Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

"Ms. Zhang, I plan to start selling boxed lunches." Wang Qiang said to Ms. Zhang while cutting vegetables.

Zhang was a little surprised when she heard this, but she was more delighted. "Really? That's a great idea! Your dishes are so delicious, I'm sure many people will like them."

Wang Qiang nodded, feeling confident, "Yes, I think so too. I hope to share our good craftsmanship with more people."

At lunch time, Wang Qiang's lunch box stall was set up at the entrance of the courtyard. The simple table was filled with neatly arranged lunch boxes, each of which was carefully made by him. His menu read: braised spare ribs, Kung Pao chicken, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Each dish was delicious.

"Come on, come on, freshly-baked lunch boxes, only three dollars each!" Wang Qiang greeted the neighbors who came and went enthusiastically.

Soon, the first batch of customers arrived. Neighbors were well aware of Wang Qiang's cooking skills and came to buy his food. Soon, Wang Qiang's stall was crowded with people, and everyone was looking forward to tasting his food.

"Wang Qiang, give me a serving of braised pork ribs!" said neighbor Uncle Liu with a smile.

"Okay, Uncle Liu, please wait a moment." Wang Qiang quickly packed a portion of braised pork ribs and handed it over.

Uncle Liu took the lunch box and opened it. The rich aroma filled his nose, whetting his appetite. "It smells so good, Wang Qiang, your cooking skills are amazing!"

Wang Qiang smiled and said, "I'm glad you like it. Thank you for your support."

In the following days, Wang Qiang's stall was crowded with people, and the lunch boxes were quickly sold out. Seeing everyone enjoying their meals, he felt a sense of accomplishment. This was not only a recognition of his craftsmanship, but also an affirmation of his efforts.

In the evening, Wang Qiang packed up his stall and returned home, his heart full of joy and satisfaction. He knew that this was just a beginning, but this beginning had given him hope and a future. He sat at the table, thinking about today's experience, and had more plans and dreams in his mind.

Zhang came over and handed him a cup of hot tea. "Thank you for your hard work. How was your day?"

Wang Qiang took the tea and said with a smile, "It's very good. All the lunch boxes have been sold out. Everyone likes it very much."

Zhang's eyes were filled with relief and pride. "That's good. Your efforts have not been in vain."

At night, Wang Qiang lay in bed, thinking back to the scene of selling lunch boxes during the day. Although he was busy all day, he felt unprecedented satisfaction and fulfillment. The success of the lunch box business not only made him see his potential, but also filled him with confidence and hope for the future.

"I will do better tomorrow." Wang Qiang encouraged himself secretly. He knew that if he wanted to do it for a long time, he had to keep improving and innovating. He decided to plan tomorrow's work tonight and set some tasks and goals for himself.

The next morning, Wang Qiang got up early. He walked into the kitchen and began to prepare for the day's work. First, he sorted out the remaining ingredients from yesterday, then made a detailed shopping list and prepared to go to the market to buy fresh ingredients. He knew that the freshness and quality of the ingredients were the key to success.

"Ms. Zhang, I plan to make a few new dishes today. Do you have any suggestions?" Wang Qiang asked while sorting out the list.

Zhang was cleaning the table. After hearing what Wang Qiang said, she thought for a while and said, "I think you can try making a dish of Mapo Tofu. It's spicy and very popular. Also, make a light vegetable soup. It will be even better together."

Wang Qiang nodded. "That's a good idea. I think this combination is a good one. Then I'll go buy some tofu and fresh vegetables."

Wang Qiang took his list and shopping bag and went to the market. The market was bustling with people and various hawking sounds. Wang Qiang carefully selected from each stall to ensure that every ingredient was the freshest and of the best quality.

After buying the ingredients, Wang Qiang returned home and started a busy day. First, he cut the tofu into small pieces and soaked them in salt water. Then, he washed the vegetables and cut the onions, ginger, garlic and other seasonings. All the preparations were done in an orderly manner, which made him feel at ease.

"Wang Qiang, how many lunch boxes do you plan to sell today?" Zhang came over and asked.

Wang Qiang wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Prepare more today. They sold out too quickly yesterday and many people didn't get any. I plan to make 40 copies today to see how they turn out."

Zhang nodded. "Then I'll help you too. There's strength in numbers."

Wang Qiang smiled and said, "Okay, I'll be more confident with your help."

The two worked together, and the kitchen was filled with rich aromas. Wang Qiang was meticulous in cooking, and he prepared every dish carefully, striving to make it the best. He knew that only dishes made with care could truly impress customers.

At noon, the lunch boxes were ready. Wang Qiang packed each dish into lunch boxes and placed them on the stall. Looking at the neatly arranged lunch boxes, he was filled with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation.

"Come on, come on, freshly made mapo tofu and vegetable soup lunch boxes, only three dollars each!" Wang Qiang greeted passers-by enthusiastically.

Soon, customers flocked to the stall again, and a long line formed in front of the stall. Everyone was full of curiosity and anticipation for Wang Qiang's new dish, and wanted to taste this freshly baked delicacy.

"Wang Qiang, give me a serving of Mapo Tofu!" A familiar voice came from our neighbor Aunt Li.

Wang Qiang quickly packed a lunch box and handed it over, "Aunt Li, please try it. This is the mapo tofu I made."

Aunt Li took the lunch box, opened it, and was greeted by a fragrant aroma. "It smells so good, Wang Qiang, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

Wang Qiang smiled modestly, "As long as you like it, thank you for your support."

A day passed quickly, and Wang Qiang's lunch boxes were sold out again. Looking at the empty stall, he was filled with joy and satisfaction. This was not only a recognition of his cooking skills, but also an affirmation of his efforts and persistence.

When Wang Qiang got home in the evening, he sat at the table and thought carefully about his future plans. He knew that he still had a lot of room for improvement and many possibilities. He decided to set himself some new tasks and goals every night to constantly challenge himself and make continuous progress.

"Zhang, we did a good job today. I think we can try to make more kinds of dishes in the future to give customers more choices." Wang Qiang said.

Zhang nodded. "Yeah, I think so too. You can try to make some different dishes every day so that everyone can taste something new."

Wang Qiang was filled with enthusiasm and hope. "Then let's make it like this. Starting tomorrow, we'll try to make a new dish every day."