Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat:

If this girl really marries into the MCA family, it's like having a toilet seat inlaid with jade!

She was the white moonlight and the cinnabar mole in the hearts of 30 million men back then, and now she's going on blind dates with this greenhorn? I'm so angry!

He rushed over, his voice not loud but clear: "Ma Hua, your master has two questions for you. Answer them honestly."

"Okay, Master!" Ma Hua immediately stopped joking and stood up straight.

"Is your full name Hua Teng?" He Yuzhu asked, staring into his eyes.

"Master, are you confused? My name is Ma Hua. Ma is the 'Ma' in 'horse' and Hua is the 'Hua' in 'China'!" he said earnestly.

"So, is your dad... named Jack Ma?"

"My dad? He worked as a ladle maker in the factory for thirty years, and even washed dishes in the kitchen before he retired! Master, the Ma Laosan you're talking about, isn't that my dad?!" Ma Hua scratched his head, looking puzzled.

—Both questions went completely off-topic; I really want to snap this kid's neck.

"Keep chopping the onions this afternoon," He Yuzhu said, then turned and left.

The remaining three stood frozen in the wind, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Ke Yujuan asked softly, "Sister Lan, who was that just now?"

Ma Hua quickly answered, "My mentor just loves to overthink things."

Ke Yujuan smiled gently, her smile warm and gentle.

She was satisfied with MCA, and MCA also liked her.

He had already privately nodded in agreement to the matchmaker, Liu Lan.

When Ma Hua got home from get off work yesterday, he told Ma Laosan about it, and Ma Laosan slapped his thigh and laughed, "Great news!" He knew Liu Lan well—they had worked together before, and she was reliable, clean, and discreet. That evening, the father and son dug out the milk candies they had saved for half a year, and carrying two pounds of milk candies neatly wrapped in candy wrappers, they went to her door to express their gratitude.

Old Ma rubbed his hands together and stuffed the candy into Liu Lan's hand: "Comrade Liu Lan, thank you so much for your trouble! Please accept this small token of my appreciation!"

Liu Lan: "We're all brothers, no need to be so polite!"

After discussing it, the Ma family readily agreed: a bride price of thirty yuan, plus a length of fine cotton cloth.

Thirty catties of sorghum rice, two yuan for transportation, plus five yuan as a wedding gift for the matchmaker.

All I need to do is trouble Liu Lan to go back to the factory and make a connection so the two young people can meet in person. If they both agree, we can buy some meat during the year-end season, have a lively meal, and the deal will be done.

Today, his bright blue work clothes, with starch stains on the cuffs, actually added a touch of composure to his appearance.

Both sides felt at ease and were just waiting for the red paper to be pasted on the door and the aroma of wine to fill the house in the twelfth lunar month.

He Yuzhu chuckled inwardly: Master is still the same master, even finding a partner before his apprentice—tsk, hmph!

He exchanged two cigarette coupons with his coworker, then turned around and ran to the supply and marketing cooperative to pick out a pack of "Da Qianmen" cigarettes. He then went straight to Director Zhang's office with the cigarette box in his pocket.

"Director Zhang, I really caused you trouble yesterday!" He Yuzhu handed over the cigarette with both hands, smiling sincerely.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he turned and went back to the kitchen with light steps.

Just as I stepped into the canteen, Director Yang walked in.

"Xiao He, come here for a moment!" Factory Director Yang called out, his voice crisp and clear.

He Yuzhu quickly followed, and the two walked side by side to the entrance of the cafeteria.

"This noon, you'll come with me to cook for an old leader." Director Yang lowered his voice, but his tone left no room for negotiation.

"Then... here?" He Yuzhu gestured with his chin toward the stove.

"I've already spoken to Director Zhang," Factory Director Yang waved his hand, offering no further explanation.

They climbed into the dark green jeep parked at the door, and the wheels rolled over the gravel road, bumping along westward.

"Once you get there, keep your mouth shut. Ask fewer questions, look less, and talk less. Get your work done efficiently. Answer questions only when asked, and don't interrupt," Director Yang instructed, turning his head to the side.

The car was parked in front of a two-story villa with gray walls and red tiles.

Before ringing the doorbell, Director Yang added, "Remember—stay calm and don't be impulsive."

The door opened with a click, and a woman in her early fifties stood inside, her hair neatly tied up, with a bit of flour still stuck to her apron.

"Hello, Aunt Li!" Factory Director Yang immediately put on a smile, acting as warmly as if he were family.

"Oh my, Xiao Yang is here? Come in and sit down! Old Liu just went out, he'll be back in a bit." Aunt Li pulled him in by the arm, glancing at He Yuzhu behind her, assuming he was just some new junior from another family, and gave him a slight nod.

He Yuzhu was led into the kitchen. With nothing to do, he sat on a small stool with his hands on his knees, as quiet as a piece of wood.

Not long after, Aunt Li strolled in. Seeing that he was so young and had a slight frown, she wondered to herself: What's wrong with Xiao Yang today? Why did he hire a kid in his early twenties to take the blame? Could he be an apprentice who does odd jobs in the kitchen?

As she was pondering this, He Yuzhu straightened his back and met her gaze with clear eyes.

Aunt Li felt even worse: they had promised to invite a senior cafeteria chef, but instead, a young man who looked so tender he looked like he could be squeezed for water had shown up! Today, their old leader was hosting a banquet for several old comrades who had fought side by side through thick and thin, one of whom was notoriously picky about food—either he wouldn't eat at all, or he had to eat the authentic stuff!

She looked around the stove suspiciously, then glanced at He Yuzhu: "Were you invited by Xiao Yang to cook?" Her words were tinged with doubt, still not believing he was the head chef.

