Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Her hand paused as Xu Yuqing opened her eyes and looked at the tofu in front of her. She sliced it evenly, arched her left hand to hold water, and carefully poured it over the tofu. After absorbing the water, the tofu wouldn't stick. She gently pressed the knife, this time watching the tofu closely.

With a flick of her wrist, this time was even faster than before.

She had practiced this skill for an entire month in the modern world, trying to keep up with trends. During that period, almost all food bloggers were practicing this technique. At first, Xu Yuqing found it very frustrating and almost broke down.

The table was filled with failed attempts, and her hands were numb and sore from the constant practice.

However, after prolonged practice, she fell in love with the feeling of focus.

It even formed muscle memory.

Now, she had regained that feeling, and her speed increased further. Thin threads appeared, and she could hear nothing but the sound of the knife and the tofu in front of her.

This skill had propelled her career to new heights and made Xu Yuqing realize for the first time that effort truly pays off.

In just a few seconds, the tofu was cut. Xu Yuqing's consciousness returned, and she put down the knife to check on the pot. As she turned around, she saw Yan Lan staring wide-eyed at her.

"Yan Lan Jiejie?"

"Ah? Ah!"

Yan Lan snapped back to reality, looking at Xu Yuqing with admiration and surprise. "Yuqing, your skill is amazing!"

Yan Lan's praise was straightforward and repeated many times today, making Xu Yuqing slightly embarrassed. "It's quite simple; anyone can do it with practice."

Practice? Yan Lan watched her just now; it seemed like more than just practice. She pointed behind Xu Yuqing. "I can't do it, but you can ask them if they want to try."

Them?

Xu Yuqing turned around, seeing Xie Junli and Yu Wenyao. She asked in surprise, "When did you two come back?"

"Just now," Yu Wenyao smiled. He and Old Xie heard the kitchen's silence and came to check, only to witness this impressive display.

He glanced at the stunned Xie Junli and whispered, "You're lucky."

Xie Junli ignored him and walked over, concerned about Xu Yuqing's hands. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Xu Yuqing chuckled, noticing his worried gaze and showing him her hands. "See, I told you I'm fine."

Xie Junli scrutinized her hands carefully, only relaxing when he saw no injuries. "Next time, don't close your eyes."

They came back so early and saw this.

Xu Yuqing wanted to explain it was muscle memory, but seeing Xie Junli's furrowed brow, she nodded and reassured him, "Okay, I won't next time. I was watching while cutting, wasn't I? Let's serve the dishes now."

"Okay."

With a nod, Yan Lan and her husband also started moving. Xu Yuqing carefully scooped up the tofu threads with the knife and gently placed them in the pot. The tofu threads instantly unfurled in the water, white strands floating beautifully.

Salt went in, and she stirred gently with a ladle to mix the seasoning evenly. Once the soup boiled again, it was ready.

This was a simple Wen Si Tofu Soup, without any thickening agents, just tofu threads. But it was absolutely delicious.

She quickly served it, and the dining table was already set. Xie Junli brought out the rice. "Dinner time!"

"Great!"

Yan Lan responded excitedly. Yu Song, who had been engrossed in drawing, immediately put down his pen and ran to the table. "Dinner!"

Having dined together last night and again tonight, Yan Lan felt incredibly satisfied. She picked up a fried meatball, having tasted one earlier, and now relished the chance to eat more.

Yu Song, though young, was independent. Seeing his parents focused on their own plates, he stood on his chair and popped a fried meatball into his mouth.

"Tasty?" Xu Yuqing asked Yu Song, amused, and placed several meatballs in his bowl. She also placed the non-spicy fried potatoes in front of him, urging him to sit down.

Seeing Xu Yuqing's care, his parents indulged even more, savoring the meatballs and fried potatoes. When they got tired, they mimicked Xu Yuqing and drank the soup to cleanse their palate.

"This soup is delicious! It has a slight sweetness," Yu Wenyao marveled. The sweetness wasn't from sugar but added a pleasant flavor.

He couldn't resist finishing the bowl, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

Xu Yuqing took a sip; it was the fresh taste of tofu and eggs, light yet perfect with the fried meatballs.

"Here, have some rice with minced meat tofu and stuffed tofu. They're really good."

Xu Yuqing used a clean pair of chopsticks to place a piece of stuffed tofu in Yu Song's bowl. After finishing his meatballs, Yu Song took a big bite of the stuffed tofu. The tender tofu and juicy meat filling were so delicious that he closed his eyes in delight.

