Courtyard House: He Yuzhu started in 1948

He Yuzhu breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out of Lü Qinghuan's office.

In order to create a golden image, He Yuzhu created a persona for himself.

Although his motives were not pure, He Yuzhu felt a different kind of emotion in his heart.

This feeling of not being alone on my path is something I can no longer experience more than seventy years later.

"Perhaps, in this vibrant era, I really can do that!"

With these thoughts in mind, He Yuzhu's steps became increasingly firm.

Outside the Fifth Middle School, Tian Zao, who had made an appointment with He Yuzhu, was already waiting fifty meters from the school gate, her eyes never leaving the school entrance.

She had never been to school, but she had a deep respect for schools. She left her dozen or so "followers" outside the alley, while she stood far away near the school waiting for He Yuzhu.

Seeing He Yuzhu walk out of the school, Tian Zao immediately jumped up and waved: "Brother Zhu..."

Suddenly remembering that she was at school, she quickly shut her mouth, stiffened up, and craned her neck like a quail to look at He Yuzhu.

Hearing Tian Zao's shout, He Yuzhu walked over and, looking at Tian Zao who was shivering like a quail, asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"

"Brother Zhuzi, will you be going to school from now on?"

Tian Zao spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing the school's tranquility, and looked at He Yuzhu with eyes full of envy: "It's so good to be able to study."

He Yuzhu understands that people nowadays want to study and admire students, but how many of them can actually get an education?

He Yuzhu had his own plans and schemes, and temporarily ignored Tian Zao's envy. He said to Tian Zao, "Do you want to sell steamed buns? I'll steam some buns and you can sell them. I'll only charge the cost price. Once you and your brothers have solved their livelihood problems, can you help me take care of my dad and my sister? If I stay at school, I won't be able to help my family."

"no problem!"

Tian Zao smiled and patted his chest: "Brother Zhuzi is straightforward, and I, Tian Zao, am not an ungrateful person. From this day forward, Brother Zhuzi's family is my family. If I disobey, may I, Tian Zao, die a horrible death!"

Tian Zao was already very satisfied that her brothers could have enough to eat, and now that He Yuzhu had found them a business opportunity, how could Tian Zao not be grateful?

"Um."

He Yuzhu said to Tian Zao, "Come to my house tomorrow morning to pick up the steamed buns. Once they're sold out, come back home to get more. Let's take it one step at a time and try to make sure we all have enough to eat."

"it is good."

……

After settling Tian Zao in, He Yuzhu prepared to go home, but after thinking about it, he went to the markets near Dongzhimen and Chongwenmen and heard a lot about Tian Zao and her "little brothers" before finally going home.

When they got home, He Daqing had already gone out to cook for Lou Bancheng, and Yi Zhonghai's wife, Wang Xiulan, was wiping He Yushui's bottom.

He Yushui is one and a half years old and has basically said goodbye to diapers, but she can't wipe her bottom after pooping and needs an adult's help.

"Oh dear, ma'am... how can you do this kind of work?"

He Yuzhu quickly stepped forward, trying to snatch the cloth, but Wang Xiulan slapped him away, saying, "Zhuzi, this is your sister, your daughter. What are you, a boy, doing reaching for her?"

"..."

No, I wiped it down at noon too.

He Yuzhu watched as Wang Xiulan carefully wiped He Yushui's bottom, her eyes full of affection. He Yuzhu knew that she was taking care of He Yushui as her own daughter.

He Yuzhu had watched the TV series and knew the characters well. The character he disliked the least was Wang Xiulan.

Unfortunately, Yi Zhonghai and Wang Xiulan only wanted to find someone who could take care of them in their old age, and He Yushui, a young woman, was clearly not within their consideration.

A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup; she'll get married and live her own life. How can she take care of them in their old age? Wouldn't that make people gossip about her?

Of course, these days are chaotic, and it's not impossible for Yi Zhonghai to find a boy to adopt into his own family. However, Yi Zhonghai thinks too much and is worried that he might raise an ungrateful child, which would be a loss.

This is also why Yi Zhonghai later took Jia Dongxu as his apprentice, and why, after Jia Dongxu's death, he had ideas about Bang Geng and He Yuzhu.

Living in the same courtyard, knowing each other inside and out, if they were ungrateful, their reputations would be ruined. This is what Yi Zhonghai was considering.

Unfortunately, He Yuzhu had changed completely and had no intention of letting anyone leech off him anymore.

"Okay, thank you for taking care of Yushui, I'll clean up the house."

Even if He Yuzhu doesn't go to sell steamed buns in the afternoon, he can't stay idle. Looking at the huge pile of dirty clothes, He Yuzhu misses the days when he had a washing machine even more... If a widow came to clean the house... cough cough, find He Daqing a companion!

In the evening, the market worker who delivered meat and vegetables to He Daqing arrived. It was a freshly slaughtered fat pig, not with pork belly and mostly fat, plus noodles, cabbage, radish and vermicelli, filling a large basket.

He Daqing wasn't here today, so the money could only be settled tomorrow. But the shop assistant said that He Daqing had already paid for the materials this afternoon.

Without a doubt, He Daqing must have charged Lou Bancheng the cost of these raw materials when he purchased them.

Lou Bancheng isn't short of money, so he'll probably turn a blind eye.

Even an emperor wouldn't starve his soldiers, let alone someone rich enough to buy half a city.

He Yuzhu didn't set up his stall in the afternoon. He still had some left at home. He piled the raw materials together, looking at the flour, meat and vegetables, lost in thought.

We can save on raw materials in the future.

He Daqing is a master chef, and he even apprenticed under a master. In addition, he used to work as a chef at Fengzeyuan, so he has high standards and high requirements for the buns he makes.

The buns must be made with white flour, and the meat filling must be 3:7 ratio. The ratio of meat to vegetables must be precise, and the amount of salt and soy sauce added must be controlled within grams.

But He Yuzhu didn't think that way. He thought, "What era are we living in? Why are you still so demanding? As long as we can fill our stomachs, that's enough."

Lower the price, replace white flour with whole grain flour, use only fatty meat, render the meat, and use the pork cracklings to make steamed buns... business will definitely be better than it is now.

But can they persuade He Daqing?

When it comes to cooking, He Daqing never compromises; it's his livelihood, and he won't tolerate any dissent.

In the past, He Yuzhu would never have raised any objections; he would have simply done whatever He Daqing said.

But things are different now. He Yuzhu understands the future direction, and he must consider things further ahead.

Sculpt a golden statue!

There's no need to do anything that would shock the entire city of Beiping; it's enough to let the surrounding neighborhoods know about their goodness and kindness.

You need to have a good reputation!

That evening, He Yushui had already gone to sleep when He Daqing returned. Of the three food boxes, one contained braised pork intestines with scallions, one contained peanuts, and the other contained rice.

He Daqing was quite satisfied to see that He Yuzhu had cleaned the house thoroughly. He found half a bottle of chrysanthemum liquor, picked up a wine cup, and slowly began to drink. Looking at He Yuzhu, who was eating heartily beside him, he asked, "Did the matter of going to No. 5 Middle School go smoothly?"

"It's done."

He Yuzhu swallowed his rice and said to He Daqing, "I'll help them with the cooking in exchange for letting me audit classes at school."

Helping out in the kitchen at school?

Not bad.

He Daqing then asked the question he was most concerned about: "How much do kitchen helpers get paid?"

"I won't pay."

"What?"

Go to hell if you don't pay!