Chapter 34 : A Sharp Tongue but Honest Actions

Fang Xiaoluo went inside to drink a couple of sips of water when she suddenly remembered she had forgotten to check on the mystical spring water in her dimensional space that morning.  

When she looked, she was stunned.  

The jars she had swapped out earlier were nearly full.  

This confirmed something for her, every time she interacted with Shen Zheng, the spring water seemed to increase.  

The last time it had surged significantly was likely the day they registered their marriage.  

And now, the amount far exceeded her expectations. Could it be due to their deepening intimacy?  

Whatever the reason, having more spring water was undeniably a good thing.  

Fang Xiaoluo fetched a large bucket and gathered the water together, then set the jars back to collect more.  

After finishing that task, she noticed something remarkable, the dense mist around the spring had cleared slightly.  

The cleared area was small, only about a square meter, but it was enough to reveal rich, fertile black soil beneath.  

Excited, Fang Xiaoluo realized that marrying Shen Zheng not only increased the spring water but might also allow her to cultivate land in the space.  

Could she actually grow vegetables in there?  

Whether it would work or not, she had to try. It looked like she’d need to buy some seeds when she went back to visit her family tomorrow.  

Setting down her cup, she turned around and found two little “shadows” following her. Both Shen Jinxia and Shen Haiping were staring up at her.  

In her sweet, soft voice, Shen Jinxia asked, “Sister, are we going back to weeding?”  

Fang Xiaoluo stretched out her hands, taking one of each of their hands. “Yes, we’re going back to weeding. We haven’t finished yet.”  

She turned to Shen Haiping. “Haiping, do you want to join us?”  

Shen Haiping stayed silent, as if he didn’t understand her question.  

Fang Xiaoluo didn’t push him. Holding their hands, she led the two children back to the yard to continue weeding.  

Shen Jinxia worked energetically, her little face smudged with dirt but still beaming with a bright smile.  

Shen Haiping watched Fang Xiaoluo’s movements, then squatted down and started pulling weeds as well.  

Fang Xiaoluo praised them, “Haiping and Jinxia are both amazing. We’ll have meat buns for lunch!”  

Shen Haiping didn’t seem to catch everything she said, but he perked up at the mention of ‘meat buns’.  

“Meat buns?” he repeated.  

Fang Xiaoluo nodded. “Yes, meat buns.”  

At that moment, Shen Haifeng walked into the yard and saw the scene. He snorted. “Two traitors, letting yourselves be bribed by meat buns.”  

Zheng Lanhua, who had been standing up with a hand on her waist, agreed. “Exactly! Haifeng, you need to stay firm. We absolutely won’t eat anything that woman makes.”  

Shen Haifeng nodded resolutely. “Grandma, I’ll only eat what you cook. Who knows what that woman is up to?”  

Zheng Lanhua squinted at Fang Xiaoluo’s beautiful face but didn’t say more. She simply turned to hang the laundry.  

By the time Fang Xiaoluo finished weeding the yard, it was almost time to prepare lunch.  

She fetched water and told Shen Haiping and Shen Jinxia to wash their hands and faces properly. After cleaning her own hands, she got ready to knead the dough.  

Shen Haiping and Shen Jinxia seemed eager to follow her into the kitchen, but Shen Haifeng blocked their way.  

“Have you two forgotten how the stepmother from that other house treated us?” he asked.  

Shen Haiping didn’t appear to hear him, his gaze fixed on Fang Xiaoluo’s retreating figure.  

Shen Jinxia bit her finger, frowning as she spoke hesitantly. “But, big brother, the last stepmother didn’t let us eat, and she hit us. She was mean every single day. Xiaoluo Sister is so nice, she smiles at us and gives us yummy food.”  

Shen Haifeng snorted, “What do you know? It’s all part of her scheme. She’s just trying to make Dad think she’s so capable, winning you two over so she can become the real mistress of this house. Then she’ll kick us all out!”  

Shen Jinxia, unable to process such a complex plot, hesitated and said, “But… I just think she’s really nice.”  

Shen Haifeng poked her on the forehead. “Wait until she starts hitting you, then we’ll see if you still think she’s nice!”  

Meanwhile, Fang Xiaoluo was busy in the kitchen, kneading dough, preparing the filling, and wrapping buns.  

Before long, the steamer tray was neatly lined with round, plump buns. The folds on each bun were even, and they looked perfect.  

Once all the buns were wrapped, Fang Xiaoluo lit the fire and set water to boil.  

Cooking with a large pot had its advantages, all the buns could fit into one batch.  

As soon as the water boiled, she placed the buns on the steamer rack. Before long, the savory aroma of meat buns filled the air.  

Right on time, Fang Xiaoluo turned off the heat and let the buns rest for two minutes. Then she lifted the lid, revealing rows of white, fluffy buns, round and steaming.  

She carefully transferred the buns into a large basin.  

While they were still hot, she broke one open. The juices from the meat filling oozed out, blending with the wheaty aroma of the soft dough. The smell was irresistible.  

Taking a bite, Fang Xiaoluo savored the flavor and felt immensely satisfied with her work.  

After finishing one, she picked up the basin of buns and prepared to head outside. Just as she turned, Zheng Lanhua walked into the kitchen, ready to start making lunch.  

Fang Xiaoluo seized the moment, grabbing a bun and pressing it to Zheng Lanhua’s lips.  

Startled, Zheng Lanhua jumped back. “What are you doing? You almost burned me!”  

“Mom, look at you. How could I have burned you? It was you who leaned into my bun,” Fang Xiaoluo teased. “Forget it, though. Your saliva’s on it now. If you don’t eat it, I’ll have to throw it away.”  

With that, she walked out.  

The kitchen was still filled with the fragrant aroma of meat buns. Zheng Lanhua stared at the bun in her hand, swallowing hard.  

It really did smell incredible. That woman was clearly trying to force her to eat it.  

But how could she let something this good go to waste? That would be such a shame.  

After a brief internal struggle, Zheng Lanhua finally took a bite. Just one bite, and she was amazed. The thin skin, the generous filling, the fluffy dough, and the savory meat, all of it combined into a rich, delicious flavor that filled her mouth. She couldn’t stop herself from taking another bite, then another.  

She couldn’t help but wonder about Fang Xiaoluo’s cooking skills. If these buns were this good, how much better must the seemingly simple yet heavenly-smelling dishes she’d made yesterday have been?  

Why did her own cooking never taste like this?  

These buns were better than anything from the cafeteria or even restaurants outside. Now she didn’t even feel like cooking anymore.  

Quickly regaining her composure, she resolved not to eat any more buns. She called out, “Haifeng!”  

Shen Haifeng ran in quickly. “Yes, Grandma?”  

Zheng Lanhua stuffed the half-eaten bun into his hands. “It fell on the floor, so I picked it up.”  

Shen Haifeng stared at the bun. “Grandma, if I eat this, does it count as betraying us?”  

“Of course not,” Zheng Lanhua replied matter-of-factly. “I picked it up. She didn’t want it and was going to throw it away.”  

That made sense to Shen Haifeng, who took a bite. The moment the bun entered his mouth, he froze.  

What was this heavenly taste? Was it really something he was allowed to eat?  

The bun was so delicious that he wished he could swallow his tongue along with it.  

In just a few bites, he had devoured the rest of the bun, and yet he still wanted more.  

Across the yard, Shen Haiping and Shen Jinxia were each holding a large meat bun, their faces smeared with grease as they ate happily.  

Shen Haifeng smacked his lips and rubbed his stomach.

No wonder both of them rebelled. Who could resist this?