RIIDMDR chapter 113

 

Bricks were laid at the bottom for support and heat-resistant stone slabs were placed on top to form the base of the oven. Sand was poured onto the slabs, and strips of mud mixed with dry grass were formed. The strips were then arranged around the sand in a semicircle, gradually increasing in height until the top was finished.

Nan Xu stared at the bulging mass, finding it awkward no matter how he looked at it. He silently pinched the ears on either side of the chimney, then pressed his eyes and nose together without blinking. Finally, it seemed to fit in.

At first, Zhixing thought Nan Xu had crafted an ear-shaped clay sculpture for another purpose. But when he finally saw the finished product, he was speechless.

He hadn’t realized before that the owner was such a childlike man. He smiled inwardly but suppressed his emotion. To Zhixing, the owner was only in his twenties—a young demon who couldn’t transform in the demon world. Unfortunately, humans only live a few hundred years, so the owner seemed more capable in his presence.

Every time he thought about this, Zhixing felt that demons were inferior to humans in many ways.

After the clay dried slightly, Nanxu placed a layer of tiles on top for insulation. Then, he surrounded the tiles with a second layer of long strips of clay, completely encasing the inner layer.

With all this done, the simple mountain oven was nearly complete. Nan Xu looked at the empty space nearby and used leftover bricks to build a cylindrical oven half the height of a man. He slightly tucked the top, leaving space underneath for cleaning out the dust.

After a night’s rest, the clay was almost set. Nan Xu cleared all the sand from the oven, stuffed it with dry grass and firewood, and lit a fire to remove any moisture.

Since the inn was out of eggs and making cream with duck eggs was too difficult, Nan Xu gave up on making cake.

The pheasants that Tingchuan had brought back two days earlier had gained weight. Nanxu searched around but couldn’t find any ingredients for the oven, so he slaughtered the two pheasants. After plucking their feathers, he stuffed them with spices and soaked their carcasses in a prepared sauce, massaging and kneading them to help them absorb it. Then, he hung them out to dry.

When the oven was almost burning hot, he placed the pheasants on a wire rack and put them in the oven. He closed the door, letting the remaining heat and charcoal roast the pheasants until they were cooked through.

When lunch was ready, Nan Xu opened the oven door, and a burst of aroma filled the air. The aroma was unlike that of any other food cooked on a stove and completely different from the salty flavor. The fat from the roasted pheasants dripped into the charcoal ash, scorching the skin golden brown with a faint sheen of oil, a truly enticing sight.

Nan Xu had just placed two plates of roast pheasant on the table when he heard children talking outside. Listening closely, he realized it was Xu Le’s voice.

Nan Xu had just stood up when the door to the main room opened. Xu Le poked his head in and asked with a smile, “Brother Nan, what delicious food did you make? I smelled it in the yard.”

He had an adorable appearance, and his face, rested for half a winter, seemed rounder. Nan Xu waved him in and asked, “Are you here alone?”

“My father came up the mountain to collect firewood. I followed him halfway, then came up on my own,” he replied.

Nan Xu set out bowls and chopsticks and asked him to sit down. The child’s face was red from the cold, and perhaps from running; he was still warm. Feeling the warmth in the room, he took off his fur coat and threw it on the sofa.

“After coming down from the mountains, Cousin Yi Shui made this thing called a ‘sofa’ for my family. Mother often sits on it and loves it,” said Xu Le. “Cousin said it was Brother Nan’s idea. Brother Nan is so smart.”

However, Nan Xu didn’t accept the compliment, saying that he had seen others do it. He tore the two roast pheasants, revealing four legs—perfect for each person.

Tingchuan glanced at the pheasant leg in his bowl and raised his eyebrows slightly. Nan Xu had been busy for two days, and Tingchuan had assumed he was firing some kind of pottery. But he had actually been cooking. “Is that what you use your stove for?”

“It’s just one of the ways,” Nan Xu said. Once your chickens start laying eggs, you can make other dishes.”

Nanxu had been thinking about his chickens for a while. He used to say that domesticated chickens made the most delicious soup. Now, he was thinking about eggs. He wondered if twenty chickens would be enough.

Tingchuan loved chicken and knew a lot about it. He laughed and said, “I guess you’ll be able to eat them in the spring.”

Nanxu was a little surprised. Tingchuan’s chickens were small and skinny, looking malnourished. He had assumed they wouldn’t lay eggs for more than a year.

He expressed his thoughts, and Tingchuan looked up at him. “You haven’t checked on them all winter. They’ve grown quite a bit.”

In the past, he would take the chickens to the forest at dawn to feed them. The chicks ran around the mountains every day. Although they looked thin, they were actually quite plump. After winter, however, there was little food in the mountains. The chickens were afraid of the cold and huddled in their coops, unwilling to leave. Without exercise, they naturally became fat from eating.

Nan Xu was still holding the pheasant leg. For some reason, after hearing Tingchuan’s words, he felt like he had received a hint. He looked down at himself and pinched his waist and legs with his free hand. He could feel the faint trace of his abdominal muscles. He asked the demons at the table, “Have I gained much weight?”

His life was exactly like those of the chickens. If the chickens had gained weight, how much more had he?

