I’ve inquired for you, as for the person, well, nothing much…
Back when Mother was alive, she used to make this pastry.
In the countryside, unlike in Bianjing where vendors lined every street and alley just steps away—with Jieshen Alley brimming with treasures, Xinzheng Gate offering all kinds of river delicacies, and no rare food beyond reach—rural households relied almost entirely on local resources, living off the mountains and waters.
The ingredients for pine pollen cakes were simple: just pine pollen and honey. Whenever he was recovering from an illness, Mother would make pine pollen cakes for him.
So in his memory, it was a delicious, rare treat, something he could only have when he was sick.
Thus, the moment Li Jin saw the pine pollen cake, he froze.
It had been a long time since he last tasted it.
The most recent time was…
He remembered that back then, a neighbor made a living by gathering honey. Once, after weaving cloth for a long time, Mother traded it for a jar of honey. Seeing his curiosity, she gave him a spoonful to taste—so incredibly sweet.
The rest, however, she couldn’t bear to touch, hiding it in the wooden cupboard in the kitchen, eagerly waiting for Father to return.
But the Jiansi branch in Jingzhou was wealthy, with a beautiful new bride, servants attending to her every move, using fine brushes and ink, and focusing solely on studying for the Imperial Examination System, free from the worries of making a living. Why would he ever look back at his humble home in the countryside?
Instead of Father, it was the new bride from the Jingzhou Jiansi branch who arrived, bringing another child with her.
Soon, Mother grew increasingly thin, her eyes losing their sparkle, her entire being appearing as lifeless as withered wood and cold ashes. Finally, one day, she took out that jar of honey and made pine pollen cakes for him one last time.
They were as delicious as ever. Mother watched him eat with a smile, her expression serene and gentle, her eyes filled with tenderness.
He thought Mother was getting better. That day was the happiest he had been in a long time. He vowed to strive hard, study diligently, and earn an Imperial Noblewoman's Decree for Mother. To hell with Jiansi and that heartless, faithless father!
But within two days, when he returned home after sowing seeds in the fields, he found Mother lying peacefully in bed, having passed away.
Li Jin’s hand holding the plate tightened abruptly, his gaze heavy. His expression unchanged, he thanked the monk.
After entering the room, he sat at the desk, staring at the pine pollen cake on the porcelain plate for a long, long time.
So long that the morning sun rose, casting a warm, golden glow through the tightly shut window behind him, slanting across his face and shoulders.
Finally, he picked up the pine pollen cake and murmured softly, “I should be better now.”
The room was empty, and his words were for his ears alone, yet he spoke as if telling someone.
Then, he bit into the pine pollen cake. The familiar scent of pine filled his mouth, the powdery texture melting on his tongue, slightly sour with a hint of sweetness—just as he remembered. Suddenly, he paused and looked down.
Though seemingly ordinary, the filling of the pine pollen cake was sweet and fragrant brown sugar, mixed with toasted sesame and crushed hazelnuts. It looked unremarkable, but once chewed, the aroma of nuts filled his mouth. The sweetness of the brown sugar balanced the sourness and slight bitterness of the pine pollen, creating a unique flavor.
It was the same as he remembered, yet different.
But he had to admit, it was delicious.
Gazing at the delicate, sweet brown sugar filling inside the pine pollen cake, he smiled faintly.
He continued eating, faster than usual, then picked up his book and kept reading. If he failed the Jinshi examination this time, he would have to start again from the Fajie Examination next round. Even though his entire body remained sore and weak, his limbs trembling involuntarily when he tried to rise, he persisted in reading.
Outside, sunlight finally climbed over the edge of the eaves, melting the thin frost and casting a warm golden glow. Trees and plants strained to sprout new buds, welcoming the light. Even in the most secluded and frigid corner of the mountain temple, no matter how late the lingering chill of spring lingered, it would eventually depart.
And some people always walked in the light.
Lu Runrun squinted as the rising sun grew brighter, forced to shield her forehead with a hand to block the glaring rays.
“I should’ve known better than to arrange to meet here.”
Lu Runrun sighed.
Lu Runrun felt weary.
