Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 19 It's so good!

Jiang Xun led the brother and sister through a maze of turns until they reached the shed he had built.

It's called a shed, but it's really just a few wooden poles supporting a roof covered with a thick layer of thatch and leaves, barely enough to keep out the rain.

There was a large, flat rock nearby, perfect for using as a table.

He took out a tinderbox from his pocket, squatted down, gathered a pile of dry firewood, and started a fire in no time.

Flames leaped up, crackling and popping, and smoke drifted into the sky.

Li Tang squatted down beside him and watched. He noticed that the man's movements were very efficient. He gathered firewood, built a fire, and blew on it all in one go, as if he had done it a thousand times before.

Peeling, gutting, cutting, and skewering—the movements were fluid and efficient, even more so than the cooks in his own household.

The cook would spend ages sharpening his knife before chopping vegetables, but this guy just took a piece of broken stone and peeled off the snakeskin cleanly and efficiently.

"Do you do this often?" she couldn't help but ask.

Jiang Xun didn't even look up, his hands busy turning the meat: "I make this every day."

"Eating snake every day?"

"Fish, rabbits, pheasants, bird eggs, wild vegetables, wild fruits—we eat whatever's available." He paused, then added, "Snakes aren't around every day; encountering one is a matter of luck."

Li Tang glanced at the snake meat skewered on the tree branch, white and starting to turn yellow after being roasted for a while. Then she looked at Jiang Xun's unshaven face—actually, she couldn't see it very clearly; it was streaked with black and gray, like it had been smeared with soot from the bottom of a pot.

She suddenly felt a little sorry for this person.

"How long have you been staying here?"

Jiang Xun thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers: "Three months, I guess."

"Three months?!" Li Tang's eyes widened, her mouth agape. "Just you alone?"

"Um."

"Aren't you bored?"

Jiang Xun looked up and glanced at her.

That look in his eyes was a bit strange, and it was hard to describe what it was like. It was as if he hadn't seen anyone in a long time, yet it was also as if he was used to seeing people. The two feelings were mixed together.

"It was boring at first," he said, then bent down to turn over the meat again. "But I got used to it later."

Li Tang didn't know what to say.

She thought about it and realized that if she stayed in the mountains alone for three months, she would probably go crazy in three days.

The snake meat on the branch began to sizzle and drip oil, which fell into the fire, causing the flames to leap and dance.

The aroma wafted out, not the fishy smell, but a smoky fragrance, mixed with the scent of charcoal, that went straight into my nose.

She sniffed.

It smells pretty good.

Jiang Xun turned the branches over, occasionally sprinkling something on them. His hands were steady, unhurried, as if he were doing something very particular.

"What's that?" Li Tang leaned closer to look, his head almost touching the fire.

"Wild onions, wild garlic, and this herb—they can remove fishy smells." Jiang Xun picked up a leaf to show her; the leaf was small and lush green. "Smell it."

Li Tang leaned closer and smelled it; it had a fresh, clean fragrance, like the scent of grass after a spring rain.

Looking at the grass leaves she couldn't name, she suddenly felt that this person was a bit magical.

A person survived for three months in the deep mountains and not only did not starve, but also lived quite well—knowing which herbs could remove fishy smells, which firewood would make the meat taste best when roasted, and what time of day fish were most likely to bite.

"alright."

Jiang Xun handed over the roasted snake meat.

The golden-yellow crust sizzled with oil, and the surface still bore traces of browning. The aroma was so strong that she swallowed hard.

Li Tang swallowed hard and looked at Li Che.

Li Che sat to the side without saying much, but his eyes were always on Jiang Xun, as if he were looking at something.

Li Che took a skewer and took a bite.

I chewed it, then took another bite, this time a bigger one.

"How is it?" Li Tang asked nervously, her eyes fixed on the meat in his mouth.

Li Che glanced at her and handed her the snake meat: "Try it yourself."

Li Tang took it, carefully took a small bite, afraid of burning herself—

Then their eyes lit up.

The outer skin was crispy and fragrant, and when you bit into it, it made a crunchy sound. The meat inside was tender and juicy, melting in your mouth. It had the fresh aroma of wild onions and the unique smoky flavor of charcoal, making it more delicious than any other delicacy she had ever tasted.

Her mind flashed through the braised pork knuckle, steamed sea bass, and rock sugar bird's nest dishes in the manor, but compared to this, they all paled in comparison.

She ate half a skewer in one go, her cheeks bulging, before remembering to look up at Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun was squatting opposite the fire, slowly eating his portion with a slight smile on his lips.

That smile wasn't roguish or sly; it was simply...happiness.

He's happy when he sees others enjoying the food he makes.

"It smells delicious," Li Tang said sincerely, still chewing on some meat. "It's better than what our cooks at home make."

Jiang Xun was taken aback: "Your residence?"

Li Tang paused, realizing what she was saying, and almost choked. She quickly tried to salvage the situation: "It's... my family. We own a shop, we have some money, and we've hired a cook."

Jiang Xun nodded, didn't ask any further questions, and continued eating with his head down.

Li Che chimed in, speaking calmly, "Brother Jiang's skills are truly remarkable. To live so freely in these remote mountains is truly admirable."

Jiang Xun waved his hand, still with meat in his mouth, and mumbled, "It's nothing, just trying to make a living."

"Brother Jiang is too modest." Li Che paused, as if considering his words carefully. "I wonder why Brother Jiang chooses to live alone in these deep mountains? If you have any difficulties, please tell me, and I may be able to help."

Jiang Xun glanced at him.

The gaze wasn't heavy, but Li Che felt as if someone was weighing his weight.

This kid is trying to get close to me through his words.

But it doesn't matter. He hasn't spoken to anyone for three months. It's good to have someone to chat with. It's better than talking to himself by the stream.

"It's nothing difficult," he said, spitting a bone onto the ground. "I just want some peace and quiet for a while."

"How long does Brother Jiang plan to stay?"

"I don't know, I'll leave when I've had enough."

Li Che nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

He could tell that the man didn't want to say more.

But the more this was the case, the more he felt that this person was not simple.

How could someone who can live alone in the deep mountains for three months, someone who can shoot a giant snake with a bamboo stick, be simple?

After a moment of silence, Li Tang suddenly spoke:

"So where do you plan to go next?"

Jiang Xun thought for a moment, then threw the branch in his hand into the fire, and the flames leaped up.

"I don't know. Maybe go east; I heard it's lively there."

"Eastward?" Li Tang's eyes lit up, her voice rising several decibels. "That's perfect! We're also heading east to Jiangning Prefecture. Do you want to come along?"

Jiang Xun looked up: "Jiangning Prefecture?"

"Hmm!" Li Tang nodded, gesturing, "Jiangning Prefecture, also called Longyuan Capital, the former capital of the previous dynasty, is so lively! A million times better than here!"

Jiang Xun didn't speak, but looked at Li Che.

Li Che smiled, a gentle smile like a breeze in March: "My sister is straightforward, Brother Jiang, please don't take offense. But what she said is quite true, Jiangning Prefecture is indeed an important and prosperous town in the east. If Brother Jiang is interested, you might as well travel together, so that you can look after each other."

Jiang Xun looked at him.

The young man smiled gently and spoke eloquently, clearly coming from a wealthy family.

What do you mean by "opening a shop"? You're kidding me.