Chapter 113 Triumph in the Cafeteria, Feast in the Alley

With swift and decisive movements, He Yuzhu dissected the entire sheep, separating the meat and bones neatly, and even removing the tendons and fascia cleanly, without any hesitation or sloppiness.

Director Ren, who had initially been somewhat hesitant, now stared wide-eyed, nodding his head repeatedly, his face full of amazement and admiration.

Once He Yuzhu had completely sheathed his knife, he immediately cleared his throat and spoke loudly to the cafeteria staff who were standing there dumbfounded.

"What are you all standing there for? You're all rooted to the spot like wooden stakes! Hurry up and bring the rest of the sheep over! And you guys who usually handle the butchering in the canteen, come closer and watch carefully!"

"This skill isn't something you can just see anywhere. To learn this real skill in a restaurant, you have to respectfully become an apprentice, perform grand rites, and endure several years of hardship before you even get a grasp of the craft. You've really hit the jackpot today!"

Director Ren's voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable air of authority, instantly bringing everyone back to their senses.

The first to respond was the young man who had just run to get He Yuzhu an apron. He straightened his back and replied loudly, "Yes, Director! I'll take some people to carry the sheep right away!" As soon as he finished speaking, several other canteen employees seemed to wake up from a dream and echoed him. They didn't dare to delay at all and turned around to walk quickly toward the warehouse where the sheep were stored.

Before long, several plump sheep were carried over by the group and placed heavily on the clean cutting board. The sheep were still slightly cool, indicating that they were freshly prepared.

Director Ren walked over to He Yuzhu, his tone softening with a hint of earnestness, and said, "Yuzhu, your skills are truly amazing! You were so fast just now, those kids didn't understand a thing. When you're dissecting the second one later, slow down a bit and guide them through each step, let them learn properly, what do you think?"

He Yuzhu wiped the water off his hands, his face showing no arrogance, and nodded generously, "Okay, Uncle Ren, this is nothing difficult. It's just butchering a sheep, there's nothing to hide. I'll take my time and let them see clearly."

"Good, good! That's good. I'm relieved to hear you say that!"

Upon hearing this, Director Ren's face lit up with a smile, and he nodded repeatedly, his gaze towards He Yuzhu becoming increasingly satisfied.

I just felt that this child not only had good skills, but also a very honest personality, without any airs of a master chef.

The second sheep was placed on the cutting board. He Yuzhu deliberately slowed down his movements, his knife as steady as a mountain, each cut precise, while he kept explaining the key points: "That's it."

"To butcher a sheep, you first need to find the gaps between the bones and make precise cuts. Don't chop too hard, otherwise you'll not only waste your knife, but the meat will also fall apart, affecting the texture. Look at this leg bone, cut at this joint, and it comes off easily with a gentle pry. And these ribs, you have to cut along the bone gaps to make sure every piece of meat has bone in it, and doesn't fall apart..."

He explained things in detail, yet his movements remained fluid. Even when he slowed down, his breakdown speed was several times faster than that of the usual cooks in the cafeteria.

The young men around him craned their necks, their eyes fixed on his hands, afraid of missing any detail. But He Yuzhu's technique was too skillful, and his knife work was exquisite.

Most people were still confused and their minds were foggy. Only the young man who responded first frowned, his hands moving constantly to demonstrate the steps of Ming Heyuzhu's movements, while he muttered the key points to himself, memorizing each step.

And so, He Yuzhu worked his way up from the second sheep to the third, the fourth, and finally the last one. The cut-up mutton and bones were neatly arranged on the cutting board, sorted by type, and looked exceptionally clean.

Meanwhile, most of the young men watching from the sidelines still looked blank, their eyes full of confusion. They clearly hadn't fully grasped the skill. Only the young man who was diligently memorizing the technique was still repeatedly gesturing and trying to figure out the trick.

Director Ren, seeing that all the assigned tasks were finished, clapped his hands, dispersed the crowd, and said loudly, "Alright, alright, you've all had your fun. Everyone get back to your work and don't delay things! Today, the cafeteria won't be serving steamed buns; we'll be serving noodles instead. The noodle maker, hurry up and knead the dough, don't dawdle!"

Upon hearing this, Chef Zhang, who was in charge of the dough, stopped what he was doing and came over with some confusion to ask, "Boss, what should we do with the steamed buns that were already prepared? We can't just throw them away, it would be such a waste."

Director Ren waved his hand dismissively and said, "What else can we do? We can just leave it for tomorrow. Aren't there staff on duty in the canteen tonight? They can just heat it up and eat it. Wasting food is a serious offense; we can't let it go to waste."

"Oh, I understand, Director."

Master Zhang suddenly realized what was going on, nodded in agreement, and turned to walk towards the noodle counter.