She had to come to Daxiangguo Temple early to fulfill a vow, but the temple’s market was liveliest starting from the Si hour. So, she had arranged to meet Wei Yangyang near the end of the Chen hour at the temple’s second gate, just in time to start browsing from the second and third gates.
As for the first gate, the area nearby sold all kinds of birds and beasts. Wei Yangyang’s home had only two rooms to house a large family—turning around felt cramped—so how could they keep poultry? As for Lu Runrun, space wasn’t an issue, but her mother forbade it, so she couldn’t even entertain the thought. Usually, she could only secretly feed some wild lynx-cats.
The second and third gates mostly sold daily sundries, perfect for strolling while snacking.
Fine beads of sweat formed on Lu Runrun’s fair, delicate skin, dampening the stray hairs at her temples. After a moment’s thought, she turned to urge Nanny Chen to leave first. At first glance, she didn’t see Nanny Chen and was puzzled, but then she spotted her sitting on a long stone bench beside the temple gate.
Not only that, but Nanny Chen was also waving her over to sit.
“It’s cooler here, out of the sun.”
Lu Runrun was baffled—hadn’t that spot been crowded with people earlier?
But the sun truly was scorching; it wasn’t even midsummer yet, so why was it so intense? She sat beside Nanny Chen, who pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping Lu Runrun’s sweat. “Why were you standing foolishly in the sun? Oh dear, you’re drenched in sweat, and that spot is a drafty passage—what if you catch a chill later?
“When will that Second Madam Wei arrive? We won’t have to wait here the whole time, will we? I still need to listen to the master’s sutra lecture.”
As she spoke, Nanny Chen clasped her hands together, recited a Buddhist invocation, and looked utterly devout. “Listening to more sutras can accumulate merit in the afterlife for your Grandmother and father.”
Seeing this, Lu Runrun sincerely advised, “Grandmother, why don’t you go listen to the sutra first? I’ll wait here by myself. With people coming and going, nothing will happen. Yangyang will be here soon.”
But Nanny Chen refused. Her face stiffened like a child throwing a tantrum, and she spoke with exaggerated seriousness, “How could that be? A crowd is precisely what makes it unsafe—who knows who’s good or bad? Listening to the sutra can wait a little while. If you encountered a thief and called for me, but I wasn’t here, how frightened you’d be…”
As she spoke, Nanny Chen grew distressed herself, as if the scene were vividly unfolding before her eyes.
Lu Runrun was at a loss for words and said helplessly, “I’m already seventeen.”
Ignoring Lu Runrun’s remark, Nanny Chen continued on her own, dragging in Lu Runrun’s deceased grandmother and long-gone father.
Lu Runrun quietly turned her head away and wisely kept her mouth shut.
Fortunately, Wei Yangyang appeared before Lu Runrun at that moment. Lu Runrun immediately ran over, took Wei Yangyang's hand, and led her to Nanny Chen. "Yangyang is here, so I'll be going now, Grandmother. You go listen to the sutras, and I'll come find you there later."
Then she took Wei Yangyang and ran off.
It was done in one smooth motion, so fluid that Nanny Chen didn't even have time to react.
Nanny Chen stood there in a daze, a whole pile of instructions still stuck in her throat, leaving her feeling choked and uncomfortable.
It took her a good while to swallow her words back down.
But she couldn't help muttering to herself, "When she was little, she used to cling to me, asking all sorts of questions and wouldn't leave my side for a moment. Now that she's grown up, she runs off if I say even one extra word."
Yet as she spoke, she smiled happily, puffing out her chest with pride. "Look how well I've raised her—she runs with such vigor and spirit!"
Thinking this, Nanny Chen stopped dwelling on it and eagerly went to secure a good spot for the sutra recitation. She had heard that the closer you sit to the front, the more blessings you accumulate, and she wasn't about to let anyone snatch that away from her.
Lu Runrun dashed off with Wei Yangyang, covering quite a distance in one go. Wei Yangyang lived far away and had walked under the sun the whole way. As soon as they stopped, she began fanning herself with her hand. "It's not even the height of summer yet, so why is it already so hot by mid-morning?"
"Who knows?" Lu Runrun replied casually.
Seeing from a distance that Nanny Chen had already left, she led Wei Yangyang on a leisurely stroll.
