Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

The first ray of sunlight in the early morning has not yet completely penetrated the factory mist, but the kitchen is already a busy scene.

Chen Fei stood in the newly assigned position of head chef, his eyes flashing with unprecedented determination and confidence.

He just learned that not only did his salary increase, but he also took over the honor that originally belonged to Sha Zhu - the position of head chef. All this happened too suddenly, yet it seemed as if there was an arrangement in the dark.

"Hmph, that kid Ma Hua, I thought he was the one behind all this, turns out I was wrong about him." Fade Chen thought to himself, a barely perceptible smile forming on his lips.

Last night, he had intended to seek clarification from Ma Hua about the "accident" that nearly caused him to lose his position as head chef, but during the investigation he discovered that it had nothing to do with Ma Hua, and that he was the victim of a complicated personnel struggle in the factory.

At the same time, Sha Zhu was ruthlessly thrown into a corner of the workshop with a transfer order.

He, who was once a glorious man, was now wearing a work suit stained with oil, standing next to a roaring machine, his face so gloomy that water seemed to drip from it.

Frustration and anger intertwined in his heart, like a ball of fire, burning him almost to the point of losing his mind.

"Chen Fei, you're the one behind all this!" Sha Zhu gritted his teeth and secretly swore in his heart that he would take back everything that belonged to him.

Yi Zhonghai, the respected senior in the factory, saw it all and was worried.

He tried to find Sha Zhu and use his eyes, which had seen through many vicissitudes of life, to comfort this lost young man.

"Silly Zhu, Chen Fei is not an ordinary kid. His strength is obvious to all. You will only hurt yourself if you act impulsively like this."

Yi Zhonghai spoke earnestly, but Sha Zhu seemed to be blinded by anger. He turned a deaf ear to Yi Zhonghai's advice and even spoke rudely, venting all his anger on this old senior.

On the other hand, Qin Huairu's heart was also rippled with Chen Fei's rise.

As a famous beauty in the factory, she has always relied on Sha Zhu's support to support her family.

Now, Sha Zhu's situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and she couldn't help but feel a little worried.

"Fade Chen...how come he is so powerful all of a sudden?" Qin Huairu murmured to herself, with complex emotions flashing in her eyes.

She began to re-examine the man whom she had once ignored, and a sense of inexplicable expectation arose in her heart.

She remembered that many years ago, when she was faced with the choice of marriage, Chen Fei was one of her many suitors, but his ordinariness and inconspicuousness at that time made her choose the more "reliable" Jia Dongxu without hesitation.

Thinking about it now, Qin Huairu couldn't help but feel a little regretful. She realized that perhaps she had always misjudged people.

"If Chen Fei is really capable, maybe I can..." A bold idea flashed through Qin Huairu's mind. She decided to secretly observe Chen Fei and look for opportunities to see if she could turn him into a new economic pillar.

It was time to get off work, and Chen Fei walked out of the factory gate with brisk steps. The busy day did not seem to leave too many traces on his face, but instead added a bit of calmness and composure.

Qin Huairu was standing under an old locust tree not far away, her eyes occasionally sweeping across the crowd, looking for the figure that she had imagined countless times in her mind.

Her plan was simple yet complex - to improve her and her mother's difficult lives by winning Chen Fei's favor.

Although Chen Fei is not wealthy, he is well-known in the factory. He is an upright person with a bright future. He is an excellent candidate to change his destiny.

"Be gentle, Qin Huairu, you must use your most gentle side to approach him." She said silently in her heart, with a faint smile on her lips. There was some calculation in that smile, but it could not hide her natural charm.

At the same time, on the other side of the factory, Sha Zhu, a man with a rough appearance but a delicate heart, was anxiously waiting for Ma Hua to appear.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow long, making him look particularly lonely.

His purpose today is not to seek revenge, but to seek a win-win cooperation opportunity.

"You have to listen to what I have to say." The first words Sha Zhu said when he saw Ma Hua were full of sincerity.

Ma Hua had long heard about Sha Zhu's "glorious deeds" in the past, so naturally he was skeptical about what he said.

"Silly Zhu, what do you want from me? Don't tell me you want to introduce me to some 'good girl' again." Ma Hua's tone was full of mockery and disdain.

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu smiled bitterly, then said seriously:

"Ma Hua, you misunderstood. This time I really want to help you. I know you are just a handyman in the kitchen now, but you have skills, all you need is an opportunity. Although I am down and out now, I still have connections, and I can make you the head chef here."

Ma Hua's eyes flashed with surprise when he heard this, but he quickly regained his composure and said, "Why do you think I will believe you? I don't want to be associated with your past mess."

Sha Zhu was not discouraged. He slowly laid out his plan, every detail of which was well thought out and sounded both attractive and feasible.

As Ma Hua listened, the doubts in his heart were gradually replaced by curiosity and expectation.

He had to admit that although Sha Zhu acted flamboyantly, he was indeed capable.

"But, those women you mentioned..." Ma Hua suddenly changed the subject, obviously still remembering those unreliable objects that Sha Zhu had introduced to him in the past.

"Haha, that's a thing of the past." Sha Zhu laughed a few times and patted Ma Hua on the shoulder. "Brother, you have to look forward. Besides, you can't always be picky. Sometimes, if you lower your standards, you may discover a different scenery."

Ma Hua was somewhat moved by these words. He was silent for a moment, and finally asked: "So, how do you become a chef?"

When Sha Zhu saw that the fish had taken the bait, he was secretly proud of himself, but he still maintained a sincere attitude on the surface and began to elaborate on his plan in detail.

The conversation between the two people gradually deepened in the night, and it seemed that even the air around them became warmer because of this sudden cooperation.

On the other hand, Qin Huairu's gentle trap has been quietly laid out.

She cleverly appeared on the road that Chen Fei had to pass, and with her unique gentleness and delicacy, she approached step by step the man who was about to become the turning point of her life.

"That kid Fei Ge relies on his cleverness to become arrogant. It's time to make him suffer." Sha Zhu sat under the dim kerosene lamp in Ma Hua's house, while Ma Hua sat silently beside him, tapping the table with his fingers, as if thinking about something.

"What are you going to do?" Ma Hua finally spoke, his voice low and powerful.

"Be direct. Let's join forces to pull him down from that position and let you take his place." Sha Zhu's words were straightforward and decisive, his eyes full of desire for power.

However, the plan was not unknown.

In the courtyard, Yi Zhonghai sat on the doorstep, frowning, looking in the direction of Chen Fei's house in the distance, his heart full of worry.

"Shazhu is a man who acts too impulsively. What if he causes some trouble..." He muttered to himself, but was powerless to stop it.