Transmigrated to the Beastman World as a Veterinarian – CH190

Chapter 190: Off-Season Vegetables

Jian Mo hadn’t expected that even at Chirpy’s size, it could still end up getting its tail bitten.

He squinted, carefully observing the lake, and finally spotted a large fish persistently chasing after Chirpy’s tail like it was hooked.

Chirpy tried swiping at the fish with its claws, but the fish was far more agile. Every time Chirpy attacked, the fish dodged. And whenever Chirpy turned away, the fish resumed biting its tail.

After a few rounds, Chirpy was nearly driven to despair, squawking loudly as it swam for the shore. The fish took opportunistic nips at its tail, seemingly spurring Chirpy to swim faster. By the end, it looked as if the fish was giving Chirpy a speed boost.

Luckily, Chirpy’s thick fur and tough hide meant the fish hadn’t managed to injure it.

Watching from the shore, Jian Mo called out in exasperation, “Chirpy, just fly! There’s no way you’re out-swimming a fish!”

Chirpy squawked loudly, its tone almost panicked. “Caw caw caw!!!”

Wu Jiong, in his wolf form, translated calmly. “It can’t get a running start on the lake, and there’s no airflow to lift it.”

Jian Mo sighed. “Of course.”

“I’ll go help it,” the giant wolf offered.

Jian Mo slid off his back. “Alright, go ahead.”

In the lake, Chirpy was splashing frantically, looking utterly miserable. When the wolf entered the water, Chirpy immediately turned and swam around it, making room for Wu Jiong to act.

The wolf approached the fish directly. Strangely, rather than fleeing, the fish leaped from the water, aiming to bite Wu Jiong’s nose.

The fish didn’t succeed. As it lunged, the wolf bit down just below its gills, lifting the thrashing creature clean out of the water.

Jian Mo exclaimed in amazement, “What a huge fish!”

The fish was nearly as long as half of Chirpy’s body—close to two meters. No wonder it had dared to chase after Chirpy.

The giant fish flailed wildly in the wolf’s jaws, trying to slap Wu Jiong’s face with its tail. However, Wu Jiong had bitten it in just the right spot, making it impossible for the fish to retaliate effectively.

Seeing its nemesis captured, Chirpy heaved a sigh of relief. Then, as if driven by lingering frustration, it waddled over and bit down on the fish’s body with a wide chomp.

Wu Jiong glanced at Chirpy.

Jian Mo, too, was stunned by this unexpected move.

Under the scrutiny of one wolf and one human, Chirpy sheepishly released its bite and backed away a few steps.

Jian Mo inspected the fish. Despite Chirpy’s aggressive attempt, it had only left a large tooth mark without even breaking the skin.

Typical Chirpy, Jian Mo thought with a mix of amusement and resignation.

Wu Jiong brought the fish to shore, where he killed it swiftly with his knife. They’d planned to eat some of the food given to them by the Concentrated Flow Tribe for breakfast, but with this fresh catch, there was no need to touch their reserves.

Placing the fish a short distance from the lake, Wu Jiong warned, “Careful. Even if it’s dead, it might still thrash around.”

“Got it.” Jian Mo quickly stepped back, nodding in understanding. “Dead fish can still have nerve reflexes, but this one’s so big that vigorous movement seems unlikely.”

“I’ll process it properly,” Wu Jiong assured him.

While Wu Jiong worked, Jian Mo squatted nearby, watching as Chirpy sat beside him, eyes gleaming with satisfaction as it observed the defeated fish.

With precise cuts, Wu Jiong filleted the fish, separating it into neat sections. Only the swim bladder was kept for making fish glue later; the rest of the innards were discarded.

As Wu Jiong worked, Jian Mo noted, “This fish doesn’t have scales, does it?”

Wu Jiong nodded and gestured for Jian Mo to take a closer look. “Its skin resembles animal hide.”

Running a hand over the fish’s leathery surface, Jian Mo remarked, “It feels like pigskin. Looks gelatinous, too. Should we braise it?”

“Sounds good,” Wu Jiong replied.

Jian Mo eagerly said, “I’ll get the spices ready. We’ll add some meat paste to the stew for extra flavor.”

