Chapter 28: A Theft in the Kitchen

Lin Mo highly suspected that the house had been burglarized. Otherwise, how could a fresh, full bag of flour have suddenly bottomed out?

But every creature she had encountered so far was a carnivore. Could there be another animal that secretly ate flour?

She recalled the noodles Mo Jin had made for her earlier. Although they looked thick and hearty, it was only a single bowl’s worth. It was impossible to use up an entire bag of flour for that.

Ruling Mo Jin out, Lin Mo ultimately reached one conclusion: the flour had been stolen.

Last night, both she and Mo Jin were sleeping inside the cabin. The only active living being outside was the Ginseng Baby. She could ask it if anyone had sneaked into the kitchen yesterday to steal the flour.

Leaving the kitchen, Lin Mo walked into the courtyard. Seeing the Ginseng Baby already hard at work, she greeted it with a beaming smile, “Morning, Little Ginseng.”

Hearing the voice behind it, the Ginseng Baby shuddered. Terrified, it instantly burrowed into the ground, covering its head tightly.

That smelly bamboo is after my root whiskers again! Fortunately, I’m smart and quick on my feet.

“Why are you running so fast? I have something to ask you.” Quick-eyed and deft-handed, Lin Mo pinched the tiny leaves on top of the Ginseng Baby’s head and pulled it right out of the soil.

The Ginseng Baby puffed out its cheeks, kicking its legs desperately. Realizing it couldn’t break free, it closed its eyes, let its little hands dangle, and began to play dead.

It would rather starve to death than submit!

Lin Mo poked the Ginseng Baby’s little red bellyband, a flicker of amusement passing through her eyes. Curving her lips, she said, “Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”

The leaves on the Ginseng Baby’s head twitched. Don’t think I don’t know any better. Just yesterday, the panda yanked two of my root whiskers. The bamboo looking for me today definitely means trouble.

“Did you see any other monsters enter the kitchen yesterday?”

The Ginseng Baby snorted coldly, crossing its arms like two tender lotus roots. “Put me down first, then I’ll tell you.”

Lin Mo wasn’t about to fall for that. She knew this Ginseng Baby was incredibly sharp; the moment she put it down, it would definitely bolt. Just now, it was only because the Ginseng Baby had grown too plump from eating that its reflexes were slow, allowing her to catch it off guard. If she let it go this time, catching it again would be extremely difficult—she might even have to ask Mo Jin for help.

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. “Tell me first, and then I’ll put you down.”

The Ginseng Baby glanced at Lin Mo, thought about it for a moment, wiggled its little bottom, and said, “Yesterday, only the Panda Spirit entered the kitchen. There were no other monsters.”

If there were no other monsters, how could the flour vanish into thin air? Lin Mo began to question reality.

Shaking off her thoughts, she reached out to pat the Ginseng Baby’s head and set it down with a slight smile. “I see. You can go now.”

The moment the Ginseng Baby’s chubby body touched the ground, it squatted down to burrow, but experienced a noticeable lag.

What’s going on? The soil doesn’t seem as soft and loose as before?

Lin Mo burst out laughing. The Ginseng Baby’s face turned beet red. Wiggling its little bottom, it squatted down with great effort and finally managed to drill into the dirt.

The Ginseng Baby really was quite entertaining.

Lin Mo stroked her chin, deciding that when she bought tanghulu later, she would buy one for the Ginseng Baby as well. Teasing such a chubby little kid really made one feel relaxed and happy.

As for the flour, she decided she would plant some of the remaining wheat from last time, leave a few seeds behind, and just ask Mo Jin about it when she returned.

Lin Mo replanted the wheat seeds into the ground, accelerated their growth, harvested the mature wheat, and ground it into flour to fill the bag.

She remembered the wild berries the little Lynx cub had brought over last time. She hadn’t eaten them yet, so she searched around and found them underneath the kitchen cabinet. They were chilled in cold water, still emitting wisps of frosty air, completely unspoiled.

Mo Jin must have intentionally kept them cold.

The little panda is quite good at preserving food! How cute!

A stroke of inspiration hit Lin Mo, and she knew exactly what to livestream today. She could use the juice of the red wild berries for coloring to make vibrant, adorable pastries. They would be sweet, which the bear cub would definitely love, and she could use them as a thank-you gift for Mo Jin.

