seasoning recipe left by his father, He Daqing, containing ground Sichuan peppercorns and star anise.

He carefully poured a little in, then sprinkled in half a spoonful of salt, and finally added a few drops of sesame oil.

The spoon was quickly stirred in the pot, and the aroma instantly reached its peak.

Xu Damao watched with wide eyes, swallowing hard, his stomach growling in protest.

"Brother Zhu, it smells so good..."

He leaned even closer, almost burying his face in the pot, "When can we eat? I'm starving."

He Yuzhu laughed and scolded, "Haven't you ever had this ham at home? Look how hungry you are, like a little glutton. What's the rush? We need to cook it a little longer so the flavor can penetrate."

As he spoke, he picked up a small bowl, scooped out a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and handed it to Xu Damao.

"Here, have a taste. Be careful, it's hot, don't burn your tongue."

Xu Damao took the bowl, blew on it twice, and then eagerly took a sip, his eyes widening instantly.

"Wow! It's delicious! Much better than my mom's! This soup is so flavorful!"

Just then, light footsteps came from the inner room.

The deaf old lady came out after smelling the aroma.

Although she is deaf, she has a very keen sense of smell.

Upon seeing Xu Damao in the kitchen, she was visibly taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her cloudy eyes.

"Hey, isn't this Xu Damao? What are you doing here?"

Xu Damao quickly put down his bowl and greeted her politely, "Hello, Grandma! I've come to have lunch with Brother Zhu. I even brought ham and steamed buns, so it wasn't a waste!"

The deaf old lady nodded, glanced at Xu Damao with satisfaction, sniffed, and smiled.

"Zhu Zi, what did you make... cabbage and ham soup?"

"Yes, madam."

He Yuzhu kept stirring the soup in the pot.

"There's not enough ham, it's such a waste to eat it dry. I was originally planning to stir-fry cabbage, but then I thought, making soup would be more flavorful and warming."

"The soup is good, the soup is good." The deaf old lady nodded repeatedly with a smile.

"It's cold outside, but a sip of hot soup makes me feel so comfortable."

"Madam, please come in and have a seat. I'll stir-fry some shredded potatoes, and dinner will be ready soon."

"Good, good, this old lady is in for a treat today!" The deaf old lady smiled from ear to ear and turned to go back into the house.

A moment later, the sounds of her and Chen Lanxiang talking could be heard from the inner room, mixed with the old lady's hearty laughter.

The cabbage and ham soup was still bubbling in the pot.

Suddenly, there was a loud "thump" from the kitchen window, and another head popped out.

"Hey, Zhu Zi, you're living the good life, huh?"

It's Jia Dongxu.

He clung to the windowsill, a forced smile on his face, his shifty eyes fixed on the pot as if he wanted to glue his eyeballs inside.

"What delicious food are you making? It smells so good! Take me with you, we're like brothers."

He Yuzhu didn't even look up, slowly stirring with a spoon in his hand.

He said casually, "Sure. If you want some of my soup, that's easy. Just like Xu Damao, go home and bring some meat. As long as you bring meat, I guarantee you'll eat your fill."

"that is!"

Seeing this, Xu Damao immediately perked up and puffed out his chest to join in the commotion.

"You dare ask for food with just your bare teeth? You're so shameless! See that ham in the pot? I brought it! If you want some, go home and get it yourself!"

Only then did Jia Dongxu notice that Xu Damao was also there.

Upon seeing his mortal enemy, whom he had just fought with his mother that morning, Jia Dongxu's anger flared up instantly, and his face turned ashen.

"Xu Damao! You little brat!"

Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth and pointed at Xu Damao's nose, cursing.

"You just wait! Once you get out of this door, I'll beat you until you're begging for your mother's attention! I'll change my surname and never accept the Jia name again!"

"I'm not afraid of you!"

Xu Damao is such a cunning fellow.

Seeing that Jia Dongxu was getting anxious, he immediately darted behind He Yuzhu, poked his head out, and made a face at Jia Dongxu.

"I have Brother Zhu to protect me! You dare to come in and try? Brother Zhu can knock you down with one punch!"

"You just wait! I don't believe you'll never leave this door in your entire life!"

Jia Dongxu was so angry that he trembled all over, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

He didn't dare rush into the He family's house to beat someone up. Although He Daqing wasn't home, He Yuzhu's physique...

He's seen it all.

That kid was as strong as a calf; with my bean sprout-like physique, I probably couldn't even withstand one of his punches.

What's more, this kid has practiced martial arts with his father for a few days, so if it really comes down to a fight, I'll definitely be the one who suffers.

"Hehehe!"

Xu Damao hid behind He Yuzhu, making faces and licking his lips with his tongue, his expression full of provocation.

Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth, glared fiercely at Xu Damao, glanced at the tempting ham soup in the pot, and finally swallowed hard before reluctantly turning and leaving.

