For once, everyone had some free time... and enthusiasm for the food festival was running high.
The brand-new cooking stations stood solidly in the village clearing, their stone surfaces level and sturdy and their flues unobstructed.
The two main cooking stations, complete with matching chimney ovens, had been finished in just half a day.
Winter sunlight filtered through the sparse branches, spilling warm light across the ground. It dispelled a little of the mountains' bitter winter chill and lent a cozy glow to the village preparing to hold its food festival.
With the cooking stations finished, the important task of preparing ingredients officially went on the agenda.
Li Xiang gathered all the village women and young girls who were good at cooking. They clustered in the clearing, their eyes fixed on her as they quietly waited for their assignments.
After spending these past days together, everyone had come to trust this gentle, dependable young woman from the bottom of their hearts.
Li Xiang looked around at the people gathered before her and spoke clearly as she laid out the next steps.
"In two more days... we'll officially hold our village-wide winter food festival."
"We'll need to slaughter one beef animal and two sheep then. It's a lot of work, so I'll need everyone to lend a hand with preparing the ingredients and everything else."
"We'll also need to sort out the fruit, vegetables, and other ingredients. Thank you all for getting ready in advance. We'll be working together when the time comes."
As soon as she finished, Ruby, standing at the front of the crowd, smiled and answered without hesitation.
"No problem, Lady Li Xiang! We'll definitely help you!!!"
All the other female villagers immediately nodded in agreement, their responses unanimous and sincere.
With everything settled... Li Xiang dismissed them.