Siheyuan: Being a fisherman in 1962

Chen Fei stood up and looked at Qin Huairu with a deep gaze, which showed both doubt and vigilance.

"Sister Qin, I appreciate your kindness. But it's so late, you should go back and rest early." After saying that, he turned and walked into the house, leaving Qin Huairu standing there alone.

night, deeper.

The courtyard returned to its former tranquility, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects and the barking of dogs in the distance.

Qin Huairu's eyes were filled with complex emotions, including expectation and unwillingness, as if she was trying to find a crack in Chen Fei's cold expression.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I want to solve my problem myself." Chen Fei's voice was calm and firm. Every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting the defense line in Qin Huairu's heart that was about to collapse.

Every time he accepted Qin Huairu's help, it meant getting himself more deeply involved in those complicated neighborhood disputes, which was not what he wanted.

Qin Huairu's face changed slightly when she heard this, and she tried to persuade Chen Fei in a gentle tone: "Don't be so stubborn. I know you are having a hard time now, but we are neighbors, and we should help each other."

"You are kind to me, and I am grateful for that. But you should also pay more attention to your family. Third Uncle and the others... there should be someone to take care of them." His words implied sympathy for Qin Huairu's situation and also clearly expressed his position.

Seeing that her persuasion was fruitless, Qin Huairu's eyes flashed with disappointment, but she quickly adjusted her mood and forced a smile: "Okay, since you insist, I won't say much. Take care."

After saying that, she turned around and was about to leave, her back looking particularly lonely.

At this moment, Sha Zhu and He Yu Shui happened to witness this scene.

Sha Zhu's eyes stayed on Qin Huairu's departing back for a moment, then he turned to Chen Fei, frowning, as if he wanted to get some answer from Chen Fei.

He Yushui looked puzzled. She whispered to Sha Zhu, "Brother, look at Qin Huairu and Chen Fei. What's going on with them? Why do they look so weird?"

Sha Zhu sighed and lowered his voice, "Yushui, you don't understand. Qin Huairu's attitude towards Chen Fei may not be that simple. But I always feel that they are not truly friendly. Look at Chen Fei's attitude, it is obvious that he is deliberately keeping a distance."

"So do you think Sister Qin Huairu has any new plans?" He Yushui widened his eyes with a look of curiosity.

Sha Zhu shook his head, a trace of worry flashed in his eyes: "I don't know either, but Qin Huairu is a very thoughtful person. I'm afraid she has taken a fancy to Chen Fei and wants to get some benefits from him."

Hearing this, He Yushui couldn't help but worry about Sha Zhu: "Brother, you have to be careful. Don't let Sister Qin Huairu involve you."

Sha Zhu smiled bitterly and patted He Yushui on the shoulder: "Don't worry, I know what's going on. But you, stop thinking about it all day and take care of yourself."

As the night deepened, the courtyard returned to its former tranquility.

Chen Fei stood alone in front of the door, looking at the direction where Qin Huairu was going. He knew that his refusal of Qin Huairu's help might make their relationship more awkward, but he knew more clearly that only by relying on his own strength could he truly stand up and change the status quo.

"You and I both know that those so-called 'feelings' are just a spice in our lives. I never took them seriously." Chen Fei's voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone, especially Qin Huairu who was standing opposite him. Her face turned pale instantly.

Qin Huairu didn't expect that Chen Fei, who seemed dull on weekdays, would so directly refuse to admit his feelings for her.

She bit her lip, a trace of reluctance and doubt flashed in her eyes: "You..."

"Don't get me wrong, Qin Huairu." Chen Fei interrupted her with a self-deprecating smile on his face. "I'm a straightforward person and don't like beating around the bush. There have been major changes in the factory recently, and I was transferred to the workshop. My salary was cut in half, but that doesn't mean I'll just accept my fate."

Before he finished speaking, discussions arose all around, and people talked about Chen Fei's experience.

But Chen Fei seemed not to hear him and continued, "I, Chen Fei, have nothing else but a spirit of not admitting defeat. I believe that it won't be long before I can find my place back and let those who laugh at me know who is the one who has the last laugh."

At this point, Fade Chen's eyes suddenly became deep, as if he could see through people's hearts: "As for the reason behind this, humph, Ma Hua, don't think I don't know about your little tricks. Let's wait and see who will have the last laugh."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere froze instantly.

Ma Hua has always been Chen Fei's competitor.

Although he was not present at this moment, his name was like an invisible sword hanging over everyone's heart.

Qin Huairu heard this and thought that with her understanding of Chen Fei, she could easily influence his decision, but she didn't expect that he would be so determined.

She took a deep breath and tried to save something: "Silly Zhu, I just hope you can live well..."

"Qin Huairu, I appreciate your kindness." Chen Fei interrupted her, "But I want to walk my own path. As for the relationship between us, it's better to keep some distance."

After saying that, Fade Chen turned around and was about to leave, but he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Yu Li standing beside him with a complicated look in her eyes.

Yu Li is also the strongest support in his heart.

The two smiled at each other. No words were needed. The tacit understanding and trust were enough.

"I believe you." Yu Li said softly, her voice was small but full of power.

Deep in the back street, there is a time-honored restaurant called "Fu Man Lou". This is where Chen Fei struggles every day and it is also the turning point of his destiny.

Today, the restaurant is bustling with activity and is packed with guests; however, beneath this seemingly calm surface, undercurrents are surging.

Sha Zhu is plotting to get rid of Chen Fei through Ma Hua, an apprentice who is dissatisfied with Chen Fei.

While Chen Fei was busy in the kitchen, preparing today's special dishes, a malicious look quietly fell on his back.

Sha Zhu raised a sinister smile and whispered something to Ma Hua. Ma Hua's eyes suddenly flickered, as if he was making a difficult decision.

"Ding!" At this critical moment, a clear system prompt sound suddenly rang in Chen Fei's mind, like the sound of nature, instantly breaking the haze around him.

"System task triggered: Deal with Shazhu's conspiracy and choose your strategy."

The system interface appeared in front of Chen Fei, with three options clearly visible:

1. Hit the fool directly: simple and crude, but likely to cause more conflicts.

2. Buying off MCA: This is only a temporary solution and does not address the root cause. MCA is unstable and cannot be trusted in the long run.

3. Kick MCA out of the kitchen: solve the problem fundamentally and demonstrate authority at the same time.