Chapter 38: Defiance (Part 1)
The night fell, and silence enveloped everything in its cold solitude.
Tao Fengnian couldn't eat; he kept picking up and putting down his bowl, constantly glancing in the direction of the Yin Wind Gorge, worrying if Jiang Yuebai was suffering from the cold and hunger.
With no appetite, Tao Fengnian reheated his food in the pot and retired to his room.
"Senior Sister Lü, don't stand so straight. Keep your back arched. We snuck out, so don't act so upright."
"Right, when you're sneaking, you should look like a sneak."
"What's the difference between my back being arched or not? The walls here aren't that high."
"Oh... that's true."
Hearing the commotion, Tao Fengnian didn't even bother putting on his shoes. He pushed the door open and saw three youngsters standing in the courtyard.
"Grandpa!"
Jiang Yuebai ran up with a bright smile.
"Oh!"
Tao Fengnian's eyes welled up with tears, and he felt like two years had passed even though the little girl had only been gone for two days.
Tao Fengnian rubbed Jiang Yuebai's head, then looked at the other two.
Xie Jingshan nodded in acknowledgment, and Lu Nanzhi greeted him with a polite bow.
"This younger one, Lu Nanzhi, will be bothering Elder Tao tonight, and we hope..."
"Grandpa, let's cook. We're starving."
Tao Fengnian was pushed into the kitchen by Jiang Yuebai, while Lu Nanzhi stood there awkwardly, neither sitting nor standing.
"Ha!"
Xie Jingshan stifled a laugh, and Lu Nanzhi shot him a glare before hurrying after Jiang Yuebai.
"Make extra food, preferably a whole bucket."
"Xie Jingshan, are you a bottomless pit? You even want to eat after taking a hunger-suppressing pill!"
"I'm asking for Lu Nanzhi."
"Nonsense, Senior Sister Lü is so small. How could she eat a whole bucket of rice?"
"Whether she can or not, you'll see soon."
"Stop the nonsense. You have the Single Fire Spirit Root; you're perfect for tending the fire."
"You dare ask me to tend the fire?"
Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan bickered while Tao Fengnian, who wasn't experiencing any back pain or leg pain, happily prepared the rice, not bothering to ask how they had come back. He just took out all the delicious food at home to entertain the friends his little granddaughter had brought back.
Xie Jingshan, unable to argue with Jiang Yuebai, ended up sitting by the stove, tending to the fire.
Tao Fengnian smiled. He had heard about these two kids, and they seemed like a good match for his granddaughter. At the very least, they were much better than that girl, Lü Ying.
Soon, the hot spirit rice and stewed meat were ready, filling the room with their fragrance. Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan couldn't help but drool, while Lu Nanzhi tried her best to maintain her composure.
"For you, and you."
Jiang Yuebai knelt on a stone stool and served the food, placing bowls in front of each person.
Lu Nanzhi picked up her chopsticks. "Thank you for..."
"Hiss, it's hot! Phew, it's so delicious."
"...Wait."
Seeing Jiang Yuebai gobbling up the food with hot steam rising, Xie Jingshan also dug into his meal, but Lu Nanzhi, who had initially been eating elegantly, found herself picking up the pace as she saw the stewed meat disappearing quickly.
In her family, where they were accustomed to exquisite delicacies, this demon beast meat, though flavorful, felt dry. But somehow, it seemed to grow more delicious with each bite.
"I can't eat anymore. Senior Sister Lü , are you still eating?"
Lu Nanzhi had refilled her bowl multiple times, eating gracefully but not holding back on quantity.
Finally, after finishing all the meat and even using the broth to soak her rice, she put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth.
"I'm full," she said, her face slightly flushed.
Xie Jingshan raised an eyebrow, while Jiang Yuebai looked bewildered.
Tao Fengnian, sitting a bit away, was amused. Those with natural spirit bodies had astonishing appetites, and it seemed the rumors were true.
With their hunger satisfied and the night still young, the three decided not to stay in Huaxi Valley. They left early.
"Take these rice balls and meat with you. It should last you for a few days. If there's nothing important, don't sneak out like this," Tao Fengnian advised.
"Don't worry, Grandpa, we know our limits."
