The entire courtyard is full of villains

"Heather."

"Why are you carrying this thing all the way here? When we get to the steel rolling mill, I'll get you a nicer one."

Nan Yi, however, insisted on refusing.

As the car drove out of the factory gate, Nan Yi kept looking out the window. Suddenly, a figure in a white coat flashed past his sight, and he quickly called out, "Section Chief Zhang, could you please stop the car?"

Zhang Erhe slammed on the brakes. Nan Yi hurriedly rolled down the window: "Dr. Ding! Dr. Ding!"

The man in the white coat, who was walking along, turned around at the sound. Zhang Erhe glanced at her and muttered to himself: This woman? She's not even as pretty as my Guan Xue. And she looks pretty flat-chested. I'm afraid she'll starve the kids. What kind of taste does Nan Yi have?

"Master Nan?" Ding Qiunan asked curiously, "What brings you here?"

"I..." Nan Yi suddenly lost his courage.

Fortunately, Zhang Erhe chimed in from the side: "Master Nan is skilled, so he was transferred to our steel rolling mill."

"A steel rolling mill?" Ding Qiunan blinked several times—that was a big factory, much better than her small one. It was a pity she hadn't been assigned there.

"Congratulations, Master Nan."

“Dr. Ding…” Nan Yi’s face turned bright red. “I… I want to ask… if I go to the steel mill, will I still be able to… still be able to come see you in the future?”

Ding Qiunan, on the contrary, was very generous: "Master Nan, you can come back anytime you want."

"Yes!" Nan Yi responded, waving his hand. "Goodbye, Dr. Ding."

Goodbye, Master Nan.

Zhang Erhe rolled up the car window and sighed inwardly: "Fine, another simp." He stepped on the gas and drove off.

"Section Chief Zhang..." Nan Yi said, head bowed, "Do you think I'm acting... like a man?"

“Yes.” Zhang Erhe nodded straightforwardly.

Nan Yi suddenly looked at the potted plant in his hand: "Section Chief Zhang, you know that my family's class background is not very good."

Zhang Erhe hummed in agreement.

“At that time, my family members were all sent to the countryside, and our house was confiscated. I was wandering aimlessly on the street... when I ran into the group of people who came to seal off my house. I tried to ask them to let me have a change of clothes, but they pushed me to the ground and I hit my head.” Nan Yi’s voice was calm, but he gripped the edge of the flowerpot tightly. “They just looked at me and laughed at me. My face was covered in blood... That’s when Dr. Ding appeared.”

"She treated my wound and gave me three yuan. Watching her busy herself around... she seemed like a fairy. Later, I mustered up the courage to ask her name, and she pointed to the photinia next to her and said her name was Ding Qiunan. From then on, I carried this pot of flowers with me wherever I went—it witnessed my encounter with Dr. Ding."

Zhang Erhe never expected there to be such a part.

"So, do you feel gratitude or infatuation towards Dr. Ding?"

"I think so." Nan Yi stared blankly out the window.

Zhang Erhe, unusually, didn't discourage him anymore. Instead, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Alright, Master Nan, I won't say anything else. As long as you work hard at the steel mill, I guarantee you'll establish yourself quickly. Then you can stand proudly in front of Dr. Ding and pursue her. After all, being a simp has no future."

"Thank you, Section Chief Zhang... I really don't know how to thank you enough."

"No need to thank me," Zhang Erhe said, turning the steering wheel. "Just make sure you prepare the dishes I asked you to serve."

Nan Yi nodded vigorously: "I remember. Section Chief Zhang, if I may ask—I've heard that Sha Zhu from the steel rolling mill is quite skilled?"

"Oh, you even know Sha Zhu?"

“I know. In a way, he’s practically my junior apprentice—I learned Shandong cuisine from his grandmaster, and his father, He Daqing, was famous throughout the eight major restaurants for his 'Zao Liu San Bai' (a type of Shandong cuisine)!”

"But isn't Sha Zhu a Sichuan cuisine chef?"

“His father made him learn Sichuan cuisine by exchanging skills with someone. Later, He Daqing went to Baoding for some reason, and Shazhu lost contact with his master. Now, he can’t be considered to have a formal master in the Beijing trade; he’s just a self-taught cook. His only advantage is that he has a decent family background…” Nan Yi said, a faint hint of disdain flashing across his face.

Nan Yi's words immediately reminded Zhang Erhe. In his memory, He Daqing was no pushover—back in the courtyard, He Daqing's relationship with Yi Zhonghai was far from good; in fact, they were practically irreconcilable. On the contrary, He Daqing was quite close to Xu Fugui in the back courtyard; before liberation, the two often strolled around the Eight Great Hutongs together.

