Siheyuan: Selling antiques? Only making 28,000 RMB from 30,000 RMB

He cut and cooked vegetables skillfully, and the whole process was completed in one go. The audience was attracted by his superb cooking skills and cheered for him.

Lin Xiaomei stood in the audience and was proud of Zhou Dong's every move. She looked at his serious and focused look, and her heart was filled with pride and admiration. She knew that Zhou Dong was not only an excellent chef, but also a responsible man with dreams.

After the competition, the judges tasted each dish one by one and finally announced the results. An old man stood on the stage and said with a smile: "After careful tasting and scoring by the judges, our first prize winner is - Zhou Dong!"

Applause and cheers rang out from the audience, and Zhou Dong excitedly stepped forward and took the prize. He bowed to the audience gratefully, then walked up to Lin Xiaomei and handed her the prize.

"Xiaomei, we won this prize together. Thank you for your support." Zhou Dong said sincerely.

Lin Xiaomei took the award with a smile, "You are too modest, Yuzhu, you deserve it."

The Spring Conference ended with laughter and joy. Zhou Dong and Lin Xiaomei walked home hand in hand, their hearts filled with happiness and satisfaction. They talked about the fun things that happened today and shared each other's joy and emotion.

However, life is always full of variables. Just as they were working hard for the future, a sudden change broke their peaceful life. Lin Xiaomei's father suddenly became seriously ill and needed a lot of medical expenses. In order to save her father, Lin Xiaomei decided to return to the provincial capital to find more medical resources and financial support.

This decision put Zhou Dong and Lin Xiaomei in a painful choice. Zhou Dong understood Lin Xiaomei's decision, but he was unwilling to leave Liuquan Town, where he had his home, his students, and everything he loved. Lin Xiaomei was also unwilling to leave Zhou Dong, but she could not give up her father.

In a late night conversation, they confided their bitterness to each other with tears in their eyes. Zhou Dong held Lin Xiaomei's hand tightly and said, "Xiaomei, I know you have to go back, and I understand you. But please remember, no matter where you are, I will wait for you. We will definitely meet again."

Lin Xiaomei also hugged Zhou Dong tightly, crying and saying, "Yuzhu, I will miss you too. I promise you, no matter what happens, I will come back to find you."

A few days later, Lin Xiaomei left Liuquan Town. That day, Zhou Dong stood at the entrance of the town, watching Lin Xiaomei's figure gradually go away, his heart filled with reluctance and pain. He knew that this might be a long separation, but he believed that their love could overcome all difficulties.

In the following days, Zhou Dong worked as usual, but his heart was filled with emptiness and longing. Every day he would think of Lin Xiaomei's smiling face and recall the good times they had together. He wrote to Lin Xiaomei, telling her of his longing and concern, and he often received a reply from Lin Xiaomei, in which she told him about her recent situation and her longing for him.

However, just as Zhou Dong gradually adapted to life without Lin Xiaomei, an unexpected trouble broke his peaceful routine. One evening, Zhou Dong had just finished a busy day and was about to lock the canteen door and go home when he was suddenly stopped by several workers.

"Yuzhu, we have something to tell you." One of the workers, Li Dagen, said solemnly.

Zhou Dong frowned slightly, feeling a little uneasy, "What's the matter, Brother Li?"

Li Dagen hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "Recently, there have been a few chickens missing from the cafeteria for unknown reasons. This morning, we found another one missing. The factory leaders think this has something to do with you."

When Zhou Dong heard this, his heart tightened and he immediately felt angry and wronged. He had always been a diligent and down-to-earth person and had never done anything sneaky. How could he be suspected of being a thief?

"Brother Li, how is this possible? How could I steal chickens from the factory?" Zhou Dong retorted excitedly.

Li Dagen sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Yuzhu, several of us workers believe that you would not do such a thing. But the leaders of the factory don't think so. They want you to give an explanation."

Zhou Dong's heart was in turmoil. He instinctively wanted to deny the fact that he had stolen the chicken, but he knew that if he couldn't find conclusive evidence to prove his innocence, things would probably get worse.

"Okay, Brother Li, take me to meet the leaders of the factory. I want to explain this matter clearly." Zhou Dong said firmly.

They walked together to the factory office, where the lights were on and several leaders were waiting for them. The factory director, Liu Dahai, was a strict and upright man. He sat behind his desk with a frown on his face.

"Zhou Dong, do you know why you were called here?" Liu Dahai asked coldly.

Zhou Dong took a deep breath and replied calmly: "Director, I know. I heard that there were a few chickens missing from the cafeteria, and you suspected that I stole them."

