Chapter 34 Cohabitation in the Mountains

Chapter 34 Cohabitation in the Mountains

Seeing Tang Yuan’s troubled expression, Feng Chen said, "We don’t need to climb to the top; there’s a cave halfway that we can go through."

He gestured, "Just half the way. Only one part is smooth; the rest of the cliff is rough with crevices for climbing."

Tang Yuan: It’s just that you, the expert, think it’s rough and has crevices for climbing.

For non-professionals without safety ropes, their limbs would turn weak in two minutes, and they could fall in ten.

Feng Chen, however, looked confident, "You’re not as heavy as a wild boar. I can carry you across."

Tang Yuan: "!!!"

Is this really okay?

Feng Chen had already brought out the specially made carrying basket he used for large game, signaling for Tang Yuan to sit inside. He assured her that he would secure her with ropes and wouldn’t let her fall.

Even bold as Tang Yuan was, she felt her legs go weak at his description and the sight of the peak.

Feng Chen whispered, "I carried two wild boars down before without any issues."

He motioned for Tang Yuan to try it.

Tang Yuan was shocked by the mention of two wild boars.

Although her legs were weak, Feng Chen’s confidence made her less afraid than she expected.

She wondered why she wasn’t feeling scared.

Deciding to trust her instincts, she knew that Feng Chen wasn’t the type to exaggerate. She stepped into the basket.

The basket was made from sturdy ancient vines, similar to the safety seat her grandfather had welded onto the back of his bicycle when she was little, complete with a front guardrail and a surrounding rail.

This... well, although a bit awkward, it looks quite solid and safe.

But... does Feng Chen really have superhuman strength?

The book didn’t mention that Feng Chen had immense strength.

Could it be true that Father and Seventh Grandpa said Feng Chen knocked down a big black ox with one punch?

As Tang Yuan was lost in thought, Feng Chen quickly secured her with ropes, tying several knots that wouldn’t come loose. He then lifted her onto his back and tied more ropes around his shoulders and waist, finishing with special knots.

This was his most secure and safest method. Carrying her directly might be inconvenient and dangerous if she got scared and clung to him or scratched him.

This way, it was very sturdy, and he could run and jump without hindrance.

Feng Chen tested his movements, and indeed, it felt easy and free.

Tang Yuan: "..."

Am I a little chick?

Hmph, those men in my past who complained about girls being heavy were just unwilling to admit their own weakness!

They probably weren’t as strong as her.

Sitting in the basket, Tang Yuan leaned against Feng Chen’s broad back, with ropes securing her chest and thighs tightly to his body.

Facing backward, her view was wide open, and it felt novel.

Feng Chen: "I’ll take you across first, then come back for the luggage. Let’s go."

Tang Yuan: "I’m ready!"

Feng Chen climbed higher, and though Tang Yuan swayed in the basket, she felt secure pressed against his broad back.

It felt like a frog’s leap, quite thrilling.

As Feng Chen climbed higher, it became less wonderful. She felt like she was sitting in mid-air, far above the ground, with only the vine rails to hold onto.

Her view expanded, surpassing peak after peak, leaving her feeling uneasy with the emptiness below.

She thought she saw Tangjia Village at the foot of the mountain, looking like a tiny village.

Perhaps it was just her imagination.

Though the mountains looked straight up and down and smooth, they actually had slopes and gaps between the rocks.

Feng Chen had climbed many times and made appropriate modifications along the route, deepening handholds and footholds and adding wedges in the cracks for better grip.

Even so, he needed to be very focused and wouldn’t speak to her.

Tang Yuan obediently played the role of a silent wild boar, not disturbing him.

Initially, she marveled at the expansive view, seeing distant valleys and mountain fissures, admiring the majestic scenery. But as they climbed higher, she started to feel scared.

When fear set in, she closed her eyes and mouth, silently reciting the guidelines for poverty alleviation workers.

After a while, Tang Yuan felt the sun burning her face. She squinted, and the sunlight was blinding.

Ah, how high! Why aren’t we there yet!

In reality, Feng Chen climbed fast, but time seemed to stretch endlessly when one was tense and enduring.

