Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

The late spring breeze, carrying a hint of warmth, blew across the mottled blue bricks and gray tiles of the courtyard house, and also over the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley. Delicate locust petals drifted down, landing on the shoulders of the teenagers returning home from school, adding a touch of warmth and life to the scene.

He Yuzhu, carrying a faded cloth bag, had just reached the old locust tree at the entrance of the courtyard when he heard a noisy chatter.

Looking up, Xu Damao was standing on the steps, chin held high, looking arrogant. He was surrounded by three boys of similar age, all dressed in clean coarse cloth jackets, their eyes full of admiration for Xu Damao, following closely behind him.

He Yuzhu recognized these boys; they were all kids from the nearby alleys. They were usually mischievous at school and nobody wanted to talk to them, but they knew that Xu Damao was a tough guy at school, a fierce fighter, and a smooth talker, and that even the teachers couldn't control him. So every day on their way to school, they would wait for him at the alley entrance, and after school, they would follow him around, escorting him all the way back to the courtyard house. They treated him like their leader, hoping that by following him they could be arrogant and not be bullied by others at school.

Xu Damao caught sight of He Yuzhu, immediately puffed out his chest, and deliberately raised his voice, boasting to his underlings. However, he kept glancing at He Yuzhu out of the corner of his eye. It was obvious that he was deliberately showing off in front of He Yuzhu, wanting to see if he would show any envy.

Looking at his smug expression, He Yuzhu couldn't help but sneer. He crossed his arms and leaned against the old locust tree, his tone full of mockery as he slowly spoke:

"Hey Xu Damao, you've got some serious connections! Just a few days and you've already gathered a bunch of lackeys? What, are these guys all your lapdogs?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached Xu Damao's ears precisely.

Xu Damao showed no embarrassment whatsoever; instead, his smile grew even more smug. He strode up to He Yuzhu, patted his chest, and said matter-of-factly, "Of course, Brother Zhu. No matter what, you're my older brother, so naturally they have to respect you."

"Don't give me that." He Yuzhu rolled his eyes, too lazy to play along, waved his hand dismissively, and said, "I don't have time to play house with you kids, always forming cliques and acting like this."

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao pursed his lips and muttered something under his breath.

"You're only two years older than me. You're just taller and stronger, that's all. What's so great about that?"

He lowered his voice so low that he thought He Yuzhu couldn't hear him, but He Yuzhu had sharp ears and heard every single word.

"What did you say?"

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, took a step forward, and his figure, already half a head taller than Xu Damao, instantly exuded a sense of oppression as he approached. His eyes were fixed on Xu Damao. "I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again if you dare."

Xu Damao was intimidated by his imposing manner and immediately cowered, waving his hands frantically with a fawning smile, shaking his head like a rattle drum.

"It's nothing, it's nothing, Brother Zhu, I didn't say anything." He didn't dare to go head-to-head with He Yuzhu. He had never won a fight since he was a child. If he really angered He Yuzhu, he would definitely get a beating.

Changing the subject, Xu Damao mustered his courage again and looked at He Yuzhu curiously, asking, "Brother Zhu, are you really not going to school anymore? Just staying at home every day? I heard Liu Guangqi say yesterday that he plans to study hard and go to university, saying he wants to be a cultured person."

These words reminded He Yuzhu that he had always thought about learning a trade to support his family, but he had also considered going to school, though he had never quite figured it out.

Upon hearing this, he stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "Going to school, huh? You've reminded me. I'll go to the school another day to ask about the situation and then make a decision."

Xu Damao's eyes widened in surprise, and he asked, "Brother Zhu, are you going to take the college entrance exam too? Like Liu Guangqi?"

"I don't know." He Yuzhu shook his head, his tone flat. "I'm just going to ask. I haven't decided what the exam will be like or how it will be conducted yet. I'll see first."

He said it casually, but Xu Damao took it seriously. He was so excited that he immediately told all the neighbors in the courtyard about He Yuzhu's desire to go back to school and take the exam.

Xu Damao is a man who can't keep a secret. Even the smallest thing can spread throughout the entire courtyard. So what if it's something as novel as He Yuzhu wanting to take the college entrance exam? In less than half a day, everyone in the courtyard knew that He Yuzhu was planning to go back to school.

The news quickly reached He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang's ears. The couple exchanged a glance and both felt that this was no small matter. As soon as He Yuzhu returned home that evening, they immediately called him into the main room and had a serious talk with him.

The kerosene lamp in the main room cast a dim yellow light, illuminating the faces of the family of three. He Daqing sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a pipe in his hand, puffing away, his brows slightly furrowed.

Chen Lanxiang sat at the table, sewing shoe soles. She put down her needle and thread, looked up at He Yuzhu, and asked urgently, "Zhuzi, I heard from Da Mao that you're planning to go back to school to take the exams again? Is that true?"

He Yuzhu nodded, sat down casually on the small stool, and replied, "Oh, I do have that idea, but I haven't decided what to study yet, and I don't know if I can still attend."

