When Chen Shi'an and Lin Meng Qiu got home together, Wen Zhixia, who had arrived first, was chatting with Li Wanyin in the kitchen.
"Sister Wanyin, we bought the sugar. Do you need it now?"
"No, just put it in the cupboard for now."
Chen Shi'an opened the cupboard, poured the sugar he had bought into a jar, and sealed it to keep out the moisture.
Lin Meng Qiu, who had followed him, came in too.
"Sister Wanyin."
"Meng Qiu, you're here. Perfect timing. I brought a bag of dried sweet potatoes from home. They're delicious. Take them and try some with Zhizhi~"
"Oh! Dried sweet potatoes!"
Wen Zhixia reached out first and picked up a piece for Sister Wanyin beside her, then handed another to the Taoist. Next, she popped a piece into her own mouth before finally holding the bag open in front of Lin Meng Qiu for her to take some herself.
"...Thank you."
"So sweet! Sister Wanyin, did you make these dried sweet potatoes at home?" Wen Zhixia nodded repeatedly as she ate.
"Yes. We didn't dry them too much, in case they got too tough to chew."
"I think they're perfect like this!"
"I brought you some millet rice cakes too. They're outside. Shi'an, get them out for Zhizhi and Meng Qiu."
"Okay."
Chen Shi'an turned to leave the kitchen, then looked back at the two girls lingering there. "Didn't you two say you had homework to do?"
"I'm helping Sister Wanyin cook!" Wen Zhixia said.
Lin Meng Qiu said nothing, but the way she stood rooted in the kitchen made it clear that she wanted to help too.
Touched and amused, Li Wanyin urged them out. "Zhizhi, Meng Qiu, go do your homework. I can handle the kitchen. There's not that much to do."