TSWPF -Chapter 344 Showing Off

When Magistrate Ma saw Hu Juanjuan personally bringing him his meal, his eyes widened in surprise. He stood up to greet her and asked, “How did you think of bringing me food?”

Hu Juanjuan smiled. “I was worried you might get too busy and forget to eat at home, so I decided to bring it over for you.”

Upon hearing this, a deeper smile appeared on Magistrate Ma’s face. Unexpectedly, he reached out and lightly tugged Hu Juanjuan’s hand, whispering, “Thank you, Madam.”

Hu Juanjuan was startled and quickly pulled her hand back, pressing the lunchbox into his hands and urging him to eat quickly.

He was far too bold, daring to hold her hand in front of everyone.

Magistrate Ma gave her a silly grin and told her to sit aside while he finished eating, after which she could take the lunchbox back.

Hu Juanjuan thought for a moment and nodded.

Magistrate Ma carried the lunchbox over to Liu Zhimou and said loudly, “Sir, my wife brought me my meal.” If the county magistrate’s wife could bring food for him, then his own wife could certainly bring food for him too. There was no need to envy the magistrate.

Hu Juanjuan couldn’t help but cover her face with her hands. Was this fool really her husband? Could it be? Could it really?

Liu Zhimou glanced calmly at the fool and said, “Madam Hu is truly virtuous.”

“That she is…” Magistrate Ma nodded vigorously, grinning. “Sir, why hasn’t the county magistrate’s wife brought you your meal yet?”

“…Oh, I spared her the trouble. I didn’t want her to be overworked.”

“…“ The smile on Magistrate Ma’s face froze. Sir, is this really okay? It sounded as if he didn’t care about his own wife at all.

Liu Zhimou casually recovered the situation and raised an eyebrow at Magistrate Ma with a smile. “Magistrate Ma, your food will get cold. Aren’t you going to eat?” Small trickster, trying to compete with me? No chance.

“I’ll eat now. Do you want to join me?”

Before Liu Zhimou could refuse, a guard walked in with a lunchbox, approaching Liu Zhimou respectfully. “Sir, your meal.”

Liu Zhimou accepted it with a smile and thanked him.

Magistrate Ma looked a little envious at the guard. If only he had a guard at home, his wife wouldn’t have to work so hard.

He sighed a little and moved to the side, taking out the food from the box and sitting down to eat.

“Madam Hu, have you eaten?”

Hu Juanjuan smiled at Liu Zhimou and said she had already eaten.

“…“ Magistrate Ma felt a bit unable to eat. He looked apologetically at Hu Juanjuan—he had forgotten to ask her.

Sigh… He needed to learn more from Sir.

Hu Juanjuan shook her head, unbothered, and urged him to eat quickly.

She knew what kind of man her husband was; she wouldn’t blame him.

Couples like the county magistrate and his wife, so loving and considerate of each other, were extremely rare. She could only admire them from afar.

Compared to men with multiple wives, her own husband was already much better.

She was content.

Liu Zhimou moved his meal onto Magistrate Ma’s table and sat down opposite him.

“Sir?” Magistrate Ma looked at Liu Zhimou in confusion. What was he doing?

Liu Zhimou lifted his eyes and curled a smile. “Magistrate Ma, you don’t mind if I try Madam Hu’s cooking, do you?”

“Not at all, it’s just… it’s just that my home-cooked food…” His words hadn’t even finished before Liu Zhimou had already picked up some shredded potatoes and tasted them.

“Not bad, quite tasty,” Liu Zhimou nodded, then pushed the rest of the food forward. “Magistrate Ma, you should also try my wife’s cooking.”

“All right…” Magistrate Ma carefully took a small portion, tasted it, and nodded vigorously. “Delicious, delicious.”

Liu Zhimou’s lips twitched. “Magistrate Ma, no wonder you look so… turns out you eat so little?”

“I… I…”

“I what? Eat…” Liu Zhimou pushed the food back to Magistrate Ma and took Magistrate Ma’s dishes onto his own plate. “If you don’t eat my wife’s food, how could I possibly eat yours? This is called a trade… a trade… understand?”

Understand… How could he not understand? Sir was just making sure he ate well.

Magistrate Ma felt a twinge in his nose. He lowered his head, nodded, and grabbed a big piece of chicken, eating heartily.

Sir’s kindness to him, he would repay in his work.

Seeing this, Liu Zhimou smiled, picked up Magistrate Ma’s dishes, and ate elegantly.

Hu Juanjuan, sitting to the side, turned her head to wipe her eyes. The kindness that Sir and Madam showed them would be remembered in her heart forever.

It was truly their family’s good fortune to have such a kind sir and madam.

After Liu Zhimou and Magistrate Ma finished eating, Hu Juanjuan hurried forward to clear the dishes.

Liu Zhimou stopped her. “Madam Hu, no need. I’ll take care of my own dishes.”

