Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

"Try it."

He Yuanchao picked up his bowl, casually gestured to Yan Bugui, then brought it to his lips and took a big gulp!

"Gulp!"

A clear swallowing sound.

Yan Bugui stared wide-eyed!

That's Moutai!

Moutai is as precious as gold!

Just like that... drinking it like plain water? His heart was bleeding! No, it was both painful and pleasurable!

He reached out with trembling hands and carefully picked up the rough porcelain bowl, as if he were holding a bowl of scalding gold.

He brought the rim of the bowl close to his nose, and the rich, complex aroma of soy sauce, with its floral, fruity, and aged notes, surged into his nostrils, instantly overwhelming all his senses.

He closed his eyes, took a deep, greedy breath, and his face showed an expression of almost pilgrimage-like ecstasy.

Then, he couldn't hold back any longer and, imitating He Yuanchao, took a big gulp!

Spicy!

Like a line of fire, it instantly burned from my throat to my stomach!

But what follows is an indescribable tenderness, mellowness, and fullness!

The unique aroma of soy sauce explodes and lingers in the mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste that is incredibly long-lasting!

"ha--!"

Yan Bugui exhaled a mouthful of alcohol fumes, and his cloudy old eyes suddenly burst forth with an astonishing light!

The slight reserve and calculation on his face were completely replaced by an immense sense of satisfaction and happiness!

He felt like he was floating!

What scheming, what face, what insults from Jia Zhangshi, what authority of an old man—all of it is bullshit in the face of this shot of Moutai!

This taste…this taste…Yan Bugui had lived most of his life…

Today I finally understand life! It was worth it! So worth it!

"Eat your vegetables!"

He Yuanchao tapped the rim of the bowl containing the meat with his chopsticks, making a crisp sound. Without any hesitation, he picked up a large piece of glistening, marbled pork belly, along with a few green garlic sprouts, and stuffed it directly into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

The "crunch" of the meat slices being cut by teeth, the subtle sound of sauce being squeezed out, and the undisguised expression of enjoyment on his face were all clearly audible.

How could Yan Bugui possibly hold back? With trembling hands, he also picked up a piece of meat.

The piece of meat was so thick, with the fat glistening and the lean meat clearly defined, covered in a glossy, reddish-brown sauce.

He imitated He Yuanchao and stuffed the whole piece of meat into his mouth.

"Ugh—!"

Yan Bugui's eyes widened suddenly!

My body trembled uncontrollably!

Scalding hot!

The rich aroma of meat, mixed with the fragrance of soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of just the right amount of spiciness, explodes in your mouth instantly!

The fat from the fatty meat melts on the tongue, bringing an unparalleled sense of richness and satisfaction!

The lean meat has just the right amount of fiber, is very chewy, and soaks up the sauce perfectly, making it savory and flavorful!

That piece of meat seemed to possess magic, instantly soothing all the hunger and cravings in his stomach and bringing him an unprecedented, soul-level sense of satisfaction!

He almost burst into tears! This is what a human life should be like!

He quickly shoveled a big mouthful of the glistening, sweet-smelling white rice!

Soft, chewy, and with a pure rice aroma!

This rice perfectly balances the greasiness of the meat, and brings out the ultimate sweetness of the grain!

A bite of meat, a bite of rice, and then a big gulp of that incredibly mellow Moutai liquor!

Yan Bugui was completely captivated!

He forgot everything outside, forgot his identity, forgot his scheming, and forgot the jealous, almost insane gazes in the courtyard!

He was completely absorbed in this feast!

Chopsticks flew across the table as he chewed heartily, the sound of swallowing clearly audible, occasionally punctuated by a satisfied sigh or a low groan!

"Delicious! So delicious! Yuanchao... your cooking skills are amazing! This meat... this rice... this wine..." Yan Bugui exclaimed indistinctly, his face glistening with oil and covered in a blush of happiness.

Looking at him like this, He Yuanchao's eyes showed even deeper sarcasm.

This is exactly the effect he wanted! To completely conquer this old fox who still had a shred of humanity with material possessions, making him the best tool to provoke those beasts outside!

