Chapter 100: Fragrant Milk Buns and Zhou Sinian’s Fear!

After a restful night, Ming Dai rolled around on the large bed a few times before finally getting up.

After washing up, she went downstairs and saw Zhou Sinian already sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast.

The stir-fried noodles at home had run out, and Ming Dai hadn’t had the chance to make a new batch. So, Zhou Sinian had prepared a bowl of milk powder mixed with water for himself, leaving a white mustache on his lips.

When he saw Ming Dai coming down, he got up and poured a bowl for her as well.

The quality of milk powder at that time was truly good. In just a short while, a layer of milk skin formed on the surface of the bowl.

Ming Dai didn’t like eating it, so she picked it out and gave it to Zhou Sinian. He gladly accepted it.

The eggs had been boiled by Zhou Sinian earlier and were already peeled and placed neatly on a plate.

Ming Dai took an egg, dipped it in sesame salt, and ate it while glancing at the milk powder. An idea came to her—she could steam some fragrant milk buns.

After breakfast, she took Zhou Sinian to check on the sweet potato vines.

When the vines first started growing, they had taken the rooted ones and replanted them. Now, a large patch of sweet potato leaves covered the ground densely.

The two of them flipped the vines in one direction to prevent them from taking root uncontrollably, ensuring that they wouldn’t grow only vines without producing tubers.

For areas where the vines were too lush, they trimmed them at the growth points, gathering the cuttings to feed the little goats and the silly roe deer.

Zhou Sinian worked diligently, unlike Ming Dai, who was more haphazard. He even found her work unsatisfactory and muttered complaints as he followed behind her, fixing what she had done.

Ming Dai looked at the messy sweet potato vines she had just turned over, then compared them to Zhou Sinian’s neatly arranged ones, and felt a little embarrassed.

Zhou Sinian seemed to have an obsessive need for order. Not only did he arrange the sweet potato vines meticulously, but he even braided them into neat green plaits using a wheat ear stitch he had learned from knitting.

Seeing this, Ming Dai simply stood up and instructed him, “I’m going to knead the dough and steam some buns. You finish flipping the vines, and feed the trimmed ones to the goats and the roe deer. Don’t feed them all at once—save some so we can stir-fry and eat them later.”

Zhou Sinian kept his hands busy, continuing to braid the vines while his eyes drifted toward the silly roe deer frolicking nearby. “Alright, I still want to eat roe deer.”

Ming Dai thought for a moment. “Then I’ll make some braised venison.”

Zhou Sinian nodded happily.

In the kitchen, Ming Dai took out the flour and poured it into the stand mixer. She added half a bag of milk powder, a few spoonfuls of sugar, and a spoonful of yeast. After adding water, she turned on the machine to knead the dough.

While waiting, she went to the storage room and found two bags of red bean paste, planning to make some bean-filled steamed buns as well.

The stand mixer was truly a great invention—before long, the dough was ready.

Ming Dai divided it into small portions and rolled them into smooth balls on the countertop. Half of them were placed directly into the steamer to proof, while the other half were filled with red bean paste. She marked the stuffed buns with a small red dot using red yeast powder.

Before the first batch of milk buns was even done steaming, a rich, milky aroma began spreading through the house.

Zhou Sinian caught the scent and rushed into the kitchen without even bothering to change his shoes. Barefoot, he ran straight to the steamer, staring at it eagerly, itching to open the lid.

Ming Dai, who was in the middle of wrapping a bean bun, quickly stopped him. “No, you’ll burn yourself! Wait five more minutes before opening it. Go put on your shoes first.”

Reluctantly, Zhou Sinian kept his eyes on the steamer. He touched the outside of it, only to get burned, quickly pulling his hand back. Then, he shifted his attention to the red bean paste in Ming Dai’s hands.

“What’s that?”

Ming Dai found his curious expression adorable. “Red bean paste. Go put on your shoes, wash your hands, and bring a bowl. I’ll scoop some for you to try. It’s sweet and really delicious.”

Zhou Sinian’s eyes lit up with excitement. He dashed off, quickly slipping on his slippers and washing his hands in the bathroom before returning with his personal bowl.

Ming Dai scooped two spoonfuls of red bean paste into his bowl, added some milk powder, and mixed it with hot water. “Drink this first. The steamed buns will be ready soon.”

Zhou Sinian took a sip, and in an instant, he was completely captivated by the unique taste.

Ming Dai watched as Zhou Sinian drank with his head lowered, completely focused, and couldn’t resist pouring herself a bowl as well.

She gently stirred the mixture and took a sip.

The smooth texture of the red bean paste combined with the sweet fragrance of the milk powder blended perfectly with the hot water, creating a flavor reminiscent of red bean milk tea.

Ming Dai suddenly found herself missing the various milk teas from her past life, especially the taro boba. A warm cup in winter—it was pure happiness!

She couldn’t help but voice her thoughts out loud, and Zhou Sinian happened to catch it.

