As she set the table, Chu Nanzhi remembered the customs and etiquette of this dynasty where women and children were not allowed to join in at mealtimes. She had to pay more attention to detail, especially when eating with these scholars.
First, she first laid out the dishes for the two elders, then prepared to bring the dishes prepared for the four children to the stone table in the pergola so that she could take care of them while they ate.
However, as soon as she emerged from the kitchen carrying the dishes, Elder Chang stopped her. "We're not outsiders. There's no need to be so formal. It's so hot outside, let the children join us."
Lin Jinxiao and Nie Huaian were both surprised. They had not expected the usually old-fashioned scholar to eat with a woman. This was odd.
Village Chief Liu looked around. He was the only outsider in the room.
If Elder Nie had not asked him to stay and accompany them, he would not have been willing to eat here.
When he heard Elder Chang's words, he hurriedly echoed, "Since Elder Chang says so, Madam Chu, you don't have adhere so rigidly to the rules."
Chu Nanzhi was a little flattered, but with Elder Chang's permission, she would not have to go out of her way to follow these ancient rules.
The four children were delighted that they did not have to eat outside. They happily surrounded Lin Jinxiao and began to enjoy the incredible delicacies.
The table was filled, but there were only a few types of dishes. Other than the pot of chicken soup, there was scallion-oil eggplant, pork belly stir-fried with cucumbers, shredded meat with green peppers, and a tomato omelet which filled two plates.
The two elders had eaten all kinds of delicacies and had seen many ostentatious occasions. However, this was the first time they had seen someone cook like this. The two elders could not adjust.
Furthermore, this was the work of a famously evil woman, so even if the two elders agreed to stay for a meal, they were still a little wary of this table filled with stir-fried dishes.
Nie Huaian was the first to pick up a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth. Then, he pretended to savor the flavor and commented, "This chicken tastes good. Third Master Li's wife is really virtuous. She can cook very well."
Even though he saw the four children eating the stir-fried food with relish, he pretended not to see it.
He had already lost to that Chang Yanjue in the courtyard. He could not let him have the upper hand again.
He had to be more reserved this time.
Yes, reserved!
Seeing that, Elder Chang also took a piece of chicken and chewed slowly without saying anything.
When Chu Nanzhi saw that the two of them were unwilling to eat the food she had cooked, she thought that it was not to their liking. She ignored them and continued eating the food in front of her.
After all, these were important scholars. She was not so shameless as to try to get their attention.
She had been worried that would not be enough stir-fried vegetables like yesterday, so she had specially cooked a larger portion. Now it seemed that she had been overly-concerned.
On such a hot day, the leftovers would not keep for long. So she ate a larger helping.
After a while, she saw Nie Huaian put a drumstick into Lin Ruiwen's bowl. He smiled kindly and said, "Here, eat a drumstick. It's good for you."
"Grandpa Nie, you have the chicken drumsticks to improve your health."
Lin Ruiwen hurriedly put the drumstick back into Nie Huaian's bowl and quickly used his chopsticks to pick up the cucumber and stir-fried pork belly.
He felt that this dish was even more flavorful than the stir-fried pork dish yesterday. He simply loved it.
Although he also liked chicken drumsticks, the dishes made by this bad woman were not available all the time.
However, Uncle Li Ce reared many chickens and would occasionally bring them chicken drumsticks.
Nie Huaian was a little puzzled. What was the matter with these brats today? They did not even want the drumsticks.
When he saw that the children had devoured more than half the dishes on the table, he could not restrain himself anymore.
When he saw Liu Qingbo and Lin Jinxiao happily eating the dishes made by the evil woman, he began to curse inwardly.
It did not matter if Liu Qingbo was a good-for-nothing glutton, but his student was also a hedonist.
B*stard!
How disgraceful!
Just as he was burning with anger, Elder Chang silently reached out with his chopsticks and picked up the last piece of cucumber. He put it in his mouth and chewed carefully.
At last, even he gave in and smiled.
"Shameless old man. You actually capitulated for the sake of a piece of stir-fried cucumber. You've disgraced your reputation as a great scholar."