"What do you mean?" Chen Lanxiang was stunned for a moment, her needlework stopped, and her face was full of doubt.

"Aren't you going back to take the high school entrance exam? You already graduated from junior high. If you're not going to take the high school entrance exam, what do you want to study?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll go to my old high school tomorrow and ask the teachers there to see what options there are before I decide," He Yuzhu replied casually. In reality, he preferred to learn a practical skill so he could earn money to support his family as soon as possible, rather than relying on his parents forever.

Upon hearing this, Chen Lanxiang immediately perked up. This was the first time she felt that it was not a problem for her son to stay at home all day doing nothing. In the past, she always thought that the child was still young and it was okay for him to stay at home and rest. But now that she heard that he wanted to go to school, she immediately urged him to go.

"Then go first thing tomorrow morning, don't be late! At your age, it's the perfect time to study. Staying at home all day isn't a long-term solution. Whether you go to high school or study something else, you need to make a living."

He Daqing, who was standing to the side, put down his pipe and finally seized the opportunity to interject. In the past, He Yuzhu would mostly ignore what he said, but now that he had a reason, he immediately spoke earnestly.

"That makes sense! If you really can't study and can't get into school, then come with me to work in the factory. With your junior high school education, you're considered highly educated in the factory. Work hard, and you'll be able to earn a stable wage and support your family without any problem."

Seeing that his parents said so, He Yuzhu didn't argue. He nodded and replied, "Okay, I understand. I'll go to the school to ask first thing tomorrow morning."

"Don't forget, Mom is keeping an eye on this. Get up early and go, don't sleep in and make it late."

Chen Lanxiang was still worried, so she gave her son a special reminder, afraid that he would forget about it as soon as he turned around.

"I know, I won't forget." He Yuzhu replied casually, but in his heart he was already planning how to ask when he got to school whether to go to high school or find a school where he could learn a trade. After all, he still wanted to learn a real trade.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, He Yuzhu got up, ate a quick breakfast, and rode his family's old, worn-out bicycle towards the middle school he had graduated from.

The morning mist in the alley had not yet dissipated, and the air was filled with the smell of earth and grass. There were not many pedestrians on the road. He pedaled his bicycle at a slow speed, and the journey was smooth. Before long, he arrived at the gate of the middle school.

The middle school remained the same as before, with its brick gate and wooden sign hanging above it. The campus was quiet, with only a few teachers moving around; the students hadn't started class yet. He Yuzhu parked his bicycle, dusted himself off, and walked straight into the campus to find the administration office.

The dean of students was a middle-aged man surnamed Wang who wore black-rimmed glasses. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw He Yuzhu.

A look of surprise and delight crossed her face. She quickly came forward, grabbed He Yuzhu's hand, and said excitedly, "Isn't this He Yuzhu? What brings you here? I remember you so well! You were the little genius at our school, the one who finished junior high in the shortest time and had outstanding grades. I remember you so vividly!"

When He Yuzhu was in school, he was bright and quick-witted. While others spent three years in junior high school, he graduated in just two. He was a well-known smart kid at school, and his teachers had a very deep impression of him. When he suddenly dropped out of school, his teachers felt it was a great pity.

He Yuzhu smiled politely and said, "Director Wang, I came today to ask about schooling."

"Going to school? Great!" Without another word, Director Wang pulled him towards the principal's office, saying as they walked, "I thought you came here on other business, but it turns out you want to come back to high school. This is wonderful news! The principal will definitely be happy. I'll take you to see the principal and we can have a good talk!"

Director Wang didn't think much of it and assumed that he wanted to come back to take the high school entrance exam and go to university, so he happily took him to the principal's office.

The principal was an elderly man with gray hair, wearing reading glasses. He looked very refined. Hearing the noise, he looked up and recognized He Yuzhu. He smiled and invited him to sit down.

He Yuzhu thanked the principal, sat down, and directly stated his purpose:

"Principal, Director Wang, I'm not here today to take the high school entrance exam. I'd like to ask if there are any vocational schools in Beijing where I can learn a trade or skill. I'd like to apply to one of those schools."

Upon hearing this, the principal's smile slowly faded, his brows furrowed, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the table. After pondering for a long time, he finally understood what He Yuzhu meant by "vocational school." He looked at him with a face full of doubt and regret in his tone: "That's it."

"You mean a vocational school? Kid, your grades were among the best in the whole school back then. Even if you missed two years, you could still go back to high school and, with a little effort, get into university. Your future is bright. Why are you thinking of going to a vocational school? You've already missed two years. If you had continued studying back then, you'd probably be almost graduating high school by now. It's such a waste!"

He Yuzhu smiled bitterly to himself. He couldn't very well tell the principal that he had gone to Tianjin in the past two years, made his way around, learned the cooking skills of three cuisines: Shandong, Sichuan, and halal. He also dealt with the remnants of the Japanese puppet regime in Tianjin, found a wife, and even found a powerful backer. These were things he couldn't and shouldn't say.