He deliberately raised his voice, speaking to Yan Bugui, but more like to the people outside the door: "Third Uncle, eat slowly, there's plenty for you!"

This meat is only truly enjoyable when eaten this way!

I can use the money I earn to buy the meat I want to eat and the wine I want to drink, and even the King of Heaven can't stop me!

Some people just can't stand to see others do well! They lack ability themselves, so they try to steal from others, and they even call it "morality"? Pah! That's called shamelessness!

His words were like a red-hot iron, burning the hearts of everyone eavesdropping outside the door!

Yi Zhonghai stood outside the door, listening to the sounds of chewing, swallowing, and clinking bowls coming from inside, as well as He Yuanchao's undisguised mockery and Yan Bugui's ecstatic praise. His face turned from ashen to purplish-black, and finally to deathly ashes!

He felt as if He Yuanchao had ripped his face off and thrown it on the ground, stomping on it fiercely!

His carefully cultivated authority as an elder statesman collapsed completely at this moment, amidst the rich aroma of wine and meat and the unrestrained sounds of chewing!

Anger, humiliation, and a hint of jealousy that he himself was unwilling to admit gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

Liu Haizhong was so angry that his whole body was shaking with rage. He, the dignified second uncle, had actually been ignored!

He's not even as good as that poor, stingy schoolteacher, Old Man Yan!

He stared intently at the slightly ajar door, wishing he could rush in and overturn the table!

Xu Damao was so jealous that his eyes turned red, and he didn't even realize that he was drooling down his chin.

Moutai! Twice-cooked pork! White rice! What right does that bastard Yan Laokou have?!

Even Xu Damao, who showed movies all over the country, never enjoyed this kind of treatment! He Yuanchao! I'm not finished with you!

After a brief moment of shock, Jia Zhangshi became even more insanely resentful!

She looked at her three children, still sobbing and staring longingly at the door, and then at the irresistible aroma wafting from the crack in the door. A surge of anger rushed to her head!

"May they be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

Jia Zhangshi slapped her thigh and started wailing again, her voice even more mournful and shrill, "You act like an emperor behind closed doors! You eat and drink the finest food and drink the richest! You don't even care when the neighbor's child starves to death!"

Yan Bugui! You old, greedy bastard! You'd lose all shame for a bite to eat! You're in cahoots with this black-hearted bastard! You'll all get what's coming to you! May your sons be born without an anus!

Old Jia! Open your eyes and see! Take these two heartless bastards in! They're going to kill your grandchildren!

Banggeng was driven mad again by his grandmother's wailing. He suddenly got up from the ground and, like a furious little beast, rushed to He Yuanchao's door and kicked the dilapidated wooden door hard!

"Open the door! He Yuanchao! Open the door! Give me the meat! Give it to me!"

He kicked and screamed hysterically, "Old Man Yan! Get out here! You're not allowed to eat my meat! That's my meat! Mine!"

The door was kicked loudly, and dust fell in a flurry.

Yan Bugui, who was inside the room, was startled by the sudden commotion and almost dropped the chopsticks he was holding to pick up the meat.

He looked at He Yuanchao with some nervousness.

He Yuanchao didn't even lift his eyelids. He slowly picked up another piece of meat, dipped it in the sauce at the bottom of the bowl, and put it in his mouth, chewing it with relish.

It was as if the wailing and stomping of the door outside were just annoying flies buzzing.

"Ignore them, Uncle, eat our food."

He Yuanchao picked up the bowl, took another big gulp of Moutai, exhaled a breath of alcohol, and his face was full of contentment and an almost cold calm.

"A mad dog barking outside, how can it stop people from eating? Come on, try this bamboo leaf green tea, it tastes pretty good."

As he spoke, he unscrewed the bottle of Zhuyeqing liquor from the blue-and-white porcelain bottle.

A faint, herbal fragrance, now even more refreshing, filled the air once again.

Looking at He Yuanchao's composure, as if Mount Tai had collapsed before him, and then at the oily meat in his bowl and the amber-colored Moutai in his glass, Yan Bugui felt a surge of inexplicable confidence.

Yes!

What are you afraid of?

