Chapter 806: Field Bakery
Walking along the dry earth path overgrown with grass, Lolan Hill and Ye Ling headed towards Bumansa’s house.
Since there weren’t many people in the small town and only one bakery, it was easy to find.
It was early July now, and the weather was very pleasant. In the fields, farmers were drying wheat stalks, giving off a faint scent of dried grass. As they walked, they could see some farmers harvesting grains.
They covered their heads with scarves, bent down, and cut the wheat stalks with sickles, then bundled them up and temporarily piled them in the field, looking like little golden hills.
“Smells so good.” Ye Ling, who was walking ahead, smelled the baking aroma wafting from afar.
“The house up ahead should be Bumansa’s bakery,” Lolan Hill said, holding up her parasol and looking up. Inside the wide and sturdy bakery, a little smoke was rising.
“I can’t wait. I’ll go first.” Ye Ling spread her arms and ran lightly on the path by the field, then jumped onto the small hill where the house stood.
“Not long after, I heard a cheerful voice ahead,” Bumansa sister~” Lolan Hill heard soon after.
Taking small steps up the hill, Lolan Hill put away her parasol and saw Ye Ling hugging Bumansa.
Bumansa was wearing simple peasant clothes today, with a light yellow apron around her waist. Although her clothes were plain, her mature and beautiful figure still showed through.
“I didn’t expect you to come too, Lolan.” Bumansa stroked Ye Ling’s head and looked at Lolan Hill who approached the house.
Despite Lolan Hill’s blonde hair, her friend easily recognized her, for her strength hadn’t diminished.
“It’s been a while, Bumansa sister.” Lolan Hill walked forward and hugged Bumansa, cheek to cheek.
“Lolan hasn’t changed much,” Bumansa remarked, examining the young lady’s slightly youthful face and figure.
“This might be because I won’t grow anymore.” Lolan Hill wore a helpless expression on her face; she had gotten used to it, but if she were as mature and bountiful as Bumansa, she would feel uncomfortable.
“Alright, alright, if I ask more, it feels like you’re showing off,” Bumansa laughed and then led the two inside to sit down.
“You came just in time. I made new bread. Come and try it.”
Bumansa, wearing gloves, took out a large iron tray from the oven and placed it on the table, where two rows of cocoa-colored bread were still steaming.
Using a knife, she transferred the bread to a clean white porcelain plate and sliced it open, allowing the steam to escape faster and cool the bread.
“These are made with some cocoa beans I bought recently, and I added a bit of almond and hazelnut,” Bumansa introduced her new creation.
“The style has become more luxurious,” Lolan Hill blinked, looking at the chocolate-colored bread in front of her, with a fragrant aroma wafting to her nose.
In school, Bumansa did make bread, but the materials she used were mostly common and ordinary, rarely using expensive ingredients.
“Now that I have more resources, I can try different styles,” Bumansa said, placing the sliced bread in front of Lolan Hill and Ye Ling.
“Because we were not wealthy before, we had to save, but now that we have the means, I want to try new materials and methods.”
“Frugality is a good habit, but being too obsessed isn’t good either,” Bumansa explained. Among her roommates and companions, she was the most open-minded.
“That’s true,” Lolan Hill nodded. After all, a good life is what motivates people to work hard and diligently. If even this were taken away, what would be the point of effort and diligence?
As they chatted idly, Lolan Hill picked up the bread in front of her, observing it curiously.
Warm and soft, that was how it felt in her hands. She tore off a piece, and a faint white vapor and fragrance rose. The baked wheat aroma mixed with a sweet and rich smell, bringing a sense of happiness.
Taking a small bite, her tongue immediately sensed the sweetness of the cocoa. The bread was well-fermented, fluffy, and soft, with a few nuts adding variety to the texture.
“Tasty,” Little Lolan said sincerely.
“More?” While Lolan Hill was praising it, Ye Ling had quietly finished one piece and looked hopefully at the plate again.
“Haha~ There’s more.” Bumansa took out another piece and placed it in front of Ye Ling, then cut a small piece for herself to taste.
The three of them ate bread in the shop, chatting about their experiences over the years. Occasionally, residents from the town would be attracted by the aroma and buy some bread to take home.
Looking at a resident leaving, Lolan Hill said, “The prices are quite cheap.”
“Yes, actually lower than the cost of the ingredients. But it’s not a big deal,” Bumansa said, packing the remaining bread into a glass cabinet and turning around.
“Do you want to walk around? We can close up now.”
“Mm. Is it okay to close so early?” Lolan Hill nodded, then asked curiously.
“There will be problems, but it’s fine. It’s just that someone who comes late today might not get any bread,” Bumansa said with a smile.
“But it’s not a big deal. There are many places in town to eat, so no one will starve.”
“You’re still the same, always considering the impact on those around you.”
