siheyuan: I transmigrated into love in courtyard

I stood in the kitchen, feeling an unfamiliar mix of happiness and excitement.

Just this morning, I had been nothing more than a lowly apprentice, ignored and overlooked. Now, in just a few hours, I had risen to Level 8 Cook, standing on equal ground with Shazhu.

37.5 yuan per month.

That was my new salary. More than double what I had been earning before.

In this era, 37.5 yuan was a good salary, enough to support a comfortable life if spent wisely. I clenched my fists slightly, feeling the weight of my first major success.

But I didn't have time to dwell on it. The afternoon shift was starting, and the workers needed their meals.

Cooking for the Afternoon Workers

Now that I had been officially promoted, I was in charge of the kitchen.

I immediately took control. Ma Hua, Liu Lan, and the other staff followed my instructions, and for the first time, I was the one leading the cooking process.

As I worked, I noticed something. Even though I had just been promoted, I already commanded natural respect.

Why? Because true skill speaks for itself.

The moment my knife touched the cutting board, the others noticed my precision.

The moment I adjusted the heat, the aroma of the dishes filled the kitchen with richness.

The moment I stirred the wok, the ingredients came to life with vibrant colors and perfect balance.

Even Ma Hua, Shazhu's most loyal follower, stayed quiet, unable to question my ability.

By the time the food was ready, the entire kitchen smelled like a high-class restaurant.

The Workers' Reaction

As the afternoon workers came in for their meal, the moment they stepped into the canteen, they were hit with an intoxicating aroma.

"What's this smell?" one of them asked, sniffing the air.

"It doesn't smell like the usual food… It smells much better!"

When the workers finally got their plates and took their first bites, the entire canteen fell into silence.

Then—a wave of excitement.

"This is amazing!"

"Did they change the ingredients today?"

"I've never tasted something this good in the factory before!"

Everyone was stunned by the food. In the past, the canteen food was edible but bland. Today, it was on a completely different level.

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Xu Damao's Shock

At one of the tables, three familiar figures were eating.

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Xu Damao.

All three were stunned by the taste of the food.

Yi Zhonghai, the so-called "wise elder" of the courtyard, frowned deeply. "When did Shazhu's cooking improve so much?"

Liu Haizhong, always looking to complain, muttered, "Hmph. That lazy fool must have finally started taking his job seriously."

Xu Damao, ever the schemer, narrowed his eyes. "No, something isn't right. Shazhu never cared this much before."

None of them realized Shazhu wasn't even here yet.

They all assumed it was Shazhu's cooking.

But their assumptions were about to be shattered.

Shazhu's Arrival – The Beginning of His Fall

Finally, Shazhu arrived.

He walked into the canteen with his usual calm and arrogant attitude, completely unaware of the situation.

The moment he stepped in, the Canteen Director stopped him.

"Shazhu, Director Yang wants to see you. Now."

Shazhu blinked in confusion. "Huh? Why?"

The Canteen Director's expression was unreadable. "You'll understand when you get there."

Shazhu, still not taking things seriously, shrugged and walked off toward Yang's office.

Director Yang's Wrath

The moment Shazhu entered Director Yang's office, he immediately knew something was wrong.

Director Yang's face was cold, his expression full of suppressed anger.

"Shazhu, do you know why you're here?"

Shazhu, still clueless, scratched his head. "Uh… something about the leaders' meal?"

Yang's hand slammed against the table.

"Something?! You abandoned your post on one of the most important days for the factory! You were supposed to cook for high-ranking government officials, but instead, you ran off because of Qin Huairu's tears!"

Shazhu froze.

Only now did he realize how badly he had messed up.

Director Yang took a deep breath, then delivered the final blow.

"From today onward, you are demoted to Level 9 Cook. Lin Feng will be in charge of cooking. If you want to regain Level 8, you must work sincerely for three months and pass the promotion test."

Shazhu's mind went blank.

"W-what?!"

Demoted? Him? The "best chef" in the factory?

This had to be a joke.

But Director Yang's expression was serious. There was no room for argument.

Shazhu's Return – His Fury Toward Me

When Shazhu returned to the canteen, his face was pale, his steps unsteady.

The moment he saw me, his eyes burned with anger.

It was as if he wanted to eat me alive.

He finally understood what had happened.

While he was off chasing after Qin Huairu, I had stepped in, proven myself, and taken his place.

I, of course, maintained an innocent expression.

I simply smiled at him, as if I didn't know anything.

The Official Announcement

A few minutes later, a factory-wide announcement was made.

"Lin Feng has been promoted to Level 8 Cook. From today, he will be responsible for the factory's meals."

"He Yuzhu has been demoted to Level 9 Cook. He will have a chance to reclaim Level 8 after three months of dedicated work and passing the promotion test."

The moment the announcement ended, the entire canteen exploded into whispers.

"Wait, what? Lin Feng? Not Shazhu?"

"Shazhu got demoted?!"

"Then… the food we just ate wasn't Shazhu's?"

"It was Lin Feng's cooking?! When did he get so skilled?!"

All around me, people were staring in shock.

I had gone from an invisible apprentice to the head cook of the steel mill.

Shazhu, on the other hand, had fallen from his untouchable position.