In the 1970s, it started with contracting out communal dining.

On a late summer afternoon, the cicadas in the trees sang with all their might, as if announcing the departure of summer and using their last bit of strength to sing the final song of their lives.

Chen Wei pushed Chen Jianguo's old-fashioned bicycle, with an empty cloth bag in the basket, and stood slowly at the entrance of the supply and marketing cooperative.

The parking area was about five or six steps away from him. The old man in charge of the parking area stood inside the parking area with his arms crossed, staring straight at him.

After watching for a long time, the old man finally couldn't hold back any longer: "Hey young man, are you going to park your car or not?"

"Save it! Save it later! We're waiting for someone!"

Chen Wei chuckled, not taking the old man's obvious impatience to heart.

He just stared at Wuma Road in the distance, looking thoughtful.

The old man glanced at him sideways, snorted coldly, and muttered to himself.

"It's just two cents for parking! You're so stingy!"

Parking costs two points, and staying overnight costs three points. This is the rule for everyone.

The old man naturally assumed that Chen Wei was reluctant to part with those two cents, but he didn't see at all that a middle-aged man wearing a cadre's shirt and glasses was riding a brand-new Phoenix brand bicycle from the other end of Wuma Road.

Upon seeing the man, Chen Wei immediately sprang into action. Pretending to be nonchalant, he reached into his pocket, took out two cents, and handed them directly to the old man who had just parked his bicycle.

He pushed the old man's heavy wooden paddleboard into his arms.

"Sir! Can I park my bike?"

"Hey?"

The old man was completely bewildered. What? Parking a car depends on an auspicious time? The auspicious time hadn't arrived yet!

The next moment, a series of bicycle bells rang out, and a middle-aged man wearing a cadre shirt and slightly balding pushed in a Phoenix brand bicycle and took out two cents from his pocket.

"Sir! Can I park my bike?"

Before the old man could even take the money, he saw Chen Wei, who was originally in front of him in line, deliberately feign surprise and turn around dramatically, saying...

"Director Li?! What a coincidence, you're here to park your car too?"

The old man at the parking lot was surprised and couldn't help but look the two people talking up and down. This kid was really waiting for someone!

Just then, Li Yannian on the other end looked up in response and saw Chen Wei standing right in front of him, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.

"Are you the young cook at that steel mill? I remember your surname is Chen! And your name is…"

"Chen Wei, my name is Chen Wei!" Chen Wei was a sensible person and quickly offered his superior a way out.

"Yes, yes, yes! Comrade Chen, hello! The steel plant isn't closed today, right? Why are you here..." Li Yannian felt a little embarrassed that he had forgotten the young comrade's name, so he quickly added a sentence, pretending to be familiar with him.

"I'm here to buy some things for the purchasing department! But the seasonings I need aren't recognized by them."

Chen Wei smiled and readily pulled an application form from his pocket. The form also contained a bunch of things, including grain coupons, meat coupons, and vegetable coupons he had applied for from the accountant. At the very back was a five-yuan bill.

"Oh, I see! What delicious food are you making again, Comrade Chen?"

In fact, Li Yannian had a very good impression of Chen Wei. Although the two had only met briefly when Li Yannian was inspecting the area, the young man in front of him was humble and polite, quite different from those hotheads outside.

This left a deep impression on Li Yannian. Now that he saw him again, he indeed felt that this young man was more reliable in his words and deeds than some of the older comrades.

Only then was Li Yannian willing to exchange a few more words with him.

"Director Li is a genius! He's invented a new dish that's suitable for all ages, and we were thinking of buying some seasonings to try it out."

Chen Wei smiled broadly and praised him without any falsehood.

Li Yannian was naturally pleased to see Chen Wei's ambitious spirit, so he pulled Chen Wei into the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Comrade Li, if only young people today were as ambitious as you!"

Li Yannian sighed and said casually.

Recently, he has been overwhelmed by the steel mill's problems. The steel mill's steel was substandard, which was originally just a quality issue. Zhao Hongfei had already been punished, and the matter could have been left unresolved.

But someone, a big mouth, told his grandfather about it. The old man was getting on in years and was very biased.

Unfortunately, Li Yannian's younger sister is Zhao Hongfei's wife, and the two were originally brothers-in-law.

But precisely because the two are brothers-in-law, Li Yannian cannot give Zhao Hongfei this special treatment; otherwise, wouldn't that give others something to hold against him?

However, neither Li Xiu'e nor the old man of the Li family understood this principle. They simply believed that Li Yannian, the elder brother-in-law, was no longer protecting his brother-in-law and was deliberately making things difficult for him.

When they got back, he naturally gave Li Yannian a good scolding. Not to mention, when his sister came home angry, the old man fell ill from anger.

The house is in constant chaos, which is driving Li Yannian crazy.

That's when I finally found an opportunity to go out and buy some things, and relax.

The result was that I encountered Chen Wei.

"Director Li, you flatter me. This time I'm going to make a winter melon and tofu stew, which is perfect for the elderly and children when they have no appetite in the summer. Would you be interested in trying it at our factory?"

Seeing Li Yannian's expression, Chen Wei deliberately revealed the dishes he was going to make, waving the prepared recipes in his hand with an innocent look on his face.

Sure enough, Li Yannian raised an eyebrow, which caught his attention.

"Winter melon stewed with tofu?"

Li Yannian is a local. He served in the army in the south in his early years and had never seen this dish before.

Winter melon stewed with tofu is a common dish in the Central Plains region. A bowl of it is suitable for people of all ages to enjoy during the hot summer months.

Moreover, it's an inexpensive dish and is especially suitable for making large batches of rice.

This dish wasn't originally from Jinshi. In Jinshi, winter melon is usually eaten in soups or similar dishes, and it's not common to cook it with tofu.

"Comrade Chen, to be honest, my father hasn't been feeling well lately, and he hasn't had much of an appetite. I wonder if you could teach me how to make winter melon and tofu stew?"

Li Yannian was a little embarrassed when he said this, because he felt that Chen Wei, being a chef, must have kept his recipes a closely guarded secret.

But the problem is that Li Yannian is a very filial son, and he's willing to put on a show for his father.

So even though he was rubbing his hands together while speaking, he was still making a request.

Chen Wei watched with a smile as the other party fell into his trap. He remained calm and composed, thinking to himself, "Wu Xiaochun's gossip really paid off. This kid has managed to sort out the Li family's affairs."

He put on a troubled expression.

Looking down somewhat embarrassed, he said, "Oh, Director Li, this recipe... it's not appropriate for you to see. Otherwise, how about this, I happen to be free this afternoon, why don't I come to your house and make it for your father to try?"