Meng Yao rolled some red beans and steamed some glutinous rice. She made bean rolls because it was a simple and tasty dish.
Meng Yao started cutting them when Zhao Dajiang entered the kitchen. "You're just in time. Bring one of these to Xiu'er. You should eat some too," Meng Yao said.
Zhao Dajiang never questioned his mother and would do everything she told him. Then Meng Yao cut the rest and brought them to Zhao Xiaoshu's room.
Despair filled Zhao Xiaohua's face while Zhao Xiaoshu revealed rare helplessness.
"How's your learning going?" Meng Yao asked smilingly, even though she knew the answer.
"I failed to learn, Mother." Zhao Xiaohua was embarrassed.
"Learning isn't something that happens overnight. You must take it step by step," Meng Yao advised.
It was just the beginning, so Meng Yao couldn't hurt Zhao Xiaohua's confidence. Otherwise, it would be more challenging to deal with Zhao Xiaohua if she developed a rebellious mentality.
"Am I dimwitted, Mother?" Zhao Xiaohua sniffled, feeling sad. She tried her best to learn but could not recite as skillfully as Zhao Xiaoshu. She would always stammer and forget the story.
"No one said you're dimwitted. One cannot measure another's intelligence by one standard. A person who can read might not be good at other things, so would you say that person is dimwitted? No, because they know how to read."
"With that in mind, you can't call a person dimwitted just because they didn't study well. Just like you. Aren't you good at eating?" Meng Yao stumped herself with her words. She couldn't tell what else Zhao Xiaohua was good at, even with her predecessor's memories.
The original Meng Yao was excellent at needlework, but the current Meng Yao found it tiring. As the only daughter, Zhao Xiaohua didn't inherit the former's skills.
The scene of Zhao Xiaohua eating filled Meng Yao's mind, so she blurted out the last words under Zhao Xiaohua's expectant gaze.
Zhao Xiaohua pouted as tears rolled down her face. "Why are you mocking me, Mother?" Zhao Xiaohua felt wronged.
Zhao Xiaohua was already sad, yet her mother didn't comfort her and even used Zhao Xiaohua's shortcomings to attack her.
"N-No, I didn't mean to mock you," Meng Yao hurriedly coaxed Zhao Xiaohua. "Eating is also a skill."
Zhao Xiaohua glared at Meng Yao. "What kind of skill is that?!"
"Tasting delicious food is an excellent skill. I remember taking you to eat some wontons once. I thought they were delicious, but you said they lacked flavor. When the shopkeeper asked what was wrong, you told him it was missing flavor, and when we returned the next day, business was booming."
"The shopkeeper even treated us to several bowls of wontons when they saw you," Meng Yao hurriedly explained.
Meng Yao got that from her predecessor's memory.
Nonetheless, Zhao Xiaohua enjoyed eating a few bowls of wontons without spending any money.
However, Zhao Xiaohua was an influential older woman in later generations.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Zhao Xiaohua thundered.
Meng Yao failed to comfort Zhai Xiaohua. No matter what she said, Zhao Xiaohua firmly believed she was dimwitted.
"Why don't we have some snacks before continuing our discussion?" Meng Yao tried diverting Zhao Xiaohua's attention.
Food always had power over Zhao Xiaohua. The red bean roll drew Zhao Xiaohua's attention.
Meng Yao placed a small plate in front of Zhao Xiaoshu and another in front of Zhao Xiaohua.
"It's delicious." Zhao Xiaoshu was satisfied. He had never eaten something so soft and sticky before. The red bean rolls were also sweet and fragrant.
"It's pretty delicious, but you should use less sugar, Mother. The sugar is overpowering the fragrance of the glutinous rice and red beans," Zhao Xiaohua said casually.
Meng Yao thought children preferred sweeter foods, so she deliberately added more sugar.
'How could Xiaohua tell from just tasting?'
"You're incredible, Xiaohua. My hand shook when I added the sugar, so I accidentally put too much. I'm impressed you could tell," Meng Yao praised her daughter sincerely.
Zhao Xiaoshu also agreed. He was sincere when he praised Zhao Xiaohua. He heard from the customers in the carpenter shop that some people went to restaurants just to taste dishes.
Meng Yao was shocked that people from ancient times could be so trendy.
Then Meng Yao took the opportunity to tell the twins about their talents. After some explanation, Zhao Xiaohua finally believed different people's talents would show in various aspects.
Zhao Xiaoshu's talents were more influential since he was good with his mind and hands. He wasn't afraid to study and even quickly learned carpentry.
"It's okay if you can't learn it in a day. You'll get the hang of it in a few days," Meng Yao encouraged Zhao Xiaohua.
After that, Zhao Xiaohua pulled her mother to look at the drawing of the skeleton.
Then Meng Yao realized how much people's intelligence differed. Zhao Xiaohua couldn't recite the Three Musketeers but could remember the joints and acupuncture points after one explanation.
Zhao Xiaohua was delighted. "Does that mean I won't have to recite the Three Musketeers anymore?"
"Learning will only benefit you," Meng Yao said. "But you don't have to feel pressured."
Zhao Xiaohua happily agreed, "I'll listen to you, Mother."
Meanwhile, Meng Yao took advantage of their break time and discreetly drew the human anatomy alongside its acupuncture points and organs.
Zhao Xiaohua happily accepted the two drawings calmly compared to the skeleton.
Once again, Meng Yao realized everyone's talent differed. Zhao Xiaohua was a genuine older woman in the future, and at the same time, she excelled at medicine.
Still, Zhao Xiaoshu was even more impressive. He was an excellent learner. Although he wasn't as good as Zhao Xiaohua in medicine, he was still better than most.
When Meng Yao mentioned which organs would cause death when injured and which acupuncture point would react after getting pierced, Zhao Xiaohua could quickly remember them. She would even raise questions and conclude.
However, Zhao Xiaohua's questions made Meng Yao speechless. Zhao Xiaohua wanted to apply her lessons to killing people.
Zhao Xiaoshu was ruthless in the future. Although Meng Yao had changed Zhao Xiaoshu's fate, it was impossible to change a person's nature.
Zhao Xiaoshu looked harmless, but they would suffer a terrible fate if someone provoked her.
Meng Yao hoped her process of caring for her children would be smooth and without variables.
"My father was amazing, wasn't he?" Zhao Xiaohua was full of hope and admiration when she finished her lesson. "If only he were still here."
Zhao Ting taught Meng Yao everything she knew.
The original Meng Yao was heartbroken and unwilling to show she missed her husband. But after some thought, she realized she had to nurture her children's talents. Only then could she face Zhao Ting.
However, the current Meng Yao did not care if she let Zhao Ting down. Zhao Ting belonged to the original Meng Yao, after all.