Chapter 4, Dreams and Reality

Such incidents may not occur elsewhere, but it is not surprising at all that they happen in Feisuo Port, Huazhenxing.

Yang Tehong is quite unique, making it difficult to evaluate him. He is very shrewd in business, even to the point of being meticulous, and enjoys keeping clear accounts of everything. He is unwilling to offer any benefits that are not due, and he is also reluctant to engage in matters that do not bring him any advantage

Hua Zhenxing did not know what level a special first-class rating represented, so he went online to look it up. He had already learned to use the computer at Old Yang's shop to access the internet, and it was from that time that he acquired his first smartphone, along with a regular monthly salary, whereas previously Old Yang would only occasionally give him some pocket money

In the grocery store, food often expires, but in reality, many food packages have a margin on their shelf life. Items that have just passed their expiration date are not necessarily inedible, and the locals are generally unconcerned about this. However, Old Yang never takes them out to give to the beggars

It is quite contradictory to say that a person who is meticulous in business gives the impression of being "unconcerned" about details, which always feels somewhat strange. However, this contradiction finds perfect unity in the character of Old Yang.

The most infuriating thing is that Old Yang not only made Hua Zhenxing treat the recipe book like a comic book, but also had him continuously cook with the alchemical furnace. It is the kind of ancient alchemical furnace that has a fire chamber below and a semi-circular or square pot on top, with a total of nine pots, each with a different shape, and it is unclear what materials they are made of. All methods of cooking, including frying, stir-frying, stewing, deep-frying, steaming, boiling, braising, and simmering, are done using these nine pots

Many children have asked adults - "Where do I come from?" One of the common answers from adults is, "You were picked up from a garbage heap." For Hua Zhenxing, this is the standard answer

At that time, Huazhenxing was only five or six years old and had already begun to remember things. Meanwhile, Jili Country was gradually recovering from the turmoil of a few years prior, and social order was experiencing a rare period of stability. The economy was growing rapidly from its low point, and many countries and organizations came here to invest, provide aid, and conduct business, leading to a significant influx of overseas individuals into Feisuo Port

Old Yang is not particularly generous, and he rarely engages in acts of chivalry or financial assistance. However, it would not be accurate to label him as miserly or petty; his personality is quite easygoing, and he does not fuss over many matters.

That star athlete ultimately did not find a benefactor, and that hamburger shop has been closed for nearly ten years. Hua Zhenxing can be considered a firsthand witness to the entire process.

Old Yang had also taken Hua Zhenxing to the wilderness multiple times, teaching him to identify, gather, and process various materials on-site. Hua Zhenxing himself might not even realize that by the age of just over ten, he had nearly become an expert in wilderness survival as well as in flora and fauna.

In many places overseas, such waste is subject to timely and specialized sorting and processing, but it is quite difficult to achieve this in Non-Suo Port. A female shop assistant gave the leftover hamburgers to the children nearby, one of whom was a young star who was soon selected by a scout and taken to a youth training camp of an overseas club, and what happened afterward remains unclear

Old Yang instructed Hua Zhenxing to throw things away, ensuring they were tossed far away, quietly, and in different locations each time, almost like a thief. These items would certainly not go to waste, as they would soon be picked up by someone. However, Old Yang did not mind, as long as it did not involve his own grocery store.

Last year, a former star player who had long since emigrated overseas gave an interview, reminiscing about his childhood experiences. He was born in Fesokang and recalled that when he was around ten years old, a hamburger shop opened in the area. A kind female employee often quietly delivered the leftover hamburgers from that day to them, the hungry children, late at night. Thus, he would always wait at the back door of that hamburger shop at night

Old Yang has extensive connections, and Feisuo Port is another hub for goods distribution. He is always able to procure various ingredients and seasonings from around the world, especially from the Eastern countries. While opening a restaurant is certainly not enough, it is more than sufficient for him and Hua Zhenxing to enjoy themselves. Since the age of ten, Hua Zhenxing has taken on the important responsibility of cooking.

When he was twelve years old, Old Yang made a joke: "Now that you can go to the Eastern Kingdom, you could even be rated as a first-class chef; your cooking skills have finally barely reached an acceptable level"

It was time to go home. Hua Zhenxing stood up and moved his limbs a bit; his somewhat stiff body gradually became soft and agile, and then he quietly left along the wall.

