Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

"Alright, Uncle San, the dish is fresh out of the pot, piping hot, come in quickly!" He Yuzhu stepped aside to make way, and Uncle San didn't stand on ceremony, plopping down and immediately reaching for the braised pork with his chopsticks.

The three sat around the table, no one wasted a word, they grabbed food as if they were vying for credit, and ate in a whirlwind.

As Yan Bugui ate his rice, he muttered, "Old He's cooking skills are a family tradition! Sha Zhu, your control of the heat is ten times better than my wife's!"

He said this almost every time, like chanting a mantra.

Just as we were enjoying our meal, there was a sudden, rapid knocking on the door, interrupting the sweet aroma that filled the room.

He Yuzhu frowned.

Who would come at this time? The people in the courtyard usually avoid him, so if they come to his door now, it can't be anything good.

He put down his chopsticks, wiped the handles, and slowly got up to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, Yi Zhonghai stood outside, with a fat man standing next to him. The man had a round face and a short neck, and was dressed in a neat cadre uniform, but his eyes revealed a shrewdness.

He Yuzhu's pupils contracted slightly—wasn't this the canteen manager of the steel mill? In his previous life, when he entered the factory as an apprentice, this was the man who arranged his first meal.

But we can't reveal our true colors now.

He leaned against the doorframe, his tone nonchalant: "Oh, this leader doesn't look familiar. Who are you looking for?"

Before the fat man could speak, Yi Zhonghai squeezed forward, raising his voice: "Shazhu! This is the canteen manager of the steel rolling mill! A big shot! He has important business to discuss! Let's go inside!"

He was taking a stroll in the central garden when he bumped into the director asking about He Yuzhu. He immediately volunteered, "I'm an old man in this compound, I know it very well, I'll lead the way!"

As a result, they couldn't even get through the door.

He Yuzhu remained unmoved, blocking the doorway, and sneered: "You may be the boss, but this is my home."

"You're eating, and you just barge in after knocking? You've got quite the 'power,' huh? Even more unrestrained than the Japanese invaders entering a village back in the day."

One sentence from him made Yi Zhonghai's face twitch and his veins throb.

"You...you still have the nerve to talk back? The director and I came all this way, and you didn't even invite us in? You idiot, what kind of upbringing did your father give you! You have absolutely no manners!"

"My father taught me not to disturb others while they eat, and not to force my way in when someone knocks on the door." He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids. "But you, referring to yourself as 'I' all the time, what kind of elder are you acting like? If you didn't know better, you'd think you changed your surname to He if you were meddling in the He family's affairs."

"you--!"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that his hands were shaking. He rolled up his sleeves halfway, clenched his fists, and looked like he was about to make a move.

But upon glancing at the cafeteria manager still watching coldly from the side, he swallowed his anger and snorted coldly, "Fine! You're ruthless! I'm leaving!"

He turned around with a flick of his sleeve, his back view so striking it seemed like he was stepping on sparks, and walked away with each trembling step.

The room fell silent.

He Yuzhu then stepped aside and said calmly, "Director, please come in."

Excuse me, I'm eating right now.

"It's alright, it's alright, I just came at the wrong time." The cafeteria manager walked in with a smile, but his nose suddenly twitched - a rich aroma of meat mixed with soy sauce hit him, and his stomach immediately rebelled.

He had come fully eaten, but the aroma woke him up and made him crave more.

Most of the dishes on the table had been eaten, leaving only some soup and broth.

He naturally wouldn't touch the leftovers, but his nose, honed by over thirty years of cooking, was no joke—just one sniff and he was certain: this kid has real skills.

"Master He, I'm Zhang, the canteen manager of the steel rolling mill." He got straight to the point. "On Sunday, a group of old customers are coming to the factory. Your father, He Daqing, was in charge of cooking for them before. The customers were very satisfied with the food and signed a big order on the spot."

But your father isn't here this time... We were thinking, could you fill in?

He paused, then smiled wryly: "I've been to several restaurants, but either their cooking skills aren't good enough, or they're too arrogant to hire me."

"Your dad's skills are truly irreplaceable."

He Yuzhu picked up a piece of food, chewed it slowly and deliberately, and then asked, "Sunday?"

"Yes! Sunday!"

He hesitated for two seconds, then looked up and smiled: "Okay, I'm free."

If you and Chairman Lou are still worried, you can come and try the dishes beforehand—you can taste them first and then decide; it won't hurt.

Director Zhang's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself: This kid not only has the same skills as his father, but also the same steady and reliable manner!

Although the canteen manager was confident in He Yuzhu's culinary skills, the rules couldn't be broken—he still had to come on Sunday mornings to taste the food before Chairman Lou would dare to bring guests to the factory.

If the food isn't good, then you'll just have to sheepishly go to a restaurant outside.

As for wages? He Yuzhu didn't mention it at all, only smiled and said, "You can decide what to pay."

But he knew perfectly well who Lou Bancheng was. He was the cash cow of the steel mill. Would he mistreat a master chef? He would give him everything he deserved.

After seeing them off, Yan Bugui's eyes widened. He rubbed his hands together and clicked his tongue, saying, "Zhu Zi, you've really made something of yourself! Even the canteen manager of the steel rolling mill personally came to invite you!"

He Yuzhu waved his hand dismissively and said, "Hey, it's all thanks to my dad. They're just using the name 'Chef He' for publicity."

