Siheyuan: The Canteen Master, Courting My Widowed Sister-in-Law from the Start

He opens his eyes to find himself in 1958 Beijing, a master chef from a five-star hotel.

The head chef at the state-run No. 2 Canteen, nicknamed "Big Ladle Chu." His pay is decent, his skills are excellent, and life seems pretty good...

But his widowed sister-in-law, Liang Ladi, is struggling to feed her four children. His senior fellow apprentice taught him his craft, so he can't just turn a blind eye. Ignoring the gossip around the courtyard, he gives her food and money.

Just as he gets things settled, Qin Jingru comes to the city and gets a cold reception from Jia Zhangshi. He casually offers her five jin of cornmeal in exchange for making bedding, and the young woman's eyes light up.

The Froglet System brings back goods every so often: ration coupons, fabric coupons, pork coupons. He spends when he should and saves when he can. While everyone else tightens their belts, he's figuring out how to get a radio.

But one sentence from a procurement officer makes his heart sink: "Some places in the countryside are starting to run short of food."

In the bitter north wind of 1958, he knows better than anyone...

The three years of hardship aren't just a few lines in a book. They're a mountain that can crush people to death.

He stockpiles food ahead of time and quietly sends it to the countryside. At the canteen, he makes sure no one comes up short in their bowl.

A widow's doorstep always invites gossip?

He, Chu Weiguo, has never been afraid of gossip.

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.