Rebirth: Ordinary Life and Living

A happy mood can always improve work efficiency.

Sometimes some chefs will start singing while they are busy.

Sometimes, some girls would suddenly sing a few lines of a song while they were cooking.

Sometimes, suddenly in another place, another male chef will sing this song.

Gradually, the already bustling kitchen became even busier.

Sometimes the little helpers who were busy helping out would hum along with a smile on their faces.

Everyone was very happy and worked with great enthusiasm.

Soon the food preparation table was filled with table after table of delicacies from land and sea.

Those serving the dishes were busy and quick in bringing them out.

Just as everyone took a break, someone came to report that another round of meals was about to begin.

Everyone immediately got back to work.

Everyone started introducing themselves. There were people from all over the world. There really was a mix of people.

One of the cooks was Liu Si Niang, who came from the state of Longding.

When Zhou Xinyue heard that they were from the Kingdom of Longding, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

When Zhou Xinyue introduced her family's address, she paused for a long time. But unexpectedly, before Zhou Xinyue opened her mouth, Liu Si Niang smiled and said, "Actually, you don't need to tell me, I know where you are from."

Zhou Xinyue smiled and said, "Really? You are so amazing. Then guess where I am from?"

Liu Si Niang laughed a few times and said, "You are my fellow villager. And from your accent, I can tell that you are from within 150 miles of Cangdu city."

Zhou Xinyue's heart started to panic instantly, and the smile on her face froze.

Even Fanxing's face changed color out of fear.

Zhou Xinyue hurriedly covered herself up and said, "How did you know?"

Liu Si Niang threw slices of meat into the pot while she weighed the spoon and stir-fried the dishes. She said, "We wanderers have been to many places, if not everywhere. Sometimes we stay in one place for a long time. I'm so old, can't I recognize your accent?"

Zhou Xinyue smiled awkwardly and said, "That's pretty impressive. Si Niang is truly a deity."

As Liu Siniang was plating the food, she said lightly, "I see you are quite young. Why did you leave the Kingdom of Longding and come here?"

Zhou Xinyue wiped the stove with a rag and pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Oh, the country was not safe some time ago. I came here to avoid disaster."

Si Niang wiped the sweat off her face with the rag around her neck and said, "That's right. Our country of Longding was indeed not very safe some time ago. But I heard that it has been much better recently. The new emperor has implemented a series of reform strategies and has also exempted taxes for five years. Many of my fellow villagers have returned to develop. Madam Zhou, I think you can actually go back and take a look. After all, it's better to be wandering abroad than to stay in your own country."

Zhou Xinyue smiled bitterly and said, "I think it's pretty good here. I can meet friends from all over the world. And the folk customs here are similar to those in our country. I don't feel uncomfortable. I think it's pretty good, so I don't plan to go back."

Si Niang sat down on the stool, picked up the teacup, blew on it, took a few sips and said, "That's right. Everyone has their own aspirations. Sometimes it feels the same no matter where you are."

Zhou Xinyue looked Liu Si Niang up and down and thought to herself, since you always ask me, I'll ask you too.

"What about you? Si Niang. Why are you here?"

Liu Si Niang laughed heartily a few times and said, "This is a long story."

Zhou Xinyue smiled and asked, "I'm quite curious. I just don't know how long this story is. I'd like to hear more about it."

A few people in the kitchen also echoed and asked, "That's right, Si Niang. You haven't told me about your past yet."

Liu Si Niang sat there with a hollow look in her eyes and said, "Since you like to listen, I'll tell you. It's all in the past anyway. I followed my father and traveled around the world since I was a child. My mother passed away when I was very young. When I was young and could remember, my father went to work as a cook for a wealthy family in Cangdu City. I usually helped my father. Later, my father became ill and was driven out by that family. In order to keep me alive, my father betrothed me to a family. Not long after, my father passed away. The family I married originally wanted me to continue the family line and give birth to a son for them, but they didn't expect me to give birth to a daughter. They thought I was useless and couldn't continue the family line for them, so they drove us out."

Zhou Xinyue was so angry when she heard this that she chopped the chopping board with a knife and cursed: "Asshole, this family is too bullying, too much!"

Liu Si Niang looked at Zhou Xinyue and said with a smile: "Thank you, sister. It's all over."

Someone in the kitchen asked, "What happens next?"

Liu Si Niang smiled and said, "It was the coldest time of the year. I was in confinement after giving birth and my child was very young. The child died within two days. I thought I would freeze to death on the street, but I was rescued by a businessman from Pakistan, who later became my husband. I was taken care of by him. From then on, I became his wife. My husband has only one daughter, who is the apprentice next to me. She can't call me mother, so I asked her to change me to master. Unfortunately, my husband died of illness two years ago."

After saying these words, Liu Siniang turned her head to look at the apprentice beside her, smiled and patted her shoulder.

The apprentice smiled and said nothing, squatting down to pick vegetables!

When Zhou Xinyue heard these words, she felt a mixture of emotions.

Liu Si Niang did not deliberately tell a story that was sentimental or moving. Instead, she smiled and told about her own miserable past as if she were telling someone else's story. This feeling was truly a mixture of emotions.

Zhou Xinyue sighed quietly and said, "Suffering will always pass, and the rainbow will always return. How can you see the rainbow without going through the wind and rain?"

Liu Si Niang smiled and said, "Yes. Sister, what you said is very good."

As he was talking about this, a young man dressed very low-key came in quietly.

I saw that he was holding a basket with various fruits in it.

Everyone was busy and didn't notice this person.

When the basket of fruit was handed to Zhou Xinyue, she was surprised.

"This..." Zhou Xinyue looked up at the man who was dressed simply and in the linen clothes of an ordinary citizen with a look of surprise.

Isn't this the crazy city lord? He is really amazing. Today he is wearing a common people's sackcloth again.

"You, what are you doing?"

Unexpectedly, when the city lord took a glance at such a large kitchen, he found that everyone else was busy and bragging from time to time, and had no time to pay attention to this area.

He whispered, "I was afraid you were tired, so I brought some fresh fruits for you so you can have a taste. Thank you for your hard work. The guests and my grandmother praised your cake very much."

Zhou Xinyue smiled bitterly and said, "My cake is called peach pastry. Don't forget the name."

The city lord smiled and said, "I know, I know. Peach Cake. I'll remember the name. You can eat some of these fruits from time to time. The foreign guests also said they wanted to take some away. I may have to trouble you to prepare more. Thank you for your hard work."

Zhou Xinyue was slightly surprised and said, "You want to take it away? How much do I have to do? But I am not..."

Before Zhou Xinyue could finish, Balbu thought for a moment and said, "This birthday ceremony will last for 9 consecutive days. I'm sorry to bother you with these 9 days, Madam Zhou."

"Nine days..."

"Don't worry. I won't let you work for nine days in vain. I will reward you when the time comes."

Zhou Xinyue glared at him, her eyes full of anger.

"Don't look at me like that. It scares me. I'm leaving, I'm leaving. I just took a break from my busy schedule to come and see you quietly. I won't, I won't disturb you. You go ahead and do your thing."

After saying this, he disappeared in a flash.