Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

I'll ask Master Xu Damao if there's a suitable candidate. If not... then I'll have to sell him.

Currently, the starting price for an apprentice is around 150 yuan, while workshop positions are more expensive, at most 300 yuan.

For him, it was just a matter of two months' salary.

"Also," Li Huaide asked, "what are your thoughts on expanding the kitchen? Was the cabbage dish the only thing you cooked for lunch today? The other dishes were a bit lacking in skill."

He Yuzhu nodded: "More or less, the original group of masters are still getting used to it."

"Then take some time to write a plan, outlining how to allocate ingredients, stoves, and manpower. I'll support you in all of that."

From now on, this canteen must be run according to the standards of large-scale military operations.

Sunlight streamed in from outside, falling on a corner of the desk.

Li Huaide gazed out the window at the gradually bustling factory area, his tone resolute:

"What we're going to build isn't just a steel plant—we're going to build a city on this land."

Seeing He Yuzhu nod in agreement, Li Huaide grinned and his tone became warmer: "That's right! If we train a few more cooks who can handle big woks, then if the steel mill really expands production in the future, our kitchens will be stable, the workers will be well-fed, and then we can say we've done a great job!"

"Don't worry, sir, this is my job. I'll make sure the guys have oil in every meal and their bowls are steaming hot!"

He Yuzhu patted his chest and readily agreed, raising an eyebrow and adding with a smile, "I'll think about some new culinary ideas later. If they're too rough, you'll have to give me some pointers."

"Okay, that's good that you're so enthusiastic—you're just too modest!"

Li Huaide smiled and waved his hand, then picked up the enamel mug and gulped down a mouthful of tea, the tea leaves swirling in the hot water.

After saying that, there was no further explanation.

He Yuzhu understood and got up to take his leave.

Before leaving, Li Huaide took out a stamped note from the drawer and handed it over, saying casually, "Take this, go to the kitchen and get some meat, eggs and vegetables. Don't skimp on your cooking skills."

This trip was worthwhile.

Not only did it lay the first brick for the greenhouse project, but it also conveniently secured two permanent work positions, bringing tangible benefits into the company.

All of this was achieved through her exceptional culinary skills.

As He Yuzhu walked out of the office building, the sunlight slanted onto the concrete ground. He walked briskly, but a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—did the system pop up a notification when he was cooking breakfast this morning? He hadn't noticed it because he was busy with the spatula.

He immediately stopped in his tracks, and with a thought, brought up the control panel:

[Proficiency System]

[Host: He Yuzhu]

【技能：厨艺（一级：1600000/1600000）、家务（五级：800/800）、俄语（五级：800/800）、英语（五级：800/800）、钓鱼（五级：800/800）、形意拳（五级：800/800）、木工（三级：12/400）、医术（二级：18/200）、农学（三级：172/400）】

[Vitality Space: 50 cubic meters] (Upgraded)

Holy crap!

He Yuzhu's pupils contracted, and he almost jumped up on the spot.

He originally thought that the maximum reward for his cooking skills would be one cubic meter, but it turned out to be fifty times higher! Moreover, the name was changed from a cold "storage space" to a "vitality space" full of life.

"This thing... how come it can evolve?"

He stared at that column repeatedly, his heart pounding.

Other skills are easy to level up quickly; with a little effort, you can reach the maximum level in a few months. But cooking skills are like a bug; the experience points are ridiculously high, and leveling up feels like climbing a mountain of knives.

Now it seems that it wasn't the system that tricked him, but that the reward was hidden at the very last moment!

Not only has the space increased dramatically, but the word "vitality" has also been added... Could it be used to feed things? Preservate them? Accelerate their growth? Or...?

Unfortunately, the person is currently at the factory, busy with hospitality duties, and has no time to dig deeper.

"Tsk, let's talk about it when we get home."

He suppressed his curiosity, glanced at his watch, and realized that time was running out.

He turned and headed straight for the logistics warehouse, handing the note to the administrator and saying in a loud voice, "This is enough for twelve people: three catties of pork, five eggs, one chicken and one duck, and all the vegetables."

The administrator glanced at the note and quickly opened the warehouse to move the items.

Although the steel rolling mill was not the largest factory in Beijing, it was definitely a top-notch benchmark in terms of food and drink security.

With all the ingredients ready, the apprentice pushed a flatbed cart to the kitchen. He Yuzhu was about to follow when he suddenly heard someone call his name from behind.

"Deputy Director He!"

The voice was clear and crisp, with a hint of laughter.

He turned around and saw a woman in a blue cloth dress walking quickly towards him. Her hair was neatly tied up, and her features were sharp. She was none other than Bai Danyu, the famous iron lady of the personnel department.

"Oh, Section Chief Bai?" He Yuzhu quickly stopped. "Did you eat at the cafeteria just now too?"

Bai Danyu stepped forward with a smile, poised and generous: "Not only did I eat there, but I also made a point of asking about you."

The braised lion's head meatballs at noon were glistening with oil, crispy and fragrant, melting in your mouth—better than the private chef my father-in-law used to hire when he was young.

She paused for a moment, then cut to the chase: "I'd like to ask, do you usually take on outside bookings?"

Actually, she had already sounded out Li Huaide beforehand, so this was just a formality.

He Yuzhu understood immediately and smiled, "I will accept, but it depends on my schedule."

Is Section Chief Bai having an important event at home?

