In the stillness of the night, Shen Ci tossed and turned in bed, too excited to sleep at the thought of her senior brother accompanying her to the market the next day.
She scrubbed herself clean from head to toe, then hopped barefoot out of bed and washed her clothes several times over.
Finally, with great ceremony, she hung the white dress gifted by Mo Cheng at the head of her bed.
“I’ll wear this tomorrow…” she murmured softly, stealing one last glance before burrowing under the covers.
The young girl suddenly buried her face in the pillow, kicking her legs twice before quickly drifting into sweet dreams.
At the first light of dawn the next day, Shen Ci scrambled out of bed.
Rising on her toes, she retrieved the garment hanging at her bedside – the plain white long dress Mo Cheng had given her.
After dressing neatly before the bronze mirror, the young girl found herself at a loss.
Biting her lower lip as she sat before the mirror, wooden comb in hand, several unruly strands of hair stuck out near her ears. She usually just tied it carelessly into a ponytail, but today…
“How can I make it look nicer?” she muttered, attempting to divide her hair into two sections.
The fine, soft strands kept slipping through her fingers, her small arms weren’t long enough, and soon tiny beads of sweat dotted the tip of her nose.
After much effort, she managed to braid two crooked pigtails. Shen Ci examined her reflection left and right – the round face in the mirror seemed slightly fuller, making her large eyes appear even brighter. When her gaze suddenly fell upon the purple ribbon around her wrist, her eyes lit up instantly.
“I’ve got it!”
Carefully untying the purple ribbon Ling Yimian had given her, she wrapped the silk gauze around the end of her right braid, then twirled before the mirror.
Giving her reflection a thumbs-up, she declared, “A-Ci looks… especially pretty today!”
Slipping into her embroidered cloth shoes, she hummed a little tune while first watering the Moon Glow Flowers and other plants in the courtyard with clear stream water, then scattering a handful of rice for the small animals.
“Da Hua~ time to eat!”
Kneeling down, she gently stroked the bald head of the speckled hen, then suddenly blinked. “Eh? Looks like you’re growing new feathers here!”
The previously listless Da Hua seemed much more spirited now, even nuzzling her palm affectionately.
“See, A-Ci really is the best at raising small animals~”
Proudly scattering another handful of rice, she watched as the chickens and ducks fluttered their wings and crowded around her feet.
Just as she straightened up, she suddenly sensed someone behind her.
Shen Ci turned to find Xiao Lie standing quietly in the morning light, his round eyes watching her. The golden sunlight cast a fuzzy outline around him, with even the tips of his hair shimmering with fragmented halos.
“Brother Xiao!”
The young girl’s eyes sparkled. Whether it was the gentleness of the morning light or her bubbling excitement, she found herself spreading her arms without thinking and throwing them around the youth’s legs. “Brother Xiao, good morning!”
Her voice rang clear and crisp, brimming with unconcealed delight and affection.
Xiao Lie looked down to meet her crescent-moon eyes. The morning breeze stirred, causing the purple gauze in the girl’s hair to flutter lightly with her strands.
He gave a simple, honest smile and bent down to pick up Shen Ci. “Missed A-Ci, so I came.”
Shen Ci suddenly laughed, tugging gently at a lock of his hair with her small hand. “Are you sure you missed A-Ci, and not A-Ci’s cooking?”
Xiao Lie’s brows immediately knitted together as if facing an immense dilemma. After struggling for a long moment, he finally mumbled, “Both… missed both!”
“Hahahaha.”
The little girl laughed heartily, nimbly slipping out of his embrace. With her hands clasped behind her back, she leaned closer to Xiao Lie, her eyes sparkling brightly. “Then… shall we have wontons for breakfast this morning?”
Seeing the young man blinking in confusion, she tilted her head and offered an alternative. “Or… how about scallion oil noodles?”
Xiao Lie’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably, yet he still nodded blankly. “Whatever A-Ci makes… I’ll eat.”
Shen Ci thought for a moment. Later, she would need to go out with her senior brother, and making wontons from scratch would be too time-consuming.
