Sunlight!

The sun gradually shifted away from the street.

As the group passed a dessert stall, Shui Yue'er slowed her pace.

Freshly cut rice cakes were laid out on a bamboo tray.

The cake was sprinkled with osmanthus flowers, and steam was still rising from the edges.

Long Yao stopped in his tracks.

"Want some?"

She looked at her cloth bag.

"I'll buy it."

The stall owner uncovered the cloth.

"Two Copper Soul Coin per piece."

Shui Yue'er took out the money and counted it in her palm.

Seven pieces.

She turned the bag inside out again, but there was nothing left at the bottom.

"Could you cut it into smaller pieces?"

The stall owner looked at her.

How many pieces do you want?

Four pieces.

Long Yao took a copper coin from his money bag and placed it in her palm.

She looked up.

"This one is on my loan."

"Remember to pay me back."

"I'll return it when I get back."

Shui Yue'er arranged the eight copper coins and took the four portions of rice cake wrapped in oil paper.

She handed the largest piece to Long Yao first.

"This piece has a lot of osmanthus flowers."

Bibi Dong looked at the portion in her hand.

The rice cake had uneven cuts, but it fit perfectly in the palm of your hand.

In the past, when she traveled, her meals were arranged in advance, and she would never wait by the roadside for a plate of freshly cooked rice cakes.

Long Yao had already peeled off the oil paper and taken a bite.

She also took a small bite.

The aroma of rice is mixed with the scent of osmanthus, and it's sweet without being cloying.

Shui Yue'er kept a close eye on their reactions.

"Is it tasty?"

"Good."

Bibi Dong folded the oil paper upwards slightly to catch the falling debris.

She didn't brush away the crumbs; instead, she ate them along with the next bite.

Long Yao stood under the eaves, waiting for Shui Yue'er to finish the last bit of food before continuing on his way.

At the end of the street, a truck carrying cloth was parked in the middle of the road.

The group then went around through a side alley.

A row of sachets hangs in the shop at the entrance of the alley.

As Shui Bing'er passed by, her sleeve brushed against the tassels hanging down, and she reached out to straighten them for the shopkeeper.

Shui Yue'er looked at the sachets, then looked down at her empty purse.

Long Yao didn't buy it for her.

She didn't say anything, but simply retied the purse.

"I'll look into it next time."

When I returned to the Skywater Academy, the afternoon classes at the Outer Court had already ended.

Shui Yuerou greeted them from under the stone corridor. Seeing that they were each carrying something, she reached out to take the booklet from Long Yao's hand.

"Dean, I've come to get it."

"Not heavy."

He pulled out the top volume and handed it over.

"Change the new students' records to this one; keep the old ones, don't throw them away."

Shui Yuerou turned to the blank first page.

The old notebook is full; I'm going to get the new one.

"Let them remember it themselves from now on."

She looked up.

"Write every day?"

Write down what you accomplished today, and what you didn't accomplish.

"I see."

Shui Yue'er followed beside her and quietly touched the test strips in the cloth bag.

She had originally intended to hide the paper in the drawer.

Now it seems I can't escape it either with my new booklet.

On the lakeside platform, the bamboo curtain still hangs in its original place.

Long Yao put the newly bought paper into the wooden box, opened the tea bag, and took out a few tea leaves.

Bibi Dong went to fetch hot water.

Shui Bing'er sorted the blank booklets and then hung the bamboo pens on the pen rack.

Shui Yue'er didn't sit down; she ran back into the tower first.

A moment later, she returned with a Copper Soul Coin in her hand and placed it neatly in front of Long Yao.

"Here you go."

He put away the copper coins.

"I haven't forgotten."

I said I'd pay it back when I got back.

She pulled over her low stool and unfolded the test strip again.

Two names, one above the other.

The top is upright, but the bottom looks a bit stiff.

Long Yao saw her bring a new booklet and insert the test strips into the first page.

What's the point of keeping it?

"I'll compare them after I've written a bit more."

