Beauty and the Beasts

“Yes, boil!”

Bai Qingqing then picked up two stones nearby and built a simple stove over the fire.

Parker frowned while standing at the side. Seeing that Bai Qingqing wasn’t going to give up, he said hesitantly, “Qingqing, medicinal herbs can be eaten as food, but you can’t boil food like you do with medicinal herbs!”

To the beastmen, the only things they boiled were herbal soups, and they didn’t taste all that good.

“Just wait for the meal,” Bai Qingqing said confidently. As a Chinese, could she not be confident in making hotpot?

Bai Qingqing bent down on one knee and neatly scraped off the fish scales with the stone dagger. Then, she took out the fish gills and placed them in the stone basin. Next, she gathered fifteen dried chilies that were half the length of her palm, some garlic, fresh ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and a willow branch that was as thick as the rim of a bowl. She then handed these ingredients to Parker for him to wash them.

The washed ingredients were placed on a clean leaf. Luckily for them, most of the trees planted in the village were banana trees. Even a meter-long fish could fit on those large banana leaves.

After they had finished preparing the ingredients, the stone basin was placed on the stove.

Bai Qingqing passed the willow branch that Parker had washed and asked him, “Parker, can you break this for me?”

“No problem.” Parker took the willow branch and was about to break it when Bai Qingqing quickly moved his hand above the stone basin. “Break it here.”

The willow branch was very tough. It wasn’t fully broken even after Parker bent it at a 90-degree angle. The moment he exerted all his strength, the willow branch was broken in half with a crack. A stream of oil dripped into the stone pot, causing the heated stone surface to sizzle.

Bai Qingqing exclaimed in surprise, “So you can squeeze out oil from the willow branch.”

Parker glanced at the stone pot in amazement. He then eagerly broke the pieces of willow branch three more times. When they were too small to be further broken into pieces, he threw them into the fire.

“Do you need more? I can go rinse clean a few more pieces of willow bark.”

“There should be enough oil.” Seeing that the oil was warm enough, Bai Qingqing added the crushed garlic and ginger, then stir-fried them with a clean branch. After that, she sprinkled all the seasonings on top. The complex aroma immediately wafted through the air.

Parker’s eyes lit up the moment the aroma reached his nostrils. He couldn’t help but move closer to the pot and take a huge whiff. The aroma was so strong that it caused him to sneeze loudly. He then restrained himself, but remained crouched near the pot and refused to budge.

The oil in the stone pot had been dyed a tangerine color by the chilies, and the seasonings were now golden brown. Seeing that the food in the pot was about to burn, Bai Qingqing threw caution to the wind and simply threw in the fish.

The oil immediately sputtered. As the fish was too long, its head and tail stuck out of the pot and were licked by the flames.

Bai Qingqing was flustered as this was the first time she’d prepared a main course. After pushing the head and tail of the fish into the pot, without lifting her head, she told Parker, “Quick, get some water.”

Parker picked up a large leaf and ran to the river. Within seconds, he came back with a small pocket of water and poured it into the pot without waiting for Bai Qingqing’s instructions.

“Sss—” The “explosion” in the pot had finally ended. The water immediately turned warm as the pot was too hot. Red oil floated on the surface of the water.

Parker casually pushed the head and tail of the fish into the pot, causing the half-full pot to be filled to the very brim.

“It smells so good…” Parker licked his lips and looked at Bai Qingqing in admiration. “You’re great at this. As expected of my female.”

Bai Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief, her fair face now completely flushed red. She wiped away the sweat on her face and said, “It’s way too hot. I’ll go wash my face. Look after the fire and sprinkle some salt on the fish later. It’ll be ready to eat once it’s fully cooked.”

Parker then realized how disheveled Bai Qingqing looked. His heart immediately ached, and he quickly replied, “Just go. Leave the rest to me.”