Sitting beside him, Yan Lan watched him enjoy it and decided to try it herself. The stuffed tofu looked plain compared to the other dishes, but once she tasted it, she immediately regretted doubting it.

The sweet and savory flavors paired perfectly with soy sauce, making it irresistible.

After swallowing, she quickly placed another piece in her son's bowl and then in her own. It was too good!

Xu Yuqing also gave a piece to Xie Junli. Though he wasn't picky, he clearly enjoyed it and ate it all in one bite.

"Is it tasty?"

Xu Yuqing asked expectantly.

Xie Junli paused, continued chewing, and then quickly placed a piece in Xu Yuqing's bowl. Then he took another piece for himself.

Looking at this action, it must be very delicious.

Xu Yuqing thought with some pride.

It was worth the time she spent making this meal.

The next day, Xu Yuqing and Xie Junli, who was resting at home, started grinding tofu right away.

Afraid there wouldn't be enough hands, she even asked Xie Junli to call He Xiang over.

Yesterday, she didn't invite him for dinner because she was worried he might feel uncomfortable. Today, since there's just the two of them and there's a lot of work, he can come help and have a meal as well.

On the other side, He Xiang, who was pulled out of bed by Xie Junli: ...

I thank you!

He looked at Xie Junli with resentment but dared not resist. In the end, he could only take the enamel basin and angrily pour soybeans into the stone mill with a small spoon.

They divided the work: one pouring soybeans, Xie Junli turning the stone mill. Compared to how strenuous it was for Xu Yuqing yesterday, Xie Junli seemed incredibly relaxed.

He didn’t even break a sweat.

Xu Yuqing was in the yard studying her tofu mold.

She originally wanted to call Xie Junli over, but she really didn’t want to grind soybeans. That stone mill was really hard to push; having done it once, she never wanted to do it again.

So, she preferred to figure it out herself.

There was an old wooden box in the backyard. The wood looked pretty good, not rotten, just dirty and covered in dust.

Xu Yuqing took an axe and forcefully chopped open the box.

Taking out large pieces of wood, she drew a line casually and started sawing directly.

Fortunately, the wood was relatively thin, so it wasn’t too much effort. Otherwise, Xu Yuqing would have had a hard time finishing it anytime soon.

Two long and two short wide wooden strips and a large piece of wood, the sizes weren’t quite uniform. Xu Yuqing compared them; they were uneven and not flat. After nailing them together, there would be narrow gaps on all sides.

Fortunately, this was for holding tofu, and the gaps were actually beneficial, so she didn’t need to make additional holes.

Hammering in the nails, Xu Yuqing did it cautiously, afraid of hitting her hand. Her hands were now very precious; the quality of the New Year depended on these hands.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and an ugly tofu mold was completed.

Taking a brush, she applied soap and carefully scrubbed it from inside to outside, cleaning it thoroughly.

After finishing this, she brought it inside. Xie Junli and the others had just finished grinding and were sitting down for a drink.

"Is it ground?"

Xu Yuqing looked over, yes, a full pot.

Now there’s something to eat.

Familiar sticks were placed on another pot, a skimmer put on top, and a steaming cloth covered it. "He Xiang, come, help me transfer this here."

"Oh."

He Xiang stood up. He had been much more relaxed than Xie Junli earlier. Taking the gourd from Xu Yuqing, he started clumsily.

Soy milk dripped through the steaming cloth, gradually covering the entire pot. Xu Yuqing squeezed the bean residue forcefully, extracting every last drop of juice.

"That’s it, start the fire!" Xu Yuqing sighed in relief, calling out weakly. Xie Junli responded and, taking his eyes off her, lit the fire.

Putting in bamboo pieces, the fire flared up immediately, but for a steady burn, they needed to add a couple of large logs.

The temperature of the soy milk in the pot gradually rose. Xu Yuqing stirred it slightly, waiting for it to boil.

He Xiang carried the stone mill out to clean it.

Clearly, he was a child who knew how to pitch in.

The bubbling soy milk looked like it was about to overflow the pot. Xie Junli frowned, "Should I reduce the fire?"

Xu Yuqing, dissolving salt in water, looked at the pot, "No, keep cooking. This soy milk looks thin, but it might still be raw. Drinking raw soy milk can cause diarrhea."

