Courtyard House: The Chef's Intelligence System

On the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, many people left the courtyard one after another, as today was an auspicious day to return to their maternal home.

In courtyard number 95, almost everyone who had a maternal family went back, since most of them lived around Beiping City.

Life in the countryside is much harder than in the city now; the collective canteens have almost emptied the family's food reserves.

We should lend a helping hand to married daughters or those who have jobs in the city.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. If you don't lend a hand now, when will you?

Sha Zhu drove steadily on the road to the countryside.

Jia Dongxu and Tong Jie, sitting in the back seat, looked on in surprise at the pile of packages at their feet.

This is what Sha Zhu and his wife prepared; it's completely different from what they prepared.

Jia Dongxu asked:

"Zhu Zi, you're really overdoing it, giving your father-in-law so much stuff?"

Silly Pillar smugly said:

"A lot? Not really, just a hundred or so pounds of grain, a few packs of cigarettes, a few bottles of wine, a few pounds of meat, and a few bolts of cloth. It's nothing..."

Qin Huairu covered her mouth and chuckled softly in the passenger seat.

Jia Dongxu and Tong Jie's faces darkened.

They had prepared everything that Sha Zhu mentioned, they just weren't as generous as him.

Tong Jie was the first to recover, and smiled:

"Zhu Zi, you're so generous. Our family can't compare to you."

"But don't tell your father-in-law about all these things. They may not mean much in the city, but they're a different story in the countryside. He'll have something to say about them."

Sha Zhu scratched his head:

"Really? Is that necessary? I send gifts to him every year, and my father-in-law practically shouts throughout the village that he found a good son-in-law."

Qin Huairu felt that Tong Jie's words made sense:

"Zhu Zi, Tong Jie is right. Times have changed. This is a special period, and we can't be too ostentatious."

"There's already not enough food, and we have so many relatives in the countryside. If they knew you'd brought so much, they'd be driven crazy with worry."

"Besides, they're all relatives. Should we give them money or not?"

Sha Zhu immediately understood:

"Listen to your wife, then keep a low profile."

Tong Jie, sitting in the back seat, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She had said this because she was afraid that the villagers would compare her to Qin Huairu.

Although she was already inferior to her, she still had her pride...

In courtyard number 95, Liu Haizhong's family didn't go anywhere. Anyway, they had almost severed ties with their family, which saved them a lot of trouble.

However, at 11 a.m. on the second day of the Lunar New Year, someone from Lao Liu's family came; it was his cousin, Liu Haifeng.

"Third Brother, my uncle is on his last breath. The old cripple in the village has come to see him and said he will pass away tomorrow at noon. We brothers sent me to inform you so that you can prepare to go home for the funeral."

Liu Haizhong was stunned. Can't you just shut up for once? Can't you let me have a proper New Year?

His expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of grief over his father's impending death.

"Hey Haifeng, you know my situation and what my family's situation is. Why don't you come looking for me after Lao Deng passes away?"

"What do you mean by coming to me now? What, do you think I can extend an old man's life?"

Liu Haifeng was happily smoking the Daqianmen cigarettes his cousin had given him.

"Hehe, no way, Third Brother, don't blame me. It was your family members who asked me to come. The old man also wanted to see you before he left."

"Heh..." Liu Haizhong sneered, uttering words that shocked even Liu Haifeng:

"Haifeng, my father never treated me like a son, and my two older brothers never treated me like a brother either."

"The last time they came to cause trouble, they already severed all family ties. I'm not going back to Liujia Village. Do whatever you want."

"The old couple are gone. Even if we bury them in a dragon's lair, they won't protect my lineage."

"A biased person remains biased even after death, so... I won't reply... and I won't give a single penny..."

Liu Haifeng's mouth gaped open after hearing his cousin's words, and he remained speechless for a long time...

Liu Haizhong didn't say much, took out 50 yuan and stuffed it into his cousin's hand, patted him on the shoulder and smiled:

"Haifeng, it's still early, go back. I'll pretend you were never here today."

Liu Haifeng, looking at the money in his hand, snapped out of his daze and said anxiously:

"No... Third Brother, you'll be the talk of the village if you do this. My uncle is your own father!"

It's rare to see someone with bangs who isn't angry:

"Haifeng, my family is living quite well in Beiping. If my eldest and second eldest sons are willing to remove me from the family genealogy, that's fine too."

"From now on, I'll be my own ancestor in my bangs...hehe..."

Liu Haifeng felt a tightness in his throat, but since his cousin had already said so much, he had nothing more to say.

Ultimately, it was his uncle and two cousins ​​who went too far, and he himself didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore.

But not having any contact is one thing; even after his own father passed away, he wouldn't go back, afraid his uncle would die with regrets...

Liu Haizhong's biological father hoped to see his youngest son and several grandsons before he died.

He thought that no matter how strained the relationship became, his youngest son would still come back to see him off in his final days.

Liu Haizhong didn't even leave lunch for his cousin, telling him to go back early so he could still make it to dinner.

Liu Haifeng didn't care; it only cost fifty yuan a trip, and he hoped this kind of good deal would happen every day.

When they rushed back to the village in the evening, the two Liu brothers were furious to learn that Liu Haizhong was not coming back. They pointed in the direction of Beiping and cursed incessantly.

Old Liu, lying in the house, heard his two sons cursing. Knowing his younger son wouldn't be coming back for his funeral, he sat up straight and uttered a few words:

"Fuck you..." Then his body slumped to the side...

This caused chaos in the Liu family again.

The old cripple was called over again.

The eldest son of the Liu family pointed at the funeral director and began to curse:

"Old cripple, didn't you say my dad was leaving tomorrow at noon? Why is it earlier? Your skills aren't up to par, are they?"

The old cripple wasn't the type to stay silent after being insulted; besides, it had nothing to do with his abilities.

He was certain that Old Man Liu would leave at noon tomorrow, clinging to life while waiting for his youngest son to return.

Now that they've heard their youngest son isn't coming back, why keep hanging on?

Living even a second longer is torture...

So the old cripple pointed at the two Liu brothers and started cursing:

"Your third brother's biological father is dead and he hasn't come back. And what are you two brothers shouting about? The whole village heard it."

"Your father was already hanging on by a thread, waiting for his youngest son to come back. How can you expect him to be happy with all this shouting? He might as well just die sooner. He gave birth to a whole bunch of unfilial children."

"Besides, dying early means being reincarnated sooner, so what's there to be afraid of?"

The Liu brothers were so embarrassed by the old cripple's tirade that they couldn't find a rebuttal.

The man is dead, what else can be said? All we can do is arrange his funeral.

However, the two Liu brothers were also upset. Their third brother was really not coming back. This was their own father, after all. Even though their own father had passed away, he wouldn't come back.

What does this mean?

This shows that they really don't want to have anything to do with them anymore.

They were somewhat resentful, having hoped to get something from the third brother when he returned, only to have him turn the tables on them. They were genuinely filled with regret and jealousy.

The third brother lives a life of luxury in the city. I heard he even became the deputy director of labor and wages at a steel rolling mill. He's incredibly powerful!

It's really frustrating not to get any recognition.