Mother is not only a full-time professional, but the family cook as well. At work, she is highly regarded for her expertise. In the kitchen back at home, like a magician, she can concoct whatever I like out of everyday ingredients. Eating Mother’s dishes is a heavenly experience.

Fully employed, my father and my mother are virtually exhausted after work every day. Still Mother has to put a meal on the table by cooking in person. Otherwise, we would have to go on an empty stomach. As a result, Mother decided to teach me how to do a meal in the kitchen when I finished middle school, so that I could share the household chore with her.

In the summer holiday before high school started, Mother showed me the ropes. Under her guidance, I learnt to do a couple of homely dishes. Every day before my parents made it home, I prepared rice and dishes for them. Thanks to my new role in the kitchen, Mother did not need to bother about her normal cooking duty any more after she knocked off. Thus, she was able to take the time to put her feet up and relax. I felt proud.

This week, I had a three-day break from school because of the Chinese National Matriculation Test (NMT). My parents were still at work while I was free at home. So, my mother asked me, “Honey, you haven’t cooked for ages. What about doing a meal for me today?”

“No problem,” I chirped.

At eleven, I put on the apron and started. Because I had learned the basics, I went confidently about it. The first step was to get the ingredients cleaned and rinsed. Then I used the kitchen cleaver cutting them to size. I found it was the riskiest part, for the cleaver was sharp. I had got cut in the past. Having got ready tomato, melon and pork, I started to stir-fry them in the wok. It took me one hour to come up with just three dishes. Visualising my mother’s happiness at table, I thought it was well worth it.

Upon arrival at home, Mother was greeted with a mouth-watering meal on the table. All smiles, she took out her phone and shot a couple of photos of the dishes before she posted them on her WeChat Moments. All the kith and kin gave a thumbs-up to the post, complimenting me on my culinary skills.