She picked up the new pen, tried it on the practice paper first, and then wrote in the booklet.

Today, 40% of the journey was made by Heavy Water trip ten times.

Buy a pen.

Buying tea.

Four pieces of rice cake.

Long Yao read the last line, his fingertip resting on the rim of the cup.

"Do you remember rice cakes too?"

"This is my first booklet."

Shui Yue'er finished writing the last word.

I want to remember.

He didn't let her cross it out.

Hot tea was served, its delicate aroma wafting from the rim of the cup.

She waited for the ink to dry, and as she prepared to close the booklet, she suddenly picked up her pen again.

A few small words appeared after the line for rice cake.

I borrowed a Copper Soul Coin, and have already returned it.

Bibi Dong sat beside her, and after reading it, she pushed the warm tea to her side.

"I remember it very clearly."

Shui Yue'er accepted the teacup with both hands.

"Next time I go out, I'll bring enough money."

Shui Bing'er opened her new book and wrote down the changes in the main vein of the Ice Blossom pattern below the date.

She didn't write a long piece; she just drew a small diagram of the part where she was holding back her efforts.

Long Yao picked up another new pen.

The brushstrokes landed on the paper, and the ink was applied evenly.

He finished recording his last practice session of the morning, then took the old pen off the pen holder and put it into the wooden box on the side.

Shui Yue'er watched his movements.

"Keep the old ones too?"

It can also be used to clean small, delicate areas with water.

She looked down at her test strip and folded back the corner that was sticking out of the booklet.

The lake breeze wafted through the bamboo curtain.

The papers on the table were not blown away.

Long Yao used a saucer to hold down the outermost page and handed her the new pen.

Write the name again.

Shui Yue'er put down her teacup and sat up a little straighter.

This time, she first carefully observed the position on the paper before slowly putting pen to paper.

The pen tip stopped at the last horizontal stroke.

Shui Yue'er did not pick up the brush immediately, but waited for the ink to spread evenly before moving the bamboo brush away.

The three characters on the paper were written much more neatly than those in the shop.

Long Yao picked up the paper, glanced at it, and put it back on the table.

Keep this one.

She reached out and pressed down on the corner of the paper.

"Could you put it at the very beginning of the booklet?"

"Wait for the ink to dry."

Shui Bing'er carefully put away her booklet, then took a flat wooden board and placed it under her sister's paper.

A lake breeze slipped through the curtains.

The edge of the paper shifted slightly, but it didn't curl up.

Bibi Dong sat at the table, tidying up the remaining calligraphy practice papers.

The papers that were cut off were of varying lengths and had fine paper fibers along their edges.

She took the short ruler and aligned the sheets of paper one by one.

"Master, should we leave these scraps as well?"

"Keep it."

Long Yao pulled out a relatively wide strip of paper, folded it to a width of three fingers, and tucked it into the cultivation record.

Shui Yue'er glanced at it and immediately picked out another one from the side.

"I'll make one too."

She folded it neatly and tucked it into her booklet.

The strip of paper was longer than the booklet pages, with a section of the end sticking out.

She looked around, then picked up the charcoal pencil and drew a drop of water where it was visible.

The water droplet is pointed at the top and rounded at the bottom, with a small dot next to it.

Shui Bing'er pointed to that spot.

"Did this spill out?"

"This is the next drop."

Long Yao picked up his teacup, his gaze falling on the name she had just written.

"You haven't even finished writing your name, and you've already drawn the second water droplet."

She put down the charcoal pencil and clipped the note back together.

"Write the name slowly, use this one for now."

Bibi Dong did not fold any paper strips.

She took a thin thread, tied the bundles of paper together, and put them into the wooden box.

The bottom of the box was originally lined with an old cloth, but the corner of the cloth was turned up, revealing a worn-out wooden crack.

Long Yao reached out and smoothed out the cloth.

Once the wooden box is closed, it effectively blocks the moisture coming from the lake.

"Keep the rest of the paper here; take only what you need."

