Chapter 4: LI WEI PAST

Chapter 4: LI WEI PAST

Li Wei stared at the soft, pastel-colored bundles in Fei Feng's talons. "What... are these?" he asked, frowning as he held up one of the items—a set of tiny pajamas. They were soft to the touch, made of a fabric unlike anything he had seen before, with small buttons and elastic cuffs.

"These are for the little ones," Fei Feng chirped, a sly edge to its voice.

Li Wei's brows furrowed as he glanced at the children. The kids Jian Yu and Ling Xue, were bundled in towel. The older boys, Qin Ze and Ren An, were wrapped in makeshift robes, their little feet peeking out.

Without a word, Li Wei knelt and reached for Qin Ze, the eldest of the children. He unfolded the pajamas and attempted to put them on, but the strange buttons and elastic waistbands confounded him. He twisted the garment this way and that, muttering under his breath as the fabric refused to cooperate.

"Is this… some kind of sorcery?" he muttered darkly, tugging at a sleeve that refused to align.

Fei Feng let out a trilling laugh, perching on the edge of the bed. "Sorcery? No, young master Just modern design. Shall I teach you, or do you prefer to wrestle with it alone?"

Li Wei shot the bird a glare but said nothing, his jaw tightening. Fei Feng took this as permission and flapped its wings lightly. "Start with the trousers. Slip their legs through here, one at a time. The elastic band will hold it snug around the waist—no need for ties."

With meticulous care, Li Wei followed the instructions. The trousers went on smoothly, though he struggled briefly with the buttons on the shirt. Fei Feng offered a few more pointed remarks, but Li Wei kept silent, his face a mask of stoic determination.

Once Qin Ze was dressed, he moved on to Ren An, then Ling Xue and Jian Yu. By the time he finished, the children looked oddly out of place in their modern attire, yet far more comfortable than before.

"They suit you," Fei Feng said with a satisfied nod.

Ignoring the bird's commentary, Li Wei gathered the children and returned to Lin Yue's side. She was resting, her breathing even but still weak. Her pale face tugged at something deep in him—a quiet guilt, perhaps, or an unspoken need to help.

"I will prepare food," he said abruptly, his voice low. "Where is your kitchen?"

---

Li Wei stopped short as Fei Feng led him into the modern house. The kitchen was a revelation—an impossibly clean, gleaming space filled with strange, polished objects. A long countertop stretched along one wall, its surface smooth and cold to the touch. There were cupboards with shiny handles, a metallic basin with a strange lever above it, and appliances he couldn't begin to name.

"What… is this place?" he murmured, his eyes narrowing as he approached what Fei Feng identified as the "electric cooker."

"A kitchen, ," Fei Feng replied, fluttering onto the counter. Li wei staring at the sink

And fei feng said

That a sink the thing on it is called a tap it releases water when lifted."

Li Wei experimentally lifted the lever,his eyes widening as clear water poured forth. He touched it cautiously, marveling at the cool, steady stream.

"And this?" he asked, pointing to the sleek black box Fei Feng referred to as the electric cooker.

Fei Feng explained, its tone patient but amused. "This heats food without the need for fire. Simply turn the knob here, and it will begin to warm."

After a brief tutorial that involved both the electric cooker and a device Fei Feng called a "rice cooker," Li Wei felt confident enough to attempt his task. He rummaged through the inventory Fei Feng had provided, pulling out ingredients that felt familiar—a chicken, some rice, and a handful of vegetables.

Li Wei's movements were precise but hesitant as he prepared the chicken soup. He chopped the vegetables unevenly and seasoned the broth sparingly, mindful of Lin Yue's fragile state. The rice cooker, though strange, was straightforward enough to manage, and soon the kitchen was filled with the comforting aroma of warm food.

Alongside the soup, he prepared a simple dish of stir-fried greens. It was far from perfect—he wasn't skilled at cooking—but it was edible.

The kitchen was silent except for the soft hum of the electric cooker and the rhythmic chop of Li Wei's knife on the wooden cutting board. He moved methodically, slicing vegetables and adding them to the simmering pot of chicken soup. The rich aroma began to fill the air, but Li Wei barely noticed.

His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the life he had left behind.

A familiar face surfaced in his mind—his brother, Li Ming, once his most trusted confidant.

They had grown up side by side, their bond forged through shared laughter, battles, and hardships. Ming had been the one person Li Wei believed would stand by him no matter what. Yet, it was that same brother who had betrayed him.

Li Wei's hand paused mid-chop. His jaw tightened, and the knife trembled slightly in his grasp.

He had been young when it happened, still naive enough to think that loyalty could never falter. He remembered the day vividly—how Ming had looked at him with concern, feigning brotherly care, when he accidentally revealed his strange gift.

"Brother," Ming had said softly, his voice filled with feigned admiration. "You are special. This gift of yours… we must protect it."

Li Wei had believed him.

He had shared everything—how the fire came to him in moments of anger or fear, how his irises turned red when he summoned it. He trusted Ming to keep his secret.

But Ming had other plans.

A week later, Ming had convinced Li Wei to dismiss his personal guards for a private meeting. He had brought incense, claiming it was a rare blend meant to calm the mind. Li Wei, unaware, had allowed it to burn as they spoke.

The memory of that moment burned in Li Wei's mind. The scent of the incense had been cloying, almost sweet, lulling him into a deep sleep. When he woke, he was bound in chains, his wrists raw and bloody from struggling.

And Ming was there, standing beside the palace priests, his expression cold and unreadable.

"He is a danger to us all," Ming had declared, his voice steady and resolute. "His power must be contained."

Li Wei's trust had shattered in that moment, replaced by a searing rage and a deep, unrelenting pain.

Back in the kitchen, the pot began to boil over, the bubbling broth hissing against the burner. The sharp sound yanked Li Wei from his thoughts, but his rage lingered.

His hand tightened around the knife, and he felt the familiar flicker of heat rising within him. The air around him seemed to shimmer, and the knife's blade glowed faintly red.

His irises darkened, shifting from their usual brown to a fiery crimson. The memories stoked the flames within him, and for a moment, he was back in that cell, chained and betrayed, his brother's words echoing in his mind.

"Master Li Wei," Fei Feng's voice broke through his haze.

Li Wei blinked, the fire receding as quickly as it had come. He looked down at the knife in his hand, now glowing faintly from the heat he had unconsciously summoned. He set it down with a shaky breath.

"You're burning the soup," Fei Feng said, its tone light but observant.

Li Wei moved quickly to lower the heat, his movements mechanical as he tried to push the memories aside.

Fei Feng tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing. "Your mind wandered. Dark thoughts, I assume?"

Li Wei didn't respond. Instead, he ladled the soup into a bowl, his hands steady despite the storm raging inside him.

"Some wounds," he said finally, his voice low, "never truly heal."

Fei Feng regarded him for a moment before speaking. "Wounds like those are why we fight harder. To ensure no one else suffers the same."

Li Wei nodded, though his thoughts remained on Ming. He pushed the memory aside as he carried the bowl to Lin Yue.

For now, he had a family to protect. There would be time for vengeance later.