A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Gu Xixi covered her forehead and backed away, afraid of disturbing others, and dared not raise her voice, "Who is it?"

"Why isn't the light on when you go into the kitchen in the middle of the night?"

Who's so hard? They bumped into her and it hurts so much!

The voice from inside the door came from Mu Nanzhao, "How was I supposed to know someone was blocking the doorway in the middle of the night?"

Gu Xixi: "..."

She looked up and exclaimed, "It's you again?!"

This has happened so many times; she always runs into him when she goes out in the middle of the night.

Mu Nanzhao asked, "Don't you need to sleep?"

Gu Xixi rolled her eyes. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

She nudged Mu Nanzhao, "Either go in or get out of here! Don't block the doorway and let mosquitoes, flies, and rats in. If Aunt Zhang asks tomorrow, I'll say it was you who did it."

A moment later, the kitchen was lit up.

Mu Nanzhao placed an oil lamp on the stove.

"What are you doing here?" the two asked at the same time, glancing at each other.

Mu Nanzhao: "I'm thirsty, I need some water."

Gu Xixi: "I'm hungry, let's find something to eat."

As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe and opened the top shelf of the cupboard.

There were no leftovers tonight; the only thing we could eat directly was the four mixed grain steamed buns that were upside down in the basket.

The top shelf of the cupboard was a bit high, so Gu Xixi was too lazy to use a stool. She stretched out her arms and moved the steamed bun basket out little by little, afraid that this last supper would fall to the ground.

A hand reached out from behind and easily took the basket from her.

Gu Xixi turned around in surprise, her nose brushing against Mu Nanzhao's chest again.

"you……"

Because Gu Xixi suddenly turned around, the two were only a finger's width apart, standing almost face to face.

The air seemed to freeze suddenly.

Mu Nanzhao held the basket of steamed buns high in one hand, his body stiff, looking directly at the cabinet above Gu Xixi's head.

Gu Xixi was facing Mu Nanzhao's collarbone.

In the silence, she couldn't help but look him up and down. He was dressed neatly today, from his Adam's apple above his collar to his chest below his collarbone.

Gu Xixi thought to herself that she had just bumped into this chest.

That really hurt.

At this moment, Mu Nanzhao suddenly spoke up, "What are you daydreaming about again?"

Gu Xixi was wondering why her head hurt so much when she blurted out, "Could there be something like a breastplate hidden in your clothes?"

Mu Nanzhao: "..."

He looked down at her, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "Whether it's true or not, you'll know for yourself when you see for yourself."

Gu Xixi was extremely embarrassed and also came to her senses. "Why are you standing so close all of a sudden? It's terrifying in the middle of the night! Get out of the way!"

Mu Nanzhao decisively stepped aside and placed the steamed bun basket on the small table next to him.

"I want some too, toasted buns with vegetables."

As Gu Xixi turned around and continued rummaging through the bottom two shelves of the cupboard, she ruthlessly refused, "No baking, too much trouble."

Mu Nanzhao leaned lazily against the cabinet and said, "I remember someone said they wanted to give me a thank-you gift around noon."

"You've forgotten so quickly?"

Gu Xixi replied without looking up, "I haven't forgotten. Didn't I say it would be one hundred taels of silver, with an IOU first, and cash later?"

Mu Nanzhao sighed softly, "A midnight snack of steamed buns can replace a hundred taels of silver."

Even a three-year-old knows how to make a good deal.

Gu Xixi turned around abruptly, "You asked me to get you something to eat as a thank you gift?"

Mu Nanzhao nodded. "Toasted steamed buns."

Gu Xixi was now in a dilemma. She glanced at the cupboard and said, "The steamed buns can be baked, but there are no vegetables to put in them."

With the weather getting warmer every day, leftovers stored in the cupboard might cause stomach upset if eaten the next day.

So from the beginning of summer onwards, Aunt Zhang cooks dishes fresh and eats them immediately.