Shui Yue'er nodded and moved her booklet away from her teacup.

"The tea has been spilled, and today's story cannot be rewritten."

"It can be rewritten."

He put down his cup.

"But you also need to remember which item you forgot."

She immediately hugged the booklet back to her arms.

Sunlight moved across the stone steps in front of the tower.

Teacher Lin came from the backyard, carrying a wooden basket.

The basket contained freshly cut herbs and a few stalks of scallions with roots.

"Dean, the wooden trough under the Kitchen window is cracked; I'd like to replace it with a new one."

Long Yao got up and followed her to the backyard.

Shui Yue'er put the booklet away and followed.

A row of old earthenware pots were placed under the Kitchen window.

The bottom of the outermost wooden trough cracked, and muddy water flowed onto the ground through the crack.

Half of the scallions in the trough had been poured out.

Several white roots protruded from the soil, and the tips of the leaves were already wilting.

He squatted down and used his hands to brush away the damp soil beside the roots.

"Rainwater accumulated there last night."

Teacher Lin brought over a ceramic basin.

"Will this be enough?"

There are no holes in the bottom of the basin.

Long Yao turned the pottery basin over to look at it, then put it aside.

Retrieve old flower pots.

Shui Yue'er immediately walked to the corner of the wall.

She picked the biggest one and held it to the window with both hands.

A piece was missing from the rim of the basin, but three small holes remained at the bottom.

This can hold more.

"There aren't enough scallion roots yet, there's no need to use such a large one."

He took a small basin from under the shelf and tapped away the dry soil around its edge.

Bibi Dong rolled up her sleeves and took out a wooden shovel.

"I'll go get some soil."

Take some bamboo from the outer edge of the bamboo grove and mix it with fine sand.

She left carrying the wooden bucket.

Shui Bing'er helped the fallen scallion up, while Shui Yue'er reached out and grabbed the scallion leaves, preparing to pull them out.

Long Yao supported the clump of mud at the base.

Loosen the soil first.

She stopped and started digging down the edge with a small shovel.

After the mud clump loosened, the entire clump of scallions was removed from the wooden trough.

The white roots are intertwined, with a piece of gravel still entwined between them.

Shui Yue'er picked out the stone and placed it on the ground.

"This cannot be kept."

He picked up the stones and placed them at the bottom of the flowerpot.

She looked down.

Why did you put it back?

"We need to leave space for water to flow down below."

Long Yao selected two more broken tiles and placed them over the small hole.

The tiles were not properly sealed, leaving narrow gaps between them.

"The soil won't leak, but the water can escape."

She reached out and touched the tile to make sure it wasn't blocking the hole before withdrawing her hand.

When Bibi Dong returned with the soil, the wooden bucket was only half full.

The soil was mixed with fine sand, and the colors varied in shade.

She mixed the two together, and then, as Long Yao had instructed, spread a layer at the bottom of the basin.

Shui Bing'er supported the scallion root.

The other two added soil until the roots were completely covered.

Shui Yue'er picked up a wooden shovel, preparing to compact the soil in the pot.

He stopped her hand.

"Press firmly around the roots, leaving the outside loose."

She pressed her fingertips along the base of the scallion.

The leaves stood upright again, still leaning towards the window.

"It's still crooked."

The leaves were originally growing in that direction.

Long Yao moved the flowerpot half a foot down the eaves.

"Leave it here for two days."

Teacher Lin brought over a bowl of water.

Shui Yue'er took it and slowly poured the water along the edge of the pot.

The water flow did not reach the roots of the scallions.

A few drops of water seeped from the bottom of the basin and fell into the tray.

She put down the empty bowl and bent down to look at it for a while.

"This time it didn't accumulate."

Bibi Dong washed the wooden shovel and left the remaining soil in the bucket by the wall.

These remaining pots can be used to repair other pots.

Long Yao at another herb plant by the window.

"Don't touch that pot yet."

A small cluster of new buds peeked out from among the branches and leaves.