Hua Zhenxing learned to read from Old Yang himself. During his childhood, the most common reading materials were various cookbooks, including many printed and bound volumes. These books were richly illustrated, and at that time, Hua Zhenxing mistakenly thought they were comic books

Looking up again, there is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are very bright, creating an illusion that one could simply reach out and pluck one from the rooftop. This is indeed the place where he has lived since childhood

If those well-dressed dignitaries from the locality were to appear on the street, there would be people approaching them asking for money, and the crowd is often dispersed by the attendants of those dignitaries. It does not matter if they do not receive anything; if they do, it is considered a gain. This reflects the most straightforward perspective of the local people

Hua Zhenxing was raised by Old Yang, but their relationship does not feel like that of a father and son, nor even like that of a grandfather and grandson. Hua Zhenxing's name was given by Old Yang, yet he does not share the Yang surname. As for why he has the surname Hua, it is because he is of the Hua ethnic group from the Eastern Kingdom. In fact, many people from Eastern countries look quite similar, and it is unclear why Old Yang immediately recognized that the infant was indeed of the Hua ethnicity.

At that time, amidst the smoke of gunfire and the chaos of stray bullets on the streets, Yang Tehong heard the sound of crying coming from a trash bin by the roadside. He rescued a baby from inside, and that child was Hua Zhenxing

For some time now, there have been certain idle adults and children disturbing customers both inside and outside the store. The social environment in the port city at that time was relatively stable, but only in comparison. The troublemakers were all locals, and the police rarely intervened in such matters, likely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of issues to address.

Some individuals lack complex moral reasoning in their minds and tend to think only in terms of the most direct cause-and-effect of benefits. If the hamburgers at the store do not sell, won't there be leftovers that day? The more leftovers there are, the more they can take... Six months later, this fast-food restaurant closed down... Many years have passed since then, and that female employee has long since disappeared.

Hua Zhenxing has indeed heard of child brides, which is said to be a matter from the old society of the Eastern country. He finds it both amusing and perplexing: "If you, esteemed elder, have a daughter who does not wish to marry, it would still be understandable to take me as a child groom."

In stark contrast to dreams, the Black Wasteland in reality has always been rife with various conflicts. Within the borders of Jili, the tribal conflict that occurred fifteen years ago was the most brutal riot in history, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands. It spread from cities further south to Fensuo Port, leaving a scene of carnage.

That Nine-Dragon Alchemy Furnace is an antique from the Eastern Kingdom collected by Yang Tehong, this old man is truly wicked

The reason why it is said that Old Yang is not actually stingy is that he understands the enjoyment of life very well. This is evident from the collection of recipes he has gathered, which primarily focuses on the various cuisines of the Eastern countries. Regarding the issue of food, it can be elevated from the most basic physiological needs to the highest form of self-transcendence. Old Yang considers himself to be a very noble person

Hua Zhenxing heard some commotion not far away, and in the wind, he faintly caught a whiff of urine odor, indicating that someone was passing by nearby in the late night, looking for a corner to relieve themselves. Shortly after, he heard the sound of a gunshot, the echo somewhat ethereal, suggesting it was quite far away

He had always regarded those alchemical furnaces as mere cooking stoves! It was not until he was thirteen years old, when he had the opportunity to visit the workers' dormitory of the Eastern country's aid project, that he encountered those truly useful modern cooking utensils. After trying them out, he realized that cooking with his own stoves was simply a hellish challenge in comparison. It was only after he searched online using images that he understood those were not cooking stoves at all, but rather ancient alchemical furnaces from the Eastern country.

Old Yang took a sip of wine and then picked up his chopsticks to eat a few bites of the side dishes, before leisurely saying: "Supporting you is not a loss; one must have a long-term vision, otherwise, where else can one find such a clever and capable partner as you... Have you heard of child brides?"

Old Yang has lived here for many years, yet he never gives anything away. Old Yang also never sells expired items; he always has Hua Zhenxing take them out and throw them away.

