Chapter 09
Over three days, Li Jia worked with Winslow to thoroughly understand the internal structure of the hot spring valley.
Winslow's personality can be described as simple-minded to put it nicely, or as genuinely naive to put it bluntly.
They forget what they said the moment they turn their heads, living a carefree and happy life.
Li Jia gradually relaxed, and sometimes she would accidentally let something slip, but Winslow wouldn't notice.
Moreover, she and Li Jia share a common hobby:
A passion for food.
Winslow has a wide range of interests, among which her greatest hobby is her love of researching delicious food.
But the deity in the mansion does not need to eat.
Doreen only liked her knife.
Winslow's assessment: A person who doesn't know how to appreciate and a (god).
This left Winslow with nothing but frustration whenever she looked at her freshly baked bread rolls.
On her first day, Li Jia praised her bread rolls, saying they were delicious and that it would be even better if she added some honey and toasted the bottoms until they were slightly browned.
After hearing Li Jia's story, Winslow's eyes lit up and he immediately put it into action. That very evening, Li Jia enjoyed the honey cake.
The next day, Li Jia suggested that Winslow could steam the taro, mash it into a paste, and then wrap the cheese inside to make taro cheese balls.
Winslow followed her instructions with some skepticism and indeed created a dessert she had never seen before, soft and chewy without being greasy.
Winslow was also learning for the first time that taro could be turned into taro paste; she had always fried it before.
Winslow once again concluded:
This woman understands her art and is worth getting to know better.
On the afternoon of the third day, Winslow took Li Jia fishing in the back mountain.
This is what Hera saw when she stepped out of the secret chamber.
Looking from afar.
Two little girls were squatting by the pond, starting a fire.
Doreen wanted to speak up and stop them, but Hera waved her hand to stop her. She wanted to see what they were up to.
Winslow and Li Jia picked up a few large stones and arranged them into a simple square shape according to Li Jia's memory. They then put some dry firewood they had gathered from the side into the square, lit it with a match, and soon flames leaped up.
Li Jia placed the pre-made grill on the grill, which was made by tightly wrapping wire several times. Winslow felt an endless sense of novelty towards Li Jia and surrounded her, asking her how to use the grill.
Li Jia placed several skewers of chicken slices marinated in spices on the table. The chicken wasn't cut particularly thin, but it was the best she could do.
After grilling for about six or seven minutes, Li Jia also prepared iron skewers and used them to poke the meat to check its doneness.
"Li Jia, how are you so smart? This is a method I've never seen before."
Winslow's eyes lit up with admiration.
"Keep it low-key, this is a method from my hometown, called barbecue."
Seeing that they were fully cooked, Li Jia took two skewers, one for Winslow and one for her, and said with a smile, "Let's have some skewers."
Want some skewers?
Winslow found this idea novel.
The chicken was roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Since there was no cumin powder, Li Jia used syrup to spread evenly and thinly on the slices of meat.
Under high temperature, a crispy outer shell is formed, which better locks in the meat juices.
Like sweet and sour pork.
The moment it enters your mouth, the juices burst forth.
"Delicious! It looks crispy but tastes tender."
Winslow was full of praise and quickly finished the skewer.
"Hehehe, it's delicious, isn't it? It's just that my knife skills are limited. It would taste even better if I could slice it thinner."
"What's so difficult about that? Doreen's knife skills are unmatched anywhere in the world. When she comes back, we'll ask her to cut for us."
"Would she agree? I feel like she really cherishes those two knives."
Thinking of the knife Doreen always carried on her back, Li Jia hesitated.
“What’s the big deal? I’ll just throw a tantrum and beg her, she’ll definitely agree.” Winslow picked up another skewer of grilled mushrooms: “That’s what I always do… she’ll just (chew, chew) satisfy (chew, chew) me…”
Doreen: …………
Who gave this permission?!
Use the world's greatest swordsman's twin swords to slice meat.
Hera glanced at Doreen with pity.
The person's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Okay, try this one."
Li Jia took out some washed grape leaves from the bag she brought, put the golden and crispy roasted pork belly inside, and added some spicy spices. It was specially marinated to be salty.
Although there was no New Orleans marinade, the pork here was exceptionally fragrant and had no gamey smell, perhaps because the pigs here weren't raised on feed in greenhouses.
Li Jia even thought it tasted hundreds of times better than the barbecue she ate in modern times.
It's a pity there was no lettuce. The grape leaves were big enough, and they tasted slightly bitter at first, but then turned sweet.
Li Jia felt like her tongue had been electrocuted after eating it, but the more she ate, the better it tasted, and the more addictive it became. Winslow felt the same way.
Their faces were flushed from the numbness, but they kept talking.
This is probably like houttuynia cordata (a type of herb), where people either love it to death or avoid it like the plague.
After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, they lay down on the rocking chairs behind them.
"Very superficial."
Although he didn't understand what Li Jia meant by that, Winslow added:
"Very superficial."
Winslow finally understood why Li Jia insisted on bringing the rocking chair over. Surrounded by mountains and water, shaded by green trees, she could eat and drink her fill, lie on the rocking chair and take a nap, living a carefree and blissful life.