"Alright."

Xie Junli responded, pushing the half-drawn log back in.

Five minutes later, Xie Junli promptly reduced the fire. Xu Yuqing stirred the soy milk, scooped a ladleful out, and added some sugar. "Taste this; it’s very delicious. Yesterday, I didn’t save any for you because it might have frozen. It’s best when warm."

Xie Junli took the cup and sipped gently. The taste was completely different from tofu pudding, slightly sweet and appetizing. After drinking the cup of soy milk, his stomach unconsciously felt hungry.

"Go call He Xiang in and have him drink some. After all, it’s also his labor."

"Alright."

Xie Junli responded, taking the bowl from Xu Yuqing and walking briskly into the yard.

Upon going out, he saw He Xiang squatting, seriously scrubbing the stone mill.

Walking over, he lightly hit his thigh irritably, "Why don’t you go inside to wash? There’s cold water inside."

He Xiang paused, said nothing, his fingers red from the cold, but he didn’t feel any pain, continuing to scrub. "I’m not afraid of the cold."

His mouth was always that stubborn. Xie Junli ignored him and directly handed over the bowl. "Drink up, go inside."

With that, he carried the already clean stone mill back inside.

There was no reason to linger outside. He Xiang held the warm bowl and followed Xie Junli inside.

Entering the main room, Xie Junli paused, "Go sit down and drink. There's nothing for you to do now."

"Okay." He Xiang responded faintly, with a hint of Xie Junli in his brows and eyes.

The stone mill was set up, and Xu Yuqing had already started making tofu, carefully blending the brine into the tofu. Soon, the tofu began to react.

"He Xiang! Do you want some tofu pudding?"

Xu Yuqing shouted loudly from the main room.

He Xiang had just finished a bowl of soy milk. Suddenly asked this question, he touched his stomach. If he said yes, he could eat more, but he had never tasted tofu pudding before.

He hesitated, and Xu Yuqing asked again, louder and clearer this time.

He Xiang responded softly, clearly not used to it.

As soon as he answered, Xu Yuqing placed a bowl on the stove, already prepared, "Alright, come get it yourself!"

The tofu pudding turning into tofu happened quickly. Xie Junli carried the tofu on a bamboo tray out, while Xu Yuqing said she wanted to make frozen tofu.

Although he didn't know what frozen tofu was, following orders was something Xie Junli learned quickly.

Besides frozen tofu, Xu Yuqing also heated oil, using all that was left at home, to fry a full pot of tofu.

After all, it was the New Year—a time for busyness and feasting.

Xu Yuqing and Xie Junli were only two people, and even with He Xiang, they were still only three. Since Xu Yuqing managed the household, she did whatever she wanted.

In the following days, Xu Yuqing and Xie Junli spent their time busily shopping. During this period, Xu Yuqing formed a brief friendship with the military wives in the Military District, thanks to buying things.

Originally, she had brought Yan Lan along, but Yu Song caught a cold, allegedly due to his unreliable father. Frustrated, Yan Lan took the child back to her parents' house for care.

Yu Wenyao reported to his mother-in-law's house every day, acting humble, and sneaking back home to sleep.

Xie Junli wasn't idle either. On the day the army announced a break, he brought He Xiang over and cleaned the entire house.

Cleaning meant little more than tidying up. With no grand ceremonies, they simply swept clean, put up couplets, and stored firewood.

Today was the twenty-seventh day of the year. Yesterday, Xu Yuqing bought everything they needed, spending all their coupons. An amusing incident occurred: while buying oil at the supply store, she discovered extra oil coupons in her pocket.

Oil coupons were strictly rationed, a precious commodity. Xu Yuqing frowned, not daring to say anything. After observing for a long time and seeing no one frantically searching for lost coupons, she bought the oil and hurried home to have Xie Junli check the coupons.

At this moment, He Xiang, who had been silent, spoke up, "It was me. You said there weren't enough coupons, and I don't need oil!"

Not enough coupons?

Xu Yuqing snapped back to reality, recalling her casual complaint when frying tofu.

Just as she was about to speak, He Xiang picked up the chopped firewood and headed straight for the kitchen. Xu Yuqing was stunned, unsure what to do with the extra coupons.

Xie Junli, noticing He Xiang's embarrassed yet stubborn face, made Xu Yuqing accept them and buy more oil.

The coupons were indeed useless to him; he would repay the money later.

