Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

On the other side, Qin Huairu was busy in front of the stove, the firelight illuminating her slightly tired but still beautiful face.

It’s not that she didn’t hear Sha Zhu’s plan, but she had a more detailed plan in mind.

Qin Huairu knows that relying on violence or conspiracy is not a long-term solution. What she wants is to improve the lives of herself and her family through a gentler and wiser way.

"Perhaps, I can try to get close to Chen Fei and impress him with my gentleness and sincerity." Qin Huairu thought to herself, the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously, as if she had seen the light of hope.

Chen Fei was walking alone on the way home, but he felt a little uneasy for some reason.

Stopping and looking around, I seemed to be able to feel the conspiracy in the air.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the night, and Sha Zhu brought several strong men to block Chen Fei's way.

"Fade Chen, your good days are over!" Sha Zhu roared viciously, clenching his fists as if he was going to swing at Fade Chen in the next second.

However, Fade Chen did not show any panic, instead a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Silly Zhu, do you think you can make me fall like this? You are too naive." His voice was calm and firm, and his eyes flashed with wisdom.

A sudden conflict broke out in the old streets and alleys.

Relying on his extraordinary wisdom and courage, Chen Fei resolved the attacks of Sha Zhu and others one by one, and even turned defeat into victory, defeating Sha Zhu and others.

This scene not only shocked everyone present, but also gave Qin Huairu, who was far away, hope - a man she could truly rely on.

Nearby, there is a restaurant with a long history - "Baiwei Ju", which is not only a food sanctuary in the hearts of diners, but also the pinnacle of glory that chefs compete to climb.

Chen Fei has won numerous praises and respect for his superb cooking skills and humble attitude.

However, there are often undercurrents beneath the calm surface, and a storm is about to come for him.

That afternoon, the sun was lazily shining on the back kitchen of Baiweiju. Amid the steam, Chen Fei was concentrating on stir-frying the ingredients in the pot, and every movement seemed so easy and graceful.

Suddenly, an inappropriate laugh broke the silence. It was Sha Zhu, the sous chef who had long coveted Chen Fei's position as head chef.

"Chen Fei, Chen Fei, do you think you can keep this position?" Sha Zhu's eyes flashed with ill intentions, and he lowered his voice to Ma Hua who was busy at the side and said, "I have a plan that can make him fall from the clouds to the bottom of the valley."

Upon hearing this, Ma Hua paused with the kitchen knife in his hand and looked up at Sha Zhu, his eyes full of confusion and anxiety.

"This... this is not a good idea. If we are discovered, we will all be in trouble." There was some hesitation in his words, and it was obvious that he was afraid of this plan.

"Humph, Ma Hua, you are just too timid!" Sha Zhu curled his lips in disdain, "Confucius said: 'Wealth and honor are sought in danger', Mencius said: 'When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it will first test his mind and make him work hard', we are doing this for a better future!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Hua frowned, obviously expressing his doubts about the famous quote quoted by Sha Zhu.

"Are you sure Confucius and Mencius really said that? Why do I remember..."

"Hey, don't dwell on it!" Sha Zhu interrupted him impatiently, "Look at you, you're almost thirty and you still haven't found a wife. If you don't try your best, your life will be over!"

These words were like a sharp thorn, piercing deep into Ma Hua's heart.

His face turned pale instantly, and the kitchen knife in his hand stopped.

"I...I am useless, but I don't want to be looked down upon!"

"That's right!" Seeing this, Sha Zhu was secretly pleased with himself and continued to exaggerate, "As long as we act carefully, Chen Fei's position will be yours sooner or later. By then, you will not only be the new head chef of Baiweiju, but you will also be able to marry a beautiful, wealthy woman and reach the pinnacle of your life!"

Ma Hua was completely enraged by Sha Zhu's words, but was also attracted by the illusory future. He began to belittle himself, but a flame of unwillingness was ignited deep in his heart.

"I...can I really do this? I can't do anything right. I even look down on myself."

Sha Zhu realized that his words might have gone too far, and quickly changed his words, trying to save the situation. "Hey, Ma Hua, don't give up on yourself. We are in the same boat now, you have to believe in yourself, and you have to believe in me. Let's work together, nothing is impossible!"

Ma Hua looked up and met Sha Zhu's eyes.

"Okay! I've decided that I can't live in this muddle-headed way any longer. Even if it's just to prove myself, I'm going to give it a try!"

Seeing this, Sha Zhu raised a triumphant smile and patted Ma Hua on the shoulder.

"That's right! Let's start preparing now. The first step..."

As the conspiracy between the two gradually deepened, an undercurrent surrounding Chen Fei's position as the head chef quietly surged.

As the sun sets, the restaurant is bustling with people and the kitchen is extremely busy.

Chen Fei was wearing a clean white chef's uniform, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He was concentrating on stir-frying the delicacies in the pot. Every shovelful of it seemed like he was carving a work of art.

However, this tranquility is about to be broken by a carefully planned conspiracy.

"Ma Hua, come here." Sha Zhu, a deputy chef who seems honest but is actually scheming, called Ma Hua to the side in a low voice.

"Brother Zhuzi, do you have something to talk to me about?" Ma Hua asked in a low voice, glancing at Chen Fei who was busy from time to time.

Sha Zhu raised a barely perceptible smile and said in a low voice, "We have to think of a way to make Chen Fei fall. I have come up with a plan to make his food unpalatable. Naturally, there will be complaints from diners. Then..."

Upon hearing this, Ma Hua frowned. Although he felt that this method was not very bright, when he thought of his long-term frustration and unwillingness, he felt a little shaken.

"But we all know Chen Fei's cooking skills. They are not easily shaken."

"Hehe, don't worry about that." Sha Zhu smiled mysteriously, "I have a way to make the dishes he cooks taste completely different. For example, I can secretly add some irrelevant seasonings when he seasons the food, or do something with the ingredients so that he himself doesn't know what the problem is."

Ma Hua was shocked when he heard this. Although he did not want such means, his desire for power and dissatisfaction with the status quo gradually convinced him.

"So, what if we're discovered?"

"Don't worry, I will do it perfectly. When the time comes, we will just wait and see. When he is defeated miserably, you and I will take advantage of the situation." Sha Zhu patted Ma Hua's shoulder, his eyes full of confidence and calculation.

Late at night, after the restaurant closed, Sha Zhu began to implement his plan.

He quietly sneaked into the kitchen, and while Chen Fei wasn't paying attention, he tampered with several key ingredients, and quietly adjusted the positions of some bottles and jars in the spice cabinet, making sure that everything seemed natural, but in fact there was a secret hidden.