"Calling Fourth Brother, Ninth Brother, and Eleventh Brother. Have you filled your quotas? Let me know if you have space. I want to join too." Lei Danfeng started calling out in the communication group.
Zhu Yanyi ignored the group chat. She waited until Jian Feiyan finished her notifications. Seeing Zhu Yanyi had just finished picking jasmine flowers, Jian Feiyan asked curiously, "Fifteen, what are you doing? Picking so many jasmine flowers? Are you going to eat them as rice?"
"I don't want to refine pills today, nor do I want to do anything else. I just want to rest. So, I plan to make some jasmine cakes and jasmine tea. Second Senior Sister, if you are free, you can stay and have some with me later. It tastes quite good," Zhu Yanyi answered with a smile. Her temperament was truly gentle and pleasant.
"Great, great! Can I invite First Senior Brother and the others?" Jian Feiyan asked eagerly.
"If any of the senior brothers and sisters in the academy are free, they are all welcome. I can just make a bit more," Zhu Yanyi thought for a moment and agreed.
There were only a few senior brothers and sisters in the academy anyway. Several had gone out to gather herbs and were not present, so there were not many left. Zhu Yanyi felt she could easily afford to treat these few people.
Seeing Zhu Yanyi’s attitude, Jian Feiyan went to contact the others again. Zhu Yanyi merely raised an eyebrow slightly, then went to the side to start making jasmine cakes and brewing jasmine tea.
By the time everyone had gathered, Zhu Yanyi’s jasmine cakes were ready to come out of the oven. She simply placed tables and chairs in the courtyard, along with the pastries and tea, for everyone to enjoy.
"Delicious!" Mi Xiao was the first to exclaim. "Since you came to the academy, Fifteen, I haven't had a chance to eat anything you made."
"It really is very good," Jian Feiyan also sighed. "I say, Fifteen, how are you so amazing? You are good at medicine, good at refining pills, you look good, and now you are good at cooking too. At this rate, won't you leave us ten thousand miles behind?"
Zhu Yanyi laughed. "Second Senior Sister, what big talk is that? I just made some jasmine cakes and brewed some jasmine tea. The things I grow in my courtyard are mainly for my own daily use. Hearing you say that makes it seem like I am incredibly powerful."
"You really are very powerful," Mi Xiao nodded while eating. "If you don't believe me, ask Sixteen and Seventeen."
"Why ask Sixteen and Seventeen, and not us?" Lei Danfeng was confused.
"You have tasted Fifteen's cooking before. Sixteen and Seventeen are trying it for the first time. It is best to ask them," Mi Xiao said directly.
"I am also trying it for the first time," Yi Yunfei said slowly.
"You are First Senior Brother, older than me. I dare not ask you," Mi Xiao said with a grin.
"I am also trying it for the first time," Shi Chengchen said.
"Hey, hey, Eleventh, are you trying to argue with me?" Mi Xiao looked at Shi Chengchen with dissatisfaction, then complained to Gu Jun, "Eleventh is bullying me."
Gu Jun chuckled and then said, "Be good. You should eat a few more pieces of jasmine cake. Otherwise, they might eat more while you are feeling wronged."
"Oh right. I can't let them eat more. I need to eat more." After saying this, Mi Xiao started eating again.
Watching the plate of pastries in front of Mi Xiao disappear quickly, Zhu Yanyi felt a bit speechless. "Eat slowly. There is more on the stove. I won't let you go hungry."
Mi Xiao, as if worried others would snatch her food, waved her hand and ate silently with her head down.
Zhu Yanyi helplessly invited the others to eat. "Hurry up and eat while it is hot. Jasmine cakes taste better when hot. If they get cold, the flavor is not as good."
The others did not hesitate and started eating, chatting as they went.
"Fifteen, your courtyard looks very comfortable after your renovation," Gu Jun observed the courtyard, saying as he ate.
Zhu Yanyi smiled. "It is okay. Mainly, I just wanted to grow things for my daily use, like mint and perilla. These can be used when making meals. Although we have already practiced Bigu (grain avoidance), it is nice to eat occasionally."
"Actually, although Bigu is convenient, I think we should enjoy life when we can," Mi Xiao said while eating.
"You should wait until you have swallowed the food in your mouth before speaking," Gu Jun said helplessly, looking at Mi Xiao.
Zhu Yanyi said, "As everyone knows, because of my heart cultivation, my Dao feels a bit like the Dao of Following the Heart. Therefore, I cannot be too restricted in what I do. Doing things as I please suits me best.
It is the same with food. Of course, I do not eat every day, but I hope that when I want to eat, I have the ingredients to make it. So, I cleared this space to grow various things I need. Actually, I also planted some vegetables in my medicinal field. If you want to eat them in the future, you can just come and pick them."
Zhu Yanyi said this with a smile. It was indeed the case; she had really planted some vegetables.
"This approach is actually quite good. When you want to eat, you don't have to worry about not being able to buy things. I think I should reform my medicinal field too," Mi Xiao announced loudly again.
Jian Feiyan glanced at Mi Xiao. "In our academy, Third Brother is actually the culinary cultivator. But since Third Brother is not here, we originally thought we wouldn't get to eat much good food. Unexpectedly, Fifteen is also good at cooking."
"I just like some good food, but I am not a culinary cultivator. This is essentially different from Third Senior Brother. Third Senior Brother's culinary cultivation is the foundation of his Dao, but my cooking is just my hobby."
Zhu Yanyi took a sip of jasmine tea. The faint jasmine fragrance lingered on her tongue. The taste was truly wonderful.
"We don't care if you are a culinary cultivator or not. What we mean is that since you are good at food, we will ask you for good food in the future. After all, you can make it," Jian Feiyan said very dominantly.
Zhu Yanyi laughed. "I don't make it every day, but I will notify you when I do."
"This news is good. It is the news I like to hear most right now," Mi Xiao giggled.
"By the way, the big auction at Paipai Hall is in a few days. How are the personnel arranged this time?" Yi Yunfei asked. "I, Second Brother, Sixteen, and Seventeen will follow Fifteen. What about the others? How are they arranged?"
"Fifth Brother and Seventh Brother will follow me," Gu Jun said.
Mi Xiao said, "I will take Thirteen and Fourteen."
Shi Chengchen said, "Since the other senior brothers are not here, I only need to take Twelve."
"So, Third Brother, Sixth Brother, and Eighth Brother are not here, so we don't need to consider them. Among the others, I, Second Brother, Sixteen, and Seventeen form a group with Fifteen. Fifth Brother and Seventh Brother form a group with Fourth Brother. Thirteen and Fourteen form a group with Ninth Brother. Eleventh and Twelve form their own group. Is this arrangement correct?" Yi Yunfei said directly.