Sleeping on the same bed with a giant canine felt utterly different from sleeping beside a grown man.
The other’s burning skin, steady breathing, and physiological reactions were impossible to ignore.
Usually, Jian Mo loved to stay in bed, but he woke up before dawn. Carefully, he untangled his arms draped over Wu Jiong and his legs resting on Wu Jiong’s, curling his body as he cautiously slid off the bed.
Wu Jiong’s arm immediately reached out to encircle his waist, his drowsy voice murmuring, “What’s wrong?”
Jian Mo’s heart pounded fiercely, leaving him feeling uncomfortable.
He paused, took a deep, quiet breath, and gently removed Wu Jiong’s hand. “Nothing, just going to the bathroom. Go back to sleep.”
Without waiting for a response, Jian Mo hastily climbed out of bed and bolted away.
The chill wind hit him once he stepped outside, quickly cooling the heat coursing through his body, and restoring a sense of normalcy.
Even so, he didn’t dare go back immediately. Instead, he stood outside until he felt entirely calm before slowly heading back indoors.
Ah, the vigor of youth.
Jian Mo shook his head in self-deprecation. Yet as his mind wandered to certain matters, his mouth went dry again, compelling him to step outside for another dose of the cool breeze.
The eastern sky was beginning to pale, with only a few scattered morning stars remaining.
It was late dawn. Since the light was creeping in, it was time to prepare breakfast.
Jian Mo decided not to return upstairs. Instead, he pulled back the ashes in the fire pit, exposing the coals buried beneath. He added a handful of dry leaves on top and gently blew on the embers.
The ash-white surface of the charcoal scattered, revealing glowing sparks that ignited the leaves, sending up a faint wisp of green smoke before the leaves burst into flame.
He added a few small dry twigs atop the leaves. Once they caught fire, he started feeding larger logs into the pit.
At last, the morning fire was ready. He placed the water pot on top to boil while heating the stone slab in preparation for cooking breakfast.
As Jian Mo busied himself, someone called from outside, “Jian Mo—”
“Who’s there?” Jian Mo called back. Stepping outside, he saw Zhou Fu waiting on the path.
Zhou Fu waved at him. “There’s someone in the tribe exchanging cured meat. Do you want to check it out? They’re at the clearing.”
Jian Mo looked at the sky and blinked. “Now?”
“Yes! They arrived nearby last night but didn’t want to disturb us. This morning, when they saw smoke from our cooking fires, they came over,” Zhou Fu explained.
They hadn’t had anything fresh at home for days. Jian Mo thought about it. “Wait for me. What do they want in exchange for the cured meat?”
“Probably fabric or something like that. They seem to take anything,” Zhou Fu said, chuckling. “Their cured meat is delicious. Since you love cooking, you’ll probably like it.”
“Let me grab something upstairs,” Jian Mo replied.
He moved the hot stone slab from the fire pit before hurrying upstairs to retrieve some cloth.
Wu Jiong, already dressed, walked over. “Someone’s here to trade for cured meat?”
“Yeah, I’m going to check it out.”
“I’ll go with you,” Wu Jiong offered.
Jian Mo laughed. “It’s such a minor thing; do we both need to go?”
Wu Jiong took the cloth from Jian Mo’s hands. “I just want to go with you.”
The two headed downstairs together. Zhou Fu was waiting outside, and when he saw them, his expression turned subtly amused, his smile somewhat peculiar.
“What’s the matter?” Jian Mo asked.
Zhou Fu smiled mysteriously, the type reserved for married sub-beastmen. “Nothing.”
Jian Mo coughed awkwardly, catching on. “Let’s hurry, or the traders might leave.”
“Relax, they won’t be leaving that fast,” Zhou Fu reassured him.
When they arrived at the clearing, many people had already gathered.
The crowd surrounded two strangers, digging through their baskets. Jian Mo guessed the baskets contained cured meat.
He approached quickly.
Seeing him, the tribe members greeted him warmly and made way for him to approach.
Jian Mo responded to each greeting and moved to the front.
Looking down, he didn’t see cured meat but rather chunks of beige-colored fat.
Cured meat turned out to be cured fat.
The sub-beastman trader beamed at Jian Mo. “Doctor Jian Mo, would you like a piece? Or should I pick a good one for you?”
“You know me?” Jian Mo asked, surprised.
The trader chuckled. “The others told me just now. I didn’t guess wrong, did I?”
“No, you’re spot on,” Jian Mo admitted.
The trader’s grin widened. Seeing Jian Mo hesitate, he pulled out the thickest chunk of fat from the basket. “How about this one?”
Jian Mo eyed the palm-sized piece of cured fat. Its wrinkled surface from the curing process made it look far from appetizing.
He hesitated.
Misinterpreting his reluctance, the trader whipped out a bone knife and sliced off a thin piece for Jian Mo. “Here, taste it first. See if you like it. If you do, then we’ll trade.”
“Uh, thanks,” Jian Mo said.
The trader’s gaze was eager. “Don’t mention it. Try it! Our cured meat is famous across a dozen tribes—everyone loves it after the first bite.”
That’s quite an endorsement.
Jian Mo pinched the slice of fat, debating whether to eat it.
Zhou Fu chimed in, “Yeah, Kuang Ning’s cured meat is really good. We can never figure out their secret seasoning.”
Kuang Ning, the trader, laughed heartily. “If you could guess the recipe, it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?”