Although he's not exactly a saint now, he still has some sense of shame—unlike his shrewish mother or his future shameless wife, who, no matter how much people scold her, still shamelessly begs for good food.

"Zhu Zi," came Chen Lanxiang's voice from the inner room, tinged with impatience.

"Who was shouting outside just now? It was so noisy."

"Mother, it was just me, Da Mao, and Jia Dongxu who happened to be passing by and exchanged a few words," He Yuzhu replied loudly.

"Hurry up and cook, Mom is hungry."

Chen Lanxiang's voice came again, her tone exuding an unquestionable authority.

The meaning is clear: Don't waste your breath talking to those irrelevant people outside. Get ready and go inside to avoid getting into trouble.

"Okay! Almost done!"

He Yuzhu responded and looked at the soup in the pot; it was almost ready.

The cabbage and ham soup is ready.

He found the largest bowl and filled it to the brim. A thin layer of oil floated on the soup noodles, and red ham slices, white cabbage stalks, and green scallions were scattered among them, making it look appealing and smelling delicious.

He Yuzhu picked up the bowl and carefully walked into the inner room.

Xu Damao wanted to help, but looking at the bowl of hot and heavy soup, he ultimately didn't dare to reach out—he was afraid that he might slip and break the delicious soup, which would be a terrible sin.

Then, He Yuzhu brought in the casserole from the corner; it was a soup of pig's trotters and soybeans for the old lady and her mother.

Back in the kitchen, I started cooking the last dish—hot and sour shredded potatoes.

The shredded potatoes had already been cut and soaked in water to remove the starch.

Heat a large iron wok, add a little oil to coat the wok, sauté scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then add shredded potatoes. With a crisp "sizzle," oil smoke instantly rises.

He Yuzhu's spatula flew through the air, his movements fluid and graceful. He added salt, vinegar, and chili powder, stir-fried quickly, then removed from the pan and plated it.

A plate of delicious and flavorful hot and sour shredded potatoes is ready.

He used a wicker basket to pick out the steamed cornbread and the two-component steamed buns that Xu Damao had brought, and handed them to Xu Damao.

"Take it inside, be careful it's hot."

"Hey!" Xu Damao took the basket and carefully walked into the inner room.

After putting his things down, he darted out again like a little spinning top.

He Yuzhu handed him the bowl, chopsticks, and spoon: "Take them inside."

Xu Damao put it down and ran out again.

He Yuzhu was sealing the stove when he pointed to the plate of shredded potatoes: "Take this in too. Once it's in, you won't need to come out again. I'll be done in a minute."

"Alright, Brother Zhu!" Xu Damao responded, carrying the shredded potatoes, and scurried into the inner room.

He Yuzhu extinguished the fire, washed his hands, and went into the inner room.

Inside the house, the deaf old lady and Chen Lanxiang were already sitting at the kang table waiting. Xu Damao sat properly to the left, with his hands on his knees and his eyes fixed on the dishes on the table.

"Madam, Mother, why aren't you eating? It's getting cold." He Yuzhu said as he found a stool and sat down.

"How can you let the cook eat the cold dishes first?" The deaf old lady waved her hand with a smile.

"Alright, everyone's here, let's eat."

She picked up her chopsticks, took out a steamed bun made from two kinds of dough, and placed it in front of Xu Damao.

Xu Damao paused for a moment, looked at the remaining cornbread in the basket, then at the mixed flour steamed bun in front of him, and was a little puzzled—the mixed flour steamed bun was much tastier than the cornbread, so why did the old lady want to give him something better to eat?

The old lady didn't explain, but just looked at him with a smile, and then said to He Yuzhu, "My dear grandson, serve the soup."

There are two soups on the table.

He Yuzhu didn't rush to start, but first asked, "Madam, Mother, which would you like to drink first? Pig's trotter soup or ham soup?"

"Of course it's cabbage and ham soup," the deaf old lady said without hesitation.

"This stuff is a rare treat; you can't get to eat it even if you want to normally." — She had already had pig's trotter soup yesterday, and wanted to try something different today.

"Mother, what about you?" He Yuzhu asked Chen Lanxiang.

"I'm also benefiting from Da Mao's success today," Chen Lanxiang said with a smile, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Give me a cabbage and ham soup first."

"Okay!"

He Yuzhu picked up a spoon and first served a bowl of ham soup to the old lady, then a bowl to his mother, and finally a bowl to himself and Xu Damao.

Xu Damao thoroughly enjoyed his meal.

The savory aroma of ham, the sweetness of cabbage, and the tenderness of pig's trotters make every bite a delight.

He drank bowl after bowl of soup, but he couldn't bring himself to eat the last two steamed buns made from the mixed dough—his stomach was already full of soup.

It tastes so good.

Xu Damao patted his round belly, let out a burp, and leaned against the wall with a satisfied look on his face, secretly making a vow in his heart.

I must hang out with Brother Zhu more often from now on!

These days are simply wonderful!