Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

Zhou Wentong instinctively shuddered; his father had returned.

He quickly circled around to behind Madam Zhou, forced a smile, and weakly called out, "Father~"

"Hmph, why are you back at this hour? Don't tell me you're on holiday!" Zhou Boyuan snorted coldly, his tone carrying a hint of disappointment.

He was the county's instructor, a man of great knowledge, and respected by all.

But his son turned out to be a good-for-nothing; not only did he dislike studying, he also complained every day that studying was useless.

It's absolutely shameful!

"Oh dear, our son just got back. He came especially to bring us food. He'll be going back to the academy soon. Don't be angry. It's not easy for our son to come back."

Madam Zhou mediated, attempting to ease the tension between the father and son.

"Instead of studying properly, you spend all day thinking about useless things? It's not like we don't have a cook at home, why do we need him to bring us food?" Zhou Boyuan said with his hands behind his back, his posture was comparable to that of Master Zheng.

However, Zhou Boyuan was slightly younger than Master Zheng.

He resembled a slightly younger version of Master Zheng.

Zhou Wentong quietly tugged at Madam Zhou's sleeve from behind, signaling her to continue speaking well of him.

He really didn't like reading, but he really didn't want to go against his own father directly.

"Sigh." Madam Zhou sighed softly.

"Master, come and try the food that Wentong brought back. I just took a bite, and it's truly extraordinary."

Madam Zhou was virtuous and gentle, and her voice was soft, like a light rain that gently extinguished the anger in Zhou Boyuan's heart.

"You still spoil him too much!" Zhou Boyuan shook his head and stopped scolding Zhou Wentong.

He took a step toward Madam Zhou, and before he had taken two steps, a wonderful fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

It was a rich, warm fragrance, not overpowering at all, as comforting as home.

Then, the aroma of meat emerges, not the charred fragrance of roasted meat, nor the medicinal aroma of braised meat, but a meaty aroma that naturally emerges from slow simmering over low heat.

Just by smelling it, without even tasting it, you can tell that the meat is fresh.

"This taste..." Zhou Boyuan stopped in front of the braised pork ribs, stunned, as if he was savoring something.

Upon closer inspection, a seven-inch-long bone was placed before me, thick at both ends and narrow in the middle, with a calm, dark reddish-brown color and a glossy sheen.

The thick sauce clung to the bones like a thin layer of glossy glaze, with meat clinging to the bones and the meat coated in sauce.

The bone marrow, white as jade, was exposed at the end of the bone, and was still emitting a slight warmth.

The heat rushed straight to people's faces.

So delicious.

Even Zhou Boyuan, upon seeing the braised pork ribs up close, couldn't control his drooling.

"Dad, wipe it."

As Zhou Boyuan looked up, a handkerchief was handed to him.

"What are you wiping?" He was completely baffled.

Zhou Wentong suppressed a laugh and pointed to his mouth.

Zhou Boyuan subconsciously touched his finger with his saliva, and then realized that he hadn't even noticed when he had started drooling.

He coughed somewhat awkwardly and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

Then, feigning seriousness, he said, "These bones do smell quite good."

"Don't just smell it, try it! My bones are absolutely delicious. I wouldn't have brought them home if they weren't so good," Zhou Wentong quickly recommended.

His main purpose in returning home was to let his father taste braised pork ribs.

As long as his own father is convinced by the braised pork ribs, he won't be afraid of Master Zheng complaining.

After all, it's not normal for a person to be able to refuse something so delicious.

"Where... are the chopsticks?"

As an instructor, Zhou Boyuan naturally possessed the refinement of a scholar and placed great importance on etiquette.

"Dad, you can't use chopsticks. Using chopsticks won't bring out the flavor of the braised pork ribs. Just hold them with your hands and bite into them directly. It's so delicious!"

Zhou Wentong grabbed a large braised pork bone and shoved it into Zhou Boyuan's hand. Zhou Boyuan instinctively stepped back, but ultimately couldn't escape.

The large, dark red bone fell directly into his hands.

"For a scholar to act in this way... is truly an insult to scholarship..."

"Oh, Dad, we're at home, not out in the world. Why are you making such a fuss?" Zhou Wentong couldn't help but say.

Madam Zhou smiled gently; it was the first time she had ever seen her husband look so troubled.

I really wanted to eat it, but I was afraid of being impolite.

"Wentong is right. We're at home, so we don't need to worry too much."

"Besides, in ancient etiquette, people do not use chopsticks to eat millet; they eat with their hands. Only vegetables in soup are picked up with chopsticks. Dried meat is torn directly by hand, and soup is drunk directly. Ancient etiquette is like this, so why should you worry too much, sir?"

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Boyuan felt as if he had been enlightened.

Yes, if people in ancient times ate with their hands, why can't he?

"Madam is right. I was thinking too narrowly and stubbornly. Thinking back, when Confucius was trapped in Chen and Cai, he did not eat for seven days. His disciple Yan Hui ate with his hands. Confucius did not reprimand Yan Hui for being impolite. Instead, he lamented, 'What we rely on is our hearts, but even our hearts are not enough to rely on.' I was being too narrow-minded."

After saying that, Zhou Boyuan put the braised pork bone in his hand to his mouth. The rich aroma of meat wafted into his nostrils, and without any hesitation, he started gnawing on the bone.

The moment he entered the mouth, Zhou Boyuan's eyes lit up.

The aroma of soy sauce blended with the fragrance of meat—this flavor is absolutely delicious and amazing!

It's fair to say that this was the first time in his life that he had ever tasted such delicious food.

The next moment, he stopped being as leisurely as before and began to wolf down his food, bite after bite, as if someone was chasing him.

Success! Zhou Wentong's smile grew wider and wider.

He opened another oil paper package and handed the braised pork bone inside to Madam Zhou: "Mother, this is perfect. Father eats that one, you eat this one."

"Okay, okay, okay." Madam Zhou smiled.

She had been craving it for a while, and seeing her husband eating so heartily, she swallowed her saliva several times.

He took the big bone and started gnawing on it, thinking to himself: It's definitely more delicious and special to hold it while gnawing on it.

"Delicious, so delicious!" Zhou Boyuan murmured to himself.

"Where did you buy it?" he couldn't help but ask after he had finished gnawing on the bones.

"There was a small stall at the entrance of our academy, but it's probably sold out by now."

"There are stalls at the entrance of the academy? No wonder you found this food. I'll go and buy a few tomorrow." Zhou Boyuan was already thinking about eating it again tomorrow.

Zhou Wentong smiled and said, "Father, then you can go tomorrow. I reckon it'll be in the afternoon. I'll head back to the academy now!"

If he delays any longer, his father will probably scold him again. He might as well be more self-aware and go to the academy on his own.

Inside the academy, Li Shun was hurriedly trying to change out of his oil-stained clothes.