An hour later.
A servant came to call Lin Fan for dinner.
Lin Fan followed the servant, looking around as he walked.
The entire manor was enormous, with quite a few small Western-style buildings.
This wasn't even the main residence of the Zheng family, merely the dwelling of Yu Suxin and her daughter.
Lin Fan mused, did the Zheng family really need to rebel?
Considering their daily lives, they seemed no different from royalty.
The main residence of the manor.
To Lin Fan's surprise, it was rather simple and elegant.
Besides the aroma of food, there was a faint, subtle fragrance in the air, seemingly refreshing and pleasant to the senses.
"Master Lin, you're here."
Yu Suxin stepped forward, smiling. "I heard A'Yue say that the last time she went to Huaxia, your sister-in-law personally cooked for her. I've also cooked a few dishes myself, I hope you won't find them lacking."
"I forgot to tell you, I'm Buddhist, so A'Yue handled the meat dishes."
"Mom~"
Zheng Yue's face flushed slightly. *If you hadn't forced me, how could I possibly cook for him?* she thought. *Making it sound like I did it willingly!*
Yu Suxin shot her daughter a look before pulling Lin Fan into the dining room.
"I don't know how to cook Northern-style dishes, so I've made a few Teochew home-style dishes. Please try them."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Lin Fan scanned the dining table and almost burst out laughing.
Even without anyone telling him, he could guess who cooked what.
The few vegetarian dishes were beautifully presented, with delicate knife work, exuding a meticulous and refined culinary style.
In contrast, the meat dishes seemed rather unremarkable, as if haphazardly stir-fried, not very appetizing.
"What are you laughing at?"
Zheng Yue was furious.
She had reluctantly cooked under her mother's nagging, and now Lin Fan not only wasn't grateful but was mocking her.
"A'Yue, what are you doing?"
Yu Suxin chided, "You're so grown up and still can't cook, how will you ever get married? And you're complaining about being laughed at? Look at what you've made..."
"Mom~"
Zheng Yue's face flushed with embarrassment, and she stomped her foot in anger.
*What good is doing laundry and cooking?* she retorted in her mind. *You're a master of housework, but how many times a year does that man visit you?*
"I think Miss Zheng's cooking has quite the Northern Chinese flair," Lin Fan said, his smile gone, his tone serious. "Ask her, when she ate at our home, my sister-in-law also stewed a big pot of chicken."
As he spoke, Lin Fan gestured to indicate the size of the pot.
"Wow!"
Yu Suxin was very surprised. "Such a big pot, can it all be finished?"
Lin Fan nodded. "We can finish it, the whole family eats together."
Yu Suxin pursed her lips and smiled. "Indeed, different lands breed different people."
She clasped her hands together, gesturing a small amount. "The dishes where we come from are served in small portions, emphasizing refinement."
They chatted and laughed, easing the atmosphere.
Zheng Yue sat on her chair, feeling dejected, her expression sour.
Under Yu Suxin's urging, Lin Fan picked up his chopsticks and tried a bit of everything.
"How is it? Please try."
Yu Suxin was afraid of neglecting Lin Fan, so she was a bit nervous.
To be honest, Lin Fan, who grew up in the north, preferred dishes with rich oil and strong salt flavors.
He really couldn't get used to the light, sweet Teochew cuisine.
"Delicious!"
Lin Fan smiled with satisfaction and gave Yu Suxin a thumbs-up.
"I'm glad you like it, eat more."
Yu Suxin smiled happily and enthusiastically served Lin Fan more food.
Zheng Yue, having tasted Xia Xue's cooking, knew Lin Fan was lying.
"Hypocritical," she muttered softly.
Yu Suxin, with her small appetite and vegetarian diet, soon put down her chopsticks.
She began to speak about Buddhist etiquette, quickly diverting the conversation to Buddhism.
Zheng Yue was accustomed to her mother's ways and ignored her.
"Master Lin, what are your insights on Buddhism?"
Yu Suxin, after a lengthy and self-indulgent discourse, turned her gaze to Lin Fan with great interest.
Zheng Yue had told her a lot about Lin Fan's abilities earlier, so she was curious.
"Ah?"
Lin Fan was diligently eating and was taken aback when she asked this.
"Master Lin, do you have any teachings on Buddhism?"
Yu Suxin repeated her question.
A daughter knows her mother best. Zheng Yue also stopped eating, her curiosity piqued to hear what Lin Fan would say.
"Buddhism?"
Lin Fan slowly put down his chopsticks and smiled sheepishly. "Auntie, I don't understand Buddhism."
"You don't understand~"
Yu Suxin was a bit surprised. "Are you from the Daoist school?"
"I'm not from the Daoist school either," Lin Fan replied truthfully.
Yu Suxin was immediately speechless with embarrassment.
Zheng Yue found it amusing. She detested it when her mother discussed metaphysics with those "masters."
Lin Fan's straightforward personality greatly pleased her.
"Then... may I ask what path Master Lin cultivates?"
Yu Suxin asked, unwilling to give up.
"Me?"
Lin Fan felt helpless. *I'm just a village doctor. My biggest dream is to marry Xia Xue. If I have any spare capacity, it would be to let those around me live good lives.*
"I have neither a path nor a technique. I only possess a bit of spirituality, and a single breath." Lin Fan replied truthfully.
Everything he had now was thanks to the Nine Heavens Xuannü, a secret that was truly inconvenient to reveal to outsiders.
"A bit of spirituality?"
"A single breath?"
Yu Suxin furrowed her brows, increasingly finding Lin Fan profound and completely different from the masters she had met before.
"Master Lin is a true master!"
Zheng Yue tugged at her mother's sleeve. "Mom, please eat."
She couldn't bear to see her mother like this. If Lin Fan harbored any ill intentions, he could probably deceive a large sum of money from her mother with just a little something.
"Master Lin, please forgive my dull aptitude. I cannot comprehend your Way. I wonder..." Yu Suxin chuckled awkwardly, "Could you perhaps leave behind a scripture or a Dharma artifact for me to study?"
"It's over, it's over!"
Zheng Yue sighed deeply, feeling only profound helplessness.
"Mom, stop talking about useless things."
"What's wrong with you, child?"
Yu Suxin reprimanded, "I'm talking to Master Lin, why are you interrupting?"
"Mom~"
Zheng Yue was so exasperated she almost jumped up.
If it weren't her own mother, she would have gotten up and left by now, not wanting to stay another minute to avoid embarrassment.
Lin Fan, seeing that the mother and daughter were about to argue, quickly cleared his throat. "Auntie, I don't have any scriptures or books, nor do I have any Dharma artifacts, but..."
"I can give you a small trinket as a welcome gift."
Yu Suxin became instantly excited. "Thank you, Master Lin, for your generosity!"
"Uh."
Lin Fan smiled awkwardly. "Do you have any protective amulets or similar personal items? Let me take a look."
"Yes! Yes!"
Yu Suxin instructed, "A'Yue, take off the bracelet I gave you."
"Mom, I really don't need it."
Under her mother's stern gaze, Zheng Yue took off her violet jade bracelet with floating flowers.
"Here."
Zheng Yue angrily handed the bracelet to Lin Fan.
Lin Fan, who had been looking at Yu Suxin, was slightly distracted and only took the bracelet after a moment.
"Master Lin, are you going to perform a blessing ceremony on it?"