Everyone wanted to know how the rush wicks they had made would perform. Old Madam Si brought an oil lamp fitted with the wicks into the bamboo house, while Maiden Jiuyue watched closely from the side.
At first, her grandmother took a single rush wick and dipped it in a little oil; the light was merely a faint glimmer, the flame quite small. Then, her grandmother twisted two more wicks together. The flame flared up instantly, looking as bright as a lighter turned to its highest setting. The kitchen, previously dim, was suddenly bathed in light.
Madam Zhang and the others nearly wept as they looked at the completed bamboo kitchen. For them, its utility was immense; while not as sturdy as a brick-and-tile house, at least they wouldn't have to worry about bugs falling into their pots while cooking, or their food going cold the moment a breeze blew through.
Chapter 244