He set up a makeshift stove by arranging large rocks near the lake and placing a pot on top. After preparing the spices, he began heating them in the pot to release their aroma before adding water and the fish pieces.

The fire crackled beneath the pot, and soon the water inside was bubbling away.

Watching the pot simmer, Jian Mo turned toward the lake. “We were lucky last night. If this fish had decided to go after us, we might’ve been in trouble.”

Wu Jiong reassured him, “No need to worry. I was keeping watch. Besides, this type of fish doesn’t usually attack creatures larger than itself.”

“Then why did it target Chirpy?” Jian Mo asked, both puzzled and amused.

Both of them turned to look at Chirpy. The winged beast tilted its furry head innocently. “Caw?”

“Who knows?” Wu Jiong replied. “Maybe it was a fluke.”

The forest surrounding them was breathtaking in the early morning light. Mist wreathed the trees, giving the dense greenery a mysterious, dreamlike quality.

Jian Mo admired the scene and suggested, “Let’s take a walk through the forest. It’ll help pass the time while the fish stews.”

Wu Jiong agreed readily.

Turning to Chirpy and Ying Ao, Jian Mo instructed, “Keep an eye on the pot! If some animal runs off with it, we’ll have no breakfast.”

Chirpy puffed up its chest confidently. “Caw!”

“Good,” Jian Mo said with a chuckle, poking at the fire to ensure it was burning steadily. “It’s all up to you two.”

With their winged beasts guarding the meal, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong strapped on their baskets and ventured into the misty forest. After all, who knew what treasures the woods might hold?

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong carried their baskets into the forest, ready to collect mushrooms, berries, tubers, or even edible insects and small animals if they encountered any.

The crisp morning air was damp and fresh. Jian Mo took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. “This air is so refreshing.”

Wu Jiong responded, “If you like it, we can come out more often.”

Jian Mo chuckled. “I do like it, but honestly, staying cozy in bed is still better, especially in the morning.”

Autumn and winter were perfect seasons for sleeping in. Waking up early to forage or hunt felt like an unnecessary hardship.

As they strolled through the forest, they came across clusters of dark purple berries. Autumn was the season for ripened berries, and even the wild ones were sweet, juicy, and irresistibly delicious.

The pair gathered a good amount, their fingertips stained a reddish-purple hue. When they saw that the time was almost up, they decided to head back.

Chirpy and Ying Ao were still faithfully guarding the cooking pot. They hadn’t moved an inch.

When Chirpy saw them return, it called out enthusiastically, “Caw caw!”

Jian Mo was already captivated by the fragrant aroma wafting from the pot. “Let’s see how it’s doing.”

He picked up the wooden stick serving as a spatula and stirred the pot. The fish chunks bobbed to the surface, their white flesh looking perfectly cooked.

The fish’s outer skin appeared semi-melted, resembling slow-cooked pig trotters. Most surprisingly, the fish bones looked slightly gelatinous, trembling like jelly.

Jian Mo called Wu Jiong over. “Look at this. The fish bones seem different, don’t they?”

Wu Jiong examined the pot. “It’s a cartilage fish. Their bones are naturally soft like this.”

Jian Mo was amazed. “Wow, I’ve never seen a fish like this before. Learned something new today.”

The fish was ready. Jian Mo tasted the broth with a ladle and found the seasoning just right, so he didn’t make any adjustments. Instead, he sprinkled in half a spoonful of crispy fried scallions and stirred.

The broth was already fragrant, but the addition of the fried scallions took the aroma to another level. The smell was so rich it made their mouths water.

Jian Mo quickly brought out plates, serving himself one piece of fish, Wu Jiong two pieces, and dividing the rest evenly between Chirpy and Ying Ao.

The fish was enormous. It alone was more than enough to fill the bellies of both winged beasts, so they didn’t need anything else.

As he served the portions, Jian Mo reminded them, “Careful, it’s hot. Eat slowly.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Chirpy eagerly shoved its beak into its bowl. “Caw caw!”

It seemed Chirpy wasn’t bothered by the heat. Jian Mo sighed. “Alright then, dig in.”

The fish was as delicious as it was large. Its flesh was tender and flavorful, while the outer skin, now gelatinous, was luxuriously rich with a unique texture.

