Chapter 82 Sheep-Slaying Warrior

Chapter 82 The Goat Butcher

As soon as these words fell, Lin Nanshu went quiet.

A bitterness quietly rose in his heart, spreading like a tide, like it was eating away at his insides.

Cheng Ge turned to look at Lin Nanshu, his eyes crinkled into crescents. "Then do you have someone you like?"

Lin Nanshu's gaze drifted into the distance, the sunlight nearly piercing his eyes. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "I do."

"Who? Is she smokin' hot? Like, knockout gorgeous, drop-dead beautiful?"

Lin Nanshu: "..."

Lin Nanshu looked back at Cheng Ge's face, the sound of wind rustling bamboo leaves in his ears.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Cheng Ge's mouth dropped open abruptly, his eyes lit up.

He grabbed Lin Nanshu by the wrist. "Is she hotter than that Lady Rumeng from Emerald Pavilion?"

Cheng Ge had never seen Lady Rumeng, but he had a vivid imagination!

Word is Lady Rumeng's the top courtesan in the capital, so she must be a total babe.

Lin Nanshu had never seen the famous Lady Rumeng either, but hey, love is blind.

"Way more than that."

Cheng Ge's expression changed instantly, a little shy. "Does she have any sisters? Like, single ones?"

"Does Muyu have any unmarried sisters, older or younger?" Lin Nanshu deflected with a question.

Cheng Ge was confused but answered honestly.

"Nope, just a ten-year-old kid brother. Hey, I asked first—why are you flipping it on me?"

Lin Nanshu raised an eyebrow, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. "Not that I know of."

Cheng Ge slumped his head, muttering, "Too bad. I was hoping to find a wife if there was a match."

The bitterness in Lin Nanshu's chest swelled, the wind howling in his ears. "Muyu will find someone great."

Cheng Ge grinned, then suddenly remembered something and deflated.

Who would want him like this?

"Hey Yuli, what if... you couldn't have kids? Would your partner care a lot?"

Lin Nanshu turned, shading him with his fan. "Why do you ask?"

Cheng Ge suddenly felt guilty, grabbed the tea, and took a sip. "Just wondering, no big deal."

Lin Nanshu stared at the cup in his hand, fingers twitching, as if holding back.

Cheng Ge noticed and asked innocently, "What's up?"

Lin Nanshu paused, poured another cup, and said, "We're like two peas in a pod; why worry about children?"

Cheng Ge nodded like he got it, but inside he was still stressing over his own problem. This couldn't go on.

Just then, a young servant ran in and bowed.

"Master Cheng, the goat's in the kitchen yard. Wanna come check it out?"

Cheng Ge perked up, dashed inside, and came out with two big knives at his waist.

"Let's go! Let's go butcher that goat! I'll treat you to skewers tonight." Without letting Lin Nanshu say no, he grabbed him and dragged him off.

They reached the kitchen yard, where a fat goat was munching grass in its pen.

The goat raised its head, still chewing, and bleated at Cheng Ge.

Cheng Ge patted its head like a lover, his hand trailing down, mouth watering.

"This part's for ribs, this for skewers, this for leg... hehehe..."

As he said this, he was about to step in and drag the goat out for a play.

But as he lifted his foot, he spotted a pile of black pearls on the ground.

He froze, awkwardly pulled back his foot, and told the servant, "Hey, buddy, could you please invite it out for me?"

The servant hurried in and dragged the goat by its horns.

But the goat sensed danger, broke free, and bolted.

Cheng Ge: "!!!" The meat was getting away! Without thinking, he chased after it.

The yard erupted into chaos, the goat charging everywhere, Cheng Ge chasing it like a starving man.

Finally, after a struggle, Cheng Ge cornered the goat.

Dual knives in hand, face twisted with aggression, he looked like a demon from hell.

"Yuli, grab it—let's send it off."

Lin Nanshu glanced at him, hesitated a second, then stepped forward and pinned the goat down.

One swift chop, a loud bleat, and hot blood splashed over them both.

"Cheng Muyu..." Zhou Zhan had just arrived and was about to call Cheng Ge's name.

He unexpectedly caught sight of this bloody scene, instantly frozen in place.

If his legs weren't a bit weak right now, he would have turned and run away.

The servants standing by were also stunned by Cheng Ge's brutal operation.

Hearing Zhou Zhan's voice, Cheng Ge didn't think twice and said, "Your Highness, go get a basin. Can't waste the goat's blood."

Zhou Zan heard this but didn't react in time before a figure brushed past him.

In no time, Cui Ji came out of the kitchen carrying a wooden basin, quickly collecting the goat blood.

...

"Si... so fragrant. Here, try this." Cheng Ge grabbed a handful of mutton skewers and stuffed them into his mouth, squinting with pleasure, then handed a skewer directly to Cui Ji's lips.

Cui Ji had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing rippling, solid muscles, oozing pure testosterone.

He held a large leg of lamb in his left hand and a handful of lamb skewers in his right, constantly turning them over the charcoal fire.

His handsome face was dripping with sweat from the heat, and he lowered his head to take a bite of the lamb Cheng Ge handed him.

Cui Ji had spent years at the border, where the Beidi people, a nomadic tribe, lived on beef and lamb as their main food.

Every time they won a battle, they would capture plenty of supplies, and over time, his grilling skills had skyrocketed.

"Yuli, try a skewer!"

Lin Nanshu couldn't grill meat himself, so he was fully occupied threading lamb onto skewers for Cheng Ge, his hands flying at lightning speed.

Cheng Ge refused to let the servants help, insisting that meat tastes best when you make it yourself.

But Cheng Ge's appetite was just too big, and Lin Nanshu could barely keep up.

He turned his head to accept the bite brought to his lips and said, "Thanks."

Cheng Ge glanced at Zhou Zhan, who was grilling nearby, and gently handed him a skewer. "Your Highness, would you like to try some?"

As Zhou Zhan reached out to take it, Cui Ji shot him a sharp, knife-like glare.

Zhou Zhan shrank back, shaking his head repeatedly. "No, no, I'll do it myself."

The firelight illuminated everyone's faces, and even the moonlight carried a delicious scent at that moment.

Suddenly, a figure swiftly vaulted over the courtyard wall, rolled on the ground, and in a single smooth movement knelt before Cui Ji.

Ling Feng: "Prince, I've checked it all out."