The air felt thick and the atmosphere became quite subtle.
Su Wei's fingers twitched, as if she wanted to touch her cheek, but in the end she only reached for the bedside table.
"Snap."
He turned off the bedside lamp for her.
As darkness fell, only a sliver of corridor light shone through the crack in the door, outlining the blurry silhouettes of the two figures.
"Call me if you need anything. I'm right next door."
Goodnight, Emily.
"Goodnight... Su Wei." The girl's soft, sweet voice came from under the covers, stirring Su Wei's heart.
Su Wei took a step back and gently closed the door.
With a soft "click," the space filled with fragrance and ambiguity was shut behind them.
Su Wei stood in the corridor, took a deep breath, and the cool air rushed into her lungs, slightly calming her slightly accelerated heartbeat.
Of course he could sense it.
Holding such a warm and soft woman in your arms, who was also your childhood sweetheart, it would be abnormal not to have a physical reaction.
But he knew even more clearly that now was not the time.
Both their relationship and his current situation need a more solid foundation.
Taking advantage of others' misfortunes is not his style. What Su Wei wants, he will obtain honorably, whether it is people or a way of life.
Su Wei turned to look at the window at the end of the corridor.
Even through the thick curtains, he could still feel the fierce, cold wind outside.
But this only stirred up the fighting spirit in his bones.
Compared to the gentle atmosphere inside the house, the upcoming bear hunt excited him even more at this moment.
We want to protect this warmth, we want to live a more ideal life, and we want to build a real manor in the wilderness!
He must become stronger.
Get more money!
Three million US dollars?
That's far from enough!
He needs more, much more money.
That's enough to buy more land in the surrounding area, and enough to rebuild the wooden houses and repair the territory.
That brown bear.
It was the challenge this wilderness presented to him, and also a crucial step for him to establish himself in this land.
It is also key to upgrading the [ Hunting Module ].
Su Wei turned and walked into the somewhat chilly guest room, lying down fully clothed on the uncomfortable single bed, a smile playing on her lips.
That night.
A fierce wind raged outside.
But those inside, each with their own thoughts and expectations, slept exceptionally soundly.
Chapter 116 To do a good job, one must first have the right tools: The Hunter's Shopping List (Three-in-One)
The gale that raged all night finally subsided, leaving only the occasional low whistling sound as it swept across the rooftops.
At seven o'clock in the morning, Su Wei woke up on time.
He sat up, stretched his arms, and his joints cracked.
Thanks to the Homestead Shelter, he slept exceptionally well last night.
Full of energy, he stepped directly off the bed onto the cold wooden floor, the chill under his feet instantly sobering him up.
Pushing open the door, the air in the hallway carried the characteristic chill of Alaska, several degrees lower than inside the bedroom.
Fortunately, the second floor was kept warm, so it wasn't as cold as minus twenty or thirty degrees Celsius outside.
Click.
The doors across the street opened almost simultaneously.
Emily stood there, leaning against the doorframe.
She was still wearing Su Wei's oversized black T-shirt, the neckline slightly slipped down, revealing one of her delicate collarbones.
She clutched the clothes she had changed out of the day before. After a night's rest, her complexion was much rosier, even carrying the languor of someone who had just woken up. However, her left foot was still barely touching the ground, as she dared not put any weight on it.
The two bumped into each other in the narrow corridor, exchanging a surprised glance.
But soon, Emily smiled and playfully pointed her finger down the stairs.
Su Wei couldn't help but smile, his gaze sweeping over her slightly raised left foot. He strode over and expertly bent down.
Left hand scoops up the leg, right hand supports the back.
His body was instantly lifted into the air.
"Ah..."
Emily let out a short gasp, immediately shutting her mouth, her cheeks flushing crimson.
This time, her arms were no longer stiff as they had been the night before; instead, they instinctively wrapped around Su Wei's neck.
She could smell Su Wei's scent—clean, cool, yet strangely reassuring.
She even adjusted herself to a more comfortable position against Su Wei's broad chest.
The stairs creaked steadily under Su Wei's feet, each step firm and deliberate.
Su Wei placed her on the sofa in front of the fireplace and casually pulled a wool blanket over her legs.
The fire in the fireplace had long since died down, leaving only a pile of gray embers, which felt cold.
He crouched down, skillfully clearing away the ashes, and setting up birch bark and firewood for kindling.
"Snap."
A red phosphorus match struck the sandpaper, igniting a bright orange flame.
"Tsk"
Flames climbed up the tree bark, the dry wood crackled slightly, and the orange light and warmth quickly dispelled the lingering chill in the living room.
Just then, a white pom-pom popped out from under the sofa.
Cotton Candy, yawning and still sleepy-eyed, saw Su Wei and immediately wagged its fluffy tail and came over.
But when it was a meter away from Su Wei, it suddenly braked, its pink nose twitching, as if it had smelled someone else's scent on Su Wei, making it unsure.
"Come over."
Su Wei ignored it and reached out to scoop up the little fox by the scruff of its neck.
Cotton Candy flailed helplessly in the air for a moment, let out a pitiful "whimper," and was then shoved into Emily's arms.
"Keep an eye on it, don't let it paw at the fireplace and burn itself bald."
Su Wei stood up and patted the sawdust off his hands.
I'll go make breakfast.
Emily held the soft fox in her arms, resting her chin on Cotton Candy's head, her fingers unconsciously stroking its fur, but her eyes remained fixed on Su Wei's retreating figure as he walked into the kitchen.
The Cotton Candy was held tightly in her arms, whimpering and rolling around, trying to escape.
"Little guy, don't move! You sneaked away last night, and now you can't escape my grasp."
Emily turned her gaze back, looking at the little furball with a beaming smile.
She reached out and vigorously kneaded the Cotton Candy's increasingly plump little belly.
The Cotton Candy was so tormented that it couldn't move, so it had no choice but to give up struggling and start enjoying itself.
Soon, noises came from the kitchen.
Su Wei took a bunch of scallions out of the refrigerator.
Although the leaves were a bit wilted, the white part of the scallion was still quite firm and full of juice.
Wash, drain, and cut into sections.
He heated the wok and, instead of using butter, poured in a large spoonful of clear vegetable oil.
When the oil is heated to about 50% of its maximum temperature, the chopped scallions are thrown in.
"Sizzle!"
The sound of grease popping rang out instantly.
Su Wei turned down the heat and patiently stirred the scallion segments with chopsticks.
As the moisture is gradually fried away, the scallion segments begin to change from bright green to withered yellow, and finally turn into an enticing dark brown.