Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Liu Haizhong quickly followed suit, nodding and bowing, "I know I was wrong... I will definitely not do it again..."

He could barely speak properly, and his legs were shaking.

Director Wang snorted coldly, then delivered a second blow: "The second thing, it's still about you two! I heard yesterday you forced Comrade He Yuzhu to hand over his daily lunchbox and forcibly divided it equally? Who gave you that right? Huh?!"

That shout silenced the entire venue.

Director Wang's sharp gaze swept over the two men: "Who do you think you are? Why should an ordinary worker hand over his food rations among our working-class brothers and sisters? This is exploitation! This is forming cliques! This is undermining unity! What's in your heads?! Huh?!"

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong's hearts pounded, and cold sweat poured down their backs.

But what they hated even more was He Yuzhu—upon hearing the words "lunchbox," they immediately understood: This bastard is really biting the hand that feeds him!

"Director...we were wrong." Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and admitted defeat. He knew that if he resisted now, he would only die a more miserable death, so he could only lower his head and beg for mercy.

Liu Haizhong hurriedly echoed, his voice trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence.

Director Wang looked at them coldly: "Admit your mistakes? Not enough! By tomorrow morning, each of you must submit a written self-criticism to the street office! Furthermore—your 'management boss' qualifications are revoked! From now on, this kind of illegitimate position will no longer be held in the courtyard!"

"What?!" Yi Zhonghai almost jumped up. "Director Wang, this...this is too heavy! I can write the report, but this is my identity..."

"Xiao Wang—" Suddenly, the deaf old lady slowly strolled out, her face full of kind smiles. "Give the children a chance, okay? They didn't do it on purpose, they were just confused for a moment."

After this incident, I guarantee things will change! Besides, I've done my share of work for the yard before... To err is human, right?

Director Wang frowned: "Old lady, you don't understand, this is no small matter."

Once this precedent is set, tomorrow the Zhang family and the Li family will follow suit, and the day after, it will become a trend! If I don't take care of it today, who will be responsible if big problems arise in the future?

The old lady wanted to say more, but Director Wang had already turned around and said in a firm tone: "This is not negotiable."

If you don't submit the report by tomorrow's inspection, you'll receive a formal reprimand! Meeting adjourned!

The deaf old woman spoke slowly, her voice hoarse yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Didn't you already suppress it? They learned their lesson this time. Would they dare to act recklessly again? I doubt they would."

Upon hearing this, Director Wang's brow twitched slightly. After pondering for a moment, he finally nodded: "Alright, then I'll spare your face this time. Your position as the manager will remain unchanged for now."

But the self-criticism must be written thoroughly and submitted to the subdistrict office by tomorrow afternoon; not a single word can be missing.

……

Before leaving, she repeatedly emphasized the boundaries of authority, her tone cold and hard, as if she had nailed the matter to the spot with a final, definitive statement.

Before leaving, he didn't forget to take out his notebook and write down the name of the Hongxing Courtyard—this matter should be reported as a typical example.

As soon as Director Wang left, the meeting ended, and the crowd dispersed in twos and threes with rustling sounds.

Yi Zhonghai didn't move. He stood still, his eyes fixed on He Yuzhu, his gaze so sinister it could drip water.

Where was He Yuzhu? He didn't even lift his eyelids, and there was even a cold smile on his lips.

So what if you're an eighth-grade fitter? Who can say for sure what will happen a few years from now?

He's now the head chef in the cafeteria, holding the stomachs of the entire alley in his hands! His network of connections has long been quietly built up amidst the aroma of his food.

Besides, what will things be like twenty years from now? That's when he'll truly take off!

Just as the two were facing off, the cane struck the bluestone slab with a "thud".

The deaf old woman had somehow strolled to the side of Yi Zhonghai's house. Her withered hand rested on her cane as she said softly, "Zhonghai, help me into the house."

"Oh, old lady." Yi Zhonghai immediately suppressed his hostility, responded respectfully, and took the old woman's arm as they walked into the house.

If she hadn't spoken up tonight, he probably would have lost his "old man" title on the spot.

"Rain, let's go home and have dinner!" He Yuzhu called out loudly, his voice clear and bright, with a hint of pride.

Upon hearing this, the neighbors who hadn't gone far perked up their ears, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

Some people were envious, while others regretted it—if only they had gotten closer to the He family, they wouldn't be stuck watching helplessly now.

Even after returning to her room, Jia Zhangshi couldn't help but grit her teeth and curse a few times, calling them "heartless," "destined to die out," and "those who don't help their relatives will have no descendants." But despite her curses, she didn't dare to leave the house.

"Rain, I'll stir-fry some cabbage and steam two cornbread buns first," He Yuzhu said as she tied on her apron. "Take this box of vegetables to Grandma Li's house. I specially made a bowl of meatball and winter melon soup today, it's light and nourishing, and add some oil for her two little ones."

He had intended to say that he would take his sister to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy fabric and make clothes on Sunday, but he swallowed the words back—he had a mountain of things to do this week and simply couldn't find the time.

"Then I'll take you out to play next week," he changed his mind, his tone light. "As for the fabric, I'll ask Grandma Li to help buy it; she won't be shortchanged."

"Tell Grandma Li that you asked her to bring this lunchbox for you, so she doesn't think I'm giving it to her." He paused, then added, "I'll talk to her in detail when you get back."

