Chapter 81: Abstinence From Food
The shrimp dumplings were delightful. After spending most of her days with her teacher eating nothing but rice and buns, having something different lifted Anji’s mood.
"Thank you, Uncle Cook!" Anji cleaned her mouth and hopped off the stool. "I’ll help with the dishes today."
After living with Yan Ping in isolation, Anji had gotten used to doing several chores. Although she did not do them often, she could now bathe herself, wash her dishes and fold the laundry. Lizi still did most of the labour-intensive chores, but they were little steps to independence.
Uncertain about letting Anji do the dishes, the cook was about to stop her when Lizi gave her nod of approval. Surprised that the most protective personal maid allowed their youngest mistress to do the menial chores of a servant, the middle-aged man stood with his jaw agape.
Although it was a clumsy attempt, Anji seemed to know what she was doing. The plates were soaked in a basin of water and ashes were poured into it as Anji scrubbed the food remains off the surface. Then, she poured the dirty water again and had some help from Lizi to refill the basin with clean water before rinsing the clean dishes and wiping them with a dry cloth, returning the small stack of cutlery to the cook.
"It’s done," Anji beamed. "Thank you for the meal, even while studying with shifu!"
Tearing up, the cook received his washed dishes and wondered how appropriate it would be to store them in his family’s ancestral hall with a specially carved stone tablet to commemorate this precious milestone. Part of him did not want to put them away in proper storage. However, Anji was already gone before he could decide. With Gu Ying accompanying the child, Lizi was left to snap the cook back to reality.
"Could you help to prepare a tea set? The young mistress wants to make persimmon leaf tea for her teacher and father. Gu Ying is escorting her to check on the persimmon sprout."
Placing the washed dishes aside, the cook got busy as Anji noticed the difference in the sect after two months of isolated training. Every step of the way, people who saw her would bow their heads with teary eyes. Anji’s cheeks started cramping up from smiling so much and greeting this many people. The disciples from the inner sect greeted her with eyes of gratitude, but Anji could not understand why.