The dark night was filled with uneasy sleep for Lu Wanqing. She woke up several times in the middle of the night, her subconscious constantly replaying the past, her parents, her brothers.
When she left alone, she thought she wouldn't live long. Yet, here she was, alive after more than 3,000 years. The world had changed beyond recognition. Humans no longer lived on Earth. Her parents and brothers had become relics of an era three millennia ago.
She longed to visit their graves, to see their headstones, but now there was nowhere to go. All her longing had no place to rest.
She raised her wrist, bringing the optic computer to her face. With a press of a button, a light screen projected before her.
Lu Wanqing glanced at the screen and immediately saw the current time: 5:30 AM. Still early.
In this unfamiliar environment, sleep was no longer an option. After some thought, Lu Wanqing got out of bed. She dressed, washed up, and headed downstairs.
The butler and maids were already up, as were the robots. Everyone and everything was busy, each attending to their tasks.
Lu Wanqing watched them with curiosity for a while. She noticed that the most basic cleaning was done by robots, while the butler directed the maids in redecorating the house. The interior layout remained the same, but the paintings on the walls and the floral arrangements on the tables seemed to have been completely changed.
"Good morning, Ms. Lu," the butler quickly spotted Lu Wanqing and hurried over, a kind smile on his face, greeting her respectfully.
"Good morning, Steward Mu," Lu Wanqing replied, returning his smile.
"Why are you up so early? Did you not sleep well last night?" Steward Mu asked with concern.
Lu Wanqing shook her head and smiled, "Perhaps I'm just a little unaccustomed to things. It will be fine in a few days."
"Oh, Steward Mu, where is the kitchen?" Lu Wanqing wanted to make breakfast. They said food was the best way to win someone over, and she wanted to make something delicious for Xiao Mu Lan, perhaps breakfast, to make the little one like her.
"The kitchen?" Steward Mu looked bewildered. He asked, confused, "What are you doing in the kitchen? Are you hungry?"
"The domestic robot is preparing breakfast, but it might still be about an hour and a half. We can eat at 7 AM when everyone is up," Steward Mu explained.
"Are there ingredients? I want to make something for Mu Lan with my own hands," Lu Wanqing said.
Steward Mu froze for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise, "Ms. Lu, are you a chef?"
Lu Wanqing blinked, then quickly shook her head, "No, I just know a few home-style dishes."
"May I use the kitchen?" Lu Wanqing asked tentatively.
Steward Mu nodded immediately, "Yes, of course, yes."
Steward Mu led the way.
Lu Wanqing followed him to the Mu family's kitchen. However, upon seeing its condition, she was stunned. The kitchen was large and exquisitely decorated, but... she didn't recognize a single thing inside.
Lu Wanqing turned back and looked at Steward Mu with confusion.
Steward Mu looked at her, puzzled, and asked strangely, "What is it? Is something wrong?"
"Are you sure this is the kitchen?" Lu Wanqing couldn't help but ask after holding back for a while.
Steward Mu quickly replied, "Of course, it's the kitchen."
As he spoke, Steward Mu walked inside, opened a cabinet containing ingredients, and asked Lu Wanqing, "Are these what you need?"
"What about oil, salt, and seasonings?" Lu Wanqing's curiosity couldn't be contained. Most puzzlingly, "Where is the pot?"
Almost everything in the kitchen was square or round, and most of it seemed completely enclosed. She genuinely couldn't see how these items were connected to kitchen utensils.
Three thousand years had passed, and humanity had advanced into the interstellar era. Even kitchens had completely transformed into something unrecognizable to her.
Steward Mu opened another cabinet, revealing rows of seasoning jars, and asked, "Are these them?"
Lu Wanqing walked over and found small jars. She picked one up, opened it, and saw basic oil and salt, along with other seasonings. However, their scents were strange; she didn't recognize any of them.
"Are these all seasonings?" Lu Wanqing asked after examining them.
"Yes," Steward Mu replied.
"Is there any rice?" Lu Wanqing asked again.
"Or flour will do," Lu Wanqing added.
"Yes," Steward Mu replied. He walked to another side of the kitchen, opened a cabinet to reveal rice, and then opened another cabinet to reveal flour.
Lu Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, while many things had become high-tech, the most basic ingredients remained unchanged.
"Do you need anything else?" Steward Mu asked.
"Yes, I need a pot," Lu Wanqing said quickly.
A pot was an essential tool for cooking. She had looked all over the kitchen and truly couldn't find one.
Steward Mu also fell silent. After a moment of quiet, he said, "Ms. Mu, are you looking for a pot from three thousand years ago?"
Lu Wanqing was also stunned. Yes, three thousand years ago. She suddenly became very clear-headed. Although many ingredients were the same, society had changed, and kitchen tools had changed. Could it be that there were no more pots? Especially the kind she was familiar with, which was already obsolete and ancient from over three thousand years ago.
"If Ms. Lu wishes, I can arrange for someone to custom-make one, but it might take some time," Steward Mu said.
"Oh... wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?" Lu Wanqing suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
She had just wanted to use the kitchen to make something delicious for Xiao Mu Lan, never expecting it to be so complicated.
"Never mind, I won't do it then," Lu Wanqing said, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"If you want one, have Steward Mu arrange for a custom-made one. There's plenty of space in the house. Tell Steward Mu what kind of kitchen you envision, and we'll have someone custom-make it for you in a few days," at this moment, Mu Sijie's gentle, jade-like voice suddenly came from behind.
Lu Wanqing jumped in surprise and turned to see Mu Sijie standing at the doorway. His refined eyes looked at her with great gentleness.
"But this... won't it be too much trouble for you?" Lu Wanqing was still a little uneasy. Customizing a kitchen seemed like a lot of trouble.
"It's not trouble," Mu Sijie said.
"Uncle Bo Jian, please arrange this. Build another kitchen, and furnish it according to Ms. Lu's requirements," Mu Sijie then turned to Steward Mu and said.
Steward Mu nodded quickly, his attitude respectful, "Yes, Young Master."