Chapter 9: Factory and Sihe Academy

Rolling Mill

Cao Weiguo and the workers line up together, with smiles on everyone's faces.

Today is the last day of March, and also the day to receive wages.

"Weiguo, your cooking is really great!"

"Your skills are amazing!"

"Weiguo, will you be cooking tomorrow too?"

Relying on his exquisite culinary skills, Cao Weiguo made the food delicious with few ingredients.

One lunch allowed Cao Weiguo to be recognized by the workers.

In this era of material scarcity, "eating" is one of the most urgent needs in people's hearts.

In the kitchen, Cao Weiguo was praised by the canteen director.

Being praised by workers in the factory made Cao Weiguo happy and Shazhu full of anger.

"Cao Weiguo, this is your salary for this month, thirty-one yuan and five jiao."

Before passing the assessment, Cao Weiguo received the salary of a 9th-grade cook.

Next month, he will be able to receive the treatment of an 8th-grade cook.

Putting the salary into his pants pocket, Cao Weiguo invites the canteen director, Li Dong, and Ma Liang to go out to eat.

Arriving at the destination, the canteen director opens his eyes in surprise.

Donglaishun: A time-honored Chinese brand, founded in 1903, achieved public-private partnership in 1955.

A place that ordinary families wouldn't even dare to think about; a meal could cost at least half a month's rations for a family.

The canteen director swallows his saliva: "Weiguo, we are not outsiders, a simple meal is fine, let's change to another place."

Cao Weiguo says sincerely: "Director, I was able to get promoted so smoothly, thanks to your care. Inviting you to a meal is just to express my gratitude."

Enthusiastically pushing the canteen director into Donglaishun Restaurant.

Entering Donglaishun Restaurant, Cao Weiguo takes out food stamps and a ten-yuan bill.

Ordering six plates of mutton in one breath!

Donglaishun's instant-boiled mutton is the crown of Beijing's instant-boiled mutton, with its unique features of selected materials, fine processing, complete seasonings, and strong heat.

Donglaishun's chefs have exquisite knife skills; the mutton is spread on blue and white porcelain plates after being cut, and the patterns on the plates are faintly visible through the meat slices.

The "thin as paper, even as crystal, neat as thread, beautiful as flower" mutton is cooked as soon as it is dipped in the dried shrimp and mushroom soup, tasting fragrant and tender, not gamey or greasy.

Paired with seasonings such as sesame paste, Shaoxing wine, fermented bean curd, pickled chive flowers, halogen shrimp oil, soy sauce, chili oil, green onions, and coriander, it integrates various flavors such as fragrant, salty, spicy, halogen, lees, and fresh, plus homemade white-skinned sugar garlic and sesame flatbread, tasting mellow and rich.

Waiting for the six plates of mutton to be served, the canteen director looks at Cao Weiguo with new eyes.

Feeling Cao Weiguo's respect and importance for him, the canteen director is very happy in his heart.

A sumptuous meal of instant-boiled mutton, the four of them eat until their mouths are oily and drink to their heart's content.

The drunk Cao Weiguo carries the packed side dishes back to the Sihe Academy.

"Where did you go to drink? You smell like alcohol."

"The streets haven't been safe lately, you should be careful."

Just as he enters the courtyard, he runs into the Second Uncle, who is strolling in the courtyard with his big belly sticking out.

"Second Uncle, you're still not resting so late."

Cao Weiguo greets him with a smile and hands a bag of side dishes to the Second Uncle.

Cao Weiguo is a small transparent person in the Sihe Academy, and has no dealings with anyone in the courtyard.

Giving the Second Uncle some benefits is also because he knows that this Second Uncle gained power for a while when the wind blew.

Just treat it as feeding the little ghosts in advance, so as not to be entangled in the future.

"Went out to drink a few cups with friends, these are side dishes from Donglaishun, you take them to drink with."

"Side dishes from Donglaishun, these are good things, thank you Weiguo for still thinking of the Second Uncle."

The Second Uncle happily takes the side dishes: "Donglaishun is a time-honored brand that even leaders like to eat at, you really have ability."

Others in the courtyard look at Cao Weiguo and the Second Uncle one after another, with envy and jealousy in their eyes.

The Third Uncle, who didn't take advantage yesterday, is even more greedy and rubs his hands.

"Second Uncle, my head is dizzy, so I won't talk to you much."

"Alright, look at how much you've drunk, hurry home and rest."

Cao Weiguo walks through the courtyard drunk, and the Third Uncle greedily approaches the Second Uncle.

"Second Uncle, share some of these side dishes with me, let me taste the flavor."

The Second Uncle says proudly: "Yan the Miser, what are you thinking? These are side dishes from Donglaishun, things that leaders like to eat."

The Second Uncle is obsessed with officialdom and likes to associate everything with leaders.

Carrying the side dishes from Donglaishun, the Second Uncle returns to his room with his belly sticking out.

The Third Uncle returns to his room angrily, and the Third Aunt asks upon seeing this: "Who are you angry with?"

"Who else? Cao Weiguo!"

"I asked him to set up a table yesterday, and this kid locked me out!"

"He came back today and gave the side dishes to the Second Uncle!"

"This kid is clearly looking down on me, the Third Uncle!"

It must be said that the Third Uncle really thinks too much, a burst of self-brain-supplementation.

Speaking of Cao Weiguo, the Third Aunt also has her own views.

Cao Weiguo is inconspicuous in the courtyard, lonely and frugal, living his own life behind closed doors.

Now his work is also regularized; he doesn't show off but has real ability.

"You, you're just looking for trouble for no reason."

"Cao Weiguo is famous for being stingy in the courtyard, eating corn buns and pickled vegetables every day!"

"He doesn't interact with people in the courtyard, you ask him to set up a table, isn't that asking for trouble!"

The Third Aunt talks to the Third Uncle, making the Third Uncle feel even more depressed.

He is stingy in life and likes to make small calculations.

The Third Aunt and the Third Uncle are an old couple, naturally clear about their man's character.

Putting down the rag in her hand, the Third Aunt thinks for a while and says: "Cao Weiguo is not young anymore, why not introduce him to a partner? Whether this matter succeeds or not, won't Cao Weiguo have to remember our family's kindness."

The Third Uncle's eyes light up: "This idea is good, this kid is stingy, but his family background is solid, why not introduce Yu Li's sister to him."

The Third Aunt says: "Yu Haitang has such high vision, can she take a fancy to Cao Weiguo?"

The Third Uncle calculates confidently: "She can't take a fancy to Cao Weiguo? You don't know Cao Weiguo's family background."

"Let me calculate for you!"

"Cao Weiguo's father was a martyr, the pension must be at least over a thousand yuan."

"He has been working for three years, eating corn buns and pickled vegetables every day, eating in the canteen at noon, almost no expenses, the salary must have saved seven or eight hundred yuan!"

"Adding the two together, you calculate how rich he is!"

"Becoming an 8th-grade cook in his early twenties."

"Salary thirty-five yuan and five jiao, this condition is rare even in the Four Nine City."

The Third Aunt's eyes light up after hearing this; Cao Weiguo's condition is indeed good enough.

If her daughter wasn't still young, the Third Aunt would want to recruit Cao Weiguo as a son-in-law.

The Third Uncle calculates happily: "If Cao Weiguo and Yu Haitang succeed, then our two families will be relatives, and he won't be able to help our family in the future."

The Third Aunt listens with full expectation: "This matter is not bad, I will go find Yu Li to talk about it immediately." ===== CHAPTER 11 =====