Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 242 A blow to the head

Yan Jiekuang walked into the kitchen and sighed. Among the three apprentices, Yin Liguo and Yang Liwei were still a little distant from him, unlike Wei Xiaobao who had integrated into the family. But this was also his own problem. He had few opportunities to spare time to communicate with them, which resulted in the two apprentices not daring to talk to him.

Yin Liguo and Yang Liwei followed closely behind. After looking at each other, Yin Liguo said, "Uncle San, we have all graduated and are on vacation."

Yan Jiekuang just thought of this and said, "Okay, that's perfect. After July, I need help."

At this time, Yan Jiekuang and Yang Liwei were still hesitant, which made Yan Jiekuang very unhappy, so he shouted: "If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you dithering?"

Yang Liwei gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle San, we are in some difficulties. Can you let us live with you like Wei Xiaobao?"

Yan Jiekuang was a little confused at this time. Didn't they both live in Qianmen? Wouldn't it be better to live at home than here? The two brothers saw Yan Jiekuang looking at them suspiciously.

Yin Liguo said, "To tell you the truth, our two eldest brothers are getting married, and this house is not big enough. There are so many quarrels at home, and we really have no choice. After all, he is our eldest brother, so we want to move in with you. You can just pay for our rent. Do you think it's okay?"

Yan Jiekuang looked at the two of them. He knew their family situations, but he really didn't know what their family conditions were. Yan Jiekuang thought for a moment and said, "Okay, it's just right that you can keep Wei Xiaobao company. There are houses in the front yard for you to choose from."

Yin Liguo and Yang Liwei were so happy that they almost jumped up. They bowed to Yan Jiekuang and went to find Wei Xiaobao. There were still several empty rooms in the front yard, so they could improve their cooking skills during this time.

In the days that followed, Yan Jiekuang taught six children in the morning. When the fat boy and the little one heard their older brothers and sisters studying, they insisted on learning too. Yan Jiekuang thought they were just playing around, but unexpectedly Shi Li also started to learn too. Yan Jiekuang started with pinyin. There were two classes in total, one Chinese and one math. The textbooks used were also first grade primary school textbooks. But he really didn't expect that although the three little ones didn't learn as fast as the three older ones, they were able to remember. Especially Shi Li, who was quite smart in studying.

In the afternoon, he taught the three apprentices the basic knowledge of cooking, from ingredients to cuisines, from knife skills to flipping the spoon. The three of them were also very hardworking. In this way, Yan Jiekuang repeated this life day after day, except for giving the three apprentices a day off on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and then taking the children with Ji Lian to visit Grandpa Shi and his parents.

In July, Yan Jiekuang called Lou Xiao'e and sent her the drawings of kitchen equipment he had drawn to see if they could make it. If they could, he would order it directly and have it shipped as soon as possible. Lou Xiao'e was full of complaints on the phone, and Yan Jiekuang felt bitter in his heart. He knew how Lou Xiao'e felt about him, and Lou Xiao'e also knew how Yan Jiekuang felt about him. Unfortunately, time had played a big joke on them both.

Yan Jiekuang now goes out more often at night and goes to the courtyard almost every night, because Grandpa Ji is old, after all, he is over 80 years old. Although he can still walk a few steps, he hardly leaves the yard. Ji Lian is the same. Whenever she has time, she doesn't go home first, but goes directly to her grandfather's courtyard.

Finally, in early August, Yan Jiekuang received confirmation that the kitchen utensils in Hong Kong were already being produced and would be shipped to Tianjin in mid-August. Yan Jiekuang felt relieved. In fact, he also thought that if no one could make it, he would have to set up a stainless steel factory himself, but he didn't expect that Hong Kong didn't have this technology.

Yan Jiekuang immediately notified Wang Xuan and devoted all his efforts to renovating all his properties, and he also advanced 10,000 yuan. Wang Xuan was extremely excited and started working as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

Just when Yan Jiekuang submitted his application to the Commercial Bureau and was preparing in full swing, a basin of cold water was poured on his head. His application was rejected. Yan Jiekuang was quite depressed.