She continued to recite Tang poems, Song lyrics, and other texts, eventually feeling drowsy.

After an unknown amount of time, she finally heard Feng Chen’s steady, low voice: "There’s a cave up ahead. The wind is strong, don’t be afraid."

His voice was steady and powerful, giving a sense of reassurance.

Tang Yuan squeezed her eyes shut. "Don't worry, I'm not scared at all!"

Feng Chen: "Though her voice is a bit tense, she's really brave."

Soon, Tang Yuan heard the whistling wind. Feng Chen's climbing progress paused for a moment, his back as stiff as a board, making her back ache slightly.

After a brief pause, he leaped upward, and then Tang Yuan felt a gust of wind hit her, instantly turning her hair into a mess.

After enduring the most challenging two minutes, Feng Chen's voice sounded relieved. "We're safe now."

He then untied the rope and lowered Tang Yuan down.

This was a cave halfway up the mountain, tall enough to accommodate a few people walking side by side.

Feng Chen led her to a sheltered corner of the cave, out of the wind. "It's pretty safe here. Sit down and have something to eat while I go get our luggage."

Tang Yuan nodded. She didn't remind him to be careful; he had made this trip many times and would naturally take precautions. Reminding him might imply that it wasn't safe.

That peak was so high, it was naturally dangerous.

But she trusted him completely.

After waiting for a while, she finally saw Feng Chen stride in carrying their luggage.

She waved at him happily.

Perhaps because he had carried her up the peak, they had shared a life-or-death experience, making her feel much closer to Feng Chen, with a deep sense of trust in him.

He was a very reliable person!

Seeing her messy hair and dirty face, but with eyes shining like stars and a radiant smile, Feng Chen couldn't help but curve his lips.

"Let's go."

Tang Yuan: "Aren't you going to rest a bit?"

Feng Chen: "Rest when we get down the mountain."

Tang Yuan envied him immensely—did he have the strength of nine bulls?

The mountain path was winding and dark inside, but fortunately, they had brought flashlights.

To Tang Yuan's surprise, although the cave floor was uneven, there were no significant drops or rises, almost as if it had been artificially carved.

Could this be the work of nature?

She whispered to Feng Chen, "How did you discover this cave?"

Feng Chen: "Some birds flew out from here."

Tang Yuan asked curiously, "Are there any inscriptions or carvings inside?"

If it was an artificially carved cave, the craftsmen would have left some records.

Feng Chen: "I haven't seen any yet, but I did find a myth in the county annals."

The mountain path was long and winding, and as they walked side by side, Feng Chen told her the myth he had read.

The story was simple and dry, though Tang Yuan suspected that Feng Chen had stripped it down.

Fortunately, his voice was magnetic and pleasant, making listening to the story enjoyable despite its dry content.

It was about a young man named Shan Liang who entered the mountains a thousand years ago with food to hunt. He first encountered an old man on the brink of starvation and shared his food. Later, he caught a fawn that spoke human language and begged for mercy. After treating its wounds, he let it go. Then he heard a fox speaking, pleading for him to kill a cruel monster to save the creatures in the mountain. Sympathizing with the animals, he bravely fought the monster.

After defeating the monster, it pleaded not to be killed, revealing that it was originally a celestial fairy banished by the Jade Emperor and transformed into a monster. Now that he had broken its spell, it offered to marry him.

Shan Liang happily took his wife home.

Later, during a time of great turmoil and famine, Shan Liang and his wife led their clan into the mountains to escape the disaster.

To evade pursuing rebels, his wife threw her hairpin behind her, creating a bottomless chasm.

To provide a safe home for the clan, she spat out her teeth, forming rock walls.

The small animals in the mountains also came out to help Shan Liang plow fields and carry heavy loads.

The place they had climbed up was the stone gate.

This mountain path was the only route connecting the valley to the outside world, while the other sides of the valley were either rock walls or deep ravines, perfect for the clan to live in seclusion.

After hearing the story, Tang Yuan gently tapped her teeth and asked, "The fairy's teeth must be magical tools, right? She didn't actually spit them out, did she?"

