Siheyuan: Walking the Path of Qin Huairu

Xu Jianmei ate a lot of food and when she was half full, she realized that no one was paying attention to the tofu she made. So she asked, "Zhu Zi, what do you think of the tofu I made? Is it okay to sell it in the cafeteria?"

He Yuzhu had not tasted it carefully before. He went to the kitchen, cut a piece of uncooked tofu, put it in his mouth, and tasted it while chewing. "Not bad, it works. If you sell tofu, we can buy tofu from here for the canteen of our steel mill in the future." In fact, in this era, it is good to have something to eat, and the competition is not that fierce. As long as the taste is similar, it is fine.

Xu Jianmei was overjoyed and said, "There is another problem. The soybeans I use to make tofu are brought from my mother's home. If we want to do long-term business, the supply of soybeans must be guaranteed."

Xu Huizhen: "What Jianmei said is true. Now no matter what unit it is, the raw materials used must be reported in advance. So, I will discuss it with the manager of Gongfang tomorrow. There is strength in numbers, and there are always more solutions than problems."

By the way, the aroma of the food and the smell of the barbecue in the backyard drifted into the tavern with the wind. Pian Ye sniffed and said, "What's that smell? Who made something delicious?"

Qiangzi: "It must be Xu Huizhen's family in the backyard who made something delicious." Niu Ye also sniffed. Yes, it was the smell of seafood. He blinked his eyes and looked thoughtful. He hadn't seen Xu Huizhen for several days. He probably went to Tianjin again and came back this afternoon.

Thinking of this, Niu Ye patted his buttocks and left. He walked to the door of Xu Huizhen's house with square steps and knocked on the door. Yingzi consciously went to open the door. Niu Ye walked in and thought to himself: "Hey, I guessed it right. These people are eating seafood."

But he didn't show it on his face, pretending to be ignorant and said: "Oh, it seems that I came at the wrong time!"

Xu Huizhen stood up and greeted him warmly: "Uncle Niu, you came at the right time. Come and have something to eat."

Uncle Niu: "Xu Huizhen, you are so mean. You didn't even tell me when there was seafood! You know I, Uncle Niu, love this kind of food."

Xu Huizhen said with a smile: "It's not too late to tell me now. Just tell me how much you want and I'll have Cai Quanwu deliver it to you tomorrow."

Cai Quanwu: "Uncle Niu, today's dish is made by Zhuzi, come and eat it. If you miss this opportunity, you will never see it again."

Hu Yingzi brought a set of bowls and chopsticks to Niu Ye, who greeted Li Ye and sat down. Cai Quanwu poured him a glass of wine, but Niu Ye declined, "I just drank at the tavern. I don't want to drink anymore. I'll just have some seafood."

Cai Quanwu said, "This is the Shaodaozi that Huizhen's family has stored for ten years. You should drink some." Xu Huizhen scooped a bowl of oyster tofu soup for Grandpa Niu and said, "This oyster tofu soup has a very high nutritional value. Eating it regularly can strengthen your body and delay aging. Children can eat it to promote growth and development, that is, to grow taller. The elderly can eat it to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Grandpa Niu, please drink more."

Niu Ye smiled and said, "Huizhen knows a lot. She talks in a very complicated way. I have to drink more."

Xu Huizhen: "That's right. I read books and newspapers every day. There's a saying that goes, you never stop learning."

The men toasted each other and the women ate heartily. The meal was not over until everyone burped.

Hu Yingzi and Xu Jianmei cleaned up the mess. Xu Huizhen took Niu Ye to the warehouse and showed him the samples. "Tell Cai Quanwu how many you want and ask him to reserve them for you tomorrow morning."

When Niu Ye saw the seafood, he gave a thumbs up and said, "Hui Zhen, you are the best in our Zhengyang Gate."

Xu Huizhen: "Uncle Niu, you must keep your mouth shut. I am going to buy some goods for the tavern and some food for my family. This is not considered speculation. It is because you, Uncle Niu, are a fair-minded person. If it were someone else, they would not be treated this way."

Niu Ye patted his chest proudly and said, "Don't worry about this. I, Niu Ye, have lived to this age, and I still have this credibility."

Cai Quanwu took some seafood from the warehouse and called He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, take me to your master's house."

He Yuzhu: "Okay, come on. Yushui, play here for a while. I'll come back to pick you up." After saying that, he and Cai Quanwu went out.

When Han Qingqiu was about to leave, Xu Huizhen also packed some seafood for her to take with her. Han Qingqiu declined, saying, "I'm the only one at home, how can I eat so much?"

Xu Huizhen: "If you can't finish it, dry it in the sun. By the way, come over tomorrow night to eat Spanish mackerel dumplings. Come early and help me make them."

Han Qingqiu nodded and went home contentedly.

Xu Jianshe was a little tipsy. Xu Huizhen said to Yingzi, "Jianshe has been drinking and I am afraid it will be unsafe on the way home. Go and clean up the room for him to stay overnight and leave tomorrow morning."

Xu Jianshe, under the influence of alcohol, asked, "Sister Huizhen, why are you so nice to me? You have considered everything for me. Even my mother has never cared so much about me."

Xu Huizhen whispered, "Jianshe, I have a secret in my heart. I will tell you one day in the future, but now is not the right time. You can treat me as your own sister. If you have any difficulties, you can tell me. As long as I have the ability, I will definitely help you solve it."

Xu Jianshe took out 5 yuan from his pocket, handed it to Xu Huizhen, and said, "The day before yesterday was my first payday, and it was 21 yuan plus the car allowance. I will give you 5 yuan every month after I get paid. If my salary increases in the future, I will give you more until you pay off the 600 yuan I paid for the job."

Xu Huizhen: "Jianshe, I don't want this money. Yingzi, come out and bear witness for me."

"Here I am, sis, what are you witnessing?"

Xu Huizhen: "Jianshe said he gave me 5 yuan every month. That's what I thought. His father is partial and only has eyes for the eldest brother. If I give this money to his father, it will definitely benefit Xu Jianguo in the future. So I will accept this money and save it for you. When you get married, I will buy you something big, such as a bicycle or a sewing machine. If there is any left, I will give it to your wife. Yingzi is a witness."

Xu Jianshe insisted, "No need. You also buy me clothes, and I come to eat occasionally. Today's meal is the most sumptuous meal I have ever had in my life. When I finish my apprenticeship and my salary increases, I will give you ten yuan a month."

Xu Huizhen: "This is your home. In fact, I can let you come home and eat and stay, but there is no man in my family, so it's not very convenient. You can come over anytime when you are off duty. Coming home can improve your life. You are young, so you must pay attention to strengthening your nutrition and take care of your body. The body is the capital of revolution." Xu Jianshe died of stomach cancer in the previous life, so he must pay attention to protecting his stomach in this life.

Hu Yingzi also agreed: "Yes, Brother Jianshe, if you need any needlework, just come to me. I don't have anything to do at home."