Courtyard House: In times of famine, my hamster became a spirit.

The canteen hall, which had been as noisy as a vegetable market, became completely silent the instant Deputy Factory Director Li rushed to a corner.

Hundreds of eyes were fixed on that corner.

The person sitting there is Zhou Jianguo.

The aluminum lunchbox in front of him was almost empty, with only a layer of bright red, viscous broth clinging to the sides, and the sweet and salty aroma of meat still wafting out.

Zhou Jianguo slowly picked up the last trembling piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly, thoroughly enjoying himself.

Deputy Factory Director Li stopped three steps away from the table, his shoe sole scraping against the cement floor with a screeching sound.

If it had been half an hour earlier, Li Huaide wouldn't have even given this "childless" man who had just lost his parents a second glance.

But now?

This is his lifeline, his living Buddha, his own father!

"Comrade Zhou... Comrade Zhou Jianguo."

Deputy Factory Director Li's voice was very low, with an almost ingratiating tremor.

Zhou Jianguo swallowed the meat in his mouth, slowly put down his chopsticks, and then lazily raised his eyelids to glance at Deputy Factory Director Li.

There was no hint of being flattered in his eyes; instead, there was a calmness.

"Director Li, what brings you here?" Zhou Jianguo pulled out a handkerchief and elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth.

Deputy Factory Director Li felt a dryness in his throat.

He disregarded propriety, bent slightly, placed his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward, and said urgently in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Jianguo, Master Zhou, I'm begging you! The kitchen is in complete chaos, the big boss is furious, and only you can save the day! If you're willing to help, we'll forget all our past grievances! From now on, I'll speak up for you in the factory, to the security department. Anyone who dares to touch you, I'll kill them!"

If anyone else heard this, their jaw would drop.

How could the deputy director of a large factory with tens of thousands of employees be on friendly terms with a level-two welder?

Zhou Jianguo looked at Director Li with a half-smile.

"Director Li, isn't this inappropriate?"

Zhou Jianguo said calmly, "That Chef He just made it clear that he's a true successor of the Tan family cuisine, and he makes dishes that require meticulous skill. What do I, a welder who just swings a fire hook, know about wok hei (wok aroma) or what authentic cuisine means? If I accidentally upset the big boss and cause him any harm, the blame will be too heavy for my small frame to bear."

Deputy Factory Director Li's heart skipped a beat.

This isn't a refusal; it's clearly rubbing salt into the wound that was just there, and then stomping on it again!

"Jianguo! You're slapping me in the face!" Deputy Factory Director Li's eyes were red with anxiety, and he pleaded in a low voice, "He's a complete idiot! The higher-ups say what he made was poison! Now only you can save my life! If you agree, that fifty yuan... no, I'll personally give you another fifty! Plus twenty jin of meat coupons! Is that alright?!"

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate...

Half a head peeked out from behind a load-bearing pillar at the cafeteria entrance.

It is He Yuzhu.

He didn't actually go far when he rushed out of the kitchen.

This guy was both angry and hoping for the best—he thought Li Huaide was just saying it in a fit of anger and would be begging him to go back in less than five minutes.

After all, in this city of Beijing, besides He Yuzhu, who else could the steel mill find a chef who could cater to the tastes of such a high-ranking leader?

But what he saw taught him a harsh lesson.

Li Huaide's grandson was actually begging for help.

And the person he was asking for help from was none other than his mortal enemy—Zhou Jianguo!

"This...this is utter nonsense!"

He Yuzhu's mind went blank.

absurd.

That's absolutely ridiculous!

How could Li Huaide expect a welder who only knows how to fight with a fire hook and can't even distinguish between scallions, ginger, and garlic to cook for the big boss?

This is not just an insult to He Yuzhu's cooking skills, it's practically rubbing the "chef" profession into the ground!

An uncontrollable rage burned through He Yuzhu's already thin line of rational defense.

Once that reckless spirit takes hold, he throws all notions of factory director or leader to the winds.

"Li Huaide! I think you've lost your mind!"

A loud shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, resounded in the cafeteria hall.

He Yuzhu rushed out from behind the pillar, his eyes wide open and veins bulging on his neck. He strode towards them, pointing at Deputy Factory Director Li's nose and cursing loudly.

"You have a proper chef, yet you go and beg for this piece of junk? Are you trying to kill the big boss? Are you trying to make him eat himself to death here?!"

His voice was so loud and penetrating that you could hear a pin drop in the entire cafeteria.

