Chapter 380: Cooked Rice

A tense atmosphere once again filled the Nine Nether Palace.

Ning Xiaoling lay nestled in Siming's arms, her small paws resting on Siming's sleeve. Siming reached out, gently stroking Xiaoling's fluffy head, while her smiling eyes remained fixed on Lu Jiajia. Xiaoling's ears twitched softly beneath Siming's palm.

Lu Jiajia, too, gazed at Siming, her long, narrow eyes, clear as autumn water, narrowing slightly. She stood tall and poised, exuding the same stern and inviolable aura she possessed as the senior disciple in the dream.

Ning Xiaoling knew her Master had achieved a breakthrough. Nestled in Siming's arms, her small tail twitched nervously, uncertain whether to reveal the truth.

"Xiaoling," Siming recovered her composure and proactively asked, "Your Master asked if I was sure or not. So, are you sure, or are you not?"

Ning Xiaoling grew even more nervous.

On one side was Sister Siming, who had worked tirelessly to find the authority for her, and on the other was her beloved Master, who cared for her daily.

She didn't know whose side to take.

Ning Xiaoling glanced at her senior brother.

Ning Changjiu, having firmly decided not to get involved in this conflict, was pretending to meticulously examine the Kunlun Sword.

Ning Xiaoling swiftly leaped into her senior brother's arms. Ning Changjiu gently caressed her soft body. Xiaoling nibbled softly on his hand, a gesture of affection, and let out two small chirps.

Observing the siblings pretending ignorance, Siming surprisingly nodded in satisfaction.

"Jiajia, you're all alone now," Siming said with a smile, watching Lu Jiajia. She glided gracefully, her form ethereal as smoke, and walked to the wall. Picking up a wooden ruler, she weighed it in her hand. "Jiajia, at a time like this, what good is bravado?" she quipped.

Lu Jiajia maintained the standoff for a moment longer, but then her expression softened. She lowered her head, slowly turned, and approached the couch. Leaning forward, she placed her hands on its edge.

"Then... Sister Xueci... please, be gentle," Lu Jiajia said, seemingly conceding.

Siming observed Lu Jiajia's typically aloof demeanor, then her current yielding posture, and understood even more clearly why Ning Changjiu was so fond of her. Who wouldn't be captivated by such a goddess—pure and dignified in public, yet shy and delicate in private?

Siming became even more audacious. Holding the wooden ruler, she walked behind Lu Jiajia. "Heh, this is what happens when you offend your elder sister, understood?" she declared. "One day, that stubborn girl Zhao Xiang'er will also be beside you, begging me for mercy."

Siming spoke triumphantly, raising the slender wooden ruler, when her body suddenly stiffened.

"Ah!"

Siming let out a sudden groan.

Behind Lu Jiajia, the wooden ruler clattered to the floor.

Siming instantly dropped to her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably.

The slave mark had been activated.

"You... how could you..." Siming's crimson lips quivered, her teeth chattering. She stared at Lu Jiajia, utterly bewildered. She had clearly been suppressing the other's spirit, so how...?

Lu Jiajia had slowly straightened up. She turned gracefully and sat on the couch, her slender legs swinging playfully like a young girl's. She looked at Siming and gave a sweet smile:

"Little Sister Xueci, I've reached the Fifth Path, you see."

What?!

Siming knelt on the floor, her icy eyes flickering with despair. She wanted to cry but had no tears. *How could even you reach the Fifth Path?!*

*I clearly have the highest cultivation, so why is everyone bullying me?*

"Jiajia... Why didn't Sister Jiajia tell me sooner?" Siming blinked, the coldness in her eyes seeming to melt away.

Lu Jiajia sighed softly. Bending down, she picked up the wooden ruler from the floor. "I had intended to give you a surprise, Little Sister Xueci," she explained.

It was certainly a surprise... Siming felt even more aggrieved. As a divine official, shouldn't she be unstoppable? Yet after only a few months of wielding her power, she had faced repeated setbacks. *How would she endure the long days ahead?*

Siming composed herself, looking at Lu Jiajia's beautiful face. "I was just joking with you, Jiajia," she said.

"Oh? Is that right?" Lu Jiajia asked with a faint smile.

"I... I suppose so," Siming replied, lacking confidence.

The room then descended into a brief commotion.

