Jerry's hands moved as he prepared breakfast in the kitchen. Growing up in the countryside in his previous life had made him proficient in housework and cooking from an early age, not out of choice, but necessity. "The children of the poor should be in charge early," people would say, as if it were a compliment rather than a sad reality.
After graduating from college and moving to the city, he cooked almost all his meals. Not because he worried about cleanliness, countryside kids rarely fussed about such things, but because cooking at home saved at least half the cost of eating out.
In the city, three meals a day at restaurants would cost at least thirty dollars for average food, more if you wanted anything substantial. But with careful shopping at the vegetable market and some skilful bargaining, Jerry could eat well for two days on the same amount.
He reflected on how the phrase "The children of the poor should be in charge early" was meant to praise poor children for being sensible and hardworking. But there was nothing truly praiseworthy about a child being forced to grow up too quickly.
Every child deserves to be cared for, even spoiled a little. The poor had it hard enough: the pressure of school, then work, then marriage and family, and finally the deterioration of old age. Childhood should be the one time free of such burdens, yet for many like Jerry, even that brief respite was denied.
Despite not being a professional chef, Jerry had become quite skilled at home cooking. Now, with his adult soul in this new life, he was determined to contribute to the household rather than simply accept Haas's care. He took on cooking, cleaning, and helping with Elsa, partly out of pride but also because Haas was, frankly, terrible at domestic tasks.
If Jerry didn't clean regularly, Haas and Elsa would transform the house into a disaster zone within days. And Haas's cooking? It was so bad that even stray cats wouldn't touch it. Jerry sometimes wondered how they'd survived before he could cook for them.
"Aisha likes noodles, so I'll make clear soup noodles this morning," he decided.
Though Jerry wasn't fond of certain Western foods, he'd prepare them on school days to save time. But during weekends and vacations like now, he preferred cooking Chinese-style meals.
Haas and Elsa had adjusted well enough, while they disliked some Chinese dishes, the cuisine was diverse enough that they'd found plenty to enjoy: his clear soup noodles, Kung Pao chicken, boiled fish, pot-wrapped meat, fish-flavored shredded pork... When Haas had once questioned why Jerry made so many Chinese dishes, Jerry had placed before him the takeout Chinese food he'd bought from Chinatown, letting the difference in quality speak for itself.
"Jerry, you're up early again," Haas yawned as he entered the kitchen, still looking half-asleep. "It's summer vacation, you could sleep in. Dad can always order takeout."
Jerry turned on the gas stove and smiled. "It's fine, I'm used to it. Go wake Aisha when you're ready. We're having noodles this morning, and they're best when fresh!"
"Noodles? Excellent! I love your noodles!" Haas's face brightened as he finished getting himself ready before heading to Elsa's room.
Waking Elsa was never easy, and Jerry could hear the struggle beginning.
"Aisha, get dressed and get up to eat!" Haas called.
"Has, you fiend of death!" came the dramatic reply. "Don't even think about taking my Snow Queen from the castle! Take this: Freeze! Ice Spear of the Void!"
"Ouch!"
Jerry chuckled at the theatrical battle between father and daughter. He focused on his cooking, heating the pan and adding oil before cracking three eggs. After frying them until both sides were golden and aromatic, he added preheated water. The eggs released their milky essence into the water, creating a fragrant soup base.
When the water boiled again, he removed the eggs, divided them into three portions, and added the noodles along with some small greens he'd prepared earlier. While the noodles cooked, he set out three bowls, seasoning each with the perfect amounts of soy sauce, vinegar, salt, chopped scallions, and most importantly, a touch of lard.
Once the noodles were done, he poured the soup into the bowls and arranged the noodles, eggs, and vegetables. The perfect yet straightforward breakfast was complete, clear soup noodles, steaming and fragrant.
Just then, Haas emerged, literally carrying Elsa by her shirt collar. The girl was still half-asleep as he marched her to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
"My favourite noodles!" Elsa exclaimed when she finally saw breakfast, her sleepiness instantly forgotten.
"Eat quickly before they get cold," Jerry advised, affectionately smoothing her dishevelled hair.
"Seriously, Jerry," Haas said between appreciative slurps, "if you opened a Chinese restaurant, you'd have incredible business. These noodles are way better than anything in Chinatown!"
Jerry smiled. "That's nice of you, but cooking is just a survival skill for me, not a passion. I don't plan to spend my entire life in a kitchen."
"So, what have you thought about doing in the future?" Haas asked curiously. "Scientist? Police officer? Lawyer? Entrepreneur?"
The question caught Jerry off guard. In Haas's eyes, a child as exceptional as Jerry could succeed in any of these prestigious careers. But it made Jerry pause and reflect.
With his previous life experience, the learning advantage from the Little Red Star, and his magical abilities, any career that had seemed unattainable in his past life was now within easy reach. But were they truly what he wanted?
In his previous life, he'd yearned for such occupations not from passion but for their financial security, something that had felt impossible for an ordinary worker with limited social skills. But in this life, money wasn't a pressing concern. So what did he genuinely want to become? What work would fulfil him?
"I haven't really decided yet," Jerry answered thoughtfully, setting down his chopsticks. "Let's talk about it when I'm older."
Indeed, he hadn't made up his mind. For now, he had no specific ambition beyond growing stronger and protecting his new family, Haas and Aisha, from whatever dangers the future might hold.