After dinner, the couple went out.

“Darling, can you read?” Yang Haiyan asked.

Qin Fang felt a bit embarrassed. “I couldn’t read when I left my hometown for military service. Over the years, I’ve learned a few characters from my comrades in the barracks.”

Although he felt a bit inadequate, he didn’t feel ashamed.

He added, “Wife, could you teach me to read?”

If he wanted to rise up and become an Official Captain, he needed to be literate.

As soon as he said it, he realized he had called her “wife,” and felt a bit shy.

“Sure!” Yang Haiyan replied.

The couple arrived at the study.

The shopkeeper greeted them, “Hello! What would you like to buy, sir?”

Seeing the two, the shopkeeper naturally addressed Qin Fang.

But looking at him, he thought, this man is quite tall; aren’t scholars supposed to be refined?

Qin Fang didn’t speak but looked toward Yang Haiyan.

Yang Haiyan said, “One copy each of the Three Character Classic, Hundred Family Surnames, and Thousand Character Classic.”

These were the first three books the master used when she studied with the young miss.

“Alright, please wait a moment,” the shopkeeper said.

“Wait a minute. Also, get me a piece of paper and some ink and brushes, the cheaper kind will do.” Reading without writing wouldn’t look good.

“Got it!” the shopkeeper replied.

Qin Fang didn’t expect Yang Haiyan to be so thoughtful, and he felt deeply moved. “Thank you, wife.”

He hadn’t expected that he could also be a scholar starting today.

“Not at all,” Yang Haiyan said.

After leaving the study, they went to the market.

They bought plenty of vegetables and wine, and today they also purchased a lot of meat: fish, ribs, pig’s trotters, pork belly, and pig intestines.

Just for the vegetables, they spent 200 wen, and combined with what they spent at the study, Qin Fang had spent all his monthly allowance from yesterday.

Yang Haiyan had been buying meat from this vendor, and over the past month, she had become the vendor’s biggest customer, regularly purchasing fatty meat and pig intestines.

While buying the meat, Yang Haiyan asked, “Boss, which family in town raises sheep or cows? I want to buy a bucket of sheep’s milk or cow’s milk.”

Just as the meat vendor was about to answer, someone nearby said, “Ma’am, are you looking for sheep’s milk? I have some.”

Yang Haiyan looked toward the voice and saw an elderly woman dressed plainly but appearing quite shrewd.

Yang Haiyan nodded, “Yes, do you have some, auntie?”

The elderly woman replied, “Yes, yes! Last year, my daughter-in-law gave birth to twins and didn’t have enough milk, so my son bought a ewe for her. Now that my grandson has grown up, he doesn’t drink milk anymore. However, sheep’s milk has a strong taste; only infants will drink it. The adults in my family don’t like it.”

Yang Haiyan thought the elderly woman was quite honest; some people wouldn’t mention such details for the sake of business.

Her impression of the elderly woman improved. “That’s fine. Can you bring it over later?”

“Of course, my home is in the village below, so it’s close. It’ll take just half an hour round trip,” the elderly woman replied.

Half an hour meant an hour in total.

Yang Haiyan considered it for a moment and said, “It’s a hassle for you to make the trip. Would it be convenient for my husband to go with you to buy it?”

The elderly woman smiled, happy for the convenience. “Sure.”

They agreed on a time and place to meet.

With the sheep’s milk arranged, Yang Haiyan felt much happier.

As long as there was a source, she could buy formula on the platform.

If anyone asked, she could say it was ordered from this family.

Of course, to avoid suspicion, she would need to order occasionally.

Afterward, they went to the blacksmith’s shop to pick up the baking pan Yang Haiyan had ordered.

When they returned to the staff quarters, they ran into Yang Dahua, who was out buying vegetables and also selling some cloth pouches at her stall.

Usually, she set up her stall quite early, but yesterday Han Zhen had returned, and the couple had a little reunion, causing her to be a bit irritable today.

As a result, she almost didn’t get up on time.

Yang Dahua noticed Qin Fang and Yang Haiyan. “Haiyan, you just got back from the market, huh?”

“Yes, we’re hosting a wedding banquet tonight. Sister Dahua, remember to come and join us for the feast!” Yang Haiyan replied.

“Sure! Tomorrow night, we’re hosting too, and you must come!” Yang Dahua said.

“Definitely!” Yang Haiyan promised.

“Then I’ll head to the market now,” Yang Dahua said.

“Okay!” Yang Haiyan responded.

After chatting with Yang Dahua for a while, Yang Haiyan went home to wash the clothes from the day before, while Qin Fang headed out with a wooden bucket to buy goat’s milk.

Before he left, Yang Haiyan reminded him, “Husband, make sure to pay attention to hygiene when they’re milking the goats.”

Qin Fang responded, “Got it.”

By the time Yang Haiyan finished washing the clothes and prepping some vegetables, Qin Fang had returned with a bucket of goat’s milk.