Jian Mo savored a bite. The fish wasn’t the least bit fishy. Instead, it had a pleasantly sticky quality, with a natural umami flavor enhanced by the broth. Paired with the meat, it was simply divine.

“The broth would be perfect with rice or tubers,” Jian Mo remarked. “Mixing them together would be amazing.”

Wu Jiong nodded as he ate. “I’ll go back into the lake after breakfast and catch another fish. Tonight, we can cook rice to go with it.”

Jian Mo laughed. “We’ll be heading to the Yu Qi Tribe later. Should we bring a fish with us?”

“Why not? We’re already so familiar with them,” Wu Jiong replied.

Jian Mo reconsidered. “Eh, one fish wouldn’t be enough for everyone. Bringing more would be too much trouble. Besides, I noticed earlier that there aren’t many of these fish in the lake. Catching one or two more would take a lot of time. Let’s save it for another visit.”

“Alright, we’ll swing by on our way back to catch more,” Wu Jiong agreed.

Jian Mo nodded. “Good idea. We can dry them into fish jerky to take home.”

Chirpy squawked enthusiastically from the side. “Caw caw!”

Jian Mo playfully nudged Chirpy’s backside with his foot. “What are you cawing about? You can’t even catch fish.”

Chirpy let out a defiant cry. “Caw!”

Wu Jiong translated, “It says it can lure the fish out.”

Jian Mo laughed. “Ah, so you’re our fish-luring expert now?”

After finishing their breakfast by the lake, they packed up their belongings and set off for the Yu Qi Tribe.

The tribe wasn’t far. By midday, they arrived.

The Yu Qi Tribe remained a serene and picturesque place. As soon as they stepped foot in the village, a few tribespeople greeted them.

“Doctor Jian Mo, Chief Wu Jiong, you’ve finally arrived. Our chief has been waiting for you.”

Jian Mo was surprised. “You knew we were coming?”

“Of course,” one of the tribespeople replied with a smile. “The Concentrated Flow Tribe is so close to us, and we heard you’d been there. After we sent them wild vegetables, our chief guessed you’d come here out of curiosity.”

Jian Mo chuckled. “Looks like you guys know us well.”

The tribespeople laughed and offered to take Chirpy and Ying Ao to be settled. Jian Mo and Wu Jiong agreed and followed them to the chief’s house.

Chief Qi Ming was indeed waiting for them at home.

Jian Mo greeted him with a grin. “We thought you’d already gone to the Bai Zhi Tribe.”

Qi Ming sighed lightly. “Zhou Zhi isn’t fond of clinginess.”

Clearly, things weren’t going well for him romantically. Jian Mo tactfully avoided delving into the matter. Instead, he got straight to the point. “We noticed you’ve been sharing a lot of vegetables lately. What’s the story behind them?”

Qi Ming invited them inside and explained as they sat. “It’s not wild vegetables. They’re crops we cultivated.”

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong exchanged surprised glances. “Crops? In this season? And they’re that fresh?”

Qi Ming smiled. “You once mentioned off-season vegetables. You said as long as the conditions are warm enough, it’s possible to grow them. We found a warm patch of land and tried planting some, and it worked.”

Jian Mo’s eyes widened. “You got this idea from me?”

Qi Ming nodded. “Yes, you mentioned it during a conversation. We decided to give it a shot, and it turns out you were right.”

He poured them tea and offered some nuts as snacks. Wu Jiong asked, “Growing vegetables is a lot of work. Why go through all that trouble?”

Qi Ming smiled wryly. “Zhou Zhi hasn’t had much of an appetite lately and wanted fresh greens. So, I planted some.”

Jian Mo was touched. “That’s very thoughtful of you.”

Qi Ming continued, “Once the vegetables grew, Zhou Zhi couldn’t finish them all. They were going bad quickly, so we shared them with others in the Bai Zhi Tribe. The vegetables became really popular and traded for good supplies, so we planted even more.”

Jian Mo nodded in understanding.

Qi Ming added, “Our fields still have crops growing. Let me show you later. We even tried planting a milder variety of garlic from the Bai Zhi Tribe. It’s much less bitter now, so you can eat it fresh as a vegetable without frying.”