Siheyuan, Me and the Yu Sisters

Zhang Renkang rode his newly bought 28-inch bicycle in the street in a very stylish way, attracting waves of envious glances. In this day and age, being able to buy a brand new bicycle is not much different from driving a Ferrari. Moreover, Zhang Renkang looked young, which attracted the attention of the young girls and wives even more.

Suddenly a sound

"Zhang Renkang, Zhang Renkang"

Zhang Renkang braked and looked to the left. Wasn't that Yan Jiecheng? There was also a tall, long-legged, pretty girl next to him. Zhang Renkang turned the car around to say hello and asked,

"Yan Jiecheng, what are you doing?"

Some people asked in confusion

"Who is this lady?"

Yan Jiecheng said proudly

"This is my girlfriend, Yu Li"

Zhang Renkang suddenly realized that this must be Yu Li. He never understood why Yu Li was so attracted to Yan Jiecheng, a man who had no job and no talent. Zhang Renkang smiled and nodded at Yu Li and said,

"Hello, Comrade Yu Li, my name is Zhang Renkang, and I am Yan Jiecheng's neighbor"

Yu Li also smiled and nodded

"I'm not his girlfriend yet, I just came here to meet him today as introduced by the matchmaker."

Yan Jiecheng couldn't hold back the embarrassment on his face when he heard this. He subconsciously saw Zhang Renkang riding over and calling him, and wanted to show off for the sake of face, but Yu Li exposed him directly. Yan Jiecheng awkwardly changed the subject and asked

"Zhang Renkang, did you buy this car or borrow it?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"It's inconvenient to walk to work every day, so I bought a car. The factory manager happened to have a ticket so he gave it to me."

As he said that, he took out the bicycle license and handed it to Yan Jiecheng. Yu Li and Yan Jiecheng took a look and saw that it was indeed Zhang Renkang's name. Yan Jiecheng was surprised and couldn't believe it, while Yu Li was more and more satisfied the more she looked at it. The fact that Zhang Renkang could afford a bicycle showed that his family was well-off, and he had a job and could get tickets from the factory director, which showed that he was valued by the leaders. He was a rich son-in-law. Yu Li was more and more satisfied the more she looked at it.

Zhang Renkang felt Yu Li's fiery gaze. He suddenly wanted to tease Yan Jiecheng. This family was stingy. He didn't know if Yan Jiecheng had brought money with him when he went out for a blind date today. He asked

"Jie Cheng, have you had lunch?"

It would have been fine if this had not been mentioned. Once it was mentioned, Yan Jiecheng was so embarrassed that he didn't know how to respond. Yu Li on the side was even more speechless. Yan Jiecheng actually brought two steamed buns and some pickles from home and invited Yu Li to eat. Yu Li was so angry that she was starving and didn't even buy a bus ticket. The two walked back from Beihai Park.

Seeing Yan Jiecheng embarrassed, Zhang Renkang said

"Let's go, I haven't eaten yet, I'll ask you two to go eat something together."

Looking at Yu Li, he said

"Ladies first, what would you like to eat, Comrade Yu Li?"

Yu Li was embarrassed. How could she let Zhang Renkang treat her on their first meeting? She opened her mouth to refuse.

"Comrade Zhang Renkang, this is inappropriate."

Yan Jiecheng didn't want to be with Zhang Renkang either. If Zhang Renkang was there, would Yu Li still like him? Suddenly, Yu Li's stomach growled. Yu Li blushed in embarrassment. Yan Jiecheng ate two steamed breads to fill his stomach, but Yu Li was still hungry. She didn't know there was such a stingy man who didn't even care about her meal.

Zhang Renkang smiled when he heard Yu Li's stomach sound.

"It just so happens that this place is not far from Donglaishun. I'll treat you to some mutton."

Yan Jiecheng's eyes turned red when he heard about eating mutton. He had never known what mutton tasted like. Yu Li was also stunned when she heard it. Although she couldn't afford it, she had heard of it. A meal at Donglaishun cost at least ten yuan, which was the salary of an apprentice.

Zhang Renkang rode a bicycle and brought Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li to Donglaishun Restaurant. Donglaishun was a well-known old brand in Beijing at that time, especially in autumn and winter. Eating a hot pot meal was the dream of many people, especially for a middle-class family like Yan Jiecheng. Yan Bugui's monthly salary of more than 30 yuan could only feed a family of six with cornmeal to fill their stomachs. Even pork was only a small piece during festivals. How could he not be reluctant to eat at Donglaishun? He had never seen it before.

As soon as the three of them entered the door, a waiter wearing a Zhongshan suit and a white hat came up to them and asked with a smile:

"Three of you, please come in. Do you have a reservation?"

Zhang Renkang shook his head and said

"No, find us a quiet place."

The waiter knew that the three people were ordinary people as soon as they saw their clothes. However, although Zhang Renkang was wearing ordinary clothes, he had seen Zhang Renkang riding a brand new bicycle. Most importantly, he had an aura that was not possessed by ordinary people. He quickly led the way and found a square table by the window. As soon as the three sat down, the waiter handed over the menu.

Zhang Renkang pushed the recipe directly to Yu Li and said

"Comrade Yu Li, you order the food."

Yu Li had never ordered such an expensive dish before. The mutton here costs several yuan per pound. Yu Li pushed the menu to Zhang Renkang and said,

"You order it, I'm not familiar with it."

Zhang Renkang didn't hesitate and ordered two pounds of mutton, half a pound of beef, a plate of pickled garlic, a plate of peanuts, a plate of smashed cucumbers and a bottle of Erguotou.

“Take these first, and order more if you’re not satisfied.”

