Editor: Little Sugar Jar
In the mountain cave, Yun Huo, emaciated, hunched over the edge of the carpeted bed. His fur was matted, devoid of its usual shine, strangely gloomy. The clothes Yun Xiao had made for him were neatly folded and placed to one side. Perhaps it was the only set of clothes Yun Xiao had ever made for him – he couldn"t bear to wear them.
Yun Xiao was no longer here, so whether he was human or beast… what difference did it make?
Since the day he personally took Yun Xiao away, Yun Huo hadn"t been able to swallow a single bite of food. It wasn"t that he wasn"t hungry, but that he couldn"t swallow. In the days they were together, Yun Xiao always made all sorts of delicious dishes. But now… only silence surrounded him. No more of Yun Xiao"s gentle voice, no more of the aroma of hot food wafting in his face. Yun Huo"s heart felt as if it were being pulled along with Yun Xiao, growing colder, even though he was the one who had pushed him away.
Deep down, he still held a fragile, pitiful glimmer of hope: the hope that Yun Xiao wouldn"t hate him, wouldn"t forget him. That"s why he told Ba Hach Er to bring food over. But… would he accept it? Or would he throw it away? Would he be so angry with him that he would never want to see him again?
Yun Xiao… Yun Xiao… Yun Xiao…
Yun Huo once again understood what it meant to “live a day as long as a year.” When he was a youngling, driven out of the tribe by his father and the shaman, he thought nothing could be more painful. It turned out he was wrong. Being separated from Yun Xiao was even more painful, more agonizing. Thinking about it, he felt… lucky to have been driven away, so that he could meet Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao was so beautiful, so gentle – the single males in the tribe would surely pursue him. Would Yun Xiao accept their advances?
He always said Yun Xiao was “his female,” but only he knew how guilty he felt. He was cursed by the Divine Beast, an evil spirit shunned by the world. He had no right to possess a female… let alone Yun Xiao.
Reason dictated otherwise, but emotions overwhelmed Yun Huo. He couldn"t bear the thought of Yun Xiao becoming someone else"s partner. A voice screamed in his head, a mixture of selfishness and despair: Yun Xiao was clearly his. His!
He reached under his belt and pulled out his carefully hidden phone. His fingers trembled as he pressed the buttons. The screen lit up, displaying a picture: Yun Xiao smiling at him, obediently leaning against his chest, her eyes gentle.
Yun Huo bent down and licked the glass. Cold, smooth, and flat. Not Yun Xiao"s warmth.
"Yun Xiao…"
Just uttering her name choked him. A flood of longing surged through him, squeezing his chest, driving Yun Huo almost insane.
In the chieftain"s kitchen, Zhao Yun Xiao poured four spoonfuls of lard into a saucepan used for stir-frying. As soon as the lard melted, he added raw sugar and stirred slowly with a long spoon.
Kang Ding and Ba He Er, preparing their dinner, involuntarily glanced at him. As for Cat Tang and Ky La, needless to say, they were practically "die-hard fans," sitting right next to him, their eyes never leaving him.
“Yun Xiao, what is this?” Ge Tang asked curiously. In the tribe, people jokingly called this thing “golden sand” today, because it looked just like yellowish grains of sand.
Yun Xiao pointed to the jar of sugar. Ge Tang picked it up, opened the lid, and brought it close to his nose to smell it.
At the same time, the sugar in the pot began to change color, thickening into a dark yellow liquid. Zhao Yun Xiao immediately added the cleaned, sliced
meat.
“Sizzle!”
All four jumped in surprise. Qi Luo instinctively took a step back. Only Zhao Yun Xiao calmly stirred, coating the meat with a thin layer of sugar, giving it a beautiful color.
Seeing no danger, Ge Tang took a small pinch of the “golden sand” in his hand and tasted it. As soon as he tasted it, his eyes widened, and he exclaimed, “Sweet! This is sweet!”
He excitedly gave a little to Kang Ding and a little to Ba He Er. Khang Dinh tasted it and only nodded, more out of curiosity than liking it – the males in the tribe weren"t usually fond of sweets. But he still wanted to know where this sweet thing came from. Meanwhile, Ba Hach Er looked at Zhao Yunxiao, his eyes burning with suppressed anger, a fierce desire to hide it.
Gat Tang turned to Qi Luo, shared some with him, and then asked Yunxiao, "How is this made?"
Zhao Yunxiao paused. He couldn"t explain. This was sugar he had refined from sweet radishes, but where were the sweet radishes here to point to? After thinking for a moment, he pointed to Gat Tang"s salt jar, speaking slowly, using the few words he knew:
"It"s like… that."
Gat Tang was even more bewildered. How was salt similar to "yellow sand"? Khang Dinh and Ba Hach Er were also confused. Zhao Yunxiao shook his head, not trying to explain further. Only when he found the right ingredient could he explain clearly – for now, his vocabulary was still too limited.
Seeing that he didn"t say anything more, Gat Tang didn"t ask any further questions. He set the pot down and sniffed. The room was filled with a fragrant aroma: the smell of the dish he was cooking, and the smell of the minced meat he had prepared earlier. Cat Tang"s stomach rumbled.
Zhao Yunxiao heard it and chuckled. Looking at Cat Tang"s expression, he was even more certain: his stomach was just weak; keeping warm and eating carefully would make him better.
Ba Hachir stared blankly at the smile on Zhao Yunxiao"s lips. He looked even more beautiful when he smiled. Ba Hachir had never seen anyone so beautiful. Kang Ding gently nudged his son. Ba Hachir quickly snapped back to reality, pretending to carefully tear apart the grilled meat to hide his embarrassment.
Cat Tang and Yunxiao didn"t notice. But Qi Luo did. He thought to himself: Uncle Ba Hachir… also likes Uncle Yunxiao?
The meat in the pot had browned, Zhao Yunxiao poured in boiling water, then casually added all sorts of dried leaves and dried fruits as seasoning. Cat Tang was utterly impressed. Today the tribe gathered many strange things, but he didn"t know what to do with them, while Yun Xiao seemed to understand everything.
The broth began to simmer, its aroma wafting out. Ba Hach Er and Kang Ding were grilling meat, their eyes glued to the pot. Qi Luo swallowed repeatedly. Meat cooked this way must be delicious…
Zhao Yun Xiao seasoned with salt, added black mushrooms, and covered the pot. Then he opened the steamer next to him and poked a meat bun with chopsticks. The meat from the prey Yun Huo brought was tender and sweet, and the bun was cooked. He took the pot off the stove.
Ge Tang immediately rushed forward, his eyes shining brightly: “Is it ready to eat?”
Not quite. Zhao Yun Xiao scooped a small bowl for Ge Tang first. Then he took a bamboo tube, sealed the mouth with a bone, poured the sweet and sour broth over the meat bun, and then nodded, indicating it was ready.
Ge Tang picked up the bowl, scooped a bite, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.
“Mmm!”
His eyes lit up. The meat was fragrant, the broth sweet and sour, and with a little salt, it wasn"t greasy. Kang Ding and Ba Hach Er, sitting next to him, clearly swallowed. Qi Luo also swallowed hard.
Seeing that Cat Tang was enjoying the meal, Zhao Yunxiao scooped another half bowl for Qi Luo to taste. Qi Luo almost snatched it, her stomach rumbling.
Cat Tang, however, had a weak stomach and couldn"t eat much. Zhao Yunxiao kept some for Cat Tang, then scooped the remaining large bowl, poured in the sweet and sour sauce, and stood up to go to Ba Hachier.
Ba Hachier quickly jumped up, awkwardly as if he had been rewarded.
Zhao Yunxiao spoke slowly, his words halting due to his limited vocabulary: "Thank you… you. Bring… Tuo Ta"s food… to me."
Ba Hachier didn"t fully understand, but he guessed the meaning. He accepted the bowl, a fleeting sadness in his eyes, then forced a smile: "Thank you." Zhao Yunxiao
hesitated for a moment, went back into his room, and retrieved the bag Ba Hachier had brought back that afternoon. He came out, handed the bag back to him, and said briefly: "I would… trouble you… to return… Tuo Ta."
Ba Hachier clutched the bag tightly, saying very seriously: "I will."
"Thank you."
Zhao Yunxiao returned to his seat, waiting for the meat stew to cook. Ba Hachir had helped him with something, so he should reciprocate. As for Kang Ding… he still found it difficult to open his heart. After all, there weren"t many meat-filled buns, and he thought Ge Sang would share some with Kang Ding.
Ba Hachir sat down and generously gave his father half a bowl. He told himself he was lucky to have agreed to help Tuo Ta today – it was clear Yunxiao was happy. He took a big bite, inhaling deeply because it was so delicious.
Kang Ding wasn"t as carefree as his son. He had always opposed Ba Hachir"s involvement in Yun Huo"s affairs. But faced with Yunxiao"s food, the praise was stuck in his throat; he just silently chewed, mentally planning to tell his son later: don"t see Tuo Ta again.
Ge Sang looked at the father and son and asked directly, "Ba Hachir, what did Tuo Ta say to you?"
Hearing "Tuo Ta," Zhao Yunxiao immediately looked up.
Ba Hach Nhi replied truthfully, "Tu Ta said he"ll leave the food at the usual place every two days. I"ll go get it. He... won"t see me again."
The last sentence was for his father to hear and reassure him.
Hearing this, Cat Tang"s heart sank, but with Yun Xiao present, he didn"t dare show too much emotion, only whispering, "It"s better not to meet. It"s hard work for you. Yun Xiao is very happy."
"It"s not hard work. I should do it." Ba Hach Er bowed his head, trying not to look at Zhao Yun Xiao.
Zhao Yun Xiao began to feel uneasy. He guessed how much the people in the tribe hated Yun Huo. He feared that one day Yun Huo would no longer be able to send food. He feared Ba Hach Er would be prevented from doing so. He feared he would no longer have the "courage" to persevere.
He glanced at Kang Ding several times. That person clearly disliked Yun Huo. Would he forbid Ba Hach Er?
Zhao Yun Xiao pursed his lips. The food Yun Huo sent him wasn"t just food. It was something that reminded him… that in this strange place, there was still someone who remembered him.
Cat Tang noticed his worry, took his hand, patted it gently, and smiled reassuringly.
"Don"t worry."
Just that one smile reassured Zhao Yun Xiao. He nodded.
Ba Hach Er felt guilty again. He had lied to Tuo Ta—saying he wouldn"t see him again—but in truth, he had selfish motives. He knew Yun Xiao didn"t like being here and wanted to return to Tuo Ta. But he… selfishly wished Yun Xiao would stay. Stay in his house. Stay in his tribe.
Mentioning Tuo Ta brought a heavy atmosphere. Zhao Yun Xiao didn"t bother to speak, silently waiting for the pot of meat to cook.
The fragrant aroma of the meat gradually spread, seeping through the fence. Several nearby houses began to peek out: what was the chieftain cooking that smelled so good?
A few bold children ran to their doors, peeking through the gaps in the fence. Kang Ding, Ba Hach Er, and Qi Luo all saw it, but no one called them in. The food was cooked by Yun Xiao—unless he asked, everyone knew to keep quiet.
Zhao Yun Xiao was preoccupied with thoughts of Yun Huo and didn"t notice. Ge Sang was eating meat-filled buns and paid even less attention. Qi Luo deliberately ignored him. He didn"t want Uncle Yun Xiao to cook delicious food for the other kids. He wanted to be "special."
Gat Tang devoured all the meat-filled dumplings, even scraping up the broth. Seeing him eat so heartily, Zhao Yun Xiao secretly thought he would make it for him regularly in the future. He gestured for Gat Tang to stand up and walk around, rubbing his stomach to aid digestion. Gat Tang obediently followed, rubbing his stomach while muttering to himself, "It"s strange: Wa La"s stomach is so untreatable, yet Yun Xiao"s stomach is much better after only a few days." He despised Wa La even more, even having a negative thought: if given the choice, Yun Xiao would be more like a sorcerer.
"Qi Luo, help me."
Zhao Yun Xiao handed Qi Luo the animal skin used as a pot lid. Qi Luo happily lifted the lid as instructed. The aroma of meat wafted straight into their faces, and everyone in the room immediately stared at the bright red pot of meat.
"Yun Xiao, why is the meat red?" Gat Tang asked, wide-eyed.
Qi Luo said bluntly, his eyes shining brightly, "Uncle Yun Xiao, I want to eat!"
Zhao Yunxiao understood that longing look all too well – Yun Huo felt the same way. He scooped out a small bowl, told Qi Luo to cover it, and patted his head: "Wait. It"s not ready yet."
Qi La sniffed, wanting to eat and also wanting to hug Uncle Yun Xiao. Uncle was gentler than even the father in his vague memories. Thinking of his father, Qi La"s nose stung. How wonderful it would be if Uncle Yun Xiao could be his father. Qi La longed for a support.
Kang Ding and Ba He Er had no appetite for the bland grilled meat. Zhao Yun Xiao scooped some meat into a separate small pot, added several spicy seasonings, and deliberately showed it to them as if to say, "This is for seasoning."
Seeing that he wanted to show them its use, the three adults immediately became more serious.
Outside, the five children secretly watched, swallowing hard, but none dared to ask for anything. Because the pot of meat was cooked by "that beautiful female," and she wasn"t a female in the tribe. They were embarrassed and afraid of being scolded. After simmering for a while longer
, Zhao Yun Xiao told Qi La to lift the lid. He picked up a piece of meat with bone, blew on it to cool it, and offered it to Qi La.
Qi La opened his mouth, his sharp teeth flashing, and took a bite. With a "crackling" sound, he chewed the bone whole and swallowed it. After finishing, he reached out for more.
"Hot!" Zhao Yunxiao chuckled, quickly grabbing the little hand and pulling it back.
He took the pot away. Everyone"s eyes lit up.
Ge Tang licked his lips: "Yunxiao…"
Zhao Yunxiao scooped a few pieces of meat with some broth for Ge Tang first, then gently patted his stomach, reminding him not to eat too much.
"I"ll only eat this much!" Ge Tang was so happy he felt like he could fly. He promised himself he would take care of himself so he could eat more of Yunxiao"s cooking.
Zhao Yunxiao scooped a large bowl for Kang Ding and Ba He"er. The rest was for himself and Qi La.
Kang Ding and Ba He"er were no longer shy, dividing the meat in half and eating with their hands, not caring about the heat. Qi La, however, was stopped because it was too hot.
"Uncle Yunxiao…" Qi La pleaded.
Zhao Yunxiao had to set the meat aside, blowing on it before giving it to him. Qi La also puffed out his cheeks and blew on the food, eager to eat quickly. He even got a fuller bowl than Kang Ding and Ba He Er, and was topped with an extra spoonful of broth.
"Eat up."
Qi La, as if granted a pardon, devoured it greedily. Zhao Yunxiao watched and chuckled; he was truly a carnivorous animal.
There was still plenty of broth in the pot. Zhao Yunxiao took out a dry flour cake (his main dish), broke off a small piece, dipped it in the broth, and… offered it directly to Ge Tang.
Ge Tang opened his mouth and took a bite, just like Qi La had done earlier. Zhao Yunxiao"s eyes crinkled with laughter.
"Delicious!" Ge Tang immediately asked for more.
Zhao Yunxiao took back his bowl of meat and gave him another piece of cake. Ge Tang preferred the cake to the meat. He also offered Qi La a piece to try, but Qi La clearly remained loyal to the meat.
Ge Tang shared his meat with his companion and son. Zhao Yunxiao scooped another small bowl and placed it in front of Ge Tang, pushing the rest over for Ge Tang to give to the father and son.
Just then, a child"s voice, trembling with longing, rang out from outside the door: "Grandma Cat Tang!"