"It's my grandfather's 80th birthday." Bai Danyu's eyes softened a bit. "I was just thinking of cooking a bowl of longevity noodles as a token of my appreciation, but after tasting your cooking, I wanted my grandfather to enjoy it too—he loves fine cuisine the most, but he's always been reluctant to spend money to hire a chef."

He Yuzhu's heart stirred slightly, and he nodded, saying, "The old man's affairs must be taken seriously."

Next Sunday, right? No problem, I can make time.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Bai Danyu's eyes lit up instantly, and her tone became lighter. "Don't worry, I won't let you make a wasted trip."

"Hey, we're all comrades-in-arms, let's help each other out." He Yuzhu waved his hand, glanced at the sky, and said, "Section Chief Bai, I need to hurry back and prepare the dishes. We're entertaining the leaders from our brother factory today."

"Alright, I won't delay your business." Bai Danyu took a half step back and smiled slightly. "I'll personally come to thank you later."

The two said goodbye; one turned and headed towards the kitchen, while the other gracefully departed.

Sunlight streamed onto the factory paths, and a faint aroma of cooking oil wafted in the air.

What He Yuzhu didn't know was that this meal, this simple agreement, had quietly set off the first link in the gears of fate.

He Yuzhu never imagined that he would ever have a chance to talk to Bai Danyu again in this lifetime.

In his past life, he was a high-ranking head of the personnel department, while he was just an eighth-grade cook who only managed to become the canteen director after the storm had passed.

By the time he climbed up, Bai Danyu had already turned around and disappeared, not even a shadow could be seen.

But this time, it was her culinary skills that "lured" this important person to her door.

Although it's just a small banquet, you have to understand that He Yuzhu's status is different now. He receives cadre benefits, so he should avoid doing this kind of menial work—but it depends on the person!

Even if Bai Danyu's family background wasn't particularly impressive, she herself was the head of the personnel department, two or three levels higher than him.

Who would dare to be negligent in such a situation?

Without much thought, seeing that it was almost time, he rolled up his sleeves and headed straight to the kitchen to prepare to start cooking.

Just as I took out my cleaver to start preparing the food, the cafeteria manager rushed over to deliver a message.

Seeing that He Yuzhu had already made a move, he opened his mouth but didn't say anything, only cursing inwardly: "They even bypassed me, the director, for the banquet? Do they think I'm just a figurehead?"

He Yuzhu was too lazy to explain, and didn't have the time or inclination.

He would still cook for others as usual, and wouldn't hide anything from people, but when it came to actually fighting, no one could get close.

These days, ingredients for banquets are expensive, and reimbursement is extremely difficult. If a dish goes wrong, half a month's salary won't be enough to cover the cost.

The blade flashed, flames licked the pot, and the aroma exploded layer by layer.

In no time at all, fifteen hot dishes were served at once—the portions were generous, the dishes were glistening and tempting, and the aroma made the group of experienced chefs in the kitchen swallow their saliva, their eyes practically glued to the plates.

Upon hearing that no additional dishes were needed, He Yuzhu took off his apron and left without saying a word.

When there are hospitality duties, his privilege of "leaving get off work on time" has to be revoked.

Leftovers? He gets them too.

But the leftovers at this moment were not leftovers at all; he hadn't pre-portioned them, so he naturally left empty-handed.

If there are any leftovers in the private room, then let's leave them for the guys in the kitchen who are struggling financially these days.

In his eyes, it wasn't worth it; in other people's homes, it was a rare treat to have meat, and with his cooking skills, it was like celebrating the New Year.

On the way home, the girl kept chattering, insisting that he make up for the snacks he ate yesterday.

"Dream on." He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids. "You'll get the top grade in the class in exchange."

Not only did he offer snacks, but he also promised, "I'll make you a hot pot of mutton at home sometime, so fresh and delicious, it'll smell amazing for you for three years!"

He Yushui bit her lip and calculated for a moment—she was currently ranked third, not much different from the first place.

With a little effort, it might not be hopeless.

So he nodded in agreement.

I stopped by the library on the way and brought back two new agricultural science books.

These days, you don't have to worry about not returning borrowed books. The name and address are clearly written on the library card, making it easy to check.

He Yuzhu borrowed the book for the longest time, only seven or eight days, and returned it after reading it.

Back home, I started a fire, washed the rice, chopped firewood, cooked dishes, and tidied up the house as well.

Now cooking is a bit of a hassle for him—even just a plate of stir-fried cabbage, as soon as the aroma is released, the yard immediately becomes lively.

Neighbors peeked out from the windows, and children clung to the windowsills, sniffing the air, their snot bubbles almost smearing the glass.

Fortunately, after a few minutes, the adults from each family came out to yell at their children, and after a period of chaos, things finally quieted down.

The father and son sat down to eat and finished their meal peacefully.

He Yushui wanted to listen to the radio for a while after dinner, but He Yuzhu stopped her on the spot.

"It's agreed that you can only listen twice a week."

Any more? Go buy your own batteries.

He Yushui had some pocket money, which she had saved up quite a bit. She was very stingy, and when she heard that she had to spend her own money, her face fell, she turned around and went back to her room, slamming the door shut.

The room fell silent. He Yuzhu got up, locked the door, his expression slightly serious, and called out in a low voice:

"A Space for Life"

The scene before my eyes suddenly changed!

"Holy crap... what's going on?!"