Chapter Forty-Three: Sucking Up

  For these two days, Zhu Ziming rarely went out, as if he was at home reflecting on his mistakes. It wasn't that he didn't want to go out, but this bruise and black eye made him not know how to face people...

  "Abominable cold girl, to actually use such a heavy hand," Zhu Ziming indignantly muttered to himself, but at this moment he was already in the newly established academy.

  It's been two days since I came to the academy, and tomorrow is the official publicity ceremony. With the prestige of Confucius, it will definitely attract many people to come. Today must be a good day to take care of some things, so as not to make mistakes tomorrow.

  When Zhu Ziming walked into a small garden in the academy, his gaze suddenly froze on an old figure. The person sat cross-legged on a relatively wide grassland, with their back to him.

  Her eyes were slightly closed, her hands formed a strange gesture, and only saw that there was a faint golden aura surrounding her body, with her breathing, the aura sometimes increased or decreased, looking quite mysterious. Zhu Dachang looked at it in amazement, this is simply like shooting a movie.

  "Little one, where have you been for the past two days?" The old lady had already noticed his arrival and slowly opened her eyes to say.

  The moment the old woman opened her eyes, the red true energy was quickly absorbed into her body, and the old woman's face suddenly became rosier, as if this true energy had the effect of rejuvenating youth.

  If this kind of martial arts were to be introduced into our world, all beauty salons would have to close down.

  This kung fu is so amazing, Zhu Ziming's heart became even more eager, I want to learn kung fu!

  Zhū Zǐ said with a faint smile: "There are some family matters that need attention these past two days."

  "What's there to take care of? The old lady snorted: "You, this son-in-law who came to the door, still need to help with household chores."

  Zhu Ziming felt an urge to beat the old woman after hearing her words, but he restrained himself. After all, he had come to ask for her help, so he endured it. He said in a serious tone: "As a renowned filial son-in-law, I naturally want to do some things for my mother-in-law's family."

  "Hmph......" The old lady chuckled, this young man's face is really thick-skinned, clearly a live-in son-in-law, yet he calls himself a worthy husband. She looked him up and down, saying meaningfully: "What's wrong with your eyes?"

  Can you see that? Zhū Zǐ Míng woke up early in the morning and saw that the bruise had already faded when he looked in the mirror. He felt guilty and said, "What's wrong? Oh... maybe my eyes are just a bit puffy from sleep."

  The old lady rarely showed a sympathetic gaze, looked at him and said: "Was it your fiancée who beat you up? Ah...this son-in-law is indeed going to be bullied."

  "This remark made Zhu Ziming extremely embarrassed, he immediately puffed out his chest and said with a righteous tone: 'My wife dare to hit me? Ridiculous! I say east, she doesn't dare go west, I say west, she doesn't dare go east!'"

  "Pffft!" The old lady burst out laughing and said with a wide grin: "You young whippersnapper, your cheekiness is truly unmatched in the world."

  Zhū Zǐ Míng chuckled: "Still a bit short of the mark."

  The old woman paused for a moment, her face turned serious: "Young man, just say what you want to say." A few days ago, this young man was still clamoring to divide the silver with him. Now that he doesn't mention the silver, but instead comes to coax me into happiness, it's truly like a weasel wishing a chicken a happy new year - not good intentions.

  Zhu Ziming was embarrassed for a moment, scratched his head and said: "Old lady, there's nothing much to say, it's just that after the events of the past few days, I feel like a burden, very distressed... Old lady, you have unparalleled martial arts skills, so I hope you can teach me one or two moves, so I won't be so useless.

  Grandma's, can one move solve the problem? Of course not, Zhu Ziming was just being polite, he wished to learn all of this old lady's martial arts.

  The old lady recalled the scene of the past few days, this unarmed Zhu Ziming stood by, couldn't help Yan Yungli at all, and in times of crisis, could only serve as cannon fodder for these two elders, really suffocating.

  However, Zhu Ziming had offended the entire Yunmen Sect. In Lingyun City, danger lurked everywhere, and not learning martial arts to protect oneself would put one's life at risk.

  The old woman laughed and said: "You're quite thoughtful, but would I teach you if you let me? Is there such a good thing in the world?"

  I knew that this temperamental old lady was not easy to deal with. Zhu Ziming asked, "What would make the old lady willing to grant my request?"

  Zhu Ziming is actually not eager for quick success, but rather comes with a probing mindset.

  "This...". The old lady didn't want to refuse him from afar, after all, this kid had saved her before. However, did she need his help? It was completely unnecessary meddling. But he was a talented person with a good heart, although a bit shameless, and wise beyond his years.

  The old lady's eyes flashed with a hint of unusual color and she smiled, saying: "If you can make this old lady happy, I will agree to it."

  You weren't laughing just now, were you...... Zhu Ziming realized that it wasn't a problem with words, but rather he needed to use actions to make this old lady happy. This old lady, dressing up, people get older and their beauty fades, but she's an exception, and she loves silver, or else she wouldn't have taken advantage of the situation to ask for 10,000 taels...... But we're poor, eating, octogenarians all love to eat.

  Yes! He had eaten, and a look of joy appeared in Zhu Ziming's eyes. He hastily walked out of the garden and headed towards the kitchen of the academy.

  Holding onto his cautious heart, Zhu Ziming never thought this old lady would be so straightforward, and he was deeply afraid that he had brought bad luck upon himself.

  This kid has thought of a way to curry favor with me? The old lady looked at his back and shook her head, laughing: "This kid is indeed much smarter than the average person."

  "Do you know what the old lady who lives in the book house likes to eat?"

  "I like to eat spare ribs."

  "And you?"

  "Seems like he loves drinking spare ribs soup."

  .......

  In the college kitchen, he asked several housekeepers from the Fourth Prince's mansion and found that this old woman particularly loved pork ribs. Zhu Ziming smiled lewdly, fortunately, when he worked outside, he did his own laundry and cooking, so he still had some skills in stir-frying dishes.

  "Come on, come on! Quickly go to the market and buy me ten catties of pork ribs," Zhu Ziming yelled at several small kitchen staff.

  "Ten catties? The little kitchen servant was taken aback and asked sulkily, 'Young Master Zhu, isn't ten catties a bit too much?'"

  I don't know why this Master Zhu wanted to curry favor with the old lady, but his friends didn't dare disobey him. They hastily ran to the market, however, the servants had already received orders from Yan Yining and would satisfy whatever the old lady wanted, even if she asked for the moon in the sky, they would have to go pick it for her.

  The young master attaches so much importance to this old man, it can be seen that although the old man looks ordinary and hunchbacked, he is not an ordinary person. Even Young Master Zhu personally cooks for him, this old man is mysteriously formidable.

  Dai De Academy's kitchen staff bought pork ribs, and Zhu Ziming immediately showed off his skills. In the small kitchen of the academy, pots and pans were flying, knives were chopping loudly, iron pots were boiling, and the charcoal stove was burning fiercely, emitting a dazzling light.

  Everyone in the kitchen had never seen anyone cook like this before, it was as if they were witnessing a murder or robbery. They stared with wide eyes and asked in unison: "Does Master Zhu have a grudge against these pork ribs?"

  “.......”