"Okay, big brother." He Yushui nodded obediently, picked up the lunchbox, pushed open the door and ran, her steps as light as a deer.

This scene, witnessed by many in the central garden and front yard, stirred a bittersweet feeling in their hearts.

Who wouldn't be envious? Grandma Li's family gets to enjoy a hot meal, and Uncle San can also get a good meal every now and then.

And what about them? They didn't even get to drink the soup scraps.

When He Yushui returned, her hands were empty—she had left the lunchbox behind.

This means that Old Lady Li accepted it.

She has a strong personality and principles, but she also knows how to back down for the sake of her grandchildren.

He Yuzhu understood this, so he never gave anything away for free. He would always ask her for a small favor along the way, so that she would feel that it was "mutual assistance" rather than "relief".

Before long, a plate of hot and sour shredded potatoes, emitting a fragrant aroma, was served. The dishes in the lunchbox had been reheated, the cornbread was soft and fluffy, and the steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat and water were freshly cooked.

The brother and sister ate with relish; the meal was simple, but it warmed their stomachs and hearts.

After dinner, He Yuzhu, as usual, took out his sister's homework, checked it word by word, circled the mistakes in red pen, and then patiently explained them.

After she finished reciting a passage and I confirmed that she had done it correctly, I waved her away and said, "Go to sleep."

In her past life, He Yushui barely managed to get into high school. In this life? No way.

He stared at the closed door, his eyes dark and intense—this time, he was determined to personally send his sister into university.

-

Since Director Wang's visit and subsequent intimidation, the Hongxing Courtyard has been unusually quiet for several days.

With no one to nitpick or trip us up, even the air felt a bit fresher.

He Yuzhu, however, was so busy he barely had time to rest.

Picking up and dropping off her younger sister, doing laundry and cooking, shopping and washing... she handles all the housework.

If it weren't for the fact that the soul was a seasoned veteran in his thirties or forties, but instead the naive young man in his early twenties from his previous life, he would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.

Saturday arrived in the blink of an eye.

As soon as it was light, he rode his creaking, dilapidated bicycle straight to a government compound in the west of the city.

But as soon as he reached the door, he was stopped by a sentry who slammed his rifle butt on the ground: "Halt! What are you doing?"

He Yuzhu quickly pulled out his work ID from the state-run canteen and explained his purpose with a smile.

The sentry made a phone call to verify before allowing them to register.

Not long after, Li Huaide hurriedly ran out, sweat still beading on his forehead: "Oh, Master He, I'm so sorry, it was a complete mess today!"

"I understand, I understand." He Yuzhu waved his hand and followed him inside, then suddenly lowered his voice and asked, "Director Li, if I may be so bold as to ask—where are the guests who came today from?"

Li Huaide paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

He Yuzhu immediately smiled and waved his hand: "Please don't misunderstand, I'm not asking about secrets."

I was thinking that I could also be competent in Shandong cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, and Cantonese cuisine.

If any guests don't like Sichuan cuisine, I can prepare a few different dishes from my hometown to make them feel more comfortable.

He paused, his tone gentle yet firm: "Of course, if you feel it's inappropriate, just pretend I didn't ask."

"Oh dear, look at my brain, I've been so careless!" Li Huaide slapped his forehead and said to He Yuzhu with a smile, "Master He, I really didn't ask about this in detail. Please wait a moment, I'll go ahead and ask you about it."

Before he finished speaking, he had already stepped out of the yard, his steps as nimble as a young man's.

After being led into the kitchen, He Yuzhu did not rush to start cooking. Instead, he looked around, his gaze sweeping over the lush green vegetables, the distinct red and white pieces of meat, and a lively Yellow River carp on the counter.

A slight smile played on his lips; he knew what was going on—this was no ordinary family dinner. Just looking at the quality and proportions of the ingredients, it was far more refined than the private chefs of high-ranking officials in his previous life.

Not long after, Li Huaide returned, panting: "Chef He, it's decided! Two Shandong dishes, two Huaiyang dishes, and the remaining six will all be Sichuan style, authentically spicy and irresistibly fragrant!"

"Alright, just keep your eyes peeled." He Yuzhu grinned, put down his bag, rolled up his sleeves, and got right to work.

The blade flashed, and the chopping sound, as rapid as drumbeats, echoed on the cutting board.

The pork was sliced ​​into thin pieces, the beef was thinly sliced ​​diagonally, the tofu was shredded like hair, and the carp was scored and marinated with salt. The movements were smooth and efficient.

The menu is already set in my head: For Shandong cuisine, I'll have Sweet and Sour Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, paired with a stir-fried double crisp dish—crispy, tender, and bursting with juice in every bite; Huaiyang cuisine emphasizes skill, with Wensi Tofu as delicate as silk threads and braised lion's head meatballs so tender they melt in your mouth; Sichuan cuisine is my specialty—Mapo Tofu, spicy but not overpowering; Boiled Beef with a golden sheen of red oil; Kung Pao Chicken, sweet and sour with a pungent aroma; Twice-cooked Pork, fatty but not greasy; Sliced ​​Beef and Offal in Chili Sauce, spicy and savory; and finally, a plate of Sichuan-style Chicken with Spicy Sauce, its numbing and spicy flavor so enticing, one bite and I'll be calling for my mother!