Courtyard Houses: Starting with the principle of hard work paying off

Chapter 160 He Daqing's Visit, Tan Family Recipes (4k)

Two days have passed.

The courtyard was quiet.

No one paid any attention to the matter between He Daqing and Yi Zhonghai, and Yi Zhonghai remained silent, as if nothing had happened.

Even Li Hongbing and Xu Fugui, who had a grudge against Yi Zhonghai, did not take the opportunity to kick him while he was down.

Yi Zhonghai is already in a terrible situation.

If this matter is deliberately exposed and the police station is brought in, it won't just be Yi Zhonghai who will be implicated, but also He Daqing.

This is not good for either of them.

It harms others, but doesn't benefit oneself.

He ended up making a huge enemy for no reason.

Especially Li Hongbing.

Although he didn't have much interaction with He Daqing, He Daqing was a senior figure in the culinary world, of the same generation as his master Guo Youzhong. They were both in the same circle, so there was no need to offend him.

Moreover.

Li Hongbing knew about the relationship between He Daqing and Dong Congyou. If he were to implicate He Daqing in order to deal with Yi Zhonghai, he would not only be making enemies for himself, but also causing trouble for his master and fellow disciples.

That afternoon, while Li Hongbing was discussing culinary techniques with Guo Youzhong in the kitchen, a waiter suddenly ran in and said to Li Hongbing, "Hongbing, someone is looking for you outside. They say it's someone named He Daqing."

Upon hearing this news, Li Hongbing was stunned for a moment.

What did He Daqing want with him?
These past two days, although He Daqing has been staying in the courtyard house, he hasn't had much contact with him.

However, considering that he had previously gone to see Dong Congyou, Li Hongbing already had some guesses in his mind.

Seeing this, Guo Youzhong asked directly, "Shall I go out with you?"

Li Hongbing did not hide the events that occurred in the courtyard house from Guo Youzhong, and he was aware of the grudges between Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing.

Now that He Daqing has suddenly come to see him, and Li Hongbing seems a little hesitant, Guo Youzhong is worried, so he deliberately asked him this question.

With his master present, no matter what He Daqing's purpose was, he had to be polite.

"Master, no need!"

Li Hongbing naturally understood Guo Youzhong's meaning, and immediately shook his head, saying, "They shouldn't be here to cause trouble. I'll go out and take a look."

Logically speaking, Li Hongbing had helped He Daqing, so he shouldn't have repaid kindness with enmity.

If it weren't for Li Hongbing, He Daqing might still be in the dark, and wouldn't be able to clear up the misunderstanding with Shazhu and repair the relationship between father and son.

As time went on, Sha Zhu was completely brainwashed and misled by Yi Zhonghai.

As for He Daqing's decision to cripple Yi Zhonghai, it was entirely He Daqing's own action and choice, and had nothing to do with Li Hongbing. No one can blame him for it.

Seeing Li Hongbing say this, Guo Youzhong didn't say anything more.

Although his apprentice was still young, he was quite opinionated and clever, and would not let him suffer a loss easily.

Since Li Hongbing said he was fine, he must be fine. Guo Youzhong felt relieved to hear this.

soon.

When Li Hongbing arrived outside Fengzeyuan Restaurant, he saw He Daqing waiting for him there.

To Li Hongbing's surprise, not only was Sha Zhu there, but He Yushui had also come over.

He Yushui is now ten years old, a little older than she was two years ago.

"Brother Hongbing!"

Upon seeing Li Hongbing approach, He Yushui immediately exclaimed happily.

Seeing this, Li Hongbing nodded to her and then greeted He Daqing.

Li Hongbing actually had a pretty good impression of He Yushui, at least better than the sometimes clueless Sha Zhu.

“Hongbing, I’m leaving today. Before I go back to Baocheng, I came here specifically to thank you.”

Looking at Li Hongbing in front of him, He Daqing said these words, and then explained: "Congyou told me about what happened before. Thanks to your timely reminder, Congyou and I will no longer be kept in the dark by that hypocrite Yi Zhonghai."

You might find it strange that even though I've been staying in the courtyard house these past two days and we've met, I've never said any of these things to you to express my gratitude, and I haven't acted very close to you.

Actually, I didn't want Yi Zhonghai to know that this matter was related to you. After all, I've already done that to Yi Zhonghai, and I'm afraid it will cause you trouble..."

"Thank you, Uncle He, for thinking of me so much."

Hearing He Daqing say this, Li Hongbing was genuinely surprised, but he didn't doubt that what He Daqing said was true.

No need.

Moreover, judging by actions rather than intentions, He Daqing did indeed do just that.

Although Li Hongbing was not afraid of Yi Zhonghai, He Daqing's actions did indeed help him avoid a lot of trouble, preventing Yi Zhonghai from holding a grudge against him again.

A blood feud that severed our roots!
This is no small matter.

Compared to that, Li Hongbing's past dealings with Yi Zhonghai seem insignificant.

However, if Li Hongbing were to take action this time, he would definitely not do what He Daqing did, but would instead directly pin Yi Zhonghai to death.

All I can say is that He Daqing is incredibly magnanimous.

