Re-birth: The Beginning after the End - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: BAKING PASTRIES

By the time they finished, Li Wei’s room had been transformed into a cozy den that could comfortably accommodate not just Bai Ying, but all of his “temporary” spiritual beast guests. The thunder bunnies had already claimed a corner near his desk, their gentle sparks creating a warm glow that reflected off the frost crystals Bai Ying left in her wake. The wind fox had settled on top of a newly arranged bookshelf, its ethereal tail curling protectively around Li Wei’s most precious scrolls.

“There,” Li Hao said, adjusting the last cushion. “Now everyone has their space, and nothing important will get frozen… or shocked… or rearranged in alphabetical order.” He shot a meaningful look at the wind fox, who somehow managed to look both proud and embarrassed at the same time.

Li Wei pulled both his siblings into a tight hug. At seventeen, he towered over them now, his frame having filled out from years of cultivation and training. “Thank you,” he whispered, his voice carrying all the warmth of an older brother’s love. “I don’t know what I’d do without you two.”

“Probably have a lot less explaining to do to Mother and Father,” Li Hua teased, but she squeezed back just as tightly. Even at thirteen, the top of her head barely reached Li Wei’s shoulder.

After bidding her brothers goodnight, Li Hua padded softly back to her own room, closing the door with a quiet click. The familiar space welcomed her, from the neat stack of cultivation manuals on her desk to the delicate jade vase holding fresh spirit flowers by her window. She settled herself before her bronze mirror, its polished surface catching the warm light of her oil lamp.

As she began brushing her long black hair, the familiar motion allowed her mind to wander. The bronze mirror reflected back a face that had stolen her breath—it echoed her appearance from her past life, yet had blossomed into something more enchanting.

Her skin glowed like moonlit jade, soft and luminous, while thick, curling lashes brightened silky gray eyes that held both wisdom and innocence. Her brows arched with natural elegance, and her full, pink lips curved into a perfect bow.

Yet there was something different beyond mere beauty, something softer that transcended her physical features. Perhaps it was the way her eyes held warmth where once there had been only calculated coldness, or how her expression naturally fell into gentle lines instead of the sharp angles she’d maintained in her previous life. The same face that had once struck fear into targets now somehow radiated a delicate grace that reminded her of her mother.

She leaned closer to the mirror, studying these familiar-yet-transformed features with curiosity. In her past life, this face had been a weapon, carefully maintained to disarm and deceive. Now, though its core structure remained, there was an undeniable gentleness woven into its very essence, as if her soul’s rebirth had softened something fundamental in her being. The jade bunny pendant caught the lamplight as she moved, its soft green glow highlighting the ethereal quality her features had acquired, a visible reminder of how far she’d come from the cold, calculating assassin she once was.

Setting aside her brush, Li Hua moved through her evening routine with practiced grace. She changed into her sleeping robes, the silk whispering against her skin as she slipped beneath her quilted covers. The familiar scent of spirit flowers drifted from the jade vase by her window, their subtle fragrance helping to ease her mind into the perfect state for cultivation.

Closing her eyes, she felt herself sink into the comforting darkness of her inner space.

“Master!” Little Firefly’s golden form materialized beside her, his light brightening with joy at her arrival. “I was hoping you’d visit tonight. After everything that happened today—your mother’s understanding about the plants, our revelation, your elder brother’s frost tiger situation…” He paused, his glow taking on a hopeful tinge. “Perhaps we could make some honey-glazed spirit berry pastries to take our mind off of it?”

“You’re becoming quite predictable, you know that?” she teased Little Firefly as she began pulling out her measuring tools and favorite mixing bowls. But her hands were already moving through the familiar motions, knowing how much her spiritual companion enjoyed their cooking sessions. “Though I suppose we did promise to perfect that glaze recipe…”

As Li Hua mixed the honey glaze, her movements carried the same fluid precision she used in combat. Each ingredient was measured with exactness—honey from the mountain bees, crushed spirit berries that gleamed like tiny stars, and a pinch of sugar. Under the warm light of her kitchen, the mixture took on an otherworldly glow as she infused her essence into it.

“Perfect consistency,” Little Firefly hummed, his golden light pulsing with anticipation as he watched her work. “Though maybe a touch more honey?”

Li Hua smiled, adding one more precise drop. “You just want it sweeter.”

“Can you blame me? Your pastries are the highlight of my existence!” His light sparkled with genuine enthusiasm.

She turned her attention to the delicate pastry dough she’d prepared earlier, rolling it out with practiced movements until it was gossamer-thin and nearly translucent. The fine-milled flour created a silky-smooth dough under her experienced hands, its quality evident in how easily it yielded to her touch. Each fold and turn of the dough was precise, creating dozens of perfectly even layers that would puff up into crisp, delicate shells.

With quick, efficient movements, Li Hua cut the dough into small circles, each one identical to the last. She worked a small amount of crushed spirit berries into the center of each circle before carefully sealing the edges with elaborate crimped patterns—a technique she’d perfected over countless cooking sessions with Little Firefly.

“The trick,” she murmured, demonstrating for her eager audience, “is to seal them tight enough to hold the filling, but gentle enough to let them expand properly.” Her fingers moved with the same delicate control she used when handling her daggers, though this time creating rather than destroying.

Once the pastries were assembled, she arranged them on a special baking stone that radiated gentle heat.

“Now for the best part,” Little Firefly’s light brightened as Li Hua began brushing each pastry with the honey glaze. The spirit honey caught the light of his glow, making each pastry shimmer like a precious gem.

The aroma that filled the kitchen as they baked was intoxicating—sweet spirit berries mingling with honey and buttery pastry, all enhanced by the subtle essence of spiritual ingredients. When Li Hua finally pulled them from the heat, they were golden-brown perfection, each one puffed up into dozens of crisp, delicate layers.

“They’re beautiful,” Little Firefly breathed, his light pulsing with joy as Li Hua picked up the first one. Steam curled from the pastry as she broke it open, revealing the jewel-like filling inside.

“Enjoy, my little friend. I’m going to go change and begin my training,” Li Hua said, watching Little Firefly’s golden form practically dive into the fresh pastries. She made her way to her quarters in the north wing, where she kept her training clothes—simple black pants and a fitted top that allowed maximum mobility while maintaining modesty.