Courtyard House: Inheriting the Restaurant, the Jia Family Wants to Get It for Free

Once the seeds entered the space, they were sorted and sown in the cultivated fields.

As for the living creatures, he let them roam freely in the space.

Looking at the space that had instantly become vibrant with life, Cheng Shuhai couldn't be more satisfied.

After properly placing all the purchased supplies into the Blessed Land Space, Cheng Shuhai's purpose for this trip was successfully achieved.

His public statement was that trucks from the city had already taken everything away during the night.

Although the villagers found it strange that they hadn't heard any car noises, no one bothered to investigate further.

After all, they had watched Cheng Shuhai grow up, and they knew he wouldn't do anything bad.

After spending another day in the village, Cheng Shuhai prepared to take his two children, Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei, back to Beijing.

Before they set off, Cheng Dashan's wife boiled a red egg for each of the four of them, symbolizing a smooth and prosperous journey.

Holding her two children's hands, her eyes red, she repeatedly told them to be clever in the city, work hard, and not to cause trouble for their older brother, Cheng Shuhai.

After bidding farewell to his reluctant family, Cheng Shuhai, along with Cheng Ling'er, and Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei, who were filled with both anticipation and nervousness for the future, embarked on their journey back to Beijing.

Along the way, everything was new and interesting to Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei.

Cheng Shuhai patiently explained everything about the city to them and calmed their emotions.

When the four of them finally returned to the entrance of courtyard house number 95, it was already getting dark.

However, before they even entered the courtyard, they saw several people gathered at the gate, and the atmosphere seemed rather strange.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Liu Haizhong and two other neighbors in the courtyard carrying a stretcher with a person lying on it, covered with a blanket, so their face could not be seen.

Qin Huairu followed beside him, her face showing anxiety and worry.

Cheng Shuhai's heart skipped a beat; he had a bad feeling.

Just then, the person on the stretcher seemed to sense something, and the blanket covering their head moved, revealing a face that was slightly distorted due to a stroke.

Who else could it be but Jia Zhangshi!

She's back from the hospital!

Jia Zhangshi stared intently at Cheng Shuhai, her gaze like a poisoned knife, filled with undisguised resentment and hatred.

If looks could kill, Cheng Shuhai had no doubt that he would have been torn to pieces right now.

If she weren't physically unwell, she probably would have jumped up and cursed Cheng Shuhai's ancestors in the most vicious language.

Cheng Shuhai met her gaze and sneered inwardly.

Serves you right! You brought this on yourself!

He didn't even bother to give her a second glance, completely ignoring her.

When Liu Haizhong, who was carrying the stretcher, saw Cheng Shuhai, his expression became somewhat unnatural.

He snorted as a greeting, then urged the others to quickly carry Jia Zhangshi into the courtyard.

The place they were going to was the small backyard room that Yi Zhonghai's family had vacated for the Jia family to stay in temporarily.

Having fallen from a spacious and bright main house in the central courtyard to now living under someone else's roof in a dark and damp backyard hut, Jia Zhangshi's hatred for Cheng Shuhai has reached a new peak.

She stared intently at Cheng Shuhai's retreating figure until he was carried into the courtyard and disappeared around the corner.

Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei, the siblings, were startled by the old woman's fierce glare and asked uneasily in low voices, "Big brother, who was that person? Why was she looking at you like that?"

"Ignore that unreasonable crazy woman."

Cheng Shuhai said calmly, then led them into the courtyard house.

As soon as I entered the front yard, a middle-aged man wearing glasses and looking somewhat shrewd greeted me with a smile.

It was Yan Bugui from the front yard.

"Hey, Shuhai's back!" Yan Bugui greeted him warmly, but his eyes kept darting between Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei.

"Teacher Yan." Cheng Shuhai nodded.

"Who are these two?"

Yan Bugui put his hands in his pockets, asking a question he already knew the answer to.

Cheng Shuhai knew that there were many gossipy people in this courtyard, especially in this era when class background was a very sensitive issue and spies were being arrested everywhere.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he explained succinctly, "These are my cousin Cheng Shujun and my cousin Cheng Shufei. My restaurant is short-staffed, so I had them come from our hometown to help out."

"Oh, so it's family! That's great, that's great!"

Yan Bugui nodded repeatedly, but his mind was racing with calculations.

His eyes darted around, and a warmer smile spread across his face. He rubbed his hands together, leaned closer to Cheng Shuhai, and lowered his voice to say, "Um... Shuhai, do you think your restaurant... is it short-staffed?"

Cheng Shuhai raised an eyebrow, and looking at him, he knew what he was up to.

"My eldest son, Jiecheng, as you know, that kid isn't cut out for studying."

"I was thinking that he should learn a skill as soon as possible so he can have a living in the future. Do you think... he could learn to cook from you?"

"We don't want wages, just food! Consider it an apprenticeship ceremony!"

Sure enough, Yan Bugui continued.

As soon as Yan Bugui spoke, several neighbors who hadn't gone far looked over in surprise.

Let Yan Jiecheng become an apprentice? To learn to be a cook?

That old Yan is really shrewd!

They've taken a liking to Cheng Shuhai's cooking skills!

Everyone knows that Yan Bugui always considers himself a cultured person.

Unexpectedly, for this "golden rice bowl," he was actually willing to let his son become a cook, a job that he didn't consider respectable.

After hearing this, Cheng Shuhai could only laugh to himself.

To have Yan Jiecheng learn martial arts from him? What a joke.

Yan Jiecheng, that kid, was influenced by Yan Bugui since childhood and became petty and greedy. He's also lazy and not cut out for hard work at all.

Bringing him over here would only cause me trouble.

"Yan Bugui, let's just forget about this."

Cheng Shuhai refused without even thinking.

He offered a tactful excuse: "Jiecheng is still young, it's the perfect time for him to study. Let him focus on his studies and go to university. Wouldn't that be a better career path than being a cook? Besides, my skills are just some amateurish things I've figured out myself, they're nothing special, I can't afford to corrupt the child."

These words froze the smile on Yan Bugui's face.

What does "unorthodox methods" mean? Do you think your unorthodox methods are enough to make the leaders of the steel rolling mill fawn over you?

This kid just doesn't want to be taught!

Yan Bugui was somewhat displeased, but since Cheng Shuhai had already said so much, he couldn't continue to pester him shamelessly.

He could only force a laugh and say, "That's true, studying is more important," before retreating to the side, looking rather dejected.

Cheng Shuhai ignored him and led Cheng Shujun and Cheng Shufei through the front yard to the middle yard.

He pointed to the two main rooms where the Jia family used to live and said to his somewhat reserved cousins, "Look, those are the two rooms. They're mine now."