Chapter 450 - 241: Mr. He Grills My Skewers
Sprinkle with salt, cumin, and chili powder, and the first batch of grilled fish skewers is freshly off the grill.
You Su placed it in front of him and took a deep whiff, instantly captivated by the aroma. He hurriedly handed most of the skewers to He Kongyue, looking expectantly:
"Mr. He, have a taste!"
He Kongyue reached out to take it, hesitantly putting it into his mouth, which was a contrast of red and white.
The fish skin was crispy, the seasoning was just right, and the inside was tender and juicy with a subtle aftertaste.
The combination of flavors and textures was rich and complex, leaving a lingering taste on the tongue.
"Delicious!"
These two words are the highest praise for a cuisine, needing no further embellishment.
You Su smiled knowingly and also started eating a skewer:
"It’s a pity I don’t have a big enough pot or enough ingredients, otherwise the bighead carp head is perfect for making fish head soup; the flavor is absolutely exquisite."
He Kongyue, eating the skewer in small bites, was lost in his thoughts:
"This bighead carp was a destructive fish, running rampant in the water. Who knew it would one day become someone else’s meal."
"What’s so surprising? Let me put it this way, if evil spirits were tasty, there would be no need for the Exorcism Bureau."
You Su had great confidence in people’s desire for food and quickly devoured three skewers of fish, filling his cheeks until they bulged. He mumbled:
"Mr. He, you’re being too conservative... skewering should be done like this..."
He Kongyue watched and didn’t find it crude, instead thinking it was bold.
Imitating You Su, he tried to follow suit, but his mouth was quite small and couldn’t fit such spicy, hot food. He ended up choking on several pieces of fish, causing You Su to laugh.
"Mr. He, haven’t you skewered before?"
He Kongyue felt slightly embarrassed and looked at the fish on the ground with regret.
Someone from a prestigious family like his wouldn’t eat such smoked food; naturally, he hadn’t eaten barbecue much:
"I haven’t skewered before."
His words sounded pitiable, and You Su couldn’t bear to tease him further.
"No worries. You can skewer mine in the future, Mr. He."
You Su smiled and handed the cooked skewer to He Kongyue, while he continued grilling the next batch.
"Do you skewer often?"
He Kongyue held the wooden skewer and glanced at You Su’s focused face.
"I rarely do, but my junior sister always insists on skewering."
You Su adeptly flipped the fish skewers.
"It’s quite inconvenient for you, controlling the heat must be much harder than for most people, not to mention making it taste this good. I wonder how much practice it took behind the scenes." He Kongyue praised, "No wonder your junior sister always seems worried you might be taken away."
You Su had long let down his guard around He Kongyue and didn’t bother to hide it:
"Since there’s a goal, the hardships along the way are insignificant. As the saying goes, to capture a woman’s heart, one must first capture her stomach."
He Kongyue paused, stopping the fish that was headed to his small mouth, raised an eyebrow, and asked:
"So it seems you’ve had a plan for your junior sister from the start?"
"A fair lady is what every gentleman desires. So what if I had a plan? I didn’t steal or cheat; I won her over with my own efforts. Besides, my junior sister had plans for me from the start, too. It’s called responding to moves as they come."
You Su normally wouldn’t say such shameless things, but the firelight brought out his enthusiasm, and skewering naturally made one more open-hearted. If there was wine, who knows what else he might say.
"A fair lady, a gentleman desires..." He Kongyue murmured, savoring the words, and surprisingly found You Su’s reasoning sound, "You and your junior sister are responding to each other’s moves, but what about you and your elder sister? What does that count as?"
You Su shook the fish skewer, sprinkling off the excess seasoning.
He pondered the question. Initially, he tricked himself into thinking it was just a close sibling relationship, but now he realized it was affection, a romantic interest between a man and a woman. As for his elder sister, he would also try to make her like him.
At this point, he wasn’t about to give up his elder sister to anyone, and she wouldn’t engage with any other man.
Wait...
His elder sister seemed somewhat different with Mr. He?
She would respond to Mr. He’s greetings because of Mr. He’s connection with their master. You Su didn’t think his elder sister had any special interest in Mr. He; otherwise, she wouldn’t have stopped responding to his greetings after that day on the boat when he advised her to avoid speaking with unknown people.
But looking at it from another angle, one could never be too sure...
