RIIDMDR chapter 112

 

Since the pig had already fallen, the following work became much easier. Nan Xu told Zhuang Si and Zhuang Wu to carry the pig onto the long table that had been set up temporarily in the courtyard. Then, he went inside to fetch hot water to clean the pig.

Zhuang Si and Zhuang Wu, each holding two of the pig’s legs, didn’t need Nan Xu’s help. They steadily placed the pig on the table.

When the two pigs suddenly fell just now, the scene truly made the brothers’ legs tremble a little. So, when Nan Xu came out with steaming water, the two brothers picked up brushes and started cleaning right away. When Nan Xu was about to join in, Zhuang Wu pushed him aside.

“Boss, leave this kind of thing to us. It’s freezing cold—don’t get your hands chilled,” he said.

Nan Xu looked at the steaming basin. “It’s fine. I boiled the water.”

“Hot water cools faster. With your delicate skin, how could you bear this kind of rough work?” Zhuang Wu said earnestly, his exaggerated expression making it seem as if every word came from the depths of his heart.

Nan Xu couldn’t help but laugh. He stretched out his hand and looked at it. Whether it was an illusion or simply the nourishing effect of the lack of sunlight in winter, he felt that his skin really did seem much better now—not only less rough, but also fairer.

He noticed that Zhuang Wu kept sneaking glances at Tingchuan and looked somewhat fearful. Nan Xu also looked that way. Tingchuan was leaning against the doorframe, expressionless, with no unusual behavior.

Maybe he misunderstood him, Nan Xu thought.

The brothers Zhuang Si and Zhuang Wu were indeed diligent workers. Seeing how busy and energetic they were, Nan Xu went back inside to find his knives. Some time ago, he had bought a sharp set of knives not only to prepare for the annual pig slaughter but also because prices in the marketplace were only getting higher. Buying necessities early was a way to save money.

When the brothers had finished cleaning the pig, Nan Xu had them each hold a leg. Then, he calmly and steadily sliced open the pig’s belly.

Usually, watching Nan Xu slaughter chickens or fish didn’t seem like much, but facing such a large pig and seeing his calm, skilled demeanor made the boar demon brothers uneasy.

Zhuang Wu glanced up at Nan Xu secretly. Nan Xu’s focus was entirely on the pig. It took skill to properly butcher and divide one. He had learned this as a child while helping out in his village, where every family would slaughter a pig for the New Year. To get a taste of that delicious feast, the thin, weak-looking little boy often worked hard and became strong enough to hold down a pig’s leg. Thinking about it, his current strength must stem from those early years.

Nan Xu pressed his lips together, his hands never stopping. Wherever the sharp blade passed, the pork split apart as easily as tofu: clean and precise.

Thinking about how well the boss knew every cut of pork and bone, Zhuang Wu felt a chill run down his back. He suddenly thought that, compared to a nine-tailed fox demon who would simply kill someone if displeased, leaving a whole body, the boss was worse.

Zhixing and Tingchuan had already seen Nan Xu handle animals before. Although the previous wild boars were much smaller, they weren’t too surprised now.

Zhixing thought that a proper cook should be like the boss—able to make good food and know the ingredients inside and out.

Without wasting a single movement, Nan Xu quickly finished dividing up the two pigs. Thinking that the wild boar demon brothers had done well by feeding them, he gave each of them a small portion of the meat. However, since he still couldn’t accept the idea of wild boar demons eating pork, he didn’t invite them to stay for the feast.

The brothers didn’t mind; they happily carried half a pig back to their room. With fewer animals around in the winter and the mountain’s various formations keeping them on edge, their meat consumption had dropped sharply since the snowfall. They were thrilled to have fresh meat to stew.

Back in the courtyard, Nan Xu cut the meat into chunks. Since the weather was cold, there was no worry about spoilage, so he simply hung the meat under the eaves. He also cleaned the ribs and pig feet. After some thought, he decided to make a pot of spiced marinade[mfn]“卤水 (lǔ shuǐ)” literally means “spiced marinade” or “brine.” is a seasoned broth or marinade used in Chinese cooking, especially in Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. It’s made by simmering soy sauce, spices, herbs, sugar, and aromatics (like star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorn, cloves, ginger, garlic, etc.).[/mfn] and simmer part of the innards and two heads.

With that goal in mind, he worked quickly. By the time the boar demon brothers’ stew was ready, Nan Xu had added seasonings to his pot.

Zhuang Wu had been guarding the stove for a while. Finally, when the meat was ready, he swallowed hard, lifted the lid, and the aroma burst forth. He had asked the boss for advice on cooking meat dishes and had improved greatly with practice—his braised meat was rich and savory, far surpassing his days as a cabbage farmer.

Zhuang Si stood by with a bowl, and Zhuang Wu filled one for his big brother before serving himself. As he was about to praise his improving skills, he suddenly caught a whiff of another scent.

Since they were cooking, the window wasn’t tightly shut, and the scent of Nan Xu’s marinated broth drifted over. Though the courtyard was some distance away and such smells were rare, this aroma was strong and overpowering—it burrowed right into their noses.

Suddenly, the smell of Zhuang Wu’s own meat wasn’t so appealing anymore. He sniffed the air and looked at his brother pitifully. “It smells so good. I really want to eat it.”