I remember reading in fanfiction that Yi Zhonghai set a trap for He Daqing and even withheld the living expenses he sent to He Yushui. But based on Zhang Erhe's understanding of these two, He Daqing wasn't that stupid, and Yi Zhonghai wasn't that audacious. Withholding mail these days was no small matter. What kind of organization was the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications? Even after it was split into the postal service and telecommunications, it was still a giant, let alone now that they were combined. If Yi Zhonghai really dared to intercept He Yushui's letters, no matter how many people the deaf old lady knew, even if she knew everyone in Haizi, she couldn't guarantee Yi Zhonghai wouldn't be executed.

We need to find someone to inquire about this matter. It would be best to go to Baoding and ask He Daqing in person.

The car drove very fast, and in the blink of an eye, we arrived at the steel rolling mill.

"Master Nan, it's getting late today, so I'll arrange for you to stay in the dormitory first. I'll have someone find you a place to live in the next couple of days. Do you have any requirements?"

"I don't have any special requirements, just want it to be as close to the factory as possible, and the room should be a bit bigger. I'm also thinking about my future with Dr. Ding..."

"Fine, I got it." Zhang Erhe glared at him. "You can't live without Ding Qiunan, can you?"

It's strange, really. Did Liu Jiacheng, the director of "Full House of Love," have his love interest stolen by a chef? His period dramas are full of unfortunate chefs—Nan Yi, Sha Zhu, and Liu Hongchang, known as the three most unfortunate chefs. Luckily, I'm not in that industry, or I'd be driven mad by Liu Jiacheng.

Zhang Erhe was, after all, a deputy section chief. With just a few words, he managed to settle Nan Yi in. Nan Yi carefully placed the suitcase on the bunk bed and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Section Chief Zhang, thank you so much for today."

"No need for thanks. I'll take you to the cafeteria later. We're having a banquet tonight, and the main ingredient is a whole sheep. I don't care what dishes are made, just remember: the guests must be well-fed."

"You just wait and see!"

Chapter 140 A False Hope

Just as the cafeteria was about to close, Sha Zhu was lying on a chair, holding a bowl of Ma Hua's instant noodles, humming a little tune and shaking his head. Liu Lan rushed in from outside:

"Silly Zhu, have you heard?"

"What did you hear, Liu Lan? Are you going to remarry?" Sha Zhu teased, squinting his eyes.

"Pah! You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth!" Liu Lan blushed. "I heard the purchasing department got a sheep, probably for the leaders to use for entertainment—or maybe they'll just eat it themselves!"

"Whoosh!" Sha Zhu jumped up. "Liu Lan, you really heard about it?"

“I saw it with my own eyes! Zhang Erhe was being carried around, it was this big—” Liu Lan gestured, “It must have weighed at least twenty or thirty pounds!”

Sha Zhu unconsciously licked his lips. These days, without special treatment, it wasn't easy for him to get some meat. Zhang Erhe had brought over this sheep today; did the leaders want something better? Heh heh, well, in the end, it all depended on him, He Yuzhu. He'd try to get some to take home, make a pot of mutton soup, so the old lady could have a bowl, and Sister Qin's two kids could have a taste…

A smile spread across his face, and the image of Qin Huairu holding his hand and constantly thanking him in the Xiaodang cafeteria flashed through his mind.

"Hey, hey! Silly Zhu, what are you doing? Why are you laughing like that... so indecently!" Liu Lan pushed him in annoyance.

Sha Zhu quickly shook his head to clear his mind, then licked his lips again: "Liu Lan, take Ma Hua to boil water."

Why boil water?

"When the sheep arrives, shouldn't we start preparing?"

"I never said we should send the sheep to our third canteen!"

"Hey! Liu Lan, you don't understand." Sha Zhu put his hands on his hips, looking smug. "Lamb is something that, if not cooked properly, will be so gamey that it's inedible. I'm not bragging, but every single one of those guys in our factory who cooks big pot dishes can barely cook lamb properly, let alone make it delicious. They're dreaming! In the end, they still have to come to me, Master Zhu."

Liu Lan was taken aback by his words, but she believed him to some extent. Although Sha Zhu had a foul mouth, his skills were undeniable. Even the new deputy factory director, Li, who initially looked down on him, later had to humbly ask Sha Zhu to do his work when he got his hands on some good stuff.

She nodded, then turned and pulled Ma Hua to boil water.

Sha Zhu lay back down in the chair, humming "The Fisherman's Revenge," looking smug and self-satisfied.

The steel rolling mill's closing loudspeaker blared on time, and songs echoed throughout the factory. Ma Hua and Liu Lan were already busy at the stove, clattering as they poured water into the large pot and started a fire to boil it. Liu Lan wiped the sweat from her brow and leaned closer to Sha Zhu:

"Shazhu, when you cook today... could you leave me a little bit? My child hasn't had any meat in over six months."

Sha Zhu glanced at her sideways: "Liu Lan, is this how you ask for a favor?"

