My whole family sucked my blood; after being reborn, the little cook went on a killing spree.

"Third brother!"

Xu Lingxi was pleasantly surprised and pulled Su Wanning over to greet him, quickly introducing him in a low voice, "This is my third cousin, Li Xuzhi. Although he's not in good health, he's a really good person!"

She then introduced him to Li Xuzhi, "Third brother, this is my good friend, Su Wanning. She's amazing!"

"This humble woman, Su Wanning, greets the Third Young Master."

Su Wanning curtsied.

"No need for such formalities, Madam Su."

Li Xuzhi's gaze lingered on her for a moment, but without lingering, he asked Xu Lingxi, "It's so late, why are you out here again? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"

"I'm very strong!"

Xu Lingxi pointed at Qingfang and the others, "When we catch some fish later, we're going to grill them here. You should also try Wan Ning's cooking."

"it is good."

Li Xuzhi didn't want to spoil her fun, so he smiled and agreed. He then ordered people to build a few more screens to completely enclose the open space.

That way, you really won't catch a cold.

Xu Lingxi exaggeratedly exclaimed that she was moved, as the brother and sister had not seen each other for a long time and had a lot to say.

Su Wan Ning tactfully began preparing various seasonings.

Although the fish caught were not big, they were all fresh and alive, and a young maid in the kitchen had already cleaned them all.

Su Wan Ning directly scrubbed the fish with coarse salt for a while to force out the fishy water, and then stuffed ginger slices and mint leaves into its belly.

Make a shallow cut on each side of the fish, then spread a thin layer of sauce made from fine salt, Sichuan peppercorn powder, rice wine, and maltose. Wrap the fish in fresh lotus leaves and secure it with thin bamboo leaves.

Slowly roasted over a low flame, the sauce seeps into the fish little by little, and the mint leaves release their refreshing aroma.

The two people chatting happily next to me gradually lowered their voices.

Su Wan Ning felt a gaze fall on her. She looked up and met Li Xu Zhi's beautiful, starry eyes.

She nodded slightly. "It'll be ready to eat soon."

"Chef Su's cooking skills are superb."

Li Xuzhi gave a very straightforward compliment.

He clearly saw that in the darkness, the young cook's face quickly turned red, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze again. She chuckled softly, "I'm really in for a treat today."

"Aren't you going to thank me? You sit here and wait, I'll go get it for you."

Xu Lingxi ran over to Su Wanning's side and said, "Wanning, Wanning, my third brother can't eat anything too spicy, too salty, or too oily."

"it is good."

Su Wan Ning made the food in different flavors, and then pointed to a few other items, "Here, this is the super spicy one you ordered."

"Only Wan Ning truly understands me!"

Xu Lingxi ran back again.

Su Wan Ning then quietly rubbed her inner thigh.

It just doesn't seem right for someone who is in poor health and usually lives a secluded life to suddenly appear at this time.

She was at odds with everyone in the Li family, but she couldn't act like a wooden chicken, or even show a trace of fear or disgust. She could only pinch herself hard a few times to make herself seem more 'shy'.

Concealing her emotions, Su Wan Ning stir-fried another dish of lotus root slices.

The lotus root used was the one that Xu Lingxi and I had just dug up. The lotus root slices shouldn't be cut too thin; they should have some thickness so that they're crisper to eat.

Toast the pan with Sichuan peppercorns, dogwood, and shallots until fragrant, then quickly stir-fry the lotus root slices. Finally, add rice vinegar and acacia honey to balance the spiciness.

"So delicious!"

Xu Lingxi couldn't stop eating after just one bite.

Li Xuzhi couldn't resist taking a bite. "Sweet with a hint of spice, crisp and refreshing, it's really delicious."

But as soon as he finished speaking, he started coughing violently.

"Third brother!"

Xu Lingxi hurriedly poured him water and patted his back. After a lot of effort, he finally stopped.

"I've spoiled your fun."

Li Xuzhi was quite embarrassed. "I wonder if Madam Su could prepare some light dishes next time? I haven't had much of an appetite these past few days."

"Of course, what are your requirements for the ingredients, Third Young Master?"

Su Wanning smiled politely, but immediately became wary.

With the Li family's resources, they certainly wouldn't lack his food, so why did they have to look for her?

The grilled fish and stir-fried lotus root she made today weren't made using any ancient methods or anything special, so what was he after?

"Third brother! This is my good friend! How could you ask her to cook for you?"

Xu Lingxi changed the subject, "However, if you insist on paying a high price to have her cook that meal, I won't stop you."

Only a fool wouldn't make money when it's available!

"Alright, Third Brother will definitely not lack your money."

Li Xuzhi laughed and immediately decided to invite Chef Su to cook the next night, saying he couldn't take it anymore and had to go back.

The moment she turned around, Su Wan Ning smelled a very faint scent.

It's strange, it doesn't smell like medicine, what is it?

She tried hard to remember the taste, and after she and Xu Lingxi had eaten and drunk their fill, they returned to the courtyard.

The two chattered away until late into the night before finally falling into a deep sleep.

The next day, he got up early again to bid farewell to his ancestors.

When the old matriarch saw that Xu Lingxi was going to go with them, she didn't let Zhou Mama go. She specially instructed, "If things are messy over there, you can stay at the manor. You can move there when the shops in the county are repaired."

"Yes, thank you, Ancestor."

It has to be said that if it weren't for the fact that she was tortured and killed in her previous life, Su Wan Ning would have been truly moved.

They had only met once or twice, yet he was so kind and caring towards her, a complete stranger and junior. He seemed incredibly kind and approachable.

But she dared not accept this favor.

The two only brought Qingfang with them, and the driver was a stranger.

Su Wan Ning glanced at him deliberately, then asked with a smile after getting into the carriage, "I think I saw a four-fingered servant yesterday. I remember many wealthy families have requirements regarding the appearance of their maids and servants. It seems our household is much more lenient?"

"Madam Su, you may not know this, but our matriarch is kind-hearted. She is willing to help many people with minor disabilities as long as they are of good character."

Qingfang gestured towards the village, "There are still many people in our village who have difficulty walking or speaking, but as long as they are honest and hardworking, that's fine."

"A family that accumulates good deeds will surely have abundant blessings. I admire that."

Su Wanning silently added the second half of the sentence in her heart: "A family that accumulates evil will surely suffer calamities."

However, this makes finding the four-fingered servant a bit difficult. But there's no rush; she'll find them all eventually and send them to keep Zhao the镖头 (bodyguard) company.

The carriage soon stopped in front of the Lin family's house.

The courtyard gate was open, and a sound of crying came from inside.

It was so tragic that Su Wan Ning couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile.

She jumped off the carriage and ran inside in a few steps. "Auntie, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"So you finally decided to come back?"

Mrs. Li lay on the edge of the bed, covering her face, heartbroken. "Your uncle is dying, and you don't even come home. You only know how to enjoy yourself at the Li family's house. Do you even care about us?"

"He only spent a few years in the palace, and his heart has become wild. He's even forgotten the kindness of his parents. What will happen in the future..."

Following Lin Jiabao's instructions, she continued to berate him, one sentence after another.

Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed Su Wan Ning's right arm. There was no cloth strip or wound. Her mind went blank!