The morning al proved to be a hearty success. Xu Feng felt completely at ease as he savored his breakfast. He had never been self conscious about others watching him enjoy his food. He mused that even if he had to eat in front of the entire Xuan family, his passion for delicious dishes would be hard to hold back.
His newfound young miss persona remained intact for now, but the sense of satisfaction that ca with indulging in a delightful al was evident in his contented expression.
Xuan Yang and Xuan Jian’s renewed appetites at the breakfast table took Xu Feng by surprise. The day before, they had been very reserved in public while having their als, but during this morning’s breakfast, they dug into the congee and at buns as if they had never tasted such "amazing" dishes before.
Despite the Xuan family’s affluence and their refined tastes, Xu Feng found it hard to believe that these two n had never encountered congee and at buns, given that they had shared at buns from a mom and pop type shop just the day before.
Donghua was the prehistoric-ish version of Dongn, and Dongn was known for its diverse culinary offerings, and at buns in an unknown number of varieties were a common staple.
Congee, on the other hand, was a wholeso and nurturing dish. There seed to be no excuse for them not having enjoyed these simple yet satisfying als.
For a well taken care of young master, Xuan Yang must have had congee before albeit probably a more luxurious version with all the bells and whistles.
Even with all his thoughts at the tip of his tongue, begging to co out, Xu Feng chose to remain silent after he had eaten his fill. He watched with bemusent as Xuan Yang and Xuan Jian continued to savor the remaining buns, and he made no attempt to disrupt their enjoynt.
They even requested a second serving of buns to be brought to the table. However, when Xu Feng rose to retrieve more buns from the kitchen, Xu Yang and Xu Jian were insistent that Xu Feng not carry the dish.
Instead, treating him as if he were a fragile bird in need of care. It was quite an adjustnt for Xu Feng, but he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction at this newfound attention and tenderness from his husbands.
He was a little proud like a peacock.
In his mind, he attributed their behavior to his new, more alluring style and thought that his charm was taking effect. He couldn’t help but think, "Pretty privilege is real!" and "The clothes make the man!" with real conviction.
While he preferred the n, actually he preferred the entire household to eat more, this was no way to save food for the winter. He would have to work hard to not only feed himself but also the rest of the estate with his wood ability.
Once they touched on the topic though, Xuan Yang and Xuan Jian wouldn’t let loose. The n were annoying about asking him not to cook too long while recovering.
Standing too long apparently wasn’t good for him, yet they cleaned up the table cleaner than a dishwasher would. But Xu Feng wouldn’t let that bother him, it was a nice kind of nagging, even if he had to be nagged by two grown n.
As the al concluded, the dining table was a picture of contentnt. Empty plates and serving dishes were neatly arranged, illuminated by the soft morning light that poured into the room.
The morning’s teasing didn’t diminish Xu Feng’s determination to learn. Surprisingly, his first lesson with Xuan Yang was...fun. The young master of the Xuan family proved to be a good teacher and patient.
Contrary to his public gentle but aloof scholar persona, and his hidden cold and distant black sheep character with his family, he was a dedicated and attentive teacher. When it ca to making sure Xu Feng was holding the brush properly, he didn’t show any impatience at all.
He guided Xu Feng patiently and showered him with complints as he rapidly improved. Xu Feng couldn’t help but blush at the praise, and his right hand was still sore from the morning activities.
He held back from complaining, knowing that he had Xu Zeng’s blessings to aid him. Drawing from the other boy’s talent, dedication, and skill, Xu Feng was able to make significant progress in his penmanship.
While his writing still fell short of Xuan Yang’s refined script, he found a simple, comfortable rhythm for himself.
Xu Zeng was a villager, but his life wasn’t that simple. He had officially stopped practicing his penmanship and reading books after his dad’s death, but that wasn’t entirely true.
Unofficially, he still practiced whenever he could, using a stick or even just his fingers. The previous owner of the body had been dedicated in more ways than one.
In addition to farming, caring for his half siblings, and toiling away at various household chores, Xu Zeng held another dream close to his heart. Others might not know, but Xu Feng knew. The boy had dreams. He aspired to beco a scholar.
He wasn’t just the quiet, well behaved young man he appeared to be. Beneath that docile exterior, he nurtured an ambitious spirit and a sense of adventure.
Xu Feng rembered stories Xu Zeng’s dad had shared about the outside world, places beyond Donghua that had filled the young boy with a longing to explore. Those dreams had never truly left him, lingering in his heart even as he took on the responsibilities of his "family."
As Xu Feng continued to write, vivid mories of Xu Zeng’s dreams and aspirations filled his mind. He rembered how Xu Zeng had longed to explore beyond Sun Village, to see more than the familiar surroundings of his hotown. It was a desire that had burned brightly in his heart.
However, the cruel twist of fate had destroyed those dreams on his very first journey away from ho.
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