As they walked, they chatted. Wei Yangyang talked about some annoying people in the Tableware Department, while Lu Runrun mentioned someone whose cooking skills were terrible, even though their elaborate dishes looked impressive.
Laughing and chatting, they soon arrived inside the temple grounds.
It wasn't as hot there anymore, as some of the larger shops setting up stalls had covered the courtyard tops with red curtains, blocking most of the sunlight. People walking through naturally felt cooler.
Wei Yangyang stopped in front of a stall run by nuns. First, she carefully touched the dresses made of fine silk and satin, afraid of damaging them, then quickly stepped aside. Next, she looked at the velvet flower hair ornaments, picking them up and putting them down, only to pick them up again—clearly, she liked them very much. The pair of slate-blue hydrangea velvet flower hair combs she wore were already quite worn and no longer vibrant; it was time for a new pair.
But in the end, she put them down.
Lu Runrun asked her why she didn't buy them, since she had just received her reward money.
Wei Yangyang restrained herself and averted her gaze, pretending not to care. "I'm still saving up to buy books. The sister from the Tea and Wine Department said that if I really want to master Whisked tea art, I must memorize both The Classic of Tea and The Record of Tea."
"Runrun, you know my temperament. I don't want to be stuck in the Four Departments and Six Bureaus for the rest of my life. Once I master tea art and become a whisked tea master, if my skills become famous in Bianjing, I might even be able to serve the nobility in the palace, just like Madam Zhang. Moving among the imperial clan and high-ranking officials—how glorious that would be!"
"At the very least, I could earn more money at a tea house. In any case, I won't stay trapped in that poor, rundown place in Yinan Bridge Alley."
As she spoke, Wei Yangyang lifted her chin slightly, her gaze firm, her eyes burning with fierce ambition.
Although she was born in the impoverished Yinan Bridge Alley, she had always been different from others, possessing an innate pride. She never believed she belonged there.
Lu Runrun was well aware of her temperament, and even understood her ambitions and discontent. But Lu Runrun saw nothing wrong with it—the desire to strive, to rise, to break through the soil like bamboo shoots in spring was perfectly natural.
She said nothing, leaving such matters for Wei Yangyang to work through on her own. She believed Wei Yangyang could certainly do it!
Thus, Lu Runrun simply smiled to ease the atmosphere. "Aren't we leaving Yinan Bridge Alley in a few days? That will be a housewarming of sorts, and I plan to prepare a gift.
"Tell me, is there anything you’ve been longing for day and night, something you desperately want?"
Wei Yangyang didn’t hesitate, answering directly, "Yes, wealth and luxury! I want to wear fine silks every day, adorn myself with pearls and jade, and live a life where I can summon servants at will."
Lu Runrun rolled her eyes at her, shaking her head and clicking her tongue. "What a greedy little Madam."
She spread her hands. "Well, I can’t manage that. I’ll just have to buy some pastries at random then."
"Fine, of course that’s fine. My aunt likes you so much that even if you brought pebbles picked up from the roadside to visit, she’d probably be delighted," Wei Yangyang said, not without a hint of sourness.
Wei Yangyang still couldn’t understand it and couldn’t help but rest her chin in her hand, staring at Lu Runrun. "Tell me, why does my aunt praise you endlessly every time your name comes up?"
Lu Runrun laughed twice, tilting her head back with a touch of pride. "Because I’m clever and beautiful, generous and eloquent, adept at socializing, thoughtful in my actions, kind-hearted, gentle, modest, and thrifty—truly, I embody every virtue…"
"I think only the 'eloquent' part fits," Wei Yangyang interrupted mercilessly.
Lu Runrun sighed deeply, feigning a troubled expression. "Oh dear, I really am becoming more and more like Grandmother."
Wei Yangyang and Lu Runrun were close friends, and she had witnessed how talkative Nanny Chen could be. Hearing this, she shuddered involuntarily. With a flick of her long finger, she tapped Lu Runrun’s nose. "Don’t you dare!"
"But…" she changed the subject, her eyes tinged with envy. "Having someone like Nanny Chen who cares for you wholeheartedly—you should be secretly delighted. Unlike me, with my brother getting married, my parents actually expect me and my younger brother to squeeze into one room with the four of us. And to think I give them half my monthly wages, yet in the end, they won’t even rent an extra room. It’s as if my money has been fed to dogs.
