All the heavens begin with the love in the courtyard.

"That spineless bastard is knocking on the door. Let me tell you, you think you can make us move out? No way!"

Lei Dongbao shook his head awkwardly and stood helplessly at the door, saying...

"Hello, I'm from Jinling County, looking for Senior Engineer Gao Shengnan. Is he still home?"

Lei Dongbao's words silenced the room. After a while, the door was slowly opened, revealing the face of a woman in her thirties who looked somewhat haggard but had a pale complexion and disheveled hair.

The woman's eyes were still bloodshot. She raised her head and looked at Lei Dongbao expressionlessly. Taking advantage of his height, Lei Dongbao looked inside. The room was extremely poor, with only a large bed and a wardrobe. There wasn't even a table in the house. There were two other people in the room.

An eight- or nine-year-old girl was doing her homework on a stool, while a bald man was cooking on the stove near the window. The man occasionally looked up towards the door, his face showing a weathered look.

"This environment is truly miserable," Lei Dongbao said with a smile, raising his glass under the woman's gaze.

"I am Lei Dongbao, the deputy secretary of Xiaoleijia Brigade in Jinling County. Our village wants to set up an electrical appliance factory, and the first product will be electric fans. I heard that there is an electric fan factory in Jinzhou, and there is a senior engineer there who is a talented person but has not been given a chance to work. So I came to talk to the senior engineer about something today!"

Lei Dongbao's words moved the woman slightly. She looked at Lei Dongbao, then stepped aside and said.

"Come in and talk!"

Lei Dongbao quickly thanked him, took the wine and went into the house. Just as he put the wine down, he heard the bald man cooking across the street say something sarcastic.

"You, a village brigade, want to start an electrical appliance factory? You're really dreaming! Starting an electrical appliance factory isn't as easy as you think!"

Lei Dongbao was taken aback, not expecting that this senior engineer looked down on rural areas so much. But he had to get this done today, so he stood up and said with a smile.

"Engineer Gao, don't look down on rural areas. To be honest, I wouldn't even look at your Jinzhou Electric Fan Factory, this lousy factory!"

Upon hearing Lei Dongbao's words, the bald man immediately perked up. He put down the spatula, intending to say a few words, but before he could turn around, the woman next to him began to curse at him.

"What is the Jinzhou Electric Fan Factory if not a dilapidated factory? The higher-ups are complacent and the lower-ups are just coasting along. I think it's doomed sooner or later!"

After the woman finished cursing, she turned around and said to Lei Dongbao in a serious tone.

"Hello, I am Gao Shengnan, the person you are looking for. This good-for-nothing is my husband, the deputy technical director of Jinzhou Electric Fan Factory."

Lei Dongbao was taken aback, then stood up somewhat awkwardly and quickly apologized. He really hadn't expected Gao Shengnan to be a woman. Shengnan, Shengnan, is that what you mean?

However, the woman was clearly very magnanimous, waving her hand and saying...

"You haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's have a meal together and chat over dinner!"

Lei Dongbao nodded, then looked at the wine he had placed on the table and felt a little embarrassed. It was indeed a bit impolite to give wine to a woman.

Gao Shengnan, perhaps noticing Lei Dongbao's embarrassment, smiled slightly and said something.

"It's okay, my alcohol tolerance is no worse than yours. When I was at Jinzhou College, I drank countless teachers under the table!"

What else could Lei Dongbao say but give a thumbs up?

Gao Shengnan inquired about the situation in Xiaolei Village from Lei Dongbao. Lei Dongbao briefly explained the situation in Xiaolei Village and then quickly took out the plan from his briefcase and handed it to Gao Shengnan.

Gao Shengnan clearly saw the large sum of money in the handbag, but she didn't say anything. She took the plan and started reading it. For some reason, Lei Dongbao's attention was drawn to the bald man next to him.

The reason was simple: as someone with culinary skills in his bones, he was so impressed by the bald man's cooking that his heart was pounding and his hands were trembling. Before Gao Shengnan could finish watching, he stood up and said...

"Hey Engineer Gao, I'm pretty good at cooking, how about I show you guys what I can do!"

Gao Shengnan looked up at Lei Dongbao in surprise, then turned to look at a bowl of freshly cooked potato chunks on the stool. Though called potato chunks, the yellowish-brown, muddy substance did not look appetizing at all.

Gao Shengnan realized what was happening and nodded with interest.

"Excuse me, we're not very good at cooking. What's your name?"

"Lei Dongbao!"

"Oh, then Xiao Lei, how about I cook the dishes? We can look at your project proposal after I'm done!"

Lei Dongbao quickly shook his head and said.

"Senior Engineer, you take a look first. Give me twenty minutes, and I'll make a fool of myself!"

As he spoke, amidst the bald man's skepticism, Lei Dongbao took the spatula from him, quickly washed his hands, and looked into the vegetable basket. There was still a potato, an eggplant, a few scallions, and a small bunch of unidentifiable leafy greens. Lei Dongbao was speechless at this standard of living!

