Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 132 The stove fire is rekindled when a patron is found; farewell to the old courtyard severs

February in Beijing was still chilly. The first wisp of smoke had barely risen from the chimney of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill canteen when Sha Zhu, wearing an grease-stained apron, was already standing in front of the stove. The iron wok was red-hot; with a flick of his wrist, he poured half a spoonful of rapeseed oil evenly, the oil sizzling as the sliced ​​pork belly hit the pan. As he stirred, the aroma of the meat mingled with the scents of scallions and ginger wafted out of the kitchen, drawing frequent glances from the early shift workers into the back kitchen.

Sha Zhu paused in his tossing of the wok, his gaze falling on the chipped enamel bowl in the corner of the stove. Inside was half a piece of leftover cornbread from yesterday, his rations from home that morning. Ever since he'd caught Qin Huairu exchanging the soap he'd given her for food coupons and then handing it all over to Jia Zhangshi, he hadn't brought a single hot meal to the Jia family. But whenever he smelled the aroma of the food, and remembered Jia Geng's pitiful look as he held his empty bowl, his heart still couldn't help but tighten.

"Zhu Zi, what are you daydreaming about? The factory manager is here with some guests!" Old Wang, the kitchen helper, shouted at the top of his lungs, slamming his vegetable basket onto the cutting board. "I heard it's some big shot, they've come to inspect our canteen!"

Sha Zhu quickly composed himself, wiped the oil off his apron with a rag, and was about to go out to greet them when the canteen curtain was lifted, and factory director Zhou Jianguo walked in with two men in military uniforms. The man in front was a middle-aged man in his fifties, the stars on his epaulets gleaming, and he wore reading glasses. His gaze swept over the stove and landed on the twice-cooked pork that Sha Zhu had just cooked.

"Director Zhou, this dish is cooked with great skill." The middle-aged man bent down to smell it, his voice booming. "The heat is just right, the aroma of the sauce blends perfectly with the aroma of the meat. This is not a level of cooking that an ordinary chef could achieve."

Zhou Jianguo quickly replied with a smile, "Director Wang, you have a good eye! This is He Yuzhu, a key member of our canteen. He has a Level 3 chef's certificate. All the workers in our factory say that eating Yuzhu's cooking is even better than eating at home during the Chinese New Year!" He winked at Yuzhu, "Yuzhu, quickly introduce your skills to Director Wang."

Sha Zhu scratched his head and smiled憨厚ly: "There's no special technique, just make sure the fire is high, the ingredients are plentiful, and you have to follow the wok's steam when stir-frying. This twice-cooked pork has to be made with pork belly from Butcher Zhang at the back gate of our factory. It's only fragrant when it's marbled with fat and lean meat. When stir-frying, first render out the fat, then add fermented bean paste and simmer for a while, and all the flavor will be absorbed."

Director Wang nodded repeatedly, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece, and chewed it a couple of times before his eyes lit up: "Great! The meat is firm and not dry, the sauce is flavorful without overpowering the meat's natural taste, it tastes even better than what the chefs at our guesthouse cook!" He put down his chopsticks, patted Sha Zhu on the shoulder, "Young man, how about trying your skills somewhere else? Our military region guesthouse is short of a cook, the pay is twice as good as here, and you'll even get a dormitory room!"

Sha Zhu stood there, stunned, the spatula in his hand clattering onto the stove. He had worked in the steel mill's canteen for eight years, rising from apprentice to head chef, earning a monthly salary of thirty-seven yuan and fifty cents. He had never imagined he would have the opportunity to work at the military region's guesthouse. The military region's guesthouse—that was where they cooked for the leaders; it was a prestigious place to talk about.

"Director Wang, you...you're not kidding, are you?" Sha Zhu's voice trembled slightly, unable to believe his ears.

"I, Wang Huai'an, never joke about work." The middle-aged man took out a small notebook and wrote down an address and phone number. "This is the address of our guesthouse. Come and report for duty next Monday, and I'll have someone show you around. By the way, we not only provide food and lodging, but also quarterly benefits and holiday bonuses, enough for you to buy a lot of New Year's goods for your family."

Zhou Jianguo, laughing, nudged Sha Zhu: "What are you standing there for? Quickly thank Director Wang! This is a golden opportunity!"

Sha Zhu then realized what was happening, quickly clutching the note in his hand and bowing deeply: "Thank you, Director Wang! I'll definitely be there on time next Monday!"

Director Wang smiled with satisfaction, chatted with Zhou Jianguo for a few more minutes about the factory construction, and then left with his entourage. As soon as they left, the workers in the canteen surrounded them, congratulating Sha Zhu in a flurry of voices.