Siming's struggles and soft groans continuously echoed, startling away the morning mist in the courtyard until it gradually cleared. Finally, her pleas for mercy filled the air.

At the table, Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia sat facing each other. Lu Jiajia let out a long sigh of relief, her spirits high, her features radiant.

Meanwhile, Siming, having just received her punishment, knelt to one side, silently tidying her slightly disheveled silver hair. Her usually proud and aloof face was now obedient and appeared deeply wronged, though inwardly, who knew what mischief she was plotting.

Ning Changjiu gazed at Lu Jiajia's face, which he hadn't seen in so long, feeling that he could never tire of her gentle beauty.

Lu Jiajia looked at Siming, gently extended her hand, and said, "Alright, Sister Xueci, you may rise."

Siming reluctantly took her hand and was pulled up by Jiajia. Unable to provoke Jiajia at that moment, Siming instead directed her anger at Ning Changjiu. She glared fiercely at him, as if demanding: *Why didn't you help me?*

Ning Changjiu met her gaze, as if replying: *Didn't you tell me to remain neutral?*

Siming continued to glare at him.

Lu Jiajia observed them, then flipped her hand and lightly tapped the table with her knuckles. "Alright, stop exchanging glances," she said. "Tell me your story."

Siming sat beside Lu Jiajia, her back held rigidly straight instead of leaning naturally against the chair, appearing somewhat nervous.

Ning Changjiu and Siming looked at each other, both momentarily unsure how to begin.

Lu Jiajia rested her hands gently on the edge of the table, her gaze soft as she looked at them. "If you are hesitating out of consideration for my feelings, there is no need," she said. "And if you are merely shy, I will not force you."

Ning Changjiu nodded gently, then began, speaking slowly, "Indeed, many things transpired in Ten Thousand Demon City..."

Ning Xiaoling hopped onto the table, pricking up her ears to listen intently.

The faint smoke from the bronze censer swirled and dispersed, mirroring the ebb and flow of their narrative.

Ning Changjiu slowly recounted the events that had unfolded in Ten Thousand Demon City.

Time slowly ticked by.

When Ning Xiaoling learned that everything in her dream had actually been real, she couldn't help but gasp.

She looked around, noting everyone's calm expressions as they watched her, and then realized she was the last one to know.

The story of Ten Thousand Demon City gradually reached its climax.

The Golden-winged Great Peng blocked their path, wielding the Ruyi Dark Iron Divine Staff, and battled Siming in the sky. Then, Ning Changjiu crossed the Quicksand River, catching a glimpse of the lion's shadow east of the river beneath the Seven Despair Cliffs. The memory of the torrential rain felt as fresh as yesterday, and the flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder echoed vividly in their ears, causing the atmosphere in the room to grow increasingly heavy.

Lu Jiajia's delicate brows remained tightly furrowed; even though all dangers had passed, she listened with a racing heart. Siming, however, recalling those same events, wore a faint, relieved smile.

Ning Changjiu continued, describing Siming's severe injuries and near-death state, the Golden-winged Great Peng's renewed assault, and finally, the decisive battle on Tianzhu Peak. There, a single divine arrow pierced through both the Golden Peng and the torrential rain. In the profound silence of the world, Ning Changjiu cried out in despair, and then moonlight, like flowing water, drifted down from the distant heavens, enveloping them.

Lu Jiajia listened quietly, her lips pressed tightly together.

She had initially believed that no matter how magnanimous she feigned to be, hearing the story of their love would still leave a bitter taste in her heart. Yet, at that very moment, as the moonlight fell upon Tianzhu Peak, she felt as if she had truly witnessed it, experiencing their struggles firsthand. *Fortunately, everyone ended up safe* was her sole remaining thought.

Lu Jiajia's slender fingers, which had rested on the table, slowly descended to her lap, gradually clutching her snow-colored skirt tighter.

The story drew to a close.

Silence filled the room.

It was Xiaoling who spoke first.

"Senior Brother and Sister Siming endured so much hardship for Xiaoling... How can Xiaoling ever repay you?" Ning Xiaoling's ears drooped, and tears welled in her eyes.

Ning Changjiu pulled her into his embrace, gently saying, "Xiaoling, your safe existence is the best repayment there is."

Lu Jiajia looked at Siming, gently pressing her hand. "Sister Xueci, you have suffered," she said.

