"Hungry?" Yuan Heng asked softly after a moment.
Wang Jin touched his stomach, thought for a moment, and said, "A little."
Yuan Heng reached over, took a skewer of fish meat, and blew on it to cool it down. Only then did Wang Jin notice some fish pieces roasting beside the fire pit. Next to the fish, Wang Jin's wet clothes were also drying.
Once the fish was cool, Yuan Heng handed it to Wang Jin. "This is the crescent-moon cut from Haiqiong. It's the most tender part. Try it."
[月牙肉 (yuè yá ròu): lit. crescent moon meat; fig. a small, tender, crescent-shaped cut of meat from the inside knuckle of a pig's trotter, prized for its texture.]
Earlier, his focus had been completely on Yuan Heng. But now, with the piece of meat in his hand, he could smell the rich, savory aroma of the grilled Haiqiong.
The meat had been cooled to just the right temperature. Wang Jin confidently took a big bite. It was fresh and tender, with no bones. The skin was crispy, and since it was a sea beast, it had a slight saltiness...
"It's delicious." Wang Jin's eyes shone brightly.
Yuan Heng's expression softened. He handed a bamboo tube to Wang Jin, who took it and drank a mouthful, discovering it was soup.
The soup resembled mushroom broth, but its contents were different.
As if sensing Wang Jin's confusion, Yuan Heng said, "Little things from the sea. You can make soup with them."
Indeed, and it's super tasty.
The man's cooking skills really were getting better and better!
Now he could make such delicious things without even asking.
"Jie!" A long cry suddenly came from behind. Wang Jin turned to see the Yin fish restlessly moving at the shore, its eyes fixed on what Wang Jin was eating.
Wang Jin waved the piece of meat toward the fish. The Yin fish lifted its head eagerly, looking as if it wished it could scramble right onto the shore.
Its greedy expression made Wang Jin laugh aloud. He turned to Yuan Heng and asked, "Brother Heng, is it safe to give some to this thing?"
Yuan Heng glanced at the meat in Wang Jin's hand. That was crescent meat, each Haiqiong only had two such pieces... but he had hunted eight Haiqiongs, so there should be enough meat for the little ger.
Yuan Heng pondered and replied, "Yes."
Wang Jin pulled his feet out of Yuan Heng's embrace. The moment his feet left, the wind rushed in, dispersing the heat in his chest but also scattering the previous intimacy. The man reluctantly tightened his clothes.
Wang Jin cheerfully ran over, broke off a piece of the meat, and offered it to the Yin fish. The fish let out two excited cries as it ate. Once it had finished the portion, it didn't beg for more but instead swam leisurely and obediently by the shore.
Wang Jin stood up and finally took in his surroundings. They were on the shore of a strait, with a small island directly opposite them. The area was littered with reefs, and when Wang Jin walked around, he discovered a dense jungle just behind those reefs.
"Brother Heng, where is this?" Wang Jin asked, pulling his clothes tighter around himself.
Yuan Heng stood and came to his side, looking in the same direction. "If you cross that jungle over there, you can reach Ning'an City in about five days."
He paused before adding, "Little ger, I... left a message for Cheng Li, telling him we would return in five days."
"..." Wang Jin blinked. Left a message? Was it while fighting Haiqiong?
My beastman is truly amazing, able to leave a message even while fighting Haiqiong.
Yuan Heng explained, "My initial reason was to prevent your brother from worrying about you. But... if what you told me is accurate, waiting five days might give Pan Shulin a chance to flee. We should return quickly to stop him from escaping."
As he spoke, the man stepped forward and pointed in another direction, this one towards the sea. "Follow this direction, and in about two days, you can reach the sea area of Ning'an City. If fast, we can arrive in one day."
"So close?" Wang Jin's eyes widened in surprise. He remembered drifting for many days before ending up near here... so he had actually been drifting back towards the city all along?
But why did the man choose this place? And after saving him, why didn't he immediately return to Ning'an City but brought him here instead, even leaving a message saying they would return in five days... What did he plan to do these few days?
After thinking for a moment, Wang Jin said, "There's no need to rush. Pan Shulin would never willingly leave Ning'an City. He's not a fool, Ning'an City offers a more comfortable life than any tribe. He's equivalent to an incense hall master, he enjoys privileges there. Why would he give up such favorable living conditions?"
"But it's better to deal with someone like him as soon as possible," Yuan Heng stated coldly.
Wang Jin was taken aback by the man's tone, which was as sharp and cold as ice shards, seeming capable of freezing its target to death. It was clear he was seriously contemplating how to handle Pan Shulin. A wave of warmth spread through Wang Jin's heart. "It's alright," he said. "Let him enjoy his freedom for a few more days. Since he knows we are returning in five days, letting him count down his final days is a form of torture in itself, don't you think?"
Wang Jin tried to persuade him, but Yuan Heng remained silent, his expression showing his disapproval.
Wang Jin stepped closer and tugged on his arm. "Alright, Brother Heng, this is my grudge. You should listen to me. Do you think someone as petty as me would ever let my enemy off the hook?"
"Right now, there are more important matters to attend to." Wang Jin glanced furtively at Yuan Heng, as if trying to read something on his face.
Yuan Heng's fingers curled slightly, a faint redness tinging the tips of his ears, as if the private thoughts in his heart had been completely exposed under the other's gaze.
"Little ger... you... why are you looking at me like that?"
Wang Jin shot back, "What do you think? You specifically found this place, deliberately brought me here, and sent word that we wouldn't return for five days. Brother Heng, what exactly did you bring me here... to do?"
As the ger spoke, his clear, bright eyes seemed to convey a thousand words, carrying an alluring and captivating charm.
No comments:
Post a Comment