Lei Dongbao pondered for a moment, then took out a potato, picked up a cleaver, and peeled it in just over ten seconds, as if performing magic. He then began to shred it, and the slicing motions of his knife attracted the attention of the people around him.

The bald man's expression changed from mockery to shock. Gao Shengnan was also attracted by Lei Dongbao's swordsmanship. Occasionally, she would look up at Lei Dongbao's majestic body and couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

The little girl next to him who was doing her homework had already stopped writing and started watching Lei Dongbao's performance.

Lei Dongbao was really showing off. His knife skills were fancy and very impressive. He cut the potato shreds into evenly sized long strips, found a basin, poured water in it to soak the potatoes, and then started cutting the eggplant into neat strips, which he put into a bowl for later use.

A good chef can turn simple ingredients into mouthwatering delicacies, while a poor chef, even if given the most exquisite ingredients, will only produce dishes that are unappetizing, and even he himself would find them unbearable to watch. Lei Dongbao naturally belongs to the former category.

Although the family only had a simple potato, an eggplant, and a bunch of leafy greens, Lei Dongbao managed to cook three dishes for it: stir-fried potato shreds, braised eggplant, and scallion and green vegetable soup. They were all delicious and visually appealing!

Less than twenty minutes had passed when a different fragrance filled the room. Gao Shengnan had barely touched the plan in her hand; she couldn't concentrate on it at all, her eyes glued to Lei Dongbao.

The little girl was also swallowing hard, having no interest in doing her homework. She squeezed in front of Lei Dongbao, curiously observing his cooking techniques.

Seeing that the food was ready, the bald man quickly carried out a small wooden board from the corner of the wall, set it up with two stools, and placed the board on it to make a simple small table.

Lei Dongbao quickly served the dishes. Gao Shengnan looked at Lei Dongbao, a rare hint of embarrassment on her face. She gently touched the ends of her hair and said that her family was not well-off and asked for his understanding.

Lei Dongbao smiled and said it was nothing. He then invited everyone to eat first. The group sat down around the small table. Lei Dongbao glanced around and saw that the bald man and the little girl were completely focused on the food, while Gao Shengnan occasionally looked at him with a hint of shyness on her face.

It's a ghost!

Lei Dongbao thought about it for a moment, and then felt relieved. After all, an outstanding man always makes a woman feel ashamed, regardless of his appearance. Lei Dongbao believed that he would get used to it sooner or later!

Chapter 20: Heroine Among Women

"The food is ready, come and eat! Engineer Gao, let's have a drink!"

Gao Shengnan glanced at the wine, nodded, and from who-knows-where took out two small wine glasses and placed them on the table.

Lei Dongbao poured Gao Shengnan a drink as if they were old friends. The two of them didn't eat any food, but clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp. What a heroine! So refreshing!

On the small table, there were three dishes and a soup. In addition to the two dishes and soup made by Lei Dongbao, the bald man also placed his plate of yellowish-brown mashed potatoes in the middle.

Men can't stand seeing other men being better than them in front of their wives, and Lei Dongbao can understand that.

However, perhaps because they found it too disgusting, all of them looked disgusted and ate for a long time without touching the dish.

Lei Dongbao wanted to put on an act, so he picked up a piece of potato and stuffed it into his mouth. As soon as it entered his mouth, the salty and sour taste hit his nose.

Damn it, it's salty enough, but why is it so sour too? Lei Dongbao suppressed the urge to flip the table and swallowed it down. Finally, he picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp to wash away the unforgettable taste.

Gao Shengnan rolled her eyes at Lei Dongbao, got up, picked up the plate of mashed potatoes, and dumped it into the trash can. The bald man saw this and immediately stood up and shouted.

"Tomboy, what do you think you're doing? Do you think potatoes are free? Put them down right now!"

Gao Shengnan ignored the bald man's words, walked straight to the trash can, dumped the plate, and cleaned out the whole plate of mashed potatoes and soup.

The bald man seemed to have his pride hurt by Gao Shengnan's actions. He was enraged and stood up, picked up the stool from under his crotch, and prepared to smash it at Gao Shengnan.

Lei Dongbao reacted quickly, stepping forward and grabbing the bald man's wrist. The man cried out in pain, and the stool fell to his feet.

Lei Dongbao was, after all, a guest. Seeing that he had achieved his goal, he let go of her hand and stood aside. This bald man looked like a good-for-nothing, yet he still wanted to lay a hand on his wife at home. Lei Dongbao couldn't stand that.

The bald man clutched his hand, which was being gripped painfully, his eyes filled with hatred as he glared at Lei Dongbao with an unfriendly tone. He was about to shout something, but upon seeing Lei Dongbao's gaze, he immediately lowered his head and fell silent.

