Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

Li Jiuzhou also received a New Year's bonus.

A 50-pound bag of flour, a 10-pound pork knuckle, and some miscellaneous receipts.

What are just scraps to Li Jiuzhou are actually quite valuable if taken out.

For ordinary people, 20 jin of oil coupons, cotton coupons, and so on were very precious ration coupons.

Even if there are any, they are calculated in pounds or ounces.

Yi Zhonghai received a two-jin (1 kg) oil coupon as part of his perks. Before he could even enjoy it, his apprentice Jia Dongxu was overjoyed with the coupon.

What belongs to the master is his; why be so particular about it?

On the evening before the Lunar New Year, the neighbors in the courtyard were all very happy because they received welfare benefits. The amount didn't matter, as long as they received something.

Because Yan Bugui became the dean of students' education this year, he received some good things for the first time. There was pork and flour, instead of just some pens and notebooks as before.

So Yan Bugui was smiling very happily in the crowd.

The Spring Festival was the same as usual; Li Jiuzhou's family basically didn't go out much because Bingbing was pregnant and it was inconvenient for her to go out.

I went back to my parents' home on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Sha Zhu drove his car to Changping with his wife and children, and also brought Jia Dongxu and his wife and their two children along.

Anyway, it's all in Changping, so it's on the way.

I didn't pay for the gas, but the Jia family had so much Sachima (a type of Chinese pastry) that it was more than enough to do them a favor.

Li Jiuzhou didn't care, as long as you understood social etiquette. If you got into my car, you couldn't just sit there and not say something, could you?

Liu Haizhong was very envious, and at the same time he muttered to himself at home, saying that Li Jiuzhou was using the official vehicle for private purposes. How could this be allowed?

He might grumble, but he wouldn't dare actually report it; there would be no place for his family in that courtyard anymore.

After that incident in the carriage, Liu Haizhong treated his two younger sons a little better.

What should I do?

They beat you for every mistake, and the beatings are quite severe, but as long as you don't make any mistakes, you can eat and drink as usual.

The two brothers, Guangtian and Guangfu, quickly grasped the rule and were no longer as afraid of mice as they used to be when they saw a cat.

They even dared to try asking Liu Haizhong for money, and the amazing thing is that he actually gave it to them, which thrilled the two brothers.

On New Year's Eve, after finishing his New Year's Eve dinner, Liu Guangtian suddenly said:

"Dad, can I borrow your watch? I want to show it off when I go out!"

The whole family held their breath, waiting for Liu Haizhong's rage.

But instead of outbursts of anger, he was met with laughter and curses from Liu Haizhong, and the gesture of taking off his watch:

"Okay, Dad's in a good mood on New Year's Eve, so I'll let you show it off. Just don't break it!"

"Really?... Thank you... Thank you, Director Liu!" Liu Guangtian immediately offered a compliment.

Liu Haizhong burst into laughter after hearing this:

"Hahahaha... You brat, I'm your father. You don't need to address me by my title at home!"

Then, to Liu Guangqi's astonishment, Liu Haizhong put the watch on his second brother's wrist.

Liu Guangqi felt that the world had changed, and his father had changed too.

Since his father became a leader, his temper has really improved, and he no longer beats his two younger brothers randomly.

No, Liu Guangqi shook his head. His father must have changed after his grandmother passed away.

He used to look down on his father, thinking he was rude, uneducated, and destined to be a miserable worker his whole life.

But things are different now. My dad has been promoted to deputy director of the workshop, a position he had always dreamed of!

How dare Liu Guangqi look down on his father now?

As a soon-to-be-graduated vocational school student, he knows a lot and understands how difficult it is to work in a factory.

He might have to rely on his father for support in the future.

So after his two younger brothers left, he picked up a cigarette from the table, lit it for Liu Haizhong, and then tentatively asked:

"Dad, I'm graduating this year. What are your thoughts?"

Liu Haizhong seemed to have a plan in mind, and calmly said:

"The school assigns jobs, right? I'd like you to come work at our factory, but it depends on your own decision." As she said this, Liu Haizhong's gaze was fixed on him.

"Putting everything else aside, at least you still have connections in our factory. Guangqi, if you go somewhere else, you'll really have to rely on yourself."

Liu Guangqi felt a little uncomfortable under their gaze, and unconsciously lowered his head slightly.

"Dad, that's true, but the job assignment after graduation wasn't based on my wishes."

"If I wanted, could you get me a job at the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill?"

"If you had that ability, I would be somewhat unwilling."

Liu Haizhong raised an eyebrow after hearing this:

"Guangqi, what do you mean by that? I don't quite understand."

Liu Guangqi looked somewhat helpless and frustrated as he said:

"Dad, what use would it be for me to go to Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill? At best, I'm just a vocational school graduate. To put it nicely, a vocational school graduate is a cadre."

"But cadres are also divided into ranks. Look at Uncle Yi, and you are both staff members who are promoted to deputy section chiefs. The next step is to become a full-fledged section chief."

"Looking at the younger generation like me, Li Jiuzhou is already a section chief. I don't know if I can ever reach his position in my lifetime."

"And then there's Xu Damao, the deputy head of the propaganda department. Everyone in this institute is incredibly powerful; there's no place for me here."

"I don't even want to come back, it's too damn suffocating..."

After listening, Liu Haizhong pondered for a moment and showed sympathy for his son. He had thought the same way before he made progress.

Liu Haizhong could understand his son's thoughts, but that didn't mean he could empathize with him. What did his son say at the end? He said he didn't even want to go back to the hospital. How could he allow that?

Then he said something that left Liu Guangqi speechless:

"Guangqi, if you think you're all grown up and want to fly away, go ahead and come back if you want. Anyway, your dad isn't going to keep you here."

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangqi's expression froze, his mouth gaped open, and his eyes were filled with disbelief!

He couldn't even speak properly anymore.

"No... Dad, are you... serious?"

After hearing this, Liu Haizhong calmly took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a deep drag, and then slowly exhaled, all in one smooth motion.

"Guangqi, you're not a child anymore. The road is in front of you, you can choose for yourself. If you fall, just go home. Dad will make sure you have a meal."

"Dad!" Liu Guangqi's tone was a bit harsher:

"I'm the eldest son in the family, shouldn't you be making plans for me?"

Seeing that his son dared to contradict him, and so loudly at that, Liu Haizhong also seemed a little angry.

"Go to hell with your job prospects! You graduated from vocational school and got a job right away. What do you need me to find for you?"

"Of course you want to improve quickly, but that's not for me to plan for you."

"I'd like to get you a deputy section chief position, but you don't look like one at all like one."

"Besides, your dad doesn't have that ability yet. If you want to get ahead quickly, you should do what Xu Damao did and get promoted through merit."

"Either make a significant contribution, or you'd better just stay put!"

Since being promoted to a higher level through a work-study program, Liu Haizhong has learned a lot about the promotion rules within the system and knows that it's not that simple, which is why he was able to say those words.

Liu Guangqi fell silent, for he had nothing to say. He knew his father had some connections at the factory.

Otherwise, he can't possibly improve on his own.

I tried to get some information out of them, but I ended up getting scolded instead.

Trying to show off your money backfired and you got screwed instead!