"Right there."

Lucian followed the voice and saw several translucent blue flower stamens standing tall in the water.

"Is that the Twin Lotus Seed?"

A Tacet Discord lurked nearby, eyeing them menacingly. Lucian controlled the bamboo-copter to descend, summoning Comrade's Hammer in his hand. With a single shot, he eliminated the Tacet Discord, leaving behind a golden afterimage.

After collecting the Twin Lotus Seeds, Abby suddenly emerged from the Tacet Mark. "Mmm~ so fragrant! Even more aromatic than ordinary lotus seeds."

Lucian sighed helplessly. "When it comes to food, Abby is always the first to show up."

Abby exclaimed excitedly, "Let's hurry back! I want to eat Plumpcake!"

The two used the Resonance Beacon to return to the front of Plumpcake Shop in Taoyuan Vale.

Uncle Li greeted them warmly. "Welcome! It's Intelligence Officer Lucian and Magistrate Sanhua! What would you two like today?"

Lucian smiled. "We'd like to learn how to make Plumpcake."

Uncle Li's face brightened. "Ah, you've come to the right person. Plumpcake are an old craft, passed down for at least a few hundred years."

"But nowadays, fewer and fewer people know how to make them. Most young folks probably haven't even seen them before."

"Still, I should warn you—though Plumpcake may seem simple, they're not easy to make."

"From kneading the dough to preparing the filling, every step has its secrets. To achieve that golden, flaky texture with a lingering aroma, you'd need at least a year or two of practice."

Lucian was stunned. "A year or two…? That exaggerated?"

He whispered to Sanhua, "How long did you watch just now? Did you really learn it?"

Sanhua replied confidently, "I observed a bit longer and have memorized the entire process."

Uncle Li was amazed. "Magistrate Sanhua is that skilled? Back when I was learning to make these pastries, it took me three days just to memorize the recipe…"

"In that case, I'll lend you the stove."

The two moved to the cooking area. Sanhua said, "Lucian, please help me peel the lotus seeds."

Lucian placed the lotus seeds on the cutting board and feigned ignorance. "Hmm, I don't really know how to peel these?"

Sanhua glanced over and saw Lucian fumbling with the outer shell for a while without success.

She reminded him, "See the seam on the shell? If you start from there, it should come off easily."

Lucian followed her instructions but deliberately didn't apply any force. "Still can't peel it."

Sanhua noticed his mischievous grin and muttered, "You're such a jerk."

She walked over to Lucian, reached out, and gently took his hands in hers, guiding him to peel the lotus seeds properly.

Lucian gazed at Sanhua's delicate face, so close to his, and couldn't resist leaning in to kiss her. However, as if anticipating it, Sanhua took a step back and dodged.

Lucian: "?"

A faint, triumphant smirk tugged at Sanhua's lips.

Lucian chuckled. "Master Sanhua, don't you want to relive what happened last time on the mountaintop?"

Sanhua's face flushed slightly. "...Not at all."

With that, she bent down slightly and began kneading the dough.

Lucian smiled and suddenly remarked, "Your kneading technique is a bit off."

Sanhua paused and looked at the dough in her hands. "What's wrong with it?"

Lucian grinned. "Let me teach you."

He then mimicked how Sanhua had guided him earlier, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and taking her delicate hands in his.

Sanhua's breathing grew slightly heavier, her lips pressing together lightly. Just then, she heard Lucian's soft voice by her ear:

"When kneading dough, you must press firmly with the base of your palm and push forward… like this…"

Lucian's large hands enveloped hers as they pressed the dough flat.

"Then… flip the dough over and knead it again…"

"Repeat this several times to release the air trapped inside…"

"Then use your fingers to gently press outward from the center… to ensure even… distribution…"

Sanhua's face burned red, her attention completely diverted from the dough. Lucian's warm breath lapped against her neck like waves, sending tingles throughout her body.

His voice grew softer and softer. Just as Sanhua focused to listen closely, she suddenly felt a wet sensation on her cheek—Lucian had successfully planted a kiss there.

Lucian laughed. "I win!"

Sanhua pouted, looking slightly annoyed, and wriggled slightly as if trying to break free from Lucian's embrace.

But the next second, Lucian suddenly lifted her legs—encased in sleek black stockings—and spun her around, seating her on the countertop to face him.

Before Sanhua could react, her moist, pink lips were captured by Lucian's…

...

Abby happily devoured the freshly made Plumpcake, but even the treats couldn't shut it up as it grumbled, "So shameless!"

Clearly, Abby had witnessed the entire scene from behind and now expressed strong disdain and condemnation toward Lucian.

Lucian responded by stuffing another Plumpcake into its mouth. "Just eat!"

Sanhua sat on Lucian's lap, leaning against his chest. "Is it good?"

Lucian nodded slightly. "Delicious. Aren't you having any?"

Sanhua shook her head gently. "We didn't make much, so I wanted to save some for Magistrate Jinhsi and Counselor Changli."

Lucian pondered for a moment, then took a small bite of the Plumpcake, holding it between his lips before leaning down to feed it to her.

A moment later, he licked away the crumbs from the corner of her lips. "Good?"

Sanhua wrapped her arms around Lucian's neck. "...Mhm."

Lucian gently tapped her nose. "You, working even during the Moon-Chasing Festival… You should balance work and rest, take some time to relax."

"Thankfully, Jinhsi was thoughtful—no wonder she sent you here by letter."

Sanhua pursed her lips and gazed at the bustling streets, the lively atmosphere and colorful lanterns reflected in her eyes.

Lucian watched her thoughtfully, then whispered softly by her ear, "The Moon-Chasing Festival… the festival of reunion…"

"Spending it with someone important, cherishing the present, enjoying the happiness of this moment—that's the true meaning of the Moon-Chasing Festival…"

Sanhua looked up at Lucian, her eyes shimmering with emotion. "...Mhm."

Abby rubbed its full belly. "Ah, nothing beats being stuffed…"

Lucian: "..."

Abby asked curiously, "Has Rover not called yet? Where are we going next?"

Lucian picked up the terminal and initiated a call to Rover, who answered almost immediately.

"Has Xiangli Yao not returned yet?"

Rover sighed. "Not yet… Xiang-LEE, Jiao-Jiao, and I are still waiting here."

"But Xiangli Yao can communicate with us through the Xiang-LEE robot. He said he just deciphered the third wish and is now helping to fulfill it."

"It'll probably take a while longer…"

Lucian thought for a moment. "Why don't you come down and join us for a stroll? If the Xiang-LEE robot can relay messages, he'll know once he's back."

Rover agreed. "Sure, where are you now?"

Lucian paused, glancing at Sanhua in his arms. "I'm at… the painted fan stall…"