Entertainment and culture in those days started with cultural propaganda teams.

Chapter 21 Thank you for coming

When Xu Yang rode his old-fashioned bicycle into the gate of the residential compound, he rang his bicycle bell three times louder than usual.

The old man in the gatehouse poked his head out from behind the newspaper and called out to Xu Yang's back, "Young Xu, what's the good news? Why are you so happy?"

Xu Yang waved without turning his head: "Grandpa, I got into the propaganda team!"

"Oh my, that's quite something! Your Aunt Hui will have to add two more dishes tonight!" The old man's laughter chased after us from behind, but was torn apart by the wind and disappeared into the shadows of the sycamore trees.

Before the bicycle had even come to a complete stop, Xu Yang saw Liu Xiaoli standing at the entrance of the building.

She had obviously heard the bicycle bell and ran down, still clutching a handful of unfinished chives in her hand. The sleeves of her floral shirt were rolled up to her elbows, revealing her two pale forearms.

"You got selected?" she asked urgently, her voice slightly breathless.

Xu Yang propped one long leg on the ground and gave her a thumbs-up.

Liu Xiaoli froze for a second, then screamed "Ah!" and almost dropped the chives in her hand.

She jumped up and down, her braids bouncing high on her shoulders, and the pure joy on her face made Xu Yang momentarily stunned.

"I knew you could do it! I knew it!" she said twice, her voice trembling.

"We should have a proper celebration tonight. We'll cook at home and let you taste my cooking," Liu Xiaoli said happily.

"Okay, then we'll cook at home ourselves," Xu Yang said with a smile.

After waiting for so many days, I finally have the chance to try Liu Xiaoli's cooking.

He guessed that Liu Xiaoli must have some skills.

"Then let's go pick some vegetables, and we'll wait for Auntie San to come back and cook them. Her cooking is just as good as any state-run restaurant. Unlike me, I can't even learn how to cook." As she spoke, Liu Xiaoli glanced at Xu Yang somewhat embarrassedly.

This result was something Xu Yang hadn't expected.

So he rolled up his sleeves, grinned, and said, "No need to trouble Third Aunt, just leave it to me. I promise you won't be disappointed."

Xu Yang's cooking skills are quite good; he can cook some impressive dishes.

Upon hearing Xu Yang's words, Liu Xiaoli's eyes widened in surprise.

"You can cook?" Her tone was full of disbelief as she looked Xu Yang up and down, as if she wanted to get to know him all over again.

She counted on her fingers as she said, "She can write novels, screenplays, play the harmonica, play the guitar, and even write her own songs... Now you're telling me you can cook too?"

Xu Yang was amused by her appearance. He leaned his bicycle against the wall, dusted off his hands, and said, "Sister Xiaoli, the way you're talking makes it sound like cooking is some amazing skill."

"Why not?" Liu Xiaoli retorted confidently.

After all, she just couldn't learn it no matter how hard she tried.

In her opinion, being able to cook delicious meals is also a great skill.

Xu Yang chuckled and took the bunch of chives from her hand: "Let's go see what ingredients we have at home."

The two went upstairs, and Liu Xiaoli opened the kitchen door, showing off all the food she had stored in the house.

On the stove were half a head of cabbage, a small piece of pork belly, a few potatoes, a handful of vermicelli, and two blocks of firm tofu that had just been bought from the supply and marketing cooperative that morning.

The cupboard contained dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce, and vinegar. Although the seasonings were not complete, it was considered a fairly well-off family for that era.

Xu Yang glanced at the ingredients and immediately understood what was going on.

In my past life, I worked hard alone in a foreign land, and I had to cook for myself. After several years, although I wouldn't say I was a professional, I could still serve a few of my signature dishes.

The two of them busied themselves in the kitchen, just like a couple who had just come home from get off work.

When He Hui and Liu Jianye returned, they were greeted by a fragrant aroma as soon as they opened the door.

He Hui stood frozen at the doorway, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Liu Xiaoli: "Your third aunt thought it was the smell of the state-run restaurant wafting in."

Liu Xiaoli came out of the kitchen carrying bowls and chopsticks, looking smug: "Third Aunt, Xu Yang made all of this. I just helped pick some chives."

