Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

All night long over the weekend, all the residents of Compound No. 95 were at home cursing He Yuzhu.

No one knew what He Yuzhu was cooking at home, but starting at 8pm on Saturday, the aroma filled the entire courtyard, making everyone spend almost the entire night craving for food. Especially Jia Zhang from the west wing, who didn't sleep the entire night, cursing and swearing, affecting everyone in the Jia family's sleep.

Even Old Lady Long in the backyard, who was in her sixties, couldn't fall asleep when she smelled the fragrance.

Early in the morning, when He Yuzhu was still asleep, an old man who lived in the right wing came and knocked on the door.

Boom, boom, boom...

He Yuzhu opened the door and said, "Uncle, it's rare for me to have a rest. Why are you knocking on the door at six o'clock? I'm sleeping."

"Zhu Zi, what were you cooking at home last night? Everyone in the compound reported it, saying that your cooking disturbed the neighbors."

"Uncle, look around. Is there anyone in the yard? Besides, it's not against the law for me to braise pig intestines at night. They're not good stuff."

"Zhu Zi, you know that there is a shortage of supplies now, especially meat. You can't buy it even if you have money. The old lady in the backyard is old. Since you have braised pig intestines, give her a bowl at noon. We are the younger generation, we should know how to respect the elderly and love the young."

"Uncle, you knocked on my door early in the morning and woke me up from my dream, just to ask me to serve a bowl of pig intestines to the old lady in the backyard. You should know that I only have one bowl of braised pig intestines. I gave it to her. What should I eat with the guests today? Besides, isn't it you who takes care of the old lady in her old age? I heard that the old lady gave you the two main houses in the backyard. Uncle, you have such a high salary, can't you buy some for the old lady? Pig intestines are not too expensive. A string of small intestines is only a few cents, and with some seasoning, it is no more than one dollar. You come here early in the morning and ask me to serve a bowl to the old lady. Isn't it inappropriate?"

"Zhu Zi, you should be filial and not just think about yourself!"

"Uncle, that's fine. I can give the braised sausages in my pot to the old lady in the backyard. But, uncle, I'm a little short of money. I'll give the dishes for the dinner to the old lady and I'll go to the restaurant to treat the guests. Can you lend me 50 yuan? I'll be filial if I have money."

"Zhu Zi, what does this have to do with borrowing money? If you want to host a party, you can just cook some vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, etc. Nowadays, everyone is not doing well, you don't have to have meat dishes to host a party."

"Yes, everyone lives a normal life now. What? The old lady in the backyard doesn't have to work hard, nor does she have to cook or wash clothes. If she wants to eat meat, I have to satisfy her. Besides, she had a good meal at my house last week, but she didn't give me any food coupons or food. I only have this ration, and the coupons are not enough for myself. I'm not that generous. Okay, uncle, is there anything else? If not, I'm going to catch up on my sleep."

"Zhu Zi, how did you become like this now? You used to be a very filial child."

"Uncle, when my father left Kyoto, my sister and I had no food to eat, and no one helped us. Your uncle only gave me a few steamed buns, and I will return them to you in the end. I don't have any other ideas now. I just want to live a good life and raise my sister. I really don't have the energy to deal with other things. You go back, I'm going to sleep."

He Yuzhu closed the door, and behind the door he still felt his heart beating so loudly that it felt like it was going to jump out of his body. In fact, after listening to Xu Damao's three "Do you have it?" yesterday, he really calmed down and thought about some things that happened in the compound after his biological father left while stewing sausages at night. In addition, Jia Dongxu seemed to be living a comfortable life despite so many things that happened to him during this period. He believed Xu Damao's words: He has a master of the seventh level, do you have one?

Yes, he also has a master, and his master treats him well. Although he does not work in the hotel now, and has taken his father's position in the steel mill canteen, it is not because his master does not want to help, but he made the decision himself to take care of Yu Shui.

The old lady came to eat for free last week. Although He Yuzhu didn't say anything, he was actually upset. No one's family is rich, you just come to eat for free. Nowadays, some relatives bring their own food when they visit, how could she be so bold as to sit down and eat.

So this morning, an old man came to ask him to respect the elderly and love the young. He Yuzhu was really unhappy: not only was his sleep disturbed, but he was also asked to eat meat. Are you kidding? Who doesn't have a mouth? Who doesn't like to eat meat? Respect the elderly, no; love the young, okay, isn't Yushui a young person?

Since I couldn't sleep anyway, I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and made breakfast. The braised small intestines had been cooked overnight and were already full of flavor. Why was it so fragrant? It was really due to He Yuzhu's natural cooking skills. His own secret recipe was comparable to Thirteen Spices, or even better. He Yuzhu used seasonings that could enhance the flavor of the ingredients themselves, and could blend with the ingredients to complement each other.

What He Yuzhu didn't know was that, in fact, if the flavor of his ingredients were packaged and put on the market one day, it would definitely be popular among consumers.

After talking to the old man, I cooked, lit a cigarette and felt very happy: the old man looked like a paper tiger, not too difficult to deal with, just refuse if you are unhappy. Face, how much is face worth, not even as much as a bowl of braised small intestines. Otherwise, why would the old man come to my house to beg for it without any face?

Yes, that’s what I’ll do from now on. Just live your life well first.

I felt relieved and relaxed all of a sudden.

Uncle Yi Zhonghai was not so relaxed. He was killed behind closed doors and was very unhappy. He went home and sulked. Aunt Yi Zhonghai looked at him with a furious look.

"Lao Yi, who made you angry so early in the morning?"

"It's that bastard Sha Zhu. I asked him to bring a bowl of meat to the old lady at noon, but he refused and said a lot of nasty things. Young people nowadays really have no manners at all. He still has me, the manager, in his eyes. I want to hold a meeting. I want to change the atmosphere in the compound. Otherwise, if things continue like this, sooner or later our compound will be corrupted by bastards like Sha Zhu and Xu Damao."

"Old Yi, you can't do that. It's normal for Zhuzi not to give meat. It's rare to have meat, and you ask him to contribute. No one would be happy. Now everyone has only 4 taels of meat tickets per month, it's not easy for everyone. Besides, what does this have to do with Xu Damao? You should take him along as well."

"Humph, when Xu Fugui was in the compound, he still gave me some face. Look at how many times Xu Damao showed respect to me when he came in and out?!"

"I don't see that Xu Damao has done anything to offend you."

"Guifang, you don't know. The old lady has said it many times. Xu Damao and his wife often cook delicious food in the backyard. Has he ever thought of serving a bowl to the old lady? It was him who led Sha Zhu astray."

"Old Yi, you can't say that. I didn't see anyone else in the courtyard serving food to the old lady. Every family has its own difficulties. I didn't see Jia Dongxu's family cooking meat, so I gave the old lady a bowl."

"Dongxu is different. He has elderly parents and young children to take care of. It's really not easy."

When the aunt heard this, she felt a little disapproving, but there was nothing she could do about Yi Zhonghai.

"Forget it. I can't argue with you. I'm going to cook."