"Just living a life I never dared to imagine before."
He turned his head, glanced at Emily, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Besides, when you invite friends to dinner, you can't expect them to eat dry bread."
Emily paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"That's true. If that glutton Aruk doesn't get enough to eat, he really might tear your refrigerator apart."
Emily's laughter filled the air, and the atmosphere inside the car relaxed.
The car left the paved road and turned onto the dirt road leading to Pillar Mountain.
Even on the bumpy dirt road covered in snow, the Raptor's FOX suspension system filtered out most of the bumps, and the body only undulated slightly, a world of difference from the previous Dodge.
In the distance, under the dark night sky, the outline of that familiar wooden house gradually became clear.
No light came through the window; Su Wei had turned off the light before leaving.
Only the motion-activated light under the porch sensed the approaching vehicle, snapping on with a "snap" and casting a dim, yellowish glow.
Su Wei stepped on the brakes.
The huge vehicle came to a steady stop in the open space in front of the wooden house, its tires squeaking as they squeezed through the snow.
Before he could even turn off the engine, their gazes froze simultaneously.
A person stood in the dim light of the porch.
He was wearing a dark gray windbreaker. Without any heating equipment, he stood straight in the cold wind, like a rock sculpted by wind and snow for thousands of years.
Black.
There was still more than an hour until the agreed time.
The old man had arrived long ago, but he neither called nor knocked on the door; he just stood quietly at the entrance and waited.
At his feet were four heavy-looking desiccant boxes and a huge woven bag, all neatly stacked.
Su Wei looked through the windshield at the figure whose clothes were fluttering in the cold wind, yet remained motionless.
Chapter 111 A Wild Dining Table, Seats Carved Out of an Axe (A Long Chapter of 4100 Words!)
The engine shut off, and the surroundings instantly fell silent, with only the soft sound of the cold wind carrying snowflakes pattering against the car windows.
Su Wei pushed open the car door, and a blast of cold air instantly rushed in, dispelling the warmth inside the car and seeping straight in through her collar.
He hunched his shoulders, his leather boots making a crisp sound as they stepped on the thick snow.
The motion-sensor lights under the porch flickered dimly.
Black remained motionless.
He just stood there, a thin layer of snow powder accumulated on his dark gray windbreaker.
Only when Su Wei reached the bottom of the steps did the old hunter slightly turn his head, his deep-set eyes lingering on the brand-new black Raptor pickup truck for two seconds.
He showed no surprise, did not ask about the price, and didn't even raise an eyebrow.
"Nice car."
Black gave his only assessment, then looked away and kicked a huge woven bag at his feet with the tip of his muddy boot.
"Your things."
The bag was open, revealing a thick section of the main beam, a dark brown antler, with traces of dried dark red still remaining at the break.
Next to it, four black, heavy-duty desiccant boxes were stacked neatly.
"According to the rules, this is your spoils. Your only spoils so far."
Black's voice sounded muffled in the wind and snow.
"As for the box, it contains your share of meat: a foreleg, a shin sprig, and the deer heart you requested. Hope you cook it well, kid."
Su Wei bent down and lifted the woven bag with one hand.
The antlers clashed together, producing a dull, bony sound.
Thank you, teacher.
Su Wei said.
Black didn't reply, but simply put his hands in his jacket pockets and gestured with his chin toward the four desiccant boxes.
That's too heavy, you'll strain your back.
Su Wei smiled, put down the antlers, and turned to pick up the two boxes.
The moment he picked them up, his arm muscles tensed slightly; they were very heavy, each box weighing at least fifty pounds.
The meat inside should have been meticulously deboned and cut, and may even have undergone vacuum pretreatment.
Although this old man is sharp-tongued and doesn't give people a pleasant look, he is indeed very reliable when it comes to getting things done.
Emily got out of the car at this moment. She was wrapped up tightly, clutching the unopened bottle of red wine in her arms, and gave Black a slightly reserved but bright smile.
Good evening, Mr. Anderson.
Black glanced at her, and the corner of his mouth twitched very slightly on his stern face—that was the limit of his ability to express friendliness.
Su Wei opened the door.
A chill swept over me; the fireplace had gone out.
"Eek!"
A small white thing immediately sprang up from the sofa.
Cotton Candy stood up with its two big ears and its dark eyes fixed on the doorway until it smelled Su Wei's familiar scent, then excitedly rushed over.
But when it was still three meters away from Black, it suddenly gripped the ground with all four paws and stopped.
The little fox's fur stood on end instantly, its once fluffy tail was tucked between its legs, and it let out a low, wary growl.
The indelible smell of gunpowder and blood emanating from Black, along with the oppressive aura of a apex predator, made the little fox feel threatened.
"She has a bit of a knack for it."
Black glanced at the ruffled little thing, took off his snow-covered military boots, put on the slippers Su Wei had prepared, and strode into the living room.
He ignored the stressed little fox, walked straight to the fireplace, stretched out his calloused and scarred hands, took out two pieces of wood, put them in, and lit the fireplace.
Soon, with his skillful technique, warm flames rose, gradually dispelling the surrounding cold.
Emily knelt down with a pained expression, scooped the frightened Cotton Candy into her arms, and gently comforted the trembling little one.
Su Wei didn't have time to worry about any of that. He was like a porter, carrying the ingredients from the truck bed and the meat crates from the doorway into the kitchen, one trip after another.
The spacious central island was quickly filled with things.
The counter was piled high with ingredients: bright red tomahawk steaks, frosty venison, various vegetables, and cases of beer.
What should we eat tonight?
Black's voice came from the living room, tinged with a barely perceptible hint of anticipation.
"Hot pot."
Su Wei answered without turning her head as she placed the stainless steel double-compartment pot she had bought from town into the sink to wash it.
"The authentic Chinese way of eating it. In this awful weather, a pot of piping hot, spicy beef tallow soup can warm you up all winter."
He dried his hands and took the two-pound deer heart from the desiccant box.
It felt heavy in my hand, and even carried a faint trace of warmth.
This thing was clearly taken from the chest cavity of a black-tailed deer not long ago; it's a top-notch snack to accompany drinks.
It seems that Black went to the Hunters' Guild's slaughterhouse beforehand to buy it.
I plan to stir-fry the deer heart.
Su Wei pulled his usual boning knife from the knife rack, swishing the blade twice on the sharpening rod, its cold light gleaming.
"Slice it thinly, stir-fry it quickly over high heat, and add some Chinese pickled red peppers that I brought back from the supermarket. It'll definitely be flavorful."
Black turned around, looking at the smoke and fire in the room, and his previously tense shoulders seemed to relax a little.
His gaze swept across the restaurant, lingering for two seconds on the old dining table that was only 1.5 meters long, before his brows suddenly furrowed.
"That kid Aruk said he's bringing his whole family."
Black suddenly spoke.
"Right."
Su Wei's knife was precisely slicing along the veins of the deer's heart without him even looking up.
His parents will be coming, along with his younger brother and sister.
"Plus his cousin."
Su Wei's hand suddenly stopped moving, the blade hovering above the piece of meat.
"His cousin?"
"Yes, he didn't tell you?"