Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Nowadays, the residents of the courtyard houses are living a good life.

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Lao Jia were all skilled workers at the steel rolling mill, earning at least a dozen silver dollars a month.

Although salaries are now paid in fiat currency, it hasn't decreased; we still spend and consume the same amount.

Before the civil war started, one silver dollar could buy ten pounds of pork.

But things are different now. A civil war has broken out, and the economy fluctuates frequently. One silver dollar can only buy 6-8 catties of pork.

For Yi Zhonghai and his ilk, spending two silver dollars a month to buy meat was no big deal at all.

I don't envy others, because I'm doing just fine.

After the house was renovated, Li Jiuzhou and his second brother Shanhe moved in, while Jiaojiao, who needed someone to take care of her, stayed at her master's house to keep her master's wife company.

Li Tielong was very generous, as the journey from Nanluoguxiang to Fengzeyuan was quite long, so he simply gave his bicycle to his apprentice to ride.

After settling down in Nanluoguxiang, Li Jiuzhou gradually became familiar with the residents of the courtyard.

One morning, while taking a break, Li Jiuzhou and He Yuzhu were washing up in the courtyard when they ran into Xu Damao.

Xu Damao was brushing his teeth next to He Yuzhu when he smelled the cooking fumes on him and was choked by them, swallowing several mouthfuls of foam.

After recovering, he said with dissatisfaction:

"Hey He Yuzhu, you're so filthy! You stink! Your clothes are all caked with dirt, how long has it been since you showered?"

He Yuzhu said indifferently:

"You live by the sea, huh? Why are you being so nosy? You're young and don't know any better, so I won't hold it against you."

"Do you know how much Master Zhu earns in a month?"

"How much...how much?" Xu Damao also became interested when money was mentioned.

This includes nearby residents who come to wash up.

Jia Dongxu took a few steps closer.

He Yuzhu was very satisfied, satisfied that his words had attracted other people's attention.

"Hehe, this is how much I earn in a month..." He smugly made a shooting gesture.

Several neighbors looked shocked and began to speak:

"My goodness! Eight silver dollars a month! Zhu Zi, aren't you an apprentice? How do you earn so much?"

"Yeah, I was so exhausted I was peeing blood for a month and I still didn't earn six dollars!"

Jia Dongxu was equally shocked, but even more so, he felt envy and jealousy.

Feeling indignant, he thought to himself, "This leader of the younger generation in the courtyard, how little do they earn in a month..."

I don't even have a job, it's so frustrating to compare myself to others...

He was indignant that this idiot earned so much money in a month.

After the initial shock, Xu Damao was more incredulous and said:

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could an apprentice like you possibly earn eight silver dollars?"

"If you don't believe me, ask my senior brother. He earns much more than me..." He Yuzhu brought up Li Jiuzhou.

So everyone turned their attention to Li Jiuzhou:

Li Jiuzhou did not disappoint everyone, saying:

"Zhu Zi is right. Fengzeyuan offers pretty good benefits. Our apprentices' wages are considered low."

"The chefs at Fengzeyuan earn at least 30 yuan a month, and the master chefs, needless to say, often earn over 100 yuan."

After Li Jiuzhou finished speaking, everyone was so shocked that they couldn't speak.

They may have had suspicions before, but now that they've been confirmed, it's understandable that they're unsettled.

That's money! Who the hell wouldn't get excited when they hear that?

Although Xu Damao was stubborn, Li Jiuzhou came out to confirm it, so he had no choice but to believe it.

I hate myself even more for being so young and powerless.

He Yuzhu is only two years older than him, and he's still living off his father, while he's already making money. It's no wonder he's resentful.

However, he didn't say much, quickly finished washing up, and left without looking back.

Jia Dongxu also went back into the house looking displeased.

Meanwhile, Jia Dongxu returned to his room and counted his hidden stash of money under the bed.

A series of crisp, clanging sounds followed.

Thirteen silver dollars—that was all his savings.

It's all pocket money that Lao Jia has given him over the years.

He felt very anxious after hearing about He Yuzhu's income.

He remembered his classmate saying he'd made a lot of money gambling a while ago, and he was tempted. "It's just a gamble, why not give it a shot?" he thought.

So he picked up a cloth bag, wrapped up the silver dollar, stuffed it in his pocket, and went out.

I was going to go find my classmate, but my stomach suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, so I went straight to the toilet outside the courtyard.

Li Jiuzhou was having breakfast with his second brother in the house when a notification sounded in his mind.

"Ding, Dog Seven has detected a piece of intelligence: a large coin has fallen at the corner of the toilet outside the courtyard. Please go there to retrieve it within five minutes."

"Otherwise, it'll just be a bargain for Yi Zhonghai!"

Upon hearing this information, Li Jiuzhou immediately stood up.

"Dog Seven, you finally spit out a sound! I thought you were dead."

"Host, please don't talk nonsense. Of course, Dog Seven has detected better intelligence. Do you want to hear it?"

"Listen, why aren't you listening?" Li Jiuzhou said bluntly.

Dog Seven didn't mince words and directly provided the information:

"There are members of the Red Party's underground party in the silk shop outside Zhengyang Gate. Should the host report them to the Blue Party?"

"A reward of 100 yuan will be given for reporting this."

"Tonight, members of the Red Party's underground organization are attempting to assassinate the Blue Party's special agent chief. Should we proceed to stop them?"

"Preventing him from getting promoted and making a fortune is a piece of cake..."

Li Jiuzhou's face turned green upon hearing this, and he quickly shouted for a stop:

"Stop, stop, stop talking! Do you want me to live too long?"

"Seven, I'm just an ordinary citizen. Don't tell me about this kind of intelligence in the future. I want to live a little longer."

Dog Seven: "Nothing to speak of, just a piece of trash..."

Li Jiuzhou...

Forget it, I'll let it go. Finding the money is more important.

Li Jiuzhou left his house and, seeing no one around, quickly ran towards the toilet.

Just as I reached the corner of the toilet, I saw a cloth bag on the ground. I picked it up, loosened the rope, poured out the silver dollars inside, and turned to leave.

He threw the cloth bag back into the distance.

No sooner had they entered the house than Yi Zhonghai, who looked constipated, hurried out of the courtyard and headed for the toilet.

Li Jiuzhou smiled knowingly. This was perfect. He felt wonderful touching the heavy silver dollar in his hand.

Finding money is undoubtedly the happiest thing.

Yi Zhonghai walked very fast, and when he reached the corner of the toilet, he picked up a cloth bag on the ground without thinking.

He muttered, "Which spendthrift wasted such a nice cloth bag? They really don't know how to manage a household."

After saying that, he blew the dust off the cloth bag and a happy look appeared on his face.

This shit came just in time, it was worth it...

Meanwhile, Jia Dongxu was walking out of Nanluoguxiang, in a good mood.

He touched his chest and was about to continue walking when his expression changed. He touched his chest a few more times and found it was empty.

He was unwilling to give up, so he rummaged in his pockets again but still couldn't find his cloth bag.

At this moment, his face turned pale, and he walked back, looking down at the ground as he went.

He clung to hope, attempting to reclaim the lost ocean.

I went outside the restroom and looked around. There was nothing there.

He didn't intend to go into the toilet, because after he finished using it, he took it out and checked it again.

He guessed it was thrown away in the toilet.

He searched for a while and was disappointed...