My Precious Treasure Alone

Delicious candy often only takes one bite to enjoy.

But making it is an incredibly time-consuming process.

"Rustle~"

"Rustle~"

Xu Xi evenly spreads wheat seeds across a bamboo winnowing tray. After absorbing ample moisture, tiny sprouts emerge the very next day.

From then on,

it’s a daily routine of sprinkling water—

maintaining just the right humidity.

"Brother, how much longer will this take?" the girl asks curiously.

"About five more days."

Inside the house, in a cool, well-ventilated corner, Xu Xi gently waters the wheat seeds: "We’ll wait until the sprouts grow thicker and cover the entire tray."

The water drips onto the seeds with faint, crisp sounds.

Tracing the tender green sprouts,

drip, drip.

It trickles down onto the tray below, seeping into its crevices, leaving behind tiny damp patches.

Xu Moli leans over Xu Xi’s shoulder, watching, her thoughts gradually drifting away—as if every notion and worry flows out with the falling droplets.

All that remains is her fondness for the person before her,

and an indescribable sense of anticipation.

"Brother, let me help too," the girl suddenly says with a smile, her face flushed with excitement despite wearing no makeup.

……

Five days later.

The wheat seeds on the tray have all sprouted long, lush green shoots, dense and thriving, filling every inch of space.

From afar, it looks just like a patch of grass.

"Brother, what do we do next?"

"We need to cook the glutinous rice."

Xu Xi had soaked the rice in advance.

After rinsing and stirring, he and Xu Moli work together to pour it into a large iron pot, lighting the fire to let it steam.

"Once the rice is done, we’ll mix it with the wheat sprouts to extract the syrup."

Xu Xi explains to the girl as he walks toward the tray.

The wheat sprouts are flourishing, emerald-green and glistening under the golden summer sun, as if each one is sparkling.

Every seed has firmly rooted itself into the cloth laid beneath.

Fortunately, Xu Xi is quite strong.

He plucks the sprouts one by one,

tossing them into a basin, rinsing them with water, and discarding any spoiled ones.

Xu Moli mimics Xu Xi’s movements, crouching down to wash and sort the sprouts.

As her fingers move through the water,

droplets splash and scatter onto her skin—the slight chill perfectly offsetting the summer heat.

Once the sorting is done,

Xu Xi takes out a clean cloth.

He carefully dries the girl’s hands, wiping between her fingers with meticulous care.

"Thank you, Brother~~~"

Xu Moli giggles her gratitude,

then presses her freshly dried, still-cool hands against Xu Xi’s cheeks, claiming she’s helping him beat the summer heat.

Well, Xu Xi reluctantly believes her.

He flicks her forehead lightly before lifting the basin full of sprouts.

Then he strides into the kitchen.

These plucked sprouts aren’t ready for use yet—they must be chopped, minced into the finest pieces, before the syrup extraction can begin.

Soon,

the kitchen echoes with the rhythmic "thud-thud-thud" of chopping.

Xu Xi wields a cleaver, swiftly mincing the sprouts, while Xu Moli sits nearby, leisurely waiting for him to finish.

She had wanted to help,

but Xu Xi refused.

"Brother is getting sillier," the girl murmurs under her breath, amused. "Worried I’d get hurt by that knife if I got too close."

She is the Supreme One—

a being who reigns above infinite worlds.

How could a mere kitchen knife harm her?

Even the most novice cultivator wouldn’t bat an eye at such mundane metal.

"Honestly…"

Though her words sound like complaints, there’s not a trace of displeasure on her face.

Only a soft, blissful smile.

……

About two hours later.

The minced sprouts and cooked rice are mixed together by Xu Xi.

Stirring thoroughly, blending them into one.

It sounds simple, but in practice, it’s exhausting.

The waterlogged rice and sprouts grow incredibly heavy, making the mixing a grueling test of arm strength.

"I miss my real-world body a little."

As his arms grow numb and weary, Xu Xi can’t help but sigh.

Even a mage who focuses solely on the mind,

after stepping into the extraordinary, would surpass ordinary stamina—never feeling this drained.

Thankfully,

this task only needs to be done once.

Once the mixture is ready, Xu Moli hands Xu Xi a large cloth, which he spreads over the sprouts.

"Now, we wait eight hours for fermentation."

Xu Xi exhales deeply,

shaking out his arms,

relishing the satisfying ache in his muscles.

"Brother."

Xu Moli brings him a bowl of water.

"Thanks, Moli."

Xu Xi downs it in one go—after hard labor, even water tastes sweeter.

"Brother, will this really turn into candy?"

"Mm. A little later, you’ll get to taste it."

Is maltose some rare delicacy?

Not at all.

It’s just an everyday treat among ordinary folk—

nothing precious, nothing of great worth.

But as the girl savors the tenderness behind it,

as she gazes at the one she adores,

her anticipation for the candy grows stronger.

Perhaps,

it will become her "treasure"—

A treasure belonging solely to Xu Moli.

"If it doesn’t taste good, I’ll still eat all of it, Brother."

"That won’t do."

Xu Xi gently pats her head, tapping her lightly with the faintest touch.

"If it’s no good, I’ll make another batch. Don’t force yourself."

"...I understand, Brother."

Xu Moli nods obediently,

her clear eyes darting away, her hands fidgeting—adorably flustered.

……

Eight hours pass—

long yet fleeting.

By the time fermentation ends, evening has fallen.

The setting sun melts into molten gold, painting the earth in its final glow.

Amidst the fiery hues staining half the sky,

Xu Xi lifts the cloth.

He wraps the fermented mixture in gauze, pressing it tightly to extract the syrup, letting the filtered maltose liquid flow into the iron pot for a vigorous boil.

"Crackle!"

"Crackle!"

The firewood burns noisily.

Before long,

the once-clear syrup turns cloudy, transforming into the color Xu Xi remembers.

"These bubbles need skimming."

Xu Xi stirs the boiling syrup while removing impurities.

Bubbling.

Thickening.

The scorching sugar stretches into strands with each stir of the spatula,

gradually settling into an amber hue.

"Alright, this should be about right."

Xu Xi nods slightly, picking up a pair of chopsticks.

He twirls them swiftly in the pot, lifting the sticky syrup—now hardening in the air into a large chunk of maltose.

"Moli, try it."

"Okay, Brother."

Xu Moli takes the chopsticks,

gazing at the maltose for a moment before parting her lips.

She places the freshly made candy in her mouth, savoring its sweetness.

"Brother, this is delicious."

Her face radiates pure happiness, brightening everything around her:

"The candy you made is so fragrant, so sweet."

"I love it…"

"I love the candy... that Big Brother makes..."