Seeing his silence, the principal assumed he was ashamed of dropping out of school years ago, sighed, and didn't ask any further questions, simply shaking his head and saying:

"Child, it's not that I don't want to help you, but our school only has quotas for applying to high schools and universities, not vocational schools. There's nothing I can do to help you with this."

He Yuzhu was mentally prepared and wasn't disappointed upon hearing this. He simply asked, "Principal, I'd like to ask where I can find information about applying to vocational schools, and where I apply?"

The principal thought for a moment and said, "We've only been liberated for a short time now, and many things are under the jurisdiction of the Military Control Commission. They also coordinate many things related to education. If you don't mind the trouble, go to the Military Control Commission and ask. You might be able to find out some information."

He Yuzhu thought to himself, "Well, after all this, I still have to go to the Military Control Commission. These days, the Military Control Commission really handles a lot of things; you can go there for anything, big or small." He stood up, bowed to the principal and Director Wang, and said politely, "Thank you, Principal and Director Wang. I understand. I won't bother you any longer; I'll take my leave now."

"Wait a minute." The principal quickly stopped him, his eyes full of regret, and then urged, "Child, you are only 14 years old this year, which is the best age for studying. Are you really not going to consider going to high school and taking the college entrance exam? With your brains, you can definitely get in."

"Thank you for your kind offer, Principal. I just want to learn a skill as soon as possible to earn money to support my family. I was too young before, and my family wasn't well-off, so I couldn't focus on my studies. Now I just want to learn a skill that can make a living," He Yuzhu said firmly, politely declining the principal's suggestion.

"Ah, what a pity, what a real pity." The principal sighed repeatedly, waving his hand. "If you ever change your mind and want to come back to high school, come to the school anytime. The school will always welcome you."

"Thank you, Principal. I'm leaving now." He Yuzhu thanked him again, turned and left the principal's office, pushed his bicycle out of the school gate, hopped on, and rode straight towards the Military Control Commission.

On the way, he pedaled his bike while pondering who he should ask for help.

He didn't know many people in the Military Control Commission. Wang Cuiping was the deputy head of the Investigation Section, in charge of investigations and case-solving, which had nothing to do with the education sector, so asking her would definitely be useless. On the other hand, his newly acquainted Aunt Wang Hongxia had a wide network of connections in the Military Control Commission and was in charge of various matters. She might know people in the education sector, so asking her might be feasible.

Having figured this out, He Yuzhu pedaled faster and soon arrived at the entrance of the Military Control Commission.

Soldiers stood guard at the entrance of the Military Control Commission, their expressions solemn. People coming and going hurried by, creating a tense atmosphere. He went to the gatehouse, registered his name, address, and purpose of visit, and was then allowed to pass. He walked straight towards Wang Hongxia's department.

Wang Hongxia was sitting at her desk, engrossed in processing documents piled high on it. Seeing He Yuzhu enter, she was somewhat surprised. Putting down her pen, she chuckled and teased, "Zhuzi, what brings you to the Military Control Commission today? Did the old lady send you? Or do you have another house to sell and need my help?"

He Yuzhu smiled helplessly and said, "Aunt Wang, you're preoccupied with the house right now. Can't I come for something else?"

"Hey, you have no idea how worrying it is to have a house right now," Wang Hongxia said, rubbing her temples and pointing to her hair with a helpless expression.

"Recently, more and more people have come to the city. People are scrambling to find houses and handle property procedures. I'm so busy every day that I can't even stand still. Look at my hair, I'm almost all gone from worry."

He Yuzhu looked up and saw that Wang Hongxia's hair was thick and black, showing no signs of hair loss. He was speechless and could only nod in agreement, not exposing her joke.

"Alright, stop standing there, I'm busy. Tell me, what brings you here?" Wang Hongxia didn't beat around the bush and asked directly.

"Aunt Wang, do you know anyone in the Military Control Commission who is in charge of education?" He Yuzhu didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose.

"Education?" Wang Hongxia paused, looked him up and down, and asked suspiciously, "What's wrong? Does any of your relatives' children need to start school and you want my help?"

"It's none other than my child," He Yuzhu said, pointing to himself with a serious expression.

"You?" Wang Hongxia was even more puzzled, her eyes widening as she blurted out, "Going to primary school? You're definitely way too old, but if you talk to the school, they should be able to accept you."

He Yuzhu's face immediately darkened, and question marks almost popped out of his head. Elementary school? He had already graduated from junior high school, how could he still go to elementary school? This Aunt Wang was too good at joking.

Helplessly, he pulled out his junior high school graduation certificate from his pocket, waved it in front of Wang Hongxia, and said, "Aunt Wang, please don't look down on me. I graduated from junior high school a long time ago. Here is my graduation certificate."

Wang Hongxia exclaimed in surprise, snatched the graduation certificate, and flipped it open for a closer look. It clearly stated that she graduated from junior high school in July 1947, and the official seals were complete. It was a genuine junior high school graduation certificate.