Siming lowered her head slightly and whispered, "You should still call me 'little sister.' What kind of elder sister is as disgraceful as I am...?"

Siming resolved to be extremely careful with her words and actions from now on. *How could everything she said come true? If a divine official truly possessed such power, then perhaps she shouldn't be one at all!*

Lu Jiajia smiled faintly. "When we first met in Luoshu, I addressed you as 'senior'," she said. "Though we are truly sisters now, we shouldn't disregard seniority too much."

Siming looked at her, thinking, *You and your disciple are already in this situation, and you still have the nerve to talk about maintaining proper seniority?*

Siming, however, wore a very docile expression. "I'll do whatever Jiajia says," she stated. "Jiajia... you won't bully me from now on, will you?"

Lu Jiajia observed her feigned docility, sighed, and thought, *I'm not the same naive girl I once was. Who could a mischievous woman like you possibly deceive now?*

"Not bully you?" Lu Jiajia said flatly. "Dream on."

"..." Siming dared not retort for the moment.

Ning Changjiu said, "Jiajia, if you're angry, take it out on me. It's all my fault."

"What?" Lu Jiajia said. "Are you two putting on a display of marital devotion in front of me?"

Ning Changjiu didn't know how to respond.

Before they entered, he and Siming had already resolved to endure any reprimand or ridicule.

The tension lingered for a while longer.

Lu Jiajia cleared her throat twice. "Alright, let's not waste any more time," she said. "First, refine Xiaoling's authority. Isn't Master still waiting for you? Don't delay... And, if you wish to reconcile any regrets, there are empty rooms upstairs; I've already prepared them for you."

Ning Changjiu gazed at Lu Jiajia's serene face, his heart stirred. He slowly rose and instinctively moved to her side.

Lu Jiajia placed a hand on his chest, then offered her other hand to Siming.

Siming also stepped forward and joined the embrace.

The three embraced for a while. Ning Xiaoling, sitting on the tabletop, watched them, her fox eyes narrowing into two happy slits.

Ning Changjiu retrieved the Yu Lei from the Golden Crow. "This is the Yu Lei Sword," he said, "the final authority."

Lu Jiajia looked at the badly warped divine sword; even a glance revealed the arduous journey they had endured.

"You've worked so hard," Lu Jiajia said with heartfelt concern.

Ning Xiaoling took the Yu Lei Sword, cradling it in her arms. "From now on," she said earnestly, "Xiaoling won't make Senior Brother and the sisters worry like this again."

Ning Changjiu gently stroked the little fox's head. "Xiaoling, you're so adorable like this," he said. "Senior Brother almost doesn't want you to change back."

Siming also smiled faintly. She suddenly picked up Xiaoling. "I'll take Xiaoling to the main hall," she said, "to refine this sword together with the other authorities. It should be ready in about a day."

Without waiting for Lu Jiajia or Ning Changjiu to speak, she walked out, carrying the little fox and the sword.

The door closed behind her.

Only Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia were left in the room.

They fell silent for a moment. Then, Ning Changjiu felt something pressing against his back; Lu Jiajia had embraced him from behind.

Ning Changjiu held her hands, a sense of peace settling over him.

"You're truly becoming more and more accomplished," Lu Jiajia murmured, a hint of emotion in her voice.

"Jiajia, you are too gentle," Ning Changjiu said sincerely. "Meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my reincarnation."

"You say that to everyone, don't you?" Lu Jiajia said, not entirely convinced.

"No," Ning Changjiu replied. "I feel most at ease only when Jiajia is by my side. I believe it's the same for Xueci and Xiang'er too, not just me."

"Mm..." Lu Jiajia leaned gently against his back. "I'll accept that compliment," she said.

"Jiajia is so kind."

"Oh, please... Regarding your affairs, I haven't pretended to be magnanimous or overly benevolent. If you truly have concerns, worry about Xiang'er instead."

"Xiang'er and I have already met..."

Ning Changjiu then briefly recounted the events in Lonely Cloud City.

Lu Jiajia couldn't help but laugh. "Sister Xueci is truly too embarrassing; she can't even keep Xiang'er in line."

"She is the fourth junior sister, after all," Ning Changjiu chuckled.

"Have you provoked any other fox spirits out there?" Lu Jiajia asked. "Confess truthfully. Your master is in a good mood now, so your honesty might lead to leniency."

