Silly Zhu's Moving: The Old Neighbor's Nightmare

Chapter 173 Old Man Yan's Scheme

You're a beast after all! What are you doing here drinking mutton soup?

Sha Zhu thought to himself, "That's right, city leaders came to our factory today."

In order to successfully complete our production tasks, our factory leaders treated everyone to a better meal today.

"What's wrong, Yan Laokou? Are you just being your old self? You're craving something again. You heard the factory workers had a good meal, but you didn't get to eat anything, so you've come to me looking for a way."

Teacher Yan wasn't bad either, as Sha Zhu had already revealed her little secret.

"Didn't some parents who came to pick up their kids say that you made the mutton soup? Zhu Zi, didn't you bring any home today?"

"Teacher Yan, I'm afraid I've really disappointed you today. I didn't even bring a lunchbox home."

Oh, by the way, I've been working at the factory for several months now, and I've never brought a lunchbox home.

Have you ever seen me carrying a lunchbox when I used to collect rainwater after get off work?

Besides, there's a small restaurant run by the neighborhood committee next to my house that serves mutton soup. Teacher Yan, if you want some, you can just go to that restaurant run by the neighborhood committee.”

Yan Bugui thought for a moment, and realized that Sha Zhu used to ride his bicycle to collect rainwater, and there really wasn't anything on the bicycle.

Hearing Sha Zhu suggest he eat out, he felt annoyed and blurted out...

"Going to a small restaurant costs money, doesn't it?" Then, with a pained expression, he lectured the simple-minded Zhu.

"Zhu Zi, if you're not going to eat it, you can bring it back to me. You, you, several months' worth of lunchboxes, aren't you just wasting it?"

That's a crime! Our school teachers are on a campaign against corruption and waste. Not even a tiny bit of food can be wasted.

Teacher Yan thought about how she hadn't been able to eat lunch even once in the past few months and felt that Sha Zhu had been wasting his time in the cafeteria.

After all, when He Daqing was around, I would bring my lunchbox every day, and because of my status as a teacher, I could occasionally go to He Daqing's house for a drink and some meat dishes.

Now that Sha Zhu isn't bringing his lunchbox home anymore, Yan Laokou misunderstood and thought Sha Zhu was wasting it, so he started spouting nonsense and wild ramblings.

"Old Yan, what nonsense are you talking about? When have I ever wasted anything? Have you seen me waste anything?"

Even if I see an ant on the ground, I have to carefully pick it up, put it in a boiling pot to cook, and then eat it.

Even though the piece of meat is small, it's still meat.

"Huh? Even if a few crumbs of cornbread fall on the ground, I'll pick them up and eat them. How am I wasting food?"

It's as if you're saying someone dropped crumbs of cornbread or steamed buns on the ground and didn't pick them up. Is that what I meant?

Yan Bugui rubbed his temples. "Zhu Zi, I meant the lunchbox! The lunchbox! The lunchbox!"

Teacher Yan felt like he was talking to a brick wall; what he said was completely irrelevant, and it was obvious that Sha Zhu was giving irrelevant answers. Frustrated, Yan Bugui slapped his thigh.

"Teacher Yan, why are you going through all that trouble? Just say that I didn't get my lunchbox back and you didn't get anything out of it, why bring up the waste?"

"No, Zhu Zi, I'm asking you, where's your lunchbox? Where are all those leftovers? When your dad was alive, he used to bring back several lunchboxes every day," Old Yan asked, unwilling to give up.

"Teacher Yan, what are you thinking? My dad is the class monitor, he's a great cook, the head chef, and he has a good relationship with the leaders."

When I first joined the factory, I didn't know any of the leaders. Because my father had been in charge of the kitchen, the staff there suppressed and ostracized me after he left.

Besides, all I know how to do is make mutton soup and meat buns.

They wouldn't even let me help with the small kitchen duties; I had to cook large batches of food every day. Everyone in the kitchen was completely subservient to the newly promoted Squad Leader Zhao, keeping a close eye on me. How could I dare bring my own lunchbox?

Yan Laokou was stunned when he heard Sha Zhu's account. So Sha Zhu's life in the factory kitchen was really that miserable? It was nothing like He Daqing's situation.

"So why did I make you cook mutton soup for the workers this time?"

"It's probably because our director knew I had this skill, or maybe it got around to the small restaurant in our neighborhood office."

When our supervisor found out, he told me to work the night shift and be the head chef this time.

Unfortunately, there was no reward whatsoever. Our class monitor kept a close watch on me and even had the kitchen staff keep a close eye on me, afraid that I would become the head chef again.

Just like my father, they were ruthlessly suppressed, and it brought them no benefit whatsoever.

Teacher Yan was a little annoyed. Today, he saw workers from his own school working at the steel rolling mill near the school gate.

The child who came to pick me up with a lunchbox saw me and started showing off, saying that before I could even say a word, the child had already kept his distance.

She was afraid that if she smelled it, she would snatch it from him. Now, even coming to Sha Zhu's place, she didn't get any advantage.

This is a loss! No way, I, Yan Bugui, can't let myself suffer a loss, otherwise I won't be able to sleep tonight.

"Zhu Zi, when do you have dinner? I'd like to have a drink with you today."

As expected, Yan Bugui and Sha Zhu were secretly delighted.

"Old Yan, I still have a few cornbreads in my kitchen and some pickled vegetables in the cellar. I can also fry some peanuts. But we don't have any alcohol at home. What do you think?"

Old Yan thought for a moment, calculating in his mind that the two of them would have to spend two or three cents on cheap liquor.

It's better to buy two bowls of mutton soup from a small restaurant and take them home; the whole family can enjoy them.

Although there's no mutton or offal in it, there's still plenty of oil in it.

It can also improve the family's meals.

Why can the workers at the steel mill in the compound eat mutton and drink mutton soup, but I, Yan Bugui, can't?

They're showing off in front of me, so I can't let them look down on me.

After I bought it, I told them it was a gift from the parents of the children at the school.

They have to take a beating at the residents in the courtyard. What kind of people are they? They don't know how to respect me, their teacher, and they don't see me, the only old man in the courtyard, as an equal.

Compared to the parents outside, the beasts in this compound don't know what gratitude is. I'm determined to straighten out your hearts, you residents. After all, I'm your children's teacher.

Thinking of this, Teacher Yan stood up and said, "Never mind, Zhu Zi, I've thought about it, and I'd better not drink it. Your aunt is pregnant."

My belly is too big now, I can't stand the smell of alcohol. I'll drink with you after the baby is born. I'll head back now.

After Yan Bugui finished speaking, he walked outside.

Sha Zhu felt something was off. Before the New Year, when it was cold, Yan Laokou would go out of his way to buy a few cents worth of liquor to come here and freeload a meal.

Although Sha Zhu only served cornbread, pickled vegetable shreds, and peanuts, he could still eat his fill.

So, Old Yan is reluctant to deduct even two or three cents this time? Will he still come to play chess with me after this?

After seeing Teacher Yan off, a puzzled Sha Zhu began preparing dinner for the brother and sister.

Uncle Cai Quanwu now eats at small restaurants every day and no longer lets Shazhu prepare his meals.

Thinking that Yushui really likes twice-cooked pork and braised pork meatballs, I went to the kitchen to cook. The factory had some braised food today.

He then took out a plate of braised beef and a plate of braised beef tendon from his spatial storage. The factory leaders hadn't had any, so Yushui could eat them as he pleased.

In the evening, after Rain's friend left, the two began to have dinner.