Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

"Zhou Feng! Stop trying to scare us!"

Sha Zhu couldn't stand Zhou Feng's nonchalant attitude, especially since he had just been rendered speechless by Zhou Feng's retort, which made him feel like he had lost face once again.

He stiffened his neck, his eyes red, and pointed at Zhou Feng through gritted teeth: "I refuse to believe that these things just fell from the sky! I'm going to the police station right now! Liu Guangtian, you're coming with me to be a witness!"

Liu Guangtian, who was called out, was taken aback. He glanced at his father, Liu Haizhong, and seeing the latter nod slightly, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward: "Okay...okay."

The two men rushed out of Zhou Feng's house one after the other, heading towards the police station.

"Don't leave! If you leave, there will be no witnesses!"

Zhou Feng glanced around at the other neighbors who wanted to watch the excitement but didn't dare to step forward. Some people who wanted to leave were stopped by his words.

As a result, more than a dozen people were squeezed together and stayed in Zhou Feng's not-so-big room.

now it's right!

Zhou Feng nodded in satisfaction. It's good that they're not leaving. Only when they're not leaving can they contribute emotional value to us!

Ignoring the stares of those people, he stood up, walked to the small silver refrigerator, and opened the door.

A blast of cold air wafted out instantly, and everyone's eyes widened as Zhou Feng took out small, tin-wrapped bowls with wrinkled edges, then took out a plastic bottle and poured some yellowish liquid that looked like steamed egg custard into the bowls.

"Excuse me, make way!"

He carried the tray, placed the small bowls on it, walked to the square iron box with a glass door, put the tray inside, and then turned the knob on it.

After doing all that, he turned around and walked to the square-shaped iron box, took out a bunch of red and white meat skewers skewered on short bamboo sticks from the freezer, put them in, and turned the knob again.

A soft hum of machinery began to sound.

"Zhou Feng! What...what do you mean by this?"

As Liu Haizhong watched Zhou Feng's series of smooth and effortless operations, and saw that the machines he couldn't understand at all actually started working, the feeling that something was wrong in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He shouted, his voice trembling with barely concealed bravado, "We're talking to you about serious matters! Sha Zhu even went to see the police! You...you still have the mind to mess around with these capitalist gadgets? You're showing contempt for everyone! Contempt for these two gentlemen!"

Yi Zhonghai's face also darkened: "Zhou Feng, watch your attitude! Now is not the time for you to resort to these underhanded tactics!"

"Unorthodox methods?"

Zhou Feng was too lazy to play along with them anymore, so he simply opened a bottle of cola and made a "hiss" sound.

Then he took a big gulp, burped, and slowly said, "I don't steal or rob, I use my own money and electricity to cook for myself, is that considered crooked? Then may I ask, sir and sir, is cooking over a fire in your home also considered crooked? Or perhaps you two should just stop eating altogether, so as not to tarnish your noble and virtuous image?"

"You...you're just being unreasonable!" Yi Zhonghai was speechless, his chest tight.

"That's what you call telling the truth!"

Zhou Feng was too lazy to argue with them anymore. He closed his eyes, leaned back in his chair and pretended to doze off, his fingers tapping the armrest intermittently as if waiting for something.

An eerie silence fell over the room, broken only by the soft hum of the oven and air fryer, and... the gradually spreading, increasingly rich aroma.

First, a sweet aroma, a blend of milk and egg fragrance, wafted from the oven. The rich and enticing smell made one's stomach rumble.

Immediately afterwards, the air fryer emitted a smoky aroma of oil being rendered by the high temperature, mixed with the unique meaty smell of meat, and a faint, pungent aroma of spices like cumin and chili powder.

The two aromas intertwined, domineeringly filling the entire house, and even drifting into the yard through the cracks in the doors and windows.

"Gulp..."

Someone swallowed hard, the sound particularly clear in the quiet room.

Then, as if a switch had been flipped, a series of swallowing sounds began to rise and fall.

The aroma of these egg tarts, mixed with the scent of meat, was incredibly tempting to them.

These days, which family doesn't lack oil and fat? Which family doesn't crave meat?

Not to mention the explosive aroma from these industrial flavorings and barbecue seasonings!

Even the idiot who had just come over to join in the fun was completely captivated by the aroma. His eyes were glued to the oven and air fryer, and he kept swallowing his saliva.

