Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

Although Chen Fei refused the position of head chef, his noble character and selfless mind, like a warm current, quietly flowed in everyone's heart.

There is an old restaurant called "Yunweixuan" near the Siheyuan. It is not only a feast for taste buds, but also a stage for countless chefs' dreams to begin.

Chen Fei, a young talent who is only 25 years old but already well-known in the culinary world, is standing in front of the steaming stove, swishing the spatula in his hand like a conductor directing a symphony. Every stir-fry is precise and accurate, releasing a mouth-watering aroma.

However, there was a barely perceptible hint of fatigue and boredom in his eyes.

"Chen Fei, you have such great skills, why don't you want to be the head chef?" Director Yang, a middle-aged man with a full beard, his eyes revealing the shrewdness of a businessman and his desire for talent, stood aside, his tone filled with confusion and regret.

Chen Fei stopped what he was doing, turned around, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. That smile showed both helplessness towards the current situation and longing for the future.

"Director, you know that the position of head chef is a heavy responsibility and a lot of pressure. I am used to being lazy and I am afraid I can't bear this heavy responsibility."

As soon as these words came out, the chefs around him looked at him in surprise. They didn't expect that Chen Fei, who seemed easy-going on weekdays, would refuse such an attractive position.

However, what shocked them even more was yet to come.

"How about this, Fade Chen, if you are willing to take on the responsibilities of head chef, I promise to double your salary, how about that?" Before Director Yang finished speaking, the entire kitchen instantly became lively, with discussions rising one after another, and everyone looked at this scene with incredible eyes.

Chen Fei's heart moved. He actually had this idea a long time ago, but due to face and strategy, he never showed it.

At this moment, he pretended to hesitate for a moment, and finally nodded, with confidence and determination shining in his eyes.

"Okay, since the factory director thinks so highly of me, then I, Fade Chen, will respectfully obey your orders."

Upon seeing this, Director Yang showed a satisfied smile on his face, patted Chen Fei on the shoulder, and said earnestly:

"I knew you wouldn't let me down. From today on, the kitchen will be in your hands. I believe you can lead us all to go further."

With the departure of Director Yang, the atmosphere in the kitchen became subtle.

Sha Zhu's face was gloomy, and he was obviously extremely dissatisfied with losing his position as head chef and Chen Fei's sudden increase in salary.

Qin Huairu looked at Chen Fei's back with both envy and resentment.

"Everyone, from now on, we have to establish the rules of our kitchen." Chen Fei's voice rang in everyone's ears. He looked around with a firm look in his eyes, "Non-staff members are not allowed to enter the kitchen area at will. This is to ensure the quality and safety of our dishes. I hope everyone can understand and abide by it."

When Sha Zhu heard this, the corner of his mouth twitched. He was about to refute, but he saw Chen Fei walking up to him with a sharp gaze that did not allow any doubt.

"Shazhu, you are no exception. I know you have resentment in your heart, but remember, this is a workplace, please put your personal emotions aside. If you have any dissatisfaction, you can talk to me privately."

Sha Zhu was stunned for a moment, but finally closed his mouth, turned around and left, but secretly swore in his heart that one day he would let Chen Fei see his strength.

Qin Huairu sighed softly. She looked at Chen Fei with both admiration and challenge in her eyes. She knew that from now on, the culinary world of Yunweixuan would no longer be as peaceful as before.

This day was a turning point in Chen Fei's career.

In the mottled canteen kitchen of the Red Star Steel Mill, steam and smoke interweave into a hazy world, and in this chaos, a contest between cooking skills and dignity quietly begins.

Chen Fei was standing in front of the stove at this moment, the spatula in his hand flying, the flames dancing in his eyes, as if every inch of the food was under his control.

There was an unprecedented firmness and confidence in his eyes, which was a new recognition of his self-worth and a powerful response to the contempt and misunderstanding of the past.

"Have you heard? That kid Chen Fei will officially take over the position of head chef today." In the corner, Sha Zhu's voice was filled with a bit of unwillingness and jealousy. Although his voice was low, it was loud enough for people around him to hear clearly.

In his mind, Fade Chen was just a "villain" who used his cleverness to get to the top, and he was the cooking master who should be standing in the center of the stage.

On the other side, Qin Huairu stood in a corner of the cafeteria, holding a plate in her hand, but her eyes involuntarily fell on Chen Fei's busy figure.

She felt mixed emotions in her heart, and her thoughts drifted back to that youthful afternoon many years ago. If she had chosen Chen Fei at that time, what would her life be like now?

She sighed softly and secretly decided in her heart that she would find an opportunity to get to know the man she had missed.

As Chen Fei shouted "bring it out of the pot", a dish of delicious food was served on the employees' table, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

It was a braised pork dish that looked ordinary but contained a secret. It was fatty but not greasy, melted in the mouth and left a lasting aftertaste.

The employees all looked at him with surprise and approval. Even Sha Zhu, who usually looked down on Chen Fei, had to admit that his cooking skills were indeed not as good as his.

"Director Yang, look at this..." The canteen director reported Chen Fei's achievements to Director Yang who had just walked into the canteen with a smile on his face.

Director Yang nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He knows very well that in this highly competitive era, employee satisfaction and work efficiency are the key to a company's survival, and Chen Fei's cooking skills are undoubtedly an excellent tool to improve these two points.

"Chen Fei, you did a great job. I'm considering using your cooking skills to entertain the important leaders who are coming. Please don't let me down." Director Yang's words were filled with expectations and tests.

However, when Director Yang proposed to increase the salary to 150 yuan as a reward, Chen Fei unexpectedly shook his head.

"Director, I accept the position of head chef, but I don't need a pay raise. I hope to have a chance to use my cooking skills to solve bigger problems for the factory. We can talk about it then."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire cafeteria fell silent.

Sha Zhu widened his eyes and looked at Chen Fei in disbelief. He had never seen anyone with such courage and vision.

Qin Huairu felt a warm current in her heart. She seemed to see Chen Fei's spirit of not giving up and daring to challenge, which was a quality that she had been deeply attracted to but had never truly understood.

As Chen Fei officially took over the duties of head chef, the layout of the factory canteen quietly changed.

There are many new and delicious dishes on the employees' tables, and the atmosphere in the cafeteria has become more harmonious and friendly.

All these changes originated from Chen Fei, who was once looked down upon but now has proven himself with his strength.