As Li Shuying settled down opposite Lu Lingmei's twin boys, she could not help but let out a soft chuckle.
The two little ones, not yet three, were identical in every feature—round eyes, small button noses, and the same patchy, sun-yellow hair bleached by malnutrition and wind. Though thin as willow twigs, they were undeniably adorable. As they clutched their bowls and chewed with solemn determination, their puffed cheeks and quick, darting glances made them resemble two cautious little monkeys guarding their treasure.
She searched her memory for their names. A moment later, it came to her.
Liu Weiguo. Liu Weimin.
Even in her previous life, she had held a special affection for these brothers. Her mother, Chen Meilan, had been close to their mother, Lu Lingmei. And their father, Liu Baitao, serves in the same military unit as her own father—though not in the same squad and not any official position, still in her last life, it was Brother Baitao who had petitioned again and again for a reinvestigation.
He had done everything within his power to halt the execution order issued against her father. He had written letters, sought former comrades, even risked offending superiors. But in the end, all his efforts had been like throwing stones into the sea—without a ripple in return.
Later, he too had been expelled from the army. Though no wrongdoing was found in investigation, his unwavering support for her father was reason enough in those turbulent years.
Li Shuying sighed faintly and lowered her head to her meal.
The moment she took her first bite of sorghum rice, her expression stiffened. It was coarse and dry, each grain rough against her tongue. There was no oil, no salt—only the faint bitterness of husk and hardship. She forced herself to chew, but her body instinctively resisted.
In her previous life, after serving her sentence and later meeting with that distant relative who arranged house for her and sent her a monthly allowance, she had grown accustomed to comfort of that time. She had delighted in ordering dishes from her phone, trying new flavors. A single meal without meat had once felt incomplete.
Now, staring at the crude bowl in her hands, she felt an absurd urge to laugh.
From online deliveries to sorghum gruel—truly, fate had a cruel sense of humor.
Yet she was genuinely hungry. Since her rebirth, she had not eaten anything. Her stomach ached hollowly. She missed her old apartment—especially her little kitchen.
And suddenly, she missed her phone which she used to order online.
She also missed that farming game.
In that game, whenever the warehouse overflowed with produce, she would reluctantly use the "kitchen" function to turn ingredients into dishes. Reluctantly because the kitchen had been fully equipped, but it cost points to operate. It was also an inefficient feature that didn't help her level up so she had always considered it useless, only using it when storage space forced her hand.
The last dish she had made there…
Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken.
Though it had only been an animated image in the game, she knew the taste well. She had eaten it countless times in reality—golden battered chicken glazed in a glossy sauce, tangy and sweet, with a hint of vinegar cutting through the richness.
She closed her eyes unconsciously, recalling the flavor.
The balance of sugar and vinegar. The crisp skin giving way to tender meat. The aroma of garlic and soy sauce rising with steam.
Her mouth began to water.
Then her brows knitted together.
She could smell it.
Sweet. Sour. Savory.
Her eyes snapped open.
Before her sat a large porcelain bowl filled with Sweet and Sour Chicken—glistening under the evening lights as though freshly lifted from a sizzling wok. Steam curled upward in lazy spirals. The sauce clung thickly to golden pieces of chicken, dotted with bright fragments of carrot and green pepper.
For a heartbeat, she could not breathe.
Her pulse pounded in her ears.
Slowly—very slowly—she turned her head.
Thank heavens.
She was seated in a shadowed corner of the canteen yard, partially obscured by stacked firewood and a mud-brick wall. Most villagers were busy eating, though a few noses nearby twitched faintly at the unfamiliar aroma drifting through the air.
In these hard times, grain itself was precious—let alone meat. Chicken was rarer still. Though regulations permitted each household to raise two hens, who would slaughter it for meat? Eggs were far more valuable. And these days, even feeding a chicken was a burden few could afford.
This dish, if seen, would cause an uproar.
She suddenly felt two pairs of eyes fixed upon her.
Turning, she found the twins staring at the bowl in silent awe. Clear drool slipped down their chins.
Her heart softened.
But she did not move immediately.
A few villagers not far away had already begun sniffing curiously, glancing around with suspicion.
She leaned closer to the boys and whispered urgently, her voice low and conspiratorial.
"Do you want to eat a special dish?"
The twins nodded vigorously, their heads bobbing in perfect unison like two little monkeys.
Li Shuying's lips curved into a gentle smile.
"We can't eat it here," she murmured. "If others see it, they'll snatch it away. Let's go somewhere quieter and finish it. All right?"
The boys' eyes shone brighter than lantern light.
"Sister," Liu Weiguo asked in a hushed voice, "will you really share it with us?"
Liu Weimin also looked expectant.
Li Shuying chuckled softly and ruffled their dry, yellowed hair.
"Of course. But we must hurry," she said, glancing around once more. "If we wait any longer, everyone will discover our little secret."
The twins wasted no time. With solemn little faces, they carefully closed the lids of their small aluminum lunch boxes, hugging them to their chests as though guarding precious treasure. Then, in perfect unison, they toddled after Li Shuying.