He tugged at Qin Huairu's sleeve forcefully, his voice trembling with tears, "Mom...Mom...I'm hungry...I want to eat that...it smells so good..."

Qin Huairu herself was craving it, but seeing Zhou Feng's closed eyes as if he were asleep, and remembering Jia Zhangshi's warning, she dared not speak.

All he could do was pull the stick closer to his chest and coax it softly, "Sweetie, be good, don't make a fuss... that's someone else's stuff..."

In reality, Zhou Feng wasn't asleep at all; he was lying there, completely focused on watching the progress of his double-door maneuver!

It's like downloading something with a download manager; when the progress increases visibly, you become very interested in watching it.

Opportunities to provoke them up close in front of the entire hospital are rare, so we have to make them crave it to the fullest!

At first, Qin Huairu was able to control Bang Geng, but as the fragrance grew stronger, Bang Geng really couldn't control himself and even burst into tears.

"I want to eat! I want to eat! Uncle Shazhu said his food is of dubious origin, so everyone can share! I want to eat!"

Jia Zhangshi, who was standing to the side, was also swallowing hard. When she heard her eldest grandson crying and heard these words, she became anxious.

But she still maintained her composure and quietly moved closer to Zhou Feng.

"Comrade Xiao Zhou, look what you've made! Our Banggeng didn't eat dinner tonight. Could you spare half for us?"

"We've never actually seen this before. If we don't eat it now, what if the local cop that Sha Zhu brings back later confiscates it? Wouldn't that be a waste?"

"Why don't we all try it? What do you all think?"

Her words were quite sharp. On one hand, her tone was relatively gentle, and she humbled herself, but on the other hand, her words were barbed, implying that Zhou Feng's source of this thing was questionable, and even mentioning that Sha Zhu went to the local police.

Finally, he didn't forget to bring in everyone around him, hoping to put pressure on Zhou Feng.

Zhou Feng, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly yawned and then glanced at Jia Zhangshi, making her heart skip a beat.

He spoke slowly and deliberately: "Aunt Jia, that's a novel way of putting it. Do I need to explain to you whether my own things are clean or not? And you want everyone to try them?"

"What, are you treating this place like a canteen or a charity? If your grandson's craving something, go home and cook for him. Why are you coming here to freeload? Or do you agree with Sha Zhu and think my stuff is ill-gotten, so you can just take it?"

"I...I didn't mean that! I just meant...look how pitifully that child is crying..."

Jia Zhangshi was embarrassed by the retort, but she didn't dare to throw a tantrum at Zhou Feng, so she could only force a smile.

She was cursing inwardly. If Sha Zhu could suppress Zhou Feng with the help of the local police this time, she would have to get her revenge in front of the whole compound!

"Is the child pitiful?"

Zhou Feng curled his lip in disdain.

"I believe other kids in this neighborhood are pitiful! But your Banggeng is a different story. Look at his physique, he's even fatter than Shazhu's sister! He's so young, but he looks heavier than his homeroom teacher. What's so pitiful about him?"

"How about this, if you really want to give him some, then you can exchange it for money... um... that stuff. One egg tart is worth two pounds of flour, and one meat skewer is worth one pound of rice. How about that?"

Zhou Feng originally wanted to tell her to spend money to buy it, but then he suddenly realized that if he said that in this day and age, he would be giving others a handle to use against him.

Luckily, I came to my senses in time. Don't get carried away with your success!

"Two pounds of flour? One pound of rice? Are you trying to rob me?!"

Jia Zhangshi was truly startled. Each household had a quota for this stuff. Exchanging so much grain for it was like cutting off her own flesh.

"Alright, that's how precious this thing of mine is. If you're so capable, then make sure your guinea pig doesn't covet it!"

As he spoke, Zhou Feng stopped looking at her altogether and instead turned his gaze to the children of the Yan family who had been hiding at the back of the crowd.

"Jiefang, bring your younger brother and sister over here."

Yan Jiefang glanced at his father, and Yan Bugui, though equally confused, nodded to the children.

Their family was clearly on Zhou Feng's side, so there was no reason for them to hesitate.

Although the Yan family wanted to maintain a good relationship with him, Yan Jiecheng seemed too embarrassed to refuse. On the contrary, Yan Jiefang would often bring his younger siblings to show their faces in front of Zhou Feng, helping him throw out the trash or something.

The three children timidly approached Zhou Feng.

Zhou Feng glanced at the timer on the oven, waited a moment, and then the oven stopped working with a "ding".

