Night fell like a giant black velvet blanket, gently covering the entire mountain forest.
In front of the wooden cabin, the campfire crackled and popped, the leaping flames tirelessly licking at the thick pieces of meat and freshly caught fish laid out on it.
The grease sizzled as it roasted, dripping onto the embers and igniting small flames and releasing a rich, smoky aroma. This aroma, mixed with the "wild spice" powder that Lin Feng had specially sprinkled on the embers and some crushed, fragrant grass seeds, created an irresistible fragrance.
Lin Feng was clearly in a very good mood.
The liquid from the fermentation of the "purple crystal fruit" and "golden fox rice" that he had carefully tended finally released its first refreshing aroma!
While it's still far from being a truly fine wine, it's undoubtedly a huge success.
To celebrate this double blessing and to reward himself and his two loyal partners, Lin Feng decided to host a small "barbecue party".
He carried his precious cell phone out of the cabin, then opened the music player, found several electronic dance tracks with a strong rhythm from his previous life, and turned the volume up to the maximum!
"Thump! Thump! Thump! Snap! Thump! Thump! Thump! Snap!"
The stirring music, like an invisible shockwave, instantly shattered the silence of the mountains and forests.
Lin Feng even turned his phone screen to its brightest setting and hastily built a makeshift "stand" out of a few stones and animal hides, using the phone screen's light as a temporary "stage light." Although dim, it added a touch of psychedelic charm.
"Come on, Wangcai! Phantom! Let's get started!"
Lin Feng laughed heartily, took a large piece of roasted animal leg meat from the grill, which was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, sizzling with oil, cut off a large slice with a stone knife, and threw it directly to Wangcai, who was already excitedly spinning around on the side.
"Awoo!"
Wangcai happily caught it and began to tear into it, its mouth dripping with oil, its tail wagging like a high-speed spinning propeller.
The Phantom, on the other hand, was much more elegant. It lightly leaped onto a rock next to Lin Feng, its crimson eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement in the firelight and the glow of the phone screen.
Lin Feng tore off a small piece of perfectly grilled fish that didn't have too much "wild spice" and held it to its mouth.
The Phantom sniffed it reservedly, then took small sips and savored it, making a satisfied "gurgling" sound in its throat.
Lin Feng tore off a large piece of beast meat, took a big bite, and felt the ultimate pleasure of the crispy outer skin and the tender and juicy meat inside bursting in his mouth.
He then scooped out a large cup of cloudy liquid, which had a rich fruity aroma, from a newly fired earthenware pot next to him.
That was his initial success in fermenting "purple crystal fruit rice wine." Although it still contained a lot of fruit pulp and rice residue, making it slightly rough, its sweet and sour taste with a hint of alcohol made him feel completely comfortable.
"Awesome!" Lin Feng tilted his head back and took a big gulp, letting the juice with fruit pulp flow down his throat.
Then, he put down the barbecue and juice, and, accompanied by upbeat music coming from his phone, started dancing around the campfire.
He had no particular method; he simply twisted his body as he pleased, sometimes throwing punches, sometimes kicking, sometimes shaking his head exaggeratedly, releasing all the tension, calculations, and pressure accumulated over the past few months with his sweat.
This is a raw, unadorned "crazy disco," full of wild power and the joy of freedom.
Wangcai was also infected by its owner's mood. It carried a piece of meat in its mouth and excitedly barked around Lin Feng, occasionally jumping around and clumsily imitating its owner's actions, which made Lin Feng laugh out loud.
Phantom tilted its head, watching Lin Feng and Wangcai's chaotic scene, its crimson eyes filled with curiosity.
Occasionally, it would gracefully flick its tail to the rhythm of the music, or leap lightly, leaving streaks of blue and purple in the air, as if participating in the party in its own way.
The bonfire roared, the music was energetic, and the aroma of meat filled the air.
A man, a dog, and a beast revel in their own unique celebration in this primeval wilderness.
The commotion naturally reached the riverbank not far downstream.
The six women, already exhausted, huddled around the fire, ready to fall asleep.
They were exhausted from fishing all day long.
However, they were awakened when bursts of loud music and the faint sound of Lin Feng's laughter broke the silence of the night.
"What was that sound?" Tang Bao asked groggily, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"It seems...it seems to be coming from Lin Feng's side." Su Wanqing listened intently, a hint of doubt on her face.
"What...what is he doing? Why is he making such a commotion?" Ruan Mengtian sat up as well, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes.
Qin Lan frowned, stood up, and looked in the direction from which the sound came.
Upstream, in the direction of Lin Feng's wooden house, flames were shooting into the sky, much brighter than usual, and one could vaguely see moving figures.
"Let's go take a look," Qian Xiaoxiao suddenly suggested, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment and curiosity. "I want to see what he's up to, all this secretive all by himself!"
The other women were also somewhat interested.
So, the six women, taking advantage of the moonlight, tiptoed quietly toward Lin Feng's wooden house.
They didn't dare get too close, but hid far away behind a bush, peeking out cautiously.
They were all stunned when they saw it.
Beside the campfire, Lin Feng, shirtless and revealing his smooth, muscular physique, was twirling his body to the beat of rousing music.
His movements, though wild, were full of power.
His face beamed with a radiant smile they had never seen before.
The small, blue-purple beast moved and leaped around him like a ghost, its movements elegant and agile.
The big dog, carrying a huge piece of roasted meat in its mouth, excitedly circled around Lin Feng, occasionally letting out a few cheerful barks.
The meat roasting over the campfire emitted a rich aroma that made them swallow hard, even from a distance.
They also saw Lin Feng occasionally pick up a ceramic jar and drink deeply from its contents, his satisfied expression as if he were drinking the finest nectar.
"Oh my god... he... he's having a party?" Tang Bao covered her mouth and exclaimed in disbelief.
"What...what is that? Juice? It looks so delicious..."
Ruan Mengtian's gaze lingered on the ceramic jar in Lin Feng's hand. The cloudy liquid, containing fruit pulp, emitted a faint sweet fragrance, making her mouth water.
Su Wanqing's eyes were filled with complex emotions.
Seeing Lin Feng's muscular physique and carefree joy, and then comparing it to her own and her sisters' disheveled and hungry state these past few days, she felt an indescribable pang of bitterness and...envy.
"His life... is too good!"
Qian Xiaoxiao stared in disbelief, muttering to herself.
"Look at that cat, it's so cute, it even jumps along!" Tangbao's attention was drawn to the phantom again.
"And that dog, look at the meat it's eating, it's bigger than our heads!"
Shen Jiaqi said with a wry smile, her tone full of helplessness.
They painstakingly caught a few small fish, and then had to use their precious modern tools to exchange for a little bit of seasoning, while Lin Feng's dog could devour roasted meat.
This stark contrast left the women with mixed feelings, including envy, jealousy, and a touch of humiliation.
They never imagined that their current situation would be worse than that of a dog that Lin Feng kept.
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