Table of Contents | Next Part
Tao Fengnian couldn't eat; he kept picking up and putting down his bowl, constantly glancing in the direction of the Yin Wind Gorge, worrying if Jiang Yuebai was suffering from the cold and hunger.
With no appetite, Tao Fengnian reheated his food in the pot and retired to his room.
"Senior Sister Lü, don't stand so straight. Keep your back arched. We snuck out, so don't act so upright."
"Right, when you're sneaking, you should look like a sneak."
"What's the difference between my back being arched or not? The walls here aren't that high."
"Oh... that's true."
Hearing the commotion, Tao Fengnian didn't even bother putting on his shoes. He pushed the door open and saw three youngsters standing in the courtyard.
"Grandpa!"
Jiang Yuebai ran up with a bright smile.
"Oh!"
Tao Fengnian's eyes welled up with tears, and he felt like two years had passed even though the little girl had only been gone for two days.
Tao Fengnian rubbed Jiang Yuebai's head, then looked at the other two.
Xie Jingshan nodded in acknowledgment, and Lu Nanzhi greeted him with a polite bow.
"This younger one, Lu Nanzhi, will be bothering Elder Tao tonight, and we hope..."
"Grandpa, let's cook. We're starving."
Tao Fengnian was pushed into the kitchen by Jiang Yuebai, while Lu Nanzhi stood there awkwardly, neither sitting nor standing.
"Ha!"
Xie Jingshan stifled a laugh, and Lu Nanzhi shot him a glare before hurrying after Jiang Yuebai.
"Make extra food, preferably a whole bucket."
"Xie Jingshan, are you a bottomless pit? You even want to eat after taking a hunger-suppressing pill!"
"I'm asking for Lu Nanzhi."
"Nonsense, Senior Sister Lü is so small. How could she eat a whole bucket of rice?"
"Whether she can or not, you'll see soon."
"Stop the nonsense. You have the Single Fire Spirit Root; you're perfect for tending the fire."
"You dare ask me to tend the fire?"
Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan bickered while Tao Fengnian, who wasn't experiencing any back pain or leg pain, happily prepared the rice, not bothering to ask how they had come back. He just took out all the delicious food at home to entertain the friends his little granddaughter had brought back.
Xie Jingshan, unable to argue with Jiang Yuebai, ended up sitting by the stove, tending to the fire.
Tao Fengnian smiled. He had heard about these two kids, and they seemed like a good match for his granddaughter. At the very least, they were much better than that girl, Lü Ying.
Soon, the hot spirit rice and stewed meat were ready, filling the room with their fragrance. Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan couldn't help but drool, while Lu Nanzhi tried her best to maintain her composure.
"For you, and you."
Jiang Yuebai knelt on a stone stool and served the food, placing bowls in front of each person.
Lu Nanzhi picked up her chopsticks. "Thank you for..."
"Hiss, it's hot! Phew, it's so delicious."
"...Wait."
Seeing Jiang Yuebai gobbling up the food with hot steam rising, Xie Jingshan also dug into his meal, but Lu Nanzhi, who had initially been eating elegantly, found herself picking up the pace as she saw the stewed meat disappearing quickly.
In her family, where they were accustomed to exquisite delicacies, this demon beast meat, though flavorful, felt dry. But somehow, it seemed to grow more delicious with each bite.
"I can't eat anymore. Senior Sister Lü , are you still eating?"
Lu Nanzhi had refilled her bowl multiple times, eating gracefully but not holding back on quantity.
Finally, after finishing all the meat and even using the broth to soak her rice, she put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth.
"I'm full," she said, her face slightly flushed.
Xie Jingshan raised an eyebrow, while Jiang Yuebai looked bewildered.
Tao Fengnian, sitting a bit away, was amused. Those with natural spirit bodies had astonishing appetites, and it seemed the rumors were true.
With their hunger satisfied and the night still young, the three decided not to stay in Huaxi Valley. They left early.
"Take these rice balls and meat with you. It should last you for a few days. If there's nothing important, don't sneak out like this," Tao Fengnian advised.
"Don't worry, Grandpa, we know our limits."
Table of Contents | Next Part
Comments
Post a Comment