Confused, Xu Yuqing put the oil away and went to buy more.

Looking at her pocket, she suddenly realized the extra coupons were indeed from her bag—indeed, the boy had learned to do good deeds anonymously.

With the coupons, she bought more oil. That night, Xu Yuqing made braised pork, which she observed He Xiang loved.

Over the past few days, she noticed that young boys loved meat, so now there were two big eaters in the house.

Fortunately, Xie Junli's food coupons could still cover it.

She held a basin, "He Xiang, come help knead the dough. Today is the twenty-eighth, let's make steamed buns!"

This was something she learned from the other wives—making white flour flower buns if possible, or mixed flour buns otherwise, for the New Year.

However, the Military District had wives from different regions, each with their own customs. Some made Laba porridge, but Xu Yuqing didn't like it, so she decided to stick with steamed buns.

They could serve as breakfast too, saving effort in the morning.

But kneading a whole basin of dough was too much for her, so she called He Xiang.

He Xiang was exceptionally skilled at kneading dough, saying he had learned it as a child. Watching the stubborn youth, lips pursed, working silently even when hot, Xu Yuqing couldn't help feeling compassion.

Such a good child, how could his mother be so heartless?

Sighing inwardly, she added the steamed pumpkin to the dough. For the New Year, golden buns were essential. The pumpkin was a gift from Yan Lan, who had Yu Wenyao deliver several along with rice, flour, and meat.

Xie Junli and Xu Yuqing initially refused to accept it, but Yu Wenyao, tired from carrying, said, "Your coupons can't feed us all. Next time you invite us to dinner, we'll bring our own food."

Leaving the basket behind, he added, "Take it, or my wife won't come back!"

Seeing this, Xie Junli reluctantly accepted it, and Xu Yuqing shrugged, dividing the items.

Neither of them seemed good at refusing others.

"Here, the pumpkin is a bit hot. Rub it first, add water if needed."

"Okay."

He Xiang responded faintly, hands already washed clean, sleeves rolled up. He looked completely different from when Xu Yuqing first met him.

His short hair revealed delicate features, likely inherited from his mother. His lips were particularly refined.

At this moment, she pursed her lips and earnestly kneaded the dough.

He was very skilled, and it wasn't long before a well-kneaded ball of dough took shape under his hands. Xu Yuqing gently pinched it; it was neither too soft nor too hard, just right. She covered it with a cloth and placed it at the end of the bed to let it rise.

She even specially went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy red dates. These were more expensive than meat, but fortunately, Xu Yuqing wasn't stingy about spending a little on them. She bought a pound specifically for making flower-shaped steamed buns.

She also bought two pounds of beans, planning to make bean paste. However, it was her first time doing this, so she hoped it wouldn't be a disaster and waste all the oil and sugar.

She brought out the cooked red beans, added a bit of corn oil to the pot, and then continuously stirred the beans over low heat until all the moisture was gone. After drying, she needed to keep adding small amounts of oil to make the bean paste smooth and glossy. However, while stirring, Xu Yuqing deliberately avoided pressing down too much, preserving some of the bean's texture, which made it taste better.

The sweet aroma wafted over as the hot bean paste became smooth and glossy. It seemed ready, so she scooped it out and carefully tasted a piece.

"Mmm, just right," Xu Yuqing muttered to herself. The mild sweetness was perfect, not at all cloying. After taking a small bite, she couldn't resist another one.

Now that it was cooling, they could start wrapping. Cooling was simple; they only needed to place it in the courtyard for ten minutes, and the heat would dissipate instantly.

"He Xiang! Go get the dough, we're ready to make buns!"

"Okay." He Xiang was in the courtyard, chopping firewood with Xie Junli. Despite the noise, he somehow heard her and responded accurately.

The young man put down the axe, neatly stacked the firewood, and then went inside, carefully washing his hands. He quickly grabbed an enameled basin from the bedroom and walked out.

Only after leaving the bedroom did he relax.

Xu Yuqing had already been waiting at the dining table for He Xiang. Xie Junli had cleaned the steamer long ago and placed the cloth-covered basin on top. He Xiang kneaded the dough, while Xu Yuqing divided the bean paste into roughly equal portions.

"Alright, let's wrap them now. Let's make something cute," Xu Yuqing said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

He Xiang had originally wanted to help, but upon hearing "cute," he immediately withdrew his hand, staring at the dough, unsure how to proceed.