He Hui and Liu Jianye exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

"Xiao Xu, your cooking skills are amazing..." Liu Jianye picked up a piece of pork belly, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and his eyes lit up.

"It's fatty but not greasy, and the sauce is incredibly flavorful—better than the chef at our bureau's canteen!"

He Hui also picked up a piece with her chopsticks, tasted it, put down her chopsticks, and said seriously, "Xiao Xu, you can write articles, play the zither, and even cook so well. If you said you were from an ordinary family, I would be the first to not believe you."

Xu Yang's heart tightened, but he remained outwardly calm, smiling as he ladled a bowl of soup for He Hui: "Aunt Hui, to be honest, I can't remember either. Maybe my family used to run a restaurant?"

This answer isn't perfect, but it's not bad either.

He Hui glanced at him, but didn't press him further. She simply said meaningfully, "No matter what you did before, you're part of our propaganda team now. Do a good job from now on."

Xu Yang breathed a sigh of relief, picked up his bowl, and started eating his rice.

At the dinner table, the conversation quickly turned to today's assessment.

He Hui vividly described the scene of Xu Yang playing the harmonica. When she mentioned that the old guys on the judging panel took off their glasses and wiped their eyes, Liu Xiaoli smiled so much that her eyes curved into crescent moons.

"I told you, Xu Yang would definitely be selected." Her tone was full of undisguised pride, as if she were the one who had been selected for the propaganda team.

He Hui looked at her niece's appearance, smiled slightly, took a sip of soup, and said nothing.

After finishing the meal, Liu Xiaoli insisted on washing the dishes.

Xu Yang wanted to help, but Liu Jianye stopped him.

"Xiao Xu, come on, let's play a game." Liu Jianye took out a chess set from the cabinet and laid it out on the coffee table.

Xu Yang did not refuse and sat down opposite him.

He can play chess, though not very well, but he won a prize at the company's annual meeting before he traveled through time, so he's good enough to deal with amateur enthusiasts.

The two played back and forth on the ground. Liu Jianye's chess style was steady and cautious, and he would think about each move for a long time.

Xu Yang, on the other hand, moved with much more agility, placing his pieces without hesitation, and each move precisely targeted Liu Jianye's weaknesses.

In less than twenty minutes, Liu Jianye's "general" was forced into a corner.

"Good lad, you've got some skills!" Liu Jianye slapped Xu Yang hard on the shoulder, so hard that Xu Yang stumbled forward.

"Come on, let's play another round."

Before they knew it, the two had played three rounds in a row.

In the last game, Xu Yang gave Liu Jianye a slight advantage, which allowed Liu Jianye to win a game.

He originally wanted to get off, but He Hui, who was knitting a sweater nearby, stopped him.

After all, if it rains any harder, it will disturb everyone's rest.

After the couple went upstairs, only Xu Yang and Liu Xiaoli remained in the living room.

"Are you nervous about your first day at work tomorrow?" Liu Xiaoli turned her head to look at him. The light fell on her face, and her eyelashes cast a small fan-shaped shadow under her eyes.

"It's alright, but I don't know exactly what we'll be doing there." Xu Yang leaned back on the sofa and let out a long sigh.

"With your skills, you'd definitely be in a leading position if you went there," Liu Xiaoli said earnestly.

"Even my third aunt praised your novels, and I'd love to act in your scripts. If those people in the propaganda team saw your work, wouldn't they treat you like royalty?"

Xu Yang was amused by her and turned to look at her: "Sister Xiaoli, you're so good at praising people, I'm almost embarrassed."

"Who praised you? I'm telling the truth." Liu Xiaoli turned her face away, pretending to look out the window, but the smile on her lips was impossible to hide.

After a long while, she whispered, "Xu Yang, thank you for coming."

Xu Yang's heart softened, and he was about to say something when Liu Xiaoli stood up, patted the hem of her clothes, and said, "Go to sleep early. Don't be late for your first day of work tomorrow. I'll come to wake you up at six."

Xu Yang nodded; it was indeed time for him to rest.

At the very least, we can't stay here any longer.