Ma Lu parked the ES8 in the alley outside the courtyard, and then got out of the car with Sun Mei, carrying two shoeboxes.
The door to Yan Wu's little courtyard was unlocked, and the savory aroma of meat wafted through the gate.
Ma Lu knocked twice on the wooden door panel, and the voice of the hardware store owner came from inside, "The lamb is almost ready, come in."
Ma Lu and Sun Mei walked into the courtyard, where they saw Yan Wu under a jujube tree with a grill set up, fanning the charcoal with a palm-leaf fan and rotating the skewers of meat.
Sun Mei rolled up her sleeves, approached, and volunteered, "Let me do it."
Yan Wu glanced at her, and Ma Lu introduced, "This is the new sous chef at the restaurant, Sun Mei."
"Oh, I heard about it. Old Wang took on another disciple a few days ago, congratulations."
Yan Wu wiped his hands on his jeans and shook hands with Sun Mei.