The three demons fell silent. Some gnawed at the pheasant leg while others picked up vegetables, seemingly avoiding Nan Xu’s gaze.

Nan Xu: …I understand.

He sighed and stuffed the pheasant leg into his mouth. The slightly crispy skin trapped the moisture inside, making the meat tender. The seasoning flavor was fully absorbed, filling his mouth with each delicious bite. However, Nan Xu found it bland.

“It’s just a little meatier than in autumn. You were too thin before.” Tingchuan spoke first, perhaps sensing Nan Xu’s low mood.

Zhixing nodded, holding the bowl. “Owner, this is the best way to go.”

He was right. Before, Nan Xu had been busy working in the sun every day; his skin was tanned, and he was thin. After being nursed back to health over the winter, his skin was now rosy, and his complexion looked much better. Wearing the clothes tailored for him by the cat demon had improved his overall appearance significantly. Standing next to Tingchuan, the most handsome man in the demon world, Nanxu was almost indistinguishable from him—a perfect match.

Xu Le finished a pheasant leg. While they were talking and not noticing him, he tore off a wing. After finishing it, he tossed the bone to Guan’er, who was waiting with his head tilted up. His movements were smooth and flowing.

After the other two demons finished speaking, he said, “Brother Nan had already become more handsome when I arrived in early autumn.”

After a moment of thought, Zhixing said, “That was when the wound from the formation on his face had just healed.”

Upon further reflection, it seemed that Nan Xu’s appearance had indeed changed since then. His face hadn’t changed, but he looked more spiritual. However, seeing him every day, they couldn’t tell much of a difference. In this regard, Xu Le’s words were the most convincing.

Nan Xu felt much better after hearing their comforting words. He wasn’t particularly concerned about his figure, but he was worried that he would gain weight if he indulged in the mountain delicacies day after day without realizing it.

“When spring comes, I’ll work more in the fields, and I’ll lose some weight,” said Nan Xu.

The demons fell silent at the thought of Nan Xu working in the fields daily with a hoe on his shoulder. Human skin tans easily, and it was easy to imagine what Nan Xu would look like after spring. With his current fair complexion, Nan Xu was practically a winter-only item.

But then again, if he could just let go of those things, he wouldn’t be himself anymore.

They continued eating. The two roast pheasants were picked clean, not a scrap left behind. Xu Le licked his fingers and said he must have a special bond with roast pheasant—otherwise, how could he always catch it fresh on his rare trips up the mountain?

Xu Le chatted a bit about the canine clan’s situation. With heavy snow blocking the paths these days, no one had left the mountains. They stayed home and made small trinkets. Wild beasts had come by a few times, but as demons, they weren’t afraid of them. Everything was well, and they were grateful for the owner’s care.

Xu Le recited the words meticulously, making it clear that the Canine Tribe was using him to express their gratitude, which caused Nan Xu to feel a pang in his chest. The worse the weather got, the more worried they were about becoming homeless. If they hadn’t lost their territory, they wouldn’t have to be so cautious.

Seeing that Nan Xu was pondering something, Xu Le regained his cheerful demeanor and said, “My little sister will be born in a few months, according to Father. Zhuyu Mountain’s spiritual energy nourishes demons. If it weren’t for Zhuyu Mountain, my little sister wouldn’t be here. We want to name her Xu Shan. I think it sounds nice.”

Nan Xu was stunned. “No, you guys name girls like that?”

“My parents were so happy when I was born, so they named me Xu Le[mfn]Le (樂) means “joy,” “happiness,” or “delight.”[/mfn]. My little sister was born because of this mountain, so Xu Shan[mfn]山 (Shān): means mountain.[/mfn] sounds nice!” Xu Le said sincerely.

Nan Xu was taken aback for a moment and could only remark that the Canine Clan was rather casual about naming.

As Xu Le was about to leave the mountain, Nan Xu suddenly remembered the basket of duck eggs that Xu Ji had brought up before. They had been salted and sealed in a jar and should be ready to eat now. He washed one and cracked it open. Seeing that it was fine, he placed another small jar into Xu Le’s bamboo basket.

“Take it home and try it. If you like it, I’ll tell your father how to make it next time,” Nan Xu urged. “Don’t eat all the salted pork on the way home. Take it home and share it with your parents.”

Xu Le blushed slightly at the thought of sneaking a snack on the way home and nodded. “Got it.”

Nan Xu patted his head and escorted him out of the yard. “It’s getting dark, so you’d better go home soon. Don’t play around on the way.”

Xu Le skipped away. Nan Xu returned to the house and took a few salted eggs out of a jar. He washed them and took them to the kitchen, ready to cook them as a side dish for tonight’s porridge.

The sunny weather had lasted for over a week when the snowflakes fell again. It truly lived up to Tingchuan’s saying that once the snow stops in the mountains, it won’t stop until the following spring.

The next day at noon, after a heavy snowstorm, Nan Xu helped Zhixing clear the snow from the herb garden. Suddenly, he saw a bird flying in from a distance. It was quite large and looked unique.

The bird rushed to the courtyard gate, shook off the snowflakes, and transformed into a man. Upon closer inspection, Nan Xu’s eyes widened as he looked at the newcomer. “Yao Lin, didn’t you go to the South China Sea?”

 

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