She was even more surprised. She clearly remembered that He Yuzhu was only 14 years old this year. In 1947, he was only 12 years old. He graduated from junior high school at the age of 12. He was too smart.

"Wow, I never would have guessed you were such a little genius!" Wang Hongxia exclaimed in amazement, handing the graduation certificate back to He Yuzhu and saying with a smile, "What, you want to come back to take the high school entrance exam but can't find a place to register, so you've come to me for help?"

As the two were talking, the office door was pushed open, and a man in cadre uniform walked in, carrying documents. He came to get Wang Hongxia's signature and happened to overhear their conversation. After looking He Yuzhu up and down, he smiled and said to Wang Hongxia, "Sister Wang, whose son is this? He seems quite clever. Our Military Control Commission is short-staffed. If he's old enough, why don't we recruit him to help out?"

Wang Hongxia waved her hand dismissively and said irritably, "This child is only 14 years old. Who would dare hire him to work at such a young age? Hurry up and get on with your work."

Upon hearing this, the man looked surprised, glanced at He Yuzhu again, and said, "Such a big guy, only 14? He looks like a 17 or 18-year-old lad."

"No mistake, would I lie to you?" Wang Hongxia replied.

"Never mind then, Sister Wang, please sign this document for me." The man didn't say anything more and handed over the document.

"Okay, please wait a moment." Wang Hongxia took the document, carefully read it through, and only after confirming that the contents were correct did she pick up a pen, sign her name, and return the document to the other party.

The man took the document, and before leaving, he couldn't help but glance at He Yuzhu a few more times. He thought to himself, "I'll have something interesting to talk about with my colleagues when I go to the cafeteria today. A 14-year-old junior high school graduate, and a big guy at that, that's quite a rare thing."

After everyone left, Wang Hongxia looked at He Yuzhu. She had been thinking about it earlier; given He Yuzhu's grades, his original high school would definitely be eager for him to go back and take the high school entrance exam. There was no way he wouldn't have a place to register. So she asked, "Tell me, what exactly do you want from the education department? It's not just about taking the high school entrance exam, is it?"

"Aunt Wang is wise." He Yuzhu smiled and said, "I want to ask if those vocational schools in Beijing are still operating, and how to apply. I want to attend one of those schools."

"A vocational school?" Wang Hongxia raised an eyebrow and asked a series of questions, "Which one do you want to go to? Do you know what vocational schools do? What major do you plan to study? Have you decided yet?"

"I don't know much about it," He Yuzhu said truthfully. "I've only heard others mention it before. It seems like you can learn mechanics or handicrafts. I think it's practical to learn this, and I can earn money to support my family as soon as I finish learning it."

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongxia's eyes lit up, and she asked with a smile, "You didn't hear this from your Uncle Zhao, did you?"

He Yuzhu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly shook his head: "Huh? No, I haven't talked to Uncle Zhao about this."

"Oh, I thought it was Old Zhao who mentioned it to you," Wang Hongxia said with a smile. "You don't know, do you? Your Uncle Zhao used to be a teacher at the National Beiping Senior Industrial Vocational School. He's very knowledgeable about this kind of thing."

He Yuzhu was full of surprise. He had always thought Uncle Zhao was an engineer, but he didn't expect him to have been a teacher. He couldn't help but ask, "My Uncle Zhao is a teacher? I always thought he was an engineer who did engineering."

"He's an engineer and a teacher. He can teach and lecture, and he also understands practical skills. Unlike you, who can only talk a good game," Wang Hongxia joked. "He used to teach mechanical engineering at a vocational school, so he knows all the connections and resources in that field."

"Teach mechanical engineering?" He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Does that mean I don't need to take an exam and can just ask Uncle Zhao for help to enroll?"

"You're dreaming. There's no such thing as a free lunch," Wang Hongxia said with a smile, rolling her eyes at him.

"But you've come to the right person. The principal of the school where Uncle Zhao used to teach is an old acquaintance of mine, and we're quite close. Are you free today? If you are, wait here for me for a while. After I get off work, I'll take you to meet that principal and ask about enrollment."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu was overjoyed and quickly asked, "An acquaintance? How close? Can you directly enroll me without going through all those procedures?"

"You'll see when the time comes. I promise you won't have made a wasted trip." Wang Hongxia deliberately kept him in suspense, not going into details.

He Yuzhu glanced at the mountain of documents in the office, then at his watch. It was still a long time before he was supposed to leave work, so he said, "Aunt Wang, I'm bored waiting here. Why don't I go home first and come back to find you when you're almost done?"

"No way, you think you can just run away now that you're here?" Wang Hongxia immediately stopped him, her eyes darting around as she smiled and said, "Anyway, you have nothing to do at home. Aren't you a professional cook? You have family culinary skills, and your skills are so good. Why don't you go to the Military Control Commission's canteen and show off your skills? Let our comrades from the Military Control Commission have a treat today and taste your cooking."