Zhuang Si remained silent for a moment before picking up a piece of meat and putting it in his mouth. Chewing while inhaling the air, he remained silent. Zhuang Wu realized that, even though they couldn’t eat it, smelling it helped their appetite.

“Smelling it makes the meat taste better—not as gamey as before,” Zhuang Wu mumbled.

Zhuang Si nodded and said, “Didn’t the boss mention that castrated pigs grow meat more easily and lose that wild smell?”

Zhuang Wu blinked, remembering that, too. Suddenly, he said, “The boss is amazing—he even knows so much about raising pigs.”

As soon as he said that, both brothers were reminded of the castration scene, which they couldn’t forget.

It was too cruel.

Nan Xu didn’t know about their torment. He lifted the lid of his pot—the meat simmering in the spiced broth had changed color and absorbed the flavor. Looking at Zhixing sitting by the kitchen door, Nan Xu picked up a piece of meat, sliced it, and handed it to him. “Try it. It’s probably not fully flavored yet.”

Zhixing accepted it awkwardly. Usually, he would be in his room or by the fireplace, but today, he was sitting by the kitchen. But the smell today was too tempting. Before he knew it, he had sat down.

As he took the plate from Nan Xu, he looked down and saw Guan’er, the little creature, lying by his feet and staring up at him. A small patch of dampness spread beneath it. Zhixing suddenly felt that he and Guan’er were the same, both dazed by hunger, and he blushed harder.

He took a bite anyway. As Nan Xu said, the food wasn’t fully flavored, but he had never tasted anything like it before. It was novel and delightful. He ate with relish. Tingchuan walked past him, then came back, looked at him, and silently picked up the few remaining pieces from the plate.

Zhixing: …

Those were the two best pieces he had saved for last!

His heart aching, he didn’t dare say anything. After all, the boss was Tingchuan’s partner. He should be grateful just to eat what the boss prepared.

Still, he couldn’t help but watch as the meat was taken away.

After removing the pot from the fire, Nan Xu scooped the meat and broth into a clay pot, sealed it with a lid, and left it to soak longer.

The smell in the air was both unfamiliar and nostalgic. Having lived in this world for so long, he had nearly forgotten such a delicacy. In the human world, almost every neighborhood had a marinated food shop, which was proof of how beloved this flavor was.

As he left the kitchen, he saw Zhixing holding the empty plate, looking so pitiful that he seemed starving.

“How was it?” Nan Xu asked.

His voice snapped Zhixing out of it, and he smiled. “Delicious!”

Nan Xu chuckled. “It’s not fully flavored yet. It’ll taste even better tonight.”

Zhixing’s eyes brightened, and he nodded repeatedly.

Nan Xu suddenly felt that he hadn’t given the little hedgehog demon enough good food. Taking pity on him, he said, “There are still plenty of good things—roast chicken, roast duck, milk tea, cake, oden, and teppanyaki. I’ll make them all for you.”

Without hesitation, Zhixing nodded like a little chick, his expression showing his joy and anticipation.

His innocence and trust made Nan Xu feel warm inside, unlike Tingchuan, who never took him seriously.

Not far away, Tingchuan seemed to hear Nan Xu’s playful complaint. His eyelashes trembled slightly, and the corner of his lips lifted.

The delicious marinated dishes caused Zhixing to eat an extra bowl of rice that night. He especially enjoyed the pig ears, which were crunchy and satisfying.

With the pigs slaughtered, the year’s preparations were almost finished. Nan Xu spent two more days tidying up the cellar and storage area. When he looked up and saw Zhixing returning with a basket of firewood, he said, “You’re still recovering. It’s cold out. Try not to go out too much.”

Zhixing put down the basket and smiled. “The fireplace in the inn always burns for my sake. It’s only right that I bring some firewood back. Besides, the weather’s nice today, and the mountain’s spiritual energy is strong. It feels great to be outside.”

The fireplace burned during the day, but since Senior Tingchuan was often away and the boss was busy, Zhixing was usually the only one warming himself by it. He knew the fire was usually lit just for him.

He was no longer the unfamiliar little hedgehog demon who had first arrived. Aware of their kindness, he no longer refused, but instead helped by collecting firewood on clear days.

Seeing his calm attitude, Nan Xu didn’t press further. “Rest when you’re tired. Don’t overdo it. We still have plenty of firewood from last fall.”

Zhixing agreed and went to stack the logs.

Nan Xu walked around the courtyard. The two small earthen stoves he had built earlier were left unused since the large one on the hillside behind the house was finished. They were now cracked and damaged, so Nan Xu decided to tear them down and use the space to build a clay oven. Then, he could make the promised delicacies for Zhixing to try.

Then, when Tingchuan saw it, he would have no reason not to believe him next time.

Once he had made up his mind, Nan Xu carried a large bamboo basket to gather bricks and clay. Zhixing had just finished stacking firewood when he noticed Nan Xu’s activity. He immediately felt that there was another project he could help with.

 

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Author’s Note:

Zhixing, holding his bowl: I’m just a poor, weak little light bulb. How could I dare fight Senior Tingchuan for food?