"Hurry up and get going, don't delay everyone's lunch. If you're late and everyone goes hungry, you'll be held responsible!"

Director Ren urged again.

"Yes, I promise to get it done on time!" Master Zhang quickened his pace, not daring to delay for even a moment.

After arranging the noodle-making process, Director Ren turned to He Yuzhu and asked with a smile, "Yuzhu, for the mutton noodles we're making next, what side dishes and seasonings do you need? Just tell me, and I'll have someone get them right away. I guarantee you'll have everything you need."

He Yuzhu didn't refuse and immediately listed the ingredients he needed.

"Uncle Ren, you need to prepare some scallions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, green garlic sprouts, as well as spices such as Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. Also, cut some white radish to put in when stewing mutton soup to remove the muttony smell and enhance the flavor. As for seasonings, you need to prepare enough soy sauce, salt, cooking wine, and pepper."

He spoke clearly and logically, and Director Ren nodded repeatedly as he listened. He immediately followed his instructions and began to give orders to the people around him to prepare. The division of labor was clear and the arrangements were well-organized.

Huang, the squad leader who usually arranges these tasks in the canteen, was left out in the cold. No one paid him any attention. He stood in the corner, his face turning pale and then red, his heart filled with resentment and anger.

This squad leader, Huang, is a senior member of the canteen, having earned his position through years of military service. However, his cooking skills are mediocre, and he always likes to put on airs.

Director Ren himself doesn't know how to cook, and he often gets angry with Squad Leader Huang because of his poor work assignments and bad cooking. He has long harbored resentment towards Huang.

This is also why Director Ren deliberately remained silent and tacitly allowed He Yuzhu to talk back to him when He Yuzhu and Squad Leader Huang were arguing earlier; he felt relieved.

Next, He Yuzhu didn't need to wait for Director Ren to ask any more questions. He took the initiative to arrange various tasks, speaking calmly and methodically, without showing any stage fright.

"Those young men, clean the offal thoroughly, scrub it several times to remove any gamey smell; the chefs over here cut the prepared mutton into even small pieces, and set the mutton bones aside to make soup; someone else fills the big pot with water, turns it on high heat, and waits to simmer the mutton soup; Chef Zhang at the noodle counter, don't roll the noodles too thin or too thick, just make wide hand-pulled noodles, so they're chewy."

Everyone listened to his instructions and subconsciously followed them. Compared to Huang's usual haphazard commands, He Yuzhu's arrangements were more reasonable and convincing.

After giving instructions on all the miscellaneous tasks, He Yuzhu pulled over Master Li, who was in charge of making the soup, and carefully explained how to make the mutton soup.

"Master Li, the mutton soup needs to be brought to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer. Wrap the spices in cheesecloth and put them in. Add the white radish chunks when the soup is half-cooked. This way, the soup will be milky white, delicious, and without any muttony smell. Got it?"

Master Li listened attentively and nodded repeatedly.

"I've got it, Master Zhu. Your method is really professional. I used to always have a slightly gamey smell when I made soup. Now I know why."

Once the mutton soup was arranged and the other side dishes and ingredients were almost ready, He Yuzhu went to the stove to prepare his secret sauce.

This secret ingredient is the essence of his cooking skills and has never been passed on to outsiders. Just as he was about to start cooking, he noticed that Squad Leader Huang had somehow come over and was staring intently at his hands, his face full of curiosity, as if he wanted to secretly learn the secret recipe.

Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu immediately stopped what he was doing, turned to look at Squad Leader Huang, his face slightly darkening, and said in a serious tone, "Squad Leader Huang, do you understand the rules of the kitchen? This secret recipe is our livelihood; outsiders can't see it. That's the rule in the industry. You can't break the rules, can you?"

Squad Leader Huang's thoughts were exposed, and he felt embarrassed. He snorted and turned away unhappily. His hatred for He Yuzhu grew even stronger, but he was powerless to do anything about it and could only suppress his anger.

After Squad Leader Huang left, He Yuzhu continued to prepare the secret seasoning. Once the seasoning was ready, he began to stir-fry the minced meat.

Unexpectedly, Squad Leader Huang was unconvinced and quietly came over again. He felt that the previous cleaning, cutting meat and making soup were basic tasks and could not be considered real skills. Only when stir-frying the meat sauce and seasoning the flavor could one see the true level of culinary skills. He wanted to see just how capable He Yuzhu really was.

The pots in the military control commission's canteen were extra-large iron pots, several times larger than ordinary household pots. Ordinary people couldn't even lift them, let alone toss them.

If He Yuzhu had used a small pot, he could have easily tossed and turned it for stir-frying. But this big pot was too heavy, so he picked up a short shovel used for stir-frying and used it as a spatula.

