Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

As soon as Xu Damao returned to the courtyard, he ran into Yan Bugui.

Disgusted by Yi Zhonghai's elder-like rhetoric, he no longer showed the same enthusiasm for Yan Bugui as before, and simply brushed past him like a stranger.

This appearance confused Yan Bugui, who quickly stopped Xu Damao.

"No, Da Mao, Uncle Yan, what have I done to offend you? You didn't even say hello?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao closed his eyes in anger, but when he opened them again, a hint of mockery appeared on his face.

"Uncle Yan, are you questioning me? You're an educated person in this courtyard. Tell me, what law says I have to greet you?"

"If I don't greet you, won't you greet me?"

"That's a difficult question to answer..."

"Or are you saying you want to be above the people?"

Upon hearing Xu Damao's last words, Yan Bugui's face turned pale instantly. He quickly stepped forward, put his arm around Xu Damao's shoulder, and pulled him aside, then pretended to grit his teeth and said:

"Are you out of your mind? What did I ever do to you? Why the hell are you trying to kill me?"

Yan Bugui was very good at reading people's expressions. He could tell that Xu Damao had been upset outside, and his resentment was so strong that it was almost bursting out of the sky. Otherwise, he wouldn't be like this.

Therefore, Yan Bugui gave him a way out; if anyone else had dared to speak like that, he would have cursed them out.

Of course, Xu Damao is now the deputy head of the publicity department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, a proper cadre.

He's several levels more powerful than that elementary school dean.

It's fine to joke around occasionally, but it's best not to offend anyone.

Xu Damao's anger subsided when he saw how eloquent Yan Bugui was, and he thought to himself that Yan Bugui knew how to handle things.

Xu Damao soon smiled too:

"Hey, Uncle Yan, I was wrong today. I spoke too harshly. I apologize."

Yan Bugui took out a cigarette from his pocket and waved his hand:

"Alright, alright, why are you saying all this? But Da Mao, you were acting a bit strange just now. Want to talk to Uncle Yan about it?"

Xu Damao was silent for a while before nodding and recounting the conflict that occurred between him and his apprentice Yi Zhonghai on their way home from get off work.

Yan Bugui laughed after hearing this:

"Hehe, I was wondering why you were acting like you were on fire today. Turns out there was this little show going on."

Xu Damao took a vicious drag on his cigarette:

"Exactly! I just got off work, I was in a great mood, and then I ran into two annoying toads. How could I not get angry?"

"Uncle Yan, do you think that old man Yi Zhonghai might try to sabotage me behind my back?"

Yan Bugui quickly waved his hand after hearing this, his tone somewhat sour:

"Da Mao, stop. I'm not getting involved in this. You and Lao Yi are both leaders at the steel rolling mill. What would I do if I got involved? Besides, could I even get involved?"

"When gods fight, innocent bystanders suffer the consequences!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao gave Yan Bugui a meaningful look and patted him on the shoulder:

"I was just venting. It's not that easy for Yi Zhonghai to mess with me."

Yan Bugui nodded:

"Alright, you decide for yourself. Just pretend I didn't hear what I said today."

After the two parted ways, Yan Bugui sat at his doorstep smoking, plotting how he could take things further.

After all, having a certain status is very important if you want to have more say in the hospital!

Take Li Jiuzhou for example. He's a section chief. Although he doesn't show off in the institute, if he were to speak up, there wouldn't be anyone in the institute who could fight him.

Before, Li Jiuzhou was just a cook. No matter if he was a famous chef in Beijing, he was still just a cook. It would have been fine to just be neighbors with him!

But things are different now!

He was promoted like a rocket, becoming the director of a steel rolling mill at the level of a division chief. This official position was incredibly powerful in the small courtyard house.

Then there's Sha Zhu. He's not just a cook, one of the eight key personnel, but also a clerk in the steel mill's canteen, the head of five canteens, and in charge of hundreds of people!

It was because of the role models Li Jiuzhou and Sha Zhu that Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were determined to make progress.

Even Yan Bugui himself paid a heavy price to become the dean of students.

Among the younger generation, Xu Damao stood out and was promoted from an ordinary projectionist to deputy section chief!

Yan Bugui couldn't help but think of the sycophantic words his neighbors had uttered, and muttered to himself:

"Could it be that our courtyard is really a place blessed by feng shui?"

"Damn, things have changed so much lately."

"Within a year, five people in the institute, including myself, were promoted to leadership positions!"

At this point, the shock in Yan Bugui's eyes was palpable!

He was truly shocked at this moment, because the matter was already settled. Although everyone's promotion was justified, he had, after all, received a traditional education.

Having some understanding of metaphysics, and with five people in the academy promoted within a year, it's not unreasonable for Yan Bugui to think more about it.

Anyone would have their own thoughts in that situation.

Yan Bugui was very excited, which meant that the feng shui of their courtyard was really good, otherwise such a miraculous thing would not have happened.

Now that I have this wonderful place, I must work even harder and not waste it.

If it weren't for the fear of negative repercussions, Yan Bugui would have wanted to find an expert to take a look.

At this time, many people returned to the courtyard in twos and threes after get off work, and it started to get lively.

When Jia Dongxu got home, he sat down and started smoking, looking sullen.

Seeing that her son had given her a cold shoulder as soon as he got home, Jia Zhangshi quickly whispered to her grandson, who was still making a fuss on the kang (heated brick bed):

"My dear grandson, hurry up and leave. Your dad's in a bad mood today. Don't come back until he calls you for dinner, or you're in for a beating!"

Banggeng felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this. He couldn't understand what his grandmother had said before, but he clearly heard the words "get beaten."

There's nothing else to it, he's just terrified of his father, Jia Dongxu!

Without hesitation, he got off the kang (heated brick bed), put on his shoes, and walked out of his house without even saying goodbye.

Seeing her grandson leave, Jia Zhangshi breathed a sigh of relief, took a bowl, and poured a glass of cool boiled water for Jia Dongxu.

"Dongxu, get me a glass of water, and then tell Mom what happened today."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu gave a wry smile, but still took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, then began to grumble:

"Mom, everyone says our compound is a blessed place, everyone here has become a cadre."

"Logically speaking, our family should have started first. We're local residents, and now even Xu Damao and Shazhu have become cadres, while I'm still a poor worker."

"No matter how the feng shui changes, shouldn't it be my turn, Jia Dongxu's turn?" Jia Dongxu's voice trembled with emotion as he said this.

"And ever since I joined the steel rolling mill, I've suffered terribly. What the hell have I done to deserve this?"

Tong Jie had just entered the room when she heard Jia Dongxu's complaints, and it was really difficult to respond to what he was saying.

Tong Jie felt that her family was already living a much better life than others.

Even if we don't compare them to people in the countryside, but only to those in Nanluoguxiang, their lives are just as good, if not better.

To be honest, Tong Jie doesn't want anything more. She would be content to live like this for the rest of her life.