Mu Nanzhao paused for a moment, then chose to back down, "It's fine if you don't serve any food, but you still need to have toasted buns."

Gu Xixi resigned herself to her fate, "Okay, I'll bake you some steamed buns right now."

According to Gu Xixi's plan, it was the middle of the night, so she could just find a steamed bun or something to eat to tide her over.

Who knew that this living god would insist on eating roasted buns!

Although Mu Nanzhao wasn't picky about food and didn't eat expensive things, it was still a hassle!

Gu Xixi moved the small stove to the yard, added firewood, and lit it. She deeply regretted that she shouldn't have shown Mu Nanzhao the only dish she knew how to cook...

Gu Xixi placed the multigrain steamed buns on the edge of the stove opening, then turned and went into the kitchen.

She came out again shortly afterward, carrying a small earthenware pot, which she placed on the stove.

Mu Nanzhao had already moved a wooden chair for himself and was sitting under the eaves, fanning himself with a straw fan while waiting for his meal.

"what is this?"

Seeing his arrogant attitude, Gu Xixi said irritably, "Fermented rice wine."

"It's so cool outside, why are you fanning yourself?"

Mu Nanzhao gave him a "you're really stupid" look, "Of course it's to drive away mosquitoes."

Gu Xixi choked and sat down with her back to him, guarding the stove.

Aunt Zhang made a small jar of glutinous rice wine two days ago.

Gu Xixi saw that it was ready to eat, so she scooped out two large spoonfuls, mixed it with well water, and cooked it into a sweet rice soup.

By the time the soup boils, the surface of the steamed buns has been baked to a slightly golden brown.

Gu Xixi lifted the pot lid, cracked two eggs into it, and quickly stirred them a few times with a ladle.

The aroma of rice wine wafted through the night as she moved her wrist.

Gu Xixi called softly, "It's done. Come here, I'll teach you a brand new way to eat it."

The sweet fermented rice and egg drop soup is sweet enough without adding sugar when served in a bowl.

Pick up the toasted bun, break off only the outermost crispy part, peel off small pieces, and put them into the soup.

Then put the remaining steamed buns next to the stove and continue baking them.

Following Gu Xixi's example, Mu Nanzhao ate a piece of baked bun soaked in soup.

Because they were eaten immediately after being soaked in the rice wine, the steamed buns weren't completely softened. This allowed them to absorb the sweetness of the rice wine while retaining some of their crispness and chewiness.

After scooping out the pieces of steamed bun from the bowl, I took a couple more sips of the soup. The soup was refreshing, and the egg drop soup was fragrant, soft, and smooth.

At this point, you can probably break off another layer of the baked buns on the stove.

Continue this process until you finish eating the steamed buns and the sweet fermented rice and egg drop soup.

Finally, Mu Nanzhao put down his empty bowl and said, "The way of eating is quite interesting."

Gu Xixi said, "This is the best way to bring out the true flavor of wheat flour."

"The key is simplicity. When you don't have fermented rice, you can just make a bowl of sugar water to substitute. Even someone like you who can't cook should be able to learn how to cook after trying it today."

"I won't let myself get so hungry that I faint from low blood sugar in the future."

Mu Nanzhao glanced sideways. Why bring up the very thing you don't want to talk about?

"So if you make this to eat, doesn't that mean you don't know how to cook?"

Gu Xixi felt as if she had been shot in the back.

She changed the subject, "Are you sure you don't want the money after you eat this meal?"

Mu Nanzhao originally wanted to say, "I never intended to take your meager reward."

But after glancing at Gu Xixi, he changed his mind at the last minute, "Let's owe it to her for now."

"You remember this clearly, including the previous ones, this is the second time already," he said meaningfully.

Gu Xixi hadn't intended to get away with just a meal of steamed buns, and generously said:

"Alright, I'll do you a favor, and you can cash out the hundred taels anytime you want."

"But...you'll be leaving soon, won't you?"