Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

The stove fire roared to life, the iron wok burned until it emitted blue smoke, and hot oil was poured in with a sizzling sound, releasing a spicy aroma that instantly filled the entire kitchen.

In just a few minutes, a plate of bright red and oily Kung Pao Chicken, with crispy peanuts and tender chicken pieces, was placed steadily in front of the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper stared at the dish, his expression changing.

He didn't ask any more questions, but just picked up a piece and put it in his mouth—the moment his tongue touched it, it was spicy and sweet, the sauce was just right, the chicken was tender but not dry, and the peanuts were crispy but not burnt.

He nodded slowly, his tone solemn: "Excellent craftsmanship, truly remarkable."

……

The night breeze was slightly cool as He Yuzhu carried a box of freshly stir-fried Kung Pao Chicken home.

That was something the shopkeeper had left behind on purpose, and before leaving, he patted him on the shoulder and said, "Kid, you've got potential."

He knew the unwritten rules of the trade—a chef's skill was paramount; whoever had the best spatula would get to eat.

Fengzeyuan has been popular for so many years because of its group of truly talented chefs.

After that bite of Kung Pao Chicken, the shopkeeper knew what to expect and immediately decided: a monthly salary of fifty yuan after becoming a full-time employee.

It's seven yuan and fifty cents more than what Master originally promised.

He Yuzhu agreed without hesitation and thanked him repeatedly.

But he knew in his heart that this glory wouldn't last.

Five years later, the whole country was struggling financially, and resources were scarce. Let alone chicken, being able to eat a bowl of mixed noodles was considered a stroke of good luck.

In the following years, the GW storm broke out, and the chefs who cooked for high-ranking officials and nobles were exposed and criticized one by one, and Fengzeyuan's reputation gradually collapsed.

So what? He comes from a family of three generations of farmers, with impeccable revolutionary credentials. Once he memorizes the little red booklet, who can do anything to him?

I'm really exhausted tonight. My steps are dragging, and my shoulders feel like they're weighed down by two bags of flour.

When we arrived at the courtyard house, it was already dark. Most families had already put away their dishes and chopsticks; some were washing pots, while others were squatting at the door chatting.

As usual, Uncle Yan Bugui stood guard at the gate of the courtyard, carrying a broken watering can in his hand, saying that he was watering the flowers, but his eyes kept scanning the people coming in and out—especially those carrying lunch boxes.

Upon seeing He Yuzhu, he immediately put on a smile: "Silly Zhu—"

"Uncle, have you eaten?" He Yuzhu interrupted with a smile, his steps never faltering. "I'm exhausted today, my arm is practically broken. I need to hurry back and apply some medicine; I have to go to work tomorrow."

As he spoke, he darted across the threshold, half his body disappearing into the central garden, leaving Yan Bugui with his mouth agape, unable to utter a word before vanishing from sight.

He stomped his foot, gritting his teeth and muttering, "Hey! That idiot Zhu, he's getting smarter and smarter, he's learned how to shut people up..."

But he couldn't suppress the craving in his heart—just now, when he was so close, he could clearly smell the aroma of meat wafting from the lunchbox, glistening with oil, so tempting and irresistible.

A free meal of meat and vegetables just vanished like that.

Yan Bugui dawdled as he walked back, muttering to himself, "Tsk, what a pity! But speaking of which, isn't Sha Zhu still an apprentice? Even an apprentice can bring home a hot meal? Fengzeyuan's treatment is too good, isn't it? Maybe... we should let Lao He put Jie Cheng in there as an apprentice too? Getting a decent meal is better than swinging a sledgehammer in a steel mill."

In the courtyard of Zhongyuan, an older woman was squatting by the sink washing clothes, while Aunt Li was washing pots and pans. Qin Huairu stood by with her sleeves rolled up, chatting as she washed the dishes.

Seeing He Yuzhu push open the door and come in from afar, Qin Huairu immediately smiled and greeted him in a clear voice, "Oh, silly Zhu's back? You're really late today."

He Yuzhu didn't even look up, replying in a flat tone, "Yeah, lots of things to do." He paused for a moment, then walked straight towards his house.

Qin Huairu's smile froze for a moment, and her heart skipped a beat.

This isn't right—Shazhu used to treat her like a piece of candy, practically pushing aside the old lady to chat with her. Why is he now ignoring her completely and turning away as soon as he sees her?

Inside the house, He Daqing and He Yushui had already started their meal.

Upon seeing him enter, He Daqing put down his chopsticks and asked directly, "Why are you so late?"

"Don't even mention it," He Yuzhu sighed, his shoulders almost falling apart. "Today there were so many customers that my senior brother and I almost broke our wrists."

He put the lunchbox on the table and opened the lid: "Freshly cooked, rainwater, have a taste."

He Daqing peeked out and his eyes lit up immediately: "Wow! Another box of meat?! The food at Fengzeyuan is just as good as Lou Dong's! The salted vegetables and cornbread we get at our factory are so bland we're practically turning pale."

He picked up a piece with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, squinted and smacked his lips a couple of times, then nodded vigorously: "Great, cooked to perfection, the flavor is just right! Sichuan cuisine is all about the numbing spiciness and fresh aroma, this level is authentic!"

Just as the three of them sat down to pick up their chopsticks, He Daqing suddenly spoke up: "Go ask your master for leave tomorrow, and come with me the day after tomorrow—first to pick up the car from the supply and marketing cooperative, then to the street office. I've already asked someone to arrange everything."

He Yuzhu, biting into his cornbread, mumbled, "Okay, I've already told you I'm on leave."

