Chapter Ninety-One: A Different Kind of Barbecue

Update time: 2013-07-13
Yuwen Lingxi watched Lian Yue, who suddenly seemed to lose her appetite, and thought she might be feeling homesick. His own heart was equally confused; after leaving this forest, what should they do next?

The two of them fell into a brief daze, but the bird egg Yuwen Lingxi had just placed on the stone mattered more. No one turned it over, and the already golden side began to blacken, releasing a burnt aroma.

The smell of burning quickly drew their distracted attention. Yuwen Lingxi, unusually flustered, hurriedly scraped the charred bird egg off the stone and tossed it aside. Lian Yue turned to roll the rabbit meat over the fire, while she cast a puzzled glance at Yuwen Lingxi, who was scraping away the residue with a stone, wondering what he had been thinking about moments ago.

Yuwen Lingxi sensed her gaze and cleared his throat, “Would you like to try next?”

Lian Yue raised her brows, momentarily setting aside her worries, her palms itching with anticipation. Watching Yuwen Lingxi cook had already made her eager to try—this seemed simple enough.

She squatted down as Yuwen Lingxi moved a few more coals. Taking a bird egg in one hand and a twig in the other, she waited for his nod, then imitated his actions, placing the twig first. Then, pressing the bird egg with force, she squeezed it too hard, crushing it in her palm so that the egg white, yolk, and shell smeared her hand.

Frustrated, Lian Yue looked at Yuwen Lingxi, whose eyes clearly held amusement. Unwilling to admit defeat, she flung the messy egg from her hand, wiped her palm clean with a black scarf, and picked up another bird egg to try again. This time she was smarter; as soon as the shell cracked, her other hand assisted, and together she broke it neatly, letting the yolk and white fall onto the twig on the stone—though it was a bit tilted.

Lian Yue lifted her head proudly, watching Yuwen Lingxi, who, arms folded, had already raised his thumb in approval. She snorted with satisfaction.

She then watched the bird egg on the stone with full concentration—not wanting her first attempt to end in failure.

Seeing her enthusiasm, Yuwen Lingxi picked up the other rabbit he had prepared, laid a broad leaf before him, and used his sword to dismantle the rabbit. He sliced it into pieces, each similar in size and thickness, and arranged them neatly on the leaf.

“All done!” Lian Yue exclaimed excitedly, lifting the browned bird egg with a twig. She wrapped the twig in a leaf, satisfied, brought it to her nose for a sniff, and offered it to An Ming, who was watching, boasting, “Brother Ming, try what I made—see if it’s tastier than yours.”

Yuwen Lingxi casually accepted it, but his heart blossomed with joy. Beneath his mask, his eight white teeth showed in a neat row. Under Lian Yue’s expectant gaze, he tore off a small piece and put it in his mouth.

“Well? Well? Is it good?” Lian Yue clasped her hands nervously.

Yuwen Lingxi quietly chewed the eggshell, swallowed, nodded, and said, “It’s delicious.” Without hesitation, he tore off another piece and ate it.

Lian Yue’s face bloomed into a bright smile at his affirmation, pressing for more, “Is it better than yours?”

Yuwen Lingxi’s smile deepened. He thought: This girl, I eat what you make, you eat what I make—how can one compare? Yet, truly, what was in his mouth was the best he’d ever tasted, even the eggshell was crisp and fragrant.

He spoke firmly, “Yours tastes best.”

Lian Yue had only asked in passing, not expecting a real answer, nor hoping he’d say so. She knew her skills were no match for An Ming’s. Yet he answered, and said hers was tastier—her confidence soared to heights she’d never known.

Delighted, she said, “Then I’ll make another!”

Yuwen Lingxi nodded, letting her continue. He picked up another piece of rabbit to slice.

Lian Yue, in high spirits, cooked the remaining three bird eggs all at once. Except for one that was slightly burnt, the other two looked especially good.

She quietly kept the burnt one for herself, handing the other two to An Ming, who had finished slicing the rabbit. Yuwen Lingxi noticed her keeping the flawed one but said nothing, eating the two she offered cleanly.