Liu Lan was about to glare, but she forced a smile, walked over, grabbed Sha Zhu's arm, and leaned forward: "Zhu Zi..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Liu Lan, you, you, you can't do this!" Sha Zhu was used to her fiery and outspoken nature, so this sudden outburst made his ears burn. He hurriedly waved his hands, "Alright, alright! I'll get you some, I'll get you some, okay?"

Just then, Old Wang, the canteen manager, walked in from outside.

"Hey, Sha Zhu, Liu Lan, still not off work?"

"What are you doing off work, Lao Wang?" Sha Zhu raised his chin. "Hurry up and have someone bring the sheep over. I'm in a rush to clean up here. Don't let it delay the boss's dinner tonight—that would be a huge offense!"

An awkward smile appeared on Old Wang's face: "Um... the mutton has already been prepared."

"Who?" Sha Zhu slammed his teacup onto the stool next to him. "Is it Wu Da Sha from the first canteen? With hands that tremble even when he's chopping vegetables, he thinks he can cook mutton?"

"It wasn't him..."

"That's Liu Laonian from the second canteen? That's even more impossible!"

"No, it's not that..." Old Wang paused, "it's the new chef."

Sha Zhu was taken aback, then his face darkened. Old Wang glanced at him, thinking to himself: If the new Master Nan's skills are really good, then we'll have to teach this Sha Zhu a lesson in the future—this bastard has embarrassed me countless times because he thinks he's so good.

"A new chef?" Sha Zhu's voice rose. "Oh—Old Wang, so you've hired a new guy and then kicked us aside?"

"That's not what we meant. It was Factory Director Li who asked Section Chief Zhang to arrange it..."

"Zhang Erhe!" Sha Zhu slammed his fist on the table. "It really was that bastard!"

He jumped up, grabbed his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder: "Fine, Lao Wang, you guys chose this path yourselves. Well, I'm not going to put up with it!"

After saying that, he turned around and rushed out of the cafeteria without looking back, leaving Old Wang standing there alone, looking embarrassed.

Liu Lan mustered her courage and stepped forward: "Director, you've come here to..."

"Oh, I'm looking for that big pot..."

“We’ve already boiled water in the pot,” Liu Lan said, her eyes darting around. “Director, why don’t you have the new chef come to our canteen to cook? The pot is ready, and the fire is burning brightly, so we don’t have to make any more arrangements. You can just bring the lamb over.”

Old Wang looked at her with a half-smile: "Liu Lan, are you planning to 'scramble' a little something when you deliver the dishes, or something?"

"No, no!" Liu Lan quickly waved her hand, "I just don't want trouble..."

“It’s no trouble at all,” Old Wang turned and walked outside. “You and Ma Hua can just carry the pot over—after all, that pot didn’t originally belong to your third canteen.”

In the cafeteria, Wu Gang, whom Sha Zhu jokingly called "Big Fool Wu," was bending over and speaking to Nan Yi with a broad smile:

"Master Nan, the sheep has been delivered, and it's already skinned. Here you go..."

“Okay,” Nan Yi nodded, “Does your cafeteria have knives for cutting meat? I can get you a set.”

"Yes! Yes!" Wu Gang hurriedly directed his apprentice to fetch it, then turned around and asked eagerly, "Master Nan, you were transferred here by Section Chief Zhang, right? You absolutely must come to our canteen! I... I'll give you the position of canteen supervisor!"

"This... isn't quite appropriate?" Nan Yi felt a little embarrassed. He had taken someone else's seat as soon as he arrived, which was really not right.

“What’s there to be afraid of!” Wu Gang rubbed his hands together, his tone sincere. “In our line of work, the best come first. Back when you were learning the craft from my master, I was just tending the fire on the side... It’s been so many years.”

Nan Yi asked curiously, "Who are you...?"

“My master… wasn’t favored by the master craftsman and passed away early, so I didn’t even learn all the skills. Calling you ‘master craftsman’ is just me trying to flatter myself,” Wu Gang quickly explained. “If the steel mill hadn’t recruited me, I probably wouldn’t be doing this job anymore. Master Nan, you absolutely have to come to our canteen! We’ve been getting really bullied by that idiot Zhu from the third canteen all these years…”

He was getting a little angry too. Sha Zhu's cooking skills were good, but his mouth was truly foul. Wu Gang had initially hoped to learn something from him, but after being insulted a few times, that idea was completely abandoned. Now, fate had smiled upon him, allowing him to meet Nan Yi—this man had been praised repeatedly by his master when he was learning his craft. If he could follow him, even if he wasn't a formal apprentice, learning a few tricks and becoming an eighth-level chef shouldn't be a problem, right?

So he spoke even more earnestly, his attitude extremely attentive. Seeing his enthusiasm, Nan Yi readily agreed.

Once the knife was retrieved, Nan Yi knew it was time to establish his authority. Without bothering to hide, he picked up the knife and began fighting right in front of everyone.