He held a short shovel, his movements incredibly agile, flipping and stirring the mutton chunks and seasonings in the large pot. The fire roared, and the ingredients in the pot were heated evenly, constantly tumbling with his movements.

In no time, a rich aroma wafted from the pot, its fresh and enticing fragrance spreading out of the kitchen, filling the entire cafeteria, and even reaching the office area outside.

At this point, there was still more than half an hour before lunchtime. The staff in the offices of the departments near the cafeteria couldn't sit still because of the enticing aroma. Their stomachs started to rumble, and their minds were no longer on their work.

"Hey, can you smell it? What delicious food did the cafeteria make today? The aroma is so strong, it's making my mouth water."

"You bet! It smells amazing, a hundred times better than the food in the cafeteria. I really want to go to the kitchen door and see what they're making."

"How much longer until lunchtime? My stomach is growling so badly, I can't work at all."

"It's still early, more than half an hour to go. I just have to endure it; this smell is unbearable!"

Not only were people outside captivated by the aroma, but the staff in the canteen were even more uncomfortable. They kept sniffing as they worked, glancing at the stove from time to time, their throats bobbing, practically drooling. They even slowed down their work.

Director Ren stood to the side, watching He Yuzhu's skillful cooking techniques and smelling the rich aroma. His face was full of pride, and he couldn't help but give He Yuzhu a thumbs up, secretly praising him in his heart.

As expected of a chef who has formally learned from a master, his skills are truly exceptional. Compared to Huang, who learned the unorthodox methods, it's worlds apart. Today, Lao Ren has really made a name for himself in front of everyone and finally got his revenge!

Once the minced meat was cooked, the aroma became even more intense. He Yuzhu then began to prepare the mutton soup. Apart from the secret seasoning packet, which he did not reveal, he explained all the other steps for preparing the soup, the timing and amount of adding the seasonings, to the chef beside him without reservation, without holding back a single bit of his knowledge.

Then, he personally demonstrated how to cook noodles, teaching everyone how to control the water temperature and what level of cooking time is best for the noodles to taste.

Actually, cooking noodles isn't difficult for the noodle chefs in the cafeteria, but He Yuzhu is particular and specifically instructed: "When cooking noodles, you must put them in boiling water and add cold water twice during the cooking process. This way, the wide noodles will be chewy and not sticky. After taking them out and mixing them with the meat sauce, the taste will be better."

Everyone remembered it and did as instructed.

When it was lunchtime, the entrance to the canteen instantly became lively, almost like a battle. Staff from various departments rushed into the canteen with their lunch boxes, afraid that they would miss out on the fragrant mutton noodles if they were late. Their steps were hurried, and their faces were full of anticipation.

The scene was even more lively during mealtimes. Everyone was engrossed in eating noodles and meat, and drinking delicious mutton soup. They ate with great relish, as if there was a little hook in their stomachs constantly tugging at their appetites. They couldn't stop eating. After finishing one bowl, they immediately lined up to get a second one, with praises rising and falling in waves.

Wang Cuiping, holding a lunchbox, sat down next to Sister Xia. While eating her noodles, she smiled and said, "Sister Xia, look, Zhu Zi's cooking is truly amazing! It's so delicious! These noodles are even better than those in big restaurants in the city! How can this young man be so skilled? How did he learn to cook like that?"

Sister Xia ate with relish, nodding repeatedly and saying with a sigh, "That's right! In all my life, this is the first time I've ever had such delicious mutton noodles. This child is so talented! I don't know who he learned it from, but his skills are absolutely amazing! It's a pity that we can't take some back for the children at home to try. They would definitely love it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Cuiping smiled and waved her hand, saying with a smug look, "That's easy. When we have time another day, we'll have Zhuzi come to your house and cook a meal for your child, okay? This child is easygoing and definitely won't refuse."

Xia Jie's eyes lit up, she slapped her thigh and said with a smile, "Oh dear, how could I forget about that! No need to reschedule, let's do it today! Zhu Zi just asked me for a favor, and I can't help him for nothing. Let him cook an extra meal, consider it a favor to him, and I'm giving him a chance to show off."

Wang Cuiping was taken aback for a moment, then asked curiously, "Huh? Zhu Zi wants to ask you for a favor? What is it? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Sister Xia smiled mysteriously, waved her hand, and said, "It's a secret. I'll tell you after it's done. Oh, and when you get off work, please tell Zhu Zi's parents that he'll be home late tonight to help out at my place. Tell them not to worry or be anxious."

"Okay, no problem, I'll definitely bring it when I get back." Wang Cuiping readily agreed.

The canteen staff were the last to eat. As they watched the noodles and meat sauce in the pot dwindle, they became increasingly anxious, fearing they would miss their turn.

In the end, the leaders couldn't bear to see the canteen staff go hungry, so they made a special restriction, leaving some food for them. That's how they finally got to eat; otherwise, the delicious mutton noodles would have been devoured by everyone.

After everyone finished eating and the dishes in the cafeteria were cleaned up, Director Ren, with a smile on his face, took He Yuzhu's hand and walked towards his office, praising him all the way with a tone full of affection.

Upon arriving at the office, Director Ren asked He Yuzhu to sit down, personally poured him a glass of water, and said with a smile, "Zhuzi, you really made me proud today. Your cooking is excellent; everyone is full of praise. You don't have a proper job outside, so how about you come work in my cafeteria? I'll arrange a good position for you; it's better than staying at home."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu couldn't help but smile, scratched his head, and said, "Uncle Ren, I appreciate your kindness, but even if I come, you wouldn't dare accept me. I'm only 14 years old, not old enough to work yet. Using child labor is against the rules."

Director Ren slapped his forehead, realizing his mistake, and said with a face full of annoyance, "Oh dear, what a forgetful thing! I was so focused on your excellent cooking skills that I forgot about your age! How could I be so careless! Since you can't come to work, could you spare some time every few days to come to my cafeteria and give everyone a training session, teaching them how to cook and butcher meat, to help me improve the quality of the food in the cafeteria?"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said, "Training in large-scale cooking is fine, but not other things. I'm still young and not qualified to take on apprentices. I can't teach anything too intricate, I can only teach how to cook large-scale dishes."

Director Ren nodded eagerly, his face beaming with joy, and said, "Bulk-cooked food is fine, bulk-cooked food is fine! What our canteen needs most is to prepare good bulk-cooked food so that everyone can eat well and be full. It's settled then!"

"However, Uncle Ren can't let you help for nothing. I can't give you cash right now, since it's inconvenient to process payments. I'll give you the equivalent of the head chef's wages in the form of ingredients. Is that alright?"

He Yuzhu frowned slightly and said with some concern, "Uncle Ren, are you sure you won't make a mistake by doing this? I can't let it cause you any trouble."

Director Ren waved his hand dismissively and said, "What are you afraid of? Can't I ask my superiors for permission? I'll write an application explaining the situation and use the ingredients to offset your hard work. It's reasonable and compliant, so there won't be any problem. Don't worry."

Hearing this, He Yuzhu felt relieved and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

"Then it's settled. After I consult with my superiors, I'll have Comrade Wang Cuiping notify you. You absolutely must come; you can't make excuses."

Director Ren repeatedly gave him instructions, fearing that he might change his mind.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't. I will definitely keep my promise to you," He Yuzhu replied solemnly.

"Haha, good! Good lad, you're a true friend!"

Director Ren laughed heartily, feeling exceptionally cheerful. He took out a small package wrapped in paper from his desk drawer and handed it to He Yuzhu.

"Zhu Zi, you've given me a chance to vent my anger today, and you've silenced that kid Huang. Here's a packet of tea for you, as a small token of my appreciation from Uncle Ren."

He Yuzhu took the paper package, opened it, and smelled a refreshing fragrance. His eyes lit up, and he said in surprise, "Oh, Uncle Ren, you're really generous! This smells like Longjing tea, right? And it's top-grade Longjing. This tea isn't cheap."

Director Ren said with a smile, "You've got good taste, kid! This was specially brought back for me by my comrade who came down from the south for work. I wouldn't even drink it myself, but you're lucky to get it today. Take it."

"Thank you, Uncle Ren. I won't be polite then, I'll accept it!" He Yuzhu didn't refuse and carefully put away the tea leaves, which were quite a good thing.

"Go, go, don't stand on ceremony here. Go find your Aunt Xia, she needs to see you. This is all the good stuff I have in my office, you can have it all." Director Ren waved his hand with a smile, urging him to leave.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Ren. I'll be going now!" He Yuzhu replied with a smile, then turned and left Director Ren's office.

After leaving the office, He Yuzhu went straight to Wang Hongxia. When Wang Hongxia saw him, she smiled and immediately assigned him a task, handed him some money, and said, "Zhuzi, come with me to the principal's house tonight. Go buy some ingredients first and cook dinner."

He Yuzhu took the money and said with some doubt, "Aunt Xia, aren't we going to visit the principal's house tonight? Isn't it inappropriate to just buy groceries as a gift? Maybe I should prepare something else. At the very least, I should buy a box of Beijing Eight Delicacies. When you visit someone's home, it's more appropriate to bring some snacks. Who brings vegetables as a gift?"

