”Okay.” Mrs. Zhao agreed immediately and said with a smile, “Now that the house is empty, Zhao’er is here, and it’s just right for him to keep Ze’er company. You can ask whatever you want.”

　　Zhao Ze is the grandson of Master Zhao.

　　Gu Zhao walked down the slope and took out his “question book” from his arms.

　　”I won’t bother you any more.” Mrs. Zhao waved to Li Zhouzhou and said, “They are talking about academic matters. Let’s go to the kitchen to warm up…”

　　Li Zhouzhou and Mrs. Zhao went to the kitchen.

　　Mrs. Zhao opened the kitchen door wide. Although Li Zhouzhou was a boy, he was a man after all, so she still had to be careful.

　　It was noon when Li Zhouzhou was hungry and could only drink hot water because he was too embarrassed to open his mouth. It was not until the afternoon when he saw the sky and thought it was time to cook dinner, that his husband came out and bowed to the teacher.

　　Mrs. Zhao stood up and said, “Now you are out. I will take you out. Walk slowly on the road. It is snowing and the roads are slippery. Be careful.”

　　Li Zhouzhou and her husband left the Zhao family’s courtyard and walked around the fields the same way they came. The Zhao family’s courtyard was too far away to be seen behind them. Li Zhouzhou was really holding back something to say, but he felt that it was not nice to talk about people behind their backs, so he changed the topic and asked his husband, “Are you hungry?”

　　”Hungry.” Gu Zhao touched Zhou Zhou’s stomach, which was also flat, and said with a smile, “I was hungry at noon, and the master was hungry too. I could hear the rumbling of my stomach clearly.”

　　Li Zhouzhou exclaimed, “So, so you’re hungry and you don’t want to eat?”

　　”Does Mr. Zhao’s family eat two meals a day and not lunch?”

　　The hot water in the kitchen was boiling all the time. When the master’s wife saw that Li Zhouzhou’s teacup was almost empty, she added more hot water.

　　Hot water pipe full.

　　”I don’t know how I eat on weekdays. I only know that I have been studying at Master Zhao’s house since I was six years old. Until now, I have never eaten a single meal at Master Zhao’s house.” Gu Zhao picked out the memory that left the deepest impression on him and told Zhou Zhou: “Once the master punished me to copy books. I had just passed the examination and became a student. I was not satisfied and deliberately procrastinated. It was almost dark, and the master was so hungry that he waved his hand and told me to go back and come back tomorrow.”

　　”Before I even walked out, I heard the master and his wife asking if they had any steamed buns to eat first.”

　　Li Zhouzhou’s eyes widened. “Could it be that he was hungry for a day?”

　　”Master should have eaten in the morning, so it doesn’t count as a whole day – more than half a day.”

　　It was exactly the same as today. Li Zhouzhou couldn’t hold it in any longer. Seeing that there were fields and no one around, he whispered, “Why don’t the Master’s family eat secretly? Could it be that since there are outsiders around, they won’t eat and will starve?”

　　The villagers value food. Some of them who are frugal know how to live. They won’t cook when someone comes to visit, or if they do, they will find ways to send the guest away. They won’t easily ask “Do you want to eat?” and will always leave a bowl of rice for the visitor.

　　Li Zhouzhou knew about this, so he didn’t think it was a big deal. Every family has a different situation, so there’s nothing funny about it. He didn’t visit people to chat easily. If he had something to do, he would choose a time that wasn’t mealtime, and leave immediately after asking questions to save others from having to work.

　　But today was different, they came with gifts, so they were guests. Just like when Zhu couple came over last time, they brought gifts, so they had to stay for dinner.

　　Otherwise, it will be spread that you are stingy, miserly and impolite.

　　”If they don’t cook, it means Master Zhao’s family doesn’t eat lunch. If they really cook and eat secretly, it would be impolite and they would be on guard against others.” After Gu Zhao finished speaking, he added, “I’ve seen it before. Zhao Ze’s mother secretly feed him.”

　　After all, they are children and it is not good for them to go hungry.

　　Li Zhouzhou: …

　　!!!

　　”I found Master’s Wife to be kind and polite, and her words were pleasant, but I didn’t expect…”

　　Gu Zhao saw Zhou Zhou was in a daze, and took his hand and said, “There is no difference between you and me. Although the master has a reputation, we are all villagers, so don’t be nervous. Their family is not as good as ours.”

　　Pull and press down slightly.

　　Since Zhou Zhou knew that he was going to visit Master Zhao, he became more and more nervous the closer he got. He got up early in the morning, washed himself with hot water, changed into new clothes, and checked the gifts he brought again and again. Although he told him not to be nervous and teased Zhou Zhou on the way, it was useless.

　　There is a difference between scholars and scholars with achievements.