If they didn't grow back, the author must have had a grudge against the fairy, right?

Feng Chen: "..."

He cleared his throat. "It doesn't seem to say."

As they spoke, they reached the end of the mountain path, where sunlight filtered through, and the wind blew their clothes.

Tang Yuan was speechless with awe. "Wow, it's so beautiful!"

Apart from reciting lines from the Peach Blossom Spring or other poems, her own thoughts were simply how stunning, grand, and beautiful it was!

Before her lay another world!

The ground here was noticeably higher than where they had come from. Below was a sizable valley with a clear pond, a babbling stream, and flat areas of various sizes. In the distance were small peaks, and beyond them stood a taller mountain, its peak shrouded in mist, resembling a fairyland.

Tang Yuan: "That mountain looks so mysterious."

Feng Chen glanced over. "That area belongs to the neighboring county, about two days' journey from here. I heard there are several villages on that mountain."

Tang Yuan was captivated, not too surprised. In her previous life, some villages were situated on mountaintops, with most villagers never leaving the mountains.

One of her senior brothers had been sent to those villages for poverty alleviation and hadn't returned in over a decade. It was said he had settled down there.

Due to the high altitude, Tang Yuan felt several degrees colder, indicating that the seasons in the mountains were delayed. This meant planting and harvesting would have to be postponed accordingly.

As the saying goes, "When April's flowers have all faded away, peaches in the mountain temple start to bloom."

Feng Chen led her down the mountain.

Seeing the fields in the valley from afar, Tang Yuan became instantly excited: Wow, the master's land!

Finally, she could share it!

She wanted to thoroughly explore the master's farmland and learn from him!

Master, please don't hold back your teachings!

As they walked, Tang Yuan noticed something amiss. Why were some of the newly cultivated plots abandoned?

Some fields looked like grass seen from afar but disappeared up close. What was going on?

After walking for a while, Feng Chen stopped, his heart a bit excited, but his voice remained calm. "Look, these are the fields I've cultivated."

Although it had only been a short time, he had great strength and worked efficiently, clearing several plots and planting crops.

He had traded two wild boars for these seeds.

Tang Yuan stared in disbelief.

The master's land... it has serious issues.

Aren't you supposed to be the agricultural master in the book?

Didn't you sell your produce worldwide?

Why is your land so barren?

Does the master not know how to cultivate the soil? Did he plant crops directly in newly cleared land without preparing it properly?

Look at those uneven, rough plots; she really wanted to work on them herself!

Look at those poor little seedlings—yellow, thin, weak, and malnourished. They lacked everything—nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, you name it!

She really wanted to help!

Tang Yuan's innate desire to alleviate poverty kicked in; she had to help!

Seeing Tang Yuan's expression shift from shock to speechlessness, Feng Chen's initial pride turned into embarrassment.

While he had cleared the land quickly and extensively, his seedlings were indeed disappointing.

His handsome face slowly reddened, his ears burning hot, but his voice remained composed. "I'm not very good at farming. Please give me lots of guidance in the future."

Tang Yuan's smile grew wider, hahaha, the master can't farm. The agricultural master can't farm!

Hahaha, let her laugh for an hour first.

Tang Yuan's shoulders shook as she tried hard to stifle her laughter. But seeing Feng Chen's red face, she couldn't help but burst out laughing, "Hahahaha," completely losing her composure.

Feng Chen: "…………"

How did the old lady think she liked him with such blind eyes?

Tang Yuan's belly hurt from laughing. Finally, she rubbed her face vigorously, trying to cover her tracks. "Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you, hahaha, it's just so funny. You clear land so fast, hahaha..."

Feng Chen gazed at her glowing face in the sunlight and gently reminded her, "Your face is covered in dirt. Want to go wash up?"

Saying this, he actually pulled out a small mirror from his pocket and held it up to Tang Yuan.

Tang Yuan took a look and exclaimed, "Ah—"

She immediately turned and ran to a nearby pond, throwing down her bag and splashing water on her face. She also took off her straw shoes to wash her hands and feet.

Oh my, she was so dirty!

Her hair looked like a chicken coop!