Wang Hongxia reached out and tapped his forehead, smiling and scolding, "You little brat, you're so young, and you've already learned all this gift-giving stuff? Let me tell you, that won't do. If you buy those expensive Beijing Eight Treasures, it will make me and the principal both make mistakes and break the rules. That kind of thing is absolutely unacceptable."

He Yuzhu looked puzzled and argued, "No way, Aunt Xia, we're just visiting. We're all acquaintances. Bringing a box of snacks is a normal courtesy, isn't it? It's not anything valuable, how could we be making a mistake?"

"Just go buy the groceries, stop talking nonsense, or I'll hit you!"

Wang Hongxia glared at him, pretending to be angry, and stuffed the money into his hand. "Here, this is the money. Buy whatever you want, but don't buy too much. Just enough for one meal."

"Huh? I'll just buy whatever I think is best?" He Yuzhu was taken aback, not quite understanding.

"Otherwise what? Do you expect me to go shopping with you? You're the one cooking tonight, so you can decide what to buy and what dishes to make. I don't know how to cook, so how would I know what ingredients to buy?" Wang Hongxia said with a smile.

He Yuzhu suddenly realized and slapped his forehead, saying, "Oh, so you want me to come and cook? Aunt Xia, you should have said so earlier! I thought it was just a simple visit! Does the principal and his family have any dietary restrictions? What kind of food do they like? I'll buy the ingredients accordingly."

"The principal is a native of old Beijing, and his hometown is Shandong Province. He prefers Shandong cuisine, so you can just cook whatever you like. There are no special dietary restrictions; just make it a simple home-style meal," Wang Hongxia said.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu felt uneasy. Looking at Wang Hongxia, he couldn't help but ask, "Aunt Xia, you and this principal must be more than just ordinary acquaintances, right? Judging from your tone, you seem to have a close relationship."

Wang Hongxia smiled and said mysteriously, "You'll know when you get there. Don't ask so many questions. Just cook a good meal tonight. If you cook well, the school thing you asked me to handle will be much easier. I guarantee I'll take care of it perfectly."

"Alright, then I won't ask anymore. I'll just cook well. But Aunt Xia, I can't accept this money. It's just cooking a meal; I can't possibly take your money." He Yuzhu handed the money back, refusing to accept it.

Wang Hongxia shoved the money back into his hand, saying sternly, "Take it! Just take it, otherwise I'll be making you do me a favor for nothing, and that would make me make a mistake. Hurry up and accept it, don't refuse."

"Okay, okay, I'll take it, alright?" He Yuzhu had no choice but to accept the money and then asked.

"So, after I buy the groceries, can I just bring them directly to you?"

"It's not appropriate. Why don't you go to the cafeteria this afternoon? You made such a big impression there today, Director Ren will definitely want to talk to you more. He'll be happy if you go," Wang Hongxia said.

He Yuzhu quickly waved his hand and said, "No, no, I just came from his place, it would be awkward to go back. How about I find somewhere to wander around by myself, and I'll come pick you up when it's almost time to get off work, and we'll go to the principal's house together."

"Okay, then be mindful of the time and don't be late." Wang Hongxia thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

He Yuzhu walked out of the Military Control Commission's gate, pushed his bicycle, jumped on, and headed home.

Although Wang Hongxia had just said that Wang Cuiping would tell his family after get off work that he would be home late, he still wanted to go back and tell them in person.

He left early in the morning and didn't come home for lunch. He was out all day. His mother, Chen Lanxiang, is gentle and might not be too worried, but the old lady in the family has always doted on him and must have been anxious. She probably thought he went out to ask about school and hadn't heard anything all day, so she must be worried.

At this time, the difficult period of material shortage had not yet arrived, and the atmosphere in the compound was relatively peaceful. There were not many formalities at the entrance, and He Yuzhu rode his bicycle smoothly into the central compound without any hindrance.

As soon as he entered the house, he saw the old lady and his mother, Chen Lanxiang, sitting inside, talking with a worried look on their faces. When they saw him return, they immediately came up to him and began to question him.

"Zhu Zi, you're finally back! Where have you been all day? You didn't even come home for lunch. Your grandma and I were so worried." Chen Lanxiang held his hand, looking him up and down, afraid that he had been wronged.

He Yuzhu smiled and reassured her, "Mom, Grandma, I'm fine. I just helped out at the military control commission's canteen, which took up some time. I ate lunch there."

Upon hearing this, the old woman looked surprised: "The Military Control Commission? How could a little kid like you enter the Military Control Commission's canteen? That's not a place you can just walk into. Did you cause any trouble?"

"I didn't cause any trouble, I just cooked a meal for them, and Director Ren took a liking to my cooking skills." He Yuzhu briefly explained what happened at the cafeteria, without going into details.