Gao Shengnan seemed to take all of this for granted. She put the plate in the sink, turned around and went back to the small table, beckoning Lei Dongbao to sit down.

This kind of thing seems to be commonplace here. The little girl next to her didn't even look up, picking up food and stuffing it into her mouth as if she were a once-in-a-lifetime treat.

Gao Shengnan took the initiative to pick up her wine glass, clinked glasses with Lei Dongbao, and then drank it all in one gulp, as if the glass contained a cup of bitter wine, with a trace of depression between her brows that was hard to dispel!

Lei Dongbao didn't dare to ask any more questions. He would occasionally pick up a piece of food and take a sip of wine, drinking with Gao Shengnan. The bald man opposite him completely shut up. Seeing his wife drinking one cup after another with another man, he didn't dare to say a word. He just buried his head in his food, as if the bravery he had shown when he picked up the stool had never existed.

The little girl seemed oblivious to what was happening at the table, as if she had long been accustomed to this family dynamic. While eating her rice, she glanced at the few remaining dishes on the table. When she saw that there were only a few pieces of her favorite braised eggplant left, she frowned and sped up her eating.

Lei Dongbao and Gao Shengnan drank one glass after another, barely saying a word. Before they knew it, a bottle of wine was empty. Lei Dongbao had a decent alcohol tolerance, but he was starting to sweat. In this small house in the middle of June, the weather was stuffy and hot. He wanted to take off his coat, but it was a bit awkward, so he could only endure it.

Finally, the bald man finished his meal, put down his bowl, stood up and walked towards the door. He paused for a moment at the door, then turned around and glanced at the house, saying with an endless tone of disgust.

"Tomboy, if you want a divorce, I'll grant your wish, but you can't take a single penny of anything from this house. You can take Xiaoyuan if you want. I feel disgusted just looking at you!"

After the bald man finished speaking, he turned and left without looking back, forcefully pushing open the door with a click. He didn't close the door, letting it sway freely.

Upon hearing this, a fleeting look of pain crossed Gao Shengnan's eyes. She picked up the last glass of wine, drank it all in one gulp, and whether it was the alcohol or something else, tears silently streamed down her face.

Lei Dongbao was still confused and didn't understand what was going on. He didn't speak until the bald man's figure completely disappeared.

"Professor Gao, I... did I come at the wrong time today?"

Gao Shengnan opened her eyes, looked up at Lei Dongbao, her eyes bloodshot. She didn't answer Lei Dongbao's question, then took out another bottle of wine from the side, opened it, poured herself a glass, filled Lei Dongbao's glass, and then raised her glass to Lei Dongbao.

What else could Lei Dongbao do but accept? They clinked glasses and drank it all in one gulp. Lei Dongbao felt increasingly hot and picked up his chopsticks to eat some food to calm himself down, but when he looked up, he was stunned.

On the table, only a little bit of vegetable soup remained in the three bowls, while the last piece of braised eggplant in the bowl was picked up by the little girl and stuffed into her mouth with satisfaction.

After finishing her meal, the little girl glanced at Lei Dongbao and gave him a sweet smile, though the bits of vegetable stuck between her teeth were clearly visible.

Gao Shengnan also saw this scene, shook her head helplessly, and said as she stood up.

"I'll cook two more dishes, wait a moment!"

Seeing this, Lei Dongbao quickly waved his hand, stood up, and said.

"Never mind, never mind. When I entered the compound just now, I saw what looked like a delicatessen at the gate. I'll go buy some!"

Gao Shengnan was taken aback when she heard this. She looked at the vegetable basket with only two scallions left, feeling a little embarrassed. Finally, she nodded and said to the little girl next to her.

"Xiaoyuan, go buy half a pound of dried tofu and bring some peanuts up with you!"

As she spoke, Gao Shengnan reached into her pocket. Seeing this, Lei Dongbao quickly took out a ten-yuan note from his pocket and handed it to the little girl.

"Your name is Xiaoyuan, right? Here, Uncle will give you money. By the way, do you need food coupons to buy cooked food?"

The little girl's eyes lit up when she saw the ten-yuan note. She quickly took it and ran outside without saying a word, saying as she went.

"Erhu's dad's shop doesn't require food coupons, can I buy more snacks?"

This little girl is so clever; she clearly didn't intend to wait for Lei Dongbao's agreement at all. In no time, she ran out the door, making sure to close it behind her.

Gao Shengnan glanced at the gate and sighed.

"Thank you for spending so much money. Please sit down and let's talk!"

Lei Dongbao nodded and sat down, but he was already covered in sweat; the room was just too hot.

Seeing this, Gao Shengnan said casually.

"Take it off if you're hot, it's okay!"

Seeing that Gao Shengnan didn't mind, Lei Dongbao thought, "Why would a grown man like me mind?" He quickly smiled and took off his coat, revealing a white undershirt underneath. His biceps made the undershirt look magnificent, and the sweat made him exude a unique masculine hormone!