The entire trip took only about 45 minutes, showing that Qin Fang was quite fast on his feet.

He carried the bucket into the kitchen. “You want to drink goat’s milk? It smells a bit strong. I heard it doesn’t taste that good,” he said.

Yang Haiyan looked at the bucket of fresh, white goat’s milk and smiled excitedly, “Of course it won’t taste good like this. Wait until I prepare it, then you can try it.”

“Alright,” Qin Fang replied.

Yang Haiyan then instructed, “Husband, help me knead the dough. I’ve already prepared the ingredients. Once the dough is ready, we’ll use the oven we made yesterday to bake some pastries.”

Qin Fang agreed, though he added, “I’ve never done this before, so you’ll have to guide me.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not hard. My husband is so smart, I’m sure you’ll learn quickly,” Yang Haiyan encouraged.

The couple worked well together—Qin Fang kneading the dough and beating eggs while Yang Haiyan handled the goat’s milk.

Since goat’s milk can carry bacteria, she boiled it three times for sterilization.

Goat’s milk is gentle on the stomach and rich in vitamin E, which helps prevent the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cells, delaying skin aging and improving elasticity and radiance.

Additionally, the epithelial growth factor in goat’s milk aids in skin cell repair, making it known as the “king of milk” for its health benefits.

However, goat’s milk has a strong, gamey flavor, which many people find off-putting.

To neutralize this, Yang Haiyan added a pinch of jasmine tea while boiling it.

Once the milk boiled, she skimmed off the tea leaves, and the odor was gone.

Jasmine tea was commonly used in this world, so it was a convenient and inconspicuous solution.

Once the milk was ready, Yang Haiyan added it to the dough along with egg and sugar.

They then poured the mixture into baking trays and placed them in the oven.

“Is that all?” Qin Fang asked.

“Yes, once they’re done, you’ll see,” Yang Haiyan replied.

She handed him a bowl of sweetened goat’s milk, “Try this, husband. How does it taste?”

Qin Fang took a sip, pleasantly surprised that the strong taste was gone.

The milk now had a rich, creamy flavor. “It’s quite unique,” he said. “It’s like sweetened water, but with a really nice milk fragrance.”

Yang Haiyan smiled and explained, “It’s very nutritious, more so than meat. Think about it: when babies are born, they’re so fragile, yet they grow strong because of their mother’s milk. Goat’s milk is similar to a mother’s milk, so it’s very nourishing.”

“I see. You really know a lot,” Qin Fang complimented her.

While the cake was baking, Yang Haiyan also prepared cookies and small balls of dough for milk tea.

Since it was their first time using a homemade oven, she frequently checked on the cake to prevent it from burning.

Despite her efforts, the first batch was a bit overcooked on the edges.

Learning from that, she adjusted the fire for the second batch and got the timing right.

For lunch, the couple had a simple meal of cabbage and egg noodles with a bit of pork lard.

Qin Fang found it delicious, even better than what he had eaten before joining the army.

Noticing that Yang Haiyan ate sparingly, he encouraged her, “You should eat more.”

Yang Haiyan responded, “This is just the right amount for me. If I eat too much, I’ll feel bloated and uncomfortable.”

Seeing that she had her reasons, Qin Fang didn’t press the matter.

After lunch, Qin Fang washed vegetables in the courtyard, while Yang Haiyan continued baking in the kitchen.

She sliced the cake into pieces about the size of those sold at the pastry shop, and the cookies came in various shapes—round, rectangular, square, and triangular—using small molds she had on hand.

Once the cake and cookies were done, Yang Haiyan moved on to making yellow bean cakes, similar to pumpkin cakes but filled with yellow bean paste.

After shaping them, she fried them in oil until they were golden and crispy.

As Qin Fang washed vegetables, his mind kept drifting back to the kitchen, but it wasn’t the food that occupied his thoughts.

Instead, he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman making the food.

When Qin Fang finished washing the vegetables and brought them inside, Yang Haiyan had just finished preparing the treats.

The table was laid with oil paper and small red cloth bags.

“What are those for?” Qin Fang asked.

“These are wedding pastries. When people get married, they give out wedding candies and cakes. We’ll use these. I’ll wrap them in oil paper and put them in these little red bags for a festive touch. What do you think?” Yang Haiyan explained.

The red cloth bags were small and only cost 15 coins for the lot, so they didn’t break the bank.

“It’s great,” Qin Fang said, impressed by her thoughtfulness and cleverness.

Yang Haiyan smiled and beckoned him over.

When Qin Fang approached, she bent slightly and held out a yellow bean cake. “Husband, you worked hard washing the vegetables. Here’s your reward—eat up.”

Hearing her sweet words, Qin Fang couldn’t help but smile.

He took a bite of the yellow bean cake, thinking, She’ll kiss me and feed me. Life is good.