“Such a personality makes it easy to sympathize with others. Actually, you can be a little more carefree sometimes,” she said, untying her apron and hanging it aside, then placing her hand on the girl’s shoulder.
“But I really like this Lolan, always so kind and gentle,” she whispered in the girl’s ear.
Feeling the breath on her ear, the girl blushed and shyly walked away, with Bumansa’s laughter following behind.
Bumansa seemed more mature than before, both physically and mentally, Lolan Hill thought, then walked slowly along the dirt path by the field.
The sun by the field was slowly setting, casting golden rays near the horizon. The evening glow dyed the fields a light pink, and the sky above floated with a clear light purple.
The three walked along the path in the field, recounting their experiences.
“So, Lolan has been staying in the Eastern Region all these years?” Bumansa looked at the girl beside her.
“Yes, later I went to Luo Capital and found Ye Ling.”
“Not sleeping, but hibernating. Saying it like that makes me sound lazy,” Ye Ling murmured, and laughter rang out under the sunset.
Then Bumansa continued telling her own experiences, “My experiences are quite ordinary.”
“After graduation, I stayed at home for a few years to help manage the store. Then I worked at Wangdu for a while.”
“There, I encountered many new things and even prepared pastries for the emperor’s wedding at Titania.”
“Wangdu is indeed very prosperous. I saw many new ideas and concepts there and stayed for a while, learning a lot.”
“Later, I returned to Wangdu and stayed in a cake shop for over a year before coming back.”
“Why not stay in Wangdu? It’s more prosperous there, and the materials are abundant,” Lolan Hill asked curiously.
“There’s nothing. I just wanted to stay somewhere simple and comfortable.”
Bumansa looked at the distant purple-red sunset, lifting a strand of hair by her ear.
“In fact, I don’t think much about making money. Plus, I received many rewards for preparing pastries for the emperor, so I have no motivation to work in a cake shop.”
“In fact, Lolan, I’m quite lazy. I only do what I like, even if something brings many benefits, I don’t usually do it.”
“I know that working in a cake shop brings a lot of income and fame.”
“But I prefer a simple and leisurely life, so I returned to my hometown, this small town.”
“Many people look forward to a colorful and varied life experience. I used to think I should experience something to grow.”
“But later, I realized, I really didn’t adapt. I don’t find doing the same thing every day boring; instead, I discover many little joys. That’s enough for me,” Bumansa expressed her feelings.
“We’re here.”
While Lolan Hill was still savoring Bumansa’s pursuit, she heard a crisp voice and looked up to see a small stone house in front of her.
The lower part of the house was built with stone blocks, with stairs leading up to the side. The walls were made of large, sturdy stones, with white edges that had a translucent jade quality, showing faint red patterns.
Looking past the single-story house, she could see a hint of a fence behind, where a large and small cow and a few hens were kept.
“This is where I live, I built it myself,” Bumansa introduced.
“Since I’ve grown up, I can’t stay with my parents anymore, so I built my own house.”
“Come in and sit. Although it looks simple from outside, it’s actually quite clean inside.”
She unlocked the door, pushed it open, and led the two inside.
The interior of the house was simply divided into three sections. The middle was the hall and dining room, with tables and chairs, and a cabinet storing daily necessities. On the left was the kitchen, and separated by a wall was the bathroom. On the right was the bedroom and study.
The interior was painted a clean light yellow, creating a warm atmosphere, with everything neatly arranged.
“How lovely~” Ye Ling’s eyes sparkled as she looked around, then walked around to explore.
“Did you make all of this yourself?”
“Most of it, since it’s convenient and saves money,” Bumansa recalled going to the forest to find wood, which had scared the neighbor’s lumberjack uncle.
With her talent for cutting and splitting, cutting wood and doing carpentry was easy.
“If you’re staying tonight, you’ll have to squeeze in with me,” Bumansa said playfully, closing one eye at Ye Ling.
“No problem.” Ye Ling happily agreed and ran to the backyard.
“Wow, there are cows! Can they be milked?” Seeing the large and small black-and-white cows, Ye Ling felt incredibly fresh and wanted to pet the calf’s head.
“Yes, but gently. You’ll scare the cows if you do it like that,” Bumansa and Lolan Hill walked to the backyard, watching Ye Ling run happily on the grass.
“I know, teach me, Bumansa sister~” Ye Ling jumped slightly, waving her hands in the air, with her white ponytails fluttering high.
“Okay, let’s start.”
Bumansa smiled in response. At that moment, two birds flew from the sky, one orange and one blue-black, perching on the roof, peering down at the surroundings.
After being teased by Ye Ling for a while in the morning, Dai Ju was finally released by Lolan. To soothe her fragile heart, this little creature and her friends flew off to play somewhere, then found Lolan Hill.
Chirp chirp~ (Will there be something delicious to eat tonight?)
A bit late |ω｀)
(End of Chapter)
