CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48: ANOTHER GOOD THING MADE

Not just Mrs. Sun, the other women who had seen the steamed bun were equally intrigued, too curious: "Hua Nong, how did you make this steamed bun?"

The buns they made before were hard, clumped together, and had a dark yellow color. They were nothing like the tender white ones Er Niu and San Niu held in their hands.

Lin Wanwan laughed and said, "Hua Nong, take out the remaining buns in the steamer and let everyone have a taste. You all came at just the right time. I’m planning to discuss this with the Clan Leader. These buns don’t have any other special method, only a bit of the new baking soda I made yesterday."

Several people awkwardly received the buns with lots of gratitude, and laughed, saying, "Lin Teacher, you really have great skills! I’ll take this home; I’m not willing to eat it all myself. I want my family to see it too."

They continued with the compliments for a while before each took a bun and left.

Little Qingyu nibbled at the bun in her hand and tugged at Lin Wanwan, looking up and saying, "Mother, it’s delicious. I want more after I finish this."

Lin Wanwan smiled and said, "Greedy girl, if you want more, I’ll make them for lunch. Alright, don’t hang around the kitchen; go to the dining table in the main room and eat. I’ve made milk powder for you; eat and drink at the same time."

"Oh, oh, that’s great." The three little ones cheered happily.

Meanwhile, at Lin Guofu’s home, the family shared fragrant meat buns, exclaiming how delicious they were. Such tasty buns were truly a first in their lives.

Lin Mengyi’s eyes sparkled: "Delicious, delicious, truly delicious! Soft and fragrant, not sour at all, even a bit sweet."

Lin Mengzhong nodded and said, "That Hua Nong really is capable. She manages to make such delicious buns using the same flour, and the buns steamed turn out double the size compared to usual; the New Luo Maid truly is different."

Mrs. Sun boasted about the news she received, enthusiastically saying, "Hua Nong mentioned adding some baking soda, which Lin Wanwan concocted."

In total, including those Er Niu and San Niu brought back, there were only three buns, merely enough for a taste, but everyone found it irresistible.

Lin Guofu smacked his lips and instructed his wife, Mrs. Lu, "Later in the afternoon after school, take a few eggs to Wanwan’s house, and then casually ask Wanwan about the flour she’s using..."

Mrs. Sun added, "Baking soda."

Lin Guofu said, "Yes, baking soda, ask her how it’s done, and learn it."

Mrs. Lu said reluctantly, "Why take eggs? Lin Wanwan is so well-off; if she lets some slip through her fingers, we as her kin could use it endlessly. Why do we need to scrape ourselves?"

Lin Guofu smacked his lips and said, "You’d better be careful saying such things; if our Clan Leader hears it, it’ll be trouble."

Mrs. Lu scoffed, banging pots and pans, "It’s just that the Clan Leader is biased, obviously Little Yu’er was given to Lin Wanwan, and she was supposed to give us a gold ingot. Now look, how such a good girl was given away for nothing, and got nothing in return."

Their eldest son, Lin Mengzhong, couldn’t stand this anymore, and he interrupted, "Now Lin Teacher is running a clan school, feeding the children and giving out such good clothes; we’re getting plenty of benefits."

Mrs. Lu angrily said, "What do you know? That’s something the whole clan gets, but which family like ours sends the girl away? Now she has my girl by her side, chatting and laughing. Shouldn’t she be nicer to us and compensate us?"

"Big girl, you’re so dumb. When you’re asked to go, you don’t go, despite that girl being your own cousin. What are you afraid of?"

Lin Mengzhong and his wife gave birth to two daughters, one of whom was ten years old, the other seven. After all these years, the daughter-in-law’s belly showed no signs of movement, and it seemed they would leave no heirs, which Mrs. Lu disliked.

When Grandma pointed out Big Girl to scold her, she quickly lowered her head and shrank to the side.

But she simply wouldn’t thicken her skin and go to Lin Teacher’s house like her sisters to scrounge for food and drink. Lin Teacher treated her too well, even made her a team leader; she couldn’t upset him.

Although the extra reward of the rabbit fur coat was taken by Grandma and changed into two small vests for her brothers, it was given to her by Lin Teacher genuinely. She knew in her heart who treated her well, even better than her own parents.

Because of Lin Teacher, she no longer had to go around without clothes, and she was truly happy.

Furthermore, besides liking him, Big Girl was actually a little afraid of Lin Wanwan. Who would want to hang around Teacher after school? Wouldn’t that be like a mouse taking a walk in front of a cat, thinking life is too comfortable?

After all, Big Girl was ten years old now, and Lin Wanwan was more stringent with older students during lessons.

At the Lin Guofu family’s home, the two little grandsons, one too young for school, and the other too timid to be around Lin Wanwan. Only Er Niu and San Niu often visited Lin Wanwan’s home for food.

That day’s school lunch was arranged with soft white buns and cabbage soup. The children ate happily, like it was a holiday celebration.

"If only my mother could eat such delicious buns." Several children thought while eating, thinking about how their dear mothers wouldn’t indulge themselves even with the occasional fish, always saying they liked fish bones instead of fish meat.

After school, the children scattered like birds and beasts, but Lin Wanwan’s courtyard didn’t turn quiet because of it.

Thanks to the spread by the children and Mrs. Sun’s daughter-in-law, more women came to visit Lin Wanwan’s home after school that day.

Such big, white buns, who wouldn’t like or want to ask about them?

In the Tang Dynasty, there was already a prototype of a mantou, which was a steamed bun made from fermented dough. In some places, they were called rising cakes or bamboo steam cakes, but their effect was far less than that of baking soda. Some highly skilled people could ferment rising cakes slightly fluffy, making them sell very well.

Lin Wanwan didn’t hide her skill. She deliberately made it to teach everyone this skill, so she simply demonstrated making baking soda on the spot in the courtyard.

In everyone’s eyes, this was an oven, a fire, and various materials being thrown in they couldn’t understand. This was simply alchemy!

Even Mrs. Sun, who was determined to learn the skill at home, felt timid, thinking this was not something she could handle!

Seeing everyone with such complex expressions, hesitant, Lin Wanwan thought for a moment and sent Kun Lun to invite the Clan Leader over.

The Clan Leader arrived quickly, and by then, there were already twenty or so clan women surrounding the courtyard.

Earlier, while Lin Wanwan was refining and making baking soda, Hua Nong made another batch of steamed buns using baking soda right under everyone’s noses, and they were about to be done.