The waiter quickly wrote it down and turned around to place the order. Yan Jiecheng was so surprised when he saw Zhang Renkang ordering the dishes that he couldn't close his mouth. This table of dishes cost more than 20 yuan, and Zhang Renkang didn't even blink. How rich must he be?

Yu Li's favorability towards Zhang Renkang has also increased sharply. He is rich and generous. It seems that Yan Jiecheng is as different from Zhang Renkang as heaven and earth.

The food and wine were served quickly. The aroma of the mutton bone soup in the hot copper pot made Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li drool. Especially Yu Li, who was already hungry, couldn't stand the aroma.

Zhang Renkang put half of the meat in a bowl, scooped it into the bowls for Yu Li and Yan Jiecheng, and then poured them a glass of Erguotou. Zhang Renkang raised the glass and said to Yu Li

"Comrade Yu Li, this is our first meeting, so I don't have much to offer you. I'll just give you this glass of wine."

He drank it, and Yu Li blushed and drank half of it. It was so spicy that she opened her mouth and exhaled. Zhang Renkang said

"Let's eat first, as a base."

Then he picked up the mutton and tasted it carefully. Yan Jiecheng over there looked like a starving ghost. The Yan family's eating style was quite similar. He was fast and anxious like Yan Bugui. Yu Li on the other side frowned. This Yan Jiecheng was too embarrassing.

Zhang Renkang was not surprised at all. He smiled and put another piece of beef into Yu Li's bowl with his chopsticks. He said to Yan Jiecheng:

"Jie Cheng, you have to savor it slowly to appreciate the deliciousness of the mutton and the richness of the sesame sauce."

Yu Li looked at Yan Jiecheng with disgust and asked Zhang Renkang

"Renkang, can I call you that?"

Seeing Zhang Renkang nodded, he asked again

"Do you work at the Red Star Steel Mill? Why did you come out at noon?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"I am the kitchen team leader of a canteen in a steel mill. My work is not busy and there are usually no leaders who need me to prepare dishes for them, so I have plenty of time."

"I happened to go to the factory manager to get a bicycle ticket this morning. After I finished my arrangements at noon, I came out to buy a bicycle."

Yu Li asked with admiration

"The team leader of the kitchen, are you also the chef?"

Zhang Renkang said with a smile

"I am 21 years old. I just passed the eighth-level chef exam this year. Fortunately, my leader appreciated me and I became the squad leader."

Yu Li thought that he was only 21 years old and he was already a chef, and he could also be a squad leader. So she had to ask about his family situation.

"You are only 21 years old and you are already an eighth-level chef. You are also a squad leader. Your parents must be very proud."

Zhang Renkang didn't know what Yu Li meant and said with a smile

"My father died a few years ago, and my mother just passed away half a year ago. I am alone now."

Yu Li lowered her head and looked at Yan Jiecheng who was eating happily over there, and said

"I'm sorry, Renkang, I don't know"

Zhang Renkang smiled and said

"It's okay, I'm used to it. Sometimes I feel a little uncomfortable looking at two houses at night, but now I'm used to it and it's okay."

Yu Li thought, young, high income, no worries about food and drink, two rooms in the house, no mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts, it was simply the best conditions.

Yu Li said shyly

"I am 20 years old. I have a younger brother who is unemployed, a younger sister who is in high school, my father works in a textile factory, and my mother stays at home to take care of the children."

"Renkang, can I come and play with you later?"

Zhang Renkang smiled

"Sure. Yan Jiecheng and I live in the same yard. I'm in the backyard. You can also find me in the kitchen of the canteen of the steel mill. I'm usually not busy except at noon."

Yan Jiecheng suddenly burped at this time. He had just eaten two steamed breads and a pound of meat and meatballs. He was so full that he could hardly walk. Not knowing what would happen next, Yan Jiecheng looked at Yu Li and Zhang Renkang and said,

"You two eat, Renkang, this is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten."

“This mutton is really delicious”

Yu Li looked at this thing speechlessly, Zhang Renkang smiled and said

"As long as it tastes good, are you full?"

Then asked Yu Li

"Comrade Yu Li, do you want anything else to eat?"

Now Yu Li has already thought about marrying Zhang Renkang. As the mistress of Zhang Renkang's family, how could she be willing to let him waste money, especially with Yan Jiecheng? She shook her head and said

“No, let’s just eat this.”

Half an hour later

After finishing his meal, Zhang Renkang pushed his cart with Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li and walked towards the steel mill. Zhang Renkang said

"It's getting late. I have to go back to the steel mill first. I'll leave now."

Then he said to Li

"Goodbye Comrade Yu Li"

Yu Li smiled and waved as she watched Zhang Renkang leave. Yan Jiecheng saw Zhang Renkang leave and asked with a smile:

"Yu Li, let's go to Shishahai"

Yu Li glanced at Yan Jiecheng coldly and said

"Comrade Yan Jiecheng, I don't think we are suitable. Let's leave it at that. Don't contact me again in the future."

Yu Li said as she walked towards the station.

Confused, Yan Jiecheng quickly chased after him and asked

"Yu Li, is there something I did wrong? If you tell me, I will change it."

Yu Li turned around and said

"Comrade Yan Jiecheng, we are not suitable. I don't think I have any feelings for you. Let's leave it at that. I hope you can find the right one sooner in the future."

Yu Li left by herself. Yan Jiecheng was confused. He didn't know why Yu Li had changed so much. Yan Jiecheng didn't think of Zhang Renkang as the reason. After all, he was there all the time, and he didn't see Zhang Renkang say anything bad about him or Yu Li. Yan Jiecheng hurried home, planning to ask his resourceful father about it in the afternoon.