Feng Chen silently smiled at her retreating figure, then turned to carry their luggage toward a wooden shelter nearby.

Though he had been in the mountains for two months, he had only built a simple wooden shelter to focus on clearing land rather than constructing a proper wooden house.

The shelter was too small for both of them. He could manage alone, but it wouldn't suffice with Tang Yuan around.

Looking up at the sky, which had passed noon, he knew building a wooden house now was impossible. However, he could quickly construct a simple shelter in the trees nearby using ready-made wood. It didn't need to be beautiful, just sturdy and safe. With the heat, warmth wasn't necessary, and it would be quick to build.

He grabbed two corn cakes, ate them while sorting through the collected dry wood and vines from clearing the land.

After washing her face, Tang Yuan took a brief stroll around.

It seemed the master really couldn't farm. Initially, he had cleared two plots at the foot of Boulder Peak.

Those plots likely received no sunlight throughout the day, making it impossible to grow conventional crops.

Fortunately, he seemed to have realized this issue and abandoned them, allowing some grass to grow naturally.

The land here is barren, and even the wild grass looks thin.

The big shot had cleared a few plots of land around the pond, watered them, and broken up the clumps of soil. The nutrients from the pond water also seeped into the soil, so the soil quality was passable. The young crops growing there were barely acceptable, but only just, as they were either lacking in potassium or nitrogen.

Apart from these three decent plots, the others, although plowed, still had large clumps of soil, making it difficult for the seedlings to grow.

Naturally, the crops couldn't compete with the wild grass.

The other five plots were practically unusable.

After a quick patrol, Tang Yuan headed towards the wooden shelter.

She was hungry and needed to eat.

Feng Chen wasn't at the shelter, so Tang Yuan tilted her head and listened. Hearing some noise from the trees behind, she went over to check.

Feng Chen had mentioned building her a treehouse there, and while she really wanted one, she didn't want to live in it every day.

What if there were snakes or bugs?

What if lightning struck?

What if she fell out?

In short, it wasn't safe!

As she munched on some dry food, she looked up and said, "Feng Chen, I want to live in the same house as you."

Living with the big shot was safer.

Besides, he wasn't interested in women.

Feng Chen was in the process of placing branches against the tree trunk and securing them with vines when he paused upon hearing this.

He felt a bit helpless. This girl truly treated him like an old friend, not considering him a man at all?

Since Tang Yuan refused to live in the treehouse, Feng Chen tied the branches together and came down.

It could be used for naps during the day.

After climbing down, he told Tang Yuan, "The wooden shelter isn't big enough; we need to build another wooden house."

Tang Yuan gestured, "This shelter is built too low. We should move it to higher ground to avoid flooding during the rainy season."

She turned and pointed to a small hill to the east. "There."

Then she glanced towards Boulder Peak to the south and said, "Let's forget about building a wooden house. Cutting down trees is troublesome, and how will you make it waterproof?"

It's not raining now, but what about when it pours?

Ever since Feng Chen carried her safely up Boulder Peak and she saw that he wasn't good at farming, her perfect image of him in the book shattered. Her respect for him changed, and now she felt closer to him, more like family, naturally giving him instructions.

No pressure at all!

Feng Chen looked around and agreed with her.

Grandma also said the girl was good at farming and told him to listen to her, reminding him to follow her advice if they disagreed.

The old lady put it this way, "That young girl came to help you. You should treat her well. If you act like a macho man, wouldn't that be bullying her?"

He nodded, "Alright, but this shelter can't accommodate both of us if we don't build a wooden house."

Tang Yuan smiled and pointed to Boulder Peak. "There must be caves there. Let's find one, clean it up, and make a bed using sun-dried bricks. That would work, right?"

Feng Chen agreed.

Before, he could manage alone, but now that he was living with her, he naturally followed her requirements.

Making sun-dried bricks wasn't easy; they needed suitable clay, not clumps of soil.

This didn't faze Tang Yuan. She quickly found the right kind of clay and marked it for Feng Chen to dig later.

They couldn't go further south, where there was no sunlight.

