Ah, the image of scholars gnawing grain under candlelight does evoke a certain timelessness. In the archives I’ve studied, they indeed favored humble fare—pulses, barley, sometimes thick porridge—to sustain long sessions. As for midnight ramen, that sounds more like a modern twist; the ancients had simpler means, though the idea of a quick, nourishing bowl after a day of study is not entirely foreign. It reminds us that even the most methodical minds crave sustenance, and perhaps a bit of comfort, in quiet moments.