"Zhu Zi, you're really something! You've got yourself a job at the military region's guesthouse; from now on, you'll be the head chef cooking for the leaders!"

"Absolutely! Your salary will be doubled; you'll be the most successful cook in our factory from now on!"

Surrounded by the crowd, Sha Zhu beamed, but his mind was preoccupied with something else. He had lived in the courtyard house for nearly thirty years, and the grudges and conflicts within it were like vines binding him, especially his feud with Xu Damao, his scheming with Yi Zhonghai, and his ambiguous entanglement with Qin Huairu—all of which had long since exhausted him. Now that he had a new job, it would be a perfect opportunity to move out and finally escape this mess.

As soon as the lunch break bell rang, Sha Zhu returned to the courtyard house with the note written by Director Wang. As soon as he entered the middle courtyard, he saw Qin Huairu squatting by the public pool washing vegetables, and Jia Dang standing to the side holding Jia Huaihua. When Jia Dang saw Sha Zhu return, she timidly called out, "Uncle Sha Zhu."

Qin Huairu raised her head, a familiar smile on her face, wiped the water off her hands and came over: "Zhuzi, off work? What delicious food did the cafeteria make today? I see Dangdang and the others are drooling." As she spoke, she reached out to lift Sha Zhu's lunchbox.

Sha Zhu took a step back, avoiding her hand. He was used to this kind of treatment, but now that he thought about it, most of the meat and vegetables he brought ended up in Jia Zhangshi's stomach. Qin Huairu would say it was for the children, but she never actually let Jia Dang and Jia Huaihua eat a single bite. He took out five jin of grain coupons from his pocket and handed them to Qin Huairu: "Sister Qin, this is the last time I'm giving you grain coupons. I've found a new job and I'm moving to the company dormitory."

Qin Huairu's smile froze, and the vegetable basket in her hand fell to the ground with a thud, scattering vegetables everywhere. She stared at Sha Zhu in disbelief: "Zhu Zi, what did you say? You're moving out? Why are you moving out? Did I do something wrong to upset you?"

"It's none of your business." Sha Zhu turned his face away, not daring to look at her reddened eyes. "My new job is at the military guesthouse, it provides food and lodging, but it's far from here, and it's inconvenient to travel back and forth." He paused, his voice deepening, "Sister Qin, I know it's not easy for you to raise three children alone, and it was only right that I helped you before, but I can't spend my whole life stuck here. You have a sewing shop, and you're skilled, so work hard, and you'll definitely have a good life. Stop relying on playing the victim to get by; earning money honestly is better than anything else."

These words struck Qin Huairu like a hammer blow. She knew that Sha Zhu had finally woken up and would no longer be fooled by her "virtuous" act. She knelt down to pick up the vegetables from the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks onto the cold flagstones, her voice choked with sobs: "I understand... Will you come back to see us again?"

"I'll come when I have time." Sha Zhu sighed and turned to walk towards his house. Just as he reached the door, he saw Yi Zhonghai standing under the eaves, holding a purple clay teapot in his hand, looking at him with a complicated expression.

"Zhu Zi, I heard you're going to work at the military region's guesthouse?" Yi Zhonghai took a sip of tea, his tone slightly probing. "That's a good place, but it's far from here. If anything happens in the compound, it'll be hard to get your help. Why don't you think about it again? I'll talk to the canteen manager and see if I can give you a raise, how about that?"

Sha Zhu sneered inwardly. He had done countless chores for Yi Zhonghai before, fixing pipes and unclogging sewers, without ever asking for payment, and Yi Zhonghai had never mentioned giving him a raise. Now that he was leaving, she suddenly remembered to give him a raise, simply because she was afraid of losing him as her "retirement tool."

"Uncle Yi, no need," Sha Zhu said calmly. "I've already spoken with Director Wang and will report for duty next Monday. Besides, the benefits at the military region's guesthouse are more than ten times better than here." He pushed open the door. "I'll pack my things, so I won't keep you company any longer."

Yi Zhonghai stared at Sha Zhu's tightly closed door, slamming the purple clay teapot down on the stone table, spilling tea everywhere. He never imagined that after all these years of scheming, he still hadn't managed to keep Sha Zhu firmly by his side. If Qin Huairu couldn't be relied upon, and Sha Zhu wanted to leave, what would become of his retirement?