"Thankfully, my aunt offered to take me in."
Lu Runrun patted Wei Yangyang’s shoulder in comfort. She had long advised Wei Yangyang not to give so much of her hard-earned wages to her family, suggesting she save it for herself as a safety net. But at the time, how could Wei Yangyang have listened?
She could only remind her again, earnestly urging, "From now on, keep all your wages for yourself. At the very least, once you’ve saved enough, you could even rent a room in my house. Then I’ll cook delicious meals for you every day! And I’ll have Nanny Chen chatter at you too—let’s see if you’ll still envy me then."
Wei Yangyang was amused by Lu Runrun’s last remark. After laughing, she said seriously, "Don’t worry, I won’t give my wages to them anymore. From now on, I’ll be my aunt’s daughter. If I’m going to give anything, it’ll be to her."
Lu Runrun felt somewhat helpless. Why was she still planning to give her wages away? But it wasn’t appropriate to say more. Besides, Wei Yangyang’s aunt had never married and doted on her dearly. Giving her wages to her aunt was far better than pouring them into the bottomless pit of Yinan Bridge Alley.
Wei Yangyang had fallen out with her family over this matter and didn't wish to dwell on it, so she turned to ask Lu Runrun, "What about your stepfather? How is he? Have you met him yet? I made some inquiries for you. As a person, I haven't heard anything particularly bad about him. I heard that for the Imperial Examination System, he took the exams for a full twenty to thirty years and only passed the miscellaneous subjects a couple of years ago, ranking near the bottom. To fund his studies, he even sold his house and is still renting a place to live."
It didn't sound like there were any major faults.
Lu Runrun fell silent for a moment. The smile faded from her face, replaced by a serious expression, making her appear more composed and intelligent than usual, with a sharp gleam in her eyes. "I haven't met him yet, but I think it won't be long before I do."
Her gaze grew distant, as if she had already anticipated something.
Author's Note:
I always thought such feudal practices like Jiansi existed only in the distant past, until one day I happened to flip through a family genealogy and actually saw notes next to names from several generations ago indicating Jiansi. It left me with mixed feelings. Just as my grandmother's generation still had child brides, and among my peers, there are still girls abandoned simply because they are female, feudal mindsets persist. Fortunately, in every era, there have always been people striving to change them.
Additionally, the thoughts and customs of the characters in the novel do not represent the author's views or endorsements [please understand].
"Dreams of Splendor of the Eastern Capital" records about the Great Xiangguo Temple: "Whenever there is an offering of vegetarian food, permission must be obtained from the emperor." In other words, any offering of vegetarian food required the emperor's approval. The female lead certainly wouldn't have obtained the emperor's permission. Initially, I thought she might be making an offering of pastries as a vow fulfillment, similar to the concept of incense money. However, as I wrote further, it felt essentially like an offering of vegetarian food. Since it was already written this way, I decided to treat it as a fictional setting.
I'm not sure if the Great Xiangguo Temple provided lodging, as I couldn't find any relevant information. However, many temples during the Song Dynasty did offer accommodations, such as Xingguo Temple, often for free or at very low cost. As a result, many impoverished scholars would choose to stay in temples during the imperial examinations—partly because it was affordable and partly because the quiet environment was suitable for studying. So, in this story, I set it up that the male lead stays at the Great Xiangguo Temple, where lodging is free, meals twice a day cost very little, and he often gets to eat the pastries offered as sacrifices.
Of course, these offerings would first be presented to the Buddha before being distributed to others. As far as I know, many modern temples also follow this practice. On special occasions, temples receive an abundance of food offerings, which are not left to spoil beneath the statues but are often shared with devotees. Older generations even believe that food offered to deities can make children smarter if they eat it. (My grandmother thinks so, but in reality, it probably doesn't work—otherwise, I wouldn't have failed exams as a child [winking emoji].)
Therefore, it is quite reasonable for the male lead to enjoy the pastries offered by the female lead. Moreover, Xiangguo Temple is located in Xinling Lane, which is very close to Guanghua Lane where the female lead's home is situated. Hence, it is also plausible for them to encounter each other later on.