Volume 1, Chapter 36: Sent to the Labor Camp

"The weather is turning cold; perhaps it is time to buy coal in advance. It will be a significant expense, and I must find a way to handle it."

Upon arriving at the rolling mill’s kitchen, Su Jianshe was greeted with enthusiastic warmth.

"Chef Su, you're here!"
"Director, look, I’ve already finished cleaning up today."
"Director Su, the meal you prepared yesterday was absolutely magnificent. Everyone says it far outshines what Silly Zhu used to make!"

Pleased by the cleanliness of the kitchen, Su Jianshe smiled in response. He turned his attention to his apprentice, Liu Dazhuang, who held out a chef’s uniform to help him change, only to be stopped.

"Dazhuang, you will handle the cooking today. I will supervise from the side. You must learn diligently; the kitchen will rely on you in the future."

Su Jianshe’s mind was preoccupied with the newly renovated bathroom at home, eager to show it off to his wife, and he had no intention of lingering in the kitchen. Liu Dazhuang’s face lit up with joy.

"Understood, Master. I will certainly work hard and not let you down. I’ll make sure to do you proud."

Liu Dazhuang immediately set to work, lighting the stove and heating the oil. Under Su Jianshe’s guidance, dish after dish was prepared, and soon, a large basin of stir-fried food was ready. The aroma was so intoxicating that the kitchen staff couldn't resist sneaking a taste. With Su Jianshe’s nod of approval, everyone dug in and heaped praise upon the dish.

"Director Su is truly remarkable; with just a few pointers, Dazhuang’s culinary skills have improved by leaps and bounds!"
"Dazhuang is progressing so fast; he’ll be able to handle things on his own before long. I wonder when I’ll ever reach that level!"

The others looked at Liu Dazhuang with envy, and even Liu Lan made an effort to curry favor with him. In the corner, Ma Hua worked silently, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.

"Su Jianshe, it’s all your fault. If it weren't for you, I would be the one cooking every day, just like Dazhuang!"

However, no one paid him any mind. Even Liu Lan, who used to chat with him, couldn't be bothered to respond. Everyone in the kitchen recognized Su Jianshe’s talent and admired his generosity in teaching Dazhuang. They knew that pleasing Su Jianshe might earn them a few culinary tips—a far better bargain than serving the thieving Silly Zhu. Besides, since Silly Zhu no longer monopolized the leftovers, they were able to pack more food to take home. Thinking of this, their enthusiasm for Su Jianshe only grew.

"Master, take a look, how is my technique?" Liu Dazhuang asked, his face full of anticipation, though he quickly lowered his head, fearing his master might be annoyed as he handed over the chopsticks.

Su Jianshe took a glance. "The heat is adequate, but both your seasonings and technique are lacking. Practice more in the future! Still, compared to before, you have certainly improved."

With his exceptional culinary expertise, Su Jianshe could judge a dish at a single glance.

"Thank you, Master! I will work even harder!"
"Keep practicing. The kitchen will depend on you in the future!"

Su Jianshe nodded in approval. He didn't stay long, however, and left after checking the kitchen’s hygiene and fire safety hazards. Ma Hua stood to the side, washing vegetables in silence, watching Su Jianshe’s back with mixed emotions.

"He’s just a canteen director, what’s so great about that? Just wait until my master comes back..."

A few people who were on friendly terms with Ma Hua saw Su Jianshe leave and spoke to him with disdain.

"Ma Hua, quit bragging. Director Su is genuinely teaching us how to cook. As for your master, all he knows how to do is take food home. What else can he do?"
"Exactly. You just can't see the situation clearly. If you could, that spot Liu Dazhuang has might have been yours!"

Ma Hua looked at Liu Dazhuang, who was cooking with a smug expression. "What’s there to be proud of? I used to cook too. It’s just making a big pot of stew; who can't do that?"

