Houtu composed herself and said with a giggle, "I was worried, you know. What if I could never eat such delicious barbecue again?"
Jiang Ping laughed. "Miss Wu, you can put your mind at ease. Whenever you want some, just come find me."
Houtu was overjoyed. "Really? Then it's a promise!"
"Of course. A gentleman's word is as good as gold," Jiang Ping said firmly.
"You certainly live up to the bearing of a gentleman, sir," Nuwa praised him with a smile.
Jiang Ping said leisurely, "I'm no gentleman. I'm just an ordinary man, a drifting speck of dust in this troubled world."
"Oh, I almost forgot. Barbecue is only perfect when you have wine with it. No wonder I felt like something was missing."
Ignoring the two women's astonished looks, Jiang Ping hurried into the room and came back carrying a jar.
He quickly filled their cups. "Here, have a cup each and see if you like it. If you don't, I also have fruit juice and tea."
At the mention of fruit juice and tea, Nuwa felt a pang of regret and apprehension. She wanted to drink them, but didn't dare have too much.
Houtu gazed at the sparkling liquid in her cup, delighted, and tipped it back in one go.
"Wow, that's so refreshing! It has a faint taste of alcohol, but the fruity aroma is rich, and it doesn't burn at all."
"One sip sweeps away all that greasy taste, leaving only the light fragrance of Fruit Wine."
"I feel like I could eat ten more skewers of meat!"
Houtu slapped her chest with gusto.
Seeing how carefree Houtu was, Nuwa felt a little worried.
Houtu, don't think that just because the Witch Clan has powerful bodies, you can ignore everything.
And don't you dare underestimate anything the expert gives you.
This Fruit Wine tastes sweet and barely has any kick, but I'm worried the aftereffects will be too much for you.
Houtu held her cup in her left hand and a skewer of meat in her right.
She had completely transformed into a tomboy.
A bite of meat, a sip of wine—she ate and drank with abandon.
Nuwa couldn't help warning her, "Little sister, take it slow. Make sure you don't get drunk."
Houtu waved her off. "Come on, Sister Feng. You think I could get drunk on this?"
Jiang Ping also smiled. "Miss Feng, there's no need to worry. I drink this all the time and rarely get drunk."
You're an expert. It'd be strange if you could get drunk.
But Houtu is different. Her spiritual power is weak to begin with. I doubt she can handle the effects of this Spiritual Wine.
Sure enough, what Nuwa feared came to pass.
Houtu began to sway, and as she spoke, her eyes grew hazy and her cheeks flushed.
Gradually, her words began to slur.
Even worse, with her hands greasy, she casually draped an arm over the expert's shoulder.
She had even started treating him like an old pal.
"Little brother, I really admire you. How are you so amazing? The wine's delicious, the meat's delicious, and I think you're a good person too. Why don't you come back to the Witch Clan with me? I..."
The more Nuwa heard, the more alarmed she became.
She couldn't help feeling a chill creep over her scalp.
My dear little sister—no, my dear ancestor! How can you say just anything that comes to mind?
Please, stop talking! What if you let something slip? What are we going to do then? Maybe you should go take a leak and sober up first!
In her panic, even such thoughts came rushing through Nuwa's mind.
Fortunately, before Houtu could finish her last sentence, she toppled over with a thud.
Jiang Ping was startled. "What happened to Miss Wu?"
Nuwa replied crossly, "Don't mind her, sir. She ate and drank too much, and wouldn't listen when I warned her. Now she's passed out drunk. How embarrassing."
Jiang Ping could only smile wryly. Miss Wu really was an exuberant sort.
After spending some time with her, he'd found her easygoing and easy to get along with.
Are all the girls in the Primordial World this friendly? They're quite fun.
As Jiang Ping mused, he went into the room, brought out a blanket, and gently covered Houtu with it.
"It might get a little cold tonight. Heh, Miss Feng, now it's just the two of us again. You barely ate earlier, and now that Miss Wu's gone, it feels a bit quiet."
Watching Jiang Ping's gentle movements, Nuwa felt a stir in her heart.
The expert really is considerate.
I've often heard that the Great Dao is heartless, and that all beings beneath the sages are like dogs of straw.
Every cultivator who attained the Dao seemed cold and aloof, high above the world, gazing down at it with a frigid stare.
Only the expert cared for all under heaven, bestowed opportunities and blessings, and helped every being with the right fate find the Great Dao.
Such generosity of spirit was more than worthy of admiration. It was truly awe-inspiring!
"Miss Feng, have some more. There's no one else around," Jiang Ping said with a smile, handing her a skewer of meat.
Suddenly, there came a pair of pitiful cries—"Meow!" and "Woof!"
They sounded utterly aggrieved.
Nuwa burst into laughter, and Jiang Ping could only shake his head.
"You two little fools picked the perfect moment, didn't you?"
"Go on, eat your fill."
With a helpless laugh, Jiang Ping tossed them seven or eight skewers.
Da Huang and Xiao Bai bounded over, scrambling to snatch them before retreating to gobble them down.
Jiang Ping took a sip of Fruit Wine and said leisurely, "Barbecue eaten alone is loneliness. Eaten by two, it's a mood. Eaten by a crowd, it's a celebration."
"And a celebration is just one person's loneliness; loneliness is just one person's celebration."
Nuwa stared at Jiang Ping. His words stirred something deep within her.
Perhaps the expert is lonely at the top.
What profound attainment did it take to utter words with such deep meaning?
How could he have such insights, so moving that they resonated with me despite being something I'd never experienced myself?
That makes sense. Given the expert's realm, what person or thing could possibly be worthy of entering his world?
Perhaps the expert had secluded himself here and become an ordinary being because he was tired of eternal loneliness and emptiness.
Perhaps he was already nearing the end of the Great Dao.
This way of life was probably the only pleasure left to him now.
Dull, yet fulfilling!
Nuwa silently made up her mind. My realm is low, and though I can never repay all the opportunities and blessings the expert has given me, I'll do everything I can to protect the life he has chosen.
After they'd eaten and drunk their fill, the two of them chatted for a while.
Then they fell silent, and an awkward mood settled over them.
Jiang Ping thought, I can't leave Miss Feng sitting here in silence. I need to find something to talk about.
"Miss Feng, why don't you come inside with me? I have lots of books and other little odds and ends. Perhaps you'll find something you like."
Nuwa's body trembled, and her heart filled with delight.
The expert is truly kind and generous. He treats us to such good food and drink, and now he even wants to give us his own treasures. The more of his kindness I accept, the more ashamed I feel.
Alas, I truly don't know how I could ever repay him.
Nuwa felt terribly uneasy. Every time she came, the expert gave her so many opportunities and benefits, while she could do nothing for him in return.
This is so difficult. I'll be too embarrassed to come again next time.
But if I turn down such a warm invitation, I'll seem ungrateful.
Before you continue