Chapter 18 (Cake (Part 2)..)

Mid-Afternoon

Dongdong was brought home by Xiao Huaiwu and Xiao Huaiting, who finally got some time to rest.

The three walked in sync, each with their hands behind their back. The young man in black had a slightly laid-back style that added a hint of casualness to his elegance.

The woman had the same posture but looked more confident and bold.

While talking to the young man, she kept watching her son on the other side, noticing he was imitating them. She smiled slightly at his adorable attempt to copy them.

Dongdong, unaware of his own cuteness, tried his best to mimic the adults, causing the doorman to chuckle quietly.

Suddenly, Xiao Huaiwu sniffed the air and noticed a unique aroma: “What’s that smell?”

The sweet scent made her think of delicious treats, and she couldn’t keep walking.

Xiao Huaiting noticed it too and was about to explain.

Dongdong also caught a whiff, and his eyes lit up. He excitedly ran towards the source, yelling: “Sister Shu! What yummy thing did you make this time?!”

His sudden shout startled Xiao Huaiwu, who remained calm even around thieves. She looked shocked: “Dongdong, what’s gotten into you?”

The child had already turned the corner and disappeared.

Xiao Huaiting chuckled: “I told you sister’s a great cook. Dongdong loves her cooking! You’ve tried it too, remember?”

Recently, Xiao Huaiwu had been busy with work, and only met Yan Qiushu briefly. Though she had tasted her food and found it delicious, she didn’t realize Dongdong would be this excited.

“Of course, I remember. I didn’t expect him to like her this much.” She smiled helplessly. Out of curiosity and driven by the aroma, she hurried to catch up with her son. “Since I’m back, I’ll join you and try my stepsister’s cooking.”

Xiao Huaiting, who was also tempted by the smell, quickly followed. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to go alone, but it was fine if he went with his sister and nephew.

As they walked, the fragrance grew stronger the closer they got to the yard.

By the time they reached the door, the aroma was almost dizzying.

Dongdong had already reached Yan Qiushu, who was in a light blue dress and busy at the stove. He hugged her while bouncing with excitement: “Sister Shu! What are you making that smells so good?”

Yan Qiushu was trimming the edges of a cake roll with a silver knife, neatly slicing the harder parts. Startled by the hug, she quickly relaxed and scolded, “Back off! Didn’t you say you wouldn’t touch me while I’m holding a knife?!”

“Oh~” Dongdong stepped back obediently and asked in a sweet voice: “Sister Shu~ It smells so good, what is it?”

Seeing him so well-behaved and clingy made Xiao Huaiwu, who thought her son was usually shy, raise an eyebrow but stay silent.

“This is called a cake roll,” Yan Qiushu replied with a smile, unaware that others had arrived behind her. She gave a piece of cake to Dongdong: “Try it first. Is it good?”

Even without jam, the cake was sweet and soft.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, pastries came in both hard and soft varieties. The more expensive ones had a better taste. However, cakes like this, which were soft yet light, didn’t exist. It was fluffier than steamed buns but less crumbly than regular pastries, and even the trimmings were sweet.

Dongdong ate with joy, nodding repeatedly: “It’s delicious!”

Yan Qiushu raised an eyebrow and said, “Of course it’s good. I added a lot of sugar.”

Sugar was very expensive. This was her first time using so much, and she saw Aunt Xu’s pained expression when she did. She had casually asked about the prices and was also shocked. One tael of sugar cost one tael of silver.

She whispered with a sigh of relief, “If I wasn’t here, I couldn’t afford it. Thankfully, here I can eat whatever I want. Your uncle is really kind.”

She had been brought into the Xiao family, acknowledged as a sister, and provided with food and shelter. She could even save money to buy a farm!

She smiled while shaking her head, then picked up three leftover pieces, giving one to Aunt Xu, one for herself, and saving one for washing utensils.

When she gave the cake to Aunt Xu, the woman kept blinking, as if there was sand in her eyes. Yan Qiushu didn’t think much of it and simply rubbed her own eyes.

Just as she was about to put her piece in her mouth and reach for the peach jam, she turned and saw two people standing behind her. Both of them were smiling, arms crossed. They had similar faces with beautiful eyes and brows—one was more handsome while the other looked softer.

They didn’t seem angry; in fact, they had amused expressions. But being caught talking about people, good or bad, is always embarrassing.

Yan Qiushu was stunned, and her face turned bright red. Her mind went blank, and trying to ease her embarrassment, she instinctively offered the cake she was holding. Stammering, she asked, “Would you like to eat it?”

Since Xiao Huaiting was a bit closer, she handed it to him. What she didn’t realize was that her gesture made both of them feel slightly awkward now.

She didn’t actually intend to eat it herself; her action was out of habit. However, during this era, sharing food directly like this between unmarried people could be seen as inappropriate. Even though the two weren’t real siblings, their bond didn’t allow for this kind of gesture.

