Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

He Daqing took out a red cloth bag and handed it to He Yushui, saying, "When you get married in the future, your father may not be able to come. This is the dowry that your father prepared for you. As for the rest, you can ask your brother for it when the time comes."

He Yushui obediently took the red cloth bag and asked, "Dad, aren't you going back with us this time?!"

He Daqing said, "Your father is still young and can do the work. Besides, although your Aunt Bai's two sons are not very kind to me, your Aunt Bai is at least good to me. It has been so many years, just make do with it!" Then He Daqing took out a longevity lock from the wooden box, put it on He Yuejin's neck, and said, "This longevity lock was brought out by your great grandfather when he left the palace."

He Yuzhu said, "Dad, the deaf old lady in the backyard has been cleared out. There shouldn't be any problem with our family background, right?!"

He Daqing replied, "What's the problem? We are cooks. Even if we are not poor peasants, we can only be considered as handicraftsmen. Moreover, our family once sold steamed buns, which can only be considered as a small business. But we didn't sell steamed buns for long, and your father went to work as a cook in a steel mill. So there is absolutely no problem with our family background."

He Yuzhu then asked, "Dad, since there is no problem with our family background, why did you come with the White Widow to defend the city?!"

He Daqing showed an embarrassed expression on his face, and he stammered, "It's just a common mistake for men. I couldn't help doing that thing with Bai Guafu and was caught by Yi Zhonghai and Bai Yongnian. If I didn't agree to go with Bai Guafu to defend the city, they would have sued me. Isn't it because I was afraid that you and Yu Shui would be implicated?! That's why I agreed to go with Bai Guafu to defend the city."

He Yuzhu asked, "Dad, did you know that the White Widow is the niece of the deaf old lady?!"

"What?!" He Daqing was surprised and said, "I really don't know." Then He Daqing reacted and asked, "I have no grudge against the deaf old lady, why is she plotting against me?!"

He Yushui glanced at He Yuzhu and said, "What else could it be?! She wants my brother to take care of her and Yi Zhonghai in their old age."

He Daqing was a smart man after all. After listening to He Yushui's words, he immediately understood what was going on and said, "How shameless these two bastards are! They actually planned such a thing. No wonder they have no descendants! No, that's not right! The deaf old lady didn't have no descendants. Her youngest son went to the other side of the sea with the bald man."

He Yuzhu, Liu Lan and He Yushui were stunned. Liu Lan asked curiously, "Dad, how did you know?!"

He Daqing said, "When I was still in Fengze Garden, the deaf old lady and her son came to Fengze Garden for dinner. I saw them at that time. It's just that she didn't see me." Then He Daqing took out three books from the wooden box, handed them to He Yuzhu, and said, "Silly Zhu, these three books are heirlooms of our family. The first one is the cooking experience passed down by our He family. The second one is the recipe of Tan family dishes, and the third one is the recipe of imperial cuisine that your great grandfather brought out from the palace. I originally wanted to find an opportunity to return to the city in a few years and give you these three books. I didn't expect you to come here today. I just let you take them back."

He Yuzhu took the three books, glanced through them briefly, and handed them to Liu Lan. Liu Lan put the books into her shoulder bag. He Daqing took out another envelope and handed it to He Yuzhu, saying, "Now that you have a son, I am relieved. This is our house deed and land deed as well as the transfer application. Go back and transfer the house to your name."

He Yuzhu took the envelope, opened it impatiently, took out the house deed and the land deed, looked at them, and said, "Dad, it turns out that you took the things with you when you left. No wonder I couldn't find them. Not long after you left, Yi Zhonghai came to me to talk about the house. But at that time, the house deed and the land deed were not found."

He Yushui said, "Dad, you don't know that Yi Zhonghai is the worst person! He took all the living expenses you sent to us."

"What?! How dare he?!" He Daqing was very angry this time. He Yuzhu said, "Dad, Yi Zhonghai didn't get a good result in this matter. If it wasn't for Director Yang to intercede for him, he would have been sent to prison by now."

He Daqing said, "I originally planned to send living expenses until Yu Shui turned eighteen. Now that you have a child, I, as a father, am not with you and cannot help you take care of the child. At least I can help you in other ways! In this way, I will send an extra ten yuan every month as milk powder money for my eldest grandson." Then He Daqing stood up, walked into the back kitchen dressing room, took out a stack of money, put it in front of He Yuzhu and Liu Lan, and said, "Here is five hundred yuan. It's some of my private savings. I'm giving it to you today. You help me save it. When I can't work anymore, you have to support me!"

He Yuzhu and Liu Lan looked at each other, and Liu Lan said, "Dad, even if we don't have this money, we will still support you! If it really doesn't work, you can go back with us now!"

He Daqing said, "Forget it! I won't disturb your lives. If you miss me, come and see me when you have time." Then he looked at He Yuzhu and said, "Silly Zhu, come on! Follow me to the kitchen. Let me see if your cooking skills have deteriorated?!"

He Yuzhu winked at Liu Lan. Liu Lan obediently took the money. He Yuzhu followed He Daqing into the kitchen.

After about ten minutes, He Daqing's scolding was heard from the kitchen. He Yushui smiled and comforted him, "Sister-in-law, I guess my brother was scolded by my father again! When my brother was learning the craft from my father, he was often scolded."

About an hour later, He Daqing walked out from the kitchen in a heroic and high-spirited manner. He Yuzhu followed him out obediently, holding a tray, like a grandson.

After He Yuzhu put the food on the table, He Daqing said, "Today is also our family reunion dinner. Stop watching and start eating!"

He Daqing's family ate in the front, and the employees of the state-owned restaurant ate in the back kitchen. Anyway, everyone was eating with their mouths full of oil. After three rounds of wine and five dishes, Liu Lan asked: "Dad, is our family's cooking really inherited from the Tan family?!"

He Daqing replied, "My family has a tradition of Shandong cuisine. Grandpa Shazhu died early, and I didn't learn the cooking skills at that time. It happened that the Tan family was recruiting kitchen helpers, so I went. I had the basics of cutting, and I was young and hardworking at that time. After a long time, I was noticed by the wife of the head of the Tan family, Zhao Lifeng, and I followed her to learn cooking skills. Later, the Tan family declined, and the three chefs moved out of the Tan family and ran Tan's cuisine outside. I hadn't gotten into trouble at that time, so I had to find another place to learn the skills. After several years of hard work, I was finally able to work independently. So, our family is both the source of Tan's cuisine and not the source of Tan's cuisine."

He Yuzhu scratched his head and said, "Dad, this is complicated enough." Then he asked, "Why did you let me learn Sichuan cuisine?!"

He Daqing said: "Whether it is Tan's cuisine or Shandong cuisine, it takes time. The prices are high and ordinary people can't afford it. Sichuan cuisine is different. Ordinary people can also afford it. Besides, it's always good to have many skills. What are you worried about?!"

He Yuzhu said: "I'm not confused, I'm just asking out of curiosity."

He Daqing gave He Yuzhu a look and said, "Don't I know what you are up to? Go back and practice your cooking skills, don't embarrass me!"

"Oh!" He Yuzhu responded obediently and didn't dare to say anything else.