Upon hearing this, Chen Lanxiang's eyes lit up, and she said, "Zhuzi, you've managed to get a job helping out at the military control commission's canteen, that's quite an achievement! Why don't you listen to your father and change your age on your household registration so you can start working at the canteen sooner, eating government food—what a great job!"

He Yuzhu shook his head and said firmly, "I don't want to be a cook for the rest of my life, just sitting around the stove all day. It's meaningless."

Upon hearing this, Chen Lanxiang quickly cautioned, "You child, don't say such things, especially not in front of your father. He really wants you to learn to cook so you can have a stable skill. If you say you don't want to be a chef, he'll get angry with you."

"Mom, I know. Learning to cook is just a hobby. Besides, your son has some talent. If I learn a few skills, I can make a living this way if I really can't find anything else to do in the future, so I won't go hungry," He Yuzhu explained with a smile.

"If you don't want to be a chef now, what do you want to do?" Chen Lanxiang asked, puzzled.

"That's why I asked Aunt Xia about school. I want to go to school, learn a major, and then do whatever I can after graduation. It's better than being a chef for the rest of my life," He Yuzhu said.

Chen Lanxiang looked bewildered and asked, "What is a profession? I don't understand."

"It's like a school that's divided into several categories, such as teaching cooking, carpentry, and blacksmithing. These different categories are your majors, and once you finish your studies, you can do the corresponding jobs," He Yuzhu explained patiently.

"Oh, I see. I understand now." Chen Lanxiang nodded and then added her instructions.

"Then when you go to the principal's house tonight, you must behave well, be polite, and not be willful. If you serve him well, you can get things done in school."

"I understand, Mother. I will definitely do my best," He Yuzhu replied.

"Is the money Aunt Xia gave you enough to buy groceries? Don't be stingy with your money. If it's not enough, Mom will give you some more to buy some good ingredients. Don't neglect them." Chen Lanxiang said, heading to get the money.

He Yuzhu quickly stopped her, saying, "No need, no need. Aunt Xia gave me the money, enough to buy groceries. It's just a simple home-cooked meal, it won't cost much."

"We have to get something good. Don't be afraid to spend money. If this is done well, it's better than anything else," Chen Lanxiang repeatedly urged.

"Okay, I'll listen to Mom and get some good food," He Yuzhu agreed with a smile.

After reporting to his mother and grandmother, He Yuzhu went out again. He couldn't wait until he got off work to buy groceries. In these days, supplies were scarce, shops closed early, and if he went late, he wouldn't be able to buy anything.

Moreover, he had no intention of using his money to buy it. His space was filled with all kinds of ingredients, everything imaginable. He could just grab some suitable for making Shandong cuisine, which would be enough. They were fresh and of good quality, much better than what he could buy outside.

When it was almost time to leave work, He Yuzhu took out the ingredients he had prepared in advance from his spatial storage, put them in a basket, and carried it to the outside of the Military Control Commission, where he waited by his bicycle.

He prepared a complete set of ingredients: a cleaned pig intestine, a live carp weighing about three pounds, a whole pig stomach, half a pound of fresh chicken gizzards, a piece of tender tofu, along with a few cucumbers and tomatoes. All of these are classic ingredients for Shandong cuisine and looked very fresh.

Before long, Wang Hongxia came out of the military control office and saw He Yuzhu from afar, along with the food basket hanging on his bicycle handlebars, especially the big carp, which was particularly eye-catching.

Wang Hongxia walked over quickly, opened the grocery basket, and saw that it was full of fresh ingredients. She frowned and looked at He Yuzhu, saying, "You kid, did you secretly add money to your basket? The little money I gave you couldn't buy so many good things, and such a big carp. This must have cost a lot of money."

He Yuzhu said with a smile, "I told my mother about it when I got back. She was worried that I might have slighted them, so she insisted on giving me some extra money to buy some good ingredients. Besides, you can't just make one dish when cooking Shandong cuisine, and you can't make it all vegetarian. These are all classic Shandong ingredients, all common things, so it didn't cost much."

Wang Hongxia didn't believe him and insisted on giving him the money back, saying, "It's not much, but it's still money. I'll give you the money back so you don't have to spend it."

He Yuzhu quickly waved his hand and said seriously, "Aunt Xia, you're slapping me in the face! If you insist on paying, then I won't cook this meal; you can find someone else."

Seeing this, Wang Hongxia slapped him on the back in an annoyed tone and scolded, "You stubborn child! Fine, I won't make up the money. Next time you need help, Aunt Xia will help you."

"That's right, Aunt Xia, hurry up and get on the bike, let's go. I don't know how far the principal's house is, you'll have to give me directions." He Yuzhu said with a smile, and straightened the bicycle.