Liu Dahai nodded. "That's right. In the past few days, there have been a few chickens missing from the cafeteria for unknown reasons. You are the chef in charge of the cafeteria, so you are the biggest suspect."

Zhou Dong raised his head and looked at Liu Dahai firmly. "Director, I assure you that I absolutely did not steal the chicken. I have always worked hard and have never done anything to let the factory down."

Liu Dahai looked at him and thought for a moment. "Yuzhu, I know you, but we must get to the bottom of this matter. Can you provide some evidence to prove that you didn't steal the chicken?"

Zhou Dong thought about it and suddenly remembered that he had been writing letters to Lin Xiaomei recently, and he would write letters in the small courtyard outside the cafeteria every night. It was impossible for him to steal chickens during that time.

"Director, I have been writing letters to my girlfriend in the small courtyard outside the cafeteria every night recently. You can ask other workers, they should be able to prove it." Zhou Dong said.

Liu Dahai nodded, "Okay, we will investigate this matter. If you didn't do it, we will definitely clear your name."

In the next few days, the factory leaders began to investigate Zhou Dong's words and deeds. They found several workers to inquire about the situation. Sure enough, several of Zhou Dong's good friends confirmed that he did write letters in the small yard outside the canteen every night and had no time to steal chickens.

At the same time, the factory security guards also stepped up patrols in the canteen and finally caught the real chicken thief late at night. It turned out to be a homeless man from outside who sneaked into the canteen to steal chickens at night and was caught on the spot by the security guards.

When Zhou Dong heard the news, he finally felt relieved. Liu Dahai personally found Zhou Dong and apologized to him: "Yuzhu, this is our fault. We misunderstood you. I hope you don't take it to heart."

Zhou Dong smiled slightly, "Director, it's okay. I know you guys are here to find out the truth."

After the storm, Zhou Dong returned to work. He worked harder and proved his innocence and ability with practical actions. The trust of his co-workers in the canteen was also restored, and they were all happy for him.

However, life is not always peaceful. A few months later, Lin Xiaomei finally came back from the provincial capital. She brought back good news that her father's condition had stabilized and he no longer needed to be hospitalized. Zhou Dong was excited and relieved to hear the news. He couldn't wait to pick her up at the station.

At the station, Zhou Dong saw Lin Xiaomei from a distance. She was standing in the crowd with a warm smile on her face. Zhou Dong walked over quickly and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to pour all his thoughts during this period into this hug.

"Xiaomei, you're finally back. I missed you so much!" Zhou Dong said excitedly.

Lin Xiaomei also hugged him tightly, tears flashing in her eyes, "Yuzhu, I missed you too. Everything is fine now, we can be together again."

Zhou Dong brought Lin Xiaomei back to the town, and they walked hand in hand on the familiar streets, as if everything had returned to the past. They talked about the past days, shared each other's experiences, and their hearts were filled with sweetness and happiness.

After returning home, Zhou Dong and Lin Xiaomei prepared a sumptuous dinner together. They sat at the dining table and enjoyed this long-lost warm time. After dinner, Zhou Dong took Lin Xiaomei for a walk on the small bridge in the town, which was their favorite place.

"Yuzhu, you know, I miss you every day during this period. Whenever I feel lonely and helpless, I will think of the good times we had together." Lin Xiaomei said softly.

Zhou Dong held her hand tightly and looked at her affectionately, "Xiaomei, me too. No matter what happens, we will be together. Our future will definitely be bright."

Lin Xiaomei nodded and leaned on his shoulder. They stood quietly on the bridge for a long time, feeling each other's warmth and love.

In the following days, Zhou Dong and Lin Xiaomei began to plan their future. They decided to buy a piece of land in the town, build a small yard, plant flowers and trees, and live a self-sufficient life. Lin Xiaomei also dreamed of opening a small bookstore to provide more reading opportunities for children in the town.

Zhou Dong worked hard, lived frugally, and saved some money for this dream. They began to look for a suitable plot of land and finally found a beautiful place outside the town. They bought the land with the money they saved and started to build their dream home.

Although the process of building a house is arduous, they enjoy it. After work every day, Zhou Dong would take his tools to work in the fields. Lin Xiaomei would also accompany him, moving bricks, building walls, and planting flowers and grass. Although their hands were calloused and their faces were covered with mud, their hearts were filled with a sense of accomplishment and happiness.

One evening, Zhou Dong and Lin Xiaomei were busy in the fields when they heard footsteps in the distance. They looked up and saw Li Dagen and several workers walking towards them.

"Yuzhu, Xiaomei, we are here to help you build a house!" Li Dagen said with a smile.

Zhou Dong looked at them gratefully, "Brother Li, why are you here?"