But Yan Bugui didn't believe in that. He looked at the sixteen-year-old boy in front of him, who lived in two rooms facing north, had meat at every meal, and oil floating in the pot. While his own family's meager resources were washed away by the rain, the other boy was already making a fortune on the stove.

A thought struck him, and he almost blurted out that he should ask Jie Cheng to become He Yuzhu's apprentice and learn to cook.

Being a cook may not be considered respectable, and serving dishes and bowls sounds like serving others, but the problem is—which family's child gets to eat meat three times a day? Which family's table smells delicious every day? In terms of that kind of comfortable life, you can count on your fingers no one in the entire courtyard who can compare!

But the thought was quickly swallowed back.

First, He Yuzhu is too young and has only recently completed his apprenticeship, so it's impossible for him to take on apprentices. Second, Jie Cheng is still studying, and if he gets into a vocational school, he can wear a cadre uniform and earn a salary in the future, which is a proper future.

"Alright, Zhuzi, I'm heading back now." Yan Bugui patted his bottom and stood up. "I remembered you asked me to inquire about the carpenter. I'll let you know if I have any news later."

After finishing his meal, he strolled out the door, completely satisfied.

It was worth it today! Although I lost two steamed buns and three crucian carp, the meal I got in return would cost at least five or six yuan outside! This deal was a sure win.

He Yuzhu was the only one left in the room, and he quickly began to clear away the dishes.

Since he maxed out his "Household Chores Skills" to LV10, he's been working at lightning speed. He wipes tables, washes pots, and puts away seasonings with fluid movements, and in the blink of an eye, the house is spotless, with not a trace of grease left on the stove.

During the meal, he had already asked Yan Bugui to help him find a carpenter to make a new bed and a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe. As for the tables and chairs, he could replace them when he got married.

After finishing his housework, he closed the doors and windows, retrieved the money and bankbooks from the system space, and counted them one by one.

There was a total of 700 in the bankbook, and 72 yuan in cash in his hand.

This amount of money may not seem like much now, but for an ordinary person in 1965, it was a considerable sum of savings.

There's more than enough money to make a set of furniture, and with Sunday's "interview," I can earn some extra cash.

This system space was a reward he earned by grinding his English skills to the maximum level.

Although small, only three cubic meters, it is comparable to a gold vault.

It was used for storing grain, hiding goods, and avoiding trouble.

He really went hungry a few years ago.

The factory canteen only serves minced meat twice a month, and you have to be at the front of the line to get even a little bit of oil.

I haven't brought leftovers home for over two years—not because I didn't want to, but because there simply weren't any leftovers.

In this life, he will never repeat the same mistakes.

Stock up on grains, prepare dry goods, and buy as much rice, flour, oil, and salt as you can.

With this system space, he no longer has to worry about people staring at him when he buys things. He can just stuff his valuables in there and save on the need for a safe.

-

On Sunday morning, just as dawn was breaking, He Yuzhu arrived at the gate of the steel rolling mill.

He gave his name to the gatekeeper, who registered him, and soon someone led him inside.

It only took a few steps to reach the canteen manager's office.

"Hey, Master He, you're here early!" The director greeted him with a smile, looking him up and down. Seeing that he was energetic and had a calm demeanor, the director felt a sense of goodwill towards him.

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Of course, I can't keep people waiting, can I?" Then he changed the subject and said, "Director, how about I show you what I've got right now? You can try it and see if it suits your taste."

The director raised an eyebrow, intrigued: "Alright, come with me!"

He Yuzhu walked steadily toward the kitchen, his eyes calm.

He could walk this route with his eyes closed.

In his previous life, he spent more than a decade in this factory, watching the steel rolling mill expand from a few thousand to tens of thousands of people, with workers crowding the workshops and queues stretching to the street corner in the canteen.

Unfortunately, he was too stubborn and wouldn't back down, so in the end he only managed to become an eighth-level cook, and didn't even get the job of a squad leader.

Now reborn and starting over, he will not make the same mistakes again.

On the way, the director casually asked about his qualification certificate, and He Yuzhu answered truthfully: "Level 4 cook, just passed the exam."

Upon hearing this, the director's eyes immediately showed more seriousness.

There aren't many people who can pass the CET-4 exam these days, let alone someone who's only sixteen.

Having a certificate means that the skills are not self-taught, but rather the result of real, hands-on training.

The kitchen staff had already prepared the ingredients, and the helpers were waiting on the side.

He Yuzhu glanced at the ingredients on the cutting board and immediately knew what to expect: the main dishes were Shandong and Huaiyang cuisines; Tan family cuisine was too time-consuming and there definitely wouldn't be enough time for it today.

He tied on his apron, put on his white cap, stood neatly at attention, and looked up at the director: "Please order, what would you like to eat?"

The manager thought for a moment: "How about a stir-fried double crisp dish?"

"Great dish!" He Yuzhu's lips curled up slightly. "The director knows his stuff. This is the real deal when it comes to Shandong cuisine. Just a moment, I'll start cooking right away."

Before he finished speaking, he had already rolled up his sleeves and grabbed a knife.

Pig kidneys and pig stomach are placed on the cutting board at the same time. The knife flashes and slices, cuts and shapes are made with the speed and efficiency of a whirlwind.

In less than three minutes, the two main ingredients were processed until they were crystal clear, with evenly spaced cuts.

Remove from heat! Heat the oil! When the oil reaches 70% of its maximum temperature, flick your wrist and the ingredients slide into the hot oil. They sizzle and explode instantly, releasing a fragrant aroma that rises like a golden firework, creating a stunning spectacle in the kitchen.