Courtyard House: A Leisurely and Contented Life

This is where dreams begin, and where dreams come true.

The eldest sister's enthusiasm for learning piqued Sha Zhu's interest.

He didn't dawdle; the knife moved swiftly and skillfully on the cutting board, making a clanging sound, and in no time, all the side dishes were neatly arranged. He heated the oil in the wok, and with a sizzling sound, oil droplets flew everywhere. While stir-frying, he chatted with the older woman about the intricacies of the wok: how much oil to use for each dish, what ingredients to add, the oil temperature at which to add them, the order in which to add them, how many times to stir, how long to simmer, the tricks to rinsing and draining the oil…

Wow, the older sister's eyes lit up as she listened. For the first time, she realized that there was a lot to learn about cooking, and she kept muttering, "So there are all these intricacies."

In the living room, the high-ranking leader, who was chatting enthusiastically with everyone, suddenly realized something and turned to ask, "Where is Madam? These are all old subordinates and acquaintances. Back when we were working down there, they often came to our house for gatherings. Madam is familiar with them. She should come out and greet them."

The secretary, embarrassed, scratched his head and said, "Sir, Madam is in the kitchen, learning to cook from the chef that Director Yang brought."

"Oh?" The big boss's eyes lit up. "Learning to cook?" He turned to his old subordinates and smiled. "I've been telling her all along that she needs to learn to cook, you never know when you might need it, but she just wouldn't listen. Today she's actually taking the initiative to learn, that's great!" He then made a decision. "Once the dishes are ready, invite that chef over. I want to meet him."

"Yes, sir," the secretary quickly replied.

Sitting to the side, drinking tea, Yang Jianye knew perfectly well that Sha Zhu had stumbled upon the greatest stroke of luck in his life. If one is destined to encounter benefactors in life, then this high-ranking leader was undoubtedly Sha Zhu's number one benefactor, his greatest blessing. Without this leader, Lou Xiao'e's family would have perished long ago; Lou Xiao'e wouldn't have been released without charge, and she wouldn't have consummated her marriage with Sha Zhu before leaving; Sha Zhu wouldn't have had his son, let alone the story of returning home in glory with his child only to fall back into the "fire pit." Conversely, without Sha Zhu, the Lou family would have fallen apart long ago; how could they have escaped to the other side and returned home in triumph? Every action has its destiny. The relationship between Sha Zhu and Lou Xiao'e could be described as a tragic one. It remains to be seen whether the two will be able to reconnect this time.

Yang Jianye was still wondering: Xu Damao was going on blind dates early, and Sha Zhu was also cutting his losses and planning to get married through blind dates. Would these two actually work out? What kind of wives would they find? Just as he was getting excited, it suddenly dawned on him—two men?!

Yang Jianye's expression instantly turned strange, and his heart skipped a beat: Something seems off here!

"Jianye! Jianye! The big boss is calling you!" Factory Director Yang patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "What are you thinking about so intently?"

"Huh? Commander." Yang Jianye snapped back to reality, quickly extinguishing the absurd thought, crushing it to dust and burying it deep in his heart. Good heavens, if anyone found out he was having designs on two men, no matter the reason, he'd be silenced! He had to be silenced!

"Jianye, any new ideas this time?" The senior leader smiled amiably at everyone. "If you have any, bring them out and let's discuss them together."

"Exactly! Comrade Jianye, don't hold back your talents!"

"I believe Jianye will definitely become a backbone of the system in the future!"

"Of course! Do you think the commander's judgment is worse than yours?"

"That's right, they're definitely better than us, haha..."

"Then let's talk about the direction of the last boiler improvement and feasible methods to enhance its stability."

Yang Jianye spoke fluently from the start, and the senior leader's eyes lit up. This kid's got real substance! It's just that he's too reserved; he only reveals his true thoughts when surrounded by people. After he finishes speaking, he'll have to give him a good talking-to: If he's going to be at the forefront, leading the way in development, this personality won't cut it.

Time slipped away quietly during Yang Jianye's vivid explanation, and before they knew it, the food was ready. But everyone was still engrossed in listening; being technical people, Yang Jianye's obscure terms and seemingly incomprehensible words became vivid images in their minds. His fundamental skills, in particular, were truly solid!

"Alright, let's sit down and chat while we eat." Yang Jianye had just finished finishing when the high-ranking leader interrupted before anyone could ask questions, "Wasting food is unacceptable." With that, everyone had to swallow their questions. In these times, food was life itself. Why did country folk scramble to move to the city? Wasn't it all for a full stomach and to avoid starvation?

The high-ranking leader's dining room is a separate room, with tables for four, six, and a large round table prepared according to the number of people. Today, a large round table is used. Including the high-ranking leader and his wife, there are eight people in total, so the ten-person table doesn't seem too empty. Nowadays, frugality is valued, and the style of two people eating five or six meters apart is no longer fashionable. Could it be that after victory, they are going to revert to that style?

The food was laid out, and the secretary told Sha Zhu to wait outside the door. After pouring drinks for everyone, the big boss glanced around the dining room and asked, "Where's that chef?"