He put on thick cotton gloves, opened the oven door, and a richer, hot aroma of milk and eggs wafted out, causing everyone around him to involuntarily take a deep breath.

Zhou Feng brought out a tray from inside, on which were neatly arranged a dozen or so golden, shiny pastries, with beautiful caramel spots on the surface, shaped like small bowls—these were egg tarts.

Next, he opened the air fryer and took out sizzling lamb skewers sprinkled with cumin and chili powder. The aroma of the meat mixed with the spices was simply irresistible.

Under the almost green-eyed gaze of everyone, Zhou Feng picked up the tongs and gave each of Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekuang, and Yan Jiedi a hot, fragrant egg tart, and then gave each of them a skewer of oily lamb.

"Here, eat it while it's hot. Be careful, it'll burn you."

Zhou Feng spoke casually, as if he were giving a neighbor's child a few pieces of candy.

The three children were both surprised and delighted, almost unable to believe it. Holding the piping hot egg tarts and meat skewers as if they were precious treasures, they repeatedly thanked, "Thank you, Brother Zhou Feng!"

"Eat up," Zhou Feng waved his hand.

The children couldn't resist any longer. Yan Jiekuang, being impatient, didn't care that it was hot and took a big bite of the egg tart.

With a "crack," the crispy tart crust shattered, and the smooth, sweet, and warm custard filling inside instantly melted in his mouth. The rich aroma of milk, eggs, and caramel blended perfectly, making him close his eyes in bliss.

Yan Jiedi ate the egg tarts in small bites, her eyes sparkling. After eating half of them, she hesitated for a moment before walking over to Yan Bugui and handing him the tarts: "Dad, you should try some too."

Yan Jiefang first carefully took a bite of the lamb skewer. The lamb, with its alternating layers of fat and lean meat, was grilled to a crispy exterior and tender interior, rich in oil, and mixed with the salty, fragrant, and spicy flavors of cumin and chili. It was so delicious that he almost swallowed his tongue.

"Mmm...it's so delicious!"

"It smells so good!"

"I've never eaten anything so delicious!"

Even Yan Bugui and the Third Aunt were so happy when they received a bite of food from the children that they squinted their eyes.

This tastes so good that they can't replicate it at home no matter how they make it; it's both fragrant and sweet!

The children weren't very persuasive, but seeing even Old Yan saying, "I've never eaten anything so delicious in my life," really stirred up the hearts of the adults around, especially the neighbors who had children!

As the saying goes, it's not scarcity that's worrisome, but inequality.

If no one else had any food and could only watch Zhou Feng eat, they might be able to barely suppress their jealousy.

But now that the children and adults of the Yan family are eating it, they can only smell the aroma, which is unacceptable to everyone present!

The contrast is stark, especially with the Jia family!

Zhou Feng would rather give this rare treat to the older children of the Yan family than share it with the crying Bang Geng, and even directly rejected Jia Zhangshi, who shamelessly came to ask for it.

This differential treatment is like slapping her across the face!

Bai Ling silently took a few steps forward and stood next to Zhou Feng.

If this guy keeps doing this, she's afraid the neighbors will lose their temper and attack him!

To be honest, if this weren't her boyfriend, and if she didn't have the mission to protect Zhou Feng, she would have already taken action.

That bastard was even smacking his lips while eating, it was infuriating!

Before Bai Ling could say anything, Zhou Feng had already handed her an egg tart and several skewers of grilled meat.

Mmm...it smells so good!

You know what, eating under so many envious eyes suddenly tastes much better!

Many people, seeing the longing in their own children's eyes and then looking at how happily the Yan family's children were eating, felt a surge of jealousy and bitterness that almost overflowed in their hearts.

The look in their eyes as they looked at Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai now held a hint of resentment.

If you hadn't insisted on holding this meeting and pressuring Zhou Feng, he might have been in a good mood and given our child a taste.

Now look what's happened! The relationship has been ruined, and I can't get a single penny!

Qin Huairu hugged Banggeng tightly as he cried uncontrollably, and watched the Yan family children eat with great relish, feeling as if her heart was being pricked by needles.

Madam Jia's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She gritted her teeth, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't very well let her own grandson take it by force!

In this extremely eerie atmosphere, hurried footsteps and Sha Zhu's loud voice came from outside: "Make way! Make way! The police are here! Zhou Feng, you're in big trouble!"