After being reborn as a man, the woman improved her family's fortunes through education.

The next morning, Jiang Xiaoqi got up early as usual.

After all, you're doing work whether you're asleep or awake, so you might as well get up and get some fresh air.

Smoke curls from the chimney of a small courtyard nestled in the woods, creating an ethereal and otherworldly atmosphere in this tranquil mountain setting.

Jiang Xiaoqi, busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen, doesn't exude any ethereal aura; she's all about the everyday hustle and bustle.

The side dishes I pickled while cooking last night are already quite flavorful: pickled radish peel and fried peanuts.

Actually, I originally wanted to make peanuts with vinegar, but I was worried that no one would eat them like that right now, and the teacher might not accept the new flavor.

Let's try new dishes later when we're more familiar with them; for now, let's be conservative.

The pot was bubbling away, and the millet porridge was ready.

A steamer basket sits atop the millet porridge. When the porridge is ready, the steamed buns in the top basket will also be ready.

It saves fuel and time, but doing it this way inevitably makes the buns a bit more steamy.

There was no other way; the firewood was a bit damp in the morning, and it was already difficult enough to get one stove lit. He didn't have the energy to start another fire to steam buns.

The dough was made last night before bed, and the filling was freshly prepared this morning. Since I didn't have an assistant to help me, I could only try to keep the steps as simple as possible.

Otherwise, breakfast won't be ready by the time Master gets up.

Just as Jiang Xiaoqi was thinking, the door to the main room opened.

He quickly lifted the lid of the steamer, picked up a steaming hot bun with his chopsticks, and placed it on a plate.

He then took two large, coarse earthenware bowls, filled them with millet porridge, placed them on a tray, and added a small dish of pickled radish peel and a small dish of peanuts.

"Master, good morning!"

Ouyang Zheng naturally sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard, looking at the plump, soft-looking steamed buns and the golden millet porridge.

Jiang Xiaoqi, with great perceptiveness, handed over chopsticks and a spoon: "Master, please have your breakfast quickly, it's not good for your stomach if it's cold."

"Hmm." Ouyang Zheng pretended to be reserved and took a bite of the side dish. Hmm! It's very refreshing and crunchy.

He took a sip of the millet porridge and exclaimed, "Wow! This ordinary millet porridge is cooked so well! If I remember correctly, it's made from old millet that's been sitting for a long time."

I couldn't resist picking up the plump white bun. As soon as I took a bite, most of the filling juice was absorbed by the cross-section of the bun skin that I had bitten into.

Wow! Delicious! Even a learned scholar, full of knowledge and wisdom, was at a loss for words and could only exclaim how delicious it was!

Jiang Xiaoqi slowly sipped her porridge and ate the steamed bun in her hand. When she reached for the second one, she found nothing.

There were originally six steamed buns on the plate, six steamed buns!

Looking up, all that was left was a master wiping his mouth.

Never mind, I just didn't do enough.

A pot of porridge, a steamer of steamed buns, two side dishes—all gone.

Jiang Xiaoqi only ate half full, so she had to secretly smuggle out two dry pastries from her spatial storage to tide her over.

I've learned my lesson. Next time, I'll eat on the stove first and then bring the food to the table!

After cleaning and washing the pots and pans, it was almost dawn, and in two more hours we would be preparing lunch.

He felt like he wasn't there to become an apprentice, but rather to become a cook.

Sigh, perhaps this is the old man testing himself?

Ouyang Zheng waved his tattered palm-leaf fan back and forth, but could not dispel the summer heat.

Watching the busy little figure, his brows finally relaxed a bit. He was not conquered by the food; he was just preparing to repay the Liu family's favor.

Just then, a bowl of mung bean soup suddenly appeared on the low table next to the bamboo chair he was sitting on.

It's within easy reach, cool and slightly sweet, perfect for cooling off in the summer.

The bowl was empty, and the person got up and went to the back of the bamboo house to take out one of the homing pigeons that was kept in the bamboo cage.

Wrap the paper strips around the bird and roll them into small sticks, then release them into the air.

Far by the sea, a dark-skinned boy who was haggling with someone threw down the dried vegetables in his hand and caught a pigeon in mid-air with a few leaps.

"Brother Dahai, your master has written again!"

"Oh, I guess my master misses me, hahaha!"

The dark-skinned boy wiped his sweat, took the note, and tucked the pigeon under his arm.

The small characters, resembling the slender gold script, unfold: "Runzhi, you may return slowly."

"It really is my master urging me to return to the mountain. Alas, this deal is off."

Without replying, he simply untied the pigeon from under his arm and tied a newly acquired pearl to it before releasing it.

The pearl was pale gold and extremely rare, so he couldn't bear to sell it and gave it to his master to play with.

"Ah Hai, are you still going to do this business? Aren't you going to save money to get married?!"

"Get lost! What do you mean by saving money to get married? I'm clearly saving money to take the provincial examination!"

Li Haisheng, a dark-skinned boy, whose courtesy name was Runzhi, was bestowed upon him by Mr. Ouyang. Runzhi means "the highest good is like water, nourishing things silently."

Watching the pigeon disappear into the sky with the pearl, he returned home, preparing to bid farewell to his brothers and sisters in the next couple of days, and to buy some more rice and grain for the family before leaving.

They were all homeless orphans who came together, becoming family to each other and finding warmth in each other's company.

Li Haisheng is the third child, with two older brothers, Li Chunsheng and Li Qiusheng. Everyone chose their own names after they grew up.

Including Li Yesheng below, there are also two youngest girls, Li Chunhua and Li Qiuyue.

These are the names Li Haisheng gave his two younger sisters after he had read a little bit of books.

It doesn't look particularly good now, but my two younger sisters kept saying they liked it, so I didn't change it.

Li Runsheng had no horse, let alone a carriage; he traveled over a hundred miles on foot.

He occasionally used his light-footed skills and ran along the way, returning to the mountains in just one day, which can be described as fast.

Returning to the familiar bamboo forest, the first thing I saw was wisps of smoke rising from the bamboo houses.

Good heavens! Master, are you cooking porridge?