Chapter 196: Are You Serious?

Before one knew it, another half month had passed.

The main gate of the residential complex had changed its lanterns; "Celebrate the New Year" had been replaced with "Happy Spring Festival."

Colorful lights were hung on the trees along the street, and New Year goods stalls were propped up against the outer walls of the supermarket; the tassels of the colorful plastic lanterns swayed with the Wind, brushing against the backs of customers' necks.

On the twenty-fifth, grind tofu. On the twenty-sixth, go cut meat. On the twenty-seventh, fry the pot.

Living conditions are much better now, and most of the New Year goods had been bought well before the Little New Year. But suddenly, one would remember that something was still missing here or there.

Today is the twenty-sixth, and since it happens to be the weekend, the couple had long since discussed going out today to buy everything that needed to be bought.

It wasn't urgent anyway; it was about nine o'clock when Lin Chengzhi finally got out of bed and shuffled to the dining room in his slippers.

Jiang Yanfei had fried some steamed buns yesterday, and she had also fried eggs and prepared oil tea.

Lin Chengzhi sat at the dining table and paused for a moment: three bowls of oil tea?

The old man doesn't live here and basically never comes over for breakfast, so whose is this extra bowl?

He thought for a moment: "Is Lin Sicheng not at school today?"

Jiang Yanfei was in the kitchen mixing side dishes and replied casually: "It's the weekend today."

"Huh, that's rare?"

Lin Chengzhi looked surprised, "Lin Sicheng takes the weekend off too?"

For the past half month, Lin Sicheng had indeed come home every day, but he had absolutely no concept of what day of the week it was.

Regardless of the day, he got up when he got up and went out when he went out.

"Even a donkey pulling a millstone has time to rest, let alone a person?"

Jiang Yanfei muttered, carrying the mixed shredded potatoes out of the kitchen, "It's the New Year, shouldn't one give people a day off to handle New Year goods and buy some new clothes?"

Lin Chengzhi only then realized that the "donkey" Jiang Yanfei was talking about didn't just refer to Lin Sicheng, but also included the Researchers and Interns at the studio.

He nodded: "Perfect, let's go together later and help move things!"

"Don't you go making a mess!" Jiang Yanfei glared at Lin Chengzhi, "Last night, he seemed to be on the phone with Ye Anning, saying something about going to mount some calligraphy?"

Lin Chengzhi paused, then fell silent.

It didn't matter if he was tired; his son's affairs were more important.

Even though there wasn't even a shadow of a start yet...

After soaking the fried bun in the oil tea and taking a slurp while rotating the bowl, Lin Chengzhi remembered again: "We're making Steamed Bowls tomorrow; shouldn't we buy more today so we can steam some and have Lin Sicheng send them over?"

"Do you need to remind me? I've already listed them..." Jiang Yanfei counted on her fingers, "Braised chicken, crispy pork, Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, sliced pork, Eight Treasure Rice... We'll have Lin Sicheng send them over once they're steamed tomorrow. When it gets to the thirtieth, we'll fry some hemp leaves; they taste crispy when freshly fried..."

Lin Chengzhi tallied them up one by one: I'm afraid we'll have to make two trips today, won't we?

Just as he was secretly groaning, there were a few "thump-thump-thump" sounds, and Lin Sicheng rushed out of the bedroom and into the bathroom like the Wind.

What is he rushing for?

Just as he was secretly suspicious, Lin Sicheng poked his head out while brushing his teeth: "Mom, could you brew some tea? Are there guests coming?"

"Who, Ye Anning?"

"No, it's Zhao Shixiong's two sons! They said they're coming to deliver some New Year goods!"

Zhao Shixiong?

Suddenly, the couple remembered those four pieces of Red Glaze porcelain and the Chicken Cup.

Jiang Yanfei pointed to the kitchen: "But we've basically bought everything, haven't we?"

Lin Sicheng was busy with a mouthful of white foam and couldn't spare his mouth, so he just shook his head.

The brothers had wanted to come earlier, but the Center had just opened, and both they and their father were so busy they couldn't even touch the ground; how could the two brothers have found the time?

Not letting them come was even more impossible: "Master" wasn't a title called for nothing, and it was already a big deal that Zhao Xiuneng hadn't come in person.

After brushing his teeth and washing his face in a few quick motions, there were two "ding-dong" sounds at the door.

Lin Sicheng ran over to open the door, and the brothers were laden with big bags and small sacks, each carrying seven or eight bags.

They called out "Master" upon entering the door, then bowed in unison: "Grandmaster, Grandmistress!"

The title "Grandmaster and Grandmistress" left Lin Chengzhi and Jiang Yanfei stunned. It wasn't until Lin Sicheng led the brothers into the kitchen that the two of them came back to their senses.

They busied themselves with brewing tea, and the brothers said there was a bit more in the car, then went back out.

Listening to the footsteps going downstairs, the two stared at Lin Sicheng with strange expressions.

Master?

Grandmaster, Grandmistress?

Where did this logic come from?

Just as they were dazed, the two brothers entered the door again, still carrying seven or eight bags each, and the kitchen floor was packed solid.