He left on his own, but Sha Zhu and Yu Shui are still in the courtyard!

Leaving problems unresolved is not a good thing.

Even if Yi Zhonghai can't cause trouble in the short term, there's still a long time to go, and it's quite tiring to be on guard against this and that every day.

"...I thank you for the kindness you and your sister showed to Shazhu and Yushui back then, as their father."

"I heard about what happened between you and Sha Zhu a while ago. That Sha Zhu was foolish and didn't know what was good for him. Don't mind him."

"To be honest, he was also led astray by that scoundrel Yi Zhonghai. I haven't been in the hospital these past few years and haven't been able to discipline him properly, so I also bear some responsibility for that."

"I came here today not only to thank you, but also to apologize."

"Silly Zhu, come here! You tell me yourself!"

"..."

He Daqing called out to Sha Zhu, and seeing him moving so slowly, he simply raised his leg and kicked him.

Sha Zhu, who had been kicked by He Daqing, remained silent. He came up to Li Hongbing and said with a face full of shame, "Hongbing, I was confused about what happened before. I didn't know what was right or wrong. I apologize to you here. Please forgive me!"

Judging from this, Sha Zhu had probably already been lectured by He Daqing before he arrived.

In fact, Li Hongbing could see that after He Daqing returned and completely exposed Yi Zhonghai's true colors, Sha Zhu had become much more sober and matured, and had obviously realized his previous problems.

Some things only become clear after you've experienced them.

"It's nothing, no need for an apology, we have no grudges between us."

With He Daqing stepping in and Sha Zhu apologizing in person, Li Hongbing naturally didn't intend to dwell on the previous incident, but he didn't show much enthusiasm for Sha Zhu either.

Ultimately, he and Sha Zhu weren't that close. At most, he would give He Daqing some face, and they would just be ordinary neighbors from now on.

As an old fox, He Daqing could naturally see that Li Hongbing's attitude towards Shazhu was not enthusiastic, but he did not show any displeasure. Instead, he spoke again: "Hongbing, don't look down on Shazhu just because he is a year older than you. He is actually far inferior to you, especially in terms of his character. Please forgive him."

This time I'm going back to Baocheng. Although I'll try to come back often in the future, I won't be staying in the courtyard regularly. Without me around and without anyone to look after him, Shazhu will inevitably make mistakes sometimes. I'd like to ask you to help take care of him.

This is a Tan family recipe book that my master passed down to me. I think it might be useful to you. As a way of repaying him and expressing my gratitude, I hope you will accept it.

"Uncle He, I appreciate your kindness, but this item is too valuable. Please take it back!"

Seeing the Tan family recipe book that He Daqing took out from his body, Li Hongbing was stunned for a moment, but he didn't hesitate and directly refused.

How could Li Hongbing not have heard of the famous Tan Family Cuisine? But he couldn't accept a reward without merit.

If Li Hongbing accepted the recipe book, it would mean agreeing to He Daqing's request. Li Hongbing had no intention of becoming Sha Zhu's nanny, even though Yi Zhonghai's threat had been eliminated.

not to mention.

A Tan family recipe book might be considered a rare treasure by other chefs, even those famous chefs.

But for Li Hongbing, it was nothing.

He has a system, and the Tan family recipes might help him increase his cooking experience points, but the help is limited and not as dramatic as some people think.

Moreover, Li Hongbing doesn't have any extreme pursuit or lofty ideals when it comes to cooking.

For Li Hongbing, this was merely a technical means he used to make a living and earn wages, and one of the skills he used to gain experience, level up, and get rewards from the system.

"This is the Tan family recipe!"

Faced with Li Hongbing's rejection and his calm reaction, He Daqing was stunned and became somewhat unsettled.

So many people outside want to get this cookbook, but none of them have the chance.

He wanted to deliver it to Li Hongbing himself, but Li Hongbing refused.
Fearing that Li Hongbing might not understand the importance of this recipe book, He Daqing couldn't help but remind and emphasize, "Even your master couldn't remain indifferent to this recipe book."

Li Hongbing knew that He Daqing must have misunderstood something, so he explained, "Uncle He, I know this Tan family recipe book is valuable, but I cannot accept a reward without having done anything right."

"This……"

After Li Hongbing said that, He Daqing understood.

This is because Li Hongbing doesn't want to get into trouble, or he thinks his son, Shazhu, is useless and doesn't want to get involved.

Realizing this, He Daqing felt helpless and could only say, "Actually, you don't need to do anything, and you don't need to keep an eye on that rascal Shazhu every day. Just like before, if you find out that Shazhu has done something wrong or acted recklessly, just ask someone to tell his master."

"When the time comes, his master and his fellow disciples will naturally step in..."

Even if He Daqing were to ask Li Hongbing to manage Sha Zhu, or even to help Sha Zhu and stand up for Sha Zhu, he wouldn't make such a request.

After what happened with Yi Zhonghai, there is no one in this courtyard house that he can trust, except for Li Hongbing.

Although Sha Zhu has Dong Congyou as his master and Wang Baoguo and his fellow disciples, they are not in the same courtyard and live quite far apart. Moreover, Sha Zhu does not work with any of them now, so they cannot keep track of his situation at any time.

