Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

Qin Huairu is a young woman in the courtyard. Although she is not rich, she always has a smile on her face and is hardworking and simple. Her husband died early, and she raised two children alone, and her life was very tight. He Yuzhu has always admired her strength and optimism, and would take care of her and the children for a meal from time to time.

"Brother Yuzhu, what delicious food have you prepared today?" Qin Huairu asked with a smile.

"Huai Ru, I'm going to make Peking duck today. This will take several hours of preparation!" He Yuzhu answered while busy with his work.

Qin Huairu's eyes flashed with curiosity and desire, "Brother Yuzhu, can I learn to cook from you? I also want to learn more skills and take good care of the children."

He Yuzhu put down the knife in his hand and looked at her seriously. "Huai Ru, you want to learn how to cook? Of course. But cooking is not an easy task. It requires patience and perseverance."

"I know, I'm not afraid of hard work." Qin Huairu answered firmly.

"Okay, then follow me and learn how to make Peking duck today!" He Yuzhu agreed readily, feeling pleased with Qin Huairu's determination.

He Yuzhu began to explain the production process of Peking duck in detail. From selecting ducks, marinating, drying, to the final roasting, he carefully demonstrated every step, and Qin Huairu listened carefully, afraid of missing a detail.

"Huai Ru, you see, the marinating time and heat are the most critical. You have to master them well to make a roast duck with a crispy skin and tender inside." He Yuzhu explained patiently.

Qin Huairu nodded and wrote down every step carefully. She was learning and operating at the same time. Although she was a little unfamiliar, her seriousness and perseverance made He Yuzhu feel gratified.

As time went by, the aroma of roast duck gradually filled the courtyard. He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu worked hard for a whole morning and finally finished making Peking duck. When the fragrant roast duck was served on the table, Qin Huairu showed a satisfied smile on her face.

"Brother Yuzhu, it's really delicious! Thank you for teaching me." Qin Huairu said gratefully.

"Huai Ru, as long as you study hard, you will definitely learn more dishes. Let's cook together for everyone in the yard in the future, okay?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"Okay, I will definitely study hard!" Qin Huairu answered confidently.

From that day on, Qin Huairu took time out every day to learn cooking from He Yuzhu. She made rapid progress, from the initial simple dishes to the complex traditional Beijing dishes, she gradually mastered a lot of skills. He Yuzhu not only taught her how to cook, but also taught her how to choose ingredients, how to match, and how to adjust the menu according to the changes of the seasons. Qin Huairu's cooking skills are getting better and better. She can not only take good care of her children, but also open a small restaurant in the yard to increase her income.

One day, He Yuzhu took Qin Huairu to a time-honored restaurant that served many traditional Beijing dishes. He wanted Qin Huairu to see a higher level of cooking and hoped that she could get more inspiration from it. The chef in the restaurant was an old friend of He Yuzhu. When he heard that He Yuzhu had brought his apprentice, he received them very warmly.

"Yuzhu, you have a good apprentice. He seems to be very talented." The chef praised.

"Yes, Huairu is studying really hard." He Yuzhu said proudly.

Qin Huairu smiled shyly, "Thank you for your compliment. I would like to ask you more."

The chef gladly accepted the request, took them to visit the kitchen, and explained in detail the preparation process of several signature dishes. Qin Huairu watched without blinking, and asked some questions from time to time, and the chef patiently answered them one by one.

After returning to the courtyard, Qin Huairu practiced harder and made new progress every day. He Yuzhu was very pleased to see this. He knew that Qin Huairu not only learned how to cook, but also learned the courage and confidence to face life.

Although life in the courtyard is ordinary, it becomes particularly fulfilling and warm because of the food and warmth. The friendship between He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu also becomes deeper in the process. They support each other and face the challenges of life together.

However, life is always full of uncertainties. One day, Qin Huairu received a call that her old mother in the countryside was seriously ill. She was so anxious that she rushed back to the countryside overnight. When He Yuzhu found out, he immediately decided to suspend teaching and help Qin Huairu deal with family affairs.

In the countryside, He Yuzhu helped take care of Qin Huairu's mother and often made nutritious meals for her. Qin Huairu was very grateful, and she knew that He Yuzhu was not only her master, but also a friend she could rely on.

Qin Huairu finally breathed a sigh of relief as her mother's condition gradually improved. During her time in the countryside, she also learned a lot of rural ingredients and cooking methods. She plans to incorporate these into her own dishes and bring them back to the courtyard to bring more delicious food to everyone.

After returning to the courtyard, Qin Huairu's cooking skills have made new breakthroughs. She combines local specialties from the countryside with traditional Beijing dishes to create many unique dishes. The neighbors in the courtyard are full of praise for her cooking skills and come to taste her new creations.

One day, a young food critic came to the courtyard. He heard that there was a lady with superb cooking skills here, so he came to taste the food. Qin Huairu was a little nervous, but with the encouragement of He Yuzhu, she decided to show her best dishes.

After tasting it carefully, the food critic showed a satisfied smile on his face, "This dish is really great, not only delicious, but also very creative. Ms. Qin, your cooking skills have reached a very high level."

Qin Huairu was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you for your affirmation. I will continue to work hard."

He Yuzhu looked at her, and his heart was filled with pride and satisfaction. He knew that Qin Huairu had grown from an apprentice to a real chef. She not only learned how to cook, but also found her own direction in life.

Life in the courtyard is still flowing peacefully like water. Every morning, He Yuzhu starts his day in the early morning sunshine. On this day, he plans to go to the market to buy some Chinese cabbage and ginger to prepare a new round of recipes. He Yuzhu likes to select ingredients himself, and he believes that every delicacy cannot be separated from fresh ingredients.

As He Yuzhu walked through the market, vegetable vendors greeted him enthusiastically. Everyone here knew He Yuzhu's reputation and recommended the good products from their stalls. He Yuzhu chatted with them while carefully selecting cabbage and ginger. His fingers gently brushed over the vegetables, feeling their texture and freshness.

"Brother Yuzhu, why are you buying so many cabbages today? What delicious dishes are you going to make?" a young vegetable vendor asked with a smile.

"I'm going to make some home-cooked dishes and maybe try a new recipe." He Yuzhu replied, his eyes still focused on selecting the ingredients.