Sha Zhu went inside and began packing his things. The room was simple: a wooden bed, a worn-out wardrobe, and on the table were his Level 3 chef's certificate and a few books. He pulled out an old bundle, carefully folded his clothes, and put them inside, then gently tucked his chef's certificate into his pocket. While tidying under the bed, he found a wooden box. Opening it, he found a scarf He Yushui had knitted for him when he was in high school, and a kitchen knife his mentor had given him when he first started working at the factory.

Looking at these old things, Sha Zhu's eyes reddened. He thought of his younger sister, He Yushui. He used to always give his grain coupons and money to the Jia family, and his sister couldn't even afford a new cotton-padded coat. The two siblings had argued a lot about it. Now that he had a good job, he was determined to make it up to his sister. He put the scarf and kitchen knife into his bundle, and then took out two hundred yuan from under his pillow. This was the money he planned to give to his sister as a dowry.

"Shazhu, are you really moving?" Liu Haizhong's voice came from the doorway. He stood there carrying a hoe, a hint of reluctance on his face. "The yard will be much less fun without you. If that kid Xu Damao dares to bully people again, no one will be able to deal with him."

Sha Zhu chuckled and placed his bundle on the bed. "Master Liu, it's not like I'm never coming back. I'll come back to visit on weekends from now on. If Xu Damao dares to cause trouble, I'll still deal with him." He remembered that although Liu Haizhong used to be short-tempered, he still cared about the children. "By the way, if Guangtian and Guangfu want to learn a trade, I'll have them come to the guesthouse with me. I'll teach them to cook. It's better than them being apprentices in the factory."

Liu Haizhong's eyes lit up, and he quickly put down his hoe and went into the house: "Really? Thank you so much! Guangtian always says it's boring at the factory. If he can learn to cook from you, maybe he can become a master chef someday!" He patted Shazhu on the shoulder, "Zhuzi, you're a good friend! If you do well at the guesthouse, don't forget your old neighbor!"

"Don't worry, Master Liu, I'm not the kind of person who forgets his roots." Sha Zhu said, picking up a tin box from the table. "Inside are some seasoning recipes that I've collected. I figured them out myself. Give them to Guangtian so he can learn them properly."

Liu Haizhong took the box, his hands trembling with excitement: "Zhuzi, you've really brought out your most treasured possessions! I thank you on Guangtian's behalf! If you ever come back, I'll have your sister-in-law make you braised pork!"

As the two were talking, they heard Xu Damao's voice coming from the courtyard gate. Xu Damao had just returned from get off work at the scrap yard, carrying a paper bag. Seeing Shazhu packing his things, he paused for a moment and asked, "Shazhu, are you... moving?"

Sha Zhu and Liu Haizhong exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised. In the past, Xu Damao would either mock or physically assault Sha Zhu, never showing him such politeness.

"Yeah, I'll be working at the military district guesthouse and moving into the dormitory." Sha Zhu said calmly. He had been fighting with Xu Damao for half his life, and now that he was leaving, he was too lazy to argue with him anymore.

Xu Damao walked into the house and placed the paper package he was carrying on the table. "This is some braised pork head meat I bought from the braised food shop next to the recycling station. Try it. Before... before I was wrong. I always went against you and even spread rumors to frame you. Now I know I was wrong. I'll work hard from now on and never do anything foolish again." He scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "If you have time, come back and visit us often."

Sha Zhu stared at the pig's head on the table, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He hadn't expected that the person saying goodbye to him last would be his former nemesis. He picked up a piece of pig's head, put it in his mouth, and nodded: "Okay, I'll be back. You work hard, don't steal anymore, earning money with your own hands is better than anything else."

Xu Damao nodded vigorously, turned around, and walked out. He knew that Sha Zhu was able to forgive him thanks to Lin Chen. If Lin Chen hadn't helped him find a job and taught him skills, he wouldn't know where he would be living a miserable life now.

In the evening, Lin Chen and Su Qing returned from the textile factory. Hearing that Sha Zhu was moving to the military district guesthouse, they came over to check on him. Su Qing brought Sha Zhu a new quilt, while Lin Chen gave him a note: "This is the phone number of a friend of mine in the military district. If you encounter any difficulties at the guesthouse, just call him, and he will help you."

Sha Zhu took the note, feeling a warmth in his heart. He used to think Lin Chen was too young and didn't take him seriously, but now he realized that Lin Chen was the most sensible person in the courtyard. He clutched the note tightly: "Brother Lin, thank you. If you ever want some of my cooking, just let me know, and I'll bring it to you."

"Okay." Lin Chen smiled. "But since you've just started your new job, you need to do your best and try to get promoted to a first-class chef as soon as possible. By the way, have you told He Yushui yet? She'll definitely be happy if she knows you're working at the military region's guesthouse."

