Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

It was Elena who took the initiative to approach them, saying she wanted to bring the silk from Jiangnan back to the North to sell at a high price. The two hit it off immediately and became close friends who visited each other frequently.

In no time at all, the measurements were recorded, the clothes were ordered, and I could pick them up in two days.

As soon as they finished up, Sharif quietly sidled up to He Yuzhu, lowered his voice, and said earnestly, "He, let me tell you... I've been praising your cooking skills to the skies, but Vladimir just won't believe me."

"Why don't you show me what you've got? Otherwise, I'll lose all face, and even my friends will start to look like liars..."

"Stop, stop!" He Yuzhu almost laughed at him. "You've learned to use reverse psychology now, haven't you?"

He saw right through the guy's thoughts and laughed, "I bet Vladimir didn't say anything at all. You're just craving something, aren't you? You talk a good game, but all you really want is a nice meal."

"What!" Sharif immediately raised his hand, as if taking an oath, and said solemnly, "I swear! He really suspected me... Besides, I'm leaving soon, I'll be transferred, and I won't be able to have it anymore..."

He spoke with such emotion that it was as if he were reciting a tragic poem, and tears were welling up in his eyes.

He Yuzhu got goosebumps listening to this and quickly pushed him away: "Alright, alright, you can't even let people have a peaceful weekend! Do you White Bear people all think that exploiting workers is a matter of course?"

"No, no, no!" Sharif immediately waved his hand, his smile bright. "This isn't exploitation, it's fighting side by side! I'll pay for this meal—we still have enough foreign exchange certificates to buy a whole bunch of good stuff!"

Seeing that He Yuzhu had given in, he happily turned around to inform Vladimir and Elena.

Just as Yu Zhu had predicted, Vladimir had only been casually listening, but Sharif's three-day barrage of praise was too much for him: "That braised pork was so fragrant it would make you kneel down and sing the national anthem!" "That bowl of soup was warmer than the bonfire in my hometown during winter!"

He'd heard it so many times he was sick of it, and his curiosity was already bursting—he was finally going to see it for himself tonight, so he readily agreed.

Chen Xueru, who was standing nearby, overheard most of the conversation. Seeing Sharif so excited about a meal like a child, she also felt a surge of curiosity.

She quietly moved closer to He Yuzhu and whispered, "Director He, are you having a feast tonight? Could you invite me along? We're acquaintances, after all. I can even bring a bottle of ten-year-old wine to add to the festivities."

He Yuzhu glanced at her sideways and smiled faintly: "Okay, let's come together."

No need for alcohol. If it's convenient for you, you can pick up my sister on your bike along the way.

One more person is no big deal; it's just one more pair of chopsticks.

This woman is shrewd and capable; she can run the silk shop very well. Having a meal with her won't hurt her.

Sharif, having finalized the itinerary, bounced back and asked, "Are we going to that courtyard in Nanluoguxiang again? I've been there twice, but unfortunately, I never got to eat anything hot before you dragged me out."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "It's not there."

He knew exactly what was going on—the three white bear people were all carnivorous beasts. If they really started cooking in the courtyard, the aroma of that pot of piping hot, glistening braised pork would waft out along the alley as soon as it hit the stove. Within ten minutes, all the elderly people on the street would be lining up at the door with their bowls in hand.

The two-courtyard siheyuan next to Zhengyangmen, with its blue bricks, gray tiles, and vermilion gate, exudes an extraordinary grandeur.

He Yuzhu waved his hand and invited Sharif, Vladimir, and Elena, along with Chen Xueru, into the room.

A diplomat, a shrewd businessman who trades with China, and a senior engineer sent by the White Bear Nation—the lineup was undeniably impressive.

As for Chen Xueru... to put it nicely, she's a guest, but really she was just brought along along.

But she didn't refuse.

The silk shop had just closed, so she quickly packed up and locked the door, got on her Phoenix brand bicycle, and followed He Yuzhu through a maze of twists and turns until she finally found the house hidden deep in the alley.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Chen Xueru stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening in disbelief.

This place... wasn't the kind of "small house with a little extra money" she had imagined—it had two courtyards, a main hall and side rooms, and even the lanterns under the eaves were palace-style hexagonal lanterns! Her heart skipped a beat: how could a deputy director of a steel mill canteen have the ability to buy a house of this caliber?

But she didn't ask.

He silently noted down the location, turned around, and rode his bike towards No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

She had met He Yushui before, and as long as she gave this address, the other party would definitely believe that what she said was true.

……

But she didn't understand why He Yuzhu had specifically instructed her before leaving: "Don't talk to the people in the yard."

His tone was as cold as a knife, as if the neighbors were not human, but venomous snakes and scorpions lurking in the shadows, ready to bite through throats at any moment.

No sooner had they left than Sharif and his companions split up and went their separate ways.

The Friendship Store was not far away, where you could find imported cigarettes, liquor, and chocolates; Vladimir, on the other hand, headed straight to Caishikou, specifically looking for braised beef and mutton offal, which were favorites of old Beijingers, to prepare for his evening snack.

He Yuzhu then took out the ingredients he had prepared in advance from the system space—fresh sea cucumber, freeze-dried matsutake mushrooms, Jinhua ham, whole Liaoning sea cucumber... all top-quality items.

