Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 390 Chicken Legs

Xu Sheng suggested taking the back paths. And the paths were indeed very narrow, traversing mountains and rivers, heading wherever was desolate. They didn't stay at an inn that night, but chose a flat spot to rest on the spot.

Nianyao was in charge of starting the fire. After the fire was lit, she went to the edge of the woods to pick wild strawberries, tasting them as she picked: "Delicious, delicious, big and sweet."

Nianyao returned carrying a bag of wild raspberries. Hailuo took the raspberries Nianyao handed her and ate them with relish. Luo An shook his head, his expression revealing a hint of dejection.

Nianyao fed him a piece, saying, "Have one, it's really delicious. I pick a lot to eat every spring, and you should be able to find it at Heaven and Earth."

Luo An's eyes dimmed somewhat. Of course, there are heaven and earth paradises. With such a large mountain, what can't it have?

Nianyao wanted to slap herself. Why did she have to say something like "heaven and earth"? She awkwardly withdrew her hand, stuffed the raspberries into her mouth, and chewed slowly: They didn't seem that delicious.

Xu Sheng brought back a pheasant and a rabbit from the woods, cleaned them, sprinkled them with salt and pepper, cut branches to make a grill, and began to roast the chicken and rabbit.

Nianyao was surprised to see his skillful movements: "Where did you get the salt from?"

Xu Sheng pointed to the bag next to him: "I bought it in the market town."

Nianyao looked at her with newfound respect: "You're quite meticulous."

The two answered each other naturally, not noticing that Conch was staring at them, nor that Luo An's eyes had moved.

Xu Sheng stood up and took two wine gourds from his horse: "Want a drink?"

Nianyao took the gourd without ceremony, uncorked it, and was about to pour the wine into her mouth.

Luo An grabbed the spout just in time, and Nian Yao's lips touched the back of his hand. Luo An felt a tingling sensation travel from the back of his hand to his spine.

Nianyao bit her lip, looking at him with confusion in her eyes: What's wrong?

Luo An casually took the gourd, his voice calm and unperturbed: "Your injury hasn't healed, you can't drink alcohol."

Xu Sheng kept his eyes straight ahead, turning the grill: "Yes, yes, brother is right. This wine is brewed by farmers, it's spicy and astringent and not very palatable. Sister-in-law, bear with it. When we get back to Qinzhou, I'll treat you to the most authentic Shaoxing wine, it's no worse than Zui Xiaohun."

Nianyao pouted and rested her cheeks on her hands. Luo An drank his wine, sip by sip. The other three stared at the increasingly enticing aroma of the roast chicken and rabbit, all with hungry expressions.

Xu Sheng took the stalk off the roasting chicken, blew on it to cool it down, wrapped the chicken feet in parchment paper, tore off the whole chicken leg and handed it to Luo An: "Brother, it should be cooked now, you can try it."

While Nianyao thought Xu Sheng was being incredibly obsequious, she echoed him in an equally obsequious manner: "You should try it! It smells so good, it must be delicious!"

Xu Sheng wouldn't miss the chance to boast: "It doesn't matter who grilled it, it has to be delicious."

Luo An took it and handed it to Nian Yao: "You eat it."

Xu Sheng tore off another chicken leg and gave it to Nian Yao: "There's more, sister-in-law, you eat it."

Nianyao looked at the conch shell and then at the chicken leg: "Give me the conch shell."

Xu Sheng insisted, handing the chicken leg to her: "You eat first, the rabbit will be ready soon."

Nianyao couldn't refuse, so she took the chicken leg and said, "You don't have to do this, I'm not used to it."

Xu Sheng chuckled and said, "Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. In Dongyang, of course I have to curry favor with you; but once we reach Nanyue, it will be my domain."

Nianyao subconsciously turned to look at Luo An. Luo An ate chicken and wine with refined elegance, as if he hadn't heard her.

Nianyao looked at it for a while and then realized something was wrong: "Why is his chicken leg wrapped in oil paper? Mine isn't."

Xu Sheng thought it was normal: "Oh, sister-in-law, we江湖人 (jianghu people) should be rough around the edges. Brother is proud and has a thin skin, let's not compare ourselves to him..."

"Brother, you're too proud and have a thin skin?" That's such a familiar phrase! Nian Yao's lips suddenly felt hot, whether from just touching Luo An's hand or from the chicken leg being too hot.