Lunch had been filling and lavish, and all the students thought a simple meal that evening would be enough. After such a generous lunch, even just some rice porridge would have been perfectly understandable.
But the evening meal was lavish too-there was porridge, along with steamed buns, with Uncle Lao Luo and the others at one table and the professor and students at another.
Originally, Old Ma's Place had only had one dining table, where the elderly men sat together to eat, and a little low table they normally used for chess, cards, and the like.
Now they had brought over another table-from Li Long's courtyard-for the professor and students to eat at.
Dinner was served in the courtyard again. In the middle of the table sat a large basin of braised pork, a plate of pickled vegetables stir-fried with pork, cold dressed alfalfa, and the steamed elm seeds left over from lunch.
It really was a lavish spread.
Professor Luo felt rather embarrassed. He had been about to sit down to eat, but instead went over to Uncle Lao Luo and said earnestly:
"Uncle, there's no need to give us such lavish meals. These students of ours, myself included, have mostly known hardship. We can eat ordinary meals."
"It's fine, it's fine. This is normal for us." Uncle Lao Luo smiled. "Look, we're eating the same thing. Go on, eat. The youngsters are still growing, and they'll all be doing important things one day. We can't let their health suffer..."
"Then, this is our payment for food and lodging... It may not be enough." Professor Luo took out a hundred yuan. It was meant to cover a month's food and lodging for six people, but now it clearly would not be enough.
"Hey, Professor Luo, aren't you insulting us?"