Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

As soon as I stepped into the office building, a burst of noise hit me in the face, and it seemed that even the air was filled with tension and anticipation.

As Chen Fei walked through the corridor, he could hear his colleagues' whispered discussions from time to time, all of which revolved around the upcoming job adjustments.

This is not just a simple transfer, but also a key step for him to break away from the current situation and move towards a new life.

When I pushed open the door of Director Li's office, a faint smell of tobacco mixed with the incense of old wood wafted into my nose.

Inside the room, Director Li was looking through documents with his head down, his brows furrowed, looking extremely serious.

Opposite him, a figure was sitting a little awkwardly. It was Li Dazhuang, known as "Silly Zhu" in the factory.

"Director Li, these are my last two big unity bills. Really, I can't give you any more." There was a hint of pleading in Sha Zhu's voice. He held two crumpled ten-yuan bills tightly in his hands, his eyes full of reluctance and determination.

Director Li sighed softly and looked up at Sha Zhu. There seemed to be a hint of imperceptible pity in his eyes.

"Okay, Da Zhuang, since you are so sincere, I will help you this time. However, the work in the cafeteria kitchen is not easy, so you have to be mentally prepared."

"Thank you, Director Li, thank you!" Sha Zhu thanked him repeatedly, with a relieved smile on his face, although behind that smile was deep helplessness and sadness.

Just as Sha Zhu was about to leave, Fade Chen pushed the door open and his appearance instantly made the atmosphere in the room become subtle.

Chen Fei walked straight towards Director Li, also holding a stack of money in his hand, appearing confident and determined.

"Director Li, I heard that you can help me adjust my position. I am willing to pay fifty dollars, just for a place where I can make use of my expertise."

Director Li raised his head, his eyes lingering between Chen Fei and Sha Zhu for a moment, and finally a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Chen Fei, you've come at the right time. Sha Zhu has already arranged everything for you. How is the kitchen in the cafeteria? Although it's hard work, it's also a place to train people."

Hearing this, Fade Chen couldn't help but feel a mixture of doubt and gratitude in his heart.

He looked at Sha Zhu, and there seemed to be some secret hidden in those honest eyes.

"Silly Zhu, what are you doing..."

Sha Zhu chuckled and patted Fade Chen on the shoulder. "Brother, don't ask anymore. You will know later. We are all brothers in the factory. It is only natural for us to help each other."

After saying that, he turned and left. His back seemed a little lonely, but more of a person with inexplicable satisfaction.

After sending Sha Zhu away, Director Li put away his smile and said to Fade Chen seriously:

"Remember, opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. For this transfer, you should not only thank Sha Zhu, but also cherish this opportunity and do a good job."

Chen Fei nodded. He never expected that his long-time rival would lend a helping hand at the critical moment.

This sudden help made him feel both surprised and motivated.

Walking out of the office, Fade Chen looked at the dark clouds that were gradually dispersing in the sky and vowed to himself:

No matter how bumpy the road ahead is, he must seize this opportunity and use his own efforts to prove to everyone that he, Chen Fei, is definitely not an ordinary person!

At this time, Sha Zhu was hiding in a corner of the factory, secretly looking at Chen Fei's receding back, with a sly smile on his face.

He was thinking in his mind that this time of "helping" Chen Fei was not only to ease the tension between the two of them, but also to lay the groundwork for the upcoming "rectification" action.

In his heart, he had a plan of his own, a plan that was enough to catch Chen Fei off guard, but he had to admire it...

On the steel mill's polished land, Chen Fei walked with heavy steps, but with an unknown sense of ease and expectation in his heart.

His goal was clear - to find Director Li and request to be transferred to the legendary canteen kitchen where oil smoke and aroma were intertwined.

Unlike the day-to-day roar and boredom in the workshop, Chen Fei has an indescribable love for cooking, which is a kind of magic that allows him to forget the pressure of life and find his self-worth.

However, fate always seems to play some big or small jokes.

Just as Fade Chen was thinking about how to open his mouth and use his long-accumulated savings as a bargaining chip, an unexpected figure took the lead and caught his plan off guard.

There was a meaningful smile on Sha Zhu's lips, as if he had already seen through everything.

He told Chen Fei casually that he had already taken care of the transfer and Chen Fei didn't need to worry about it.

Chen Fei felt both surprised and confused.

He knew Sha Zhu very well, and he never did anything without a purpose, so there must be a deeper meaning behind this action.

But on second thought, since the opportunity has come, why not go with the flow and use this opportunity of transfer to unveil the mysterious veil of Sha Zhu, or even... drive out this potential threat.

So, Chen Fei returned to the workshop with just the right amount of confusion and puzzlement on his face, as if he knew nothing about the job transfer.

Fellow workers gathered around and asked questions one after another, but Chen Fei just answered vaguely, secretly planning his next move in his mind.

On the other hand, Sha Zhu's position in the kitchen is as solid as a mountain. His cooking skills are just like his personality, rough yet delicate, and he can always easily conquer the taste buds of diners.

The reason why he was so keen on facilitating Chen Fei's transfer was simply because he wanted to have one more chess piece that he could manipulate at will in this small world of the kitchen.

Sha Zhu's ambition is like the boiling soup in the pot, calm on the surface but with undercurrents surging inside.

The bell for the end of get off work finally rang, and Sha Zhu rushed out of the cafeteria impatiently and went straight to Qin Huairu's residence.

Qin Huairu, that gentle yet tough woman, is a touch of sweetness in Sha Zhu's heart.

He was eager to share the joy of "victory" with her, and wanted to get some affirmation and comfort from her.

"I have good news for you. Fade Chen is coming to our kitchen soon!" Sha Zhu said with a hint of pride.

Qin Huairu frowned slightly when she heard this.

"Silly Zhu, how did you do it? This is no small matter."

"Hehe, it's a small matter." Sha Zhu pretended to be relaxed, and then added, "But it cost some money, forty dollars."

Qin Huairu's face changed slightly when she heard this. Forty yuan was undoubtedly a considerable expense for this not-so-wealthy family.

"Silly Zhu, you..." She hesitated and finally sighed, "This money should have been used to supplement the family income."

Upon seeing this, Sha Zhu hurried forward to comfort him, but in his heart he was secretly thinking about how to make Chen Fei a chess piece in his hand, so that he could gain a foothold in the kitchen and bring some benefits to the family.

Although Chen Fei did not see all this with his own eyes, he could already vaguely feel that a storm was coming.

Amid the rumbling sound of motorcycles, Chen Fei rode his old but shiny 28-inch bicycle through the narrow and busy streets.

The sunlight shone through the sparse clouds, dappled onto his slightly unruly face, with a cynical smile on the corner of his mouth.

Today, he was in a particularly good mood, as if the air was filled with the excitement of impending success.

Not far away, the sounds of Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu arguing could be heard faintly, like a discordant note, breaking the tranquility of the street.

Sha Zhu, who was famous for being a straightforward person in this courtyard, now had a red face and clenched fists, as if he was about to explode in the next second.

Qin Huairu, a gentle yet tenacious woman, stood opposite him, with helplessness and expectation in her eyes.

"I spent that money not for myself, but to teach you and Chen Fei a lesson!" Sha Zhu's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

Qin Huairu sighed softly. She knew Sha Zhu's temper very well and understood his painstaking efforts.