Next day, morning, with the first weak ray of sunlight creeping through the wooden window, Su Wen woke up. He stretched lazily, washed up quickly, and headed straight for the herb garden. He had work to do.
First on the list: the Spiritvine herb. He knelt down, inspecting the patch he'd cleared the day before. Spiritvine wasn't a simple herb. The soil around it turned toxic while it grew, meaning nothing else could live nearby for a good ten meters.
Luckily, the sunlight would eventually purify the soil, but as long as the herb was planted, everything else had to stay away. "Annoying little…," Su Wen muttered to himself, planting the herb carefully along with its seed. He patted the soil, whispered a few words like he always did, and stepped back to admire his work.
Next up were the spices from Chef Ryan. Su Wen dug neat little holes, dropped each seed in, and covered them with soil. He couldn't help smirking, these things were going to make his cooking legendary, if only he didn't kill them by accident.
Once the herbs were set, he wandered over to the small farm patch. The vegetables here were ordinary mortal stuff, but that didn't mean they had to stay boring. He sprinkled a pinch of mild spirit herb over the soil so that the veggies would grow healthier and, at the same time, boost his grandparents' health a little. "Eat well, you two," he muttered, already imagining their delighted faces when they saw the bright, fresh veggies on the table later.
Then he moved to his personal patch, his stash of spiritual vegetables and fruits. These were for him, meant to help with cultivation, so he was extra careful. Carrots that glowed faintly, tomatoes that hummed softly with qi, a few small trees that would bear fruits capable of slightly boosting his strength and recovery. Planting them made him feel like a kid again, quietly proud, smiling at his own little corner of the world.
By the time he finished, the sun had climbed higher. Su Wen wiped the sweat from his brow, glanced at his little empire of plants, and nodded in approval. "Not bad. Not bad at all."
He leaned on his hoe for a second, letting himself breathe in the smell of fresh soil and herbs. Then, with a grin, he muttered, 'Time to actually cook for my grandparents and take care of their health; they don't seem to be doing that well, and their age is catching up since they are mortals after all. And, where is that little bird? I haven't seen it for once yet.
The little bird was a tiny sparrow, no bigger than Su Wen's fist, with soft brown feathers and a mischievous glint in her sharp little eyes. She had lived with his grandparents for as long as he could remember and, oddly enough, could speak the human language well, sort of. Every word came out with a faint "-Chirp" at the end, which made it sound like she was mocking him constantly. Su Wen had long since learned that the best way to deal with her teasing was a quick peck on her head, a little kiss to keep her quiet whenever she got too cheeky.
As he trudged from the herb garden toward the house, the sparrow flitted over and landed squarely on his head, ruffling her feathers and giving a sharp chirp.
"-Chirp! Where's my breakfast, Dumb Su Wen?" she squawked.
Su Wen groaned and held her between both of his hands and said, "Breakfast? I've been here since yesterday and now is the time you are showing me your face, huh, you ungrateful little brat."
The sparrow chirped indignantly, but stayed put, twitching her little tail feathers.
"I went to the town since I was bored here. No one plays with me apart from you. -chirp."
Su Wen shook his head and gave her ten-fifteen kisses and said, "Fine, fine. I'll cook for you too. You little terror."
The little sparrow chirped happily and sat back on his head, "-chirp Hmph, you should be grateful, I am eating food cooked by you."
Su Wen shook his head lightly and started walking toward the house. But As he walked a few steps, something caught his eye at the edge of the field: a broken sword lying in the grass, shards sparkling like glass in the sunlight. He frowned, crouched down, and picked up a piece.
"Hmm… this looks like a one-time-use escape sword. It disintegrates after about ten days, and judging by its condition, it seems to have been here for around five days. I'll have to ask the grandparents about this," he muttered, tucking it under his arm.
The kitchen smelled of herbs and fresh firewood as Su Wen entered. The sparrow hopped onto the table outside, chirping and bobbing her head impatiently. Soon, his grandparents came to sit at the table, his grandmother giving him an approving nod and his grandfather smirking slightly.
Su Wen moved around with ease, chopping, stirring, and seasoning, showing his expertise as a Spirit Chef. The aroma of the fresh vegetables, lightly infused with spirit herbs for health, drifted through the air. He carefully set aside a little plate for the little sparrow, who chirped excitedly as he placed it in front of her.
Just as he was bringing out the main dishes, Su Wen froze. Across the table sat a figure he didn't recognize, face partially bandaged over one side of the eye, posture slumped, eyes cast down lifelessly. Su Wen blinked, trying to process what he was seeing.
Su Wen stayed silent, a flicker of surprise passing over his otherwise calm face. His hands hovered over the food, unsure for the first time in a while, as he stared at the mysterious figure who had just appeared in his grandparents' home.
Su Wen didn't say a word. He simply carried an extra bowl and plate from the kitchen, setting them in front of the girl. His grandmother gently handed her a pair of chopsticks, and the girl, whose eyes seemed drained of all life, took them without looking up.