Meng Zhao pulled the cart, while Shen Qingze and Shen Qingyu pushed it from behind; they weren't too tired.
Upon arriving at the stall, a regular customer asked, "Boss Meng, why didn't your mother come with you today?"
"My mother went to deliver food to my younger brother and will be back shortly. Please wait a moment," Meng Zhao said, tidying up while reassuring the customers.
"No rush, it's not lunchtime yet. We came early because we were worried we wouldn't be able to buy anything."
Lifting the lid reveals the food in the bowl, and a customer asks curiously, "Boss Meng, what are these round little dishes? I've never seen them before."
"This is braised lion's head meatballs. It's made with the finest pork, fried and stewed. One bite and your mouth is filled with its aroma. Would you like to try some?" The young girl's voice was gentle, and her friendly manner immediately drew in customers who were willing to give it a try.
"Okay, give me one, I'll have this lion's head meatball."
Upon arriving at the academy, Madam Gu hurriedly grabbed a scholar and asked him to call Shen Qinghe.
Worried that this person didn't know his son, I was about to describe him when I heard the man wave his hand with a smile, "Who doesn't know Shen Qing? I'll go call him for you." With that, he turned and entered the academy gate.
The scholar's name was Han Yan. After entering the classroom, he walked to Shen Qinghe's side and knocked on the table. "Shen Qinghe, someone is looking for you at the academy gate. I don't know why, but they seem to be in a hurry."
Shen Qing was startled. If nothing had happened, his family would not have come looking for him. It must be something important. After thanking Han Yan in a hurry, he rushed towards the entrance of the academy.
At this moment, he disregarded the academy's requirement for proper conduct and rushed to the door. Upon seeing Madam Gu, he quickly stepped forward and asked, "Mother, what's wrong? Is something wrong at home?" He was panting as he spoke.
"It's nothing, it's nothing. Zhao Zhao just said you looked thinner and asked me to bring you some food."
Hearing that it was just to bring him food, Shen Qinghe was relieved. "Mother, there's no need to trouble you and sister-in-law. I'll eat at the academy. There's a dining hall there."
“The academy has a dining hall, but I see you getting thinner and thinner. You’re only fourteen, the age when you should be growing taller. Why aren’t you as obedient as Qingze and Qingyu? Zhaozhao said that if you don’t eat, you won’t grow tall.” Gu Shi now regards Meng Zhao’s words as gospel.
Shen Qing was also taken aback by the rebuttal. Recalling his height compared to his peers in the academy, he realized that he was slightly shorter, and he was actually persuaded by Gu Shi.
Seeing that Shen Qinghe did not reply, Madam Gu said again, "Listen to me, I will come and bring you food every day from now on. I have to rush back to help your sister-in-law set up her stall. Take it back to the classroom to eat. Come and pick up your food at the door tomorrow."
After saying that, he handed the plate to Shen Qinghe and hurriedly headed towards the dock.
After Gu Shi's figure disappeared from sight, Shen Qinghe took the lunchbox wrapped in lotus leaves and returned to the classroom.
As soon as he sat down, Han Yan turned to the side and asked, "Who was that person just now? Did he bring you food?"
Shen Qinghe nodded. "Yes, she is my mother."
"What did you send? Hurry up and open it to see." Saying this, he took his food box next to Shen Qinghe.
Shen Qing looked up at Han Yan. They didn't usually interact much, had barely exchanged a few words, and weren't even close enough to eat together. But looking at the boxed lunch in front of him, he seemed to remember something and, as if possessed, didn't refuse.
Unwrapping the lotus leaves layer by layer, the food was still hot. There was a fist-sized braised lion's head meatball, covered in broth and with a reddish-brown color. There was also a dish of shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, the sauce was rich and flavorful, and a plate of stir-fried seasonal vegetables that looked very fresh. As if afraid he wouldn't have enough to eat, a large portion of rice was also served.
Han Yan sniffed and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! Your food smells amazing!"
Look at other people's food, it's so delicious and visually appealing. Then look at mine, even though the ingredients are all good, it looks bland and watery, which doesn't make me feel appetized.
Since opening the lotus leaf, Han Yan's gaze has been fixed on Shen Qinghe's plate.
The gaze was impossible to ignore, so Shen Qinghe could only move the plate a little closer to Han Yan, "Brother Han, would you like to try some?"
"Hehe, then I won't be polite."
I wiped my chopsticks and took a little bit of everything except the lion's head meatballs.
Shen Qinghe picked up the chopsticks that were brought to him, broke the lion's head meatball into pieces, and put a piece into Han Yan's lunchbox.
Han Yan wanted to give Shen Qinghe some food in return, but he had already eaten some, and looking at the dry stir-fried meat on his plate and the abundant food on Shen Qinghe's plate, he felt he couldn't give it to him.
Shen Qinghe picked up a piece of lion's head meatball and put it in her mouth. Even though she already knew a bit about Meng Zhao's cooking skills, she was still amazed after eating this lion's head meatball.
The lion's head meatballs are crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. The meat filling is fresh and savory, and the water chestnuts remain crisp even after frying and boiling. The soup is reddish in color and rich in flavor, making it a perfect accompaniment to rice.
While Shen Qinghe was enjoying the food, Han Yan next to him was utterly astonished, not for any other reason than that the dishes were incredibly delicious.
He was a person who valued good food and drink, and he was always among the first to try any new shops in town. He also hired a top chef for his family.
But to his surprise, none of the dishes he had eaten tasted as good as the ones Shen Qing had taken from his plate, so he asked, "Brother Shen, who cooked this meal?"
Shen Qing looked up and, anticipating Han Yan's question, said, "This was made by my sister-in-law."
"Then could you ask your sister-in-law to bring me a copy in the future? I can pay for it." Han Yan knew that Shen Qing was short of money.
“My sister-in-law and my mother sell boxed lunches at the dock. If you want to eat, you can have your family buy them for you.”
Shen Qinghe had heard from his mother that their business was booming and they were in short supply every day. Without her permission, he didn't want to cause them any trouble, but he could let Han Yan buy it himself.
"The dock? Isn't that a place for poor people? How can there be such delicious food there?" Han Yan came from a well-off family and usually frequented elegant shops. He had never been to a bustling dock before.
Shen Qinghe frowned and looked at Han Yan after hearing this.
Han Yan realized he had misspoke and said awkwardly, "I've never been to the docks before. If I had known there was such good food there, I would have gone long ago." With that, he shrank back to his seat.
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