Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

"Can I do it?" Wang Qiang often asked himself in the dead of night. Such doubts made him feel painful, but every time he thought of Master Liu and the courtyard, he gritted his teeth and was determined not to give up.

Gradually, Wang Qiang began to find some feeling. He found that although the craftsmen here were not talkative, everyone was very focused. The persistence and precision in their eyes when they were working inspired Wang Qiang. He began to adjust his mentality, no longer rushing for success, but paying more attention to the accuracy of every detail. He understood that a true master is not just fast, but can achieve perfection in every operation.

One day, an old machine in the workshop suddenly broke down. The master in charge of the machine was away on leave, and no one else could fix it. Wang Qiang plucked up his courage and volunteered to fix it. He carefully checked every part of the machine, combined his previous experience and the new knowledge he had recently learned, and finally found the cause of the problem. He spent a whole afternoon and finally fixed the machine. When the machine started running again, the workers in the workshop all looked at him with approval.

The successful repair of the machine gave Wang Qiang great confidence. He knew that he had begun to integrate into this new world. Although the road ahead was still full of challenges, he believed that as long as he persisted, he would be able to make greater progress.

As the days passed in the factory, Wang Qiang gradually adapted to life here. His skills were constantly improving, and his work became more and more handy. Every time he completed a complex task independently, he would feel an indescribable sense of accomplishment. Although life in the factory was busy and intense, every evening, Wang Qiang would always think of the life in the courtyard, and he missed those simple and warm times. After finishing his work in the factory, Wang Qiang stood at the door of the workshop, looking at the afterglow of the sunset shining on the factory area, and suddenly felt a little empty in his heart. He hadn't been back to the courtyard for a long time, and he missed home a little. He thought of Master Liu, the familiar neighbors, and even the puppy in the yard that always wagged its tail.

"Although this place is good, it lacks the taste of home." Wang Qiang said to himself. Then, he suddenly had an idea and decided to buy some delicious food to reward himself and cheer himself up.

There is a big market near the factory, and Wang Qiang is no stranger to it. Every day on his way to and from work, he passes by that busy street. The market is bustling with people, and there are all kinds of stalls on display. The air is filled with the aroma of barbecue, fried skewers, sugar-roasted chestnuts, etc. On weekdays, Wang Qiang is always busy with work and always passes by in a hurry, and hardly ever looks at these stalls carefully. But today, he decided to take a good look and pick out a few foods that he likes.

When Wang Qiang walked into the market, he was greeted by a strong aroma of barbecue, which stimulated his appetite. He walked to a barbecue stall and looked at the skewers of meat sizzling on the flames, and his heart was agitated. The stall owner was a strong middle-aged man. When he saw Wang Qiang standing in front of the stall, he smiled and greeted him: "Young man, would you like to try a few skewers? This is a secret recipe passed down from my family. I guarantee you will want to eat more!"

Wang Qiang was tempted by the aroma and nodded: "Then give me five skewers." He watched the stall owner flipping the skewers skillfully and smelled the fragrant aroma, and his mood gradually relaxed.

"Is it hard working at the factory?" The stall owner started chatting with Wang Qiang while he was busy.

"It's OK, but sometimes I get so busy that it feels like I haven't stopped all day." Wang Qiang took the skewer handed to him and took a light bite. The crispy outside and tender inside texture made him nod with satisfaction.

"Being busy is a good thing. Only when you have work can you have food to eat." The stall owner said with a smile.

Wang Qiang nodded and said nothing more, but he felt a little emotional. Although the stall owner's words were simple, they spoke the true meaning of life. Indeed, although the busy days were hard, they also made him feel fulfilled, and this feeling of continuous progress gave him a sense of accomplishment.

After eating the skewers, Wang Qiang continued to stroll around the market. He came to a stall selling roasted chestnuts with sugar, and watched the stall owner flipping the steaming chestnuts. Suddenly, he recalled the scene of eating chestnuts with his friends in the courtyard when he was a child. Life was simple and happy at that time, and every time he ate roasted chestnuts with sugar, he felt that it was the most delicious food in the world.

"Boss, give me two kilograms of sugar-roasted chestnuts." Wang Qiang said to the stall owner. The stall owner quickly handed him a bag of hot chestnuts. Wang Qiang took it, held it in his hand, and felt the warmth, as if his heart was also warmed up.

"This thing should be eaten while it's hot. It won't taste good if it's cold," the stall owner said with a smile. He couldn't wait to peel a chestnut and put it in his mouth. The sweetness and aroma of the chestnut melted in his mouth, and he couldn't help but reveal a satisfied smile.

"This is what it feels like to be back in a courtyard house." Wang Qiang thought to himself. He remembered the old friends who shared chestnuts with him and Master Liu's kind smile.

Then, Wang Qiang bought some snacks and fruits in the market, intending to enjoy them in the dormitory. After returning to the dormitory, Wang Qiang opened the bag and placed the things he bought on the table one by one. He sat on the chair, slowly enjoying these delicacies, and his mood gradually relaxed.

At this moment, the dormitory door was suddenly pushed open, and Wang Qiang's old friend Dawei walked in. He saw the delicious food on the table and joked with a smile: "Hey, Wang Qiang, what has made you so particular today? With so many delicious foods, aren't you afraid of getting fat?"

Wang Qiang smiled and asked Dawei to sit down: "It's okay if you're fat. You're in a good mood today. Let's eat something together."

Dawei was not polite either, he picked up a bunch of fruits and stuffed them into his mouth: "You should relax a little bit, you have been so busy these days, I am worried about you."

Wang Qiang took a bite of the sugar-roasted chestnuts, smiled and shook his head: "It's busy, but it feels worthwhile, and I've learned a lot. In fact, today I just suddenly remembered that I should give myself a reward to comfort myself for my hard work during this period of time."

Dawei nodded and looked at Wang Qiang seriously: "I really admire your enthusiasm. But sometimes you don't have to work too hard. Learning to enjoy life is also a learning."

Wang Qiang was moved when he heard this. Dawei's words were easy, but he knew that this was actually a reminder to him. Since he came to the factory, he really plunged into work, spending almost all his time on learning and improving his skills, and neglected a lot of life.