Xu Yuqing was also momentarily at a loss, and the two stood in front of the pale yellow dough for a few minutes. Unable to bear the atmosphere, Xu Yuqing asked He Xiang to call Xie Junli in, so they could figure it out together as a family.

He Xiang hesitantly went to call him, walking stiffly to the door, "Xie—come make buns."

He opened his mouth but couldn't bring himself to say "Xie Yanwang."

Xie Junli looked at He Xiang curiously. He Xiang, being sensitive, immediately blushed upon feeling his gaze, lowered his head, and walked away. Even when they started making buns together, he kept his head down.

Xie Junli watched his strange behavior without saying a word, silently putting down the axe. Unconsciously, a slight smile formed on his lips.

He washed his hands with cold water in the courtyard and strode inside. Xu Yuqing was still struggling with the dough, completely unaware of He Xiang's odd behavior. Only Xie Junli, with his height, noticed the red ears.

Without a word, he hid his amusement, took a ball of dough, and looked at his wife, "How do we wrap them?"

Xu Yuqing was also struggling. She had seen flower-shaped steamed buns online, each uniquely crafted, but she couldn't think of many designs. After racking her brain, she gave up.

"Forget it, let's just do whatever. As long as each one is different, it's fine. These are flower-shaped steamed buns, filled with bean paste."

Xu Yuqing said, leading by example and making a pumpkin-shaped bun, drawing patterns on it. It looked lively and almost complete, except for the leaf.

Satisfied, she admired her creation and got inspired again. She divided a ball of dough into three parts: one small part rolled thin to wrap around the bean paste filling, rolled into a long strip, and the other two parts rolled into rectangles. Using chopsticks, she pressed them to create rows of corn kernels, removed the chopsticks, pinched them tightly, and attached them.

"Look, corn!" She proudly held up her little corn, delicate and adorable. Now there were two on the steamer, both made by Xu Yuqing. She looked at them smugly, "Hurry up, or I'll win!"

This comment was slightly provocative. Xie Junli raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He bent down and started working seriously. He Xiang, who hadn't had any ideas, saw Xie Junli start and panicked, quickly grabbing a ball of dough and fumbling with it.

He sneaked glances at Xie Junli's movements, trying to mimic him by rolling a ball and shaping it with his hands. However, having only made buns before, he couldn't get it right, ending up with a strange-looking object.

He Xiang silently stared at his creation, wishing he could throw it out the window. His hands opened and closed, unable to place it on the steamer.

Xu Yuqing, having just finished wrapping a bun, noticed He Xiang's odd behavior and glanced at him. Goodness, if she hadn't looked, she might have laughed. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand and coughed lightly, trying not to embarrass the young man, "Cough, cough, it's okay. We still have dates; add a couple, and it'll look better."

Though kind-hearted, the young man's pride was hurt, especially with a tall man nearby giving him a slightly mocking look.

He Xiang gritted his teeth, determined not to believe his creations were ugly. He decorated the current one with two dates and placed it on the steamer. Xie Junli also placed his creation down, and He Xiang looked over.

"Pfft, it's just a dumpling."

He Xiang said dismissively.

Xie Junli frowned, looking at He Xiang mockingly, "Better than your lump."

What lump! He Xiang glared at Xie Junli, who chuckled lightly, turned away, and continued working.

Xu Yuqing remained unfazed by their squabbling. Over the past few days, she had grown accustomed to Xie Junli acting childish whenever he was around He Xiang.

Such incidents had happened many times, always ending with He Xiang's defeat.

Though the young man grew increasingly resentful, the gap between them was narrowing.

Xu Yuqing was happy to see this.

After half an hour, the steamer was nearly full, and increasingly bizarre shapes emerged. Xu Yuqing glanced at them, wanting to throw them away. How could these two men turn such beautiful dough into such ugly creations?

Silently, she moved the uglier ones farther away from her pretty creations, hoping to prevent contamination.

However, Xie Junli soon noticed this and casually placed his creation next to Xu Yuqing's.

Seeing this, He Xiang quickly followed suit.

Xu Yuqing: ...

You two, you dogs! She glared at them.

One steamer was already full, and Xie Junli, without giving Xu Yuqing a chance, carried it straight into the kitchen to steam.

There's only one steamer at home, so the rest can only be placed on a plate for now. Xu Yuqing made several different shapes but got lazy and started making pumpkins.

