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墨書 Inktalez
Cheng Yi had already finished the Marble and was nibbling on a bamboo skewer, reluctant to let it go.
Suddenly, a tempting aroma wafted into his nose, making him unable to resist sniffing a couple more times.
"Wow, it smells so good! What is that?"
"Hmm, which direction is it coming from?"
The young Cheng Yi, inexperienced in the world, was lured by his cravings and almost instinctively followed the scent.
Meanwhile, the couple ahead, who had been engrossed in each other, took a while to notice someone was missing.
"Hey! Where did Cheng Yi go?" Ye Mingshang turned around and was startled to find him gone.
"He didn't get lost, did he?" Li Mengyu also felt a bit anxious.
"With his skills, no one should be able to take him away. He probably just wandered off to play somewhere. Let's go back and look for him."
"Okay."
Their footsteps crunched softly on the grass.
Pushing aside some leaves that obstructed their view, Cheng Yi emerged from a thicket.
This was a forest, and due to the dense foliage, it was relatively dark.
However, right in front of him was an area illuminated by moonlight, making it very bright.
The shimmering water of a small stream reflected the bright moon above, creating a beautiful symmetry between the sky and the ground.
Gently stepping forward, Cheng Yi's gaze was drawn to a pile of campfire by the riverbank.
To be precise, it was actually a pot of fish soup over the campfire.
A simple campfire was supported by three one-meter-long wooden sticks, tied together with vines for stability.
A somewhat chipped black clay pot was hung above it with iron wire.
The white fish soup bubbled and steamed, releasing a natural fragrance that wafted into the air. There was no fishy smell at all; instead, it had a light, fresh scent reminiscent of grass, but without the sourness of greenery.
Cheng Yi was already captivated by this aroma, his eyes fixed on the soup pot as he slowly approached.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?"
"Whose fish soup is this?"
After asking twice, no one responded.
Cheng Yi thought to himself, "This fish soup must be unclaimed. Since that's the case, I won't hold back."
With that thought, Cheng Yi leaned down and took a deep sniff of the enticing aroma.
"It smells so good."
With a look of delight on his face, Cheng Yi reached for the ladle resting on the pot and scooped a spoonful into his mouth.
Slurp!
Instantly, a wave of freshness burst in his mouth, a sensation akin to riding a tall steed across vast grasslands.
It was also like soaking comfortably in a hot spring beneath a volcano.
Happiness.
As a warm current slowly slid down his throat, a feeling known as happiness arose within him.
Delicious, a flavor never before tasted.
It is difficult to describe this taste in words; if one must, it is the most wonderful flavor you can imagine.
As the saying goes, "different strokes for different folks," meaning that even the best things can be perceived differently due to varying tastes and aesthetics.
The same thing may leave you in awe, but to someone else, it might be worthless.
However, this fish soup, no matter how you imagine it—whether you prefer salty or bland, sweet or spicy—regardless of your taste, just one sip will undoubtedly make you exclaim that this is the most wonderful flavor in the world.
Cheng Yi's face instantly revealed an expression of rapture, as if time had stopped for him; he remained entranced for quite a while.
Until a figure of Gathering Firewood and Returning stood before him, arms crossed and toes pointed, he still did not come back to his senses.
"Ahem!"
A dry cough startled Cheng Yi awake from his reverie.
His eyes regained their sparkle, and his vision cleared. A figure that was not tall—perhaps only about one meter forty—stood before him.
This was a man who was slightly taller than Cheng Yi but still quite short.
He looked disheveled and dirty, resembling a homeless person.
His hair was not very long, about an inch, tied with a ragged strip of cloth.
He sported a chin full of what he thought was stylish stubble and wore a stern expression as he looked at Cheng Yi.
"Who are you...?"
"Who are you?"
Listening to Cheng Yi's words, Shorty almost stumbled and fell.
After finally steadying himself, he immediately shouted angrily, "Who am I? You ask who I am! You say who I am! You stole my fish soup and still ask who I am?! I want to ask you who you are! Why did you steal my fish soup!"
Cheng Yi felt a bit intimidated by his imposing demeanor.
In fact, it was mainly because he was in the wrong; after all, he had drunk someone else's soup first, so whatever the other person said was justified.
This was also because he was simple-hearted. If it had been the younger Ye Mingshang, there would have been no need for words—he would have just gone up and started hitting.
What a joke!
Grandpa drinking your soup is giving you face, and you dare to chatter back? You must be tired of living.
Cough cough!~
That's right, this was him as a child—definitely not a good kid.
However, Cheng Yi clearly wouldn't act that way.
At this moment, he was feeling a bit at a loss from being scolded, awkwardly smiling.
"Yes, I'm sorry. It was just too delicious, so..."
"What? Just saying sorry makes it okay! Just because it's delicious, you drink it? I think Liu Guafu from the next village is pretty cute. Should I go play with her?" Shorty exaggeratedly spat as he spoke.
Cheng Yi hugged the spoon in front of him and mumbled softly, "It really is delicious. I don't care if you like Liu Guafu; I just want to drink the soup."
"What did you say?! Don't think I didn't hear you!"
"No, no, I didn't say anything; it's your imagination!" Cheng Yi hurriedly waved his hands.
Shorty gave him a look that said "Do you think I believe you?" and circled around Cheng Yi with his arms crossed.
"I said, you little rascal, you're dressed well, but why are you always doing sneaky things?"
"I'm not being sneaky! I just... I just wanted to have a little fish soup. Where I'm from, everyone shares good things with each other," Cheng Yi said, pouting.
"Hah?! You call that not sneaky? You drank my fish soup while I wasn't around, and you say that's not stealing? What else would you call it?"
"Then! What do you want me to do about it?"
Shorty suddenly showed a cunning expression: "You don't seem like a poor kid. How about this: since it's your first time, I'll generously forgive you. But don't get too happy yet; drinking my fish soup means you'll have to compensate."
"How do I compensate? Should I catch you two fish instead?" Cheng Yi asked in confusion.
"Hah?! Catch two fish? What do I want those worthless fish for? I want money!"
"But I don't have any money."
"What! No money? And you still dare to drink my fish soup? Do you believe I can call the police on you in a minute?"
"But I really don't have any! I only had a small sip; at most, I'll give you a fish," Cheng Yi said, feeling wronged.
(To be continued.)
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