Feng Chen indeed found a suitable cave, one large and one small. The larger one allowed people to stand upright, while the smaller one required bending to enter and exit.

Just as he was about to say he'd take the smaller one and let Tang Yuan have the larger one, he saw her clap her hands in satisfaction. "We'll live in the larger one, and use the smaller one as storage."

Feng Chen felt a bit helpless. "Are you sure you want to live with me? I'm a man."

Tang Yuan laughed. "Of course I know you're not a woman."

The big shot was funny. Not being good at farming was one thing, but did he doubt his own gender?

Feng Chen silently began clearing the cave.

The cave was slightly elevated and had a natural stone overhang, so it hadn't been flooded by rain. However, it was damp during the rainy season, and there was dry moss deep inside.

Feng Chen gathered firewood and used smoke to disinfect the deeper parts of the cave. Smoke and fire were excellent for sterilization.

Smoke billowed, and the two went to dig up the clay.

Following Tang Yuan's suggestion, they would use suitable stones to build the frame of the heated bed, and the top layer would be made of sun-dried bricks.

Stones conducted heat easily and couldn't be used as a surface layer, as they would get too hot.

By mixing stones with the bricks, they wouldn't need to make as many sun-dried bricks.

Originally, Feng Chen had thought about building two small earthen beds or just one for her while he slept on the ground. But Tang Yuan was already talking about her design.

It should be two meters by two meters. Since he was tall, this way he could sleep both horizontally and vertically.

She mentioned something about the Earth's rotation, revolution, magnetic fields, South Pole, and North Pole, insisting that they couldn't always sleep facing one direction.

Feng Chen suddenly felt playful and asked while digging up clay, "Did the Fish Immortal tell you all of this?"

He watched as the little girl seemed taken aback, then guiltily turned her head to look at him before asserting, "Of course!"

Feng Chen curved his lips into a smile.

Talking about madness and the Fish Immortal, he guessed she must have had some extraordinary encounter, much like himself.

Of course, he didn't want to ask or investigate. If he could come to the New World, others could too.

He found the New World not only rich in resources but also very interesting.

Before, he thought living alone was best, without anyone disturbing him. Now, he actually felt it was nice having her around.

Tang Yuan tilted her head to look at him, "What? You don't believe me?"

Feng Chen replied solemnly, "I do, I believe you completely."

Tang Yuan: "..."

The big shot is being sarcastic!

Since there were no ready-made molds for the adobe bricks, Feng Chen temporarily made one with thick wooden sticks. Although it wasn't ideal, it worked well enough given his strength.

While he molded the adobe bricks, Tang Yuan went to the wooden shelter to use his makeshift stove to boil water and gather some wild vegetables from the riverbank.

The seasons in the mountains were late, so the wild vegetables here were tenderer than those outside. She picked ferns with curled tips, shepherd's purse, and wild onions, then brought them back to blanch in boiling water and mix with farm sauce.

In the wooden shelter, Feng Chen had prepared jars of salt, sauce, and a small jar of fat, possibly wild boar fat.

Each jar was tightly sealed and stored in hanging baskets from the ceiling.

Their staple food remained the mixed grain cakes they had brought.

This time, Feng Chen also carried new grains: cornmeal, soybean flour, millet, sorghum, and various beans.

Estimating their appetites, she felt these supplies would last less than ten days.

However, Feng Chen could hunt, so they might get some wild chickens and rabbits to supplement their food.

By the time Tang Yuan finished cooking, it was already dark. She lit several pine branches and stuck them in the ground for light.

The pine wood, rich in resin, burned easily, lasted long, and emitted a pleasant pine scent.

After washing his hands and feet, Feng Chen came over to eat. Seeing the large bowl of blanched vegetables, he was pleasantly surprised, never expecting to have vegetables while clearing land.

Recalling his solitary life, it mostly consisted of mixed grain porridge, steamed buns, and occasionally stewed wild chicken or rabbit meat, which didn't taste great due to poor preparation.

Eating the meal Tang Yuan cooked, he suddenly realized how mediocre his previous life had been, almost like a savage's existence.