The pots and pans were brand new and shiny, and the bedding was neatly folded. The whole courtyard looked like it was ready to welcome distinguished guests.

The kitchen has two burners. Although there is no oven and it cannot bake Western-style dishes, it is good at stir-frying, stewing and braising Chinese dishes.

He wielded the wok with lightning speed, flipping it with a clatter, and amidst the splattering oil, the aroma filled the entire courtyard.

Before long, the three returned one after another.

Eight dishes and a soup were laid out on the table, steaming hot, and a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Even the staple food, red bean buns, were shaped into adorable pandas, each one grinning and so cute that it was almost too adorable to eat.

"Oh ho ho ho! Heh, you're practically a god!"

Sharif's nose tingled the moment he walked in, his eyes gleaming as he pounced on the table, rubbing his hands together, almost digging in. "If I weren't waiting for your sister, I'd have a taste right now!"

Vladimir and Elena were drawn by the aroma, their Adam's apples bobbing and the sound of them swallowing clearly audible.

Finally, Chen Xueru arrived with He Yushui.

As soon as the figures sat down, the two polar bear guests immediately urged that the meal be served, their eyes glued to the dishes, unwilling to look away for even a moment.

He Yushui glanced at the table full of delicacies and understood immediately.

Without wasting a word, she grabbed her chopsticks and headed straight for her favorite braised lion's head meatballs, her movements as swift as lightning—if she hesitated even a second, the meat would be gone!

Not to mention the others, they all turned into hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.

He Yuzhu, on the other hand, was leisurely picking up a bite of vegetables, thinking to himself: I have a system, I won't go hungry.

This meal truly embodied the saying "silence speaks louder than words."

No one chatted, no one exchanged pleasantries, only the crisp sound of chopsticks hitting bowls and the suppressed sighs of satisfaction as people swallowed.

One bite after another, I just couldn't stop.

After the third bite, one craves the fourth; before the fourth bite is even swallowed, the fifth bite is already on sight. It's not until the stomach is bloated that one slumps into a chair, one hand on the belly, a look of blissful intoxication on the face.

Half an hour later, the room fell silent, with only the sound of smacking lips savoring the memory.

Vladimir jumped to his feet, gave a thumbs-up, and roared, "What! This is the best meal I've ever had! I've traveled to over a dozen cities in China, and I've never seen a chef who can make food this delicious!"

Elena wiped the grease from her lips, her eyes shining: "I have two wishes now—one is to get some wine from you to take back, and the other is... could I stay for a few days? I want to eat your cooking every day."

Sharif burped repeatedly as he ate, but his mouth remained open.

As he reminisced about the days when he ate at the steel mill, he recounted the delicious dishes He Yuzhu had made: spicy diced chicken, braised sea cucumber with scallions, dry-fried green beans, steamed assorted preserved meats... Vladimir and Elena slapped their thighs in dismay, regretting that they hadn't come a few months earlier.

As dusk settled, twilight clouds gathered.

He Yuzhu quickly tidied up the dishes and prepared to return to Nanluoguxiang.

Before leaving, Chen Xueru suddenly stopped and asked hesitantly, "Director He, you have such a nice house, why are you still crammed into a place like Nanluoguxiang? When I went to pick up your sister today, I could tell that those neighbors... didn't like you very much."

He Yuzhu smiled and said casually, "It's close to the steel rolling mill over there, which is convenient for Yushui to go to school."

Besides, what would we working-class people do living alone in such a big yard? It's too conspicuous.

He paused, his eyes flashing slightly, and added casually, "Boss Chen, don't tell anyone about what happened today."

"Look at what you're saying. If a businessman can't keep his mouth shut, his business will have failed long ago."

Chen Xueru now fully understands He Yuzhu's importance. She's too busy trying to curry favor with him to be foolish enough to offend him.

"But your neighbors... there's something going on."

I came here today to find out which room you live in. As soon as I entered the courtyard, they saw me asking all sorts of questions and assumed I was there to set you up on a blind date. They immediately started complaining and belittling you.

Later, I said they were colleagues from the factory, and they finally quieted down.

These words, seemingly casual, actually contained a hidden test—she deliberately brought up "blind date" to see how He Yuzhu would react.

But He Yuzhu didn't think that way at all; all he caught in his ears was: someone was gossiping about him in front of outsiders!

"Boss Chen," he frowned, "tell me the whole story of what just happened."

"It was when I was looking for your house just now..."

Chen Xueru briefly recounted the incident: as soon as she stepped into the courtyard house, several older women surrounded her and began questioning her about her origins.

These days, strangers are everywhere, and everyone has to be wary of spies.

She said she was going to see Director He, and the atmosphere suddenly changed—several aunties instantly became chatterboxes, talking about how "this person is cold-hearted" and "he even cuts off his own brother's meal allowance," with spittle flying everywhere.

"I understand." He Yuzhu's eyes darkened. "Thank you for reminding me today, otherwise I would still be in the dark."

After thanking him, he got on his bicycle and took He Yushui home.

Recently, he has been focusing all his energy on the steel rolling mill and skills improvement, and has turned a blind eye to his sour grapes neighbors in the courtyard.

But instead of calming down, these people have learned to stab people in the back?

If it weren't for Chen Xueru's trip, he wouldn't even have known that someone had thrown feces at him from behind!