He glared angrily at Chang Yanjue and cursed.
Then, he picked up the plate in front of him and poured the rest of the eggplants into his bowl.
Chang Yanjue was flabbergasted. He flung off all restraint and scolded Nie Huaian, "Old man, you have no regard for your dignity in front of your juniors. You're really a disgrace."
He glanced at the table and saw that the dishes in front of him and Nie Huaian had been emptied by the children. With lightning speed, he reached in front of Chu Nanzhi and quickly scraped half the plate of pork belly stir fried with cucumbers into his bowl.
Worried that Old Nie would try to snatch it, he poured most of the tomato omelet into his bowl too.
He instantly felt much better.
Looking at his bowl filled with cucumber and pork belly as well as tomato omelet, he finally relaxed and smiled with relief.
Then, he even shamelessly said to Chu Nanzhi,
"Madam Chu, you've worked hard today. Have more chicken soup to nourish your body."
With that, he put a chicken drumstick in her bowl.
Chu Nanzhi was dumbfounded. She took the drumstick in embarrassment and started to doubt herself.
Were these two old men really respected scholars?
Lin Jinxiao and Liu Qingbo were so frightened that they did not dare to touch their chopsticks anymore.
Lin Jinxiao was used to his two teachers bickering, but this was the first time he had seen them fighting over some food.
And it was cooked by this evil woman.
He glanced coldly at Chu Nanzhi, who was engrossed in gnawing on a drumstick. This woman has been married to me for more than five years and has always been crazy. But she has never been as virtuous as she has been over the last two days.
What was her motive?
The more Lin Jinxiao thought about it, the more frightened he grew.
After Chu Nanzhi finished eating the drumstick, she was a little unsatisfied. The four children had already put down their bowls and chopsticks in satisfaction and were curiously watching the two old men quarrel.
Chu Nanzhi looked at the pot of chicken soup. Madam Zhou was too nice. The old hen that she had brought over was probably the largest that she owned. She had even stewed the entire chicken. The four children only focused on eating her dishes, and Lin Jinxiao and the two elders had not eaten much chicken.
If there was too much leftover to be finished at dinner, it would spoil by tomorrow.
She picked up the other drumstick and looked at the four children opposite her.
Lin Ruijia was not so against her now. She wanted to give Ruijia the drumstick, but when the girl saw that the bad woman wanted to give her the drumstick, she ran away.
When the other three children saw what was going on, they also ran into the courtyard.
Lin Jinxiao began to sense that she was deliberately trying to win the hearts of the two elders. He glared at her and said angrily, "If you want to eat it, go ahead. Why are you putting on such a show?"
D*mn it.
Her good intentions were always misunderstood.
Chu Nanzhi was also very angry after being reprimanded for no reason. She did not want to spoil him either, so she angrily put the drumstick back into the soup and spoke to him sternly in front of the two elders,
"It's just a chicken drumstick. What show can I put on? I think you're delusional."
"That's right. It's a good thing that the Madam Chu cares about the children. How can you judge her like this?"
Elder Nie could not stand it anymore and scolded Lin Jinxiao. Then, he placed the drumstick into Chu Nanzhi's bowl and said with a smile, "Madam Chu, don't bother about him. Come, have more."
At that moment, Elder Chang also glared at Lin Jinxiao in dissatisfaction. "I think Madam Chu is a good woman. She's well-educated and reasonable. She's even a good cook."
"Teacher, I…"
Elder Chang did not give him a chance to speak. "Don't quibble. It takes two hands to clap. If there is discord within the family, you should reflect on your own shortcomings."
Lin Jinxiao was rendered speechless by the two elders' reprimand.
He felt extremely aggrieved. His two teachers were actually speaking up for this evil woman.
Had the sun risen from the west today?
Chu Nanzhi looked at his pitiful appearance and also felt that he had been wronged. However, his self-righteous and aloof personality did not deserve sympathy.
However, the children were innocent. They had been living in the shadow of the Host's abuse for the past few years and were just too pitiful.
With that thought, she put the drumstick back into the soup again, intending to save it for the children's dinner.