He Yuzhu paused for a moment, hesitated, and said, "Is this... appropriate? I'm just an outsider. Can the comrades trust me to cook in the canteen?" What he said was true. The Military Control Commission was an important department, and cooking in the canteen was no small matter. It was indeed inappropriate for an outsider to interfere.

Wang Hongxia thought about it and felt that what he said made sense, so she said, "That makes sense. How about this, you go find your Aunt Ping first and call her over. I'll take you to the canteen with her. The canteen director, Lao Ren, used to be in the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China. He and I are old acquaintances. Before liberation, I was his superior. We have a life-and-death friendship. With Aunt Ping and me guaranteeing it, there will definitely be no problem."

He Yuzhu clicked his tongue inwardly. "Goodness," he thought, "so it's someone I've entrusted my life to. Their relationship is far from ordinary; no wonder I'm so confident." He quickly nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go find Aunt Ping right now. But Aunt Wang, I wouldn't dare run away. Don't worry, I'll definitely call Aunt Ping over."

"That's more like it. You know the place, right?" Wang Hongxia instructed.

"I know, I know, Aunt Ping is in the investigation department, I've been there." He Yuzhu nodded repeatedly and turned to run outside.

"Hurry up and come back! Don't dawdle. If you come back late, the cafeteria food will be cooked, and you won't have a chance to show off your skills," Wang Hongxia called out from behind.

"Got it!" He Yuzhu replied, quickening his pace as he jogged towards the investigation department.

When He Yuzhu arrived at Wang Cuiping's office, the door was ajar, but he pushed it open and went in. Wang Cuiping was sitting at her desk, organizing case files, a gun slung at her waist, her expression serious. Seeing him rush in, her face changed, and she immediately stood up, her hand gripping the gun handle, and asked anxiously, "Zhuzi, what happened at home? Has someone been bullying our family?"

Seeing this, He Yuzhu quickly waved his hand and said breathlessly, "No, no, no, Aunt Wang, don't be nervous. Everything is fine at home. Please hang up the gun first."

Wang Cuiping finally breathed a sigh of relief, loosened her grip on the gun, and said irritably, "Why did you run off in such a hurry if there was nothing wrong? You scared me half to death."

"It's because Aunt Wang is urging us so much, we have to hurry," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"Which Aunt Wang? Isn't everything alright at home?" Wang Cuiping asked疑惑地.

"It's Aunt Wang Hongxia from the Military Control Commission, another Aunt Wang," He Yuzhu explained.

"Sister Hongxia?" Wang Cuiping suddenly realized and asked, "What did she want to see you about that made you so anxious?"

He Yuzhu didn't dare to delay. He quickly told her everything about wanting to take the vocational school entrance exam, asking Wang Hongxia for help, and how Wang Hongxia asked him to call Wang Cuiping to go to the cafeteria to show off his cooking skills. He thought Wang Cuiping could say a few words for him and save him the trouble of cooking. Unexpectedly, after listening, Wang Cuiping's eyes lit up and she reached out and patted his shoulder hard.

Wang Cuiping, a seasoned marksman, possessed immense strength. Her blow made He Yuzhu grimace, nearly crying out in pain. Then, Wang Cuiping exclaimed excitedly.

"That's right, how come I didn't think of having you cook in the canteen! You're idle at home all day, so it's a good opportunity to help out. You don't know, our military control commission's canteen is good in every other way, but the food is just indescribable. It's the same big pot of food every day, it's tasteless, and everyone is tired of it."

He Yuzhu inwardly groaned. From what he heard, Wang Cuiping was completely on Wang Hongxia's side and had no intention of pleading for him at all. He could only helplessly say, "Fine."

"It can't be that bad. It's not hard to find a good chef, so how could you cook the food like this?"

"Hmph, you'll see when we get there. Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and go." Wang Cuiping said, grabbing He Yuzhu's arm and pulling him out. Her strength was so great that he couldn't resist at all.

"Gun, gun, your gun isn't properly hung up yet!" He Yuzhu hurriedly whispered a reminder, glancing at the gun at Wang Cuiping's waist, afraid of accidentally touching it.

"Oh, look at my memory, I forgot."

Wang Cuiping then stopped, took the gun down, hung it on the office wall, carefully locked the office door, and then pulled He Yuzhu along to walk towards Wang Hongxia's department.

When the two arrived at Wang Hongxia's office, Wang Hongxia didn't say much. She picked up her coat and led the two towards the cafeteria.

Actually, she could have gone with He Yuzhu herself, but Wang Cuiping was well-known in the Military Control Commission. As the deputy head of the investigation section, she was known for her strong sense of justice and everyone knew her. With her going to vouch for them, the canteen would definitely feel more at ease and wouldn't have any concerns.

The military control commission's canteen was very large, after all, it had to feed over a thousand people. The kitchen was spacious and bright, and several cooks were busy washing and chopping vegetables, creating a bustling scene. Wang Hongxia led the two to the canteen director, Lao Ren. Lao Ren, surnamed Ren, was around fifty years old, slightly overweight, and looked very kind. He was inspecting the ingredients in the kitchen.

