Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

In this peaceful atmosphere, the courtyard seems to be shrouded in a warm and tranquil atmosphere. Neighbors get along particularly well with each other. When everyone meets on weekdays, their faces are filled with kind smiles, and greetings between each other are heard one after another, showing the feeling of peaceful times everywhere.

In this atmosphere, the three uncle's two sons, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, felt as if a handful of dry firewood was thrown into their hearts when they saw He Yuzhu becoming so successful now. Little flames of envy suddenly started to sparkle, and the fire burned more and more vigorously, and it could not be suppressed at all.

Back then, when He Yuzhu received the notice to go abroad for exchange and study, the entire courtyard was bustling about this matter for a while.

At that time, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang huddled together and whispered that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for He Yuzhu. If he could go with them, even if he just watched and learned from the side, he would definitely learn a lot of skills.

But they also knew that such a good thing would never happen to them so easily. They could only watch He Yuzhu happily making preparations and then embarking on the enviable learning journey.

Now, seeing that He Yuzhu has returned from his studies, his whole spirit and spirit are different. His every move is full of confidence. From time to time, he shares with everyone in the yard some new and interesting things he has seen outside. The superb cooking skills inadvertently revealed in his words make others stunned.

Seeing this, the ideas that Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang had in their minds instantly became extremely firm. As if they had discussed it beforehand, they would get together in private whenever they had time to discuss it. They thought that they should find a particularly suitable time to politely tell He Yuzhu that they wanted to learn cooking. However, they must not be too rash, otherwise He Yuzhu would be unhappy and the plan would be ruined.

On this day, the sun was shining warmly in every corner of the courtyard, and the breeze was blowing gently, bringing a comfortable feeling. Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang began to pay attention to the movements of He Yuzhu's family early, hoping to find the time when He Yuzhu was resting at home.

They were like two little scouts, sometimes poking their heads out of their own door, sometimes pretending to pass by He Yuzhu's house, listening to the sounds inside. Finally, their efforts paid off. Seeing that there was no movement in He Yuzhu's house for a long time, they guessed that he was resting at home, so they quickly tidied their clothes, winked at each other, and then walked towards He Yuzhu's house together.

As soon as he entered the door, Yan Jiecheng's face was full of smiles. His smile was so big that it looked like a blooming flower, and the wrinkles on his face were almost squeezed together. He quickly spoke enthusiastically: "Brother Zhuzi, you have done a great job this time. Your skills must have improved a lot. We two brothers have listened to you talk about the outside world in the yard, and you talked about the secrets of cooking. We really admire you from the bottom of our hearts. It feels like you have been reborn this time, and you are different from before."

As he said this, Yan Jiecheng's eyes were full of envy and an unconcealable desire, as if he wished he could have such an experience himself.

Yan Jiefang was also nodding his head hurriedly like a chick pecking at rice. He was very agreeable, with a flattering look on his face and his eyes narrowed into slits due to smiling. He was hoping that He Yuzhu would agree to teach them cooking in response to their sincerity.

He would glance at Yan Jiecheng and He Yuzhu from time to time, as if he was afraid that he would accidentally say something wrong and ruin this great thing.

He Yuzhu was a smart man. Looking at their expressions, he roughly guessed their intentions. However, he did not rush to point it out. After all, they were neighbors living in the same yard and they would see each other every day. If he pointed it out directly, it would be embarrassing for everyone.

So, he still had a warm smile on his face and greeted them politely: "Hey, how come you two have time to come to my place today? Come and sit down, don't just stand there, let's sit down and talk slowly if you have anything to say." While speaking, he was busy pouring two glasses of water for the two of them. His attitude was so easy-going.

Seeing this, Yan Jiecheng thought that the atmosphere was quite harmonious, so he rubbed his hands together until they turned red. He seemed a little nervous and said a little embarrassedly, "Brother Zhuzi, actually, we came here today to discuss something with you. You see, your cooking skills are so great now, and you are famous in our area. Every time we hear you talk about cooking, we feel itchy and greedy, and we want to learn cooking from you. Please be kind enough to teach us, as we are neighbors in the courtyard and get along well with each other. We promise that we will learn seriously and will never cause any trouble for you."

When saying this, Yan Jiecheng's eyes were full of anticipation. He looked at He Yuzhu eagerly, hoping to hear the long-awaited word "good" from his mouth.

He Yuzhu was slightly stunned, and a barely perceptible look of surprise flashed across his face, but he quickly returned to normal.

He pondered inwardly, as if two villains were having a fierce debate in his mind. One villain said, "We are all neighbors living in the courtyard. We see each other every day and have a pretty good relationship. Now he is sincerely asking to learn cooking skills. If I refuse, it will hurt the relationship between neighbors. It's better to agree to teach him. It's not a big deal."

Another villain retorted: "Teaching cooking is not an easy task. It takes a lot of time and energy. What's more, if they are only enthusiastic for a short time and can't continue learning, then all your efforts will be in vain. You have to think carefully about it."

After much thought, He Yuzhu still felt that since everyone lived in the same courtyard, it was natural for neighbors to help each other. There was no harm in teaching them, but he had to say these ugly words in advance to avoid any unpleasant situations that would make everyone lose face.

So, he cleared his throat slightly, and the sound of clearing his throat was particularly clear in this slightly quiet room, successfully attracting the attention of Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang. Then, he said seriously: "Want to learn cooking? That's a good thing. After all, if you have a skill, you can have a meal wherever you go. But I have to make it clear to you two first. Cooking is not as you think. You can learn it casually. It is definitely not something that can be learned overnight. If you want to learn cooking well, you have to work hard, study and practice day after day, and be patient. You can't give up when you encounter difficulties. Think about it, can you bear this hardship?"