The round, plump pumpkins looked especially appealing, enticing one's appetite. After steaming, their color should deepen even more.

They would look even more like real pumpkins then.

He Xiang, feeling the dough, kept glancing at Xu Yuqing's movements. He pursed his lips and made a pumpkin too, but compared to Xu Yuqing's chubby little pumpkin, He Xiang's was thin and long, looking somewhat malnourished.

Xu Yuqing looked at the malnourished pumpkin lying on the plate, pursing her lips to hold back a laugh.

She must not laugh, absolutely not!

She tilted her head up to glance at the roof, calming herself slightly before lowering her head to continue wrapping. He Xiang had already noticed her strange actions, his cheeks flushed red as he clenched his fists tightly. "If you want to laugh, just laugh!" he said dejectedly.

After all, he simply couldn't do this kind of work.

Xie Junli focused on tending the fire inside, while Xu Yuqing still had a hint of amusement in her eyes. She glanced at He Xiang, lowered her head, and revealed a gentle side profile.

"Everyone has something they're good at and something they're not," she said slowly.

He Xiang initially felt comforted, but when Xu Yuqing mentioned climbing walls, his face turned red with embarrassment. "Climbing walls isn't anything good! You're just mocking me," he said angrily.

Xu Yuqing raised an eyebrow and placed the small pumpkin on the plate. "I'm not mocking you. We haven't known each other for long, so I don't know much about you. Knowing that you're good at climbing walls is impressive enough. Besides..."

She paused, taking the dough from He Xiang's hands, which he had been kneading.

"I really think climbing walls is impressive. I can't do it, and if I could, I wouldn't need to carry keys."

Here, when she was younger, she often watched her brothers climb trees and walls, causing mischief, while her parents would follow behind to clean up after them.

All she was left with were endless chores at home.

These tasks weren't tiring, but they were extremely tedious, and she was always scolded.

Xu Yuqing looked earnestly at He Xiang, with his wheat-colored skin and slender face. "You're really impressive."

Her firm gaze suddenly made He Xiang blush, staring at Xu Yuqing in a daze. After she finished speaking, she continued wrapping the buns as if nothing had happened. He Xiang reached out to grab a bun wrapper but pulled back without touching it. The unexpected praise made him feel as if his whole body was boiling.

And he couldn't control the sensation.

He gritted his teeth, trying to convince himself that she was just saying it casually!

But his body still trembled. He took a deep breath and stiffly said, "I'll go tend the fire," before striding into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, seeing Xie Junli, he pushed him aside without warning and sat down on the stool.

"Your wife is too annoying; you do the wrapping yourself!"

With that, he buried his chin in his arms, revealing only his eyes. Xie Junli steadied himself and turned around to see his red ear tips.

Curious, he raised an eyebrow and looked over. Indeed, the boy was blushing.

Without a word, he walked out, leaving Xu Yuqing focused on wrapping her little pumpkins. There were only two or three pieces of dough left in front of her.

Hearing footsteps, she asked, "Is the steamer ready? I'm almost done."

"It'll take a bit longer. What's wrong with He Xiang?"

He Xiang? Xu Yuqing glanced towards the kitchen, a smile spreading across her face. She waved at Xie Junli.

He obediently walked over, leaning close to Xu Yuqing. "What's wrong?"

"He's shy. I just complimented him."

She chuckled, finding kids at this age truly adorable.

A bit easy to tease.

Xie Junli instantly understood why He Xiang had acted that way, feeling both sympathy and relief for him.

She was teasing him now.

As long as she didn't tease him, he was fine.

Xie Junli wanted to maintain his image, unaware that he had no image in Xu Yuqing's mind.

If there was any, it was that of a nagging old man.

The buns were wrapped, and the first pot was also steamed. Xu Yuqing quickly transferred them to a bamboo tray and placed the raw ones in the steamer.

"Come on, let's try them."

Xu Yuqing eagerly looked at the delicate pumpkin-shaped buns. This was her first time making red bean paste and stuffing it into buns, unsure of how it would turn out after steaming.

Breaking open a bun, the red bean paste instantly came into view. Unable to resist, Xu Yuqing blew on it lightly and quickly stuffed it into her mouth.

Immediately, the scalding hot bean paste taught her a lesson. Xu Yuqing jumped, but couldn't bear to spit it out, opening her mouth wide to breathe heavily.