Shui Yue'er slowly withdrew her outstretched hand.

"Today, we're only using thin scallions."

"Um."

She picked up a scallion leaf that had fallen to the ground.

The leaf was broken in half, and sap was still dripping from the cut.

"If you wash it, you can eat it tonight."

Teacher Lin took it and put it in the wooden basket.

"It's cut right into the filling."

In the Kitchen.

A half-bowl of washed green vegetables was laid out on the cutting board.

A small piece of fresh meat next to it, with the tendons and membranes already removed.

Shui Yue'er washed her hands and stood in front of the table.

What filling will we have today?

Vegetable and meat wontons.

Teacher Lin put the greens into boiling water, blanched them briefly, and then took them out.

Heat radiated from between the bamboo sieves.

Long Yao took the sieve and placed it by the window to let the vegetable leaves cool down slowly.

Bibi Dong picked up a cleaver and sliced the fresh meat into thin slices.

With her first cut, the slice of meat was so thin it was translucent.

The second cut was still the same thickness.

Shui Yue'er watched intently.

"You've practiced this too?"

"No."

She stacked the sliced meat neatly.

If your hand doesn't deviate, the knife won't deviate either.

Long Yao took another cutting board and squeezed the water out of the cooled vegetables.

The vegetable leaves were finely chopped, leaving small pieces of similar size.

Shui Bing'er washed the scallions and handed them to him.

The piece that was just folded off is also included.

Shui Yue'er saw it and pointed.

"I found this piece."

"I saw it."

He chopped the scallions and put the vegetables and minced meat into the same bowl.

Salt, cooking oil, and half a bowl of cooled water.

He added the water in three batches, stirring the filling well after each addition.

Shui Yue'er held the empty bowl and stared at the contents of the basin.

"Should we add more?"

That's enough.

She put the bowl back by the stove.

Teacher Lin had already kneaded the dough and was pushing it outwards with a long rolling pin.

The dough gradually covered half of the cutting board.

Shui Bing'er sprinkled dry flour on the side to prevent the dough from sticking together.

Long Yao took the rolling pin and pushed it from the center outwards.

The dough is rolled out thinner and thinner.

He lifted a corner, looked out the window, and then folded the whole sheet of dough back up.

The blade fell horizontally, slicing the food into strips of uniform width.

The long strip was unfolded and then divided into square pieces.

Shui Yue'er picked up a piece and held it in her palm.

The dough was soft, and all four corners drooped down.

She quickly caught it with her other hand.

"It's so thin, won't it break when you put the filling in?"

"Put in a small amount first."

Long Yao took a little filling, placed it under the dough, rolled the dough up twice, and then put the two ends together.

A wonton landed on the bamboo plate.

Shui Yue'er did as instructed.

She rolled it too tightly, and the vegetables squeezed out from one side.

She paused, scooped the excess filling back into the bowl, and pinched both ends back together.

After it was formed, that wonton was a size larger than the ones next to it.

"This one is mine."

Bibi Dong had already wrapped two.

She spread out the third piece of dough, put in a small amount of filling, and after folding it up, the two ends did not stick together properly.

Long Yao dipped her finger in water and dabbed it on the corner of the noodle.

"Get it wet here, then put it back together."

She did as she was told and did it again.

This time, both ends stuck firmly together.

"So, we needed to leave a water channel."

"The edges of the dough will dry out if left out for too long."

He covered the unused leather with a cloth, leaving only a small stack in front of him.

Shui Bing'er packed the dumplings quickly and arranged them neatly.

The wontons on the bamboo plate were arranged in three rows, with a little space between each one.

Shui Yue'er glanced at her sister's, then looked down at her own.

Her row of rows varied in size.

The two in the very front are still stuck together.

She reached out to separate them, nearly tearing her face in the process.

Long Yao sprinkled some dry flour and gently lifted it from below with a bamboo stick.

"Wrap them up and then arrange them separately."

She took the bamboo strip and moved the others further away as well.

Can these be cooked in one pot?