Chapter 108: Snowy Night: Roasted Liquor and Baked Steamed Bun

Mu Nan Zhao's expression stiffened; he just knew He Jinglan's letter was problematic.

He extended his hand to warm himself by the fire without changing expression, "Do you also believe those rumors spread by word of mouth?"

"I just don't like lively crowds."

Gu Xixi stared at him with a half-smile, "Really, you just don't like the hustle? But I've heard……"

In He Jinglan's letter, it was written that, since mentioning the Lantern Festival, she also had related anecdotes.

Because Mu Nan Zhao had a good background and good looks, when he placed as Top Scholar, several families vying for sons-in-law nearly came to blows.

Fortunately, the Mu family had some standing; they announced outwardly that Mu Nan Zhao would focus on his official career and not consider marriage for the time being, so the competition among families to marry off their daughters finally came to an end.

Afterwards, Mu Nan Zhao's official career went smoothly; he quickly gained the emperor's favor and was promoted three ranks in a short time.

He was indeed elated, like oil on a blazing fire.

Consequently, he earned the nickname "First Young Master of the Great Undertaking Dynasty."

As the dream lover of all unmarried young ladies in the capital, it is said that Mu Nan Zhao once, on a Lantern Festival night, had just stepped out of his mansion's main gate.

Handkerchiefs expressing admiration, plucked orchid blossoms, poem papers hanging with sandalwood beads, citrons, honey tangerines, and the like were immediately thrown at him like raindrops.

One girl, having only a freshly bought large pear, threw it in desperation.

Fortunately, the guards acted quickly, so Mu Nan Zhao's head avoided injury.

Thus, Official Mu went out no more than a hundred meters before turning back to his residence.

After that, during every Lantern Festival, no matter how many people strained to see, no one could ever again witness Official Mu's peerless grace.

Gu Xixi took a sip of hot wine and laughed sighingly, "Too bad I came too late."

"Otherwise I would really like to see this bustle with my own eyes."

"Coming too late?" Mu Nan Zhao thought, her meaning must be that we met too late?

Feather-like snowflakes seemed to fall from a bottomless dark abyss, endless and boundless.

The two each wrapped themselves in thick cloaks and sat around the stove.

The charcoal in the stove burned bright red, dispelling the chill, carving out a small space belonging only to the two amidst the falling snow.

Gu Xixi broke off the darkened edges of the steamed bun, split them into two small pieces, and handed one to Mu Nan Zhao.

"You say rumors are baseless—could it be that you weren't nearly hit on the head by a huge pear?"

Mu Nan Zhao gazed at the falling snow, the corners of his mouth hinting at a smile, "Those, however, did indeed happen."

"But I didn't go to the lantern fair then, not because I was afraid, but because I suddenly found it both troublesome and boring."

"Remembering there was still a pile of documents in the study, I just went back."

Gu Xixi exclaimed in surprise, "That's all?"

Mu Nan Zhao ate roasted steamed bun for the first time.

Warm and crispy, it had a unique, pure wheat aroma after baking, and after chewing it left a sweet, lingering aftertaste.

It turned out to be unexpectedly delicious.

He couldn't help but relax his brows and eyes, saying, "Every Lantern Festival, the next morning I must resume court; the impeachment memorials against me have already piled up like a mountain, and there are also many people I need to deal with."

"So, rather than waste time going out, I'd rather prepare early."

"When I get to the court, I'll see those old fogeys who dislike me yet can do nothing about me."

"Then, because they are left speechless by my impeachments, they faint on the spot each year, and a few are carried out."

Mu Nan Zhao turned his head to look at Gu Xixi, "Isn't this far more interesting than some random lantern fair?"

Gu Xixi broke out in a cold sweat; this person truly has no shame about his terrible taste!

"How can the Lantern Festival be compared to what you just said? Are you allergic to elegance?"

Mu Nan Zhao neither affirmed nor denied, asking, "Is the steamed bun not done baking yet?"