“Then let’s have scallion oil noodles!”
Shen Ci went to the vegetable garden to pick a handful of scallions. As usual, Xiao Lie lit the fire while she prepared the ingredients.
Scallion oil noodles were simple to make. As she chopped the scallions, Shen Ci reminded him, “Brother Xiao, keep the flame low.”
Xiao Lie had now mastered fire control to perfection. Shen Ci rested her chin in her hands and mused, “It would be even more fragrant with a spoonful of lard… Later, when we go down the mountain, we must buy some pork fat to render.”
While frying the scallions, Shen Ci quickly prepared the sauce: soy sauce as the base, a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor, and a bit of sugar.
When the scallions turned amber, Shen Ci poured the sauce into the pan, and a rich, savory aroma instantly filled the air.
She then rinsed the cooked noodles in cold water, making each strand springy and firm.
As the amber scallion oil cascaded over the snow-white noodles, Xiao Lie’s eyes shone brighter than the stove fire.
Shen Ci chuckled as she mixed the noodles for him. “Eat slowly, it’s hot…”
Before she could finish, the young man eagerly slurped up a mouthful, hissing from the heat but refusing to spit it out. With his cheeks puffed out and breath huffing, he looked just like a squirrel sneaking a treat.
“Hahaha.”
Bathed in the morning light, the two sat side by side on the stone steps, each with a bowl of noodles, slurping away contentedly.
“Whoa, what’s that amazing smell?”
Shen Ci turned at the voice and saw Shi Zhouzhou darting toward the kitchen like a cat catching the scent of fish, his robes fluttering as he ran. “Little Junior Sister! What delicious treat have you made?”
His gaze fell on the wolf demon crouched beside Shen Ci, and he abruptly halted, instantly adopting the dignified demeanor of a senior brother.
Shen Ci suppressed a laugh and pointed to the kitchen. “I made scallion oil noodles, and I made a big pot on purpose.”
Before she could finish, Bu Ranchen stumbled out from around the corner, rubbing his eyes. “Good heavens, it’s the first time in my life I’ve been woken up by such an enticing aroma…”
Xiao Lie silently shifted half a step closer to Shen Ci and let out a soft snort.
These two were despicable, always waiting for his A-Ci to cook so they could enjoy a ready-made meal.
Shen Ci smiled warmly. “Alright, Little Bu Senior Brother, Zhouzhou Senior Brother, hurry and eat. After breakfast, we need to head to the morning market.”
The two replied in unison, “Sure thing, Junior Sister!”
Then they dashed into the kitchen in a flash.
Shen Ci turned back to Xiao Lie and instructed, “Brother Xiao, A-Ci needs to go to Red Cloud City today and might return late.”
She pointed to the vegetable garden. “If you get hungry, pick some fruit to snack on.”
Xiao Lie nodded obediently. “I’ll help A-Ci by watering the plants and feeding the chickens.”
Shen Ci laughed again. “Once they’re plump, I’ll make you roast chicken.”
Xiao Lie’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously. “Mhmm!”
After Bu Ranchen and Shi Zhouzhou devoured their breakfast like a whirlwind, the three of them strapped on their longswords and set off for Red Cloud City.
Unfortunately, none of them had reached Foundation Establishment yet, so they couldn’t travel by sword control.
Shen Ci employed the Treading Cloud movement technique, light as a forest fawn, and in the blink of an eye left her two senior brothers far behind. She had no choice but to stop by the stream and wait, playfully tapping the water’s surface with her toes.
“Li-little junior sister!” Shi Zhouzhou panted as he caught up, his round face flushed bright red. “How do you run… faster than the rabbits in the mountains…”
Bu Ranchen kicked him from behind and said disdainfully, “Fatso, I told you long ago to eat less and train more. Serves you right.”
Shi Zhouzhou shot him a fierce glare. “You’re not much better.”
He looked up at Shen Ci, who appeared perfectly composed, and asked, “Little junior sister, aren’t you tired?”