Gu Yan watched his two nieces and nephews so happily, and for once, a rare smile appeared on his face.
They really hadn’t eaten buns in a long time.
The last time was when he had returned from the town selling game and bought some meat buns.
But after buying rice, flour, and seasoning, there wasn’t much money left, so he only bought a few. Each of them had just one to taste, barely enough to enjoy the flavor.
Looking at the table full of white flour buns, Gu Yan felt a sense of reassurance in his heart. This time, they would be able to eat their fill!
He glanced again at Lu Zhaozhao, her face full of smiles and her hands moving nimbly, and he once more thought that he had truly found a treasure. The ten taels of silver had been spent extremely well.
This was, without doubt, the best decision he had made recently.
If he had known it would turn out like this, he should have brought her home sooner.
Then, this home would truly feel like a home, and the two little ones would not have suffered so much under his care.
He recalled the porridge he had tried to cook at the start—it either turned to mush or burnt to a dry pot!
He felt his face flush with shame.
Thinking about the porridge Lu Zhaozhao had made before, Gu Yan simply couldn’t understand how the same ingredients could taste so terrible when he cooked them.
Lu Zhaozhao put the buns into the steamer and realized the firewood had run out. She quickly called to Gu Yan, who was chopping wood not far away,
“Husband, help me bring over some more firewood.”
“Mm.”
Hearing her, Gu Yan obediently carried over more wood.
At least this time, there would be enough fire to steam the buns.
He also found it strange—usually, when someone called him “Husband,” people felt shy. But Lu Zhaozhao had none of that embarrassment. It made him feel that “Husband” was no different from any other name.
While Lu Zhaozhao tended the fire, An An ran over and sat on a small stool, chatting with her while helping pass branches.
After spending a couple of days together, Lu Zhaozhao had begun to notice.
These twins had very different personalities.
An An was more lively and talkative, always laughing—a very likable girl.
Momo was quieter and steadier than An An, but also very polite.
Most importantly, the two children were exquisitely cute. On the first day she had arrived, their faces had been a little dirty and hard to judge, but today, after washing, they looked clean. Even though their clothes were still tattered, it could not hide their adorable faces.
She wondered what their parents must have been like to have given birth to such a blessed pair of twins.
As an obstetrician, no one knew better than her how rare and precious naturally conceived twins were.
Although curious, she didn’t want to pry into their family matters since she and Gu Yan were not yet close.
The matchmaker had only briefly explained the family’s situation when she arrived. They had fled from Ningcheng due to a flood that destroyed their home and fields. The eldest son, daughter-in-law, and grandfather had drowned. Only Gu Yan, his mother, and the two little ones survived—luckily, Gu Yan had some skills, or the whole family might have perished.
Madam Li’s illness had also originated during that time.
They had wandered far before finally settling in Xinghua Village. The village chief, seeing their plight, had sold them a few thatched houses at the foot of the mountain.
The twins were truly pitiful, so young and already without their biological parents.
Lu Zhaozhao felt that compared to them, her misfortune wasn’t so severe. Though she had suffered an unexpected calamity, her past life had been quite happy, and she hadn’t suffered much in death—how could that not count as a kind of happiness?
Once people began overthinking, time seemed to pass quickly.
Soon, a pot of oil-crisp wild vegetable buns was ready. Hot and plump, they looked delicious.
And they were all made from fine white flour!
In this village, very few families could afford fine flour.
Lu Zhaozhao thought that since the household mostly consisted of sickly or young members, if possible, they should eat fine flour and polished rice, as these were the easiest to gain nourishment and strength from.
Unless a family was extremely poor, she had no intention of raising children in poverty.
Living in the 21st century had taught Lu Zhaozhao that she could endure many things, but she could not bear to let children suffer.
They were the nation’s young flowers, and she had to protect them.
Once the meal was ready, Lu Zhaozhao told Gu Yan to go inside and call Madam Li to eat.
Today the weather was warm, and it was more comfortable outside than indoors. It was noon, and the sunlight was pleasant—better to sit in the sun than to remain bedridden.
Gu Yan agreed and helped his mother outside.
Thus, the family sat around a simple table beside the stove, eating the plump, white oil-crisp wild vegetable buns.
“Wow, this is so delicious, so fragrant. The wild vegetables are really tasty, Little Aunt! Can you teach An An to recognize wild vegetables later? An An can help gather them too.”
“Mm, the oil-crisp bits smell amazing. I want another one later. Little Aunt, I can help pick wild vegetables too.”
“Alright, alright. Little Aunt will teach you both when there’s time. Eat plenty—it’s only when you’re full that you can grow tall and strong.”
Lu Zhaozhao took another big bite of a bun herself. Indeed, it was very tasty.
The vegetables from her space had excellent texture—better than any wild vegetables she had eaten before. She realized she needed to plant more in her space so she would never lack vegetables again.
Thinking back to her space, Lu Zhaozhao suddenly remembered a game she had played before.
She had endlessly planted and harvested vegetables, again and again.
It was called Happy Farm.
She had even gotten addicted to sneaking into others’ fields late at night to steal vegetables!
Now, this space was her very own Happy Farm. The only difference was that she could eat the vegetables she grew herself. Thinking of that made her feel very happy.
Hahaha…
What a different experience.
“This is truly delicious. Thank you, Zhaozhao. My body isn’t well, so I can’t help much. I’ve really troubled you.”
Madam Li was also very happy eating the buns. They tasted better than any bought buns, and her daughter-in-law’s cooking skills were impeccable.
Marrying her was Gu Yan’s luck, and also the Gu family’s fortune.
Seeing the two little ones eating to their heart’s content, Madam Li felt grateful from the bottom of her heart.
If there was ever a chance, she would repay Lu Zhaozhao. Even if not in this life, in the next, she would work as an ox or horse to repay her.
These two children were the Gu family’s precious treasures and all their hope.
She could only hope that when they grew up, one day, they would help their parents and grandfather reclaim justice.