Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1021 MCA Doesn't Listen to Ho Yu Chu

Ma Hua looked at He Yuzhu with a perfunctory smile on his face, but his tone revealed a sense of urgency to get away: "Brother, I'll go home first. The kids are waiting for me to cook dinner, or they'll go hungry."

He Yuzhu waved his hand, his smile even warmer than before, as if the argument had never happened: "Alright, alright, that was just a joke, don't take it to heart. You know, that's just my temper, I speak my mind. If you have any difficulties at the factory in the future, just tell me, and I'll definitely help you if I can."

Ma Hua sighed, turned, and walked away, his steps light and quick. He knew perfectly well that He Yuzhu's intentions were simply to recruit him and create a scene to suppress Zhong Yi. But he wasn't that foolish. Everyone in the factory knew He Yuzhu's reputation over the years. He was always getting into arguments, making a scene at the slightest provocation, like a clown. No matter how much he jumped around, he wouldn't amount to anything. This kind of factionalism had nothing to do with him; there was no point in getting involved and getting himself into trouble.

He Yuzhu stood there watching Ma Hua's retreating figure, his smile slowly fading, but he wasn't in a hurry—his main event was yet to come. He glanced towards the office building, guessing that Deputy Factory Director Li should be coming out soon. Going to cook later would be a perfect opportunity to show off his skills. If he could please those leaders, he wouldn't have to worry about climbing the ranks. The position of canteen manager might actually be within his grasp.

Just as I was pondering this, I saw Deputy Factory Director Li come out of the office building with a folder in his hand and an apologetic look on his face: "Zhu Zi, I'm really sorry. I had a short meeting just now and kept you waiting for a while. I hope you weren't impatient?"

How could He Yuzhu dare to show the slightest dissatisfaction? He immediately put on a smile and spoke very respectfully: "Deputy Factory Director Li, what are you saying? You should be busy with your business. I just came from the canteen and am waiting for you here. Where are we going to cook? Should I go to the market to get some fresh vegetables? Just let me know, I can run errands very quickly."

Deputy Factory Director Li smiled and waved his hand, "I've already had the groceries bought—chicken, duck, fish, meat, and seasonal vegetables—all very fresh, so you don't need to go." He patted He Yuzhu's arm, his tone filled with obvious expectation, "Today we've invited several leaders from the bureau, who are here specifically to inspect our work. You'd better show off your skills; the presentation, aroma, and taste must all be top-notch. Don't embarrass me, understand?"

He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, followed by a surge of elation—leaders from the bureau? This was a much bigger scene than at the factory! He quickly patted his chest and assured them, "Deputy Factory Director Li, don't worry, I'll take care of this! I can't speak for anything else, but when it comes to cooking, I've never been better than anyone! I guarantee the leaders will be satisfied and comfortable!" He wanted to say a few more words to express his determination, but he swallowed the words back—saying too much would seem pretentious, and it would be better to let his skills speak for themselves.

Seeing his attitude, Deputy Factory Director Li felt a little more at ease. He knew He Yuzhu's cooking skills; they were indeed among the best in the canteen. As long as He didn't make a mistake on the spot, he would be reliable in handling this matter. He nodded: "Okay, let's go then, the car is waiting at the door."

He Yuzhu quickly followed, his mind racing with calculations. He wouldn't boast about other skills, but when it came to cooking, few in the entire steel mill could compare to him. Knife skills, heat control, seasoning—everything had been honed over a decade. If today's meal could make the leaders remember his name, and with the help of Deputy Director Li, wouldn't his future in the factory be smooth sailing? As for Gu Nan… humph, once Deputy Director Li became the factory director, he wouldn't be in his way. He'd eventually rise to the top, and then let's see who dared to look down on him!

On the other side, Gu Nan had just pushed open the door when he smelled a faint aroma of food. Ran Qiuye, wearing a floral apron, was in the kitchen preparing vegetables, deftly pinching off the roots of the vibrant greens. Hearing the noise, she turned around, her wisps of hair slightly damp from the steam rising from the stove, clinging to her smooth forehead. A hint of surprise and amusement filled her eyes: "Why are you back so early today? Usually at this time, aren't you still at the factory overseeing production?"

Gu Nan took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack in the entryway. The metal hooks clinked softly as he did so. A rare look of ease crossed his face. "There's nothing urgent today. I've arranged everything at the steel mill. Just have the team leaders keep an eye on things. I thought I'd come back early to chat with you."

Ran Qiuye wiped the water from her hands and came out of the kitchen, her apron stained with bits of vegetable leaves. She walked up to Gu Nan and looked at him, saying, "By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you—do you think you can win the factory manager position this time?"

Gu Nan raised an eyebrow, teasing her on purpose, and reached out to flick the tip of her nose: "What? Our Teacher Ran is now concerned about these intricacies of officialdom? This is unlike you. Don't you always say that 'being an official is too complicated, and all the scheming and backstabbing is meaningless'?"

Ran Qiuye blushed slightly at his words, like a light touch of rouge, and gently pushed him away: "What? I was just asking casually. It's mainly because of that Deputy Factory Director Li. You know him, he's never been a decent person. He relies on his seniority to form cliques in the factory and has made things difficult for his subordinates a lot. If he really becomes the factory director, the workers in the factory will probably have an even worse time."

Gu Nan laughed, pulling her to sit on the sofa, his fingertips still damp with the chill of his coat. "You're still so soft-hearted. To be honest, I can't win this factory director position, and neither can Deputy Director Li." Seeing Ran Qiuye looking at him with a puzzled expression, he explained, "The steel rolling mill is a large state-owned enterprise, affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of workers. How can we decide personnel appointments and dismissals based on our own efforts? In the end, someone sent from above will definitely take over. Let's not worry about it; living our own lives is the most important thing."

Ran Qiuye then realized and nodded: "What you said makes sense. I was oversimplifying things."

The two were chatting casually when Blackie in the yard suddenly barked twice. The bark wasn't fierce; the end of the bark even had a hint of wagging its tail in a friendly manner, as if it were greeting an acquaintance. Just as Gu Nan was about to get up and go out to see what was happening, Lu Jia's laughter came from outside the door: "Sister Qiuye, it's me."

Gu Nan looked at Ran Qiuye, who smiled and called out, "Come in, the door's unlocked." Turning to Gu Nan, she said, "Lu Jia and I are having a little chat, so don't get involved. Go do your thing."

Gu Nan nodded knowingly: "Okay, you guys chat. I'll go to the kitchen to check on dinner and try to start cooking as soon as possible."