Gu Xixi almost toppled over.

"This person! Just now he disparaged the simplicity, yet after one bite he fell in love so quickly?"

She picked up the roasted bun, it was hot so she passed it back and forth, hissing and exhaling, while explaining:

"You haven't eaten this before, right? There are two ways to eat it: one like we're doing now—bake a layer, break off a layer, and eat it bit by bit as a snack."

"The other way is to take the whole bun, bake the exterior golden yellow, slice it open horizontally, then while hot stuff it with braised meat, fried egg, stir-fried celery, radish strips… anything goes, but you must pack it full so the bun bulges, and that one bite is simply…"

"Gurgle…" The sound of his stomach growling in the quiet night was especially loud.

Gu Xixi turned to Mu Nan Zhao and puffed out a laugh, "First Young Master, you've lost your composure."

Mu Nan Zhao, however, showed no blush, "What's wrong with the First Young Master? Even a First Young Master can starve to death."

"Gu Xixi, it was you who called me out; you must take responsibility."

Gu Xixi shoved the freshly broken roasted bun into his hands, "Eat up."

Mu Nan Zhao, however, uncharacteristically became willful, "I'm not full; I still want to eat something else."

Gu Xixi recalled the last two pages of that letter, and asked good-naturedly, "What do you want to eat?"

Mu Nan Zhao put on a stern face, "Roasted steamed bun, with vegetables, with fried egg."

Gu Xixi: "……"

Facing a person who can't cook, she really wanted to give Mu Nan Zhao a hard knock on the head.

However, considering the circumstances, Gu Xixi could only endure; she gritted her teeth and went into the kitchen.

There were plenty of buns; she first took two and put them on to bake.

Then she rummaged through the cabinets, and after some fuss, she finally made two roasted buns stuffed with vegetables and egg.

Gu Xixi sat down and said, "The fried egg is a bit burnt; let's just make do."

The only side dish was pickled snow-region red stir-fried boiled soybeans; Aunt Zhang had made a lot, stored in jars to be eaten slowly.

Mu Nan Zhao wasn't picky either; he picked it up and took a bite, "Delicious."

Gu Xixi knew he was a cleanliness freak, so she teased him on purpose, saying, "The water's too cold—I just didn't wash my hands."

Mu Nan Zhao replied calmly, "It doesn't matter; during exile I've eaten all kinds of dirty things."

It was just a casually stated fact, but Gu Xixi felt her heart ache upon hearing it.

"Last time, regarding the County Magistrate's matter, you faced the enemy alone and told those words to the He siblings."

"Thank you."

Mu Nan Zhao's motion of eating the bun paused; he continued to bite, mumbling an affirmative.

Gu Xixi knew how much the ancients cared about having a whole corpse after death.

But Mu Nan Zhao had people mutilate his corpse, disfiguring and dismembering it.

All of this was so that, after his death, she wouldn't be investigated or implicated.

A long silence followed.

Mu Nan Zhao muttered displeasedly, "He Jinglan's big mouth has never changed since childhood."

Gu Xixi let out a light laugh.

"Jing Lan is concerned about you; she hopes I know the details so I can treat you better."

Mu Nan Zhao snorted coldly, "You've only known her a short while, yet you obey her in everything."

Gu Xixi frowned, "What are you talking about? When have I ever obeyed her in everything?"

Mu Nan Zhao stared straight ahead, not looking sideways, and said, "You know it yourself."

Gu Xixi was bewildered, but seeing the slight curve of Mu Nan Zhao's mouth, she understood and smiled.

It seems his mood is fine; the earlier unhappiness should be past.

Thus Gu Xixi drank deeply from her cup, emboldened by the wine, and bluntly asked, "Why have you been so courteous and distant toward me lately?"

Mu Nan Zhao denied it, "Gu Xixi, are you overthinking things, taking yourself too seriously?"