Foreigner Of Time [Book II]

59

Looking at Lisa, Jennie felt something called 'happiness' emerge from the bottom of her heart.

It was as if she was wrapped in cotton and bathed in a gentle breeze.

Jennie actually said in a spoiled way, "Help me up~." 

For the usually calm and restrained Jennie, saying this was already her limit.

She was determined to say 'embarrassing' words like 'hug me' or 'feed me'; even a simple-looking 'help me up' was something that Jennie could only say in a spoiled tone when she was alone with Lisa.

Lisa was happy to do so, of course. 

She went around the small table, helped Jennie up with a half hug, then she said, "Eat first, I'll roll up the bedding later and put it in the other carriage. Once you're done, I'll comb your hair for you."

"What about you?" Jennie asked.

"I've already eaten with the others, I had a bowl of the stewed rice made in the morning too. I asked physician Jill already, she said that this pot is bought in Fort Tryon, and it's always been used to simmer medicine for you. Those nourishing ingredients were stewed together with food to make medical meals, so it's fine to make porridge for you in this pot. While they were cooking breakfast, I had a look through the baskets of ingredients. I actually found dried scallops, dried fish, dried mushrooms, a whole air-dried ham, a few cured meats, potatoes, and yam. Make do with this meal first, I'll figure out how to make claypot rice for you with this pot tonight."

Looks like Jennie really was hungry; she had two spoons of porridge while Lisa was talking, but just two.

Once she swallowed the food in her mouth, she asked, "What's claypot rice?"

"It's one of the delicacies from our side, it's quite similar to how they made the stewed rice this morning, but it has a few different steps, so it tastes different too."

Jennie seemed to have suddenly thought of something; she let out a quiet gasp.

"What's wrong? Is it too hot?"

Jennie shook her head, then she asked Lisa quietly, "Did you serve a bowl to cultivator Jisoo?"

"Cultivator Jisoo had stewed rice with us this morning..."

A trace of shame brushed Jennie's beautiful eyes.

She sighed, "Cultivator Jisoo is a senior, and my life savior. She will become your Master soon too. Even the old senior ate stewed rice with everyone, so how can I hide in the horse carriage and eat from a small stove by myself? This... is unreasonable. If other people found out about it, it'll damage your reputation too." 

Lisa picked up the spoon and handed it to Jennie again as she comforted her, "Cultivator Jisoo knows about this. When they were going to call you for breakfast this morning, physician Jill said that you slept very late because you weren't used to the loud sound of the wind yesterday night. So I told them to let you rest for a while more, I can cook porridge for you once you're awake. You're not a picky eater after all. And besides... how can this be called a small stove? It's just some rice, water, vegetables, and a few drops of sesame oil. This is more like a meal for the sick, there was even meat in the stewed rice!"

Jennie finally felt slightly assured, but she still said, "This trip is different, the three drivers from the duke's estate are around too. Once you reach Alaris and become an official disciple, it won't take long for news of it to travel throughout the land. Each of your words and actions on this trip is important; even if cultivator Jisoo doesn't mind such empty courtesies, respecting one's teacher has always been the most important quality. I don't want you to get bad names like 'lusts for a woman's charms' and 'has no respect for elders'... I was indeed unused to it yesterday night, but I will get used to it in time. If you can eat from the big pot, then so can I."