"It's not far, it's also in Dongcheng District, Fengfu Hutong. I'll give you directions, we'll be there soon," Wang Hongxia said, sitting on the back of the bicycle.

"Fengfu Hutong?" He Yuzhu muttered to himself, feeling that the name of the hutong sounded very familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn't remember where. He frowned and thought for a while, but still had no clue.

Seeing this, Wang Hongxia asked, "What? You've been to this alley before?"

"I've never been there, but the name sounds familiar, like I've heard it somewhere before." He Yuzhu shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and rode his bike towards Fengfu Hutong, following the directions Wang Hongxia had given him.

The journey was smooth, and we soon arrived at Fengfu Hutong. Compared to the courtyard where He Yuzhu lived, this hutong was much quieter and less noisy. There were not many pedestrians on the road, and the courtyards were all neat and tidy. Although they were not as big as the courtyards of his family, they were spacious and elegant, which was very pleasing to the eye.

Guided by Wang Hongxia, He Yuzhu rode his bicycle to the gate of a courtyard. Wang Hongxia got off the bicycle, pushed open the gate, and went straight in without knocking.

He Yuzhu followed behind, and seeing this scene, he was immediately stunned and full of doubt. When visiting someone's home, how can you just push the door open and walk in without knocking? This is too casual.

Upon entering the courtyard, He Yuzhu realized that it was a well-organized courtyard with a considerable area and seven or eight rooms. The layout was neat, and the courtyard was clean and tidy, giving it a very warm and inviting feel.

As soon as we entered the courtyard, three children rushed out of the west wing. The one in the lead was a tall boy of about thirteen or fourteen, the second was a boy of about ten, and behind them was a little girl of about three or four, with braids and a cute and well-behaved appearance.

When the three children saw Wang Hongxia, they immediately shouted excitedly, "Mom, you're back!"

"Mom, who is this person?"

"Mom, what are you making for dinner? I'm starving."

Wang Hongxia picked up the youngest girl and asked the two boys with a stern face, "Zhao Xingbang and Zhao Zhenhua, have you finished your homework? You've been running around like crazy since you got back, you're so restless."

The eldest son, Zhao Xingbang, scratched his head and chuckled, saying, "No, Mom. I just heard you coming back and rushed out to greet you. I'll do my homework later."

Wang Hongxia glared at him and pointed at He Yuzhu, saying, "What? Who is this person? How rude! His name is He Yuzhu. You should call him Brother Zhu from now on."

Upon hearing this, the two boys' eyes widened in surprise, and they exclaimed in unison, "Huh? That tall?"

Wang Hongxia laughed and said, "What do you mean 'oh'? He's just tall and looks mature, but he's only about half a year older than Xingbang. He's still quite young. Xingbang, you should learn from your brother Zhuzi. He's already graduated from junior high school, and you're only in the second year. Aren't you ashamed of yourself for not studying hard?"

Zhao Xingbang looked at He Yuzhu with disbelief and said, "Really? He's only half a year older than me? He looks several years older."

"What do you think? Don't judge a book by its cover. Hurry up and greet them. Show some manners," Wang Hongxia urged.

Zhao Xingbang and Zhao Zhenhua exchanged a glance, then looked at their younger sister in their arms. The three of them called out in unison, "Hello, Brother Zhu!"

"Okay, okay, hello to you too." He Yuzhu replied with a smile, looking at the little girl in Wang Hongxia's arms, and said gently.

"Little sister, you're so cute! What's your name? Here, Brother Zhu will give you some candy."

As he spoke, He Yuzhu casually pulled a handful of fruit candies from his pocket and stuffed them into the little girl's hand.

His hands were big, and he held a handful of candy in them. The little girl's hands were too small, and even with both hands, she could barely hold it all. The candy was about to fall to the ground, and the little girl's eyes turned red with worry, and tears were about to fall.

Seeing this, Zhao Xingbang and Zhao Zhenhua rushed over and caught the candy that was about to fall. Now the little girl had half of her candy, and she immediately pouted and burst into tears, crying, "Mom, my brother took my candy! Waaah! It was given to me by Brother Zhu, and he took it all!"

Wang Hongxia patted the little girl's back and coaxed her, "Don't cry, don't cry. You still have so much candy in your hand, that's enough. Why are you crying? Your brother Zhuzi asked you your name, but you didn't answer. You were just busy with the candy in your hand, you little glutton."

He Yuzhu quickly smiled and smoothed things over: "It's alright, Aunt Xia, all children are like that. My sister is like that at home too. She forgets everything when there's food. It's normal."

"Hahahaha!" Zhao Xingbang and Zhao Zhenhua couldn't help but laugh as soon as they heard this, and they grabbed the candy and tried to run away.

