Chapter 75

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Chapter 75: Difference

Zhang Xiaohua tidied up the bedding on the kang, opened his small bundle, and took out the items he needed, placing the bundle into the small cabinet on the kang.

Although the kang had been previously occupied by Liu Er, who had just left, it was clean and tidy with no belongings left behind, saving Zhang Xiaohua the trouble of organizing someone else’s things.

After finishing his arrangements, Zhang Xiaohua sat on the kang, ready to take a closer look at the room. At that moment, his stomach growled loudly, making him blush. He glanced at Ma Jing, who indeed noticed and was looking at him. Ma Jing smiled and said: “Little Brother Xiaohua, hungry, aren’t you? Don’t worry, we’ll go eat soon.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, “Alright.”

He hadn’t eaten anything since a small snack at noon in front of the Piaomiao Manor, and after lifting the stone lock at the Lotus Escort Agency in the afternoon, he had consumed nothing but a bit of water at Tian Chongxi’s room. Now, he felt incredibly hungry.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Ma Jing got off the kang, washed his hands in the copper basin, and called out: “Let’s go, little brother. Time to eat.”

Zhang Xiaohua, feeling excited, followed Ma Jing out of the room.

The dining hall was inside the inner gate. Zhang Xiaohua felt a little dizzy following Ma Jing, each courtyard seemed to be the same size as the one they occupied, and he noticed that some courtyards were lit and inhabited while others were dark and empty. Zhang Xiaohua didn’t dare ask questions and simply followed. Just when he was about to get lost, he finally saw Ma Jing stop and walk into a brightly lit hall.

The dining hall was unexpectedly large, so large that Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t even estimate its exact size. He observed that it had six rows of tables arranged horizontally, with each row having about a dozen tables. However, at this moment, there didn’t seem to be many people eating, making the entire hall appear quite empty.

Ma Jing entered the hall and headed straight for a corner. Zhang Xiaohua took a look around the hall and then followed closely behind Ma Jing. With so many tables, who knew where to sit? However, when he reached the corner, Zhang Xiaohua realized he had overthought it. All the other tables were empty, without any bowls, chopsticks, or food, except for the one in the corner. Where could he eat if he if not here?

Ma Jing had already found a seat and sat down. As Zhang Xiaohua approached, he noticed a problem. There were three tables with food on them. One table was empty, but the other two were occupied by people dressed in blue robes and hats, and there didn’t seem to be any extra seats. Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but wonder, where had Liu Er been sitting for meals before?

Ma Jing, who had already picked up his chopsticks, noticed Zhang Xiaohua standing there motionless. He looked around and then laughed, saying: “No seats left, Xiaohua. You can sit at that empty table.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and was about to sit down when a mocking voice called out: “The newcomer wants to be picky about food? Look at yourself before thinking you deserve first-class food!”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback. He looked around but couldn’t identify the speaker. He then glanced at the food on the empty table and back at Ma Jing’s table. Sure enough, there was a clear difference in the food’s quality. Although Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t tell what the dishes were, he noticed that the plates on Ma Jing’s table were larger and fewer, whereas the empty table had more but smaller plates. The quality of the dishes and bowls also differed, though Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t distinguish the specifics.

Even if Zhang Xiaohua was naive, he realized that the empty table wasn’t for him. Besides, he wasn’t stupid, just inexperienced. Zhang Xiaohua hesitated, what did Ma Jing mean?

Just then, someone else walked in. Zhang Xiaohua looked up and saw it was four men in martial outfits. They went straight to the empty table without looking at the other two and began eating, ignoring everyone else. The plain-looking middle-aged man who had previously patted Zhang Xiaohua’s shoulder glanced at him but didn’t invite him to join them.

Feeling extremely awkward and unsure of what to do, Zhang Xiaohua heard a voice behind him: “Zhang Xiaohua? Why aren’t you sitting down to eat?”

He turned around and saw Tian Chongxi walking over.

Zhang Xiaohua explained: “The tables are all full, there’s no place to sit.”

Tian Chongxi was stunned. He glanced at the two tables where people were eating and frowned. Then he smiled and said: “Haha, there’s a place for you. Come with me.”

After saying this, Tian Chongxi walked past Ma Jing, pulled out a stool from under the table, and said to Zhang Xiaohua: “You can sit here.” Then he patted the shoulders of Ma Jing and the person next to him, saying: “You two, make way, make some room.”

Ma Jing, with a sly smile, said: “Brother Xi, there’s no space left, how can we make room?”

Tian Chongxi glared at him and said: “Liu Er used to sit here regularly, and Zhang Xiaohua is even smaller than Liu Er, so how can he not sit here?”