Mr. He had unparalleled talent and background, and there were very few women who could catch his eye. Mr. He’s keen interest in his attitude towards his elder sister made it hard not to wonder...
You Su cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter.
"My elder sister and I are indeed a match made in heaven."
You Su spoke grandly, hoping to completely dispel Mr. He’s thoughts.
Though they were brothers in adversity, each matter was separate. In front of the woman he loved, he would not play any kind of yielding game to annoy her.
He Kongyue, however, didn’t ask but instead remarked:
"Mr. You, you truly have quite the blessing."
He understood You Su more than You Su expected, so there was no need to ask.
Fairy Wangshu was the senior disciple, and You Su was the second disciple; both were proficient in Sword Dao. Fairy Wangshu was the Divine Maiden, and You Su was the Divine Son. Fairy Wangshu had an Innate Pure Heart, while You Su bore the Power of the True God. Fairy Wangshu refused to reveal her true appearance, and You Su was blind...
From this perspective, these two truly seemed destined for each other.
"I only hope Mr. You can treat the two of them equally and refrain from acts like Chunchan."
He Kongyue spoke with a solemn tone, partly due to his sympathy and respect for the pitiable Fairy Wangshu, and partly as a warning against You Su considering enjoying the happiness of two women.
Yet, to You Su, it sounded like someone giving up and entrusting him afterward.
Though he felt a bit embarrassed, his determination to protect his elder sister was unwavering:
"Naturally, it will be so. Mr. He, though you seem to enjoy a debauched lifestyle, you genuinely respect and protect women."
This assessment seemed contradictory but was indeed true.
He Kongyue did visit brothels but sincerely stood up for the brothel girls against Chunchan. He genuinely protected Ye Erong from being deceived by Chunchan and genuinely reminded You Su not to favor one person over the other.
"Ahem, respecting and protecting women is a matter of understanding. Men and women should mutually respect one another; it has nothing to do with whether one likes visiting brothels. All the women who have served me speak well of me. It’s just a brief encounter; I don’t deceive their feelings. Mr. You, don’t lump me with those beasts." He Kongyue explained, somewhat stammering.
In this world, because women could also cultivate, the mindset of male superiority did not dominate.
You Su didn’t give it much thought, only feeling that He Kongyue, despite being a noble scion who could easily have many women offering themselves to him, had such valuable ideas was truly commendable, making You Su respect him even more.
"It seems Mr. He’s future partner will be very fortunate."
You Su finished grilling another batch of fish, smiling as he handed them over.
"Naturally."
He Kongyue slightly raised the corners of his mouth with a hint of pride, eagerly taking the fish and immediately putting it in his mouth.
"Truly delicious..."
"As long as it suits Mr. He’s taste."
"Mr. You, perhaps you should stop cultivating. There’s no money to be made on Lotus Peak. Though you’re a true disciple, you’re leading such a frugal life." He Kongyue didn’t forget to persuade You Su, suggesting, "I could fund you to open a grilled fish shop in Henggao City. The two of us would surely rake in plenty of money!"
"I’d rather not; that would be exhausting. It’s enough to grill for my friends." You Su laughed as he politely declined.
"If you’re worried about being tired, we could make it a high-end establishment where guests are limited each day. We could market it as premium barbecue from the East Japan Continent, with each skewer priced at a middle-grade Spirit Stone. I’m certain many in Henggao City would be willing to pay."
"Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. He, but I’d rather not. I do have a source of income; it’s just meager compared to yours. Besides, as an adult, it wouldn’t be right to rely on the sect for support, and I’m also embarrassed to ask them for money."
A source of income?
He Kongyue stroked his refined chin, musing over the situation. From the moment You Su entered Henggao City, he had paid attention to him.
Did he visit the Celestial Heart Book Pavilion then?
Could that be You Su’s source of income?
Despite You Su’s blindness, his abilities were quite remarkable. Not only did he possess all the talents described in the Divine Mountain Mansion Report—art, martial arts, and unmatched beauty—but he also could handle himself well in the kitchen and support himself independently...
You Su’s excessive excellence strengthened He Kongyue’s determination to rescue him from misery and sparked his immense interest.
It seems necessary to visit the Celestial Heart Book Pavilion’s owner to interrogate the situation...
Meanwhile, in the depths of the cave, at the edge of the firelight, a skeletal corpse gazed dully at the two chatting men, slowly crawling towards them...