In the days that followed, Yan Jiekuang suddenly lost his former enthusiasm. Apart from attending classes every day, he would go to Grandpa Ji to complain, leaving Grandpa Ji at a loss as to how to persuade him. This state did not improve until Ji Lian came back and persuaded him. Yan Jiekuang thought about it and decided to finish the unfinished work and leave the future to fate.

In late August, Yan Jiekuang's kitchen utensils arrived. Yan Jiekuang asked Wang Xuan to find some people, and he took his three apprentices to install them in the kitchen area that had been planned in front of his shop. It took two full days to complete the installation. After the installation was completed, Wang Xuan kept praising him, and his three apprentices couldn't let go of the full set of kitchen utensils, and they gestured with this and that.

After Wang Xuan completed the installation, he took his people away. Wang Xuan took his three apprentices to wander around the two-story restaurant, saying as they walked that the actual operations would be carried out here in the future. When several people turned to the backyard, the three apprentices saw the living quarters prepared for them in the future. The three rooms in the main house were dormitories, with bathrooms and toilets on both sides. There was a study and an entertainment room in the east wing, and the west wing was a warehouse with freezers ready.

The three apprentices followed behind, muttering to themselves. When they reached the front hall, Yang Liwei came up and said, "Uncle San, do you think we can move in tomorrow? There are so many things here, someone needs to watch over them. It's a mess outside now." Yan Jiekuang was very surprised and asked, "Don't be so anxious. We can't open the business anyway."

Yang Liwei said, "Uncle San, please let us come over. We are studying over there, and we follow you every day, eating and living with you, but we don't have any strength at all. We really want to find something to do. Although we can't open the business, we can still clean up normally."

Yan Jiekuang nodded and said, "I believe in the character of the three of you. Come on, just come over. You'll be living here permanently anyway, so you can get familiar with the place. But you'll have to get paid when you move in. I'll set it at 20 yuan a month for now, and I'll increase it when I accept you as my apprentices."

The three of them waved their hands when they heard this. Just as they were about to speak, Yan Jiekuang said, "Listen to me. I've read so many recipes recently. You guys should think about what cuisine you want to learn. I'll find something for you to do when the time comes."

The three people were ecstatic after hearing this. This meant that they had to put it into practice, which would help them improve their cooking skills quickly.

After cleaning up the restaurant, the three of them locked the door and returned to Yuer Hutong, but Yan Jiekuang had already gone straight to Courtyard No. 95.

As soon as Yan Jiekuang entered the front yard, he heard Yang Ruiping calling him. Yan Jiekuang answered and ran straight to his home. As soon as he entered the door, he poured himself a cup of boiled water.

Yang Ruiping said beside him: "Drink slowly, where have you been going crazy? Why are you so thirsty?"

"Mom, what do you want from me?" Yan Jiekuang said.

"What's the matter? Today, the old man called your dad over to complain to him, saying that you kept talking to him. The old man was so sleepy that he didn't dare to close his eyes and could only listen to your nagging." Yang Ruiping complained.

"Ah!" Yan Jiekuang was shocked. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that he had been a little crazy recently.

Yang Ruiping said, "The old man has finished his meal and just went to bed. You, we are here, you can come every two or three days. It's okay if you come every day to say hello. If you keep talking to the old man every day, the old man will lose his energy."

Yan Jiekuang sighed and said, "I see, Mom, I didn't think that much. I thought the old man liked to listen to me."

Yang Ruiping patted him and said with a smile: "The old man is so old, don't bother him. We are here, and Xiaoya will go to the backyard to take a look when she is free."

Yan Jiekuang nodded and was about to say that he was going back when Yang Ruiping handed him a letter and said, "Your second brother wrote to let us know that we are safe and sound and that there is a surprise for us to look forward to. Can you see what the surprise is?"

Yan Jiekuang's heart skipped a beat, but he immediately realized that since he had received a report of safety, he must be fine. He opened the letter and read it carefully. The letter was just as his mother had said, but there was no surprise. Yan Jiekuang's brain was quick, and after thinking carefully, he said, "I guess my brother has done something meritorious, so there may be good news."

When Yang Ruiping heard this, he immediately smiled and said, "Really? Then you go ahead and do your work. I'll go find Xiao Ya." After that, he turned around and left.

Yan Jiekuang stood there in a daze, but soon smiled, turned around and left the house, closed the door and went back to Yuer Hutong.

(End of this chapter)