He Daqing did not ask Sha Zhu to quit his job at the steel mill canteen, but instead chose to let him stay.

On the one hand, they have now fallen out with Yi Zhonghai and his group, and the rainy season needs someone to take care of it, so the working hours at the steel rolling mill are just right.

on the other hand.

By staying at the steel rolling mill, Sha Zhu could keep track of Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu's situation and prevent them from making any underhanded moves.

The key is.

The stir-fries served at the steel rolling mill are now all handled by Sha Zhu. The factory needs a cook like Sha Zhu who can cook, so the portions are definitely larger than those of the factory chefs who cook large batches of food.

Moreover, Sha Zhu would have the opportunity to further contact the leaders of the steel rolling mill. Regardless of whether he could gain the appreciation and favor of the factory leaders, Yi Zhonghai would have to think twice if he wanted to take revenge on Sha Zhu.

“Uncle He, if such a thing really happened, even if you don’t say anything, I would still do it out of respect for your past acquaintance with my master and for Master Dong’s sake. As for the Tan family recipe, you should take it back!”

Once Li Hongbing realized that He Daqing only wanted him to report on Sha Zhu, he felt less pressured.

If Sha Zhu ever acts recklessly again, he can send someone to inform Dong Congyou, and then everyone can just sit back and watch the show and see Sha Zhu get taught a lesson.

It is only natural for a master to discipline his disciple.

Furthermore, Dong Congyou must have already obtained He Daqing's "authorization," so he certainly won't tolerate him when the time comes.

However, Li Hongbing still didn't want the Tan family recipe.

Even if He Daqing said what he did just now, if he accepts the Tan family recipe, he will have responsibilities in the future.

Even if the responsibility is minor, it is still a responsibility.

This Tan family recipe might be a good thing, but it wasn't that important or attractive to Li Hongbing.

Li Hongbing's repeated refusal once again baffled He Daqing.

If He Daqing didn't know the value of the Tan family recipe book in his hand, he would have thought it was a cheap thing that could be bought at a roadside stall.

“Hongbing, I don’t know why you’ve been refusing, but I just casually mentioned asking you to look after Shazhu. Giving you this Tan family recipe book is really more about thanking you; it’s essentially a gift of gratitude.”

He Daqing looked at Li Hongbing, took a deep breath, and solemnly said, "I, He Daqing, am clear about gratitude and grudges, and I will repay kindness. If it weren't for your reminder this time, I might have regretted it for the rest of my life. Moreover, our family has never repaid the kindness you and your sister showed to Shazhu and Yushui."

This Tan family recipe book was passed down to me by my master. I have the right to pass it on to someone who deserves it. With your current talent and growth rate, your future achievements will be remarkable.

All chefs are one family; consider this a good connection I've made.

This isn't a unique copy, so don't worry about anything else. I also copied two other copies myself; I kept one for myself, and the other is with Shazhu..."

"Then...okay!"

Faced with the various reasons listed by He Daqing, Li Hongbing hesitated for a moment, then stopped being coy.

It's impossible to say that Li Hongbing didn't want it at all.

After all, he also wanted to see the Tan family cuisine, which had secured a place in the vast city of Beijing.

Seeing that Li Hongbing accepted the gift, He Daqing smiled and didn't linger. He said directly to Li Hongbing, "The purpose of this trip has been achieved, so I won't take up any more of your time."

I was heading to the train station to catch my train, so I didn't miss it. That little girl, Yushui, insisted on seeing me off at the station, so I figured I could show her around a bit more..."

"Take care, Uncle He!"

Goodbye, Brother Hongbing!

“Red...Red Soldier, we’re leaving now.”

"See you!"

"..."

Watching He Daqing, Shazhu, and Yushui leave, and listening to He Yushui's fading laughter, Li Hongbing couldn't help but smile.

I can say that I did a good deed this time.

Not long after.

Li Hongbing then took the Tan family recipes that He Daqing had given him and returned to the kitchen.

"What does He Daqing want with you?"

Seeing his apprentice return, Guo Youzhong couldn't help but ask with concern.

Upon hearing this, Li Hongbing immediately handed over the Tan family recipe book.

"Tan... how did he give this to you?"

Just as he was about to reach out and take it, Guo Youzhong saw the words "Tan Family Recipes" on the cover, and a look of shock appeared on his face. He then withdrew his hand.

"I accepted it because Grandpa He insisted on giving it to me."

Li Hongbing offered an explanation, then asked Guo Youzhong, "Master, won't you take a look?"

"Keep it yourself, I won't look at it."

Guo Youzhong shook his head, but looked at Li Hongbing and said earnestly, "It's good to broaden your horizons, but I remind you that when you learn anything, you must first master it before venturing into other things. Don't be overly ambitious or indecisive, or you'll ruin your own future."

"Master, don't worry!"

Upon hearing this, Li Hongbing immediately patted his chest and assured Guo Youzhong, "My most important task right now is to follow you and learn our Shandong cuisine well, so that I won't let you down."

Looking at his disciple who grasped the concepts so quickly, Guo Youzhong couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)