The meal consisted of a thin porridge of mixed grains, one cornbread bun per person, and two stir-fried green vegetables plus a plate of pickled vegetables. Although it was stir-fried, there was almost no oil in it; it tasted like it had been boiled in plain water.

Shen Danru picked up the porridge, took a sip, and almost spat it out. It was as thin as dishwater, and what was worse, it got stuck in her throat.

It's not that my mother's cooking is bad, it's just that Chen is too stingy. Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice.

The Chen family only provides this much grain for each meal. With so many people to feed, the amount of water needed to make the porridge will definitely be too thin.

She looked up at the table where the men were eating. Her father and eldest brother seemed to be tired from working and were eating heartily, while her third brother, Shen Yuyan, was having a poor appetite, just like her.

“Mother, the third son has been bringing money home quite a bit, but he eats coarse grains every day, and there’s no oil in his food. When will this end? The children need to grow, how can this go on?”

The third son's wife, Madam Lü, took a sip of porridge and frowned as she asked.

Upon hearing this, Chen's face immediately fell: "You know what the situation is like at home, yet you're still being picky. If you don't want to eat, then leave. Is it easy to support a scholar in the family? Isn't this all for the sake of the Shen family? If Shu-ge'er ever becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, don't have the nerve to say that you're his third aunt and you're benefiting from his success."

The eldest son's wife, Niu, chimed in, "That's right. When the third son comes back, I'll tell him the truth: he spent money on his studies and it's dragged his third aunt down with him."

"Oh, Mother, Sister-in-law, that's not what I meant at all. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm his third aunt, and I'm certainly hoping that Shu-ge'er can come back as the top scholar. But Shu-ge'er has passed the preliminary examination for several years now, and I haven't seen him pass the county-level examination yet. I'm anxious too."

Madam Chen slammed her chopsticks on the table with a "bang": "What's the rush? Do you think it's so easy to become a Xiucai? There's a prefectural examination in April. I asked Shu-ge'er, and he's sure to pass. Once Shu-ge'er passes the Xiucai exam, he can participate in the autumn or spring examinations, and then he'll be a Juren."

Madam Chen was lost in her fantasies, her eyes filled with anticipation: "When Shu-ge'er becomes the top scholar, he will petition the Emperor for a title, and then all of you will become ladies of high rank."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shi's eyes immediately narrowed into slits as she realized she also had a chance to become a Lady of the Imperial Decree: "Mother, wouldn't there be maids and servants to serve you, and servants to carry you when you go out? Just thinking about it makes me feel so majestic."

Hearing this, Chen was secretly delighted, but on the surface she still kept a straight face and scolded, "Yes, what will you want to eat then? You're really short-sighted."

Shen Danru found it difficult to swallow a mouthful of porridge, and upon hearing Chen's words, he couldn't help but spit out the rice in his mouth.

Is it really that easy to become the top scorer in the imperial examinations?

Unexpectedly, this old woman knew a couple of idioms, which was quite impressive of her to be able to intimidate these country women.

"Ru'er, are you alright?"

Zhou quickly came forward and patted her back to help her catch her breath.

Shen Cheng, Shen Yu'an, and Shen Yuyan also looked worried as they gazed at the table of women.

Seeing Shen Danru wasting food like this, Madam Chen said coldly, "What could possibly happen to her? If she wants to eat, she should eat properly. If she doesn't want to eat, she should get out."

Shen Danru wasn't angry. She couldn't eat anymore, so she put down her bowl and said, "Mother, I'm full. I'm going back to my room now."

Back in her second room, Shen Danru was hungry. Not wanting to deprive herself, she used one point in the system shop to redeem two packs of instant noodles.

She opened the instant noodle lid, and a burst of steam rushed into her nose. She took a deep breath; it smelled so good.

Just then, I felt someone swallow hard. I turned around and saw Shen Yuyan standing behind the door, peeking out with her eyes fixed longingly on the instant noodles.

Shen Danru waved to him, and Shen Yuyan excitedly ran over when he saw his second sister calling him.

"Want some?"

Shen Yuyan nodded.

"Say 'hello' and your second sister will give you some."

Shen Yuyan replied without hesitation, "Good second sister, good second sister."

"Am I better or is my original second sister better?"

"Of course you're better. My old second sister was really mean to me."

Shen Yuyan lifted her trouser leg to show Shen Danru a large scar on her leg, which looked like a fall injury.

“It was my second sister who pushed me. She tried to take food from me, but I didn’t give it to her, so she pushed me to the ground.”

Shen Danru patted Shen Yuyan's head. How could she bring herself to hurt such an obedient younger brother?

Shen Danru gave the instant noodles to Shen Yuyan and made another batch for herself.

"Second sister, what kind of noodles are these? They're so delicious!"

"Even if it tastes good, you can't eat it all the time. It's junk food, and it's not good to eat too much of it."

Shen Yuyan nodded, looking as if she understood but not quite.

If junk food tastes this good, then our mother's cooking must be even worse.

Shen Yuyan ate with great relish, finishing both the noodles and the soup. She patted her belly, still feeling a little unsatisfied.

However, my second sister said that this is junk food and it's not good to eat too much of it. She wouldn't harm him.

After the meal, Zhou would wash pots and pans, feed the chickens, clean the house, and wash all the family's clothes.

Although Shen Danru disapproved, she remained silent. She knew that Zhou Shi was willing to suffer, and she couldn't persuade her otherwise. Once Zhou Shi understood the principle that "a kind person is bullied," she would naturally stop doing it.

Continuing to give in will only embolden them.

As before, Shen Cheng and Shen Yu'an had to go to the fields to do farm work.

Shen Danru called out to Shen Yu'an: "Brother, can you come with me to the city? My adopted sister got separated on the road, and I want to go to the city to look for her."

When Shen Yu'an saw that his second sister had something to do, he immediately agreed.

He had a good impression of his second sister. She was beautiful and not as arrogant as other noble children. What surprised him most was that his second sister, who had grown up in the Marquis's mansion, could actually cook.

Moreover, upon returning to the Shen family, she did not look down on them and even cooked for them herself.

Shen Yuyan originally wanted to go with them, but seeing that Shen Danru was going to the city to look for someone, she gave up the idea.

He couldn't let his wonderful second sister dislike him. Others might not know, but he had seen it firsthand: his second sister was very capable and could conjure up lots of delicious food.

He couldn't let anyone know this secret; he had to protect his second sister.

The two found an oxcart in the village, went to the town, and then rented a horse-drawn carriage in Sifang Town to go to the prefecture city.

Upon inquiring at the Qinglong Escort Agency branch in Ningzhou City, they learned that Su Wu, Qin Shuangyue, and the others had not yet returned to the city.

It seems they went to other places to look for the person.

They then asked someone from the Qinglong Escort Agency to bring a girl named Qingtan to Ningzhou, and told her to go directly to Shangqing Village.

After finishing all their business, the two returned the way they came to Shangqing Village.

Originally, Shen Danru wanted to buy some grains, oils, rice, flour, and meat on the way, but then she thought about it and realized that the Shen family was greedy and insatiable. Once they bought from them, they would buy from them countless times, and they would also be thinking about the little money they had left.

I decided not to buy it.

It was getting dark when they returned. The carriage took them to Shangqing Village, where they saw a large crowd gathered in front of the Shen family's house, with villagers talking amongst themselves.