Chapter 113: The Silver Was Well Spent
Gu Fei looked at her, exasperated. "Then what do you suggest? My hair is still wet. Should I just tie it up?"
"You can’t go out like this!" Lan Zhi said. As she spoke, she found a piece of cloth and wrapped up Gu Fei’s hair, only then letting her leave.
Outside, everyone was setting up their bedrolls around the bonfires. Lian’er was quick and deft as she unrolled her bedding. Ms. Qian glanced over from the side, a deep sense of displeasure welling up inside her.
’When that Lian’er was at my house, she was as dense as a post. She’d only move when you shouted at her, and wouldn’t lift a finger otherwise. So why is she rushing to do everything now that she’s with Gu Fei’s family?
What a contemptible wretch!’
Uncle Ma finished processing the two wolves he and Chen Hu had killed. He gave the pelts to Gu Fei’s great-uncle, stripped off all the meat, and gave it to Mrs. Chen in a basin.
As Mrs. Chen took the basin, she saw eyes all around them fixated on her.
She said calmly, "Everyone helped fight the wolves, so let’s divide the meat from these two among the group by headcount."
"As for the rest of the meat, my Little Fei hunted that, so our family will be keeping it to eat ourselves."
The moment Ms. Qian heard there was meat to be shared, she was the first to stand up. Without a word, she reached right into the basin.
Mrs. Chen turned, holding the basin and putting her back to her. "Aunt Liu, you’re known for being fair. I’ll have to trouble you to divide this meat for everyone."
Aunt Liu took the basin with a warm smile. "Alright then, I’ll divide it up for everyone."
"There must be over a hundred pounds of meat here. This will keep everyone fed for a good while."
Happy to get a share of the wolf meat, each family brought their bowls over. Aunt Liu worked quickly, giving a few pieces to each household, and soon it was all distributed.
Gu Fei secretly gave her dad a few anti-inflammatory pills before finally going to sleep.
Whether it was because of the ring of bonfires or some other reason, the wolves did not come again that night.
Early the next morning, Gu Fei took out a piece of the wolf meat she had marinated the day before. She sliced it thinly, fried it in a pan, and then sprinkled it with five-spice powder, chili powder, and cumin powder, creating an incredibly fragrant aroma.
Keeping in mind the two invalids—her father and the Commander’s son—Gu Fei also made a point to fry a small, separate plateful without any chili or spices.
Lian’er was chopping meat, and Li Chunhua was cutting vegetables. Her father was injured, so Gu Fei felt it was essential that he eat meat to build up his strength. ’She would absolutely not admit that she was the one craving it.’
Once breakfast was ready, they laid out a large basin of vegetable and lean meat congee, a large plate of fragrant fried wolf meat, and some white flour flatbreads on a wooden plank.
Mrs. Chen first served the congee to Su Chen and his men, giving each a large bowl. Next was Uncle Ma, and only then did she serve her own family.
Su Chen held the bowl of congee and took a delicate, refined bite. His eyebrows shot up. ’I have to admit, this congee is surprisingly good.’ He then picked up a piece of wolf meat, chewing it slowly. The meat was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a satisfyingly firm texture. It was truly delicious.
’That young woman really has a knack for cooking,’ he thought. He glanced over at Gu Fei. The young woman was putting food on her father’s plate, her eyes curving into smiling crescents. She looked exceptionally lovely.
Su Chen quickly averted his gaze and focused on his meal.
After the meal, the water had finished boiling. Mrs. Chen had Zhang Ze bring over their waterskins and filled them all. She then picked up the clay medicine pot and poured the medicine she had brewed for Su Chen into a bowl to cool.
Zhang Ze returned with the waterskins and said to Su Chen with a grin, "Well, Young Master? Worth the one hundred taels, wasn’t it? The food isn’t just good, think of all the trouble it’s saved us!"
Su Chen nodded slightly. "Once we reach Ping’an City, we’ll give her family a bonus."
After breakfast, they packed up their belongings and set out on the road.
As they traveled, a growing sense of dread filled the group. Every so often, they would see people collapsed by the side of the official road, motionless. There was no way to tell if they were dead or alive.
Lan Zhi stuck close to Gu Fei. All of a sudden, she screamed and threw her arms around her. Gu Fei looked to the side and saw a wild dog gnawing on a corpse by the road. The dog had torn the person’s stomach open, and their intestines were spilling onto the ground.