With He Yuanchao, this "fierce god," present, and this table full of wine and meat... Yan Bugui had never been so tough in his life!

He composed himself and, like He Yuanchao, ignored the noise outside the door, picked up his chopsticks again, his target—the fattest piece of pork belly in the bowl!

Amidst the chaos of chickens running wild, the aroma of meat and wine mingling with curses and wails, a tall, burly figure, reeking of the canteen's cooking fumes and radiating a barely concealed anger, appeared at the courtyard's main gate.

It was He Yuzhu, the head chef of the steel mill canteen, also known as Silly Zhu!

He got nitpicked by the canteen manager at the factory again today, and he was furious. He was thinking of coming back to talk to his sister Qin to relieve his frustration.

But as soon as I entered the front yard, I sensed that something was wrong.

Why is it so noisy in the Intermediate Court?

Some were crying, some were wailing, and some were even banging on the door.

The air... hiss! What's that smell? The aroma of meat! Such an overpowering aroma of meat! And... the aroma of wine? This wine... how can it be so mellow?!

Sha Zhu frowned in confusion, quickened his pace, and walked through the hanging flower gate into the central courtyard.

The sight before him startled him.

A crowd had gathered in the courtyard, each with a strange expression—angry, jealous, or gloating.

The first uncle, Yi Zhonghai, had a face so gloomy it could drip water, while the second uncle, Liu Haizhong, was so angry he looked like a swollen toad.

Xu Damao, that grandson, peeked around from the side, a smirk on his face as he watched the show.

And at the heart of the storm was none other than He Yuanchao's small side room!

Jia Zhangshi was sitting on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing and cursing. Bang Geng was kicking the door like a madman, cursing He Yuanchao and Yan Bugui with foul language.

Xiao Dang and Huaihua were so frightened that they burst into tears.

What made Sha Zhu's heart clench even more was that his Sister Qin—Qin Huairu—was leaning against the door frame of her own house, her face as pale as paper, her eyes red-rimmed, tears silently streaming down her face, her gaze vacant as she stared at He Yuanchao's door, which was being kicked and banged loudly. She was filled with despair and helplessness, like a pear blossom ravaged by wind and rain.

A surge of anger suddenly shot up to Sha Zhu's forehead!

"What happened, Sister Qin? Who bullied you?"

Sha Zhu rushed to Qin Huairu in one stride, his voice filled with urgency and anger.

In his heart, Qin Huairu was the most delicate fairy who needed his protection the most. Anyone who made her shed tears was going against him, Sha Zhu!

Seeing Sha Zhu, Qin Huairu felt as if she had found her pillar of support, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. Her lips trembled as she pointed to He Yuanchao's room, her voice choked with sobs: "Zhu Zi... Brother Zhu Zi... It's... it's He Yuanchao... He... he bought meat... and locked himself in to eat it... Bang Geng and the others were hungry... and wanted some soup... but he wouldn't give it to them... and... he even deliberately provoked them... by calling the Third Uncle in to drink... Waaah..."

Her words were fragmented, filled with grievances and accusations, automatically omitting details of her mother-in-law's tantrums and her uncle's moral blackmail, only highlighting He Yuanchao's "cold-bloodedness" and "deliberate showing off."

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu's anger instantly exploded! It was He Yuanchao again!

This guy who's been getting on his nerves lately, stealing his thunder at the factory, and acting all high and mighty in the yard!

How dare they bully his Sister Qin?

They even dared to invite that old codger Yan in for meat and wine, just to provoke him?

"You bastard! He's gone too far!"

Sha Zhu's stubborn temper flared up completely. He turned around abruptly, his bull-like eyes fixed on the door that He Yuanchao was still kicking with a stick. The faint clinking of glasses and Yan Bugui's indistinct praise coming from inside were like gasoline poured on the fire of anger in his heart!

"He Yuanchao! You bastard! Get your ass out here!"

Sha Zhu roared, his voice like thunder, making the whole courtyard buzz.

He shoved aside the stick that was still kicking the door, and like a raging bull, he charged fiercely to He Yuanchao's door, raised his thick leg, and kicked the door hard with all his might!