Wang Hongxia told Lao Ren about He Yuzhu's situation. Lao Ren looked He Yuzhu up and down carefully, with a hint of doubt in his eyes. After all, He Yuzhu looked too young, only fourteen years old. Even if he could cook, how good could his skills be?

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Young man, my canteen cooks for a thousand people in one large pot, unlike the small portions at noodle restaurants. We have to stir-fry everything with shovels. Can you handle it?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongxia felt a little embarrassed. She had been so focused on praising He Yuzhu's cooking skills that she forgot the canteen served meals to a thousand people, which was completely different from private kitchens or restaurant food. No matter how good the cooking skills were, if you had never cooked meals in a large kitchen before, you might not be able to do it.

He Yuzhu remained calm, smiled, and said, "Uncle Ren, how about I give it a try? Although I've never cooked such a large batch of food for the Military Control Commission before, my cooking skills include preparing dishes for large batches, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Old Ren didn't agree immediately. He looked at Wang Hongxia with a questioning look in his eyes, as if asking her if she was sure the boy could do it and not ruin the meal, since thousands of people were waiting for it.

Wang Hongxia waved her hand and said, "Old Ren, don't underestimate him. This kid is no ordinary person. He has inherited his culinary skills from his family and has also apprenticed under famous masters. He has mastered all three cuisines: Shandong, Sichuan, and Halal. His skills are excellent. Just let him try. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

Upon hearing this, Lao Ren immediately became interested. A chef who had mastered three different cuisines was a rare find. He quickly asked, "Oh? Three cuisines? Tell me which three specifically?"

"I learned Shandong cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, and halal cuisine from professional masters, and I've mastered them all," He Yuzhu replied calmly.

"Young man, you're amazing!" Old Ren praised repeatedly, his doubts lessened considerably, and said.

"I won't let you try cooking at the main stove yet. We just received five fresh sheep from our shopping trip. I wonder if you dare to cook this mutton for everyone to have a better meal?"

"Uncle Ren, cooking mutton is no problem, but I don't know what the cooking method is, or what it should be cooked like?" He Yuzhu asked.

"There's only one requirement: a large pot of food, enough for thousands of people, with no waste of ingredients and not enough to go around," Old Ren said. "These five sheep look like a lot, but after removing the bones, there's not much meat. We have to make it affordable so that everyone can have some."

He Yuzhu did some mental calculations. Five sheep weighed less than 200 jin in total. After deboning, the pure meat would only weigh a little over 100 jin. If they were to make hand-pulled mutton or braised meat strips, it would definitely not be enough to share. If each person only got a small piece, they wouldn't be able to taste the flavor at all, and they would end up getting complaints.

As he was pondering what to make, Wang Cuiping suddenly spoke up, her eyes sparkling, "Zhuzi, how about making mutton noodles? It's a large and affordable meal, tastes good, and everyone can have a meal and be full."

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongxia asked in confusion, "Mutton noodles? What kind of dish is that? I've never heard of it before."

"I know," Old Ren said with a smile. "This is a specialty noodle dish from Shaanxi. I had the opportunity to try it once when I went to Shaanxi on a business trip in 1943. It tasted really good, but I don't know if it was made well."

"Is it delicious?" Wang Hongxia pressed.

"It all depends on the chef's skill. If it's done well, it'll be fresh, fragrant, and flavorful, and the more you eat, the better it will taste; if it's done poorly, it'll be bland, tasteless, and even have a gamey smell."

Old Ren looked at He Yuzhu and asked, "Young man, do you know how to make this mutton noodle soup?"

"I've eaten it a few times and learned how to make it from my master, so it's no problem." He Yuzhu nodded in response. He was indeed an expert in making mutton noodles. The sauce was well-cooked, the noodles were chewy, and it was absolutely delicious.

"Alright, let's make mutton noodles!" Old Ren immediately decided. "We were originally planning to have steamed buns made with a mixture of wheat and water for lunch, but we can save those for tonight or tomorrow. You can allocate the manpower as you see fit; everyone in the kitchen will follow your instructions. But can we make these dry noodles in time?"

"There's enough time. As long as we have enough manpower, rolling and cutting noodles can be done quickly. There are no special requirements for the noodles; ordinary white flour will do. I'll explain the recipe for the meat sauce to the cooks later. Anyone with a little experience can learn it. Also, I'll make a pot of mutton soup for everyone. It will take a long time to cook, so we won't be able to drink it until tomorrow. The broth will be even more flavorful," He Yuzhu said.

"No problem, I'll do whatever you say!" Old Ren readily agreed, pulling He Yuzhu towards the kitchen. "Hurry up, let's go, don't be late for dinner. Let these guys in the kitchen learn something too. Their skills aren't that great, but they think they're all chefs. There's always someone better, we need to teach them a lesson."

"Okay, Uncle Ren," He Yuzhu replied.