Lin Sicheng invited the brothers to drink tea again.

Zhao Da bowed slightly: "Master, it's just some game; my father had ordered it long ago, but he never had the time, and only yesterday did he have it sent over from the mountains!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "When are you returning to the capital?"

"The day after tomorrow. My dad said there are two more elders in Xijing, and since he might not have time after the New Year, he has to pay his respects before the New Year!"

"Alright, then when you come back after the New Year, I'll pay your father a New Year's visit!"

The brothers nodded quickly: "Yes, alright, Master!"

After drinking about a cup of tea and sitting for a short while, Lin Sicheng saw them out.

Before leaving, the two brothers even bowed to Lin Chengzhi and Jiang Yanfei.

The couple nodded, still bewildered.

They knew the two brothers were learning their craft from Lin Sicheng, and they knew even better that Lin Sicheng and Zhao Xiuneng addressed each other as "Senior Brother" and "Junior Brother."

The two had always assumed they only called each other that because of the World Heritage Application and their status as Partners.

Looking at the situation today, the two brothers were as humble as could be, clearly treating Lin Sicheng as their Master in all seriousness.

But a twenty-year-old master taking on two disciples in their thirties... no matter how one thinks about it, it feels a bit strange?

While secretly turning this over in his mind, Lin Sicheng entered the kitchen and swept his gaze around.

Termite mushrooms, matsutake, morels, winter bamboo shoots, and dried persimmons.

A split carcass of a muntjac, four wild boar legs, eight scalded blood pheasants, as well as cured beef and cured mutton... the key point was that everything was in double portions.

Zhao Shixiong is truly too thoughtful... did he prepare the gifts for Professor Wang's house for him as well?

Lin Chengzhi followed him in, took a rough look, and his eyelids couldn't help but twitch.

"Dad, don't worry, this is a yellow muntjac, it's farm-raised!"

After offering this explanation, Lin Sicheng sorted through the items. He prepared to send some over to his teacher once his mother finished making the Steamed Bowl tomorrow.

After roughly sorting them, his cell phone buzzed. Seeing it was Li Zhen, and thinking she was asking about the work schedule for after the New Year, Lin Sicheng answered it:

"Teacher Lin, I didn't know there would be a holiday for the New Year. Xiao Yuzhu and I had some New Year goods sent from home, and since the two of us can't finish them, we're bringing some over to you."

Lin Sicheng paused: it had been agreed half a month ago that there would be a holiday for the New Year, and no one from out of town would be on duty.

And what a coincidence, both families sent them?

Hurriedly wiping his hands, Lin Sicheng ran to open the door. Shortly after, Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu appeared one after the other, carrying large and small bags in their hands.

As if they had agreed upon it, as soon as they entered the door, they offered greetings first. Fortunately, they didn't call him "Master's Master" or "Master's Mistress," but rather Museum Curator Lin and Teacher Jiang.

There wasn't much, but it was definitely exquisite: salted duck, rice cakes, sauced bones, meat aspic, ham, honey, chestnuts... and one could tell at a glance that these were definitely the kind made at home.

Hurriedly welcoming them in and setting down the items, Jiang Yanfei helped pour tea and brought out some snacks.

Guessing they hadn't eaten breakfast, Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu didn't stand on ceremony; they thanked them and started eating right away.

It just so happened that Lin Sicheng hadn't eaten either, so the three of them sat head-to-head in the dining room eating breakfast, chatting as they ate.

It was his first time meeting them, and he felt both girls were very pretty. They were also very respectful toward Lin Sicheng, not much worse than the two brothers who had just left.

Lin Chengzhi and Jiang Yanfei, however, found it increasingly wrong the more they looked: at first glance, it was very normal, the tone was very normal, and the content of the chat was very normal.

But the problem was, the look in their eyes was wrong.

The younger one was fine, quite carefree. But that slightly older one, that Master surnamed Li, the expression in her eyes when looking at Lin Sicheng—how was it any different from Ye Anning's?

Lin Chengwa, what is your situation?

Forcing himself to be patient, he sat for about half an hour. As soon as they left, just as the couple was about to grab Lin Sicheng for an interrogation, Lin Sicheng rushed to the entryway, grabbed his cotton coat, and put on his shoes: "Dad, Mom, Cousin Ye is here, I'm leaving first!"

Saying this, with a "bang," he went downstairs.

No... Lin Chengwa, if your conscience is clear, why are you running?

The couple exchanged a look and walked to the balcony.

Sure enough, the Jeep Grand Cherokee was parked downstairs, and Ye Anning was standing by the car, chatting with Li Zhen about something.

At first glance, it looked quite normal; the two seemed quite familiar, and both had smiles on their faces.

But a woman's intuition told Jiang Yanfei that something was very wrong.

Li Zhen was acting strange, and Ye Anning was also acting strange.

Shortly after, Lin Sicheng went downstairs, and all four of them sat inside the car.

Lin Sicheng drove, Ye Anning sat in the passenger seat, and Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu sat in the back.

Watching the taillights fade into the distance, Jiang Yanfei gave a cold laugh: Lin Chengwa, you're quite something, aren't you?