Ch107- Departure for the Market Trading Post
"Hey, you two!"
"We reserved this tree. Get lost."
Meng Ci and Shen Que heard this but showed no reaction, assuming it wasn't directed at them.
"Thud."
The moment Meng Ci sensed someone trying to tap his shoulder, he sidestepped, his expression turning fierce. He grabbed the man's arm and executed a back throw.
Several people nearby raised their axes, watching the two men warily.
"Li Wei, are you okay?" A man from the group hurried over to help him up.
"Ouch! How could you just hit someone like that!" Li Wei, now back on his feet, rubbed his waist, grimacing.
Meng Ci patted his own shoulder, his expression unreadable. "Instinctive reaction."
"If you have something to say, say it. What's with all the physical stuff?"
Li Wei rubbed his own buttocks. "What physical stuff?"
"Clearly, I was the one talking, and you didn't respond at first."
Only then did Meng Ci recall hearing someone claim the trees belonged to them earlier.
Meng Ci looked at the tree before him and asked, "What proof do you have that this tree is yours?"
Li Wei replied, "We said so when we arrived."
When their group had come, they'd selected ten trees and started cutting from both sides toward the center.
Unexpectedly, these two had arrived and started hacking away without so much as a word.
He'd only intended to warn them, yet ended up suffering this vicious attack.
Meng Ci rolled his eyes. "Just saying it makes it yours?
"Then I'll declare today that every tree in this entire grove belongs to me."
"Go ahead and make them all stop if you can."
"Oh, and the chopped firewood is all mine too."
"You..." Li Wei pointed at Meng CI, furious at his stubborn refusal to budge.
Meng Ci raised his axe, his voice cold. "If you don't want to chop trees, then let's fight."
Perfect. Meng Ci wanted to test his own skills anyway, see if he'd improved lately.
Shen Que also held an axe, standing back-to-back with Meng Ci, ready to attack.
Though outnumbered, Li Wei and his crew knew their limits.
Just looking at Meng Ci and Shen Que, they could tell these guys were no pushovers.
Their own skills were nothing but a slapdash mix of half-baked moves. If it came to blows, they'd be the ones left in the dust.
"Hey, young man," Li Wei chimed in with a forced smile. "We live in a civilized society. We should all
get along peacefully."
"Besides, the government has explicitly banned fighting and brawling."
"Since you've set your sights on this tree, it's yours. We'll find another."
The men behind Li Wei started to protest, but he silenced them. Reluctantly, they dispersed and resumed chopping at their own trees.
LI Wel then led two others to search for a new tree.
Meng Ci and Shen Que remained unfazed by the incident, continuing to chop away in silence.
After trimming the tree, they hauled it back home.
Once back, Meng Ci couldn't stop thinking about the Eggplant feast. He had Shen Que handle the firewood while he began cooking.
He cut Eggplant into chunks, salted them, rinsed them, and then coated them with starch. When the oil was hot, he stir-fried Eggplant until tender, poured in a specially blended sauce, reduced it, and finished with scallions and garlic. A delicious braised eggplant was ready.
Salt and Pepper Eggplant, Eggplant Rolls, Three Fresh Vegetables, Garlic Eggplant.
Meng Ci prepared five eggplant dishes in a row-all perfect accompaniments to rice.
During the meal, both of them ate heartily, polishing off every last grain of rice and scrap of vegetable.
Afterward, they lay side by side on the sofa, rubbing their bellies to aid digestion.
At that moment, Bai Lang from the den emerged, howling for food.
As Meng Ci stroked the wolf's head, inspiration struck for naming it.
"Shen Que, which dish did you like best today?"
Shen Que pondered for a moment, then replied with a strong will to survive: "All of them."
Of course, it had nothing to do with survival instinct.
Meng Ci's culinary skills were exceptional; every dish he made was incredibly delicious.
All of them?
That meant it wasn't about the dish itself, but the ingredients. And that gave Meng Ci an idea for the wolf's name.
"From now on, Bai Lang will be called Eggplant," Meng Ci proposed.
Shen Que nodded.
"Eggplant! Eggplant!" Meng Ci stroked the wolf's head, a smile lighting up his face.
"Got it? From now on, you're Eggplant."
"When I call you Eggplant, remember to respond."
Bai Lang gave a low growl, acknowledging the command.
Then it opened its mouth wide, tongue hanging out, signaling its hunger.
Meng Ci, full and satisfied, hadn't considered that Eggplant hadn't eaten.
Only when Eggplant brought its food bowl over did he finally remember he hadn't fed it.
So he had to leave the sofa and started cooking for Eggplant.
He steamed a pot of rice, sliced some cured pork and ham sausage, picked some greens, then poured the leftover braised eggplant sauce from the plate Into the clay pot to mix everything together.
Meng Ci took a deep sniff.
So fragrant.
If Eggplant hadn't been staring at him the whole time, Meng Ci would have tasted it already.
Under Eggplant's watchful eye, Meng Ci poured everything into Its food bowl.
Eggplant eyed its bowl, fearing Meng Ci hadn't emptied it completely, and kept its gaze fixed on the clay pot.
"Look!" Meng Ci let Eggplant peek Inside the pot.
"Not a single grain of rice left."
Only then did Eggplant eat its bowl of vegetables contentedly.
The water on the stove boiled. Meng Ci brewed tea for both of them, and they each drank a cup with satisfaction.
"Where will you sleep tonight?" Shen Que suddenly asked.
Meng CI thought about it. He still needed to plant the eggplant seedlings he'd bought and test them in his space, so he shook his head.
"No, I'll sleep alone tonight."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Meng Ci sensed Shen Que's mood had soured. He quickly explained.
"Don't read too much into it! I'm just feeling under the weather and want to rest more!"
"Tomorrow... tomorrow night I'll sleep with you."
Shen Que instantly cheered up, nodding. "Alright."
Recalling that Meng Ci's bed hadn't been slept in for days, Shen Que suggested helping him make it.
Meng Ci nodded.
Thud.
The bedroom door opened.
Moments later, Meng Ci heard Shen Que coming out again.
"What's wrong?" Meng Ci turned to ask.
Shen Que's expression looked off. "How about... You sleep in my room tonight instead?"
"I promise I won't touch you."
Meng Ci sensed something was amiss. Glancing at Eggplant happily munching nearby, he suddenly realized something.
He dashed into the bedroom in his shoes and took a quick sniff!
Damn it.
A pungent urine smell.
Meng Ci's face turned ashen.
Clenching his fists, he stormed over to the sofa and kicked over
Eggplant's food bowl.
Woof?
Eggplant looked at Meng Ci in confusion, unsure what had gotten into its owner.
Could it be that he'd taken a liking to its feeding spot?
Eggplant decided to be magnanimous and not dwell on it, then strolled back to its food bowl.
"Eat? You have the nerve to eat?"
Meng Ci crouched down, grabbed Eggplant by the scruff, and began dragging it toward the door.
"Starting today, you can go wherever you want. Pee wherever you please."
"Just don't show your face in