White Flour Steamed Buns That Swept the City

"Come one, come all, don't miss out! Big steamed buns, soft and white, delicious and cheap!"

"If they don't taste good, you don't pay!"

Tianfu City.

Outside a restaurant named Journey to the West.

Strange words were written on a huge red banner, setting every passerby talking.

Several waiters at the entrance were calling out at the top of their lungs.

At a window on the restaurant's second floor.

Jun Yixue pressed a hand to her forehead.

Speechless, she turned to look at Jun Jingyi, who was calmly drinking a strange tea.

"Brother, what are you..."

Jun Yixue didn't know what to say.

He had been a perfectly respectable, renowned scholar in Tianfu City, yet he had suddenly decided to open a restaurant and go into trade.

That was one thing.

Their parents were in the Capital, after all, and only the two siblings were here in their hometown, so no one had anything to say about it.

But now he was doing something so embarrassing...

"Relax. Look how well the advertising worked. We've only just opened, and business is already booming."

"Besides, I've already received steamed bun orders from several schools and restaurants. What's wrong with having a little more money?"

"..."

Jun Yixue had no answer.

Especially when Jun Jingyi handed her dozens of taels of silver to spend as she pleased. In an instant, she felt that, well, maybe, perhaps, most likely, this wasn't so bad after all?

"Oh, forget it. I'm not talking to you anymore."

Jun Yixue stamped her foot in embarrassment and was about to leave.

But then she remembered something and said, "Brother, I can't be bothered to care what you've been doing lately, but don't forget the Yunying Poetry Gathering in three days."

"Half the talented scholars in all of Jiangnan will be there. You'd better prepare properly and not make me lose face."

"Uh... a poetry gathering?"

Jun Jingyi felt a headache coming on.

To be honest, he really wasn't interested in that useless stuff.

You couldn't eat it or drink it.

To put it bluntly, it was just a gathering to pick up girls.

But that was the last thing on his mind right now.

If he didn't hurry, he'd lose his life!

But...

Seeing his younger sister's warning look, Jun Jingyi nodded.

Whatever.

It probably wouldn't waste much time.

Knock, knock, knock...

"Young Master Jun, Manager Qian from the Four Seas Restaurant is here."

A waiter's voice came from the doorway, and Jun Jingyi immediately headed out.

Watching him go, Jun Yixue sighed again.

A perfectly good scholar... ruined!

She shook her head helplessly, unable to understand what had gotten into her brother lately.

But she would let him be.

The Jun Family had a vast fortune and could afford his antics, anyway.

She couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore.

She went straight off to have fun with her friends.

Aboard a luxurious pleasure boat in Tianfu City, several young women immediately came over to greet Jun Yixue when they saw her.

"Oh, Xue'er, you finally made it! I thought you weren't coming."

"Exactly! I thought Young Master Jun had dragged you off to work at his restaurant."

"Hehe, speaking of which, what's gotten into Young Master Jun lately?"

Everyone laughed and chatted.

Jun Yixue looked helpless. She shrugged, looking utterly done with life, then waved a hand and said irritably, "Don't even mention it. I think he's possessed."

"Forget about him. Let's just have our fun."

Seeing that the young women were about to say more, Jun Yixue immediately waved her hand and said helplessly, "My brother will definitely attend the poetry gathering in three days. Don't worry, you'll all have a chance."

Only then did the young women present breathe a sigh of relief.

But one of them glanced around and said, "Sister Xue'er, I heard... well, Young Master Jun came to my house a few days ago to ask for my sister's hand in marriage."

"But it seems she turned him down. Do you think that might be why his temperament has changed so much lately?"

As soon as she said it, cries of surprise rose all around.

Then everyone started talking at once.

Jun Yixue frowned deeply.

She looked at the young woman. "You mean my brother went to ask Bai Ruoli to marry him?"

"That's impossible!"

Jun Yixue immediately shook her head.

She knew exactly what kind of person her brother was. He was extremely proud, so how could he possibly have fallen for that Bai Clan...

Bai Ruoli, who was so timid and weak that one look at her was enough to make people angry?

How could that be possible?

"But I heard it from the servants at home."

The young woman's gaze flickered. After a moment's thought, she continued, "Of course, I don't think it's very likely either. Most likely, my sister was being lovestruck again and spouting nonsense!"

"Hmph..."

Jun Yixue snorted coldly, then abruptly slapped the table in front of her and stood up.

But then she remembered what Jun Jingyi had kept telling her lately: keep a low profile, don't cause trouble, don't bully people, and so on.

She was sick of hearing it.

She shook her head. "Forget it. It's a baseless rumor. If Bai Ruoli wants to be lovestruck, let her. The poetry gathering will be starting soon, so let's not stir up trouble."

"Sister Xue'er is right!"

"I apologize on my sister's behalf."

A trace of disappointment flashed in the young woman's eyes as she slowly bowed.

"Mm..."

For some time afterward.

Everyone in the room talked and laughed, but Jun Yixue was in a somewhat poor mood, her thoughts turning over and over.

For some reason, she felt a sense of grievance, as if she were about to lose something.

Meanwhile.

At the Bai residence.

"Young miss, young miss, hurry and try this!"

The maidservant Lian'er trotted into the room carrying two large steamed buns.

"Hm? What's this?"

Bai Ruoli put down the medical book in her hands and looked at the buns in confusion.

She had never seen anything like this in her previous life.

"Mm... try it. Is it food?"

"Hehe, word has spread all over Tianfu City. They're delicious, even better than rice!"

Lian'er chuckled proudly.

"As expected of Young Master Jun! To think he could even make such delicious food!"

Bai Ruoli: ???

What had she just heard?