Compared to her urgency, Xie Junli was calm and not afraid of the heat. He took a bite of the freshly steamed bun and swallowed it without blowing on it.

The couple indulged in their meal, ignoring each other. He Xiang sat on a stool, watching them silently.

After finishing one bun, Xu Yuqing was immensely satisfied, thinking she could make more next time!

They were incredibly delicious!

Xie Junli enjoyed them too. He had eaten one and wasn't satisfied, so he ate another, though he was eating the ugly ones he had made himself.

In the afternoon, she had some buns, and by dinnertime, Xu Yuqing was already half-full. She casually had two sips of porridge and a bit of the dishes before feeling full.

The two men across from her, however, were unhurried but quick in serving themselves porridge, almost as if they were in a competition.

They only stopped when there was nothing left on the table, then exchanged a glance. He Xiang disdainfully gathered up the bowls and chopsticks.

Indeed, after He Xiang started coming to eat here, the dishwasher, Xie Junli, got promoted to supervisor.

The young man diligently washed the bowls while Xie Junli tidied up the kitchen. They worked efficiently together.

After finishing, he left without even saying goodbye. By the time Xie Junli turned around, he was gone.

Fortunately, over the past few days, Xie Junli had gotten used to his way of leaving.

The next morning, early, the two were still sound asleep in bed. Well, it was more like Xu Yuqing was sleeping soundly, while Xie Junli had been awake for a while, with his arm tightly held by her.

Outside the window nearby, He Xiang was still wearing Xie Junli's old military coat, which was a bit big on him. He had casually sewn it up a bit, making it fit better.

It no longer hung loosely.

Now, with his hands on his hips, he looked at the closed door, irritably throwing pebbles at the window.

Soon, there were faint sounds from inside, and as the door finally opened, Xie Junli appeared. He Xiang looked at him speechlessly. "Didn't you say you'd come early today?"

He had arrived early, yet these two were still sleeping.

Xie Junli raised an eyebrow, showing no remorse, and moved aside. He Xiang strode in, looking somewhat angry.

"Start the fire first," Xie Junli called out calmly, following He Xiang into the kitchen.

He Xiang sat down on a small stool, stuffed some kindling in, struck a match, and tossed it in.

Xie Junli fetched the frozen buns from the storeroom. After a day and a half, they were solidly frozen.

He placed eight buns on a plate, then, after a moment's thought, opened the bag again and added two more.

He put them in the steamer and found three eggs, which he washed carefully before putting them in the pot.

That was all he knew how to do.

He instructed He Xiang to stay there and then walked briskly to the room, closed the door, and gently woke Xu Yuqing.

"Wife, wake up."

A gentle, deep voice whispered softly in her ear, and Xu Yuqing began to stir slightly, though not fully awake.

Xie Junli climbed onto the bed and stroked Xu Yuqing's face. "He Xiang is already here."

He Xiang... is already... here...

These words echoed in Xu Yuqing's groggy mind as she slowly opened her eyes. "He Xiang is here?"

"Yes, it's time for breakfast."

As soon as he spoke, the person in his arms fell silent again, her head drooping as she drifted back to sleep.

Xie Junli suppressed his guilt, pursed his lips, and called out again.

A few seconds later, Xu Yuqing suddenly sat up, staring at Xie Junli in shock. "He Xiang is here!?"

Xie Junli nodded silently.

"Aaahhh, I'm so annoyed with you!" Xu Yuqing slapped Xie Junli's shoulders hard, wishing she could kick him too.

Xie Junli did not resist; he dared not. Last night, he had insisted on causing a scene and forgotten to tell his wife to ask He Xiang to come early.

Xu Yuqing hurriedly washed up, dressed, and made sure she looked presentable before stepping outside. He Xiang was already seated, eating the buns.

He Xiang glanced up indifferently. "You're too slow. I started eating."

Xu Yuqing smiled apologetically. "No problem, eat if you're hungry." At the same time, she reached behind Xie Junli and pinched him hard.

She was not the same as before; this time, Xie Junli winced and sat down, enduring the pain.

"What are we doing today?"

He Xiang looked at both of them.

Xu Yuqing and Xie Junli exchanged a glance. Today, they would write Spring Festival couplets!

Actually, today they should write them, and tomorrow they would paste them up. Xu Yuqing had specially bought good red paper from the supply store, five fen per sheet, along with ink and brushes.

"Today, we'll write our own Spring Festival couplets!"