He couldn't help but glance at her, meeting her bright eyes and radiant smile.

Tang Yuan smiled and asked, "Is it good?"

Feng Chen gave an affirmative answer, "Very good."

Tang Yuan proudly said, "Bringing me along wasn't a loss, right?"

Feng Chen: "Mm."

It was a great deal.

The wind in the mountains was strong, but this valley was sheltered by a barrier to the south and peaks to the north, with scattered smaller hills around, making the wind gentle.

The rustling wind and curious little squirrels peeking at them added to the ambiance.

Despite being a man and a woman alone in the valley, they felt no awkwardness, moving in perfect harmony.

They still followed the pattern of him asking questions and her answering, her speaking and him listening.

Feng Chen suddenly felt like he had discovered a new world, realizing not only did she have a pleasant scent, but her voice was also clear and melodious, and her laughter was charming and sweet.

Strangely, why hadn't he noticed her beauty before?

Was there something wrong with his eyes?

It wasn't surprising that the big shot was puzzled; after all, in his past life, he lived alone, reaching the pinnacle of combat skills, spending most of his time fighting or recuperating, with no concept of love or marriage.

He had yet to understand the ways of romantic relationships.

Realizing her beauty, he couldn't help but steal glances at her, finding her beautiful from every angle, especially her bright, star-like eyes.

He couldn't get enough of looking at her but felt a bit embarrassed staring.

He looked secretly, while Tang Yuan openly admired his handsome face.

Oh, the big shot's face was truly handsome, with sharp features that grew more appealing the more she looked.

His body... cough, his physique was even better, with smooth, beautiful muscle lines formed naturally through daily labor, each muscle hiding explosive strength.

She had taken the opportunity to pinch him while he worked, and when he exerted himself, his muscles were rock-hard and impossible to squeeze!

Ah, she was going to faint, time to sleep.

In the evening, she slept on a simple wooden bed in the wooden shed. Feng Chen had checked beforehand to ensure there were no bugs and had also fumigated it with herbs before letting her sleep there.

Tang Yuan dominated his sleeping spot, lying down and falling asleep immediately, her sleep quality surprisingly good.

Feng Chen stood quietly at the door for a while, feeling strange—his heart would race and his ears would turn hot. Could he have developed heart disease?

Speaking of which, not only had his five senses become more acute recently, but his body was also experiencing unusual changes. Could it be that the original body couldn't handle his spirit, leading to illness?

He sat in meditation under the moonlight, practicing the mental cultivation techniques from his past life, and only felt relieved when he found his body to be fine.

He brought over a pile of dried vines and grass and made a makeshift bed next to the wooden shed, then spread out the bedding and lay down.

Before falling asleep, he reviewed the fish traps and snares for wild chickens and rabbits he had set earlier. He planned to check them early the next morning and bring back some meat for Tang Yuan to eat.

Although she was sleeping in an unfamiliar valley shed, Tang Yuan slept soundly and sweetly.

After transmigrating, her mindset was particularly good, truly going with the flow. Especially with the presence of the powerful figure nearby, she felt incredibly secure.

The sky in the mountains brightened later than usual, and when Tang Yuan woke up, Feng Chen was nowhere to be found.

The April morning in the mountains was chilly, so Tang Yuan hugged herself and ran out to look for him.

She looked around: no one at the place where they dried the adobe bricks, no one by the river, no one in the fields.

She immediately gathered her breath and called out, "Feng Chen—"

The echo reverberated endlessly.

Soon, Feng Chen's response came from afar, and after a while, he appeared, rolling up his pants and carrying a wooden bucket and a wild chicken down from the north side of the high ground.

The dawn light enveloped his tall and straight figure, with the morning mist swirling behind him, giving him an extraordinary aura.

Tang Yuan wondered if her eyes were deceiving her; why did she feel like the powerful figure was not an ordinary person?

Feng Chen soon arrived, showing her the three large fish in the bucket. "They broke the fish trap, so only three remained. The wild chickens and rabbits have gotten smarter; I only caught one foolish one."

The foolish wild chicken pecked him immediately.

