After browsing through Wu Liangdong's grain shop, Anle only ordered one shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice, intending to improve his family's meals.

An Mancang opened his mouth.

"Le Wa Zi, you can't make pastries without wheat flour, this wheat flour—"

Anle glanced at the flour and shook her head.

"No, Father, just this one bushel of rice is enough. We don't need anything else."

The ingredients she needs aren't available here.

This flour, in particular, is not suitable for making desserts at all. It's okay for making pasta, but the texture looks too coarse and the color is an ugly dark yellow. What she needs is fine, soft white flour.

Although she never lifts a finger in the kitchen, she has learned a lot about desserts and baking from her friends and roommates who love desserts.

For desserts, what's needed isn't this rough and chewy texture; on the contrary, it needs finely milled white flour, which will make the texture smooth and sticky.

Stone-ground flour is only really useful for making dumplings, noodles, and pancakes; it gives them a chewier texture. It's only really useful for making pasta dishes.

Upon hearing that it was for making pastries, Wu Liangdong smiled and gave An Mancang a deep look.

"It seems that Mancang is living a good life. He's even willing to make pastries to try. It makes sense. I heard from Mantun that you brought several wild boars from the mountain. You certainly won't be short of money."

I also heard that Mancang, you've set up a stall on the street, and you're making quite a bit of money every day, even more than Mantun did in the carpenter's shop!

An Mancang chuckled and scratched his head, not bothering to hide anything, "I've earned quite a bit these past few days, all thanks to Lewazi. That's why I'm living such a comfortable life now."

Wu Liangdong smiled with a look of satisfaction.

"Now that life is good, your eldest sister is happy too. In addition, the marriage that your eldest sister arranged for Manyi is about to be finalized. All the good things are happening at once, and your eldest sister is even happier."

"Oh, right, about the marriage proposal from that family. They said they'll be coming over in three days to set a date. They need to visit their parents, and we'll all be there."

An Mancang was taken aback. So fast? He then nodded, feeling happy as well.

"It's a good thing that Satisfaction can find a good family."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, An Mancang carried the rice and led An Le away.

Anle returned to the village in He Yusheng's carriage, while An Mancang led the ox all the way back to the village. The ox's return to the village startled everyone.

The news that An Mancang's family had bought a cow spread like wildfire throughout the village.

After buying rice and other grains at noon, the father and daughter made a trip to Yikousu and bought a bunch of pastries. They then left town early, eager to return home.

Anle was eager to come back and figure out how to make desserts, while Anmancang was busy building a cowshed.

The two of them bought rice and other groceries at noon and then left the town.

No sooner had the father and daughter left than the messenger from the town temple, filled with trepidation, went to An Dalin's stall, intending to apologize to An Le, but An Le was already gone.

She flattered An Dalin with all sorts of nice words, intending to personally go to An Dalin's house to apologize to An Le, but An Dalin refused her with great trepidation.

"Old man, my little temple is not big enough to accommodate a great Buddha like you, so how could I ask you to condescend to go there in person?"

Tomorrow, I, this old man, will personally take my granddaughter to the temple to request an audience with the divine messenger.

The divine messenger waved his hand respectfully.

"No, no, no, you've misunderstood. That's not what I meant."

I've come to apologize to your little granddaughter.

No, it should be said that they came to apologize to the celestial maiden.

You must send me personally to apologize; how can you expect a celestial maiden to come to your door in person?

This humble servant would never dare to be so presumptuous in front of the Heavenly Maiden.

If the celestial maiden returns tomorrow, I will come again to pay my respects and apologize, and be sure not to disturb her.

An Dalin frowned deeply. "Can't we disturb her? If we don't call her over, I don't know if my little granddaughter will even come tomorrow."

I heard she's going to be making pastries at home; I'm afraid she won't have the time.

The messenger hurriedly waved his hand with a smile, almost bowing and scraping as he reached out to hold the sole of the shoe. "No problem, no problem. Come whenever you have time. I will be waiting for you."

An Dalin glanced at the divine messenger with his old eyes, and then hesitated before speaking in a muffled voice.

“Divine messenger, old man, I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else. My little granddaughter is not some celestial maiden.”

The status of a celestial maiden is far beyond what my little granddaughter could possibly attain.

My little granddaughter is just an ordinary child, born of mortal flesh and blood.

The divine messenger slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Oh dear, you mustn't say that! Your granddaughter is a celestial maiden descended to earth!"

She is absolutely a celestial maiden, there's no doubt about it. The people's eyes are sharp; everyone on the street saw it. How can they not admit it?

An Dalin hesitated, "But my little granddaughter, I've watched her grow up since she was a baby, and she's not anything special, except that she's a bit of a troublemaker."

The divine messenger countered, "The deity bestowed this gift upon your little granddaughter, didn't he? That's a fact, isn't it?"

An Dalin nodded truthfully, his old face showing deep satisfaction, "That's true."

The divine messenger shouted loudly, his voice resounding with unwavering certainty, "That's it! What else do you have to deny?"

When did the gods start bestowing gifts upon other people's homes?

"Is your family the only one in this whole town?"

An Dalin's old eyes revealed doubt and bewilderment: "..."

Is there some auspicious smoke rising from his ancestral graves? Has this celestial maiden truly arrived at his home?

Anle, who had returned to the village, looked at the deserted courtyard where only Qiao Qiuniang was playing with Ankang, and ran over with a grin.

"Mother, have you taken care of everything for my eldest sister and second brother to go to school?"

Qiao Qiuniang sighed with a pained expression: "The money has already been handed over to the teacher, how could this be wrong? They're already studying in the school."

Anle smiled and bent her eyes, grinning as she wrapped her arms around Qiao Qiuniang's waist from behind.

"Oh, Mother, don't worry about money. I will make sure you live a life of comfort and wealth, like a noblewoman."

Qiao Qiuniang playfully slapped Anle's hand, "You're so unruly, there are still people here." Qiao Qiuniang glanced at the servant unloading goods from the carriage, and then saw a well-dressed, handsome young man jump down from the carriage.

"Le Wa Zi, whose young master is this? Why are you coming back with someone's carriage?"