"Hmm." He Yuzhu responded briefly, remembering Director Yang's words and not uttering another word.

"Sigh... Well then, let's do it." Aunt Li sighed, turned and left, her back view revealing doubt—this time, Xiao Yang had probably overestimated himself. But since the person was already standing there, she couldn't just kick him out on the spot; it would be undignified and disheartening.

Not long after the guests were seated, Aunt Li carried a tray into the kitchen.

As soon as I lifted the curtain, a hot, spicy, and fragrant aroma mixed with the numbing scent of Sichuan peppercorns hit my nose!

She paused, her brows relaxing slightly: This flavor has a good foundation!

"Xiao He, right? You can serve the dishes now!" Her tone was warmer than before.

"Auntie, please try it first. If it's not strong enough, I'll adjust the rest of the dishes," He Yuzhu said while serving the food. He wasn't sure what to call her, so he just picked the safest option.

Aunt Li picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork, put it in her mouth, savored it carefully, and nodded: "Make it more numbing and spicier, Old Liu loves this flavor!"

This is much more authentic than the one we invited last time!

"Xiao He, your skills are truly impressive! Just by smelling this aroma, I can tell you've put in the effort—how many years have you been learning to cook?" Her eyes lit up.

"I've been following my grandfather around the stove since I was ten years old, for fourteen years now," He Yuzhu answered simply.

Aunt Li's gloomy expression vanished: This time, Xiao Yang didn't let us down.

"Xiao He, where are you from? This Sichuan flavor is so authentic!" Her smile warmed up, as if she had encountered a familiar accent.

"A local." He Yuzhu picked up the tray and walked out as he replied.

As soon as the dishes were served, the senior leader at the head of the table laughed loudly, "Come on, let's eat! Let's chat while we eat!"

As soon as he sat down, Director Yang quickly bowed and said, "Sir, the chef is young today, and his cooking skills may not be up to par. Please forgive him!" — He was foreshadowing this, leaving room for future developments.

Aunt Li laughed and replied, "I've tried it, it's very authentic!"

The old leader nodded without saying a word, only glancing down at the dishes on the plate: glistening red oil, vibrant green scallions and garlic, and meat slices curled like flowers—their appearance alone was enough to whet one's appetite.

He picked up a piece with his chopsticks, and the moment it entered his mouth, layers of numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors exploded, causing his tongue to tremble slightly and his throat to feel a heat.

I tried several dishes in turn, and they were spicy but not dry, numbing but not bitter, fragrant and rich in flavor.

While not quite reaching the pinnacle of master chefs, it has firmly established itself at a first-class level!

The old leader put down his chopsticks, a smile spreading across his face: "Don't just stand there, eat! This tastes amazing!"

Seeing him so happy, others started eating, and laughter gradually filled the room.

Aunt Li added with a smile, "This young He has been working at the stove for fourteen years. He looks young, but his skills are truly impressive!"

Several senior leaders nodded in agreement.

"Authentic! Truly authentic!"

"It smells so good! It smells amazing!"

The others joined in the laughter, making jokes all at once.

Just then, He Yuzhu strode in carrying the last Dongpo pork knuckle, the aroma of the hot, oily sauce filling the air.

Seeing his handsome face and the youthful air he still had, he looked to be in his early twenties at most. The leaders were stunned for a moment – ​​they had heard that this young man was young, but hadn't it been mentioned earlier that he had been "studying for more than ten years"?

Someone blurted out, "Oh my, such a young lad?"

The senior leader greeted him with a smile: "Young man, you've worked hard! I'm so sorry to have made this special trip just for us old-timers."

His voice was gentle and unhurried, without a trace of official jargon.

During the meal, everyone enjoyed the food, nodding and smacking their lips, and praising it repeatedly.

Aunt Li picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork with her chopsticks, her eyes lighting up: "It's even more authentic than the Sichuan-style pork Old Wang used to make in the factory canteen! Absolutely amazing!"

The top leader chuckled upon hearing this: "Old Wang is a native of Beijing, so it's normal for his Sichuan cuisine skills to be a bit lacking."

Aunt Li immediately chimed in, "You're not quite right—Xiao He is also from Beijing!"

"Oh?" The big boss was slightly taken aback, raising an eyebrow.

How can someone who has never set foot in Sichuan be so adept at making fish-fragrant, Kung Pao, and boiled dishes with such precision? Just by looking, how can one possibly discern the fermentation years of the fermented bean paste, the layers of acidity in the pickled peppers, and the numb and fragrant numbness of the Sichuan peppercorns?

Factory Director Yang interjected at the opportune moment: "Sir, this child's skills are inherited from his family, and he has also studied under a true master of Sichuan cuisine. I tasted his food once at Director Lou's house last time, and I remembered it on the spot, which is why I dared to recommend him to you."

He had thoroughly investigated He Yuzhu's background: family history, teachers, cooking skills, temperament... He spent five whole days investigating before daring to bring anyone in. How could he possibly let a complete stranger into this place? Did they think they were so tough?

Upon hearing this, the senior leader immediately understood—his old subordinate had always been reliable, so why would he personally recommend him if he wasn't absolutely certain? And why would he have specially transferred him from another region to the capital?

After serving the dishes, He Yuzhu quietly retreated into the kitchen, sat quietly on a small stool, and placed his hands on his knees, like a green bamboo that had just been watered.

The high-ranking leader suddenly raised his voice: "Quickly, invite Chef He over! If the heroes don't sit at the table, who will taste this plate of homesickness?"

He turned to greet Director Yang, his tone as familiar as if he were addressing a younger family member.

"Okay!" Factory Director Yang replied crisply and decisively.