Shadow Island.
Lou Benwei, Milk Agent, Centipede, Doggie, and the others had gathered on the beach.
Also present was Bai Mei, who had obtained the Supreme Golden Bone through Lou Benwei's fortunate opportunity.
Dressed in a nightgown, Bai Mei held a rusty, broken iron pot and stirred it vigorously. What churned inside the pot was sand.
Beside the "stove," broken pots and bowls held all sorts of "seasonings": leaves, branches, withered flower petals, and melon vines picked from who knew where.
Bai Mei solemnly picked up two leaves and tossed them into the pot before stir-frying again.
Not far away, Lou Benwei bent over as he neatly planted seedlings in the sand. Every so often, he straightened up to pound his back, or took off his straw hat to fan himself.
"Hoeing grain beneath the midday sun, sweat drips into the soil below!"
Lou Benwei looked up at the sky. "Time for lunch."
With that, he set his farming tools aside, circled around the beach, and hurried back "home."
"Wifey, wifey, I'm back."
He set his straw hat aside and headed toward the "kitchen," wrapping his arms lovingly around Bai Mei's slender waist from behind.
"Ah, the food my wifey makes smells so good."
Lou Benwei leaned over and gave the pot a gentle sniff, revealing an expression of bliss. Then he pinched up a small handful of fine sand from beside him and tossed it into the pot. "Wifey, your husband likes salty food. Add some more salt, okay?"
"O-okay, h-husband."
Bai Mei's pretty face flushed crimson as she lowered her head in reply, clearly unable to get into character.
"Waaah, waaah, waaah."
At the side, Centipede was bundled up tightly in a cradle made from piled grass, with a piece of white cloth tucked between his legs. He