My happy life in a courtyard house with triplets.

Chapter 298: Yu Li Pays Back the Money

At the steel mill, the cooking competition between Nan Yi and Sha Zhu spread quickly thanks to the news of the injured worker, and the two became famous overnight. Zhang Lei listened to the people around him discussing the competition and was surprised by its success. In his previous life, with this surge of popularity, Sha Zhu and Nan Yi might have become minor internet celebrities.

As the news spread, Nan Yi and Sha Zhu also benefited greatly. Many people came to them to cook their wedding banquets, and the residents of Courtyard No. 95 were also proud, since the courtyard had produced two good chefs, which made them proud.

Sha Zhu was boasting in the yard when Liu Guangtian asked, somewhat skeptical, "Sha Zhu, I heard you two fought to a draw?"

Sha Zhu immediately retorted, "What do you know? Those are just ordinary dishes. My real skill lies in complex dishes. Ever heard of Tan Family Cuisine? That's my specialty. It uses high-quality ingredients and involves complex techniques. How can that country bumpkin from Nanjing University of the Arts compare to me?"

Everyone was intrigued by his eloquent boasting. Yan Jiecheng stepped forward and said, "Silly Zhu, you speak so well, why don't you cook some dishes for us to try?"

The others joined in the commotion, urging Sha Zhu to show off his skills.

Sha Zhu waved his hand dismissively, saying, "Go away! You think you're worthy to ask me to cook? Even if I could, could you even produce any dishes? There needs to be at least some meat to showcase my culinary skills."

Upon hearing that they would have to cook the food themselves, everyone immediately became unhappy, since they were all hoping to get a free meal.

Meanwhile, Zhang Lei, having some free time, picked up his fishing rod and headed to the riverbank. Quite a few people gathered here in Shanghai every day; who wouldn't want free fish? Even if they couldn't catch any, watching others fish was entertaining.

Zhang Lei wanted to find a quiet place, but suddenly he saw a familiar figure. He walked up to her, looked at Yu Li who was in a daze, and called out, "Hi."

Yu Li was startled, but when she saw it was Zhang Lei, she became extremely excited.

Zhang Lei looked at her: "Yu Li, what are you doing here?"

Just as Yu Li opened her mouth, someone ran over from a distance, shouting, "Sis, look! Someone over there caught a big fish!"

The person who arrived was Yu Haitang. She saw Zhang Lei, paused for a moment, and pointed at him: "You're Zhang Lei?"

Zhang Lei smiled and nodded: "Your memory is not bad."

Yu Haitang immediately put her hands on her hips: "Great, I finally caught you!"

Zhang Lei asked in surprise, "They caught me?"

"Yes, ever since my sister borrowed money from you, she's been coming here every day to wait for you. Her heart is breaking!"

Yu Li blushed instantly and slapped Yu Haitang, yelling, "You brat, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Yu Haitang retorted, "Sis, can you honestly say you didn't talk about Zhang Lei every day, or wait for him?"

Yu Li hurriedly explained, "I was trying to pay them back!"

Zhang Lei then remembered that he had lent money to Yu Li before; he would have forgotten about it if they hadn't brought it up.

Yu Haitang looked at the fishing rod in Zhang Lei's hand: "You're fishing again?"

Zhang Lei nodded: "I'm just killing time by fishing."

Yu Haitang felt he was acting like a Versailles, and said with a smile, "That's perfect, we'll watch you fish, you don't mind, do you?"

Zhang Lei shook his head: "I don't mind."

He led the two sisters to a secluded spot and sat down to prepare for fishing. Yu Haitang whispered to Yu Li, "Sister, I really didn't realize Zhang Lei was so handsome. He'd be perfect as my brother-in-law."

Yu Li was both embarrassed and angry: "If you keep talking nonsense, go home and don't stay here!"

Yu Haitang joked, "Sis, are you in such a hurry to send me away because you want to go on a date? Looks like I've ruined something good for you."

Zhang Lei glanced back at the two playfully fighting, shook his head with a smile, and cast his line precisely, landing right in the school of fish. The fish darted about in fright, but couldn't resist the lure of the bait. Soon, a fish weighing about two pounds was tentatively approaching the bait. Sensing a bite, Zhang Lei gave a sharp jerk, the hook catching firmly in the fish's mouth, and he pulled it up directly.

Yu Li and Yu Haitang stopped arguing, and Yu Li quickly grabbed a bucket to help scoop water. Zhang Lei smiled and nodded at her, then took the fish and put it into the bucket. Yu Haitang exclaimed, "Amazing! You've just arrived and you've already caught some fish!"

Zhang Lei didn't say anything and continued fishing. Yu Haitang nudged Yu Li again: "Sis, sit closer and chat with Brother Zhang Lei."

Yu Li said shyly, "They're fishing; chatting will scare the fish away."

Zhang Lei turned around and smiled, "It's okay, we're just chatting, it won't affect my fishing."

Yu Li then realized that he had heard everything she said, and she was immediately so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do. At Yu Haitang's urging, the two of them sat down next to Zhang Lei.

Zhang Lei asked with a smile, "Yu Li, how is your mother's illness? Is she feeling any better?"

Yu Li nodded: "Much better, but I still need to stay in bed and take my medicine on time."

Zhang Lei: "Do you need more money? I have some here."

Yu Li quickly waved her hand: "No need, I'm here today to pay back the money."

She pulled out a bunch of coins, some in small bills and some in larger ones, clearly saved up for a long time. Yu Haitang watched from the side, feeling a little sorry for her; this money was earned by her father through hard work, working during the day and doing odd jobs after work.

Zhang Lei thought about it and accepted the money. He figured if he borrowed and returned it, it would be easy to borrow again. Yu Li also breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, a huge pull came from the hook, and the fishing line taut. Zhang Lei was startled; it was a big fish, probably weighing around ten pounds, and the fishing rod was about to break. He could only use skill to slowly pull the fish in the water.

Yu Li and Yu Haitang watched nervously from the sidelines. After nearly half an hour of reeling, the fish finally exhausted itself. Zhang Lei suddenly yanked the rod, and with a "crack," the fishing rod broke, and the fish was flung directly onto the shore.

It was a large, golden carp, weighing a full ten pounds, which was quite rare. Yu Li was so surprised that she couldn't speak, and Yu Haitang even shouted out loud. The commotion quickly attracted a large crowd, who gathered around the fish and discussed it animatedly.

Zhang Lei looked at the fish bucket. Luckily, he had brought a large enough one today, which was just enough to barely hold the fish upright inside.

At this moment, an old man stepped forward, smiling, and asked, "Young friend, are you selling these fish?"

Zhang Lei shook his head: "Sir, buying and selling this is illegal. I'm keeping these fish for my family."

The old man was somewhat disappointed: "What a pity for such a fine golden carp."

Zhang Lei asked in surprise, "You didn't buy the fish to eat?"

The old man laughed and said, "Of course not. I think this fish looks good, so I want to keep it. Maybe it's a lucky fish that can bring wealth."

Looking at the carp constantly blowing bubbles in the bucket, Zhang Lei wondered if he should get a fish tank.

The old man added, "Actually, this kind of fish is not only easy to raise, but also has high medicinal value."

Upon hearing this, Yu Li and Yu Haitang's eyes lit up as they stared at the fish in the bucket, wondering if the fish would be good for their mother's illness.

Zhang Lei looked at the fishing rod broken in two, feeling a little regretful. This rod had been with him for a long time, and now that it was broken, he could only buy a new one.