"Don't call me Director, just call me Uncle. You call them all Auntie, calling me Uncle makes it seem more intimate," Old Ren said with a smile.

"Okay, Uncle Ren," He Yuzhu obediently changed his address.

"Then we'll go back to work now. Zhu Zi, I'm leaving this to you," Wang Hongxia said, then specifically instructed Lao Ren, "Lao Ren, don't bully this child. If I find out you've made things difficult for him, I won't let you off the hook."

"Don't worry, with the two of you looking after him, how could I dare to make things difficult for him? I'd be happy to see him doing so," Old Ren said with a smile.

"Zhu Zi, show off your skills! Don't forget your craft, let everyone taste your delicious cooking." Wang Cuiping patted his shoulder and urged him.

"Okay, you're good to go! I guarantee everyone will be satisfied!" He Yuzhu smiled mischievously, full of confidence.

After Wang Hongxia and Wang Cuiping left, Lao Ren led He Yuzhu into the kitchen. He Yuzhu glanced around the kitchen and nodded to himself. As expected of the military control commission's canteen, it was clean and tidy. The stoves, cutting boards, and kitchen utensils were all neatly arranged, and there was no oil stain on the floor. It was clear that it was a disciplined place brought from the army. It was clean and tidy, which made people feel comfortable.

"How's it going, young man? Is our kitchen clean enough?" Old Ren asked with a smile when he saw him nod, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Clean, tidy, and well-organized—better than many restaurants outside," He Yuzhu praised sincerely.

"Of course, it's a tradition in the military that can't be abandoned no matter where you are," Lao Ren said.

At this moment, a middle-aged man in a cook's uniform walked over. He was burly and had a somewhat resentful look on his face. He looked He Yuzhu up and down and asked Old Ren, "Director, is this young comrade a new cook? Which unit is he from? Why isn't he wearing a uniform?"

This man was the head cook of the mess hall, surnamed Huang, and everyone called him Squad Leader Huang. Before liberation, Squad Leader Huang had been an apprentice in a restaurant in the city, learning cooking skills for two years. Before he could graduate, the war broke out, the restaurant closed down, and he lost his livelihood, so he joined the army. Because he knew a little about cooking, he became a cook. Over the years, his skills had become quite decent, considered good in the army mess hall. However, he had always been arrogant and thought his skills were top-notch. Seeing that He Yuzhu was young, he didn't take him seriously at all.

Old Ren said with a smile, "Squad Leader Huang, this young man isn't from the team. He's here to see Section Chief Hongxia on some business. I heard he comes from a family with excellent culinary skills, so I specially invited him to show off his skills to everyone, so you can all learn and know what it means to be outdone."

Squad Leader Huang curled his lip, his eyes full of disdain, staring at He Yuzhu with a hint of skepticism in his tone: "Him? He looks like he hasn't even grown up yet. He's only studied cooking for a few years, and he dares to show off here?"

As soon as he said this, the other cooks in the kitchen stopped what they were doing and looked over. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and doubt. They all thought that He Yuzhu was too young and couldn't possibly have good skills.

Old Ren didn't ask He Yuzhu about his apprenticeship in detail. Hearing this, he looked at He Yuzhu, wanting to hear what he had to say.

He Yuzhu wasn't angry. He smiled faintly and said calmly, "Squad Leader Huang, I've been learning to cook for eight years, which isn't a short time."

"Eight years?" Squad Leader Huang paused for a moment, then asked, "Did you graduate? What cuisine did you study?"

"Luckily, I've mastered all three cuisines." He Yuzhu's tone was calm, yet full of confidence.

"Three cuisines?" Squad Leader Huang scoffed, "Is your father your master? A family heirloom?"

"Not really. It's a family recipe for Shandong cuisine. I didn't apprentice under my father; I had two other masters," He Yuzhu said.

"Two masters?" Squad Leader Huang pressed, "What family recipes do you have, and what did you learn from them?"

"My family has a tradition of Shandong cuisine, and I learned halal cuisine and Sichuan cuisine from two different masters," He Yuzhu answered patiently.

Upon hearing this, Squad Leader Huang was even more incredulous, shaking his head and saying, "Impossible, absolutely impossible! The rules for learning to cook are three years of odd jobs, two years of kitchen service, at least five years to learn one cuisine, and ten years for two cuisines. How old are you? Even if you started learning at six, it would only be eight years. How could you possibly master three cuisines? You're exaggerating too much!"

He spoke loudly enough that all the cooks in the kitchen heard him clearly. When they heard He Yuzhu say that he had mastered all three cuisines, they were all so shocked that they stopped what they were doing, their faces full of disbelief. They all thought that this kid was just bragging.

He Yuzhu looked at Lao Ren, who nodded slightly, indicating that he should speak frankly.

He Yuzhu looked at Squad Leader Huang and said seriously, "Squad Leader Huang, you are also a member of the Qinxing team, so you should know that when it comes to learning, people are different. Some people have high comprehension, and some have low comprehension. Those with high comprehension naturally learn quickly and become skilled. This is not something that can be achieved by simply accumulating years of experience."

