Chapter 31: I wish to provide enlightenment for the children; is this feasible?

Cheng Yuan picked up a knife and sliced the cake base horizontally into three layers, then used chopsticks to spread a thick layer of orange jam over the exterior and between the layers.

As Cheng Yuan turned to fetch the cream, she suddenly heard Xie Yanzhi muttering to himself, "What a strange way to do things. Don't waste such good ingredients..."

Cheng Yuan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She washed the knife and, as if smoothing plaster, spread the cream evenly.

Xie Yanzhi was like an ant on a hot pan, swallowing his saliva repeatedly; he possessed not a shred of the poise expected of a young nobleman. Cheng Yuan smiled faintly. Under his anxious gaze, she placed a few orange slices and leaves on top as a garnish before saying, "It's ready."

The mandarin orange stump cake in front of her was about six inches wide. She washed the knife again and measured how to slice it.

When the first piece was cut, Xie Yanzhi reached out to grab it, but Cheng Yuan pulled it away and moved toward Xie Changzhi.

"Oh? Someone just said not to waste ingredients. This first piece should go to Changzhi, lest I poison you."

Cheng Yuan smiled and handed it to Xie Changzhi. "Tell me if you want more."

The woman's sweet fragrance mingled with the aroma of the cake. Xie Changzhi, too busy to retort, blushed as he thanked her, took the piece, and ran to a small wooden stool in the corner to eat.

Xie Yanzhi was choked with frustration but could find no words to argue. As the second piece was cut, he raised his hand. "This one must surely..."

Cheng Yuan looked at him strangely. "Am I not going to eat?"

She sliced piece by piece, muttering slowly, and every time Xie Yanzhi’s hopes rose, she would say, "This one is for Mother, this one... is for Hu'er, then for... Uncle, and here is He'er's..."

In the pauses of her words, Xie Changzhi interjected, "Cheng Yuan, your hands are truly clever. This treat is refreshing and sweet; the flavor lingers on the lips and teeth."

Xie Yanzhi grew even more desperate. "I was wrong! I shouldn't have said those things to you earlier. Miss Cheng Yuan, dear Cheng Yuan, let me have just one bite!"

Though it is said that a man has gold under his knees—implying he should not easily kneel—looking at Xie Yanzhi, one couldn't be certain he wouldn't do exactly that if it meant securing a taste of the food before him!

Cheng Yuan felt satisfied and handed him a portion.

"Later, go call your father over to have some cake as well."

"Cake? This food is called cake? It’s actually more delicious than the desserts made by Chef Zhang in the Imperial Kitchen!"

Xie Yanzhi had originally just been greedy, wanting to try anything edible, but the moment the cake touched his tongue, it completely conquered the young master.

He ended up finishing the last few bites with tears in his eyes.

"If it weren't for my foolish father insisting on his 'death-defying remonstrance,' I wouldn't have to suffer like this! On this road of exile, we can't even get a mouthful of hot soup!"

Cheng Yuan’s ears twitched, and she looked toward Xie Changzhi.

He was sitting under a small window, the soft light streaming in, illuminating the fine fuzz on his face. He was eating in tiny bites, holding each one in his mouth for a long time before swallowing.

Seeming to sense Cheng Yuan’s gaze, he stiffly lifted his head. Seeing the smile at the corners of her mouth, he turned bright red from his ears down to his neck.

Before he could speak, Cheng Yuan said, "Do you think there would be a market for this if I sold it in the county town?"

"Of course! It’s so delicious, it wouldn't be the least bit inferior even if placed in a shop specializing in pastries!"

Xie Yanzhi agreed almost instantly. He was secretly licking his chopsticks, his eyes constantly drifting toward the remaining cake, yet he forced himself to look away, remembering that others had yet to eat.

Cheng Yuan felt a surge of joy and looked toward Xie Changzhi. However, she noticed he was frowning.

"We are currently in a year of snow disaster. The common people might prefer to spend their money on low-cost grains to fill their stomachs. This cake requires expensive ingredients; if you want to make a profit, the price cannot be set low."

His words were tactful, but Cheng Yuan understood.

This cake had no market among the lower classes, and if she wanted to sell it to the wealthy, she—a simple farm girl—lacked the connections.

Cheng Yuan tightened her grip on her chopsticks.

Xie Yanzhi spoke up again, sounding puzzled. "Why is that difficult? For such exquisite and novel little desserts, you only need to find one lady of a noble household. Once she promotes them to her sisters, your sweets will become the rage in just a few days."

"But given our family's circumstances, finding a sheltered young lady is difficult, oh."

Xie Yanzhi looked around at the uneven mud floor, shook his head in disgust, and walked out of the kitchen.

However, Cheng Yuan pinched the corner of her sleeve, a flicker of joy appearing in her eyes.

Xie Changzhi had learned to read people from a young age, and he could tell that Cheng Yuan was in a good mood.

"Cheng Yuan, if there is any way I can be of help, just say the word." He stared at her intently.

Cheng Yuan smiled and patted his shoulder.

After distributing the cake to the others—except for Jiang He, who still refused to eat—Cheng Yuan received universal acclaim.

Xie Changzhi stayed behind to clean the kitchen. Cheng Yuan grabbed the portion intended for Jiang He from Xie Yanzhi and placed it in front of her.

She didn't say much, merely recounted what the Jiang family had done, and finally said, "If you don't want to live, I will send you home."

With that, she walked out.

The door remained tightly shut, and the small figure curled up even tighter.

"Miss Yuan."

Just as Cheng Yuan was about to step outside, a voice called her.

She turned back to see it was Xie Tingyun. He seemed to have pulled an all-nighter; his eyes were ringed with dark circles, but his gaze was bright.

Cheng Yuan noticed he was holding a small abacus.

Xie Tingyun caught her gaze, a hint of latent pride in his eyes. "I made this myself."

Cheng Yuan felt even more surprised. "What does Mr. Xie want with me? I hope this isn't a case of 'there is no silver buried here' (protesting too much)."

It wasn't that she was being malicious; her impression of Xie Tingyun was that of a haughty, pedantic scholar, and a profoundly biased father to boot.

Xie Tingyun’s expression shifted for a moment, but he forced a smile. "I would like to strike a bargain with you. You see, our courtyard is quite large. The left side is piled with firewood, but the right side is empty. Could you let me use it? I could teach the village children, provide them with some basic schooling..."

Cheng Yuan thought she had misheard. Her look of utter shock did not escape Xie Tingyun’s eyes.

He chuckled dryly. "Yesterday, that young lad from the Wang family chatted with me for a while. He is truly a bright seed! He will certainly have no trouble with the spring examinations next year. Through him, I learned that there are many other children in the village whose families cannot afford to send them to school. I thought, since I have nothing but spare time... but I certainly won't let them attend for free. I told the Wang boy, ten eggs per child, per year. What do you think..."

Cheng Yuan pursed her lips. When Xie Tingyun spoke of educating the children, the anticipation and regret in his eyes could not be feigned. There was no need to verify it with the Wang family; she knew he wasn't lying.

Ten eggs per child per year—he had likely added that condition only because he feared she wouldn't agree.

The man before her left her stunned for a moment, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She looked up, about to speak, but looking past Xie Tingyun, her gaze suddenly locked onto a pair of eyes inside the small kitchen.

They held no warmth at all.