Everyone looked expectantly at Jian Mo.
He hadn’t been picky about food since arriving here and didn’t want to waste it. Resolving himself, he popped the piece into his mouth.
To his surprise, the cured meat wasn’t greasy or gamey. Instead, it had a rich and unique aroma, almost like butter. Closing his eyes, he might have believed he was eating something entirely different.
Wait—was that a hint of scallion or garlic?
Curious, he took another bite. The flavor confirmed it—there were scallion- and garlic-like seasonings in the cured meat!
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. He’d been searching for such ingredients for ages!
Sharing the rest with Wu Jiong, he turned to Kuang Ning. “Did you use a seasoning we don’t have around here to make this cured meat?”
Kuang Ning wasn’t surprised and smiled knowingly. “You figured it out?”
Jian Mo nodded. “It has an extraordinary flavor.”
Kuang Ning explained, “It’s a specialty spice from near our tribe. That’s what makes our cured meat the most popular across dozens of tribes.”
Judging by his tone, it was clear he wouldn’t easily divulge the secret seasoning.
In such a public setting, it wasn’t appropriate to probe further. Jian Mo cycled through his thoughts before deciding, “Let’s just trade for some cured meat for now.”
Jian Mo turned back, and Wu Jiong handed over the fabric he was carrying.
Kuang Ning inspected it briefly and proposed, “How about these five pieces of cured meat?”
Jian Mo glanced at the five chunks of fatty cured meat Kuang Ning had selected and felt a pang of distress—so expensive.
But he really loved the aroma of scallions and garlic, so he nodded, deciding to take them home to try. If he could identify the seasoning later, he could make his own.
With the trade complete, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong carried the meat back home.
Jian Mo asked, “Kuang Ning and his group aren’t from around here, are they?”
Wu Jiong replied, “Their tribe is called Qin Hai, next to the Bingjiang Tribe.”
Jian Mo calculated. “That’s quite far. At least three days’ journey from here?”
“They’re faster runners, so probably less than three days, but yes, it’s still quite far,” Wu Jiong confirmed.
Jian Mo mused aloud, “Then their terrain and environment must be entirely different from ours. Their local specialties would be different too, right?”
Wu Jiong gave him a puzzled look.
Jian Mo shook the cured meat threaded on grass stems. “The unique spice they used for this must grow in a place unlike ours. Otherwise, it would’ve spread here by now.”
Jian Mo had a penchant for collecting spices, so Wu Jiong didn’t find the question strange. He simply said, “I’m not too sure, but once the longest nights pass, I can go with you to check it out.”
“Great! I feel like it’s been ages since I left the tribe. I’m itching to get out,” Jian Mo agreed enthusiastically.
Once home, Jian Mo took a knife and sliced off two pieces of cured meat, intending to grill them on the hot stone slab later.
He wasn’t sure how the meat would taste once cooked, so he didn’t cut too much.
Unexpectedly, the grilled cured meat turned a translucent hue and emitted a rich aroma. Apart from the familiar scent of scallions and garlic, there was also a hint of milky fragrance.
Initially planning to grill sausages for breakfast, Jian Mo instead boiled some tubers to pair with the meat.
Dividing the tubers into two portions, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong enjoyed them alongside the grilled cured meat.
The cured meat’s flavor was intensely rich and aromatic, enhancing the tubers’ smooth texture. Together, they created a remarkably delightful taste.
Amazed, Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. He had thought this place lacked culinary delights, but now a simple sub-beastman trader had shown him the error of his assumptions.
Seeing Jian Mo’s expression, Wu Jiong knew he loved it. “If you like it, I’ll trade for more. We have plenty of spare fabric and hides at home that we can use.”
Jian Mo didn’t object. “Sure, let’s trade. Later, I’ll bring out some starch, and we can make a gourmet dinner tonight.”
Jian Mo hadn’t baked bread or similar foods in a long time, as starch was too precious, and he had little left. He didn’t want to waste it.
But the cured meat was a rare treat, rekindling his cravings.
After breakfast, he retrieved frozen meat from the backyard, marinated it, and slowly grilled it on the stone slab.
The starch was mixed with milk from the Tou Tou Beasts to form a dough. He combined fresh meat chunks with cured meat bits, stuffed the mixture into the dough, and baked it on the stone slab.
Once both sides turned golden brown, Jian Mo placed the bread on a plate and called out to Wu Jiong, who was woodworking in the yard. “Come in and try it while it’s hot.”
Jian Mo had also brewed two cups of tea. Sitting at the table by the window, he invited Wu Jiong with a sense of ceremony, “Go on, have a taste.”
Wu Jiong picked up a bread and took a gentle bite.
The bread’s crust was crispy and fragrant, while the filling inside was juicy with a rich, meaty flavor. The fresh and cured meats blended into a luscious filling, releasing irresistible juices.
Among the flavors, the unique aroma of the spice stood out even more as it baked, captivating the palate and compelling another bite to savor the taste.
Wu Jiong’s eyebrows lifted slightly, showing how much he liked it.
Jian Mo properly held a bread and took a bite.
The familiar aroma of scallions and garlic immediately enchanted his taste buds.
This was it! Delicious!
Jian Mo sniffed the air and couldn’t resist taking another big bite of the bread.
He knew it—meat paired with scallions and garlic was unbeatable. Nothing else seemed to match as perfectly.
It seemed inevitable—they would need to visit the Qin Hai Tribe.