Squad Leader Huang's face stiffened. These words hit a nerve. Back when he was an apprentice at the restaurant, he hadn't mastered the skills even after two years because of his average aptitude. He had to figure it out on his own without any proper mentor. Over the years, his skills hadn't improved much. Hearing He Yuzhu say this, although he was unconvinced, he knew it was the right thing to do and couldn't refute it. He could only nod with difficulty.

After a moment of silence, Squad Leader Huang stopped dwelling on his apprenticeship and the time he had spent learning the craft. He waved his hand and said, "Since you're here to show off your skills, then please go ahead. I want to see just how capable you are."

Seeing this, Old Ren quickly said, "The five sheep that were delivered this morning are all over there. Bring one over first. Young man, do you know how to butcher a sheep? Butchering a sheep is not something just anyone can do."

"Yes, no problem." He Yuzhu nodded, then looked at the knives on the cutting board and said, "It's these knives; I need to choose a good one."

"We don't have much else in the kitchen, but we have plenty of knives—axes, saws, boning knives, you name it. Take your pick, use whichever one you like," Old Ren said with a wave of his hand.

He Yuzhu walked to the knife rack, looked at it carefully, and chose a sharp boning knife and a meat cleaver. He didn't touch the axe or saw at all. He never used such rough tools when butchering sheep; he relied entirely on his precise knife skills.

"Someone, get the young chef an apron, sleeves, and a chef's hat, and bring over a large basin to hold the sheep offal," Old Ren shouted.

"Hey, Director!" A young cook ran over quickly and soon brought over an apron, sleeves, a hat, and a large basin.

He Yuzhu took it, dressed neatly, and had someone place a large basin next to the chopping board, fill it with clean water, and everything was ready. The freshly slaughtered sheep was also brought over; the wool had been removed cleanly, the skin had been peeled off, and the meat was still inside, bright red and very fresh.

In the past, when butchering sheep in the kitchen, they used axes and saws to chop and saw, which was rough and bloody, leaving bloodstains everywhere and a lot of bone fragments, which was very wasteful.

Today, He Yuzhu only brought two knives, not an axe or saw. The cooks who weren't busy all gathered around, wanting to see what was going on.

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, his eyes became focused, and he held the boning knife firmly in his hand. He walked to the sheep's side and, without the slightest hesitation, began to cut.

With a flick of his wrist, the knife moved swiftly and cleanly. He first made a gentle cut along the sheep's abdomen, opening it up and precisely removing the sheep's internal organs. He then sorted them and placed them into a large basin. His movements were gentle, without breaking any of the internal organs, and he did a clean and efficient job.

Next, the blade cut along the joint of the lamb's hind leg, and with a gentle lift, the hind leg was completely removed without any damage to the bone. Then, the blade moved to the foreleg, the belly, and the ribs, each cut precisely following the joints and bone seams, without wasting a single piece of meat or breaking a single bone.

The entire set of movements was fluid and seamless, executed with astonishing speed and skillful technique. There was not a moment of hesitation or hesitation, and every cut was just right. The cooks around them were dumbfounded, forgetting to breathe, their eyes wide with amazement.

Squad Leader Huang, standing at the front, saw everything clearly. His initial disdain and skepticism gradually vanished, replaced by shock and admiration. In the end, he was completely speechless. He had been a cook for many years and had butchered sheep countless times, but he had never been so precise and skillful. He had always relied on brute force with an axe, a far cry from He Yuzhu's knife work. It was clear that He Yuzhu's skill was genuine, the result of rigorous training and hard work, not just empty boasting.

The cooks around couldn't help but gasp in amazement, whispering among themselves, "That's incredible! That knife skill is amazing!" "You can tell a master's skill the moment they make a move. This young chef's technique is truly superb!" "We used to butcher sheep too roughly, wasting so much meat. We should learn from him; this is what skill looks like!"

He Yuzhu paid no attention to the stares around him, focusing on his work. He quickly finished dissecting the whole sheep, arranging the lamb legs, belly, chops, and meat neatly in their respective categories. The cutting board was spotless, with no excess blood or bone fragments.

He put down the knife, wiped his hands, looked at Old Ren and Squad Leader Huang, and said, "Uncle Ren, Squad Leader Huang, the sheep is butchered. Now we can stir-fry the meat sauce and roll out the noodles."

Old Ren snapped out of his daze and clapped his hands repeatedly in praise: "Good, good! Young man, this skill is truly amazing! I've never seen anything like it! Squad Leader Huang, you all need to learn from this. This is the real skill of Qinxing. Don't be all talk and no action in the future!"

Squad Leader Huang, his face flushed, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to He Yuzhu and said sincerely, "Young master, I was blind to your talent and offended you just now. I am completely impressed by your skills! I hope you will give me more guidance in the future."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Squad Leader Huang, you're too kind. We're all cooks, so we can learn from each other."