Chapter 4, Culinary Delights Alleviate Worries

She was indeed a bit frightened when she just saw him calmly slaughtering the slippery yellow eel, which resembled a snake

In the next moment, she realized that what was the significance of the festive atmosphere...! ... There was also a murderous intent!

Zhang Shou, however, paid no heed to the attitude of this noble lady from the Duke's residence. He casually opened the package in his hand and found that it contained pieces of steamed bread. He clicked his tongue in surprise, skewered them one by one with bamboo sticks, and placed them by the fire to roast. Only then did he chuckle without lifting his head.

Casting a glance at this young lady who must usually live in luxury and comfort, Zhang Shou brought over a bundle of dry straw and found a clean spot to lay down a thick layer.

Miss Zhu could not help but gaze at Zhang Shou's profile as he focused intently on grilling, even losing track of the passage of time

When it comes to eating, my companion is a big eater, far surpassing those who fuss and complain about dieting! Of course, he does not wish to work hard only to serve others, so he quickly devours the grilled food with great enthusiasm.

I actually caught a few eels, what a stroke of luck

Yet Zhu Ying stared intently at him as he performed tasks that should have been done by the household servants, only to find that every gesture he made was so captivating... So captivating that she even forgot her hunger... No wonder people say that beauty is a feast for the eyes...

The result of a growling stomach is a feeling of panic, dizziness, and weak legs; however, upon hearing that Zhang Shou had actually invited her, Zhu Ying could hardly care about her hunger and nodded emphatically without a second thought, saying: "Good!"

Her verbal agreement was firm and resolute, yet when Zhu Ying followed Zhang Shou along countless ridges, ultimately stopping by a clearly harvested rice field, she found herself both exhausted and hungry, nearly on the verge of collapse.

Finally, she felt a bit of strength, and she secretly exclaimed that it was bad

When Zhu Ying finally threw down a few empty bamboo skewers and let out a satisfied sigh, she immediately reached out her hand towards Zhang Shou, only to grasp his wrist. Seeing him look up in surprise, his face full of confusion, she then realized what had happened

Zhu Ying stared at Zhang Shou's skilled movements like a wooden figure, until she saw him wash his hands by the pond, and then, not knowing where he found a package of something, walked up to her, at which point she could not help but shrink back a little

Zhu Ying felt her head was somewhat unable to turn. The youth in the sky, resembling a celestial being, actually engages in such mundane activities

From the very beginning, Zhu Ying was angry because she felt like a puppet being manipulated by others, spinning around in circles.

Now, faced with Zhang Shou's clear eyes that resembled a tranquil spring, combined with the natural laziness that arose after she had satisfied her hunger, and the trust that his face instinctively inspired, she unexpectedly spoke the truth without thinking.

In her usual demeanor, Miss Zhu would be picky even about the delicacies specially prepared in the small kitchen, not to mention the leftovers. However, at this moment, she showed no hesitation at all, unwrapping the oil paper bag and devouring the remaining crystal cake and mung bean cake with great eagerness.

Originally still hungry, thinking that in order to please Zhang Shougong, even if the food was pig feed, one should praise it a little. Now realizing that it indeed tastes quite good, Zhu Ying naturally did not hold back and finished it off cleanly in no time.

Moreover, not to mention that she is about to break down, even if it is just to uncover the truth behind the engagement, she cannot go back! ... Well, in any case, it is certainly not for the sake of spending some time alone with this elegant and handsome young gentleman, who resembles a celestial being.

In the next moment, he saw this young lady, dressed in a splendid outfit that would not be deemed inappropriate even in the palace, approach without hesitation and sit directly down on the thick layer of straw, subsequently taking a deep breath with a sense of great contentment

As Zhang Shou turned his head after laying down the thatch, he noticed the beautiful young lady staring intently at him, as if she wanted to see a flower bloom on his face. He couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated: "It's a rural place, don't be disdainful, come and sit down!"

While in the capital, first, the second brother pressured her into marriage, then the grandmother produced the so-called marriage certificate and scolded her mercilessly. Furthermore, Zhu Gongquan, while carrying out the grandmother's orders to bring her here, was clearly incited by the second brother, openly and covertly criticizing the marriage as absurd, hoping that she would annul the engagement.

She can always present herself with the flawless elegance of a refined young lady whenever she wishes to do so

Before Zhu Ying could think of any remedial measures, Zhang Shou turned and walked towards another tree. In just a few moments, he produced a fire striker and flint, and then, as if he were pulling items from a treasure chest, he conjured up an endless array of things.

Seeing Zhu Ying's pale complexion, Zhang Shou withdrew his gaze and took out a paper package from a nearby tree hollow, then smiled at her.

When the final eel and bread slices were grilled to perfection, Zhang Shou picked up a skewer and casually turned around to hand it over. He had thought that this young lady would surely hesitate before taking a bite, but to his complete surprise, after receiving it, Zhu Ying bit into it without a second thought. Immediately, she was scalded and gasped for air, yet she stubbornly did not spit out the food in her mouth

Second brother wants me to marry that pig-headed son of the Minister of War, Lu! In a fit of anger, grandmother took out the marriage certificate and said, "I have long since arranged a marriage with you, who grew up in the countryside. Before this, I had never heard anyone mention anything about you and your mother."

She was unexpectedly heard by him as her stomach growled from hunger, and he also saw her greedy expression as she wanted more food despite not having enough

This is a place where several farmers' children come to catch eels for fun, and I often come here as well. They even left a bag of bread slices hidden here, so we finally don't have to go hungry for spring fruits. Later, we can just send some rice to their family.

Having just fed the young lady, I now see her awkwardly retracting her hand while still coughing loudly. Zhang Shou pretends as if nothing has happened, tidying up his things while asking without looking up: "After all these years, if it really is your father, Duke Zhao, who has been supporting us mother and son, I can't just pretend I don't know. Can you tell me what exactly is going on?"

Immediately after, those cherry-red lips, seemingly even more flushed, uttered two words: "Delicious!"

Here remains a piece of mung bean cake and a piece of crystal cake, both made by Aunt Liu in the early morning. I usually cannot stay idle at home and often go out, inevitably bringing along some snacks. If I cannot finish them, I leave them here. A few clever children often come here to sneak a bite. If I were to delay any longer, they might just take them away.

Zhang Shou squatted beside a tree stump, deftly pulling a yellow eel from the basket. With a flick of his right hand, he revealed a sharp nail. Skillfully, he threw and drove the nail in, then proceeded to remove the head, scrape the tail, and gut the fish.

A cast iron pot, a clay jar of spring water, a small packet of salt and pepper, ginger and scallions, a specially made wooden rack, a pack of bamboo skewers... Zhang Shoudong rummaged and searched, gathering a complete set of gear for a picnic, and collected a pile of dry branches and firewood, quickly starting a fire. When he pulled a bamboo basket from a fairly large pond next to the wheat field, he let out a gentle sigh of relief

Zhang Shou observed her eating happily and deliciously, and could not help but feel in a good mood as well

After killing four yellow eels in the basket in the same manner, he scooped water from the pond with an iron pot to clean them, and finally washed them again with spring water. He blanched the yellow eels in the iron pot with water to remove the blood, and then rubbed them with salt and ginger juice to eliminate the fishy smell, before skewering them on bamboo sticks and grilling them on a wooden rack

Although it is unclear whether she is simply too hungry and tired to care, or if her trust stems purely from his appearance, Zhang Shou feels that this young lady is not an ordinary spoiled heiress accustomed to a life of luxury.