Far away from the kitchen and the morning bustle, Xiao Lian sat on the edge of her small apartment bed, the thin sunlight filtering through the half-closed blinds. She had been fired yesterday, dismissed so abruptly that she barely had time to process the change. Her uniform was folded neatly in a corner, a silent reminder of the life she had once lived in Mianmian's kitchen.
Her hands clutched the empty apron she hadn't worn in hours, and a bitter taste settled in her throat. She had spent a month following Mianmian's instructions, delivering notes, observing, and keeping her hidden role as a spy under wraps.
Now all that purpose was gone. Gu Xuelan had the recipe book, and Xiao Lian's usefulness was over.