The two men could tell Ma Hua was just being stubborn and smiled without saying another word. Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Ma Hua cursed under his breath while scrubbing the vegetables. "Stupid master, why don't you learn from Su Jianshe? Look at how he handles things, then look at you!"

Despite his stubbornness, his heart was a mess of conflicting emotions. Ma Hua was filled with regret, thinking to himself, "I was truly foolish back then. If I had given Su Jianshe enough respect, perhaps I would be the one in charge now!" Thinking of his master, he felt even more resentful.

Su Jianshe went to the canteen to exchange his vouchers and then left the rolling mill. He was a hot commodity at the factory now, and even the factory director would take the initiative to greet him. Therefore, even during working hours, he felt perfectly at ease heading to the supply and marketing cooperative.

The wind was biting, and though the sun was bright, pedestrians kept their coats wrapped tightly around them. For Su Jianshe, however, the cold was no longer a major issue; his physical constitution had far surpassed that of an ordinary person.

After purchasing meat at the cooperative, he began to consider how to spend the winter in comfort. In his previous life, he lived in a centrally heated apartment and hadn't cared about winter at all, but in the current courtyard house, there was no central heating.

"I must find a way to solve the heating issue. If all else fails, I'll just stockpile more coal. As long as there is good ventilation, the room will be warm enough!" he thought. "That way, Xiao Yan won't feel the winter is too cold."

Thinking of Xiao Yan, Su Jianshe was full of anticipation. "I wonder how she’ll react when she sees the bathroom?" A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he imagined the shock a modern bathroom would bring to people of this era.

By evening, the sky over the city was already gray, and given the recent cold, Su Jianshe had insisted that Chu Yan move her departure time forward to four o'clock, even though it meant a reduction in her salary.

"...Brother Jianshe!"

Chu Yan finished tidying up and looked at Su Jianshe, who was waiting quietly outside the door, her face beaming with a happy smile.

"Wife, let's head home. The weather is getting colder, and we need to think about buying some coal to store."

The way Su Jianshe called her "wife" made a shy blush spread across Chu Yan’s cheeks. Even after marriage, she still felt bashful about it.

"Alright, I'll do whatever you say."
"Brother Jianshe, what about the surprise you mentioned earlier?"
"You’ll know when we get home. I guarantee it will surprise you!"

Su Jianshe acted mysterious, and Chu Yan nodded with a smile, full of expectation. The two walked toward the courtyard house huddled together, leaving the busy women of the compound to cast envious glances in their direction.

"Look at Su Jianshe and Xiao Yan; they truly are a perfect match. Their life is going so well!"
"Look at my old man—he never comes to pick me up, always saying he's busy at the factory, and all he knows is how to drink!"
"If my son were half as good, I wouldn't have to worry about him not finding a wife."
"With your son's height..."

As soon as they arrived home, Chu Yan noticed the meat and seasonings placed in the kitchen.

"Brother Jianshe, were you planning to cook something delicious for me? I’ve discovered the surprise early!"

Chu Yan laughed playfully, but suddenly, a pair of large hands covered her eyes.

"Don't be impatient, follow me."

Su Jianshe’s voice made Chu Yan feel at ease. She followed his lead, her hand brushing against something smooth and warm.

"What is this? Why is it so smooth and warm?"

Chu Yan asked, puzzled, touching the stainless steel handle. Just as she was about to ask more, the hands covering her eyes were slowly lowered.

"Ta-da! Look, this is your surprise!"

Chu Yan looked at the bedroom door, which should have been familiar, and scratched her head in confusion.

"Brother Jianshe, isn't this our room? Did you redecorate?"

"Time was so tight, could you have prepared a surprise for me inside?" Chu Yan was full of questions.

"Open the door and you'll see!" Su Jianshe smiled without answering, simply gesturing for Chu Yan to push the door open.

With a click, as the biometric scanner recognized Chu Yan's information, the door opened easily, as if it were an ordinary door.