Ning Changjiu cautiously asked, "Really?"

Lu Jiajia's delicate brows furrowed, and she asked coldly, "There really is?"

Ning Changjiu chuckled. "No, there aren't any more. Don't worry needlessly. Once these matters are settled, I will..."

Lu Jiajia interrupted him. "Don't say such things."

"I'm not Xueci," Ning Changjiu said.

"No means no!" Lu Jiajia's tone was firm.

"Alright, I'll listen to you, Jiajia," Ning Changjiu said, tightly holding her hand.

Lu Jiajia closed her eyes, leaning against his back, and nestled against him for a while.

Ning Changjiu asked, "Jiajia, have you been well these past few months? Have you encountered any difficulties?"

"Aside from Liu Junzhuo coming to challenge me, there hasn't been much else," Lu Jiajia replied. "But Liu Junzhuo had no ill intentions..."

She then briefly recounted the events of that time.

Ning Changjiu listened, then realized, "So Master was secretly giving you missions back then, Jiajia."

"..." Lu Jiajia puffed out her cheeks. "What?" she said. "Are you jealous that Master spoils me?"

"Not at all. Who wouldn't love Jiajia?" Ning Changjiu chuckled.

"Ah, Miss Liu is actually quite a good person," Lu Jiajia said. "Unfortunately, the next time we meet, she will likely be a mortal enemy."

Ning Changjiu nodded. "Indeed," he said. "The disciples of the Sword Pavilion are truly pitiful, all deceived by the Sword Saint... But alas, even so, an enemy is still an enemy. Should we encounter them, we cannot afford to be merciful."

"Mm."

"It's been months since I was last with you, Jiajia. Do you miss your husband?"

"Didn't I have Xiaoling to keep me company?"

"Is that really the same?"

"Hmph... It's even more peaceful without you," Lu Jiajia said, her fair cheeks faintly flushed as she bit her lip. "Besides, you're a very busy man now. Today you're with Sister Xueci, and tomorrow you'll be seeking Master. Where would you find the time to care about me?"

"Then, how about you come along, Jiajia...?"

"You're asking for a beating!"

"Hey, I was just joking."

After they chuckled for a while, Lu Jiajia bit his ear and asked, "How are you feeling right now?"

"Right now..." Ning Changjiu pondered, then said, "Right now, I feel like I'm being pressed between two snow-capped mountains."

Lu Jiajia paused for a moment, then bit down harder.

By the time Siming returned, they had already released their embrace.

Ning Changjiu sat in a chair, watching her, while Lu Jiajia was tidying something in front of the dressing mirror.

The moment Siming entered, Lu Jiajia beckoned her to the mirror.

"The authority is already being refined," Siming said with a faint smile as she sat before the dressing mirror. "Xiaoling is watching it, so there shouldn't be any issues. It should be ready by tomorrow morning."

The long-awaited task they had been busy with was finally nearing completion.

"Mm, I hope nothing else happens," Lu Jiajia sighed softly, picking up a wooden comb and gently gliding it through Siming's silver hair.

Siming's exquisite beauty was reflected in the mirror, transforming the plain bronze surface into what appeared to be the most stunning flower in the world.

Lu Jiajia gathered Siming's long hair and gently combed it for her.

"Elder Sister, you've preserved your purity like jade for a thousand years," Lu Jiajia teased. "If you regret it now, there's still time."

Siming raised a hand to lightly cover her nose. "What a strong smell of vinegar," she retorted.

Lu Jiajia's hand, holding the comb, stiffened slightly. "Don't push your luck."

Siming looked into the mirror and suddenly said, "Little Sister Jiajia has been alone in her chambers for months. Otherwise, today Jiajia might also..."

"Silence!" Lu Jiajia snapped. "It's true that proximity to pitch defiles! How can you two, a pair of mischievous lovers, have such similar thoughts?"

Siming's icy gaze hardened, and she looked coldly at Ning Changjiu. "Did you really say that?" she demanded.

Ning Changjiu immediately raised his hands in protest. "It was just a joke," he pleaded.

Lu Jiajia pursed her lips and smiled.

Siming hesitated for a moment, then softly asked, "Then, when we go upstairs later, Jiajia, what will we do?"

