Li Shi’s face immediately lit up with a smile. Happily, she took out three wild chicken eggs and handed them to Shen Youyou, saying:
“Youyou, go ahead and deliver these to Mo Ge. I’ll fry some eggs for you when you get back.”
“Okay.”
Shen Youyou took the three eggs from Li Shi and walked toward Mo Yan’s thatched hut.
The two families lived close by, so it didn’t take long for her to arrive near Mo Yan’s place.
Coincidentally, Tuanzi and Yuanzi were playing outside. Seeing her approach, Yuanzi ran over enthusiastically:
“Sis Youyou! Did you come to play with us? Look, we’re playing in the mud!”
Shen Youyou had a soft spot for these little cuties. After years of surviving in a zombie-ridden world, they were the first real living children she had seen in a long time. For her, they had a special significance.
“Yeah, I came to bring you something. Where’s your uncle?”
“Uncle’s inside cooking. Sis, what are you holding? Eggs? Are they for us to eat?”
Yuanzi was ecstatic to hear that Youyou was bringing something for them. Seeing the eggs in her hand, she licked her lips greedily—she hadn’t eaten eggs in ages! Ever since they came to live with their uncle, it had been meat every day. She was getting sick of it!
Holding Yuanzi’s hand, Shen Youyou went to where Mo Yan was cooking. She happened to see him clumsily preparing to boil chicken.
Shen Youyou was surprised:
“Mo Ge, you’re boiling chicken again?”
Hearing the sound, Mo Yan turned around and saw Shen Youyou watching him with a complex expression. He scratched his head awkwardly and said:
“Uh… I just know how to boil it! What brings you here?”
“I found a few wild chicken eggs with my brother in the mountains today. I brought three for you to try, to thank you for the bowl of chicken you gave my family last time.”
Shen Youyou held up the eggs and placed them on the nearby table, speaking seriously.
“Oh, don’t mention it. We’re neighbors now. Helping each other is natural. Thanks to you too—I’ll cook them for the kids later.”
“Okay, then you focus on your work. I’ll leave now.”
Shen Youyou turned to leave, but she couldn’t help noticing the delicious wild chicken being ruined.
If her guess was right, Mo Yan wasn’t very skilled at cooking. He probably just boiled the meat. Last time she ate at his place, she still remembered it vividly.
She had almost walked quite far when she sighed, stopped, and decisively turned back.
As a chef, what she couldn’t tolerate was seeing good ingredients being wasted.
Before the apocalypse, Shen Youyou had been a professional chef, a graduate of the prestigious Lanxiang Technical School. She loved her craft deeply. Her teachers had said she had talent and that, given time, she could make a name for herself in the culinary world.
But before she could reach that stage, the zombie outbreak had destroyed that beautiful world.
Now, brought to the ancient era with her skills intact, her passion for cooking reignited.
Sure enough, when Shen Youyou returned to Mo Yan’s tiny stove, she saw him tossing chunks of chicken straight into the pot.
She immediately shouted:
“Stop!”
“W-What’s wrong?”
Mo Yan jumped, startled by her sudden return, and asked nervously.
Shen Youyou looked him in the eyes and asked each word carefully:
“Mo Ge, do you not really know how to cook?”
Mo Yan felt embarrassed. He didn’t know whether to feel hot or ashamed; his face visibly reddened. Honestly, he admitted:
“Yeah… I just boil meat. I don’t know any other way.”
“If you don’t mind, I can make this chicken for you. My skills are pretty good. Consider it a treat for Yuanzi and Tuanzi—something different for them.”
Shen Youyou offered casually.
“Oh, is that… not too much trouble for you?”
Though Mo Yan spoke politely, his heart leapt with joy. Finally, he wouldn’t have to eat his own boiled chicken! He was so tired of it—living here for over a month, eating nothing but boiled meat every day!
“No trouble at all! You go play with the kids.”
She pushed him gently out of the small kitchen. Relieved, Mo Yan went outside happily. He told the kids he’d be back soon, and then walked toward the nearby forest. If someone else was cooking for him, he couldn’t take advantage—he decided to gather some firewood to bring to the Shen family later.
Inside the stove room, Shen Youyou quickly lifted the chicken chunks from the pot, thinking she could still salvage it.
But when she looked at the ingredients—or rather, the lack thereof—she frowned. Mo Yan only had salt. No spices, nothing. Even the best chef can’t work miracles without ingredients.
She sighed, missing her little magical kitchen from the apocalypse. How she wished it were here!
Just then, a cute voice suddenly rang in her mind:
【Hello, Master! Did you call me? I’m here!】
Shen Youyou: “???”
Then, she had a bold idea and tried to communicate mentally:
“Who are you? I can’t see you…”
【I’m your little kitchen! Master, I came with you to the ancient era. Whenever you need it, just think of it in your mind. Any ingredients or appliances you need can be used anytime. You can even enter the little kitchen in your mind!】
“That’s amazing! My wish really came true! Thank you! You don’t have to call me Master—call me ‘Sister.’ By the way, what’s your name?”
Shen Youyou was delighted. Since arriving in the ancient era, she seemed to have some extra bonuses!
Thank heavens for this second chance. She would cherish life here and live well.
【Sure! I’ll call you Sister. I don’t have a real name, so just call me Little Kitchen.】
Shen Youyou paused, then suggested:
“Hm… Little Kitchen sounds boring. Your voice is cute, like a child. How about I call you ‘Manman’ instead? Like your function—always full of ingredients. Full Kitchen!”
【Okay, okay! Thank you, Sister! Hehe, I’m now Manman Little Kitchen! I have a name! Wonderful! Sister, hurry and cook—I can’t wait for the delicious aroma!】
“All right, I’ll start right away.”
Shen Youyou immediately got to work. With Manman Little Kitchen providing ingredients and appliances on demand, she was confident she could make a delicious braised chicken dish.