Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

Chapter 244: The craftsmanship is amazing

He Yuzhu bargained with the stall owner and finally bought a basket of eggs at a satisfactory price. Wang Qiang helped by the side and carefully put the eggs into the bag, and then the two continued to walk to the meat stall.

"Do you think the atmosphere in our yard will always be so good?" He Yuzhu asked as he walked, with a hint of anticipation in his tone.

Wang Qiang smiled and said, "I think it will. As long as everyone keeps working hard and understands and supports each other, it will be able to continue."

He Yuzhu nodded in agreement: "Yes, we have to keep working hard to make Siheyuan better and better."

The two stopped in front of a meat stall and picked out some fresh pork and beef. He Yuzhu said to the stall owner, "This meat looks good. Cut us a piece."

The stall owner skillfully cut the meat, weighed it and handed it to He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu took it and handed it to Wang Qiang, asking him to help hold it. Wang Qiang took the meat and asked, "Brother Yuzhu, what are you going to cook tonight?"

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "I plan to make braised pork and stir-fry some vegetarian dishes. It's simple and delicious."

Wang Qiang couldn't help laughing when he heard this and said, "Then I have to come and have a free meal."

He Yuzhu said generously: "Welcome, welcome, let's eat together, it will be lively!"

The two of them walked back slowly with the things they bought. On the way, Wang Qiang suddenly thought of Xu Damao and asked, "Brother Yuzhu, do you think Xu Damao has really changed now?"

He Yuzhu pondered for a while and said, "Change doesn't happen overnight, but I think he is trying. Although he still makes small mistakes sometimes, at least his attitude is getting better."

Wang Qiang nodded, and he also felt that Xu Damao had indeed made some progress. He knew that it would take time and patience to completely change a person, and one should not rush for success. As long as Xu Damao had the heart, everyone should give him a chance.

Back at the courtyard, Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu divided the things they bought and went home to prepare lunch. Wang Qiang was busy in the kitchen happily, thinking about going to He Yuzhu's house for dinner in the evening, and his heart was full of anticipation.

In the evening, Wang Qiang came to He Yuzhu's house and saw Bai Rong there, helping He Yuzhu prepare dinner. Bai Rong saw Wang Qiang coming and said with a smile: "Wang Qiang, you're just in time, come and help."

Wang Qiang smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll cut the vegetables."

The kitchen was bustling with activity, and everyone was busy together in a harmonious atmosphere. Soon, the fragrant braised pork and various vegetarian dishes were served on the table. Wang Qiang sat down with He Yuzhu and Bai Rong and happily enjoyed the dinner.

During the meal, everyone talked about things in the yard. He Yuzhu smiled and said, "The atmosphere in the yard has been much better recently, and everyone feels very happy."

Bai Rong nodded in agreement: "Yes, everyone is working hard to make the courtyard better. Although Xu Damao still has some minor flaws, overall, he is also improving."

Wang Qiang smiled and said: "I hope that such days can continue forever. We can work together to turn the Siheyuan into a truly harmonious and beautiful big family."

Bai Rong looked at Wang Qiang and said sincerely, "Wang Qiang, you are the hero of our courtyard. Without you, Xu Damao would not have changed so much."

Wang Qiang waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't say that. Everyone's efforts are the most important. I just did what I should do."

After dinner, everyone cleaned up the table, and Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu sat in the yard to chat. He Yuzhu lit a cigarette, took a slow puff, and then asked, "Wang Qiang, what are your plans next?"

Wang Qiang thought for a while and said, "I plan to do my job well first and continue to pay attention to the situation in the yard. If there is anything I can help with, I will do my best."

He Yuzhu nodded in agreement: "That's right, we must balance work and life. As long as we work together, the future of Siheyuan will definitely get better and better."

As the night deepened, the yard gradually became quiet. Wang Qiang and He Yuzhu chatted for a long time until late at night before they went back to their rooms to rest. Wang Qiang lay on the bed, thinking back on his day's experience, feeling extremely calm and satisfied.

The next morning, the sun shone through the gaps in the curtains onto the bedside. Wang Qiang rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. The scene of having dinner with He Yuzhu and Bai Rong last night was still vivid in his mind. He cherished the harmony and warmth. He wondered if he could learn some more cooking skills from He Yuzhu today, after all, He Yuzhu's cooking skills were among the best in Siheyuan.

After Wang Qiang got up, washed up, and had a simple breakfast, he went out to look for He Yuzhu. He knew that He Yuzhu would usually be watering the flowers or tending to the vegetable garden at this time. Sure enough, as soon as Wang Qiang went out, he saw He Yuzhu holding a kettle and carefully watering the small green vegetables in the vegetable garden.

"Brother Yuzhu, good morning!" Wang Qiang walked over and greeted him with a smile.

He Yuzhu looked up and saw Wang Qiang, and smiled: "Good morning, Wang Qiang. How come you have time to come here today?"

Wang Qiang scratched his head and said, "I thought the braised pork you made last night was really delicious, so I wanted to ask you for some cooking tips."

He Yuzhu laughed: "Okay, cooking is neither difficult nor easy. The key is to have a heart and practice more. Come with me, I will teach you a few tips."

The two walked into He Yuzhu's kitchen, and He Yuzhu opened the refrigerator and took out some fresh ingredients. Wang Qiang looked at the ingredients, secretly looking forward to He Yuzhu's explanation.

"You see, the most important thing in making braised pork is the selection of meat. We have to choose pork belly, so that the cooked meat will be fat but not greasy." He Yuzhu said as he cut the pork belly into small even pieces with skilled and neat movements.

Wang Qiang watched carefully, thinking about every step taken by He Yuzhu in his mind, afraid of missing any details.

"The next step is to marinate it," He Yuzhu continued. "We need to use cooking wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and a little sugar to marinate the meat for a while. This will make the meat more flavorful."

Wang Qiang nodded, wrote down the steps, and then watched He Yuzhu put the marinated meat into the hot pan and fry it until both sides were golden brown. The aroma immediately filled the entire kitchen.

"Smell it, this is the aroma of braised pork." He Yuzhu said proudly, "After frying, we add water and stew it so that the flavor can fully penetrate the meat."

Wang Qiang smelled the fragrance and couldn't help swallowing his saliva: "Brother Yuzhu, your cooking skills are amazing. Do you have any other tricks?"

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "There is no big trick. The key is to be attentive. Cooking is like being a person. Only by being careful, patient and attentive can you make good food. If you practice a few more times, you will find the feeling."