The wind in Beisang City has ceased, and a crescent moon hangs in the sky.
Opposite the window, the cool moonlight shines, and the lights glow softly.
Yun Qian sits at the dining table, one hand covering her belly, lost in thought.
"Indeed, when it's cold, one should eat something warm." Xu Chang'an smiles as he brings a steamer basket from the kitchen to the dining hall, lifting the bamboo cover in front of Yun Qian.
Inside the basket, there are seven or eight buns, steaming hot, resting on a piece of steamer cloth.
Compact and exquisite, resembling small pagodas, semi-translucent with a crystalline yellow hue, exuding a fragrance that wafts through the air.
"How is it?" Xu Chang'an confidently looks at Yun Qian, feeling that his culinary skills are improving, the folds of the buns are neatly layered, quite aesthetically pleasing.
"Hungry." Yun Qian gazes intently at the soup dumplings.
"They're fresh out of the steamer, so they might be hot. Be careful."
"I know." Yun Qian deftly picks up a dumpling, bites a small opening, sips the soup inside, then dips the opening in the pre-prepared aged vinegar on the table, chews slowly, and nods.
"How does it taste?" Xu Chang'an eagerly asks.
"Here we go again." Yun Qian looks at Xu Chang'an's expectant face and says, "As delicious as always."
"That's what a cook loves to hear, and one never tires of it." Xu Chang'an laughs, also picking up a dumpling and taking a slow bite.
The broth originally made from meat juice and gelatin simmered with pork skin, congealing to form the bun's filling. Visible meat bits are scattered in the soup, and biting into it slowly releases a savory aroma.
Very fragrant, very sweet, very hot.
Xu Chang'an looks at Yun Qian, who is squinting and enjoying her dinner, thinking the soup dumplings taste like his Miss Yun.
"Don't just eat the buns; I've also prepared a white lotus root soup. Your digestion isn't very good, but with the cold weather, there's no worry of indigestion, and the white lotus root boosts energy." Xu Chang'an gently pushes a porcelain bowl in front of Yun Qian.
Yun Qian nods, takes a sip of the lotus seed soup, and surprisingly finds that the slight bitterness of the lotus seeds instantly cuts through the leftover greasiness of the meat bun.
Clearly, Xu Chang'an has put his heart into this too.
"You eat too, why are you looking at me?" Yun Qian puts down her chopsticks.
"Beauty is food in itself." Xu Chang'an smiles.
Yun Qian frowns, "Eat."
"Oh."
Xu Chang'an stops teasing Yun Qian and pushes a dish of chili oil in front of himself, rolls a bun in it, and pops it into his mouth.
Yun Qian can't handle spicy food, but he enjoys it very much.
With a mouthful, accompanied by lotus seed soup and the beauty of his wife, Xu Chang'an feels life is complete.
"Hmm?"
At this moment, Xu Chang'an suddenly notices something. He looks out the window and sees a little girl with bright eyes watching from a tree in the neighboring yard.
Who else could it be but Gu Qiancheng.
Xu Chang'an squints his eyes slightly; he doesn't like being watched, but the girl is basically watching openly.
"..."
Xu Chang'an looks at the little girl perched on the tree like a cat, blinking.
Did she... swallow her saliva?
Xu Chang'an gives Yun Qian a look, then picks up a steamer basket and steps out.
Seeing Xu Chang'an come out, Gu Qiancheng instinctively prepares to jump down the tree, but as soon as she moves, the bell on her waist jingles crisply.
"Miss, we meet again." Xu Chang'an walks to the courtyard wall and looks up at Gu Qiancheng sitting in the tree.
"This young lady... this young lady is just enjoying the moon, why are you bothering me?" Gu Qiancheng says.
Still being stubborn.
Xu Chang'an shakes his head and lifts the steamer basket slightly, asking, "Want one?"
"I..." Gu Qiancheng is indeed tempted, she says, "No, I'm just about to go out for dinner."
Xu Chang'an thinks, didn't you just say you were moon-gazing?
"Two coins." Xu Chang'an squints.
"Fine, I'm too lazy to go out; you keep the change." A silver light flashes in Gu Qiancheng's hand. She throws down the money, then with a flicker of her figure, snatches the steamer basket from Xu Chang'an's hand.
By the time Xu Chang'an realizes, Gu Qiancheng's silhouette has vanished.
Outside the wall, there's the sound of bells, and her voice says, "I'll return the steamer basket to you."
"..." Xu Chang'an shakes his head, returning to the room to draw the curtains, and sits beside Yun Qian.
"Do you like her?" Yun Qian thinks Gu Qiancheng looks rather cute. Though she's a bit young, men usually like that.
"Not at all." Xu Chang'an shakes his head; who would like a peeping enthusiast?
"Then why do you feed her buns?" Yun Qian is puzzled; her husband isn't usually so generous.
"It's like this." Xu Chang'an squints his eyes and says, "She's with Steward Zhu, so it's no harm to interact a bit. If we can form a good connection, all the better."
A good connection?
Yun Qian blinks, memories of the divided Cyan-eyed Tiger flashing through her mind.
Xu Chang'an chuckles, "Also wanted to test her personality. She seems just like a child. Okay, let's continue our meal."
"Mm."
"..."
Gu Qiancheng returns to her room.
She originally wanted to go out for a walk, but casually glancing at Xu Chang'an's yard, she noticed Yun Qian enjoying her meal. Curiosity about the taste made her watch longer than intended, leading to her discovery by Xu Chang'an.
Logically, with her being a realm above Xu Chang'an, she shouldn't have been noticed.
"What flavor could Ms. Yun be enjoying so much?"
Taking a deep breath, the young girl opens the steamer, letting the scent waft into her nose. Eagerly, she takes a dumpling, bites it, the soup splashing across her face and onto her shoulder.
Gu Qiancheng's eyes light up, quickly swallowing, and taking another dumpling, this time more cautious.
The fragrant, sweet juice fills her mouth, and she squints like a satisfied cat, displaying a hint of contentment.
So delicious.
Even better than the pastries Second Lady makes.
"Strange man."
Inside, Gu Qiancheng feels a tinge of curiosity about Xu Chang'an.
...
Inside the room.
Dining between the couple is very quiet.
Yun Qian watches Xu Chang'an sip soup, gently pinching the hem of her skirt.
If Xu Chang'an were a woman, he'd be perfect in both temperament and skills. Yun Qian feels her husband is thoughtful, virtuous, the perfect partner for any wife.
Even compared to the heroines in the novels he writes.
But he's a man.
Yun Qian didn't think much of it before, but after reading Xu Chang'an's stories and understanding his "ideal" woman, she feels like she lacks skills, always relying on her husband, unworthy to be a wife.
Yun Qian puts down her chopsticks and earnestly says, "I also want to learn to cook."