The other person didn’t say anything, just moved aside. Seeing this, Ma Jing also reluctantly shifted. Although the space was tight, it was enough for Zhang Xiaohua. Tian Chongxi then went to the other table, where one of the eaters quickly pulled out a stool from under the table, and those beside him made a large space.

Zhang Xiaohua sat on the stool and began to wolf down the sumptuous dinner. Not only was he starving, but the food on the table was also incredibly appetizing. Our poor Xiaohua, when has he ever seen such a feast before? He didn’t know what kind of meat it was, but it tasted better than braised pork. And that fish, its head was enormous, but where was the body? The main dish was exceptionally sweet and delicious. He thought, if only Grandma could taste this. As he thought of this, Zhang Xiaohua’s eating pace slowed down. He then noticed that almost everyone around him had stopped eating, their eyes fixed on his bowl. Some had mocking smiles, some looked disdainful, some showed satisfaction, and others whispered: “You can tell at a glance he’s from the countryside, never seen such food before.”

However, it seemed that Zhang Xiaohua had already adapted to the stares of others, with an air of “a breeze brushing over a mountain ridge”. He continued eating, ignoring their looks. Seeing this, the crowd lost interest and stopped paying attention to him. They resumed their eating and chatting. Zhang Xiaohua even noticed some of them glancing at the table with the first-class meal while whispering to each other: “We’re doing the same work. Why do they get to eat first-class food, and we don’t?”

But this had nothing to do with Zhang Xiaohua, eating these every day was great, who cares about first-class meals? Besides, although there were many varieties of food over there, they were not as practical as those here.

Eat more, eat well, that was Zhang Xiaohua’s theme for tonight in the dining hall.

Even though Zhang Xiaohua had eaten to his heart’s content, there were still plenty of leftovers on the table. It seemed like others hadn’t eaten much. Looking at the leftover food, Zhang Xiaohua’s only thought was how great it would be if he could feed it to his pigs.

This thought lingered in his mind until he returned to the rooms with the others.

Back in the room, Ma Jing and Zhang Xiaohua each drank a glass of water and returned to their respective beds. Ma Jing was still digging at his smelly feet with his hands. Zhang Xiaohua looked at him and couldn’t help but think with contempt. Could it be Ma Jing’s feet be destined to be given to others one day? Might as well pick at them while you can~

But the smell in the room was getting worse and worse. Zhang Xiaohua even maliciously wondered if Liu Er had borrowed his mother’s death as an excuse to leave because of it. At this point, he wanted Liu Er to come back quickly so he could move to another room. He didn’t consider whether he would be able to stay at Huanxi Villa if Liu Er returned.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Zhang Xiaohua got up and walked to the window, opened it, and looked at the night outside. He took a few deep breaths and casually asked Ma Jing: “Brother Ma, why were there two kinds of dishes during dinner just now? Could you tell me?”

Ma Jing moved his finger away from his nose, squinted his small eyes, and said: “Xiaohua, you observed quite clearly. You’re highly motivated, it’s good to ask when you don’t understand, that’s how you make progress. So I won’t hide anything. Let me explain it to you.”

After finishing speaking, his gaze passed through the window, beyond the night, and seemed to transcend time and space, as if returning to the past. Ma Jing’s deep voice echoed in Zhang Xiaohua’s ears: “A long, long time ago…”

Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback and asked: “A long, long time ago?”

Ma Jing responded: “Yeah, it was just before New Year.”

“Clang!” The sound interrupted Ma Jing’s reminiscence. He watched Zhang Xiaohua fall and thought to himself: “Such a kid, even falling down looks handsome. Birds of a feather flock together, only he’s qualified to live in the same room as me.” Then he asked with concern: “What happened?”

“Oh, nothing. I tripped over your time-traveling thoughts,” Zhang Xiaohua said with a smile.

Ma Jing continued: “Before New Year, we servants of Huanxi Villa were in charge of the medicinal fields. Although it was hard work, and the food wasn’t fancy, everyone was happy, enjoying a peaceful and harmonious life. But after the New Year, around the 18th day of the first lunar month, several new fields were opened on one side of the villa’s medicinal fields. Do you know what herbs were planted there?”

Zhang Xiaohua looked puzzled, “I don’t know.”

Ma Jing said: “Guess?”

Zhang Xiaohua shrugged: “I really don’t know. I’ve never grown herbs or seen them. How can I guess?”

“Hmm.” Ma Jing nodded: “I guessed you wouldn’t know.”

“Well then, what herbs are they?” Zhang Xiaohua asked eagerly.

Ma Jing replied calmly: “I have no idea either.”

“Clang!” Zhang Xiaohua collapsed to the ground again. Ma Jing sighed admiringly, “Such a handsome pose.”