Seeing this, the little girl glared at her two brothers, clutched the candy tightly to her chest, and shouted angrily, "Give me back my candy! My older brother gave it to me, don't you dare take it!"

"We're going to do our homework, we won't bother you anymore!" Seeing that things were not going well, the two boys grabbed their candy and ran back to the west wing in a flash, not daring to provoke their sister anymore.

Wang Hongxia smiled and shook her head, then said to He Yuzhu, "This girl's name is Zhao Shengli. 'Sheng' means prosperous and 'Li' means beautiful. She was born in the year of the victory against Japan. To commemorate the hardships of those years, we specially gave her this name."

He Yuzhu looked at Zhao Shenglin and said gently, "Shenglin, what a lovely name. Tell your brother Zhu what dishes you like to eat? Your brother Zhu will cook for you tonight."

Upon hearing that there was delicious food, Zhao Shenglin immediately stopped crying, wiped away her tears, and said in a clear voice, "Meat! I like meat!"

"Okay, then Brother Zhu will cook you meat tonight, as much as you want." He Yuzhu smiled and held up the basket of ingredients in his hand, revealing a large carp inside. "Look, there's even such a big fish. I'll cook fish for you tonight too, okay?"

Zhao Shenglin's eyes lit up when she saw the lively, wriggling carp. She clapped her hands and exclaimed happily, "Wow, what a big fish! It looks so delicious! Thank you, Brother Zhu!"

"Shengli, what kind of fish is it? Quickly bring it to Grandma to see."

At this moment, the door to the main room opened, and a sprightly old lady came out of the house. Her hair was neatly combed, she was wearing clean clothes, and she looked very kind.

Zhao Shenglin immediately broke free from Wang Hongxia's embrace, ran to the old lady's side, took her hand, pointed to the fish in He Yuzhu's hand, and said, "Grandma, Grandma, it's a big carp, Brother Zhuzi took it, it's huge!"

"Really? Then Grandma will have to take a good look." Grandma Wang smiled as she walked up to He Yuzhu, looked at Wang Hongxia, and asked, "Hongxia, who is this young man? I've never seen him before. Did he come back with you?"

Wang Hongxia quickly introduced, "Mom, his name is He Yuzhu. He's the son of my old neighbor when I worked at the steel rolling mill. We've known each other for a while now."

Grandma Wang looked He Yuzhu up and down, then smiled and said, "Young man, you're quite handsome and dashing. How old are you? Are you married yet?"

He Yuzhu was stunned by the question, his face flushed instantly, and he stood there, not knowing how to answer. He thought to himself: Why is he asking if I have a wife as soon as we meet? It's too sudden.

Seeing his embarrassed look, Wang Hongxia quickly came to his rescue, saying, "Mom, look at you, asking this right away. Zhuzi is only 14 years old, still young. What are you talking about, wife? Zhuzi, don't be shy, this is my mom, you can just call her Grandma Wang."

Seeing Wang Hongxia's reaction, Old Mrs. Wang immediately understood that this was no ordinary old acquaintance; their relationship must be extraordinary. Otherwise, her daughter wouldn't have protected her so much and brought her home.

However, she didn't ask any further questions. Her daughter must have her reasons for not saying anything. So she smiled and said to He Yuzhu, "Yuzhu, right? Welcome to our home. Don't be shy, make yourself at home."

He Yuzhu then came to his senses and quickly greeted her politely, "Hello, Grandma Wang, I'm sorry to bother you."

"Hongxia, where's your dad? Hasn't he come back yet?" Old Mrs. Wang turned to ask her daughter.

Wang Hongxia pursed her lips and said, "Don't you know my dad? He goes to work every day and if he doesn't come home at least half an hour late, that's not him. He's always so busy that he's practically invisible."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a hearty male voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Who said I come home late every day? I'm home early today, aren't I? Old woman, you're badmouthing me in front of outsiders again."

Everyone turned around and saw a middle-aged man wearing a Zhongshan suit and glasses, with a refined and cultured demeanor, walk in.

Wang Hongxia greeted him with a smile, saying, "Oh, isn't this our Principal Wang? You're such a busy man, the sun must have risen in the west today! What brings you back so early?"

He Yuzhu stood to the side, looking at Principal Wang in front of him, then at Wang Hongxia beside him, and suddenly realized, his heart filled with surprise: So the principal that Aunt Xia was talking about was actually her biological father! This was no ordinary acquaintance, he was practically her maternal grandfather, the relationship was too close, no wonder Aunt Xia dared to push open the door and come into the house, and he was kept in the dark, it was really too unexpected!

Looking at He Yuzhu's shocked expression, Wang Hongxia couldn't help but chuckle to herself, her eyes full of teasing, her expression clearly saying: How about it, are you surprised or not?