After the new house was furnished, Lan Yan and Jun Yelan began their married life.
During the day, Jun Yelan would go to the fields to weed and till the land they had bought. Once cultivated, it would be ready for planting rice.
Lan Yan stayed at home. She had originally intended to learn weaving from their neighbor, but her hands were too clumsy; she simply couldn't pick it up. So, she turned her attention to the kitchen, preparing delicious food to sell at the market.
Jun Xiao Yao also helped knead dough for the pastries. Some were even shaped into rabbits and placed on the table. "Sister Lan, such beautiful pastries will definitely sell."
She patted her chest, remembering her promise to her elder brother to take good care of Sister Lan.
Lan Yan smiled and gently flicked Jun Xiao Yao's nose. "Xiao Yao, you always know how to say the sweetest things. I'll give you the first batch that comes out." She placed the pastries in the steamer and went to make more.
Jun Xiao Yao smiled, feeling that Sister Lan treated her the best. She followed Lan Yan like a little shadow, helping wherever she could.
Before long, the pastries were steamed.
Lan Yan took them out and gave the first one to Jun Xiao Yao. "Eat up. I'm going to check on the fields." She took some pastries and headed out. Seeing a neighbor nearby, she smiled and said, "Everyone, these are the pastries I just made. Please, have a taste."
She and Jun Yelan were outsiders in this village. Establishing good relations with their neighbors would be beneficial.
The neighbors had never seen such exquisite pastries and exclaimed, "They look so lovely! Did you make them all yourself?"
Lan Yan nodded and handed the pastries to the neighbors. "I plan to sell them. Please, tell me if they are to your liking?" To integrate into the village, she and Jun Yelan couldn't appear idle and draw suspicion.
The neighbors each tried a piece and felt they hadn't had enough. "These are even better than the ones in town. Madam Jun, I think you'll do well in this business." Initially, they had found the Lan Yan family rather aloof, but after the house construction and tasting the pastries, they felt they were quite good people.
They were happy to get along.
Lan Yan chatted with the neighbors for a while longer before heading towards the fields. From a distance, she saw Jun Yelan swinging his hoe. Even in his coarse linen clothes and holding a hoe, Jun Yelan was a sight to behold amidst the crowd.
She almost froze in place again, holding the pastries as she walked over.
Jun Yelan heard familiar footsteps and looked up. Upon seeing Lan Yan, his face broke into a smile.
Lan Yan sat down by the edge of the field, propping her chin with her hands, and smiled, "You continue working. I just came to see you."
"Alright." Jun Yelan picked up his hoe, then set it down. He looked at Lan Yan's bright eyes, wiped his hands, and sat beside her.
Lan Yan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Jun Yelan turned his head, reached out to touch Lan Yan's forehead, and said with a sigh, "With you here, all my attention is drawn away." He then took her hand. "Just pretend I'm taking a break."
Hearing his words, Lan Yan's cheeks flushed. She murmured softly, "Not at all. You just have to stop looking at me."
"But I can't help but look at you," Jun Yelan said with a smile, his eyes brimming with affection.
Lan Yan's face turned even redder. She cupped Jun Yelan's chin with her hands, turning his face towards the rice fields. "I... I'm leaving. You can take your time looking."
Jun Yelan had become mischievous, starting to tease her.
She took the pastries and was about to leave. After a few steps, she realized she was still holding them, so she turned back, placed them in Jun Yelan's arms, and walked away.
Jun Yelan watched Lan Yan's retreating figure, a smile playing on his lips. His Yan'er was truly easily embarrassed. He looked at the pastries in his arms, contentedly took a bite, and then resumed digging.
In the evening, Lan Yan took out a book and began teaching Jun Xiao Yao to read.
Jun Xiao Yao was almost seven years old and had progressed from just listening to Lan Yan's stories to recognizing some characters herself. She wanted to be as capable as Sister Lan when she grew up, so she listened attentively.
"Xiao Yao, today we'll learn your name." Lan Yan wrote three large characters on the paper and taught Jun Xiao Yao to read them.
Jun Xiao Yao softly recited, "Jun, Xiao, Yao. My name. What about Sister Lan's?"
"Here it is." Lan Yan wrote her own name.
Looking at the character "Yan," Jun Xiao Yao sighed, "Sister Lan, this character is so complicated."
"When Xiao Yao grows up, you'll be able to write it," Lan Yan said, hugging Jun Xiao Yao and then teaching her Jun Yelan's name.
Jun Xiao Yao repeated them over and over, "Lan Yan, Jun Yelan."
Jun Yelan, who had just returned, heard his and Lan Yan's names. He liked the idea of their names being together, representing their oneness.
He also sat beside Jun Xiao Yao and looked at the names on the paper, smiling faintly. "Xiao Yao, do you know what these characters mean?"
Jun Xiao Yao shook her head.
Jun Yelan gazed at the characters and began to explain in detail. "The character 'Lan'..."
"So, a simple character can have such a profound meaning." Jun Xiao Yao looked at Lan Yan and Jun Yelan and smiled, "I understand. When these characters are put together, they mean something different. Like Sister Lan and Brother."
Lan Yan and Jun Yelan exchanged glances and nodded. "Yes."
Jun Xiao Yao giggled and continued learning.
Lan Yan and Jun Yelan flanked Jun Xiao Yao, continuing to teach her.
Eventually, Jun Xiao Yao grew tired and was sent back to her room by Lan Yan to rest. When Lan Yan returned, she saw Jun Yelan standing by the desk, writing something.
She leaned closer and saw that on the paper were their names, written close together.
Jun Yelan put down his brush and smiled. "Yan'er, seeing Xiao Yao learning to read just now made me want to write them again."
Lan Yan didn't speak. Instead, she picked up a pen and drew a circle around their names, enclosing them. She picked up the paper and blew on it. "I think this is perfect now."
Jun Yelan immediately smiled and pulled Lan Yan into his embrace. "Then let's put it away. We'll look at it again later."
"Okay. Ten years from now, remember to open it," Lan Yan said, leaning into Jun Yelan's embrace with a smile.
Jun Yelan didn't know why it had to be ten years, but he didn't ask, only nodding. He would listen to whatever Lan Yan said.
When they returned to their room, Lan Yan summoned the system. "System, you've been so quiet lately. It's not normal."
"Host, you two are together all the time. I can't find an opportunity," the system replied, also troubled. It found that its abilities were increasingly being interfered with by that powerful presence.
As more fragments accumulated, this situation would only become more frequent.
Lan Yan, rarely teased by the system, didn't chide it. "I've met the basic requirements, haven't I?"
"You met them long ago. I forgot to tell you," the system said.
Lan Yan: "..." She and the system were clearly incompatible. "Fine, then you can go. Come find me again in ten years."
The system had wanted to say a few more words to Lan Yan, but seeing her so indifferent, it let out a cold snort. "Leaving." It quickly went offline, deciding to ignore its host for a while.
Lan Yan muttered, "Oh, the system has feelings now." Seeing that the system had truly gone offline, she let it be. She looked at Jun Yelan, who was sleeping beside her, and murmured, "I will do my best to stay with you."
She lay down, not noticing the slight tremor of the eyelashes of the person beside her.