"Chief, wait outside." The secretary called Sha Zhu in.

"Did you cook all these dishes?" The high-ranking leader looked at the table full of food with satisfaction in his eyes, then turned to his wife and asked, "Is there any dish that you made? I'd like to try it first."

The lady laughed: "How could I do that? I'll just be Master He's assistant."

"Master He, your surname is He." The big boss looked at Sha Zhu, "Come, sit down, let me pour you a drink."

Sha Zhu knew perfectly well that everyone here was a skilled worker and intellectual. His meddling would only cause trouble; he could just get acquainted with the group and get a free drink.

"Sit down if I tell you to, but what did you call me?" the big boss teased him with a smile.

Sha Zhu glanced at Factory Director Yang and exclaimed, "A big shot!"

Director Yang chuckled in his ear, "I didn't tell him your identity." He wasn't lying; Yang Jianye had previously been identified by a high-ranking official himself, which revealed the truth to him. At the time, he had even changed his address to "Chief." Now that he knew, he naturally couldn't call him that anymore.

The senior leader nodded knowingly and then asked, "Aren't you curious?"

Sha Zhu shook his head: "I'm not curious! When I graduated, my master told me to just focus on cooking and not to ask who the guests were."

"Alright, I like that kind of personality." The big boss gestured vaguely, "Young Master He, please have a seat. Do you want me to treat you?"

These words infuriated Sha Zhujia, who hurriedly declined, saying, "No, no, sir... factory director, I..."

"If the commander tells you to sit, then sit." What could Director Yang say? He could only urge him to sit down. Sha Zhu glanced around and thought, "Fine, I'll sit next to Jianye. There are plenty of familiar faces here; I wouldn't dare sit anywhere else!"

"Jianye, I'm teaming up with you!" Shazhu sat down happily.

"Master He..." Yang Jianye smiled and helped him pull out a stool.

"Zhu Zi, call him Zhu Zi!" Sha Zhu shouted impatiently, forgetting the occasion. "If you keep calling me 'Master He,' I'll really get angry. Isn't that insulting me?"

Seeing how warmly the two were getting along, the senior leader asked curiously, "You two seem to have a good relationship?"

Before Yang Jianye could speak, Shazhu smiled obsequiously, "It's alright. The main thing is that I admire Jianye; he's done me a great favor."

"A great favor?" The high-ranking leader raised an eyebrow. "Tell me about it."

"Let's start eating and chat!" The senior leader gestured with his chopsticks, and only then did the meal begin.

"Sha Zhu, shall I speak?" Sha Zhu looked at the factory manager and Yang Jianye.

"Go ahead and tell me, I'd like to hear it too." Yang Jianye laughed. "If the leader wants to hear it, can I stop him? It's really nothing serious, don't take it to heart."

Both of them nodded, and only then did Sha Zhu speak: "It's a very simple matter. I used to be muddle-headed and didn't understand life. One day, Jianye used a table to enlighten me..."

"This is nothing to him, but it's a huge favor to me, I remember it! But he keeps keeping his distance from me like a comrade, big leader, do you think I'm getting anxious?" Sha Zhu's mouth was like a machine gun, his Beijing accent was adorably witty.

"Oh? A few peanuts for a table?" The high-ranking official raised his glass to Yang Jianye. "Then you're at a disadvantage!"

Yang Jianye raised his glass and said, "I'd like to toast you." He downed it in one gulp, then slowly smiled and said, "A few peanuts, it depends on when you eat them. Those were the most fragrant peanuts I've ever eaten in my life, every single one was delicious! They were a real lifesaver back then."

"Our ancestors said that a drop of water in need should be repaid with a spring of water, so it's worth a table." Yang Jianye turned his head and smiled, "Don't feel like you're getting a good deal."

"Yes, yes, I didn't take advantage of you, you owe me!" Sha Zhu nodded like a dog pounding garlic, not taking it to heart at all. What are a few peanuts worth a whole table? Your table is what woke me up! According to you, don't I owe you even more? Jianye, you've got this backwards!

"Hahaha!" The top leader laughed heartily. "They're all good comrades!"

The senior leader smiled broadly, raised his glass first: "To these two good comrades, cheers!"

"Cheers!" everyone responded.

A bottle of Moutai, meant for welcoming guests, was almost half full by the end. As soon as the big boss stopped, everyone tacitly folded their glasses and stopped drinking. Before coming, he had set the tone: today wasn't a drinking session, but rather a discussion about the increasingly tense situation, a chance to catch our breath and offer some subtle advice. It wouldn't be appropriate for Sha Zhu to stand there any longer.

The leader's wife knew his temperament well. Seeing that he had stopped drinking, she knew that the important business was about to begin. She turned to Sha Zhu with a smile and said, "Master He, let me take you to see the phonograph in the house. It's a rare and precious thing."

Sha Zhu let out a soft "Hey!" and walked out, pretending not to see anyone and acting as if he were invisible.