There was a serious look in He Yuzhu's eyes as he looked straight at Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, as if he wanted to see through their true thoughts through their eyes.

When Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang heard this, they were instantly delighted. They had keenly caught the signal from He Yuzhu's words that there was hope. Their eyes lit up at once, and they hurriedly responded, "Yes, yes, yes, brother Zhuzi, you can rest assured. We have already made preparations. We have made a great determination to learn this cooking skill. We will definitely study it seriously and will never be vague. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we will grit our teeth and persevere. Just wait and see."

As Yan Jiecheng spoke, he patted his chest and promised, looking so confident, as if he had already seen how glorious he would be after learning cooking. Yan Jiefang also nodded continuously, his head nodding like a rattle, his face full of eagerness and sincerity, hoping that He Yuzhu would agree quickly.

He Yuzhu saw them and was quite satisfied with their positive and enthusiastic attitude. He thought the two kids looked quite decent, so he nodded slowly and said in a gentler tone, "Okay, since you are so determined, I can't refuse your face. I will teach you some basic skills first. The basic skills are of utmost importance, just like laying the foundation for building a house. If the foundation is not solid, how can the house be built steadily, right? Starting tomorrow, you will come to me every morning, and don't be lazy and late. I will teach you how to cut vegetables first. Don't underestimate cutting vegetables. Cutting vegetables is the basis of cooking. If you practice your knife skills well, you can stir-fry and make side dishes more smoothly, and the dishes you make will look good."

He Yuzhu spoke clearly and logically, analyzing the interests involved clearly for the two of them.

After hearing this, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang were instantly filled with excitement, as if they had already seen a bright future of learning to cut vegetables and becoming a master of cooking. The two were so excited that they were a little incoherent, and hurriedly thanked him, saying "Thank you, Brother Zhuzi, you are such a good person" and other words of gratitude. After thanking him, the two left He Yuzhu's house happily, their steps seemed particularly brisk, and they were still muttering to themselves along the way, looking forward to the days of learning cooking.

The next morning, before the sky was fully light, the entire courtyard was still shrouded in the hazy night. Only a faint pale light appeared on the horizon. The weak light tried hard to penetrate the darkness and bring some light to the world.

It was quiet all around, with the occasional chirping of birds, which seemed particularly abrupt in this quiet atmosphere. Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang got up early, as they were thinking about their appointment with He Yuzhu and couldn't sleep at all.

The two of them simply washed up and tiptoed out of the door, fearing to wake up their sleeping family members. Then, according to yesterday's agreement, they came to He Yuzhu's yard.

As for He Yuzhu, he actually got up a long time ago. He has always been a punctual and serious person. Since he promised to teach others, he naturally had to prepare in advance. He stood in the yard, looking at Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang's enthusiasm, and he was very satisfied. He secretly thought that these two children were quite reliable and seemed to be really interested in learning cooking.

As he was thinking, he turned back to the house and soon took out the radishes, potatoes and other ingredients that he had carefully prepared. Each of these ingredients was washed clean and neatly placed on the chopping board beside him.

He Yuzhu walked to the chopping board, stood still, and then began to patiently explain the essentials of cutting vegetables. He bent down slightly, looked at Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang intently, and said seriously: "There are many things to pay attention to when cutting vegetables. The first thing is that your hands must be steady. If your hands are not steady, the cut vegetables will be either thick and thin in some places, or they will be cut crookedly, and it will be difficult to look at. Also, the knife must be accurate. You must know where to cut and what shape to cut. You must think about it in advance. And the force must be even when cutting. It can't be light at one time and heavy at another. Otherwise, the cuts will be uneven. Look, it's like this..."

He Yuzhu demonstrated skillfully as he spoke. He held the kitchen knife steadily in his right hand and gently pressed the radish with his left hand. His movements were smooth and flowing. The kitchen knife in his hand was like an obedient elf. With a slight movement of his wrist, he cut the radish into even slices in a few strokes. The slices were almost the same thickness, and in the slightly dim light of the early morning, they revealed a different kind of beauty, as if this was no longer a simple act of cutting vegetables, but a display of art.

Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang stared with eyes wide open, their faces full of amazement, and then they followed He Yuzhu's instructions and began to cut carefully. But this looked simple, but it was not easy to do. After a few cuts, the two of them either cut too thick or cut crookedly, and some of them almost cut their hands.

He Yuzhu watched from the side and couldn't help but laughed and joked: "You two are just starting out, don't be anxious, take your time, everyone has their hands rusty at times, just practice more and you'll be fine."

Under the patient guidance of He Yuzhu, Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang insisted on practicing cutting vegetables every day. Gradually, they made some progress and the slices they cut became more and more even.

As time went by, He Yuzhu began to teach them about various seasonings, how to combine them to create a good taste, and how to control the heat when cooking. The brothers became more and more motivated as they learned, and gradually became proficient in cooking.

The neighbors in the courtyard saw Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang learning cooking skills seriously from He Yuzhu, and they all praised them, saying that the two children were ambitious and would definitely become good cooks in the future. The third uncle Yan Bugui was even more delighted, thinking that his sons were on the right path. When he saw He Yuzhu, he kept thanking him and praised He Yuzhu for being righteous and willing to teach his sons.