“Madam, please sit. I’ll handle it.” Magistrate Ma pressed Hu Juanjuan back into her chair and, imitating Liu Zhimou, began tidying the dishes.

While washing, Magistrate Ma accidentally broke a plate, causing Liu Zhimou to click his tongue twice.

“Magistrate Ma, is this your first time washing dishes?”

Magistrate Ma nodded sheepishly and asked in surprise, “Do you really cook and wash dishes at home?”

Liu Zhimou nodded openly. “Yes.”

“Bu… but a gentleman…”

“There’s no such saying in my home that gentlemen must stay away from the kitchen,” Liu Zhimou interrupted lightly. “I grew up in the countryside. While I focused on my studies, it was my wife who held the household together. She worked so hard—why shouldn’t I, disregarding worldly opinions, cook a meal for her?”

He glanced at Magistrate Ma thoughtfully and added, “I don’t care what others think. Cooking for the ones you love at home is not shameful.” Saying this, he carried the clean dishes back to the office, placed them aside, and left the lunchbox to take home in the evening.

Magistrate Ma stood there for a long while, contemplating Liu Zhimou’s words.

Even if Liu Zhimou’s words went against convention, damn it, they made perfect sense.

His own family wasn’t wealthy. When he was busy with official duties, his wife managed the household alone. Sometimes he saw her, exhausted, preparing meals for their five sons, and it pained him—but he had never thought to help.

He had always remembered: “Gentlemen stay out of the kitchen.”

In his traditional mindset, a successful man shouldn’t enter the kitchen; only a man without prospects would do what women were supposed to do.

Now Liu Zhimou had opened a new world for him, showing that disregarding others’ opinions and not blindly following old sayings could reveal a better side of life.

Magistrate Ma exhaled deeply and curled his lips into a small smile. He decided to learn more from Sir and to be more considerate of his wife.

He quickly washed the dishes, placed them in a lunchbox, and handed them to Hu Juanjuan.

“Madam, sorry. It’s my first time washing dishes. I’m clumsy and broke a plate. I promise to be more careful next time.”

Hu Juanjuan paid little attention to his words. The fact that he could wash dishes once was already surprising—what next time?

“It’s fine. Broken things bring safety,” she said with a smile. “You focus on work; I’ll head home first.”

“All right. Be careful on your way home.”

Hearing this, Hu Juanjuan looked at him in surprise again, nodded with a smile, and took the lunchbox away.

That evening, after dinner, Magistrate Ma reached for the dishes, startling Hu Juanjuan. She quickly told him to leave them; she would handle it.

Magistrate Ma looked at her deeply. “From now on, I’ll wash the dishes at home.”

“Husband… did you get inspired by the county magistrate? You don’t need to do this. I…”

“Madam…” Magistrate Ma lifted his head, interrupting her, his expression serious. “I think the magistrate was right. You’ve been tired enough at home; I should help share some of the burden.” Before Hu Juanjuan could speak, he repeated Liu Zhimou’s words to her.

Hu Juanjuan was stunned for a long moment, then her eyes reddened. “In that case, you’ll have to work hard, husband.”

If her husband wanted to help her with household chores, why would she refuse?

“It’s no trouble,” Magistrate Ma shook his head. “I’ve made you work hard before.”

He wished he had met Liu Zhimou earlier—it could have made him realize this sooner.

Hu Juanjuan wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. “It’s no trouble.”

All the hardships before now seemed worth it after hearing this.

Magistrate Ma smiled at her and scanned their four sons. In a serious tone, he said, “Did you hear what I just said? Hmm?” He wanted to teach his sons as well, so that when he wasn’t home, they could help their mother with chores.

The four well-mannered brothers nodded firmly. “We heard, and we’ll help Mother with work.”

“Xiaofeng and the others also do chores at home. We’ll learn from them,” Ma Zhi admitted, feeling ashamed. Seeing how Li Qingfeng and the others did things efficiently, he realized the gap between them and his four sons.

Li Qingfeng and the others were not only excellent in studies but also quick and efficient with chores.

This showed him that doing chores didn’t hinder studying. As Li Qingfeng said, one should combine study with work.

From today on, he would change, and guide his brothers to change too.

Ma Shu suddenly spoke up. “I once asked Xiaofeng why his family still did chores even though they had servants. Do you know his answer?” He looked around at his silent family and continued, “He said, ‘Learning more skills gives more paths in life.’ This is what the county magistrate’s wife taught them since childhood, so even the youngest sister, Ningning, had to do chores.”

At that time, he had been shocked by the answer and had deeply reflected, realizing the magistrate’s wife was right: learning more skills gives more paths in life.

The Ma household fell silent.

After a long pause, Magistrate Ma sighed deeply. “Sir and Madam are extraordinary. They see things more clearly and further than us. We must learn from them.”

The children nodded emphatically.

And Hu Juanjuan’s admiration for Li Qingling grew even more in her heart.