She fetched the little Bee Robot, positioning it to face the chopping board below. For the sake of business, she had even artfully arranged the wild berries in a glass bowl, making them look exceptionally crystalline and translucent. Beside them lay the already fermented dough and a glass bowl of fresh water.

Lin Mo tilted her head up, greeted the screen, and put on a sweet smile. “Hello everyone, my name is Lin Mo. Today, I’ll be livestreaming how to use simple ingredients to make cute pastries.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the little bamboo sprout on top of her head swayed. Two bamboo leaves crossed together, forming a small heart.

【Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve seen the streamer cook! Exciting, rubbing my hands in anticipation!】

【Is the streamer feeling better from being sick?】

【Keep it up, streamer! The little bamboo on your head is so cute, I want to know where I can buy the same model?】

【(⊙o⊙) Wow, super excited!】

Lin Mo was in an excellent mood. She explained that she had mostly recovered, thanked everyone for their concern, and mentioned that the little bamboo on her head was part of her actual form. She could use spiritual energy to control it and change it into any shape she wanted. “Today, for our pastries, if there are any specific animals or plants you want to see, I can try making them.”

【Peach!】

The first request Lin Mo saw was for a peach. Pinching off a small piece from the rested dough, she began to knead it unhurriedly. With a casual pinch of her nimble hands, a lifelike peach quickly took shape.

She set the little peach aside, lightly dipped the pad of her finger into the red berry juice, and gently dabbed the tip of the peach. Instantly, the peach tip flushed a delicate pink.

【Stunned!jpg】

【This is way too realistic!】

【Offering my knees to the master! 6666666666669666】

【The Monkey Girl Who Loves Peaches gifted a Luxury Yacht to Squad No. 666!!!】

【Streamer, look at me! I want to buy the little peach in your hand~】

【I want to buy it too~】

The Bee Robot automatically started broadcasting the audio comments. Hearing them, Lin Mo’s eyes crinkled into a smile as she said, “You’ll have to wait a moment, this peach isn’t fully finished yet.”

Lin Mo set down what she was holding and turned around, intending to find some wild green leaves to squeeze for juice to dye the peach leaves. The moment she looked up, she saw Mo Jin standing at the doorway, though she didn’t know when she had arrived.

The sunlight fell slantingly across Mo Jin’s shoulders, cloaking her body in a thin, warm glow. The kitchen door wasn’t large, and Mo Jin, with her tall stature and calm expression, blocked the doorway, casting a slight air of pressure.

Lin Mo couldn’t help but walk over. Tilting her head up, she asked, “When did you get here?”

Mo Jin’s gaze landed on the faint red mark on the side of Lin Mo’s neck. Her tone was slightly cool, carrying a hint of reproach: “Why aren’t you resting in bed?”

Lin Mo caught the subtle trace of concern in her voice. A warm feeling flooded her chest, and her eyes curved into a smile, revealing shallow dimples. “No, I stayed in bed for too long and felt uncomfortable, so I got up to move around a bit.”

Noticing the eggs Mo Jin was holding in her hand, Lin Mo said in surprise, “Where did you find eggs?”

Mo Jin handed the eggs to Lin Mo and said calmly, “Picked them up on a whim.”

Feeling the residual warmth of the eggs in her hands, a look of doubt crossed Lin Mo’s face. Are you sure these were picked up from the roadside and not just taken fresh from a nest?

Looking at Mo Jin’s ice-castle face, she didn’t dare to ask, nor did she dare to guess.

Seeing Lin Mo hesitate, Mo Jin’s brow furrowed slightly. “Do you not like eating eggs?”

Lin Mo: “…”

She suddenly remembered that right before she lost consciousness last time, she had wanted to eat eggs but missed out because she fell ill. She hadn’t expected Mo Jin to remember it for her.

Uuuu, what a genuinely heartwarming little bear.

In a surge of excitement, Lin Mo almost ran over to hug Mo Jin and spin her around on the spot. Restraining the impulse in her heart, she nodded heavily. “I like them very much.”

Lin Mo’s eyes were bright, her curled eyelashes fluttering slightly, and the heart formed by her little leaves swayed left and right along with her movements.

It made one want to pat her head.

