Chapter 182 Strong Acuteness

Zhong Yuxiang’s gaze paused slightly. Is the capital lively?

"It’s quite lively. The supply and marketing cooperatives and department stores were packed with people a few days before the New Year, and the queues to buy things were terribly long." As for those few days during the New Year, she genuinely had no idea. How could she know if she didn't go out and walk around?

"Really? Our county town is the same. It’s exceptionally hard to buy things around the New Year. You have to line up before dawn, or else there might be nothing left by the time your turn comes."

"My hometown is like that too. It’s fine if you have relatives working in the supply and marketing cooperatives or department stores, but if you don't, you just have to honestly stand in line."

Once the topic was opened, everyone chimed in merrily, one after another. Zhong Yuxiang quieted down, only chiming in when someone directly asked her a question, and listening with a smile afterward.

Everyone was in high spirits; there was no need to dampen their enthusiasm.

The classroom remained noisy and restless. Zhong Yuxiang rested her chin on both hands, her gaze drifting far away, thinking of nothing, her mind a complete blank as she simply daydreamed.

"Classmate Zhong, Classmate Zhong, why aren't you saying anything?" A female classmate patted her on the shoulder.

Zhong Yuxiang snapped out of it, stunned for a moment, but her immediate reaction was quick. She immediately said, "Seeing how happily you all were talking, I was just listening to you."

"Is that so?" The other always felt it wasn't quite like that.

"Mm."

The female classmate smiled. "Alright then."

Turning around, she started chatting with someone else again. The classmates in the class understood her personality and habits to varying degrees; she truly wasn't someone fond of bustling crowds. Being able to sit here steadily and listen to them talk was already a sign of camaraderie in her heart.

There are thousands of people in the world; you cannot demand that others become the kind of person you envision. As long as they harbor no malicious intentions, are sensible, courteous, and well-raised, they are people worth befriending.

As for deep friendship, it still depends on character and whether their respective temperaments are compatible.

The first day of registration was relatively leisurely. Whenever she had free time, Zhong Yuxiang would run over to the principal's office to chat with the teacher. Through casual conversation, she could naturally pick up new academic knowledge points. Sharing common academic topics as teacher and student, their discussions naturally drifted toward scholarly matters.

Here with Principal Xu, she discovered two medical ancient texts she hadn't seen before. They were titled *Classified Annotations of the Materia Medica* and *Dietary Therapy Materia Medica*, respectively.

"Teacher, did you acquire these two medical books recently?" Holding the ancient medical texts in her arms, Zhong Yuxiang inquired.

Principal Xu turned his head, looked, and smiled with a chuckle. "Yes, I bought them from an old friend. During the tumultuous period, far too many medical books were burned, and they can never be found again. We should be grateful for how many we can scavenge now. For those of us who study traditional Chinese medicine, medical classics are our very lives!"

Every available book on traditional medicine—whether it contained classical records, folk remedies, or pulse diagnosis demonstrations—was an invaluable treasure.

"Teacher, may I borrow them to read?" She had already finished browsing all the books in Principal Xu's possession, so upon seeing new ancient texts, she naturally wished to borrow them.

"Of course you can! The same rule as before: just make sure you don't get them dirty or lose them." Principal Xu agreed readily.

Joy blossomed across Zhong Yuxiang's face, and she then asked, "Teacher, aren't you afraid I might lose your precious items? You agreed without even thinking."

Principal Xu’s gaze was gentle and amused. "You are my student. How could I not know your temperament? You might lose your own things, but you certainly wouldn't lose someone else's."

"Then thank you, Teacher. I'll be leaving now, and I'll return them to you once I'm finished reading." Holding the ancient texts, Zhong Yuxiang left the office.

After school in the afternoon, Zhong Yuxiang carried the two books home. Goudan was still cooking; Hao Nan and Tian Shangguo went straight to the kitchen to help the moment they stepped through the door, while she sat down with her newly borrowed books to read.

