Once everything was ready, the dough had just about finished rising too, so it was the perfect time to start rolling out the wrappers.

The couple busied themselves in the kitchen, and very soon they had wrapped dozens of buns and put them into the steamer. By then the congee was almost done as well; it just needed to simmer a bit longer.

When Mr. Mu and the others woke up, a delicious smell was already drifting out from the kitchen. He couldn’t help striding toward it and asking, "Xue’er, what did you make for breakfast? Smells amazing!"

"Mr. Mu, you’re up!" Jiang Xue walked out with a smile and said, "I made buns today, they’ll be ready to eat in a bit."

"Buns, huh? I heard Little Reunion likes them."

"Yeah, Little Reunion really loves buns. You should try some later too. If you like them, eat a few more. If not, I’ll make you something else."

"Alright then, I’ll have to try the buns you made, Xue’er."

Mu Qiancheng watched Mr. Mu leave the kitchen, then finally reached out again and wrapped his arms around Jiang Xue’s waist. Luckily Mr. Mu had called out first just now, or he would’ve seen them.

Ten-plus minutes later, the buns were done. Jiang Xue asked Mu Qiancheng to bring out a plate, then picked the buns up and put them on it for him to carry out.

After that, She ladled the congee into bowls and carried them out of the kitchen.

Once breakfast was all set on the table, Jiang Xue didn’t sit down to eat. Instead, she turned and went back to the bedroom to see if Little Reunion was awake. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

When she walked in, Little Reunion was already awake, playing by himself on the bed. Seeing her son awake, Jiang Xue smiled, picked him up, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

After kissing him, she helped him change his clothes, then carried him out.

When Little Reunion was carried over to the table and saw the plate of buns, he instantly lit up with excitement. He hadn’t had buns in a long time and had been craving them badly.

Jiang Xue took one bun and put it into Little Reunion’s hands. As soon as he got it, he started gnawing away. A bun as big as his little fist was gone in just a few bites.

Then Jiang Xue gave him another one, which he quickly finished as well. After that, Little Reunion wanted more, but Jiang Xue wouldn’t give him another. Two big buns were already a lot; any more and he’d be stuffed.

With no more buns to eat, Little Reunion was a bit unhappy and started kicking his legs, about to throw a tantrum, but Mu Qiancheng shot him a look and said, "You can have more next meal."

With that, Mu Qiancheng set a bowl of cooled congee in front of Little Reunion. Eating congee while staring at the buns, Little Reunion’s mouth puckered, but in the end he didn’t cry.

Plus, after a few spoonfuls of congee, his little belly was already quite full, so he stopped fussing about wanting more. And since Mu Qiancheng had just said he could have more next meal, he decided to hold out for that.

Last night Mu Qiancheng had already said he wanted to take Jiang Xue out, so after breakfast, they said a quick goodbye to Mr. Mu and left.

Because they might be out all day, once they were gone, Mr. Mu didn’t stay home either and went back to his own place.

Yesterday Mu Qiancheng had taken Jiang Xue to stroll around the Imperial City; today he planned to take her farther out, to wander through Beijing’s old courtyard houses—the so‑called siheyuan.

He just hadn’t expected that over there he would run into someone from the past—someone who was, of all things, a love rival.

When Jiang Xue saw the man standing in front of her, she froze, unable to react for quite a while.