Chapter 9 Chapter 9 A big bowl of wide noodles to untie Zhao Ming’s knot…
Zhao Mingsheng, who had resolved his emotional issues, took the initiative to take on the task of making dinner.
Before Zhao Qingyue returned home, the task of making a fire fell on his father.
At noon, Zhao Mingsheng learned how to roll noodles under the guidance of Aunt Zou, and now it's a good time to practice.
While the dough was rising, Zhao Mingsheng took the opportunity to ask his father how to take care of the medicinal field, how to water it, how much water to use, and whether it needed weeding or fertilization.
A series of questions bombarded Zhao's father, leaving him bewildered. He was pleased that his daughter was so studious and inquisitive, but he was troubled by the fact that girls usually don't like needlework and eyebrow drawing, so why did she choose to farm?
"I've been really busy lately, so I'm afraid I can't personally teach you how to tend the medicinal fields."
An old doctor in Xing'antang recently returned to his hometown, and they couldn't find a suitable candidate for a while. The owner of Xing'antang helped Zhao's father a lot, so he temporarily helped out for a while.
Zhao Mingsheng nodded and said sensibly, "Father, go and do your thing. Just tell me which field is planted with which medicinal herbs and how much water to give it."
"When I was planting these herbs, I just dug up whatever I could find on the mountain and planted them when I got back. I had no plan, so now it's a little messy." In fact, he didn't remember what he had planted.
The word "slightly messy" was an understatement. Zhao Mingsheng recalled the messy medicinal field. It was more than messy. He almost pulled them all out as weeds!
Father Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? I'll give you a copy of the 'Compendium of Materia Medica'. It lists the properties of various medicinal herbs and comes with an atlas. You can first learn the basics of medicinal herbs from the atlas."
Zhao Mingsheng had no choice but to agree.
Zhao Qingyue returned from school and was greeted by a pink ball as soon as he entered the house.
"Brother is back, hurry up and wash your hands and come eat!"
The girl's voice is sweet and soft, and can wash away people's tiredness.
The long-lost homely atmosphere softened Zhao Qingyue's heart, but he did not show it on his face and only responded lightly.
"good."
Eat oil-splashed pulled noodles in the evening.
Rinse the wide noodles with cold water, then top with cooked vegetables, chopped green onions and garlic, some chopped dried chilies, a small spoonful of soy sauce, and finally pour a spoonful of hot oil, and the aroma will immediately fill the air!
The fried golden eggs mixed with hyssop give off an enticing aroma that makes people's mouths water.
The water used to knead the noodles was mixed with spiritual spring water, and the noodles cooked out of it were crystal clear, chewy and springy. Both Zhao's father and mother said they were delicious after eating them.
The aroma of food lingering around his nose made Zhao Qingyue swallow his saliva.
The first bite was incredibly impressive. The town's Baxianlou was famous for its noodles, and their bowl of vegetarian noodle soup contained no fewer than seven or eight different mushrooms and seafood. But Zhao Qingyue felt none of them could compare to the bowl of wide noodles in his hand.
It had been a long time since he had had such a comfortable dinner, and he ate two large bowls in a row.
I put the bowl down and looked straight into a pair of clear eyes, which were full of admiration for "you are such a good eater".
"Brother, do you want more? I'll get you another bowl."
He admitted that he had eaten a little too much today because the food was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating. Now he realized that he was a little full.
Zhao Qingyue shook his head and said, "No, I'm full."
The girl opposite smiled and said with her pretty eyes: "Now that you're full, go wash the dishes!"
Zhao Qingyue: ...
The Zhao family wasn't large, but they had quite a few houses. Three of the five main rooms were used for living, while the other two were Zhao's father's pharmacy and Zhao Qingyue's study.
After cleaning up the kitchen, Zhao Qingyue came out and found that the light in his study was on.
When he pushed the door open, he saw the little pink girl leaning over his desk, holding a book and muttering to herself.
As soon as she saw him come in, she jumped out of her chair.
The lighting in Zhao Mingsheng's room was poor, and it was still dark even with the light on. She looked for a while and then her eyes became sore and tears began to flow.
The light in the study was bright, perfect for reading. She had originally thought she would just read for a while, and then leave after Zhao Qingyue finished washing the dishes, not wanting to disturb him.
However, the book was so interesting that when Zhao Qingyue returned to the study, she was already fascinated by it and was reluctant to leave.
But when she thought of Zhao Qingyue's lukewarm attitude towards her when they first met, she was afraid of being kicked out by him.
So Zhao Mingsheng lowered his posture and said softly, "Daddy gave me a copy of the Materia Medica. I want to read it in my brother's study. Is that okay?"
Her slender white neck was slightly drooped, and she stood with her hands behind her back, looking like a good student.
Zhao Qingyue stared at her in silence for a while, then said, "You don't have to do this."
There is no need to be so cautious, no need to be so humble, and no need to treat everyone with flattery.
Zhao Mingsheng didn't understand for a moment and tilted his head in confusion: "What?"
"Zhao Mingsheng, this is your home. You can use the study anytime you want. There's no need to ask me like this." Looking at the girl's habitual flattery and weakness, a trace of heartache flashed in his eyes.
"I don't know how you lived before, but now that you're back at the Zhao family, you can..." Zhao Qingyue paused, seemingly unable to find an adjective, and then said, "Be a little more willful."
Like a child who cries when he doesn’t get candy, he won’t do something if he doesn’t want to. Only when someone cares about him can he have the right to be willful.
Zhao Mingsheng's eyes reddened. When she was in the Marquis' Mansion, although she was loved by her grandmother, in order not to cause trouble to her grandmother, she always pretended to be well-behaved and sensible, and never asked for what she wanted.
After she came to the Zhao family, she had always been accustomed to treating everyone in the same way as before.
For the first time, someone told her that she could be more willful.
Zhao Qingyue handed over a handkerchief and said, "Wipe it off! You've cried like a dirty little cat."
Zhao Mingsheng wiped it with a handkerchief, "Even if she cries like a dirty little cat, she's still your sister!"
After wiping it, he sat down on the only chair in the study, looking like a king.
"Then I'll read in the study from now on!"
"Can."
"I want to eat candied haws. Brother, buy some for me after school tomorrow!"
"If you take it home and it melts, it won't taste good. I'll take you to town to eat it someday when I'm on break."
"From now on, my brother will wash the dishes!"
"good."
Zhao Mingsheng was getting more and more demanding and wanted to say something else, but a big hand covered her head and ruffled her hair.
A smile appeared on the corner of Zhao Qingyue's lips. If the women outside saw his smiling face, he would probably charm a lot of them.
"Hurry up and read your book. I'll recite it tomorrow."
Zhao Mingsheng covered his head and wailed.
In the following week, Zhao Mingsheng's daily after-dinner activity was to recite.
A week later, under the guidance of his strict teacher Zhao Qingyue, Zhao Mingsheng finally memorized all the text recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica".
Because the book is old and the pictures in it are a bit blurry, Zhao Mingsheng still can't match the appearance of some medicinal herbs.
In order to help her study better, Zhao's father took half a day to take her to the mountains to identify medicinal herbs.
Qingshan Village gets its name from the green mountain it sits on. The mountain is rich in produce, with medicinal herbs, fungi, and wild fruits all available for sale in town. Occasionally, if you stumble upon rare finds like honey or bird's nest, you'll be making a killing.
Most people in the village make a living from the mountains, in addition to farming.
Zhao Mingsheng has been here for so long, but this is the first time he has set foot on the mountain that has nurtured Qingshan Village for generations.
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