"Not yet. I plan to go to the textile factory to see her tomorrow." Sha Zhu scratched his head. "I always ignored her before, so I must apologize to her properly this time."

"That's right," Su Qing said with a smile. "The two siblings don't hold grudges overnight. Besides, Yu Shui has always cared about you; he just doesn't say it."

After chatting for a while, Qin Huairu came in carrying a bowl of brown sugar water and placed it in front of Shazhu: "Zhuzi, drink some brown sugar water to warm yourself up. I know I wronged you before, always scheming to take your food rations and meals. I will work hard from now on and never do anything crooked again. These are insoles I sewed for you, wear them, they'll be comfortable to walk in." She took out two pairs of cloth insoles from her pocket, with simple patterns embroidered on them.

Sha Zhu looked at the brown sugar water in the bowl, then at the pair of insoles, and sighed inwardly. Qin Huairu had it tough too, raising three children and having a lazy, good-for-nothing mother-in-law. Her scheming against him before was out of desperation. He picked up the insoles and put them in his bundle: "Thank you, Sister Qin, I'll take them. Take good care of the children from now on. If Jia Geng dares to steal again, you'd better keep an eye on him."

Qin Huai nodded vigorously, tears welling up in her eyes again: "I know, I'll take good care of him. Come back and visit often, Dangdang and Huaihua miss you very much."

The next morning, Sha Zhu went to the textile factory to find He Yushui. He Yushui was working in the workshop when she saw Sha Zhu. She paused for a moment, put down her work, and came out: "Why are you here? Don't you have to work today?"

"I have good news for you." Sha Zhu pulled his sister outside the workshop and took out a note written by Director Wang from his pocket. "I've been hired by the military region's guesthouse. I'll report for duty next Monday. The salary is twice what I used to be, and I'll even be assigned a dormitory!"

He Yushui took the note, read it for a long time before realizing what it meant, and excitedly grabbed Sha Zhu's arm: "Brother, is this real? You're not lying to me, are you? The military guesthouse! That's a good place!"

"Of course it's true!" Sha Zhu took out a hundred yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into his sister's hand. "This is for you. Go buy a new cotton-padded coat and a new pair of shoes. I've wronged you before, always giving money to the Jia family and neglecting you. I'll definitely make it up to you from now on."

He Yushui looked at the money in her hand, tears streaming down her face. "Brother, I don't want your money, I just want you to be okay. I'll be happy if you have a good job." She wiped away her tears. "I'll help you pack your things this weekend and move them to your dorm."

Sha Zhu nodded vigorously, and the brother and sister smiled at each other. All the previous conflicts and estrangement vanished at that moment.

On Monday morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Chen, Liu Haizhong, and Xu Damao came to help Sha Zhu move his things. Sha Zhu didn't have much: a bundle, a wooden box, and the kitchen knife his master had given him. He Yushui also came, carrying a net bag filled with steamed buns and soy milk she had just bought.

"Zhu Zi, eat something before you go." He Yushui handed a steamed bun to Sha Zhu. "When you get to the guesthouse, work hard, get along well with your colleagues, and don't be as impulsive as before."

"Okay, little sister." Sha Zhu took the steamed bun and ate it heartily. He glanced at Qin Huairu standing to the side, holding Jia Huaihua in her arms, with Jia Dang and Jia Geng standing beside her, their eyes red. Sha Zhu walked over and patted Jia Geng's head: "From now on, listen to your mother, go to school hard, and don't steal anymore, okay?"

Jia Geng nodded and whispered, "I understand, Uncle Shazhu."

Sha Zhu looked at Jia Dang and Jia Huaihua again, took out two pieces of fruit candy from his pocket, and handed them to them: "Dangdang, take good care of your sister and help Mom with more chores."

Jia Dang took the candy and nodded vigorously: "Yes, Uncle Shazhu, you must come back often."

Sha Zhu nodded, turned to the group and said, "Alright, I'm leaving. Take care, everyone. I'll come back when I have time." He shouldered his bundle, He Yushui carried the wooden box, and the group walked out of the courtyard.

Qin Huairu stood at the courtyard gate, watching Sha Zhu's figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance, and finally, tears streamed down her face. She knew that once Sha Zhu left, he would never help her unconditionally again. From now on, she would have to rely on herself. She wiped away her tears, hugged Jia Huaihua, and turned back into the house, secretly resolving to run the sewing shop well and give the children a better life.

Sha Zhu boarded the bus to the military guesthouse, his heart filled with anticipation as he watched the street scenes flash by outside the window.