He Yushui, the little girl who had been staring at the food, blinked and suddenly looked up: "Dad, are we going to buy a bicycle?"

The moment those words were spoken, even the air seemed to vibrate.

Back then, a Forever brand bicycle cost 160 yuan, and an ordinary family couldn't afford it even if they sold everything they owned for two years.

Those who can handle this are either incredibly wealthy or have two technical jobs to support them.

Only the He family father and son were both ruthless cooks, saving food rations and accumulating work points, which barely allowed them to meet the minimum wage.

He Daqing grinned and patted his daughter's head: "That's right! From now on, your brother will ride his bike to take you to school, so you won't be exposed to wind or rain."

"Wow! That's great!" He Yushui jumped up from the bench, her face flushed. "I want to go the day after tomorrow! I want to see the new car being pushed out with my own eyes!"

"No way." He Yuzhu rejected the idea outright, his tone decisive. "You have to attend class; the teacher won't grant you leave."

Go study hard, and I'll bring you lots of candy later.

The little girl's lips trembled, tears welling in her eyes, on the verge of bursting into tears—but upon hearing "with candy," she immediately composed herself, sniffled, and huffed, "Then you'd better keep your word! You have to buy those colorful White Rabbit candies, not just two!"

"Don't worry," He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I'll make you so sweet it'll make your throat ache."

After saying that, he buried his head and began to wolf down the cornbread.

He really gave it his all that day, standing in front of the stove for eight hours, his face splattered with oil. The most time-consuming dishes of the afternoon all fell on his shoulders—spicy chicken, boiled beef, and dry-fried green beans, each requiring precise control of the heat and steady hands.

But he persevered.

No stir-frying, no burning, every dish served received a thumbs up from the guests.

Li Yuanguo stood behind and nodded repeatedly, finally feeling relieved—this apprentice was truly capable of taking over.

After finishing his meal, He Yuzhu picked up his lunchbox and prepared to wash it.

In his past life, he never lifted a finger, but things are different now; he has to shoulder his own responsibilities.

As soon as they reached the sink, Qin Huairu spotted them and immediately adopted a friendly demeanor: "Oh, Zhuzi, are you here to wash the dishes? Put them over there, I'll wash them for you."

She rubbed her clothes while smiling and glancing over, but her eyes had already caught sight of the lunchbox out of the corner of her eye—it was shiny with oil, and there was a piece of fatty and lean meat stuck in the corner.

My heart suddenly tightened.

In the Jia family, even a tiny bit of oil would be wiped clean with a cornbread bun; how could they dare waste it like that? Let alone the leftover meat!

He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids, coldly tossing out a sentence: "No need, Sister-in-law Jia, I can do it myself."

His tone was polite but cold, like a wall, directly blocking her good intentions.

He squatted down and started washing the dishes.

The water gurgled and foam churned.

It's not actually that difficult. He used to be too lazy to do it himself. His father, He Daqing, was the same. Ever since he lost his wife, he relied on the neighbors to help with all the housework and spent money to wash his clothes.

But today is different.

The moment his fingers touched the porcelain bowl, a soft "ding" sounded in his mind, and the system interface quietly popped up—

[New skill added: Housework]

Household chores proficiency +1

Household chores proficiency +1

……

The data kept fluctuating, and the experience points increased rapidly.

He Yuzhu himself was unaware of it, only feeling that his movements were becoming smoother and faster, as if his hands had developed a memory.

……

The next day, we arrived at Fengzeyuan and were busy from morning till night again.

It wasn't until the night shift ended that he finally had time to calm down and check the system panel.

A quick glance at it, and a slight smile appeared on the corner of my mouth.

No wonder he's been doing so well these past two days—it turns out he's unknowingly picked up some "housework" skills.

So after arriving, He Yuzhu didn't sit idle; he helped with odd jobs as well.

Although I'm about to be promoted and a high salary is just around the corner, I need to keep a low profile at this crucial moment.

Even if senior brother Zhang Deliang wasn't envious, the old hands in Fengzeyuan couldn't help but grumble a few words if they heard it.

Rather than being talked about behind your back, it's better to build a good reputation first.

He Yuzhu knew perfectly well that these days, reputation was everything.

In my past life, I was rumored to be a "womanizer," so I went on blind dates until I was over thirty without any success. The lesson was too profound.

However, he was also clear-headed; he could lend a hand with miscellaneous tasks, but he couldn't take on everything.

There are also dedicated janitors in the kitchen. You, aspiring chef, are trying to steal their jobs. Is that being helpful? That's just causing trouble!

He can only do some chopping and peeling work, which is part of an apprentice's job. Besides, he hasn't been officially hired yet, so if he's diligent, no one can find fault with him.

As soon as Li Yuanguo entered the kitchen, he saw Zhu Zi busy at the cutting board and frowned: "Zhu Zi, you don't need to do these things."

"Master, please have some tea." He Yuzhu chuckled and handed over a cup of hot tea. "I haven't been officially hired yet, so if I quit, wouldn't Brother Li be exhausted? It's just a small task, no effort at all."

After saying that, he lowered his head and started slicing potatoes into shreds again. His movements were swift and efficient, the knife flashing in the wind, a stark contrast to Xiao Li, who was dawdling next to him.

Li Yuanguo nodded repeatedly as he looked at it.

This kid is not only skilled, but also very worldly-wise.

With such a mindset, even if I let him go solo tomorrow, I can close my eyes and rest assured.

As soon as the morning was over, guests began to arrive, and the hall gradually became lively.