Chapter 111 This tastes absolutely amazing!
Xu Zhili's eyes instantly lit up like stars as a tempting roasted chicken unexpectedly entered her field of vision.
That rich, intoxicating aroma seemed to transform into a pair of gentle yet incredibly magical invisible hands.
In an instant, it precisely stimulated every taste bud, making her involuntarily and deeply intoxicated, completely immersed in this wonderful flavor, unable to extricate herself.
He tore off a shiny, juicy chicken leg and handed it to Xu Zhili: "Here, sister, try it while it's hot!"
Mmm! It smells delicious!
Xu Zhili couldn't resist taking another big bite, even though it was so hot she was panting for air, she didn't want to stop, and sincerely praised, "Xie Yunce, your roast chicken skills are amazing!" She gave a thumbs up.
This tastes absolutely amazing!
Since being born in the apocalypse, she had never been able to properly enjoy such a delicious meal.
Seeing her enjoying her meal even more than he was, Xie Yunze smiled brightly and said, "Hehe, it's alright, isn't it? The main thing is that the chickens from these mountains are so good, the meat is so fragrant! Come on, try this piece of breast meat, it's so tender!"
He tore off a large piece of meat and handed it over.
The two sat on the edge of the treehouse, enjoying their meal while the mountain breeze blew by.
Xie Yunze casually skewered the sweet potatoes that Xu Zhili brought with a twig, jumped down, and roasted them by the fire. Soon, they also emitted an enticing aroma.
"This treehouse looks quite old. Is there still salt stored inside?" Xu Zhili asked while eating, her gaze sweeping over the simple treehouse.
"Um,"
Xie Yunze looked up at Xu Zhili and nodded, then pointed to an inconspicuous small ceramic jar wrapped in oilcloth inside the treehouse.
"All I kept for myself was a little salt and a pinch of dried chili powder. I rely on this little bit of flavor when I'm patrolling the mountains."
After eating and drinking our fill, including sweet potatoes, the mountain breeze brought a touch of coolness.
Xie Yunze noticed a bit of oil on Xu Zhili's lips, and instinctively reached out to raise his hand, but immediately stopped, his ears turning slightly red.
He looked away, took out a faded but clean handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it over, his voice a little unnatural.
"Ahem... Sister, wipe your mouth."
Xu Zhili was taken aback for a moment, then realized what she meant and calmly took the handkerchief to wipe her mouth: "Thank you."
She returned the handkerchief to him.
Xie Yunze took the handkerchief, quickly stuffed it back into his pocket, and awkwardly wiped his mouth.
A subtle silence fell over the room, broken only by the crackling of the campfire beneath the tree.
He cleared his throat, trying to break the silence, with the enthusiasm unique to young people and a hint of barely perceptible expectation.
“Um… Sister, if you ever want to have a special treat but are worried about the inconvenience of preparing it in the village, you can come to this treehouse. It’s a secluded place, and I know it well. I can keep watch for you and lend a hand with the grilling.”
Looking at his seemingly embarrassed yet forced composure, and then at the flickering campfire and the leftover chicken bones under the tree, Xu Zhili felt that this mountain boy had a kind of simple and endearing charm.
She smiled, not answering directly, but simply saying, "Yeah, this roast chicken was really delicious. Thanks!"
As the weather grew warmer, the light in the woods dimmed.
Xu Zhili was still holding half a piece of chicken and a sweet potato in her hand. She stood up and said, "It's getting late. My brother is still waiting for me at home. I have to go back."
"Okay!"
Xie Yunze also quickly stood up and began to cover the embers of the campfire with soil to ensure that not a single spark remained.
He handed the prepared rabbit to Xu Zhili: "Take the rabbit back with you, it can feed you for two more meals."
Xu Zhili accepted the rabbit without hesitation, saying, "Okay, thanks. You should go home early and be careful."
"Mm!" Xie Yunze nodded vigorously, watching her figure disappear along the forest path carrying the rabbit and wild vegetables. He stood there for a while before turning around, packing his things, and heading down the mountain.
The afternoon breeze carried the lingering aroma of roast chicken and a vague, indescribable emotion.
Xie Yunze did not walk side by side with Xu Zhili.
To avoid suspicion, he deliberately lagged behind, watching her figure disappear at the end of the path before descending the mountain alone.
Xu Zhili carried the fat rabbit and returned smoothly to the educated youth settlement.
It was lunchtime, and the village roads were sparsely populated, which saved them from possible questioning.
Pushing open the courtyard gate, you see Xu Zhian sitting on a stone bench, his hands cupping his face, looking longingly at the entrance, like a little door god.
Upon seeing his older sister, the little guy rushed over like a cannonball, hugged Xu Zhili's leg tightly, rubbed his face against her pants, and said in a slightly aggrieved voice.
"Sister! You're finally back! An'an's tummy is growling, I'm so hungry!"
Xu Zhili's heart melted, and she smiled as she ruffled his little head: "Oh dear, so it was our An'an's tummy that was empty? Ta-da! Look what goodies your sister brought you!"
As if by magic, she produced roasted chicken legs and roasted sweet potatoes wrapped in layers of clean leaves from behind her back.
As soon as the leaves are peeled away, a rich aroma of meat and sweetness immediately wafts out.
Xu Zhian's eyes lit up instantly as she stared at the glistening, golden-brown, and fragrant chicken leg, her mouth practically watering: "Meat! It's a big chicken leg, and sweet potatoes too, thank you, sister!"
He cheered, took the chicken leg, and eagerly took a big bite, his eyes squinting with happiness.
"Eat slowly, don't choke." Xu Zhili stuffed a sweet potato into his mouth as well. "An'an, be good, sit here and eat well. I'm going to the kitchen to get busy, I'll make you something even better tonight!"
Xu Zhian's mouth was stuffed full, and he could only nod his little head vigorously, his big eyes curving into crescents with satisfaction.
Xu Zhili carried the skinned and processed rabbit into the kitchen.
Think about it, then take another rabbit and process it properly.
In the afternoon, when she had some free time, she chopped the rabbit into appropriately sized pieces and soaked them in water to remove the blood.
I also washed and prepared the fresh wild vegetables I had picked from my basket.
You can make wild amaranth dumplings.
Just as I finished draining the wild vegetables, a childish voice with a hint of reproach echoed in my mind: "Master, have you forgotten something?"
Xu Zhili was taken aback, then slapped her forehead and laughed, "Oh dear! I forgot about you, sorry, sorry, I'm not used to it yet."
With a thought, the life-giving tree that was rooted in the deep mountains and forests and disguised as an ordinary sapling transformed into a ray of light and entered her body space.
"Remember next time... Hmph." The tree spirit's voice, tinged with helplessness, gradually faded away.
Xu Zhili shook her head and smiled, thinking of the proud and arrogant Tree of Life.
As evening fell, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys.
Xu Zhili tied on an apron, made dumpling wrappers from flour, and took out minced pork from her spatial storage.
Place the minced meat in a bowl, add minced ginger, chopped green onions, and seasonings.
Prepare wild amaranth, blanch it in boiling water for two minutes to remove oxalic acid and astringency, then rinse it in cold water to cool it down, squeeze out the water and chop it for later use.
Wrap the prepared filling into dumplings, put them in boiling water, and cook until they float to the surface. They taste even better when dipped in vinegar.
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