The Cold Kitchen

"But who is he?"

Aunt Bay paused for a moment, her eyes revealing a hint of apprehension:

"He is the son of the plantation manager. The head here, after the Master. He is unpredictable. If anyone goes against his will, their life is as good as over."

She swallowed hard, her heart beginning to pound. Three days ago, she had thought her new life would be arduous, but at least it would be a place with food and clothing. Now, with every step on the cold tiled floor, she truly understood that she was entering a cage that seemed peaceful from the outside, but inside, there might be an unpredictable storm.

That very night, she was assigned to sleep in a small room near the kitchen. The whitewashed walls were patchy, the wooden door creaky. A torn mat and a sunken pillow were all she had.

But Lua did not complain. She simply unrolled her mat in silence, rested her head on her arm, and fell into a deep sleep after the long journey, wishing she would be an invisible shadow, unnoticed by anyone.

The next day, before dawn had fully broken, Aunt Bay woke her up.

"Wake up, child, today you'll go to the kitchen to learn how to cook, get up quickly."

Lua rubbed her eyes, slowly getting up from the mat. The plantation kitchen was located in the back section of the main house, as large as her three-room house back in her village. She stood hesitantly at the doorway, timidly peering inside. The fire was blazing red in the stove, the fragrant smell of fried onions mingling with the bustling sounds of meat being chopped and vegetables minced.

"Do you know how to cook?"

"Yes, a little. I often cooked for my mother back home..."

"Listen, cooking here isn't like in the village. Savory dishes must suit Young Master Yi Kang's taste, and sweet dishes must be exactly how the Master is accustomed to eating them. Don't think it's simple. Add a bit too much seasoning, and you'll be scolded or even beaten."

Lua nodded repeatedly, her hands trembling as she held the knife to chop vegetables. Aunt Bay stood beside her, watching every stroke, occasionally correcting her small movements.

Besides her, there was another person in the kitchen named Mắm, two years older than her, who was lively, often laughed, and liked to tease. Mắm was skilled in the kitchen; seeing Lua's awkwardness, she picked up a piece of carrot, tried cutting it, and nodded approvingly:

"That's fine, for a first day, it's alright. You'll only be truly skilled when Young Master Yi Kang eats without complaining."

Hearing Young Master Yi Kang's name, Lua stiffened. Last night, Aunt Bay had warned her to stay away from him, and now someone else mentioned him, making her even more uneasy.

Aunt Bay looked around, then called out loudly.

"Where's Ty?"

"He was called to carry rice this morning, probably out in the warehouse with the other male servants."

Mắm replied quickly, her hand still stirring the pot of porridge.

Ty was the oldest of the three young ones, three years older than Lua, strong and able-bodied, so he didn't work in the kitchen but followed the group doing heavy labor.