However, the sight behind the door left Chu Yan stunned. The room was filled with exquisite furniture; the tiles were warm and smooth, and the cabinets and mirrors were exceptionally elegant. The mirror, in particular, was clear and bright, simply beautiful! The lighting was soft and warm, illuminating every corner.

Chu Yan felt as if she had stepped into a new world, surrounded by an air of luxury. The bathroom, modified by the system, was high-end even by Su Jianshe's modern aesthetic standards.

"This... this is unbelievable!" Chu Yan gasped. She had never seen such a sophisticated vanity cabinet with a mirror. Her eyes shifted to the marble bathtub nearby, and she was so shocked she couldn't speak, only gulping in awe.

"Brother Jianshe, you are magical! These pieces of furniture must have cost a fortune, right? How could you have finished the renovation in just one day? I... I'm so shocked!" Chu Yan racked her brain for words to praise Su Jianshe, but the beautiful scene before her was so dreamlike that she couldn't find the right language.

Su Jianshe gently took Chu Yan’s hand and patted her head, not answering directly, but instead introducing the facilities in the bathroom.

"This is a bathtub. Once filled with hot water, you can soak to relieve fatigue, and it will leave your skin glowing."
"This is a toilet. You can just sit on it to relieve yourself, and with a gentle press, it flushes."
"Don't let their appearance fool you; they are practical household items that satisfy your bathing and grooming needs. There's even a seated toilet!"
"With this room, we won't have to go outside to wash or use the restroom in the middle of a cold winter ever again!"

...

Su Jianshe introduced all the toiletries in the room to Chu Yan. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash... everything was neatly stocked. Even the ear picks and acne needles were arranged tidily on the side of the cabinet. The system had also provided a wide array of cosmetics.

Chu Yan picked them up to look at them, then shyly put them back.

"This is lipstick; it makes your lips look more beautiful!"

Su Jianshe explained the uses of these cosmetics with doting eyes. From loose powder to mascara, from lipstick to lip glaze, the variety was endless. If not for the fact that the system had uploaded a wealth of information to his brain when it renovated the room, he wouldn't have known that cosmetics were so specialized.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, over-accessorizing was a mistake. Many of these products were destined to never be used. Besides, Chu Yan was naturally beautiful, and in his eyes, she looked better without makeup than many people did with it; the cosmetics were almost redundant.

At this moment, Chu Yan, as if she had discovered a new toy, pointed to the soft light on the ceiling and asked, "Brother Jianshe, what is this? It feels so warm!"

It was the dead of winter, and while there was a stove in the house, it was hard to feel like it was spring. But now, bathed in this warm light, Chu Yan felt as if she had returned to spring, and she couldn't help but squint her eyes, even wanting to take off her heavy outer coat.

"This is a bathroom heater, a high-power lamp that converts electricity into heat!"

Su Jianshe explained with a smile, looking at the heater. He felt a bit of an urge himself, as he hadn't bathed in a long time. More importantly...

Thinking of this, Su Jianshe smiled slightly, "Do you want to experience the functions of this bathroom?"

Chu Yan nodded curiously, only to see her Brother Jianshe grinning as he began to take off his coat.

"Brother Jianshe, what... what are you doing?" Chu Yan’s cheeks turned bright red, and she asked with a touch of shyness.

Su Jianshe leaned close to her ear, "Look at how big the bathtub is, how hot the water is, and how warm the room is. Don't you have the urge to take a bath?"

"Brother Jianshe, get out!" Chu Yan’s face was beet red, and she scolded the smiling Su Jianshe with a hint of fatigue.

With a grin, Su Jianshe gave her a quick kiss before returning to the kitchen to get busy. Chu Yan was exhausted, and he needed to make her something good to eat. Su Jianshe tossed the meat he had bought at the supply cooperative into the system space; it was all just for show.

"I had wanted to find the right time to properly prepare this bear paw, but since I'm in such a great mood today, I'll just use it to make a home-cooked dish!"

If a state banquet chef had heard this, they would certainly have been stunned.