Mo Jin’s earlobes turned slightly red. Releasing her fingers, she reached out and gently patted Lin Mo’s head.

Lin Mo froze. The little bamboo leaves on her head stopped moving, her mind went dizzy, and she stared blankly at Mo Jin.

Mo Jin gently patted her again.

Ah, Mo Jin is patting my head again. She wouldn’t happen to be measuring how tall this bamboo is, checking to see when it’s mature enough to eat, right?

Lin Mo panicked, her voice murmuring softly, “It’s… it’s not ripe yet.”

Mo Jin looked at the little peach on the chopping board. “I know.”

Lin Mo quickly added, “It can only be eaten once it’s fully ripe.”

Mo Jin gave a soft “Mm” and withdrew her hand. “Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, no, it’s fine.”

Lin Mo waved her hands hurriedly, covering the little bamboo on her head. She didn’t want to be eaten so soon. She had almost gotten used to carrying a little sprout on her head; if it suddenly went missing, she wasn’t sure she could adapt. It was better to wait until she was thoroughly ripe before being eaten.

Suddenly remembering she needed wild greens to color the peach leaves, Lin Mo turned back to Mo Jin and said, “I need to find some wild greens.”

“I’ll help you look.”

Lin Mo clapped her forehead. “Oh right, the flour in the kitchen is gone. I don’t know if it was stolen by some other monster. Can you help investigate?”

“The little thief who stole the flour must have left a scent in the kitchen, so it should be easier to track down that way.”

Mo—the little flour-stealing thief—Jin looked into Lin Mo’s expectant eyes and coldly refused the request.

She wasn’t a little flour-stealing thief; she had only wanted to make noodles for her little bamboo.

Mo Jin turned and left the room, leaving behind a completely bewildered Lin Mo.

Which word did I just say wrong to make the iceberg turn even colder?

Before long, Mo Jin returned. She carried a fresh plant dusted with soil, placed it on the ground, and turned to walk out the door without saying a word.

Lin Mo: “…”

Lin Mo picked up the fresh plant from the ground, lowered her head to sniff it, and caught the clean fragrance of wild greens. She washed the greens with water and squeezed out the juice for later use.

Taking another small piece from the kneaded dough, she shaped it into a leaf, dipped it into the green juice to dye it, and then placed the small, vivid pink peach onto the green leaf. It looked even more lifelike.

After steaming the completed peach in a pot, Lin Mo placed it under the camera for display.

Wisps of white steam slowly rolled off the peach. The pastry itself was soft and tender, its surface carrying a faint sheen, radiating a rich wheat aroma. The camera was excellent at finding the right angle and even adjusted the lighting, making the entire pastry look like a celestial peach from a myth.

【It’s too realistic, it can completely pass for a real one. I want to eat it~】

【Ah, can this kind of peach even be eaten? I’d keep it at home just to admire it, I wouldn’t give it to anyone to eat!】

【Ahhh! I want it!】

【How much is it! Urgent request!】

Lin Mo hadn’t expected so many people to want to buy the finished product right away. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she said, “Do you all really want it? Don’t you want to taste it first before buying? Can things even be sold on the official website?”

【Yes! Every livestreaming squad has its own seller system. You can list items in the shop inside. You just have to apply to Xiao Mi to activate it, and then you can sell things in the store!】

【The person above just exposed themselves!】

【Whimpering, I’m already out in the wild and my stomach is sticking to my back, I can’t order takeout. We’re all from the same academy after all, does the streamer have the heart to watch me and my poor teammates starve to death?】

【Selling misery is invalid! I saw this peach first!】

Seeing that the comment section was about to break into a fight over a single peach, Lin Mo cleared her throat and said, “I can make five more peaches, making six in total, and list them in the shop all at once. You can just buy them directly when the time comes.”

Lin Mo immediately made five more peaches; lined up together, they looked like a beautiful painting.

Once she finished those, she went on to carefully craft an extra steamer of bamboo shoot buns. They came in all sorts of shapes, and she even added a spoonful of honey inside, making them look exceptionally delicate and lovely.

Someone asked in the bullet comments if the bamboo shoot buns were for sale. Lin Mo smiled slightly: “The bamboo shoot buns aren’t for sale.”

These were specifically meant to coax her bear cub and make her happy.