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Shrinking his neck under Lin Yuan’s fierce glare, Xia Zheng pouted with a sense of injury, "I just couldn’t help myself, okay? It was my first time tasting such delicious egg custard."

After dinner, the family sat around a small table in the courtyard, eating mooncakes and admiring the moon.

Perhaps feeling a little embarrassed for snatching Lady Liu’s egg custard earlier, Xia Zheng took the initiative to go inside and carry Lin Jiaxin out.

Despite the Young Master’s slim and tall figure, he was surprisingly strong and also very careful.

He carried Lin Jiaxin with great attention to detail, without any sloppiness.

Lin Jiaxin himself felt a little embarrassed, his face flushed as he quickly urged Lin Yuan to prepare some treats and sweet drinks for the Young Master.

The treats were nothing more than mooncakes, along with some popcorn she had prepared in advance, and as for the drinks, of course, it was sweet soy milk.

Although there wasn’t any ice to chill it, fortunately, Lan Hua’s house had a cellar.

She had left a jar of soy milk there in the afternoon, and now it was cool and sweet to drink—perfect with mooncakes and popcorn for settling the stomach.

While they were talking and laughing, Lin Yuan also brought out a small stove, placed a metal plate on it, and made some iron plate tofu. Although the seasoning was simple, just a mix of salt, pepper, and vinegar, it was still very popular and was quickly devoured by everyone.

In this region, celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival meant admiring the moon and eating mooncakes, but also included enjoying osmanthus flowers and drinking osmanthus wine.

Although there were no osmanthus flowers to be admired, no osmanthus wine to be drunk, and it wasn’t as bustling as the town’s market, Lin Yuan and her family still had a very happy reunion night.

Even the Young Master, who was accustomed to the festivities in the Capital city, seemed reluctant to leave.

After drinking what must have been his umpteenth bowl of sweet soy milk, Xia Zheng suddenly burst into hearty laughter, "I’ve never experienced such a Mid-Autumn Festival!

No crowds, no excessive drinking, and no need to pretend to be familiar with people whom I detest in daily life. Oh, this is so refreshing!"

Their laughter startled everyone, but seeing how delighted the Young Master was, they knew he was genuinely happy.

Just as Lin Yuan was serving a freshly made plate of iron plate tofu, she glanced sideways at him.

Although she said nothing, she privately agreed with his sentiment.

She had enough of those tiresome social engagements in her previous life and was worn out by them.

Indeed, living so freely and happily in this life was truly delightful!

The family was chatting when the sound of a carriage rolling up to the door was heard. Lin Yuan got up to check, but Xia Zheng stopped her with a grunt, "Old troublemaker is here! Ignore him!"

Before his words even faded, Lao Fan’s anxious voice had already come in, "You ungrateful girl! How could you not call me when there’s good food? Oh my, luckily this old man hurried over! Mmm, it smells so good. Quick, quick, another plate!"

In the blink of an eye, the freshly cooked tofu was devoured by Lao Fan, who didn’t even spare the slightest bit of soup left on the plate, licking it clean with his tongue shamelessly!

Disgusted, Lin Yuan exclaimed with distaste and quickly snatched the plate from his hands, handing it off to Liuzi to clean. That plate was supposed to hold more tofu, and with his saliva all over it, who would dare to eat from it now?

Not satisfied with just a portion of tofu, Lao Fan grabbed a mooncake and stuffed it into his mouth, swiftly consuming it. He mumbled through his mouthful, urging Lin Yuan to make him another serving of iron plate tofu, with extra chili this time!

"Can’t you be a little more civilized? Look at this behavior of yours!

Just like back in the day in the Capital city!

No improvement at all!" Xia Zheng rolled his eyes disdainfully and snatched back the bowl of cold soy milk that Lao Fan had taken, which was originally his, and hurriedly gulped it down.

Enraged and with eyes practically turning green, Lao Fan was out of luck; that was the last bowl of soy milk on the table. Although there was still some left in others’ bowls, he only had the nerve to snatch from Xia Zheng. As for the rest, he really couldn’t bring himself to do so.

But with delicacies in front of them, saving face could be set aside for the moment.

Sensing that Xia Zheng had already finished drinking, Lao Fan’s eyes twinkled, and he turned to Xiao Linshuang, "Girl, give your tea to the master, and the master won’t charge you tuition."

Xiao Linshuang blinked, looking at the barely a bottom’s worth of soy milk left in her bowl, she handed it over casually since she had already had two big bowls, and her eldest sister had long since forbidden her from having more.

Yet, the word "master" truly left her puzzled, her big eyes sparkling as she tilted her head and asked, "Master? Since when did you become my master?"

Although it was only the remnants of a bowl, Lao Fan had already gulped it down and was smacking his lips, clearly unsatisfied, "Another ungrateful wretch! I give you acupuncture every time and you learn from it, yet you dare deny me as your master! Hmph, ingrate!"

Xiao Linshuang hummed weakly and retorted with a pout, "What learning, I was clearly being threatened by you."

Reminded by Lao Fan, Xiao Linshuang felt like crying.

At first, she indeed enjoyed watching Lao Fan administer acupuncture to her father, but later on, every time this old man inserted a needle, he would say to her, "You little wolf cub, remember this acupoint. If you don’t behave next time, I’ll jab you right here and give you facial paralysis.

" Facial paralysis would have been a relief, sometimes he’d threaten her with a stroke or hemiplegia, and her innocent young mind was utterly polluted by this wicked old man.

Lao Fan stuffed another mooncake into his mouth, visibly annoyed by her disdainful little look, he mumbled, "Dare to disdain your master again, and I’ll turn you into an idiot!"

Lin Jiaxin and his wife were both shocked by Lao Fan’s declaration of apprenticeship.

They had not expected their little girl to be so lucky as to be taken on as a pupil by the Divine Doctor.

At first, they had thought that the old man merely liked Xiao Linshuang for her cleverness and cuteness, but the idea of him taking an apprentice was beyond their wildest dreams. They immediately urged Xiao Linshuang to kowtow to Mr. God Doctor and formally become his apprentice.

Xiao Linshuang pouted and didn’t budge.

Lao Fan gulped down a cup of tea fiercely, without a word. What he hated most were those mundane formalities. Taking a disciple was just taking a disciple; it was simply about having a new toy to amuse him. Kowtowing? Boring!

Xia Zheng let out a chuckle, nudged Lin Yuan’s arm, and whispered, "Your sister is really in luck, just wait and see, she’ll have her share of suffering in the future!"

Lin Yuan knew less about Lao Fan’s personality than Xia Zheng, but she was very clear about her little sister, rolling her eyes and unconvinced, she said, "We’ll see, maybe it’s your old man who’ll have a rough time!"

Wow!

Xia Zheng cast an interested glance at this super confident little girl, finding her more and more agreeable.