I Have a Lake as I Walk Through the Courtyard

Back in the courtyard house, Lin Feng began practicing his cooking skills again. Thinking back to the taste of Donglaishun, he felt there was nothing special about it. The soup was as bland as water, but the mutton was really fresh. He wanted to try it, but unfortunately he didn't have the ingredients.

Lin Feng looked at the meager 100 yuan he had left and felt so frustrated he wanted to bang his head against the wall. Although resources were scarce in this era, money could still buy a lot of things! After the black market incident, he had become much quieter, and with the end of the year approaching, the crackdowns were getting stricter and stricter.

Lin Feng thought of Lou Xiao'e, then looked at the gold bricks in his space, and quickly came up with an idea. Without tens of thousands of yuan on his side, Lin Feng felt no sense of security.

There's no way he could take gold bricks out like that; it's too terrifying. Each brick weighs nearly a pound and a half, and it could definitely kill someone if you held it in your hand! Besides, these things look extremely old, and if something really happened, he really wouldn't be able to come up with a dramatic story! As for exchanging silver ingots and jade pendants for money, Lin Feng hadn't even considered it. Those were genuine antiques, and they would be absolutely priceless once the reform and opening up came around.

Working at a scrap metal recycling station gives you a much better chance of finding bargains than the average person, but the prerequisite is that you need to have capital. Without capital, even if you're in the spotlight, you can only watch helplessly!

Having made up his mind, Lin Feng could no longer sit still. He casually tossed the pot, which was filled with 5 kilograms of yellow sand, onto the stove, left the space, and headed straight for the library while it was still early.

To convert gold into cash, you first need to lend it out. As for how to do that, you'll have to read a book.

Lin Feng arrived at Xinhua Bookstore by bicycle, handed over his work ID, and soon began to wander around the library. Looking at the book categories, Lin Feng naturally came to the metallurgy section.

I flipped through dozens of books but couldn't find a method for smelting gold; however, I found quite a few methods for melting steel.

"What book are you looking for? I've been flipping through it for ages!"

Lin Feng turned his head and was stunned when he saw the girl's face. What a small world! How did he run into Lou Xiao'e again?

Lin Feng dared not tell the truth. "I was just flipping through it casually!"

Lou Xiao'e, feeling awkward, watched him from afar. Lin Feng then resumed his book-hunting journey. After a long time, he finally found a book about the method of smelting gold, and it was an ancient method at that. After reading it, fearing he wouldn't remember it, Lin Feng went to a nearby table, borrowed paper and pen, and copied down the method in detail.

Lin Feng had something on his mind. After copying the method, he forgot to say goodbye to Lou Xiao'e and hurriedly left the library. Lou Xiao'e curiously took the book that Lin Feng had just finished reading, carefully put it back on the bookshelf, and smiled.

"Borax, dry pot, charcoal, and a stove! My god, why is it so hard to do something?" Lin Feng looked at the note with a headache. In later generations, buying these things would be nothing, but in this era, trying to buy all of these things at a state-run store was like lighting a lamp in the toilet—a death wish! Metals were far too sensitive in this era.

On January 3rd, Lin Feng finished his work as usual and then strolled around the West District. In the original owner's memory, there were many blacksmith shops in this area. He had once come here to buy a kitchen knife, but it was too expensive, so he gave up.

All the private blacksmith shops have been transformed into cooperatives. Lin Feng walked into a blacksmith shop and immediately noticed the inconspicuous molds placed in the corner. After observing them more closely, he found that they were equipped with all the necessary equipment.

"What does this comrade want to do?"

"I'll just take a look!"

The old craftsman glanced around and was startled when he saw where Lin Feng's gaze landed. There were many people in the capital who wanted them to work on gold mining, but no one dared to take the job without an introduction from an acquaintance.

"What does this comrade do for a living?"

Lin Feng snapped out of his daze when he saw the old master craftsman's gaze. "Oh, I'm the cook at the recycling station! I just like knives and such, so I came to browse!"

"I see!" The master craftsman took the cigarette Lin Feng offered. "We can make knives! Do you want a high-quality one, or a regular one?"

"What's the difference?"

"Good knives can be passed down through generations! My family has been blacksmiths for three generations. As long as you are willing to spend the money, I'm not bragging, I guarantee that your knives will be comparable to those of the top masters in the eight major kitchens. A single knife can be passed down for three generations, and the knife will still be there even after the person is gone."

Lin Feng felt a surge of excitement upon hearing this. Although his cooking skills weren't great, he needed to make a good impression.

"How much do you want, sir?"

"A set of 10 top-tier, heirloom-quality knives, each with an antique mahogany handle engraved with dragon patterns. Without the industrial grade, the set is 88 yuan. I guarantee each knife is meticulously crafted! Purely handmade, and substantial in weight!"

Upon hearing this number, Lin Feng gasped. This guy must have seen his wallet. "What about the regular ones?"

Hearing this, the old craftsman's mood brightened considerably. "The kind mass-produced by ordinary state-owned stores, a set of eight, only costs ten or twenty yuan!"

Lin Feng swallowed hard. "Master, do you have any samples I can look at?"

The experienced chef took a puff of Lin Feng's cigarette without showing any impatience. "I don't have the complete set! But my dad left me a kitchen knife; it belonged to a former cook. I can show you the difference!"

A moment later, the master craftsman came out from the inner room, holding a box in his hands. When Lin Feng saw the box, his eyes narrowed. Although he didn't know much about wood, it was definitely not an ordinary piece! As soon as he saw the patina, Lin Feng couldn't take his eyes off it.

Seeing Lin Feng's expression, the master chef smirked. What man doesn't love knives, especially a chef! His father had told him many stories about chefs who would even sell their wives for a set of knives.

The box was opened, and a boning knife was displayed in front of Lin Feng. The handle was made of old mahogany, the blade was blackened, and the edge gleamed coldly. Lin Feng looked at it with great envy!

"May I try it out, sir?"

"Of course!" The experienced chef was delighted; he was almost certain to get the business!

Lin Feng carefully gripped the hilt of the knife. In that instant, he felt as if he had become one with the knife. The blade had a slight sheen, indicating that it was well-maintained. The weight of the knife in his hand filled him with confidence!

The master craftsman nodded to Lin Feng, who happily gripped the boning knife and chopped down with force. A flash of cold light appeared, and a wooden stick as thick as an arm snapped in two!

"I'll take this good stuff!" Lin Feng said almost without thinking, while the master craftsman seemed completely unsurprised. "88 yuan, half as deposit first, pick up the knife in two weeks!"

"Master, is this the kind of box that holds the knife?"

"What are you thinking? This is old ebony! 88 yuan isn't even enough to cover the box. Although we're destroying the Four Olds now, these old items are still priceless in some people's eyes!"

Lin Feng clicked his tongue. "Master, could you sell me a set of your dry pot and mold?"

The old craftsman chuckled, like a cunning old fox. "You little punk, do you have some gold on you?"

"Cough cough! No, I don't have that kind of thing!" Seriously? How could I admit to something like that? I'd rather die than admit it!