Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Overnight Stay

“If you want something delicious, quickly return the Jade Pendant to me, and we can go our separate ways. No one will bother you!” Huangfu Jingchen said with a stern face.

Xia Wenjin glanced around and said, “Forget just eating steamed buns, don’t you expect us to just sleep on the ground? What if we fall asleep and some bugs, snakes, or mice come out and bite us? Our lives could end right here.”

Huangfu Jingchen frowned; he hadn’t considered this issue.

Normally, he listened to his master talking about Jianghu experiences, sometimes missing a place to stay and having to sleep outdoors, continuing the journey the next day!

The master spoke with great pride, very casually, obviously indicating that sleeping outdoors was no big deal. At least out in the open, with no inns or villages nearby, Xia Wenjin couldn’t run off to indulge herself.

But now that Xia Wenjin mentioned it, it seemed to make some sense. He also understood that he lacked experience, having only heard about such experiences from his master, making his considerations somewhat simplistic.

He furrowed his brow and asked, “What do you suggest we do?”

Xia Wenjin sighed. This Huang Zheng was really someone used to comfort; he suggested sleeping outdoors without hesitation, thinking he knew basic knowledge. But now it seems he’s someone who expects to be served.

She rolled her eyes, “We’re in the wild; there should be pheasants or rabbits. If we come across some, we could catch a few to improve the meal… never mind, don’t expect much from you. Just go find some firewood and get a fire going! A fire at night can ward off wild animals and give us light and warmth.”

Huangfu Jingchen silently looked at Xia Wenjin. She was younger than him, but she spoke effortlessly and with such orderly arrangements. In terms of experience, he was indeed no match for her!

If Xia Wenjin knew what Huangfu Jingchen was thinking at this moment, she would surely feel a bit emotional.

This wisdom was gained from a former life’s tragic end.

If she could, she’d also wish for a carefree, simple, and pure life.

Huangfu Jingchen accepted his fate and went to gather firewood, while Xia Wenjin went hunting.

After half an hour, Xia Wenjin returned with a pheasant she had washed and cleaned by the distant pond. From a distance, she saw thick smoke rising from the camp area, and she couldn’t help but be startled. She hurried over, and when she saw the scene in front of her, she almost laughed herself to the ground.

On the ground was quite a pile of wood, some of which were branches directly broken off from trees, piled up in a huge heap. Huangfu Jingchen was trying to start a fire.

He squatted under the pile of wood, sticking his behind out and blowing hard.

With his every breath, the fire didn’t rise, but smoke burst out instead. Huangfu Jingchen was fiercely coughing from the smoke.

Looking at the smoke-stained marks on the ground, it seemed this scene had been going on for a while.

Seeing Huangfu Jingchen focused on starting a fire but creating only smoke, Xia Wenjin walked over, chuckling, “Brother Huang, are you trying to light a smoke signal?”

Huangfu Jingchen turned his head.

Xia Wenjin: “…”

She was stunned.

Who is this person in front of her?

His entire face was black, and when he blinked, it was like two white pebbles embedded in a piece of charcoal, comically amusing.

Is this the tall, elegant, handsome Huang Zheng with fair skin and red lips?

Xia Wenjin burst out laughing.

Seemingly overjoyed, she said, “Brother Huang, this new look is indeed more handsome!”

Mocked, Huangfu Jingchen stubbornly turned his head back and continued to blow on the fire; he couldn’t believe he couldn’t get it lit.

Xia Wenjin couldn’t stand it any longer, so she set the pheasant down, walked around, gathered some more firewood, and said, “By the time you get a fire going, it will be dawn and we’ll have to travel again. Let me do it!”

Huangfu Jingchen’s face turned red with embarrassment. He didn’t want to admit he couldn’t even start a fire. But the fact was evident, even using his Inner Strength while blowing, the fire would not light, the smoke, however, came out in one big puff after another. Fortunately, his entire face was blackened by soot, so it didn’t show.

Xia Wenjin put down a handful of dry twigs and took out a flint, shook it a bit, and soon the dry twigs caught fire.

Before long, the flames started licking the dry twigs. She carefully added more firewood and said to Huangfu Jingchen, “There’s a pond over there, you can go wash up!”

Knowing he couldn’t help by staying here, and seeing the barely contained laughter on Xia Wenjin’s face when she looked at him, Huangfu Jingchen knew he must look very messy. Without saying much, he went over to clean up.

When he returned, the fire was burning brightly.

Xia Wenjin skillfully created a spit using sticks; she arranged three sticks to form a stand, placed another stand similarly, then used a stick to skewer the pheasant and laid it across the tops of the two stands to start roasting.

Standing beside, Huangfu Jingchen noticed she pulled out a very small, two-finger-wide box from somewhere, opened it to reveal fine white granules inside. Xia Wenjin controlled the amount and slowly sprinkled it over the pheasant.

Curious, Huangfu Jingchen asked, “What’s that?”

Without turning her head, Xia Wenjin replied, “Salt! What else could it be?”

As he wanted to rush at night, she knew they needed to be self-sufficient, so she hurriedly bought some salt, which came in handy now. The fact that Huangfu Jingchen could ask such a question made her quite sure this was probably the first time he ever saw salt in his life.

Soon, the aroma of the roasting pheasant wafted out, the fragrance went straight to their noses. The dripping fat from the pheasant onto the fire only intensified the aroma.

Involuntarily, Huangfu Jingchen swallowed.

This was probably similar to the camping his master often mentioned?

For his first time experiencing this, it felt a bit fresh, a little exciting, and there was admiration for the boy in front of him, doing things lightly with ease!

The pheasant was cooked, hot and aromatic, and the onlooker couldn’t help but swallow again.

Xia Wenjin carefully tore off a drumstick from the rack for him, saying, “Have a taste first!”

Both of them began eating each with a drumstick.

Under the light of the bonfire, Xia Wenjin ate casually and gracefully. Huangfu Jingchen initially nibbled cautiously. Although it was only seasoned with salt, the cooking was done well, the pheasant was fat and tender, and he found the drumstick aromatic, with crispy skin and tender, soft meat. It was delicious, so he took a big bite.

He had eaten delicacies and fine foods before but found that this pheasant was indeed the most delicious at the moment.

The two of them finished the pheasant, still not completely satisfied!

Xia Wenjin wiped the grease off her hands, stretched lazily, and said, “Alright, let’s get ready to sleep.” She moved the bonfire to the side, leaving only some hot ash where the original fire had been. She laid the branches with fresh green leaves Huangfu Jingchen had gathered earlier over the hot ash, making a thick pile like a cushion.

Finishing this, she looked up with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling mischievously, “Are you sleeping with me or separately?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep