Chapter 57 Tata wakes up, delicious food, time for a bath.

Other markets were much the same. There were also some stalls selling other vegetables, and most of them were run by mages who could use wood magic in their families, or they themselves were wood magic mages.

Without exception, their vegetables were all very expensive and in small quantities.

"Things are valued for their scarcity," and although these vegetables were expensive, there was no shortage of wealthy people willing to buy them. Lai was somewhat tempted, but he couldn't rush things; he needed to carefully consider how to implement it.

It's essential to ensure a sufficient supply of goods and a stable customer base. Ideally, prices should be lowered so that ordinary families can enjoy fresh vegetables even in winter.

While strolling through the various markets, Lai made a point of checking out a few small shops. After the trip, he had a general understanding of the situation, bought what he needed, and led the mule back home.

Lai didn't eat lunch. When she got home, she made herself a bowl of dumpling soup with potatoes, tomatoes, and some sprouted leafy greens.

The tomatoes were unripe tomatoes left over from the fall. They were stored in a cellar where the low temperature slowed down their ripening. There are only one or two left today, and they will rot if we don't eat them soon.

Tata was still asleep, so Ray put her back in the basket in front of the fireplace. He took out the butter, offal, and meat to prepare. The rest of the food was left on the table for now; they would be put away later.

The process of making butter is basically the same as making lard. Lai has made lard so many times that he is quite skilled at it. After frying the butter, he places it in a place where no one passes by. The oil temperature is too high when it comes out of the pot, and if you touch it, you will get a blister.

Neil will be back in a while. Leiba paused for a moment, watching the little thing sleeping soundly with its belly exposed. He couldn't help but wonder if it really was a magical beast.

"Brother, you're back!"

"Yes, I bought the new towel you wanted, as well as the medicine and raw meat for An An. Dr. Blake said there's nothing wrong with it."

"Thank you, brother!"

Neil put down his bag and went to look at Tata.

"Why is he still sleeping! Get up and eat something, or it will get stale."

Neil couldn't resist gently shaking the basket, trying to wake it up.

"Try to wake him up a little more. He's just sleeping. His body isn't as unresponsive as it was when he healed on its own before."

Neil used various methods besides shaking the basket.

Tickling, shaking his body, brushing his ears with a small feather, and so on, finally, when Neil started pinching Tata's little nose, he opened his eyes groggily.

A human face filled his entire field of vision, startling Tata so much that his pupils shrank to slits. He used all four paws to flip over and escape from the basket, hiding under the recliner.

There was a loud commotion as Lay poked his head out of the storage room and looked at Neil, asking with his eyes what had happened.

"Brother, An'an is awake. Don't run that way, there's hot oil! If you get burned, your fur won't grow back!"

Tata glanced warily at Neil, then quickly glanced at the spot where the oil was dumped.

His face was filled with distrust of Neil.

“Neil, don’t worry about him, let him get used to the environment on his own.”

"good."

Lai continued tidying up. Some of the food they had stockpiled wouldn't keep well and needed to be taken out and eaten beforehand, otherwise it would be wasted. They would use these ingredients to cook dinner that evening.

Tata remained hidden under the recliner, refusing to come out, poised to escape at any moment. She watched as Neil took out his notebook and began doing his homework.

Lai took out the leather she had bought that day, along with glue, scissors, needles, cardboard, and other tools, and began to make crafts for the books that had been lying around naked for a long time.

Sometimes the joy of reading lies not only in the content of the book, but also in the reader's sense of participation. This is why many people enjoy taking reading notes.

After finishing the two books, it was time for dinner. Lai put down what he was doing and began preparing dinner.

First, he rinsed the heart and meat thoroughly with clean water. Then, Lai cut out a few small pieces, placed them on a plate in front of Tata, and left. He observed Tata's eating from a position where Tata couldn't see him.

Tata was curious, but he didn't make any rash moves. After a few minutes, when he realized no one was watching him, he cautiously approached and smelled the meat and offal on the plate.

"vomit!"

Tata vomited, scratched the ground with her paws, and finally pushed the plate aside.

Where did they find stale, rotten meat to fool the beast?!

"Brother, An'an won't eat, and she feels nauseous and wants to vomit."

"I saw it and I heard it."

"Then what should we do?"

Neil asked anxiously.

"Let's boil two bird eggs; maybe he'll eat the yolks."

Neil went to get the bird eggs.

"Brother, would you like some bird eggs?"

"I won't eat it. I need to take care of this heart."

Lai cut the remaining heart in half from one side, unfolded it, and washed it. The Gulu Beast's heart was very large, about twice the size of a normal pig's heart, enough for Lai and Neil to eat together.

Place the meat in a pot of cold water with ginger, scallions, star anise, etc., and blanch the meat. Once the scum has risen, change the water and add the scallions, ginger, and other seasonings to the pot and start cooking.

After the meat was put into the pot, there was no need to do anything. Lai peeled two scallions, washed them, and sliced ​​them. The scallions grown this year were good, with more white parts and fewer green parts, which is good for storing in winter.

Lai used magic to accelerate the growth of a few more cilantro plants. He planned to make a hand-shredded pork heart dish for dinner, followed by a stew of cabbage and glass noodles. He also planned to pickle some garlic cloves for a side dish and steam some buns. Dinner and breakfast for tomorrow would be taken care of together.

Neil fed the yellow dog the raw meat that Tata hadn't eaten, and after washing the plate, he broke open the two cooked egg yolks and placed them on top.

"Brother, I'll just give it to An'an."

"Um."

Tata stared motionless at the bright orange yolk in the dish.

While working, Lei also taught Neil some modern knowledge.

"Eating egg yolks can reduce shedding in small animals and make their fur thicker and more nutritious."

Tata appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but he was actually secretly listening to their conversation.

When he heard Ray say that egg yolks could make fur thicker, he twitched his two little ears. He tentatively approached the plate, and when no one was watching, he gulped down the whole egg yolk in one go.

The egg yolk was very dry. It was the first time Tata had ever eaten such a cooked food, and she choked on it, starting to gag.

Neil quickly poured him some plain water.

He gulped down the last mouthful, finally swallowing it. This time, Tata was smarter; she ate the remaining yolk in small bites, even licking the plate clean.

"An'an ate it all!"

"good."

Lai was busy cooking and didn't have the energy to care about the little one's condition. She quickly replied and then started boiling water to soak the vermicelli.

Glass noodles don't cook easily if you put them directly into the pot. Soak them in boiling water for a while before adding them to the dish, and they will cook very quickly without wasting cooking time.

The heart and meat were already cooked, and Lai placed them in a bowl to cool. Once the steamed buns were ready, the meat could be processed directly.

After steaming the steamed buns and a few scallion rolls, Lai sliced ​​the cooked meat into thin slices about two millimeters thick and arranged them on a plate.

After the cooked Gulu Beast's heart cooled down, I simply tore it into thin strips by hand.

The heart is a vital organ that maintains the circulation of blood throughout the body. It supplies blood to the whole body through continuous beating, which is why the meat is very chewy.

As Lei tore at the meat, the aroma began to waft out, making Neil secretly swallow. Monsters have an incredibly keen sense of smell; Tata spotted the aroma and immediately located its source.

Is that the smell coming from that stale offal?

Tata was very puzzled.

"Try it."

Ray pinched some shredded meat and held it to Neil's mouth, and Neil ate it from Ray's hand.

Only a tiny bit of salt was added when cooking, so the cooked meat only had a pure aroma, and the saltiness wasn't very noticeable.

As Neil ate the meat in his mouth, he felt that the more he chewed, the more fragrant and flavorful it became.

Ray felt something touching his trouser leg. He looked down under the table and saw the little guy sitting gracefully under the table, gently patting his thigh with his paw.

God knows how Ray could see elegance in a dirty little monster.

It smells so good!

Tata's rumbling stomach and the enticing aroma of meat ultimately overcame her weak senses.

He couldn't help but want to get closer to this taller human. He felt a sense of security from him that he could only feel when he was with his parents, and a calming aura that soothed his animalistic mood.

This made him believe that this human would never harm him, so he figured the human would give him good food too.

Lei looked at the little guy beside his legs.

"Want some?"

Tata nodded, and Lai pinched off a few strips of meat and fed them to it by hand. He deliberately picked out thin strips, afraid that the little guy wouldn't be able to chew them properly and would swallow them whole and choke.

After finishing her meal, Tata felt she hadn't tasted much, so she patted Lai's leg to indicate that she wanted more.

Ray and Neil exchanged a glance, and Ray saw surprise in Neil's eyes.

He then took another piece of fatty, well-cooked Gulu beast meat and fed it to Tata.

This time, Tata tasted meat, and after finishing, she licked her lips with lingering satisfaction.

Neil felt his heart melting at its cuteness. He wanted to feed it a piece of Gulu Beast meat like Lai did, but Tata ruthlessly ignored him.

Ha, you foolish human cub, don't even think about trying to please me!

No matter what it is, being able to eat is always a good thing.

"Neil, go and get the potion and the dish."

"OK."

Neil quickly found the potion and a plate, and Ray put a small portion of meat into them.

"Pour a spoonful of medicine into the meat, but my hands aren't very convenient to do it right now."

Although Neil was young, he was quite strong. He easily lifted the medicine bottle with one hand and filled the spoon in his hand.

"Brother, is this enough?"

“That’s enough. Blake said this medicine is mainly to strengthen his system and regulate his body. A little more or less doesn’t matter.”

The two of them made no attempt to hide it, adding seasonings to the delicious meat right in front of Tata. Neil placed the plate in front of Tata, leaving it to him to choose.

"Eat up, An'an~"

"..."

What exactly did you put in the meat?! Are you trying to murder me?!

"Eat up, it's alright."

Seeing the little guy hesitating as he sniffed the plate, Lei couldn't help but offer a word of advice.

To Neil, the tone was exactly the same as when Ray had told him the story of the Big Bad Wolf.

To everyone's surprise, Tata actually listened to Lai.

After Ray finished speaking, he seemed to have made up his mind, closed his eyes, and took a small piece of meat.

The medicine doesn't have a pungent smell; it just has a faint herbal fragrance.

Tata took a bite, intending to swallow the meat whole, but the medicine didn't taste as terrible as he'd imagined. It was dozens of times better than the reeds his mother had forced into his mouth because he had diarrhea!

Tata has started to confidently and boldly show off her food, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe her eating habits as "swallowing food in a whirlwind."

Tata quickly devoured the plate, his mouth covered with green magic potion and oil from eating the meat.

"Gurgle~~~"

Tata's stomach growled again, and quite loudly, clearly indicating she wasn't full.

"Brother, let's give the rest of the meat to An'an. He hasn't eaten properly in a long time."

"Yes, feed it to him. It was bought for him after all."

After shredding the meat, Lai mixed it together with shredded scallions, cilantro, shredded carrots, various seasonings, and chili oil, and a simple meat dish was ready.

The steamed buns are almost done, and after stir-frying the last dish, we can start our rather sumptuous dinner.

The cold dishes were very flavorful, the glass noodles were stir-fried to perfection, the garlic was sweet and sour, and the steamed buns were fluffy and fluffy.

Ray and Neil finished the cold salad and sweet and sour garlic, and each ate one and a half large steamed buns. Ray ate one more steamed bun than Neil.

After finishing their meal, only half a plate of cabbage remained on the table; the two of them had eaten all the glass noodles. There were still several steamed buns and twisted rolls in the steamer, which could be reheated for breakfast tomorrow. Even Tata had a steamed bun in her little dish.

After finishing their meal, the two of them started clearing away the dishes.

The remaining half plate of cabbage was fed to the big yellow dog in the yard. Ray washed the dishes, and Neil wiped the table and swept the floor. The once messy living room was quickly tidied up.

The fire in the fireplace had gone out, leaving only a few pieces of wood that were glowing red-hot.

Having just finished cooking, the temperature inside the room was actually quite comfortable. But to keep the fire burning, Lai added a few more pieces of firewood.

After dinner, the two brothers enjoyed some quiet time alone. They each sat in their favorite chairs and read, stopping to tell each other interesting passages.

Neil would tell Rye about all sorts of things that happened to him at school, as well as the gossip he'd heard in the village recently. Rye would also fulfill Neil's little wishes, telling him the sequel to "Journey to the West" that they hadn't finished telling him during their last camping trip, and all sorts of fables and fairy tales.

