Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

The atmosphere at the dinner table remained subdued, save for the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the occasional sound of chewing. Gu Nan placed a piece of braised pork on Ran Qiuye's plate and added some greens to her bowl, his movements natural and considerate. Ran Qiuye, meanwhile, occasionally fed her child a few bites of complementary food, her gaze gentle. Lu Jia ate her rice without a care, but her eyes kept darting to Gu Nan's face, as if weighing the best moment to speak.

Most of the dishes on the table were gone, the glistening oil from the braised pork reflecting on the white porcelain plate, exuding a warm, homey atmosphere. Lu Jia put down her chopsticks, took out a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her mouth, took a deep breath, and looked at Gu Nan. Her tone was less polite and more deliberately sincere: "Deputy Factory Director Gu, I know that Brother Zhu did some foolish things at the factory recently, which caused you a lot of conflict and trouble. Don't worry, I will definitely talk to him properly when we get back, explain things to him clearly, and he will never do anything reckless again. You should... give Brother Zhu a chance, okay? He's just stubborn, but he's not a bad person at heart."

Gu Nan shoveled the last mouthful of rice into his mouth, put down the bowl, and tapped his fingertips lightly on the edge of the table. He looked up at Lu Jia, then suddenly smiled, a smile that softened his previous aloofness: "In this courtyard, there's no need to call me 'Deputy Factory Director Gu,' it sounds too formal. Just call me Gu Nan." He paused, picked up a piece of braised pork and placed it in Ran Qiuye's bowl, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable seriousness, "There's no deep-seated hatred between He Yuzhu and me, it's just that he acted too recklessly before and broke the factory rules. I've already had his name submitted for the factory's chef qualification exam this time—his skill is his talent, we can't let it all be buried because of a moment of folly."

He changed the subject slightly, his gaze landing on Lu Jia's face: "But you also know that he got into fights at the factory and stole ingredients before. Every single one of those things needs to be explained. Rules are rules, and he has to bear the consequences himself in order to learn his lesson, right?"

Lu Jia's eyes lit up, and the weight that had been hanging over her heart finally lifted. She nodded hurriedly, her joy barely concealed: "Yes, yes, you're absolutely right! I'll give him a good talking-to when I get back, and make sure he takes your words to heart. I guarantee he'll work diligently from now on and never cause you or the factory any more trouble!" There was a bit of sincerity in her words—as long as He Yuzhu could pass the chef's exam, their lives would be more comfortable, much better than constantly having to be subservient to others.

Gu Nan gave a noncommittal "hmm," picked up the empty bowl, and walked towards the kitchen. He knew in his heart that He Yuzhu's cooking skills were indeed quite talented; his knife skills and control of heat were solid, making him one of the best in the steel mill's kitchen. Although he was the sole inheritor of the Tan family cuisine, and his experience and skills far surpassed He Yuzhu's, he had no intention of pushing him to the brink—life was hard enough as it was, and sometimes leaving a way out was more revealing than ruthless extermination.

Lu Jia thanked him a few more times, and seeing Gu Nan busy clearing the dishes, she tactfully got up to help wipe the table. After cleaning the table, she picked up her empty cloth bag and said goodbye with a smile, "Then I won't bother you any longer. Thank you so much for the meal, Sister Qiuye, it was so delicious."

Ran Qiuye escorted her to the courtyard gate, watching her figure disappear around the corner of the alley before turning back.

Gu Nan was washing dishes in the kitchen, the water running loudly. Hearing Ran Qiuye come in, he turned off the tap, picked up a towel to dry his hands, and his gaze gradually darkened—the meal seemed peaceful on the surface, and Lu Jia had behaved impeccably from beginning to end, but he felt there was more to it than met the eye. She had gone to such lengths to get close to him, and had even stayed for dinner; it couldn't have been just for He Yuzhu's chef exam.

He gazed at the darkening sky outside the window, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the patterns on the towel. Everyone in this courtyard had their own agenda. Lu Jia's move seemed gentle, but the thoughts hidden beneath were probably far more complex than He Yuzhu's impulsive nature.

"What are you thinking about?" Ran Qiuye walked over and handed him a glass of warm water.

Gu Nan took the water glass, smiled, and suppressed his gloomy thoughts: "It's nothing, I was just thinking about things at the factory tomorrow." Some things are better left unsaid; there's no need to make Qiu Ye worry about them.

Ran Qiuye held her child, who had just finished eating, and gently stroked her daughter's soft cheek with her fingertips. Her eyes were filled with doubt as she looked at Gu Nan, who had just returned from outside: "Gu Nan, do you think Lu Jia in the courtyard has some other thoughts in her mind? These past few days, I've felt that the way she looks at He Yuzhu isn't just the worry of an ordinary couple, but also hides something inexplicable, as if she's plotting something."

Gu Nan was taken aback, not expecting Ran Qiuye to be so perceptive, having actually noticed something. But there were too many complicated matters in the courtyard, and he didn't want her to get involved and cause unnecessary trouble, so he smiled and put on a relaxed tone: "What could Lu Jianeng possibly be doing? She's still completely focused on He Yuzhu. That silly Zhu has been running around the factory lately, determined to get that canteen chef position. She's probably just worried about whether he'll succeed."

Ran Qiuye nodded, gently rocked the child in her arms, and soothed the little guy who had just started whimpering: "That's what I told myself too. After all, He Yuzhu is such a worry, always causing trouble in the yard every few days. And he's so close to the Jia family, their relationship is all messed up. Anyone who's his wife would be driven crazy."

"Alright, let's leave them be." Gu Nan walked over, reached out and touched the baby's soft baby hair, feeling the warmth on his fingertips. "Everyone has their own life to live, this has nothing to do with us, we just need to live our own lives. Let He Yuzhu's family figure out their own business. You play with the baby for a while, I'll go wash the dinner dishes."

Ran Qiuye agreed with a "okay," and then started playing with the child, though she was actually thinking about some things. Gu Nan turned and went into the kitchen, turning on the tap, the sound of rushing water instantly filling the small space. As he wiped the porcelain bowl with a cloth, he focused his mind and contacted Gu Bei with his spiritual sense.

"Gu Bei, everything I told you about before has been arranged. Just follow the plan I gave you, there's no need to panic."

Unlike Hei Zi, Gu Bei had developed his own way of thinking over the years. Hearing this, he frowned slightly and looked at the empty space in front of him, as if he could look at Gu Nan through the space: "Gu Nan, you have a lot of things to do at the factory and the yard right now. Do you really not need me to stay here and help you? Having more hands will always help share the burden, even if it's just running errands."