By the same reasoning, as long as one knows the precise location, one can determine the time by observing the starry sky Now it is around 3 a.m. There is a breeze, and the distant, intermittent sound of the wind resembles the low howls of wild dogs on the prairie, while up close it sounds like the quills of a porcupine rubbing against each other

Old Yang widened his eyes and exclaimed: "What nonsense are you talking about? That is called 'marrying into a family'! The formal term is 'ru zhai', but I have never heard of raising someone from childhood... I am just making an analogy; your status is that of a child servant, raised from a young age to help me with my work, so that I, as an old man, can enjoy life better"

A child servant is still a servant. Old Yang not only provides food and accommodation but also pays wages. Hua Zhenxing, who has regarded cookbooks as comic books since childhood, has a profound foundation in the major cuisines of the Eastern countries. In his eyes, not to mention a place like Feisuo Port, even the so-called various delicacies across the entire Black Wilderness Continent are comparable to pig feed.

There are many beggars in Feisuo Port, who are not professional beggars but have become accustomed to asking for money and goods. Whenever a foreigner or an outsider dressed relatively clean and tidy appears on the street, regardless of what they are doing, a group of children will always gather around to ask for money, and some adults will also approach to ask. Often, they inadvertently have their belongings stolen.

At this moment, Hua Zhenxing suddenly realized that something was amiss with his state; he was not returning home in the middle of the night, but instead leaning against the wall in a narrow alley, reminiscing about the past. The stark contrast between dreams and reality had a profound impact on him, leaving his mind inexplicably in a daze

On the other hand, he never engages in actions that harm others for his own benefit, nor does he take advantages that do not rightfully belong to him. Even if presented with a tremendous benefit, as long as it is not something he is entitled to, Old Yang would not even raise an eyebrow.

Regarding the actions of Old Man Yang, Hua Zhenxing has no objections; he is well aware of what kind of place Feisuo Port is.

However, Hua Zhenxing does not discriminate against pig food, and he is also quite resilient. The recipes that Old Yang showed him are not all from the Eastern countries; some may even have been written by the old man himself, including hand-drawn books, with ingredients that are diverse and varied.

Although the furnace is somewhat clumsy and presents various operational difficulties, it appears quite sophisticated when compared to the simple cooking utensils such as earthen pots and stoves used by the local residents. As for more advanced modern cooking appliances, they were beyond the reach of Huazhenxing during childhood

Hua Zhenxing once asked Old Yang why he had chosen to save him back then Old Yang was a person who would never seek trouble for himself and Feisuo Port was a dangerous and chaotic place As long as it did not involve matters concerning Old Yang himself he would hardly intervene and would avoid any trouble he encountered So why would he risk his life amidst gunfire to retrieve a child from a trash bin

For example, if someone has a lot of cash at home and no one is there, 99 percent of people would quietly take it without being discovered. If there is one person in Feisuo Port who would not do that, then that person must be Old Yang

Many years have passed, and the child of yesteryear has grown into an international superstar. He hopes to find that kind-hearted woman and repay her kindness. The news caused a great sensation, and immediately someone claimed to be that female shop assistant, only to be exposed as an imposter.

When using a furnace to stir-fry, one only needs to pay attention to the heat and technique. Although it can be challenging, it is not impossible. But how does one steam food? Huazhenxing can find materials to make a steamer. Some pots come with very heavy lids, while others require Huazhenxing to find materials to create a suitable new lid.

Those children could not afford the hamburgers in the store, and some of them would take the hamburgers given by the female staff member back home. As time went on, more and more children waited at the back door every night, and the hamburgers became insufficient, naturally leading to some being unable to get any. The kind female staff member would apologize and explain that the hamburgers were all leftovers from that day, and that the business had been particularly good today.

It not only introduces what can be eaten and what cannot, but also includes their special functions, how to handle them, and in what situations they can be used

A Golden Milk Door fast food restaurant has opened not far from the grocery store. It is a franchise of a global chain, with uniform standards for the management of the food sold. Hamburgers made the previous day are not sold overnight and are discarded as waste.

This statement is not incorrect. From a young age, whenever Hua Zhenxing reached a certain age and was able to do something, Old Yang would have him learn it, and he learned almost everything. Hua Zhenxing never attended school, but Old Yang managed to obtain a complete set of primary and secondary school textbooks and various supplementary materials from the 1980s and 1990s in the East Country, which is said to provide the most solid foundation in basic education