Zhang Haifeng felt looked down upon. In fact, not only did Zhu Yanyi look down on her, but all the elders present did too. Elder Yao shook her head and sighed, "So young, yet so little energy. It seems she needs a proper check-up. I wonder if she is sick."
"I don't think it's illness. It's lack of exercise. He needs to build his body. How can such a weak body protect the country?" said Elder Chun.
"Sigh, young people today really can't endure hardship," said Elder Zhan.
Zhang Haifeng felt he shouldn't have come here. Coming here just meant being looked down upon.
Zhu Yanyi was busy in the kitchen. Ms. Chang and Ms. Xu came to help. After all, Zhu Yanyi was still young. No matter how quick she was, she was just a child. The elders couldn't bear to see her working so hard. However, Zhu Yanyi prepared all the dishes herself. Braised pork, West Lake vinegar fish, cumin beef, steamed eel, white-cut chicken, winter bamboo shoot and old duck pot, pickled vegetable and yellow croaker, braised hairtail, water shield soup, and other small dishes for drinking. Ms. Chang and Ms. Xu could only help with minor tasks.
As Zhu Yanyi brought out dish after dish, the elders smelled the aroma. Their mouths watered.
Seeing the table full of food, Elder Chun sighed, "I didn't expect Ani to have such skills. Old Yao, tell me, have you been eating alone every day?"
Elder Yao glanced at Elder Chun, "I know Ani's medicinal meals are good. But I only learned about this cooking skill when the Yan family boy left."
After Zhu Yanyi placed all the dishes on the table, she said, "Okay, everyone can eat now."
Xie Zhong took out a bottle of wine from the side. "This is brewed by my neighbor. They give me a few jin every year. I rarely drink. I have kept this bottle for several years. It is better than aged Huadiao wine. I brought it today to see you off." He poured wine for the elders.
Elder Zhan looked at the wine and took a sip. "This is authentic local glutinous rice wine. Fragrant." He then said to Xie Zhong, "Old Xie, you hide such good things and don't let us drink."
Xie Zhong snorted, "With your bodies, except for Old Yao, who else can drink? Drinking too much is not good."
Elder Yao nodded beside him, "Drinking causes trouble and harms the body. It is best to avoid wine." Seeing the other old men looking at him with resentment, Elder Yao coughed, "However, drinking a small cup occasionally is fine. On occasions like today, drinking a little is acceptable."
As long as they could drink, that was enough. As for how much, the elders only heard the word "drink" and ignored the qualifiers before it. So they picked up their wine cups, sniffed deeply, and took a sip. Elder Zhan praised, "Good wine."
Elder Chun also sighed, "Such a comfortable time for drinking. I fear we will not have such opportunities in the future."
The elders were all leaders in their fields. When they returned, they would naturally be busy. Thus, it would be difficult to gather. Even if they could gather, things would be different without Xie Zhong and Zhu Yanyi around.
Xie Zhong also felt a bit heavy-hearted, but she smiled. "You all go. Make good use of your remaining energy. When our Ani gets into a university in the capital, take good care of her." It seemed these people's purpose for using their remaining energy was not for the country, but for Zhu Yanyi.