Upon arriving in the living room, the lady said, "Master He, I'll have to trouble you to wait a moment. What if the chief gets hungry after the meeting and wants to order a couple more dishes?"

"Yeah, that's only right," Sha Zhu replied, his eyes already glued to the gramophone, a box-type hand-cranked machine placed on a long cabinet against the wall.

"This is the phonograph I was talking about. Have you ever seen one?"

Sha Zhu nodded: "I've seen it before, in movies." This thing is incredibly valuable, as rare as a television set. Only a high-ranking official, who loves music, got one from the "official" level. As a "deputy," he wasn't eligible, so even with money, he couldn't buy one. He also noticed that the cabinet holding the phonograph was a matching record cabinet, with finely divided shelves and a concave curve at the front of the shelves for easy access to records. This cabinet was about the same price as Yang Jianye's bicycle.

"Let me play you a piece." The lady stepped forward, lifted the cover, revealing the turntable and stylus. She picked out Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, the leader's favorite, from the record cabinet, placed the vinyl record on the turntable, turned the right handle once, twice, and the stylus lightly touched it. The magnificent music filled the living room.

"Hey, this is great!" Sha Zhu said happily, pointing at the machine.

"If you like it, listen to it a little longer; the commander loves it too."

The two waited for about half an hour, listening to music, before the high-ranking leader emerged with his guests. As soon as they entered the living room, he pointed to the gramophone: "Jianye, what do you think of this thing?"

Yang Jianye knew exactly what was going on and replied, "It's good stuff, it's Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony."

"You really know your stuff, haha..." The big boss, who was initially a little reluctant, now instructed his secretary to pack everything up and load it into the car. "That record cabinet, along with all the records inside, is yours!"

Yang Jianye accepted it without hesitation: "My wife and I are planning to have a child. Once I'm pregnant, we'll let him listen to this. Who knows, he might become a musician someday."

The top leader chuckled: "So I also deserve some credit?"

Yang Jianye nodded firmly: "You'll definitely get a share. I'll bring my child to thank you later."

"Hahaha..." The senior leader gestured vaguely, quite satisfied with Yang Jianye. From reports from below, from what Factory Director Yang and He Yuzhu said, to seeing and hearing it firsthand today, he felt that Yang Jianye was technically skilled, daring in his work, able to unite his colleagues, had sound ideology, high awareness, was honest, kind, humble, grateful, and politically astute—a good comrade. He was quite looking forward to seeing how far this young man would go in the future.

They'd eaten and talked. While loading the truck, Sha Zhu helped put away the leftovers. His wife casually remarked, "If you don't mind, you can take them home."

Sha Zhu chuckled and agreed, "Thank you so much." Seeing his honest and simple nature, his wife even filled the last bit of the welcoming Moutai for him. The leader had smiled the most today, and she felt comfortable. The young man the leader favored would be taken care of by the leader; as for her, she would take care of this honest young man who was a good cook. She couldn't get a word in edgewise about work, but she hoped Sha Zhu would come over more often to cook for the leader and chat. Even the strongest body needs a rest.

After packing up, they escorted him to the door, where the high-ranking leader was saying goodbye and chatting with Yang Jianye. The black car was loaded with the gifts; the record cabinet was too big, half of it was crammed inside the car and the other half hung outside. Someone had to hold it a bit on the road, otherwise it would fall over and the cabinet and the record players would be ruined.

"Alright, go ahead. Have the driver take you all back together." The senior leader then specifically instructed Yang Jianye, "Be bold in showing your abilities and taking responsibility. Everyone's eyes are sharp!"

Yang Jianye nodded and hummed in agreement. He had already said everything that needed to be said; saying more would only make things seem vague.

"Master He, please come more often when you have the chance. I love your cooking." The big boss also appreciated Sha Zhu quite a bit, but unfortunately, with the dazzling Yang Jianye by his side, he couldn't pay much attention to him. However, Factory Director Yang promised that he would let Sha Zhu come more often in the future.

As they got in the car and headed towards the compound, Sha Zhu carried three lunchboxes in his net bag, but his eyes kept looking ahead. The gramophone was on the passenger seat; he really liked it.

"Zhu Zi, you also like this phonograph?" Yang Jianye asked knowingly, seeing how engrossed he was.

Sha Zhu nodded: "Ah, I like it." Then he moved closer to Yang Jianye, "Jianye, I want to talk to you about something."

"you say."

"From now on, if you need me to cook, just say the word." Sha Zhu scratched his head, glanced ahead, and asked, "What are the conditions?"

"When you listen to it at home, can I listen to it too?"

"Sure, why not?" Yang Jianye readily agreed.

Sha Zhu clapped his hands: "Alright! Jianye, you're so straightforward. From now on, just let me know if you need anything."

After exchanging only a few words, the car entered the alley. Following the driver's directions, it came to a smooth stop at the courtyard gate. Sha Zhu hurriedly said, "Don't rush, let me lend a hand." The driver had already gotten out to help move the record cabinet: "Master Yang, let me help you carry it inside."