Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!

Xu Mingjie's father is an old carpenter and his mother is a hardworking housewife. Although the family life is not rich, they live a happy life. Xu Mingjie learned a lot of carpentry skills from his father since he was a child. When he was a little older, he began to help his father with odd jobs, and the family's life became better and better.

Although Xu Mingjie was not opposed to carpentry, he always felt that this was not what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He loved eating since he was a child. Every time his mother cooked, he would curiously gather aside, watching the pots and pans flying in her hands, smelling the rich aroma of food, and his heart was filled with a yearning for cooking.

There is another person in the courtyard who also has a special liking for cooking. He is He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu is a famous chef in the hutong. He has superb cooking skills and is often mentioned as a "god chef" in several nearby restaurants. The food he cooks is not only delicious, but also has good color and fragrance. Everyone who has eaten it gives him a thumbs up.

Xu Mingjie and He Yuzhu have a good relationship and often go to He Yuzhu's house for meals. Whenever He Yuzhu is busy in the kitchen, Xu Mingjie can't help but want to see how he makes such delicious dishes in such a short time. He Yuzhu sees Xu Mingjie's interest in cooking and happily teaches him some simple techniques and tells him some cooking tips.

"Mingjie, you need to practice your cooking skills! Cooking is not as simple as throwing vegetables into the pot. It requires the right temperature, seasoning, and passion." He Yuzhu said to Xu Mingjie while flipping the vegetables in the pot. "I know I need to practice, but I always feel like I'm not good enough." Xu Mingjie smiled helplessly, but his eyes were full of desire for knowledge.

"Don't be anxious, take your time. If you really want to learn, I can teach you." He Yuzhu looked up at Xu Mingjie and suddenly said seriously.

Xu Mingjie listened, but he also knew that this was not an empty talk. Although He Yuzhu was approachable, he had extremely high requirements for cooking skills. It would not be easy to learn from him. Are you really willing to teach me? "Xu Mingjie was surprised and happy, with a little uncertainty in his tone.

"Of course I am willing. But you have to be mentally prepared. Learning cooking is a hard job and you can't give up halfway." He Yuzhu smiled and nodded, with encouragement in his eyes.

After Xu Mingjie returned home, He Yuzhu's words filled his mind. He tossed and turned in bed, and finally made up his mind to worship He Yuzhu as his teacher and learn cooking skills seriously. The next morning, he went to He Yuzhu's house early and expressed his strong desire to learn cooking skills.

Seeing Xu Mingjie's sincere attitude, He Yuzhu no longer refused and formally accepted him as his apprentice. From that day on, Xu Mingjie's life changed a lot.

Every morning, Xu Mingjie would rush to He Yuzhu's house early to help clean the kitchen, wash and cut vegetables. He Yuzhu would instruct him on how to handle the ingredients and how to match the seasonings. He Yuzhu taught very carefully, explaining every step clearly, and Xu Mingjie also studied very seriously, not daring to slack off at all.

Gradually, Xu Mingjie began to master some basic cooking skills. He learned how to control the heat, how to cut vegetables into even slices, and how to mix sauces of different flavors. Although his skills still need to be improved, he can already make a few simple home-cooked dishes independently.

He Yuzhu was satisfied with Xu Mingjie's progress, but he did not relax his requirements on Xu Mingjie. Whenever Xu Mingjie felt that he had done well, He Yuzhu would always point out the shortcomings. Xu Mingjie also understood that this was He Yuzhu's good intention, so he humbly accepted it every time and continued to improve.

Once, He Yuzhu asked Xu Mingjie to independently prepare a dish called "braised pork in red sauce", which is one of He Yuzhu's specialties. Whether it is done well is an important criterion for measuring the chef's level. Xu Mingjie knew that this was a big test for himself and was very nervous. He carefully recalled the steps He Yuzhu usually took to prepare this dish, from selecting ingredients, cutting, marinating to cooking, and carefully considered every step.

Finally, after some effort, Xu Mingjie brought out the braised pork he made. It was bright red in color and fragrant, and looked quite tempting. He Yuzhu picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully. Xu Mingjie watched He Yuzhu's expression nervously, fearing that he would frown.

After a moment, He Yuzhu put down his chopsticks and smiled: "Not bad, much better than the first time I made it."

Hearing this, Xu Mingjie finally felt relieved. However, He Yuzhu's next words made him feel anxious again: "However, the meat is still a little off, and the taste is a little bland. Try harder and do better next time."

Although Xu Mingjie felt a little disappointed, he set higher and higher standards for himself. He knew that only by constantly challenging himself could he truly master this skill. Xu Mingjie studied cooking more diligently. Not only did he continue to improve under the guidance of He Yuzhu, he also used his free time to study some recipes and try to make some new dishes. He Yuzhu was very pleased to see Xu Mingjie working so hard and kept encouraging him to keep up the good work.

The neighbors in the courtyard gradually discovered that Xu Mingjie's cooking skills had improved greatly. He began to try to make some complicated dishes at home, and his family praised him for his better cooking. His mother even said with emotion: "Mingjie, your cooking skills are almost catching up with Brother He!"

This sentence made Xu Mingjie feel sweet, but he knew that he still had a long way to go before he could become an excellent chef. Whenever he encountered difficulties, He Yuzhu would always give him guidance and support, and Xu Mingjie never thought of giving up.

One day, He Yuzhu suddenly said to Xu Mingjie: "Mingjie, you have been studying for so long, it's time to go out and try your luck. I know a good restaurant that is in need of an assistant chef. I recommend you to give it a try."

Xu Mingjie was excited and nervous when he heard this. He knew that this was a test from He Yuzhu and an opportunity to prove his ability. Although he felt a little uneasy, he decided to accept the challenge.

A few days later, Xu Mingjie came to the restaurant with He Yuzhu's recommendation letter. Seeing that he was young but had a confident look in his eyes, the restaurant owner decided to give him a trial opportunity. Xu Mingjie was very busy in the kitchen, from cutting vegetables to preparing side dishes and cooking, he was careful in every step and did not dare to be careless.

After a few weeks, Xu Mingjie's performance was recognized by the restaurant owner and other chefs. Although his cooking skills were not as good as those of experienced chefs, his diligence and serious attitude impressed everyone.