Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

Wang Qiang curiously took the gift box and opened it. Inside was a pair of new running shoes. He looked at He Yuzhu with emotion, "Yuzhu, this is great, thank you!"

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Seeing how hard you've been working lately, let me give you some encouragement. Let's keep running together and stay healthy."

Wang Qiang felt a warm current in his heart. He knew that He Yuzhu's care and support made him more determined to stay healthy. The two smiled at each other, as if they had more tacit understanding.

At night, Wang Qiang lay in bed, his heart full of satisfaction and expectation. He knew that there would be many challenges in the future, but with a friend like He Yuzhu by his side, everything would be better. He closed his eyes, silently planning tomorrow's running route, looking forward to another fulfilling and healthy day.

Recently, Wang Qiang started to think seriously about his eating habits while exercising. He found that the main reason for his weight gain was that he usually ate too much greasy food. So he decided to change his eating habits, eat more vegetarian dishes, and reduce fat intake, so that he could lose weight more effectively.

One morning, Wang Qiang was about to go buy vegetables when he returned to the courtyard after running. He Yuzhu stopped him and said, "Qiangzi, I'll treat you to a meal today. Let's go to the vegetable market and buy some fresh vegetables. I'll cook for you."

Wang Qiang smiled and said, "Okay, I just want to eat something light, which will help me lose weight better."

The two walked to the vegetable market, which was crowded with people and the stalls were filled with all kinds of fresh vegetables and fruits. Wang Qiang saw a pile of green spinach and his eyes lit up, "Yuzhu, let's buy some spinach. I heard it's rich in nutrients and low in calories."

He Yuzhu nodded, "Good idea, buy some carrots and tofu and make a light vegetarian feast."

After buying vegetables and returning to the courtyard, He Yuzhu rolled up his sleeves and started working in the kitchen. Wang Qiang helped by washing and cutting vegetables, and the two worked in perfect harmony. Soon, the kitchen was filled with fragrance.

"Yuzhu, your cooking skills are really good. This dish looks appetizing." Wang Qiang exclaimed, his mouth watering as he looked at the vegetables being stir-fried in the pot.

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Just wait and try it. Today's dishes will surely satisfy you."

Soon, several delicious vegetarian dishes were placed on the table, including stir-fried spinach, cold cucumber salad, carrot and tofu soup, and a plate of stir-fried vegetables with mushrooms. Wang Qiang looked at the table full of vegetarian dishes, his heart filled with gratitude and anticipation.

"Come on, Qiangzi, try this stir-fried spinach first." He Yuzhu handed over a pair of chopsticks and said with a smile.

Wang Qiang picked up a piece of spinach with chopsticks and put it in his mouth. He immediately felt a fresh taste filling his mouth. He nodded and praised: "It's delicious, light and refreshing, and very fresh."

He Yuzhu smiled proudly, "I knew you would like it. You are on a diet now, so eating these vegetarian dishes is the best."

Wang Qiang ate the vegetarian dishes with a sense of satisfaction. He knew that his weight loss plan was being realized step by step, and with friends like He Yuzhu supporting him, he was more confident to stick to it.

After dinner, the two sat in the yard drinking tea and chatting about their lives and plans. Wang Qiang thought to himself that he should not only keep exercising and eating healthy, but also find a new way of life to make his life more fulfilling.

"Yuzhu, I've been thinking recently, besides exercise and diet, what else can we do to make life more meaningful?" Wang Qiang asked, with a bit of confusion and expectation in his tone.

He Yuzhu thought for a while and said, "In fact, we can try to learn some new skills or hobbies. For example, you can learn to cook, which can not only improve your diet, but also add fun to your life."

Wang Qiang's eyes lit up and he nodded, "You're right, learning to cook is indeed a good idea. I only knew how to cook simple home-cooked meals before, so this is a good opportunity for me to learn some new dishes."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Then let's start from today and make a new dish every day, learn from each other and improve our cooking skills."

Wang Qiang readily agreed, and the two decided to cook a new vegetarian dish together every day from the next day, exchanging ideas and techniques with each other. This would not only enrich their diet, but also enhance their friendship.

The next morning, Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu went to the market again and picked some fresh vegetables and spices. Back at the courtyard, they began to get busy. Wang Qiang carefully learned He Yuzhu's cooking skills and offered his own opinions and suggestions from time to time.

"Qiangzi, you see, this dish needs to be blanched first and then stir-fried, so that it will not lose its fresh and tender taste." He Yuzhu explained while demonstrating.

Wang Qiang looked at it carefully and nodded, "I see, this way the nutrients in the vegetables can be better preserved."

For several days, Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu tried different vegetarian recipes every day, from stir-fried vegetables to cold salads, from steamed vegetables to stewed soups. Every dish was full of novelty and deliciousness. Wang Qiang not only enjoyed a healthy diet, but also learned many new cooking skills, which filled his heart with a sense of accomplishment.

One evening, Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu were busy preparing dinner in the yard. The neighbors in the courtyard smelled the fragrance and gathered around.

"Qiangzi, Yuzhu, what delicious food did you make today?" Aunt Li asked with a smile, her eyes full of curiosity.

Wang Qiang smiled and replied, "Aunt Li, we made some vegetarian dishes today, would you like to try them?"

Aunt Li agreed happily, and the neighbors also sat together to taste the cooking skills of Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu. Everyone ate and talked, and the atmosphere was very lively.

"This vegetarian dish is so delicious. I didn't expect you two could make it in so many different ways." Uncle Zhang praised, chewing his food non-stop.

Wang Qiang felt satisfied after hearing this. "Thank you for the compliments. We just want to make our lives healthier and more interesting."

As the night deepened, the courtyard was filled with a joyful atmosphere. Wang Qiang looked at the table full of vegetarian dishes and the happy neighbors, and his heart was filled with warmth and gratitude. He knew that he had not only found a healthy lifestyle, but also made the neighborhood relationship in the courtyard more harmonious.

Recently, Wang Qiang found that he was increasingly disgusted with greasy food. Every time he smelled fried food, he would feel nauseous and even his stomach would churn. This reaction forced him to pay more attention to his diet and choose light and healthy food.

One day, when Wang Qiang was buying vegetables at the market, he saw a stall selling fried chicken legs. The greasy aroma hit his nose. He quickly covered his nose and walked away, feeling nauseous. He thought to himself, "It seems that I really can't touch these greasy things anymore."