The deputy factory director was so startled by the shout that he trembled all over. When he turned around, he saw that He Yuzhu had returned. His face turned from red to white, and then from white to green.

What he feared most was that this silly Zhu would ruin things at this critical juncture!

Zhou Jianguo hasn't agreed yet. If this commotion happens, won't it make things even more hopeless?

"Stop him! Quick! Stop this madman!"

Deputy Factory Director Li, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, roared at Officer Wu behind him, "Don't let him cause trouble! Quickly!"

Officer Wu was also sweating profusely. He gritted his teeth and, with two helpers who had just chased after him from the kitchen, braced himself and went to meet them.

"Master He! Master He, calm down! This is the factory manager discussing official business..." Officer Wu spread his arms to try to stop him.

"Get out of my way!"

He Yuzhu was now like a bull with bloodshot eyes. Relying on the strength he had developed from years of flipping a large ladle, he grabbed Officer Wu by the collar and tossed him aside like a chick.

"Business? What business are you talking about! This cafeteria is my territory! Anyone who dares to step into my kitchen is going against me, He Yuzhu!"

He Yuzhu pushed the two men aside, rushed to the table in a few steps, pointed at Zhou Jianguo from above, and spat as he spoke:

"Zhou Jianguo, if you have any shame, don't get involved! Can you even cook? Can you tell the difference between light and dark soy sauce? Don't think you can act like a big shot just because you can make a couple of pieces of braised pork. That's for big leaders, not pig feed!"

Deputy Factory Director Li was trembling with anger and was about to call the security department.

Just then, Zhou Jianguo, who had been sitting, moved.

He slowly stood up, his movements unhurried and deliberate. He even reached out and naturally helped Deputy Factory Director Li straighten the collar of his Zhongshan suit, which had become crooked due to his excitement.

Then, he turned his head and gave He Yuzhu a cold glance.

There was no anger, no argument, only one kind of... loving gaze towards the intellectually disabled.

"Director Li," Zhou Jianguo turned to look at Li Huaide, his tone flat, "it seems that Master He still thinks he hasn't lost, and still thinks that plate of burnt tofu is the most delicious thing in the world."

As he spoke, Zhou Jianguo let out a very soft sneer.

"In that case, lead the way. Let him open his eyes and see what kind of food is edible."

"boom--"

The surrounding workers let out a suppressed gasp.

That's...too harsh!

This is about completely crushing He Yuzhu in the professional field!

Upon hearing this, Deputy Factory Director Li was overjoyed and, no longer caring about He Yuzhu's emotions, quickly stepped aside and made a "please" gesture, bowing even lower than before: "Master Zhou, please! This way, please! We'll go right away!"

Zhou Jianguo didn't even glance at He Yuzhu, put his hands in his pockets, and strode off, following Deputy Factory Director Li toward the kitchen.

That kind of complete disregard is a thousand times more hurtful than being verbally abused.

He Yuzhu stood frozen in place, watching the two figures disappear into the distance, his whole body trembling.

humiliation.

An unprecedented sense of humiliation.

He Yuzhu has been running rampant in the steel rolling mill for so many years, when has he ever suffered such humiliation?

"Deceived... Li Huaide must have been deceived by this kid!"

The last thread of reason in He Yuzhu's mind finally snapped.

He was breathing heavily, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"No! Absolutely not! I can't let this kid ruin my reputation! I can't let the big boss eat that kind of garbage!"

A surge of brute force shot straight to the top of his head. He Yuzhu turned around, but instead of chasing Zhou Jianguo, he rushed in the opposite direction, towards the corridor leading to the VIP private rooms in the small canteen.

"I need to see the top leader! I need to explain myself! You've all conspired to frame me!"

He Yuzhu ran and shouted, his voice hoarse and frantic.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: as long as he saw the big boss, as long as he explained things clearly, as long as he exposed Zhou Jianguo as a fraud who couldn't even hold a kitchen knife, the big boss would definitely understand his good intentions! That Mapo Tofu was clearly authentic Sichuan cuisine; it was just that they didn't understand!

"Stop him! Stop him now!" Officer Wu scrambled to his feet and, upon seeing where He Yuzhu had gone, was terrified, his voice cracking from shouting.

If this madman offends the top leader, they're all doomed!

Several waiters tried to stop him at the entrance of the corridor, but He Yuzhu was completely bloodthirsty at this point. He shoved a thin female waiter with his shoulder, causing her to stumble back several steps and fall to the ground with a thud.

Nearly.