“Taro boba? Is that your relative? What kind of name is that?”

Ming Dai was surprised. “You know what ‘boba’ means?”

Zhou Sinian stirred the bottom of his bowl, letting the red bean paste swirl up. “I may be a little crazy, but I’m not stupid.”

Ming Dai stood up excitedly. “Did you remember something?”

Zhou Sinian shook his head. “No, I just have more moments of clarity now—like right now.”

Ming Dai observed him carefully. He had seemed a little different ever since they were in town.

She had him stretch out his hand and took his pulse again.

“Not bad! These past few months of medicine weren’t in vain. There’s finally some progress!

I’ll adjust your prescription again. Once your body can fully handle it, we’ll start acupuncture treatment.”

Zhou Sinian instinctively backed away, clutching his bowl. “Acupuncture? With needles?”

Ming Dai rolled her eyes. “Of course. Acupuncture is acupuncture—it obviously involves needles.”

Zhou Sinian looked at Ming Dai like she was the Big Bad Wolf in disguise. “Does it hurt?”

Ming Dai teased him, “That depends on whether you behave or not. If you’re good, it won’t hurt. If you’re not, then it will.”

Zhou Sinian stared at her silently for a moment, then sat back down, hugging his bowl. “You’re lying to me.”

Tsk, tsk—he wasn’t so easy to fool anymore!

Ming Dai curiously asked him, “How do you feel now? Do you really not remember anything from before?”

Zhou Sinian shook his head blankly. “I don’t remember. Nothing at all. Trying too hard to recall… it hurts.”

He pointed to the dent on his head, his face turning a shade paler.

Ming Dai stopped him. “If it hurts, don’t force yourself. Take your time.”

Zhou Sinian sniffed. “Five minutes are up.”

Ming Dai checked the time—it really was.

As the steamer was opened, the rich aroma of milk mixed with wheat burst out. Both of them took a deep breath in unison.

One by one, the milky white steamed buns were taken out and placed in the basket to cool.

Zhou Sinian picked one up, quickly tossing it between his hands as the heat stung his fingers, yet he refused to put it down.

Once it wasn’t as hot anymore, he split it in half, stuffed one part into his mouth, and handed the other half to Ming Dai.

Ming Dai looked at him approvingly. He was being considerate now, knowing how to share. If it were before, he would have stuffed the whole thing into his own mouth.

Ming Dai took the bun, giving it a little squeeze—it was soft and bouncy.

She blew on it, took a bite, and squinted her eyes in bliss. It was delicious!

The second batch, filled with red bean paste, was placed into the steamer. Meanwhile, a corner of the basket had already been emptied.

Ming Dai had made the buns quite small. Zhou Sinian might not be able to eat one in a single bite, but a bite and a half would be no problem.

“Eat less for now. The next batch has red bean filling. If you’re full, you won’t have room for them.”

Zhou Sinian swallowed the piece in his mouth and shook his head seriously. “I won’t. I’ve already saved space for them!”

Ming Dai teased, “Good thing I’m the one taking care of you. Anywhere else, you’d eat someone out of house and home.”

Zhou Sinian froze, his hand holding the bun pausing mid-air. His entire body tensed up.

He gave Ming Dai a slightly uneasy smile. “I can eat a little less…”

Ming Dai was stunned by the intense nervousness and unease in his eyes. She stood frozen, unable to say a word.

Zhou Sinian, however, misunderstood. He gently placed the bun back down and looked at her with wide eyes. “I won’t eat anymore. Ming Dai, don’t be mad.”

He was more clear-headed now and understood how difficult times were. Just having enough to eat was already a luxury. If Ming Dai hadn’t been taking care of him, he would still be lying on a cold brick bed, just like in past years—enduring hunger and weakly waiting for spring to arrive.

Ming Dai’s eyes turned red. She quickly shook her head and lifted the entire basket of buns, stuffing it into his arms. “I’m not mad! Eat as much as you want. We have plenty!”

Zhou Sinian looked down at the basket in his arms, feeling a little shy. He reached out and gently squeezed one of the soft buns before giving Ming Dai a sincere smile. “Ming Dai, you’re so kind!”

Ming Dai sniffled. “You are too. You’ve helped me with so much work!”

Zhou Sinian proudly puffed out his chest. “I can work! I can do a lot of work! Ming Dai, I will work hard. The old man said that working earns me food. If I do more, we can eat together.”

Looking at how proud he was, Ming Dai’s heart softened completely. She nodded seriously. “Alright!”

Only then did Zhou Sinian feel reassured. He popped a small bun into his mouth, chewing slowly. It tasted so good!

Ming Dai watched as he squinted his eyes in satisfaction. In this unfamiliar world inside a book, having someone who looked at her with such trust and dependence… it felt nice.

In both her past and present life, there had never been someone like this by her side. Being trusted and relied on was a wonderful feeling.

Although… right now, she did feel a bit like she was raising a child. But Zhou Sinian was definitely the most thoughtful, lovable big baby!