The atmosphere froze. Yan Qiushu got confused and worried. Were they angry because she seemed to be taking advantage of them? Her hand instinctively started pulling back.

Her large, watery eyes looked frightened like a startled deer, making her round face appear both agile and a bit helpless.

Just then, three hands reached out at the same time. Dongdong’s cheerful voice broke the silence: “If little uncle doesn’t eat it, I will!”

But Xiao Huaiting was quicker. He took it, put it in his mouth, chewed elegantly, and grinned, “Who said I wouldn’t eat it?! It’s delicious, so sweet!”

Dongdong got upset that he didn’t get to eat it and pouted.

Xiao Huaiting found this funny and playfully pinched his cheeks.

Xiao Huaiwu watched them play, smiling slightly. She turned to Yan Qiushu, who was still nervous, and reassured her, “Dongdong’s a bit naughty sometimes. If he causes trouble, don’t hesitate to teach him a lesson. I’ve done it many times before.”

“No, no, he’s very cute. I like him a lot!” Yan Qiushu shook her head and offered the last piece of cake to Xiao Huaiwu. “Miss Fourth, would you like to try? The cake rolls will be ready soon.”

“Alright,” Xiao Huaiwu accepted the cake this time. After tasting it, she saw her brother and son playing around nearby.

Yan Qiushu returned to the stove to spread sauce on the cake. The peach jam was a pretty pink color. She carefully spread it on the light yellow cake, rolled it up, and sliced it into finger-sized pieces.

Aunt Xu placed the slices neatly on a plate, arranging six pieces in a stack.

To save effort later, they prepared multiple plates to serve the whole household.

After washing her hands, Yan Qiushu joined Dongdong, Xiao Huaiting, and Xiao Huaiwu at a stone table in the yard to enjoy the food.

The cake rolls were served on a round pink plate. The soft yellow cake, rolled three times with the pink jam, formed plump circles lying side-by-side. The presentation alone looked very appealing.

Seeing that everyone was just staring, Yan Qiushu urged, “Eat quickly, they taste best when warm!”

Everyone took a piece. Dongdong waited for his mother to take hers before reaching for his, while Yan Qiushu took a piece last. The cake roll was still warm, releasing waves of sweet milky aroma that was irresistible. She took a big bite, biting off a semicircular chunk.

Except for the slightly tougher edges, the rest of the cake was soft and sweet. The moment the cake touched her lips, she could taste the peach jam on her tongue.

She hadn’t used too much sugar in the jam to keep it balanced. The high-heat cooking concentrated the sweetness while keeping a hint of tartness. There were bits of peach flesh too, which gave it a fresh, juicy feel.

Since the cake roll was a bit big, Yan Qiushu couldn’t eat it all at once. She ended up with peach jam on her lips and quickly licked it off with her tongue.

It was sweet but so tasty!

Besides Yan Qiushu, Dongdong was also loving the food. He finished a piece in just a few bites and even licked the remaining jam off his fingers. Then he blinked at her and asked, “Sister Shu, can I have another piece~?”

“Go ahead,” Yan Qiushu replied, but added, “This is your last piece. Any more and your teeth will get cavities.”

“Okay!” Dongdong nodded eagerly and grabbed another piece.

This one was even better than the dessert he had earlier!

However, Xiao Huaiting and Xiao Huaiwu didn’t seem as keen. After eating one piece, they didn’t reach for seconds. Realizing it was too sweet for them, Yan Qiushu quickly asked for tea to be served. “Have some tea; it’ll help.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Huaiwu replied and explained gently, “The cake is delicious, but I don’t usually eat sweets.”

Yan Qiushu understood and smiled, “Got it. General Xiao’s probably the same. Next time, I’ll make you some without peach jam.”

When she smiled, her eyes curved up, looking cute and confident.

At this moment, Xiao Huaiting looked at Yan Qiushu and felt happy. He smiled but quickly looked away and took a sip of tea.

Xiao Huaiwu didn’t notice this. When she heard they would get a separate cake that wasn’t too sweet, her already happy mood got even better. “I was a bit embarrassed at first, but Miss Yan makes delicious things, so I agreed. I also have some items for little girls; I’ll send them to you later…”

“No, no, I have everything I need at home,” Yan Qiushu quickly refused. Although she thought that cooking here was good because it saved money, having to accept gifts felt like a burden to her.

“Yes!” Xiao Huaiwu insisted. “If you feel bad, just cook me more delicious food. Those spicy chicken wings were amazing!”

At that moment, Dongdong, who just finished his second piece of cake roll, raised his hand excitedly and said, “Sister Shu, I also have many good things for you. I want to have a piece…”

Noticing Yan Qiushu looking at him, he added in a quieter voice, “You can eat it next time.”