With her excellent memory, she retained information quickly. Her habitual approach was to first skim through a book entirely before carefully studying it, so right now she was simply doing a preliminary reading of the first volume.

"Comrade Zhong, dinner is ready. Goudan made braised pork for you—braised pig's head, an entire pig's head braised."

Closing the medical book, Zhong Yuxiang looked up to see Hao Nan carrying a stack of bowls and chopsticks into the dining room. "Where did the pig's head come from? Did Comrade Yan send it over?"

"I'm not sure. None of us were home today." Hao Nan walked into the dining room, put down the bowls and chopsticks, and came back out. "It must have been Comrade Yan. Otherwise, where would the braising spices come from?"

Goudan was not allowed to leave the house, so the task of buying vegetables and meat naturally fell upon them and Yan Rushan. They had indeed visited the supply and marketing cooperative once after returning, but supplies there were scarce—how could anyone buy such a complete array of ingredients?

"Is that so? Then set aside half of the braised pig's head and send it over to the Yan family in a moment." Saying this, she put down the medical book, stood up, and walked into the kitchen. She first inspected the pig's head meat simmering in the pot, which had been stewed and divided into six portions of varying sizes. "Goudan, remember to keep half of it uncut. Once it's ready to eat, I'll send it to the Yan family."

"Beep."

Hao Nan walked in and said, "Comrade Zhong, should I send it over now while it's still early?"

"I'm not sure if it's done cooking yet." Zhong Yuxiang looked at Goudan. "Goudan, is it ready? Has the flavor soaked in thoroughly?"

Goudan fished out three pieces of meat from the pot, placed them in a basin, and handed it to Hao Nan.

Hao Nan understood instantly. "It looks like it's ready to eat then. Comrade Zhong, I'll make a trip over there."

"Alright, sorry to trouble you." Yan Rushan hadn't come over yet today, likely too busy to spare a moment. With his parents away at the military base, the Yan family only had Elder Yan and Yan Ruhai left. Yan Rushan was frequently away from home when work kept him busy. "Right, if they haven't eaten yet, invite them over to join us."

"Understood." Hao Nan nodded and strode away.

Tian Shangguo turned around and said, "Comrade Zhong, why don't you go sit outside for a while? You've been tired all day."

"I'll help too."

Just as Zhong Yuxiang finished speaking, Goudan handed her a plate of stir-fried green vegetables.

Tian Shangguo's gaze flickered slightly as Zhong Yuxiang took the dish out of the kitchen. Standing behind Goudan, Tian Shangguo secretly observed it; this robot seemed to be growing more and more human-like.

"Comrade Tian, what are you looking at?"

"Ah?" Tian Shangguo reined in his gaze and shook his head. "Nothing. Goudan's cooking seems exceptionally delicious, yet Comrade Hao and I haven't managed to pick up any of it even though we're constantly around it."

Those starry eyes narrowed imperceptibly before returning to calm in an instant. "Really? Then you'll have plenty to learn. Goudan's chip has a vast number of programs recorded into it. It probably won't be easy if you want to learn all of it."

Tian Shangguo chuckled awkwardly and said no more, picking up the soup bowls to take outside.

Zhong Yuxiang lowered her voice and said, "Goudan, tone it down a bit. Tian Shangguo is getting suspicious of you."

Goudan didn't speak or give any verbal response, but it had received the instruction. From then on, it dared not make any soulful movements anymore, striving strictly to act like a robot devoid of emotion.

Tian Shangguo walked back and forth a few times, bringing all the dishes prepared by Goudan to the table.

"Comrade Zhong, go sit outside for a while. You've been tired all day."

"Alright." Stepping out of the kitchen, Zhong Yuxiang smiled silently. Tian Shangguo and Hao Nan probably had suspicions long ago, but since they never took any action, it seemed they had made up their minds to turn a blind eye.

Their strong sharpness was a good thing, but for someone with as strong a sense of personal territory as her, it wasn't necessarily a pleasant one.