Chapter 51: The Meat

Having removed his temporary threat, He Yuzhu was still quite pleased; he happened to have something on hand, and he planned to go back and make something good.

Make a dish of mu xu pork, then another of braised eggplant.

Eaten with rice, the flavor is absolutely good.

Not long after he got home, Ma Hua came rushing in from outside, looking as if chased by a vicious dog, disturbing the just‑quiet Courtyard House.

"What's wrong with this? Can't you be a bit steadier, and not drop it?"

"Master, something important." Ma Hua gasped two rough breaths, "Tomorrow guests are coming to the factory; we need to prepare things in advance—hurry back."

It's already after work hours, and even if there are guests, we could prepare things tomorrow morning—isn't that always the procedure?

I haven't heard that we need to have things ready the day before.

"The guests coming this time are different; they want to eat a somewhat difficult dish called something like the four‑character dish 'fortune, prosperity, longevity, happiness'." Ma Hua explained, "I've never even heard of this dish."

He Yuzhu did know this dish, but he didn't move a step; this dish is an imperial court delicacy requiring bird's nest and shark fin—let alone this Steel Rolling Mill, even the whole city might not know anyone who can make it.

"Are you sure?"

"That's right."

"You little Ma Hua, you run like a rabbit!" The factory director's secretary also came over, sweating profusely, "Next time can you listen fully before leaving?"

The factory director's secretary had never heard of this dish either, treating it as a strange rumor to tell Ma Hua, but he ran off to report before hearing the whole thing.

At first the guests indeed wanted to eat these four dishes, but the factory director also guessed no one could make them, so he explained to the other side and switched to preparing a few different dishes.

"Just prepare a few meat dishes, then make some delicate pastries."

"Shall we prepare tomorrow?"

"The dishes can of course be prepared tomorrow, but the pastries had better be prepared today—when they arrive in the morning, they need to be on the table, right?" After saying that, the factory director's secretary hurried home to eat.

Ma Hua asked He Yuzhu whether he needed to make them overnight.

"Have you ever seen me make pastries?" He Yuzhu asked with a laugh, "Can't you figure that out? Of course I bought them elsewhere; next time this happens, just use your brain."

Anyway, it can definitely be reimbursed.

"What time is it now? Outside, the shops are about to close." Ma Hua frowned, "I bet those shop clerks will give you a cold shoulder, and might even start an argument."

"Don't worry, I'll take you to one."

He Yuzhu stepped out less than a hundred paces and arrived at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative; at that moment, Character was inside the counter doing the accounts, while Yu Shui was sweeping up the melon‑seed shells he had spat out.

"Find yourself a seat; I'll go in to pick out pastries—take whatever you want to eat."

He Yuzhu went straight behind the counter, entering the back room under Ma Hua's somewhat surprised gaze—this way he didn't have to worry about losing face, one being his wife, the other his sister.

There certainly aren't any good pastries here, but he has them in his system—and he just made some today, like mille‑feuille cakes and yellow pea pastries, which are quite good.

Moreover, his former wholesale department still had some banana cakes stored.

After modern seasoning adjustments, the pastries' flavor is absolutely rare; they're guaranteed to please the guests. Taking out eight kinds of pastries from the back, He Yuzhu gave several to Ma Hua, asking him to deliver them overnight to the factory for tomorrow's reception, leaving the rest for the noon banquet.

Character also got off work; the three of them, carrying pastries, chatted and laughed as they returned to the Courtyard House, not expecting that the one who had lost his cart, San Daye, was waiting for them at the gate.

"He Yuzhu, what's there to be happy about? Buying all these pastries back—if you can't eat them, they'll go bad." San Daye's eyes and nose are sharp, "How much will this cost?"

"This is the grocery shop's inventory."

There are some things He Yuzhu wouldn't say; spreading them would sound unpleasant.

"Hey He Yuzhu, I heard you reported that bastard Old Liu, costing him his job." San Daye asked, "The timing's a bit off—you should wait until he's paid back the money before coming here."

"You're overthinking it; I didn't report him just for you—this is what a leader should do." He Yuzhu said bluntly.

This San Daye really has a thick face.

"He Yuzhu, Old Liu is about to be locked up, and my cart is even more hopeless—if you don't go to the factory to accuse him, there might still be some leeway." San Daye chattered on.

He Yuzhu finally realized—this was about dragging him into the matter, making him compensate for the bicycle, and actually treating him as a piece of meat that anyone could take a bite of.

"His family isn't extinct, and it's none of my business—but if you still think that way, I don't mind giving you a wake‑up call." After saying that, He Yuzhu clenched his fist.

Seeing the fist as big as a sandbag, San Daye decisively went back inside.

"Dad, are you still afraid he'll hit you?" Yan Jiecheng objected somewhat, "If he hits you, I'll definitely go out to help—our bicycle can't just be written off; we need to find something to make up for it."

San Daye ignored his son's advice; even if he and his father could handle He Yuzhu, there's still Character behind him—and even with the whole family, they might not come out ahead.

But this bicycle had become a sore spot in his mind; given his family's meager means, they couldn't bear the loss—they had to find someone to share the burden.

"So it turns out He Yuzhu is the Courtyard House's piece of meat—no matter whose household suffers a loss, they can make it up from him. Now who in the Courtyard House can be that meat, continuing to make up for everyone?"

The whole family sat here, racking their brains.

Yu Li thought that in the Courtyard House, aside from He Yuzhu's family, only the households of Eldest Big Master and Second Big Master had money—so it seemed Eldest Big Master was the top candidate to be that meat.

He has money but no children; what's the point of hoarding it? Using it to make up for everyone would also leave a good reputation.

"Old Yan, I've told you before—I don't care about Courtyard House affairs anymore; coming to see me is useless." Eldest Big Master's voice was low, "Just do what you're supposed to do; I can't manage it."

San Daye wore a smile—was he still expecting me to uphold justice? This time he'd come to demand compensation.

"Old Yi, I was going to demand compensation this morning, but you insisted I wait." San Daye stared at Eldest Big Master, "This is basically you acting as a guarantor for Old Liu—now he probably can't pay, so I have to come to you."

Eldest Big Master understood—this was about using him as the meat to be slaughtered.

He knew this trick all too well—before, it was always him saying to let He Yuzhu's happiness serve as that piece of meat, constantly subsidizing the Jia Family with goods; now it's his turn to be the meat.

No way—if he becomes the meat once, he'll probably have to be the meat from now on.