"I'll..." Lu Jiajia finished combing Siming's hair, then tossed the comb onto the table. "You must be tired from your journey," she sighed. "I'll cook for you. When you're finished, um... remember to come down for dinner."

Lu Jiajia wasn't joking.

She truly set up the stove, placed the pot, scooped water, and began washing the rice, preparing to cook.

The rice was a special black-hulled variety from the village outside the Ancient Spirit Sect, known for gradually turning white and becoming fragrant and sweet when cooked. Today, to celebrate their triumphant return, Lu Jiajia specifically prepared Eight-Treasure Rice, a dish she usually reserved for special occasions. She arranged each ingredient with professional precision.

"Come down to eat soon," Lu Jiajia said mildly. "Don't blame me if the rice gets cold."

Ning Changjiu and Siming acknowledged her words, then took each other's hands and tiptoed upstairs.

Lu Jiajia smoothed her skirt and sat down, gently stirring the water with a gourd ladle. Only after they had gone upstairs did she slowly turn her head. She sighed softly, then smiled again. Rolling up her sleeves, her large white sleeves beautifully accentuated her slender, graceful arms.

She began to sort the ingredients and cook the meal.

Upstairs, Ning Changjiu and Siming entered the room.

Ning Changjiu drew the curtains.

The room gradually darkened.

Siming sat on the bed, her snow-white feet bare. Her strikingly beautiful face still held the sacred aloofness unique to a divine official, making her incredibly alluring.

The light filtering through the bamboo window cast an intimate glow over the room.

"You're getting a good deal," Siming murmured with a soft laugh, resting her chin in her hand.

Ning Changjiu gazed at her divine robe, dappled with light and shadow, his heart stirring with countless emotions.

Although they had long shared a bed, they had never truly crossed that line. But today, having endured hardships and finally achieved their goal, the woman who was once as alluringly fierce as a god of slaughter in the snowy gorge now sat on the couch gazing at him, her smiling eyes tinged with shyness. In the coming hours, he would momentarily forget the vast world outside and instead traverse and revel in that small expanse of snowy white, intertwining snow and clouds.

Ning Changjiu went to her side and embraced her.

"I've longed for this day," he said.

Siming couldn't escape his embrace; her usually aloof body now felt soft and boneless.

"I..." Siming's eyelids drooped slightly. "Me too," she confessed.

"Then, how about I explore the depths with Xue'er now?" Ning Changjiu asked.

Siming, however, said, "No."

"Hmm?" Ning Changjiu was puzzled. "Why not? Are you still worried about Jiajia...? Jiajia is cooking; isn't her implication that we should seal the deal?"

*Seal the deal...*

"That's not what I mean," Siming said, her divine face slightly flushed. "Not here. Zhao Xiang'er would see us!"

Ning Changjiu paused. "Then... where do you want to go?"

Siming seemed to have a plan already. "Didn't you say you wanted me to be your divine official from now on?" she asked earnestly. "I want to see my domain."

The Golden Crow Divine Kingdom—which had once also been his and Xiang'er's domain.

The Golden Crow flew forth.

They arrived within the Golden Crow's divine kingdom.

Siming stood in the vast, boundless expanse, her divine form, with silver hair and black robes, illuminated by the suspended starlight, radiating an awe-inspiring, inviolable glow.

The kingdom preserved within the Golden Crow was but a mere fraction of what it had been in its heyday.

Siming and Ning Changjiu wandered through the fragmented divine kingdom for a while, encountering the sun-facing puppets.

Ning Changjiu looked at the ginseng fruit spirits and asked, "Are you happy?"

The ginseng fruit spirits, all tanned and expressionless, gazed timidly at the god-like Siming. "Happy," they said, their voices tinged with a wronged tone, "extremely happy."

Ning Changjiu nodded in satisfaction.

They then drifted together through the divine kingdom for a while, soon finding a relatively intact hall at its center.

Ning Changjiu recognized this hall.

This was Xihe's hall... It was where he and Xihe had parted ways long ago.

"Let's go inside and see," Siming said.

Ning Changjiu hesitated, but Siming had already stepped inside.

A faint light gradually emerged within the hall.

Siming stopped before a statue beside the throne—a life-sized depiction of a woman of unparalleled beauty. The figure wore a vibrant skirt of jade satin, a crown on her head, peacock ornaments dangling from her waist, and pearls woven into her hair. Her face was incredibly lifelike, with long, slender eyelashes, thin, delicate lips, and eyes that seemed to glow with a clear radiance.

