Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

This sudden "honor" not only did not make Sha Zhu feel the slightest bit of joy, but instead made him even more confused and uneasy.

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind, finally settling on Ma Hua's face, which always had a gentle smile.

An inexplicable anger burned in his chest. He suspected that Ma Hua had secretly learned his cooking skills while he was away and attempted to take his place.

"Hmph, what a Ma Hua, pretending to be an honest man on weekdays, but doing such dirty things behind the scenes!" Sha Zhu cursed in his heart, clenching his hands into fists with veins bulging.

In this business, skills are your lifeblood. Once they are stolen, you lose your foothold.

With a heart full of anger and unwillingness, Sha Zhu strode towards the corner where Ma Hua was.

Every step felt like walking on a knife edge, painful yet firm.

We must seek clarification from MCA, give ourselves an explanation, and also give justice to the dishes that were "impersonated" by him.

"Ma Hua, come with me!" Sha Zhu's voice was deep and powerful, leaving no room for doubt.

Upon hearing this, Ma Hua was stunned at first, then he put down the work in his hands and followed Sha Zhu's steps.

The two of them walked one after the other through the bustling kitchen and came to a relatively secluded corner.

"Brother Shazhu, is there anything wrong?" Ma Hua still had a gentle smile on his face, as if he was unaware of what was about to happen.

Unlike usual, there was a long queue at the canteen entrance today and the employees' faces were filled with unprecedented satisfaction and anticipation.

All this was like a bolt from the blue to Sha Zhu, who had just returned from vacation.

"Hmph, without my, Shazhu's cooking skills, how could the food in this cafeteria possibly taste good?" He muttered to himself, his brows furrowed, his heart full of confusion and unwillingness.

Sha Zhu, the famous chef in the steel mill canteen, was proud of his unparalleled cooking skills, but he never expected that one day he would be surpassed.

Rumors blew into his ears like the wind - it was Ma Hua, the little apprentice who used to cut his hands even when cutting vegetables, who actually made the quality of the food in the cafeteria improve by leaps and bounds during his absence, and won unanimous praise from everyone.

Sha Zhu felt mixed emotions and decided to verify this incredible fact himself.

So, Sha Zhu, Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai, the good guy in the factory, walked together and entered the cafeteria that they had to go to every day.

The air was filled with an alluring aroma, which was very different from usual, and made Sha Zhu's brows tighten even more.

"Hmph, let me see how good the food is!" Sha Zhu pretended to be disdainful and strode towards the food window.

Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai smiled at each other, and followed him, with curiosity and anticipation in their eyes.

As soon as the food came out of the pot, it was bright in color, steaming hot, and the aroma went straight into the nose, attracting everyone's attention.

Sha Zhu took the plate. Although he was extremely reluctant, the food in front of him seemed to have magic that made him swallow his saliva involuntarily.

"Humph, it looks good, but the taste..." He deliberately lengthened his tone, trying to use words to cover up his inner hesitation.

However, when the first bite of food entered his mouth, the familiar yet unfamiliar taste instantly exploded in his mouth, as if awakening his deep-seated memories, but also bringing new surprises.

Sha Zhu was stunned, with his chopsticks hanging in the air, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

I can't believe this is really from the hands of MCA?

He tried hard to find a flaw to prove that it was just an illusion, but the delicious taste on the tip of his tongue ruthlessly shattered his fantasy.

Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai watched silently from the side, secretly laughing at Sha Zhu's change from initial doubt to his current intoxication.

Qin Huairu said softly: "It seems that we have to get to know Ma Hua again."

Yi Zhonghai was more direct. He took the chopsticks from Sha Zhu's hand, picked up a piece of meat and put it into his mouth. In an instant, his eyes softened.

"Well, that's right. He does have some of your true qualities, but he is even better than you." He praised sincerely.

At this moment, Sha Zhu finally realized that he might no longer be the arrogant chef.

He tried to hide his disappointment, with a wry smile on his face, but he could not hide the loneliness in his eyes.

"Hmph, he has some skills. However, it's still a long way to go for him to surpass me, Shazhu!" He said in a stubborn tone, but the chopsticks in his hand had already unconsciously reached for the next dish.

There was constant laughter and joy in the cafeteria, but in Sha Zhu's heart, unprecedented waves were surging.

Qin Huairu sat at the table, savoring the delicacies on the table slowly, with a satisfied smile on her face.

However, this harmony did not fully infect Shazhu who was standing aside.

He crossed his arms across his chest, frowned, and his eyes were full of reluctance and confusion.

"Although the food is delicious, it lacks a little flavor." Sha Zhu's voice was low and powerful, and his tone revealed confidence and pride in his cooking skills.

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu gently put down her chopsticks and curled up a gentle smile at the corner of her mouth, trying to appease this "stubborn donkey" in the culinary world.

"Of course, no one can match your cooking, but it's also a pleasure to change the taste occasionally." Her words were like a spring breeze, trying to blow away the haze in Sha Zhu's heart.

Sha Zhu snorted and didn't respond, but he had already made up his mind and decided to find Ma Hua to ask for clarification after dinner.

After dinner, when the courtyard returned to tranquility again, Sha Zhu finally couldn't suppress his inner impulse and walked towards Ma Hua's room.

His steps were firm and powerful, and every step seemed to speak of his desire for the truth.

The light in Ma Hua's room was soft. He was sorting books with his head down. When he saw Sha Zhu coming to visit, he quickly stood up with a polite smile on his face.

"Why are you here? Is everything going well in the workshop?" Ma Hua's voice was gentle and filled with concern.

Sha Zhu didn't want to exchange pleasantries, and asked directly: "Ma Hua, was it you who messed up today's meal?"

Ma Hua was stunned, then shook his head to deny: "Brother Sha Zhu, where do you get that from? I don't have the ability to interfere in kitchen matters."

His eyes were clear and his tone was sincere, as if he really had nothing to do with the matter.

"Hmph, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. You've been coveting my position as head chef for a long time." There was a hint of anger in Sha Zhu's tone. He stared at Ma Hua, trying to catch a hint of panic in the other's eyes.

But Ma Hua just smiled calmly and continued to explain: "You really misunderstood. Today's meal was prepared by Chen Fei alone. I didn't interfere at all."

"Chen Fei?" Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu felt that this name was familiar to him, but he never thought that it would be related to today's meal.

He widened his eyes and asked in disbelief: "You mean, the meal that made me feel ashamed was made by Chen Fei?"

"That's right. Chen Fei not only has superb cooking skills, but also has meticulous thoughts. Every dish he prepares is a work of art. He was busy in the kitchen alone for most of the day before he finished this feast."