Li Shuying adjusted the large porcelain bowl in her arms, covering it tightly with a cloth bag. Keeping her head low, she slipped out through the back door of the communal canteen yard. The evening sun hung low in the western sky, staining the earth in muted gold.
She walked quickly along the narrow dirt path.
At first, she had been thinking of a secluded place to share the dish with the twins. But suddenly, like a needle pricking her heart, she remembered her three brothers at home.
Today, although Li Jianguo and Li Jianmin had earned work points in the fields, they had given up their own portions of dinner so she could eat. She had been running a fever the day before, and the two of them had quietly pushed their bowls toward her without a word of complaint.
Her steps faltered.
A warmth rose in her chest, soft yet piercing.
How could she forget them?
The bowl in her arms was large enough to feed five or six people. Whatever miracle had placed it there, whatever force had conjured it into existence, she had no time to dwell on it now.
Family came first.
Without hesitation, she turned toward her own home. It was not far from the communal canteen.
As they approached the courtyard gate, she heard Li Jianmin's impatient voice from inside.
"Second Brother, why don't we go up the mountain? It's still early evening. Maybe we can find wild greens or something. I can't take this anymore."
Li Jianguo's voice followed, low but firm. "Control yourself. Once Mother comes back, we'll see what can be done."
There was hunger in his tone too—thinly concealed, but unmistakable.
Li Shuying's grip tightened around the bowl.
They had worked in the fields all afternoon under the sun. How could they not be starving?
She glanced down at the heavy porcelain in her arms and silently thanked heaven—or whatever unseen power had intervened. Whether it was fate, destiny, or something far stranger, she would be grateful later.
For now, this was salvation.
She nodded to the twins and pushed open the wooden gate.
The creaking sound drew the brothers' attention.
Li Jianmin was the first to look up. The moment he saw her, he straightened and forced a casual tone. "Little sister, you're finally home? Why so late? Where's Mother?" His eyes, however, darted anxiously past her toward the empty path.
Li Jianguo rose more slowly. His gaze immediately fell upon the large covered bowl in her hands. His brows knitted together.
The porcelain was smooth and white, unlike the coarse earthenware in this era. Even in the dimming light, its glaze reflected a faint sheen, it looks expensive.
"Little sister," he asked cautiously, "what is that bowl? Where did you get it?"
Before she could answer, Liu Weimin bounced forward in excitement, his little face flushed. "Minmin knows!" he announced in his childish lisp. "It came with magic! It has a special dish—so fragrant!"
Liu Weiguo clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Yes! Very delicious!"
The two Li brothers exchanged a bewildered glance.
Li Jianmin frowned. "What magic? What special dish?"
Li Jianguo's eyes sharpened. "Shuying, what are they talking about?"
Li Shuying herself felt a flicker of unease at the word magic. She did not know how the bowl had appeared. She did not know whether it was a blessing or a hidden danger.
But this was neither the time nor the place.
She glanced toward the lane outside and lowered her voice. "Second Brother, Third Brother—there's no time to explain. Let's go inside first. Call Eldest Brother too."
Her tone was urgent enough that neither dared question further.
Li Jianhua was seated at the small wooden table, reviewing old textbooks under the weak light filtering through the paper window. Hearing the commotion, he looked up.
"Shuying?" His gaze shifted to the twins and then to the covered bowl. "What's going on?"
Li Shuying closed the door carefully behind them.
For a moment, silence hung thick in the room.
Then, slowly, she placed the bowl at the center of the table.
All five gathered around instinctively.
Her heart thudded.
With steady fingers, she lifted the cloth.
A rich, glossy aroma burst forth at once—sweet, tangy, savory—filling the small house like an explosion of forbidden luxury.
The three brothers froze.
In the bowl lay something they never saw before but looked beautiful and appetizing. Steam curled upward in fragrant ribbons. Bits of green pepper and carrot added bright color against the thick glaze. The scent alone was intoxicating.
Li Jianmin's mouth fell open.
Li Jianguo stared as though struck by lightning.
Li Jianhua's fingers, still holding his book, trembled slightly.
For a long moment, none of them spoke.
Finally, Li Jianmin swallowed audibly. "This… this is…"
"Chicken?" Li Jianhua asked hoarsely.
Not dried scraps. Not a thin broth with a floating sliver of meat.
Real chicken.
Cooked.
And judging by the aroma, prepared with plenty of oil, and other ingredients that were nearly mythical luxuries these days.
Li Jianmin leaned closer, inhaling deeply, disbelief etched across his usually steady face.
The twins had already begun hopping excitedly in place.
"Told you!" Liu Weimin declared proudly. "Special dish!"
Li Jianguo reached out instinctively, then pulled his hand back as though afraid the vision would shatter. "Shuying… where did this come from?"
Li Jianhua's gaze sharpened despite the hunger blazing in his eyes. "Tell us the truth. Even if we are poor, we cannot take what does not belong to us. In these times, one bowl of chicken could cause trouble."
The words were stern, but his voice was protective.
Li Shuying looked at her three brothers—their hollow cheeks, their calloused hands, the exhaustion lining their young faces.
She inhaled softly.
"I didn't steal it," she said quietly. "Trust me. I'll explain everything later."
Her eyes softened as she added, "For now… let's eat while it's still hot."
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