The Courtyard House: He Yuzhu Returns with Boundless Hatred for Revenge

In the following days, the courtyard fell into a relatively calm state. It was relatively calm because this calm was only for He Yuzhu.

The brutal ending of the plenary session utterly extinguished all the arrogance and scheming of the beasts. The entire courtyard was filled with hatred, fear, resentment, bitterness, and other negative emotions.

For the next few days, the beasts all took leave from work because of their facial injuries. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong felt too ashamed to face anyone, while Jia Dongxu and Yan Jiecheng were genuinely in too much pain to go out. Jia Zhangshi was completely dejected, staying at home for several days in a row, not even daring to peek out the door. It was as if her rogue and domineering nature had been truly severed overnight by He Yuzhu with a rope.

Only Yan Bugui continued to go to get off work on time every day, his face swollen. For him, the deducted wages were far more important than his pride. However, now, whenever he saw He Yuzhu, he was like a mouse before a cat. The moment He Yuzhu appeared, Yan Bugui would either immediately turn and go around him, or quickly retreat back into the house. Don't think that being beaten by He Yuzhu made the old man truly afraid or cowardly; at this moment, his mind was filled with thoughts of how to get revenge. These kinds of underhanded people are often the most difficult to deal with.

Not only Yan Bugui, but everyone in the entire courtyard now avoids He Yuzhu. If they bump into him, they quickly lower their heads and hurry along, not exchanging any words with him. The beasts dare not openly come, but their underhanded tactics continue, inciting everyone in the courtyard to isolate the He family and not speak to He Yuzhu and his sister, attempting to regain some face through this method.

He Yuzhu didn't care at all. He'd already faced death, what did he care about such trivial matters? He went to work every day as usual, nodding politely to acquaintances on the street, but most of the time he was expressionless. At home, he and his sister He Yushui would lock themselves in their room and live their own little life. Smoke curled from the chimney, the aroma of food filled the air, and their life was actually more comfortable than before. He Yushui was initially a little unaccustomed to being isolated, but seeing her brother's complete indifference and being pampered with good food, she quickly accepted it, even thinking it was better this way, with no one bothering them.

. . . .

The steel rolling mill, the office of the first secretary of the Party committee.

Secretary Tan Jin sat behind his desk, listening to the report from the head of the security department. Compared to a few days ago, he was a completely different person. His previously haggard and sallow complexion had become rosy and radiant, the long-standing fatigue had vanished, his eyes were sharp, he was full of energy, and even a large patch of his hair had turned black, making him look at least ten years younger.

"Secretary, this is the background investigation report on Comrade He Yuzhu, a cook in the No. 1 canteen." The head of the security department placed a document on the table.

"He Yuzhu, male, 21 years old, is a third-generation farmer. His father, He Daqing, was originally a chef at Fengzeyuan Restaurant. He left Beijing for Baocheng in 1951 and is currently the head chef of the canteen at the Baocheng Meat Processing Plant. His mother passed away early. He Yuzhu himself apprenticed at Fengzeyuan Restaurant and later worked in the canteen of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. His social connections are clear, his political background is clean, and no historical issues or overseas connections have been found."

Tan Jin picked up the materials and carefully examined them, nodding slightly. Three generations of farmers, with impeccable revolutionary credentials; although his father had left early, he was still a legitimate member of the working class. This background completely reassured him. It seemed that Chef He's offering of the medicinal cuisine was truly out of sincerity, not for ulterior motives.

"Hmm, very good. Thank you for your hard work." Tan Jin put down the materials, his last trace of doubt vanishing. The changes in his own body were the most authentic proof; the effects of that chicken soup were nothing short of miraculous. He decided that he could now confidently continue his contact with He Yuzhu.

In the morning, He Yuzhu was arranging the preparation of lunch in the kitchen when someone from the factory office came to inform him that Secretary Tan wanted to see him in his office.

He Yuzhu knew what was going on, so he straightened his clothes and followed them to the secretary's office.

He Yuzhu knocked and entered, and was secretly surprised to see Tan Jin sitting upright behind his desk. The Secretary Tan in front of him was nothing like the sickly man he had been before; he had completely transformed and was incredibly energetic.

"I miscalculated..." He Yuzhu thought to himself. He lacked experience; adding too much spring water would make it too effective, which could easily cause trouble. People might think his medicinal cuisine was a panacea, making it difficult to deal with various people coming to his door. It seemed he needed to find a way to change that impression and take control of the situation. He couldn't just add the spring water indiscriminately anymore; he would have to dilute it again and again, no matter who he was treating. He only needed to have a slight effect; a steady, long-term approach was the right thing to do.

"Secretary Tan, you wanted to see me?" He Yuzhu asked respectfully, his expression unchanged.

"Master He is here, please have a seat." Tan Jin smiled warmly and personally poured He Yuzhu a glass of water. "I have to thank you properly! Ever since I drank your chicken soup, I feel like I've been relieved of a burden that has lasted for decades, and I feel much lighter! My illnesses have almost completely disappeared, and even the doctors at the hospital are amazed."

"Secretary, you're too kind. It's good that it's effective," He Yuzhu replied modestly.

"It's not just effective, it's simply miraculous!" Tan Jin exclaimed, then changed the subject with an inquiring tone, "Master He, is your skill in making medicinal cuisine a family tradition?"

He Yuzhu had already prepared his explanation: "Secretary, it's not entirely a family tradition. My mother's ancestors knew some medical principles and left behind some remedies for warming and nourishing the body. I myself am also interested in this area. Over the years, I have read many medical books, taught myself some traditional Chinese medicine theories, and combined them with the family's remedies to gradually develop my own methods."

The key to effective medicinal cuisine is understanding medical principles. One must observe, listen, inquire, and palpate to clearly identify each person's constitution and the location of their symptoms before prescribing the right food. The same recipe can have drastically different effects on different people.

His words were half true and half false, but he mainly emphasized that treatment should be tailored to the individual and the specific symptoms, leaving room for possible future scenarios.

Upon hearing this, Tan Jin's eyes flashed with surprise and admiration. "Oh? Master He can also take pulses? You're truly multi-talented!"

"I have a basic understanding, I wouldn't dare say I'm an expert. My main purpose is to be able to more accurately assess one's physical condition and adjust the recipe for medicinal diets. After all, dietary supplements differ from medicinal supplements; they emphasize gentle conditioning, and even a slight error can lead to disastrous results."

"For example, Secretary Tan's illness had already penetrated to the bone marrow, making it all too obvious on the surface. I was reckless at the time, eager to try the medicinal diet and afraid that the Secretary wouldn't believe me, so I didn't take your pulse carefully. Looking back now, it was absolutely wrong of me, and I hope the Secretary won't blame me."

In truth, He Yuzhu absorbed the fragments of consciousness, making him proficient in both traditional Chinese and Western medicine. In terms of skill, he could be considered a miracle doctor. But even if he were miraculous, could he surpass the power of the Fountain of Life? Taking the pulse was just a formality, a way of telling Tan Jin that his primary method was medical skill, supplemented by medicinal cuisine, and that treatment varied from person to person, with different ingredients for each type of cuisine. This way, he could avoid future trouble. If he relied solely on medicinal cuisine, what would he do if someone asked for the recipe? Even if he gave it to them and could cure them, what if he couldn't? He had to rely on his medical skills to deceive them.

Tan Jin nodded repeatedly, his impression of He Yuzhu improving even more. Not only did he not take credit, but he was also so humble. It seemed that He Yuzhu was not only truly capable, but also a kind and helpful comrade.