By then, the rabbit meat was nearly done. Yuwen Lingxi extinguished the flames below, leaving only coals to cook.

Having finished her bird eggs, Lian Yue was drawn to the meat slices on the leaf, asking curiously, “Brother Ming, how do you eat these?”

“Grilled,” Yuwen Lingxi replied, tidying up and returning. Perhaps because of the bird eggs, he was in an especially good mood, and teased her.

“Grilled? But they’re so thin—how do you grill them?”

“Take a guess.”

Lian Yue’s willow brows creased as she examined the meat and the fire, unable to connect the two. Yuwen Lingxi prepared several pairs of twigs as before, tried them, and, satisfied, used one pair to pinch a slice of meat, waving it before Lian Yue.

“Is it grilled like this?” Lian Yue grew more confused, but Yuwen Lingxi offered no explanation, really holding the meat over the fire to grill.

“Really?” Lian Yue watched, unable to believe it—if this was the method, why bother slicing at all? Roasting the whole thing would be easier. She’d rather grill bird eggs.

Suddenly, inspiration struck—if bird eggs could be grilled, so could meat. Realizing this, Lian Yue understood An Ming was playing with her, but she didn’t mind. She snatched another pair of twigs from him, pinched a slice of meat, and, imitating his style, moved it toward the coals.

Yuwen Lingxi was amused, not expecting her to really believe it. He prepared to retract his hand and place the meat where it belonged.

But Lian Yue was quicker; with a flick of her wrist, she tossed the meat onto the hot stone, accompanied by a sizzling sound, triumphantly boasting, “Actually, it should be like this, right?”

Yuwen Lingxi placed his meat on the stone as well, another sizzle—his answer.

He never doubted Lian Yue’s cleverness, and her current pride only made her more endearing.

“You need to keep turning these, so they don’t stick to the stone,” Yuwen Lingxi quickly flipped two pieces, explaining the key points as he placed another slice on the stone.

Lian Yue was fascinated by this new way of eating, eagerly flipping the meat as Yuwen Lingxi instructed, thoroughly enjoying herself.

“It’s ready, this slice can be eaten,” Yuwen Lingxi quickly pinched a curled, white slice and handed it to Lian Yue, who received it with her ‘chopsticks,’ blew on it several times, and finally ate it. Compared to usual roast meat, this was crispier and tastier.

Yuwen Lingxi took a piece for himself, chewing, then placed two more slices on the stone, continuing, “If you sprinkle pepper and wrap it in greens, it’d taste even better.”

Lian Yue imagined the flavor and resolved to try it once they were out, while her hands kept busy, grabbing another slice.

The rabbit was small, and eaten slice by slice by the two, it was soon nearly gone.

Lian Yue, still craving more, put the last piece in her mouth, looked at the now-empty leaf, and greedily licked her lips.

This scene happened to catch Yuwen Lingxi’s eye, stirring his heart.

Lian Yue’s facial wounds, treated with Yuwen Lingxi’s medicine these past days, had healed completely, leaving no scar, and her complexion was now fairer than ever. Her delicate, pale face, warmed by firelight, glowed like a peach blossom, and her cherry lips, slick with oil from her recent feast, appeared fuller and more inviting.

Yuwen Lingxi was no naive youth; five years older than Lian Yue, his nonhuman training in the Rakshasa Hall had left him inexperienced with women, but not ignorant of matters between men and women.

Watching Lian Yue’s alluring gestures, he would have been abnormal not to feel stirred.

He hurriedly shifted his attention, rising to tend the rabbit roasting nearby, absentmindedly turning it over.

Lian Yue, still unsatisfied, saw the rabbit meat in his hands and immediately followed, further unsettling Yuwen Lingxi. He handed her the rabbit and dashed into the rain, needing to cool himself.

Lian Yue called after him, “Brother Ming, what are you doing? It’s pouring out there—you’ll catch a cold!”

Under the icy rain, Yuwen Lingxi slowly calmed the fire within, but he did not return immediately, remaining in the rain to cool off thoroughly.

Meanwhile, beside the fire, neither knew that a far fiercer storm was quietly approaching.