Tang Yuan laughed and leaned in to take a look. "Is it a rooster or a hen? If it's a rooster, we can eat it. If it's a hen, we can keep it for eggs."

Feng Chen lowered his head and examined it. The wild chicken had vibrant feathers. "It's a rooster."

Tang Yuan smiled even brighter. "We're in for a treat."

Wild chicken: Gah.

Feng Chen went to the river to kill the chicken, while Tang Yuan heated water to make breakfast.

They drank mountain spring water, which was clear and sweet.

The pot was a medium-sized iron pot with two handles that Feng Chen had carried up earlier.

For breakfast, they made do with what they had. After breakfast, they started stewing the wild chicken and temporarily kept the fish in a small pond Feng Chen had dug separately. They continued their work on drying the adobe bricks.

After finishing the adobe bricks and placing them in the sun, Tang Yuan went back to check on the stewing wild chicken.

This seemed to be an old wild chicken with tough meat, taking a while to soften. She scooped a large bowl of chicken soup, added a bit of salt and wild green onions, and brought it over to share with Feng Chen.

No need to use another bowl, and besides, the heavy ceramic bowl was too cumbersome for her to carry two. Sharing one bowl worked just fine.

With such a big bowl, you drink from one side, and I drink from the other, no problem.

Tang Yuan enjoyed the soup heartily, slurping away, while Feng Chen's ears turned red.

Tang Yuan glanced at him curiously. "Why are your ears always red?"

Feng Chen's ear tips were already burning, and now his whole ear and earlobe felt warm. He lowered his head. "The soup is a bit hot."

Tang Yuan: "I specifically poured it several times in a porcelain basin to cool it down."

After drinking the soup, they continued working on cleaning up the cave.

The deeper parts of the cave were heavily fumigated due to potential dirt, while the middle and outer sections were only fumigated without burning, leaving them clean without black soot and requiring only sweeping.

Feng Chen: "It hasn't rained recently, and the weather isn't cold. Let's sleep in the shed for now and fumigate this place with mugwort for a few more days."

Tang Yuan: "Sleeping outside on the ground will expose you to dew, which is too cold."

Feng Chen: "It's fine; I'm not afraid."

Due to his spiritual power from his past life, his physical constitution was exceptionally strong since transmigrating, with great strength, quick recovery, and resistance to illness.

Estimating that the wild chicken was done cooking, Tang Yuan called Feng Chen to eat.

"Anyone who doesn't eat enthusiastically has a problem with their thinking!"

She ran ahead quickly.

The wild chicken was cooked until tender, and the chicken claws could be easily pulled out with lips and tongue, full of collagen, delicious and chewy, leaving a lingering taste.

Tang Yuan ate with her eyes squinting in satisfaction. "Mmm, delicious!"

Initially, Feng Chen wanted to leave the chicken legs and meat for her and eat the head and claws himself, but when he saw Tang Yuan enjoying the chicken claws, he left another one for her.

He noticed she didn't like chicken breast, so he ate it himself.

His teeth were strong, and having experienced hunger in his past life, plus the fact that even the chicken breast was deliciously prepared by Tang Yuan, he enjoyed it thoroughly, not at all picky.

Tang Yuan gave him a chicken leg. "One for each!"

Feng Chen put it back on her plate, "Keep it for dinner tonight."

Tang Yuan's eyes instantly lit up. Wow, the big shot is so generous! Anyone who says the big shot is stingy, I, Tang Yuan, will be the first to rush to your defense!

In her past life, although she didn't have parents, her grandparents treated her well, so she always got to eat the chicken legs when she was young. Unlike some of her female classmates who reportedly never got to eat chicken legs at home because they had to give them to their brothers.

Because she wasn't lacking in love, she wouldn't feel embarrassed or unworthy when receiving a little extra care. She felt she deserved it.

She felt she deserved it completely!

Naturally, she was aware that the influential figure was showing magnanimity by deliberately bestowing upon her the chicken leg, and she was grateful for the gesture.

Just wait, she would turn this valley into a beautiful new farm, becoming the starting base for her and the big shot's agricultural empire!

The valley belongs to the state, no problem; they can lease it later.