Ray thought this tea party-like format was great; it not only helped pass the time but also increased the time the two brothers spent together, allowing them to understand each other more deeply.

The short reading time quickly came to an end, and Lai added more firewood to the fireplace.

The water boils, and each person stands on a wooden basin filled with scalding hot water. Soaking one's feet can relieve the day's fatigue and help one achieve a good quality sleep.

Ever since the first snowfall, Rae has been taking Neil to soak his feet every few days.

"Brother, when can we give An'an a bath? Cousin Lamb said An'an seems to smell a bit."

Neil said in a low voice, afraid that Tata, who was already resting in the basket, would hear something unpleasant.

"Let's wait a few more days, until he stops resisting our touch, then we can give him a bath."

"Okay, brother. I don't mean to look down on An'an!"

"Brother knows that our Neil's favorite person is An'an."

"No, no!" Neil hurriedly waved his hand. "If you ask who my favorite is, it's definitely my brother!"

"Just kidding, don't be in a hurry."

Neil gave an awkward smile.

After feeding Tata medicine and cooked meat for several days, the little guy finally gained some weight.

He still didn't like Neil's approach, but now he could comfortably lie on Ray's lap and enjoy his grooming service.

"An'an, you really do smell a bit. Do you want to take a bath today? I'll cook you some delicious mutton."

Bathing makes my fur wet, which is very uncomfortable. But... the lamb is so delicious!

He hesitated for a long time, his forehead hairs furrowing in frustration, but he finally nodded in agreement.

A large pot of hot water was boiled, and basins, towels, blankets, and beans for bathing were all prepared.

This bean is quite remarkable; it's a native plant of the Casa continent. It resembles the soapberry used by people in ancient times, but there are significant differences.

Before use, knead the endosperm inside into a paste. When using, tear open the bean skin, squeeze out the paste-like endosperm, add water and knead; it will produce a lot of foam, which has a certain cleaning effect.

Since Tata himself had agreed to take a bath, he endured the discomfort of his fur getting wet and squatted motionless in the tub, enjoying the service from Lai and Neil.

Lei's technique was very gentle, trying to avoid getting water around Tata's eyes.

Soon, Tata's tension turned into enjoyment.

With his fur completely soaked, Neil handed him the beans he had prepared. After squeezing out several, he finally managed to wash all the stains off Tata's body, revealing the dazzling white beneath his gray fur.

It instantly transformed from a country bumpkin into the beloved pet of a wealthy city family.

Ha, humans, you've been captivated by the beast's handsome appearance! Hurry up and cook all the meat and bring it over to feed me!

After a hearty meal and a bath, Tata regained his usual confidence. Ray helped him dry off most of the moisture with a towel and then placed him by the roaring fireplace to warm himself.

Tata shook off the water and lay down on the stall to groom himself. Against the stark contrast of his white fur, he practically glowed.

Lai felt that this was what a magical beast should be like.

Whose child is this? Who doesn't love them more? Perhaps they can only spend a few months or a few years together, but this deep bond will always remain in their hearts.

The necessary ingredients have been mostly gathered, and the rendered butter has solidified into a solid white block. Lai is now ready to prepare the hot pot broth. However, he still needs to order a batch of small jars to store the prepared broth.

If they make too much, they might sell it in town. But Lai still prefers to keep the broth for his family.

As promised, I cooked mutton soup for the little one for lunch. After lunch, Lai and Neil took a nap. No one noticed that the living room door wasn't fully closed…

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Author's Note: I anticipated this chapter would be riddled with typos. I'll fix it later, fix it later—it's exhausting! Remember to bookmark those two pre-order novels!

Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 23:30:14 on August 8, 2023 and 23:56:40 on August 9, 2023!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Tianjixing 145 bottles; Saturday Holiday 50 bottles; Buzhijing 30 bottles; Mango No Sugar, Custard Pig Bun 20 bottles; Ershao 5 bottles; Haorushanyinxue 3 bottles; Wuqin 2 bottles; Not Able to Eat Spicy Food, Love is Love's Vomit 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!