Li Jia lay on the rocking chair, staring straight at the clear blue sky, her eyes as clean and clear as her own.
Actually, Li Jia felt it was alright; after a three-day buffer period, she had gone from initial panic and anxiety to calm.
Ultimately, she should have died long ago. Now she's living one day at a time, and whatever she does is a bonus.
She gradually became familiar with the place; there were only four people in this shrine.
A salted fish, or now we should add her to that list.
It's basically a combination of two lazy bums and two workaholics.
Thinking about it carefully, Li Jia even felt that she had actually gotten a good deal. In modern society, her biological father supported her until she turned eighteen and then stopped paying her living expenses.
Before she turned eighteen, her biological father was repeatedly pressured by her stepmother to cut off her living expenses and tuition fees, saying that what was the use of a girl studying so much and that she should just get married early.
Fortunately, Li Jia was quick-witted. She went to various neighborhood committee aunties in the community to complain, and the aunties all came to her door, saying that if he didn't support her schooling, they would sue him in court. This forced her biology dad to give her living expenses every month.
Of course, she had to beg him for it. It cost her 1,000 yuan a month, 12,000 yuan a year, which was less than the cost of his son's summer extracurricular classes, yet it covered her tuition and living expenses for the entire year.
She started working part-time jobs at a very young age to support herself.
Even teenagers need to work hard to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.
There's nothing we can do about it.
Now I've entered a new world. If I put myself in their shoes, I'll find that food and accommodation are provided, my colleagues are like best friends, there's no backstabbing or scheming to deal with, and I rarely see the boss. I just spend my days at home with my best friends.
So, they were just like the hotel receptionists, the only difference being that they didn't have many guests.
They frequently devise strategies and plans.
So Li Jia thought it was pretty good. She didn't have to work long hours, no one cared, and she could sleep and wake up whenever she wanted.
Thinking about all this, Li Jia felt happy and unknowingly fell asleep along with Winslow.
The deity's dwelling is protected by restrictions. No one can enter without the deity's permission, so the two slept soundly.
The deity possesses divinity and will automatically remember the aura of the person brought back, allowing them to roam freely within the mansion.
Herla stretched out his hand in the wind, feeling the humidity gradually gathering.
It's going to rain.
She patted the ring on her pinky finger, and red starlight surged towards the two of them, forming a natural protective shield.
Soon, water droplets fell, hitting the surface of the pool and creating small puddles.
Everything was silent. The two were isolated in the downpour. Rainwater flowed down their umbrellas, forming a curtain of rain. The air was filled with the fragrance of earth and grass.
The girl's messy hair clung to her forehead, and her lips were still glistening with oil. As if dreaming of something, she smiled and licked her lips.
Following the god's gaze, Doreen was utterly puzzled; what was so interesting about this drooling girl?
Let's go.
After speaking, she made no move, and Doreen didn't understand what Hera meant, standing there blankly.
"Open the umbrella."
"My divine power hasn't fully recovered yet; I just used up the last bit."
Doreen: "…………"
This is the second time she has been speechless today.
The first time was because Winslow, that heartless little devil, wanted to use her twin swords to cut meat. The second time was because the usually indifferent and aloof God would use his divine power to shield people from the rain, and then the two of them had to walk back.
It's all because of that girl.
What can I say? These are the companions I chose, the gods I chose.
What can you do but endure it?
It seems she'll have to shoulder another problem from now on.
Doreen opened her umbrella, and the rain slanted down. She held the handle and walked in the rain with Hera. The black umbrella was lifted at the edges by the wind, and raindrops rolled down the edge of the umbrella, splashing into tiny water droplets at their feet.
The two stood side by side under the umbrella, listening to the sound of the drizzle hitting the umbrella surface, and the falling water droplets left small wet marks on the bluestone slab.
"Your Majesty, you forced your way out of seclusion today to see how she is doing in the temple, right?"
As they approached the inner chamber of the main hall, Doreen hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.
Three days would have been enough for Hera to recover, but she only took two and a half days to heal her soul.
Hera did not answer her question, but instead asked in return, "What should a qualified god be like?"
Hera looked at her, her golden hair and red eyes reflecting a calm and composed figure.
A qualified priest.
Doreen's eyes trembled slightly: "Follow the rules and regulations, and be selfless."
"Your Majesty, no god can surpass you; you are the most qualified God."
Doreen knew what Hera had sworn to for her divine office.
Anyone can criticize or misunderstand Her Majesty's ruthlessness and indifference, but those around her cannot.
His Majesty's divine authority is unparalleled in this land, and the laws His Majesty establishes have the right to supersede all other rules.
Supreme.
Undeniable.
"The most qualified one..."
Hera lowered her head in thought, as if pondering Doreen's words.
Doreen left the inner room and closed the door.
The rain stopped, and she planned to wake up the two idiots who were sleeping by the pond.
"Have her come to see me at the main temple tomorrow."
Hera lay in the rocking chair by the window, using her divine sense to send a message to Doreen.
It's really comfortable.
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