This was Xihe's divine statue.

"It's clearly carved from the same mold as Zhao Xiang'er," Siming said with a faint smile, gazing at the statue.

Ning Changjiu also studied the statue for a while... Xiang'er, in her ceremonial attire, looked exquisitely beautiful and captivating; even as a statue, she seemed poised to come to life at any moment.

He then surveyed the surrounding collapsed lamp posts, broken royal pillars, and crumbling dome... These were structures from four thousand years ago.

As Ning Changjiu contemplated these sights, a profound sense of antiquity and change welled up within him.

"Alright, let's go," Ning Changjiu said. "We shouldn't disturb this place any longer."

Siming's eyes flickered. Standing before Zhao Xiang'er's statue, she said, "Go out? Why? Isn't this place... perfect?"

"Perfect?" Ning Changjiu paused, slightly stunned. "But Xiang'er..."

Siming snorted coldly. "Xiang'er bullies me so much out there. It's bad enough you didn't help me, but now you're taking her side?"

As Siming spoke, she ascended the steps, walked to the throne, and sat upon Xihe's former divine seat.

She sat askew, her long legs crossed, her fair feet with jade toes lightly curled, and a slender hand supporting her cheek. She seemed to have been transported back a thousand years, exuding a sacred, inviolable, and detached aura.

After sitting for a moment, Siming's smile turned alluring. "Aren't we supposed to seal the deal?" she asked. "The rice is already in the pot, Young Master Ning. Won't you add firewood and boil the water?"

Ning Changjiu gazed at her posture, smiling gently. He closed the door, no longer thinking, and walked up to Siming. "From today onwards," he said dotingly, "you are my divine official."

He embraced her and leaned in.

Their lips met, their bodies touched.

In the pot, black raw rice lay still in the water. The water temperature gradually rose, and the blackness on the surface of the rice faded, revealing a delicate, pale color.

The water enveloped the pale raw rice, intensely pressing against them with its steadily rising temperature, intent on truly absorbing them into itself.

The white rice tumbled chaotically in the water, and faint, subtle sounds emerged—the sounds of water just beginning to boil, soft as a woman's murmur, as if in pain.

The water and rice thus rubbed against each other for a long time, gently churning in the pot as the dry grains slowly absorbed the liquid.

Today's dish was Eight-Treasure Rice, so soon the sound of the water grew louder. Then, among the white rice grains, a red color began to seep out—was it red bean paste or jujube paste...? Regardless, the color was vibrant, and this streak of red moved across the pure white rice, like vividly blooming plum blossoms in the snow.

As the outer layer of the black rice cooked away, more beautiful ingredients within the Eight-Treasure Rice began to emerge.

For example, lotus seeds, like buds suspended in the water—Jiajia seemed quite frugal when cooking, as she had only included two such lotus seeds.

The two lotus seeds boiled in the water, growing harder and their color becoming an increasingly vivid red.

Various colored ingredients danced within the dominant white. The water temperature rose steadily, and the sound of the boiling water grew increasingly tumultuous and rapid. Everything softened and melded, pushing towards a higher state of fusion...

This was a primal sensation, humanity's earliest desire since the dawn of agriculture. It was deeply rooted in their bones, brewing and erupting in the heat, mingling with the surging sounds of the water.

At the bottom of the pot, the flame was concentrated in the center, causing the boiling water to form a rising column.

The water column ceaselessly surged upward due to the boiling, impacting the entire mass of white rice. The rice grew increasingly cooked, releasing a uniquely intoxicating fragrance of grain. This column of water acted like a jade pestle, continuously stirring the raw rice.

Dried fruits, lotus seeds, rice kernels... everything churned within the surging water.

Within, they performed a stunning, intoxicating dance... The rice cooked further, and white rice foam was gradually brought forth by the water column, slowly spreading. Then, a large amount of white foam bubbled out! The water column continued to churn, and the foam swirled with it; everything was about to become a murky, milky white...

Vast white steam also pushed hotly against the pot lid, making a prolonged sound.

Lu Jiajia's hand rested on the pot lid. A moment later, she lifted it, looked at the fragrant rice inside, sniffed, and smiled faintly. "It's cooked," she said. "Today's rice is especially fragrant."