Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

He Yuzhu raised his glass, tears in his eyes, "Dad, no matter what happened in the past, we are together as a family now, and we can overcome any difficulties."

The two clinked their glasses and drank the wine, their hearts filled with hope and longing for the future.

After dinner, He Yuzhu and He Daqing sat in the yard, enjoying the tranquility of the night. He Yuzhu suddenly thought of Yi Zhonghai, and said to his father: "Dad, Brother Yi has not been in good health recently, and I want to spend more time with him. Do you think we should pay more attention to him?"

He Daqing nodded and said in agreement: "Yes, Brother Yi is a good man, you should spend more time with him. Let's take care of him together in the future so that he can feel at ease."

He Yuzhu felt warm in his heart and said with a smile: "Okay, let's go together."

From that day on, He Yuzhu and He Daqing often visited Yi Zhonghai together, helped him cook, clean the house, chatted with him, and made him feel the warmth of home. Although Yi Zhonghai was in poor health, under the care of the two, his mental state was getting better and better, and he had more smiles on his face.

In the courtyard, the relationship between He Yuzhu, He Daqing and Yi Zhonghai is getting deeper and deeper. The care and support between each other make them stronger in life. Although there are many challenges and twists and turns in life, they believe that as long as the family works together, any difficulties can be solved.

He Yuzhu was busy in the kitchen, looking forward to the new dishes. He had recently learned a few new dishes from his master, and today was the chance to show off his skills. He recalled every detail of the dishes his master taught him, and silently prayed that he could complete them successfully this time.

"Yuzhui, what new dishes have you learned this time?" He Daqing asked curiously. He was full of expectations for his son's cooking skills.

He Yuzhu smiled and replied, "Dad, I learned a few special dishes this time, including a spicy hot pot, sweet and sour spare ribs, and fish-flavored eggplant. They are all very special dishes, I hope you like them."

He Daqing nodded and said with satisfaction: "It sounds good. I haven't eaten these dishes for a long time. You are getting better and better."

He Yuzhu was busy at the stove, thinking about his continuous improvement in cooking skills over the years. He knew that cooking was not only a means of making a living, but also a way to express love and care. Whenever he saw the smiles on his family and friends' faces when they tasted the dishes he cooked, he felt extremely satisfied and happy.

"Dad, please sit down first. I'll be ready soon." He Yuzhu said as he skillfully stir-fried the dishes in the pot. The kitchen was filled with fragrance. He Daqing sat aside, looking at his son's back, his heart filled with pride and satisfaction.

First, He Yuzhu began to prepare the spicy hot pot. He prepared all the ingredients, including chicken, shrimp, squid, tofu, vegetables, etc. Then, he poured oil into the pot, added peppercorns and dried chilies, sautéed them, added minced ginger and garlic, and then added various ingredients in turn. Finally, he added the special spicy sauce and stir-fried it evenly. The whole kitchen was instantly filled with a rich aroma.

"The taste of this spicy hotpot is really tempting." He Daqing couldn't help but say as he smelled the aroma.

He Yuzhu smiled, put the spicy hot pot on a plate and brought it to the table, "Dad, try it and see how it tastes."

He Daqing picked up a piece of chicken, put it in his mouth, and tasted it carefully, with a satisfied smile on his face, "Well, not bad, the taste is very authentic, moderately spicy, and fragrant."

Next, He Yuzhu began to prepare the sweet and sour spare ribs. He first cut the ribs into pieces, put them into boiling water to blanch, and then took them out to drain the water. Then, he poured oil into the pot, put the ribs in and fried them until golden and crispy, and took them out to drain the oil. In another pot, he poured a small amount of oil, added minced ginger and garlic to stir-fry, added tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar and a small amount of water, and cooked until thick. Finally, put the ribs into the sauce and stir-fry evenly, and the sweet and sour spare ribs were ready.

"The sweet and sour pork ribs are out of the pot." He Yuzhu put the sweet and sour pork ribs on a plate and handed it to He Daqing.

He Daqing picked up a piece of pork ribs and put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up. "It tastes great, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a moderate sweet and sour taste. It's very appetizing."

Finally, He Yuzhu began to prepare the fish-flavored eggplant. He cut the eggplant into strips, soaked it in salt water for a while, drained it, and fried it until golden. Then, he poured a small amount of oil into another pot, added minced ginger and garlic, and fried it until fragrant. He added chopped pepper, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and a small amount of water and cooked it until thick. Finally, he put the fried eggplant into the sauce and stir-fried it evenly. The fish-flavored eggplant was ready.

"The fish-flavored eggplant is ready." He Yuzhu put the fish-flavored eggplant on a plate and placed it on the table.

He Daqing took a bite and nodded with satisfaction, "This fish-flavored eggplant tastes really good, with just the right amount of saltiness and sweetness. The eggplant is fried until crispy, and it's really delicious."

He Yuzhu looked at his father's satisfied expression, and his heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment and happiness. He knew that all his efforts and hard work over the years had not been in vain. He not only learned exquisite cooking skills, but also conveyed love and care through food.

"Dad, as long as you like it. I have learned a lot of new dishes over the years, and I will continue to work hard to make more delicious dishes in the future." He Yuzhu said with a smile, his eyes full of determination.

He Daqing said with emotion: "Yuzhu, you have done a great job. I am proud of you. I hope you can keep going and make continuous progress."

He Yuzhu nodded, his heart full of longing and expectation for the future. He knew that the road to culinary arts was endless, and he still had a lot to learn and explore. As long as he had the support and encouragement of his family, he had the confidence to go further and do better.

After dinner, He Yuzhu and He Daqing cleaned up the kitchen together and chatted, the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Both of them were full of hope and longing for the future. Life in the courtyard continued, and every day was full of new stories and challenges.

As time went by, He Yuzhu's cooking skills became better and better, and his name became more and more famous in the courtyard. Neighbors came to him to ask for cooking tips, and He Yuzhu always helped them enthusiastically and passed on his experience and insights.

One day, Aunt Li came to He Yuzhu with a somewhat anxious look on her face, "Yuzhu, please help me, my old man's birthday is tomorrow, I want to make a specialty dish for him, but I don't know how to make it."

He Yuzhu smiled and asked, "Aunt Li, what dish do you want to cook? I can teach you."

Aunt Li thought for a moment and said, "I heard that the braised pork you make is very delicious. I want to learn how to make it, too."

He Yuzhu nodded, "Okay, braised pork is actually not difficult, just pay attention to the heat and the ratio of seasonings. Come with me, I will teach you."