Siheyuan: From the Start, I Became a Disciple of Fengze Garden

This book does not glorify brutality. Instead, it depicts a unique way of life beginning in the 1950s and 1960s, with the story of its protagonist, Li Xiangyang, offering its own special delights.

At fourteen, Li Xiangyang transmigrated to the courtyard next door to Love in the Courtyard. Born into a family of chefs, he had an exceptional gift for cooking. By the age of twenty, his superb culinary skills had made him a Grade Two Special-Class Chef, earning a monthly salary of 87.5 yuan, a very substantial income in those days.

The year was 1956, a special period when the country was repaying its debts to the big brother. Li Xiangyang answered the nation's call and used his savings to buy four rooms in the front courtyard of Love in the Courtyard. This was no small asset, and it gave him a secure place to settle down.