The Prodigal Son

Qin Yu and Xu Wan briefly mentioned Jiang Ci's matter and then said no more.

Qin Yu fished while teaching Xu Wan how to fish.

Before long, the two had caught several fish weighing one to two pounds each.

There were even two mandarin fish inside.

Qin Yu pulled Xu Wan to her feet, "There are still other dishes; that should be enough for us!"

"Um."

Xu Wan smiled, then couldn't help but hug Qin Yu and give him a light kiss on the lips. "Actually, just traveling like this is quite fun."

"That depends on who you're traveling with."

Qin Yu laughed heartily and returned Xu Wan's kiss with a passionate kiss.

The two cuddled by the lake for a while before squatting down to kill fish together.

Holding the fish in his hand, Qin Yu couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

If you have some green chilies, roast them over charcoal until charred, then crush some ginger, scallions, garlic, vinegar, etc. in a stone mortar and pestle, and roast the fish until both sides are golden brown. Just dip it in the sauce and wild vegetables...

The taste was absolutely amazing.

He had eaten it once in the countryside of southeastern Guizhou in his previous life.

That taste remains unforgettable to him to this day.

He hadn't been in this strange world for very long, but his past life seemed like a very, very long time ago.

Seeing Qin Yu staring blankly at a fish, Xu Wan couldn't help but gently nudge him with her elbow, "What are you daydreaming about?"

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about some things from the past."

Qin Yu snapped out of his reverie, smiled casually, and said, "When we were kids, we used to catch fish from my family's fishpond and grill them, right?"

"How dare you say that!"

Speaking of this, Xu Wan couldn't help but laugh, "You caught all the koi that the Duke of Wei had been raising for so long and roasted them, but before we were even cooked, your father showed up..."

"If you hadn't said you caught it, my dad would have beaten me to death!"

A look of deep reminiscence crossed Qin Yu's face.

If you think back carefully, there are still many interesting stories about him and Xu Wan when they were children.

Xu Wan was actually quite quiet when she was little, but he took her out to chase chickens and dogs all the time, which turned her from a delicate and quiet little girl into a tomboy.

So, the fact that he was chased and beaten by Xu Wan before was a consequence of his own actions!

The two chatted and laughed as they processed several fish.

When they arrived at the hut with their prepared fish, wisps of smoke were already rising from the chimney.

However, they hadn't started cooking yet; they had just boiled some water to make tea.

Seeing Qin Yu and Xu Wan return with their catch, Jiang Ci, who was picking wild vegetables with Nan Que'er and the others, immediately stepped forward to greet them, "You guys take a rest, leave the rest to me!"

"good!"

Qin Yu nodded and smiled, "I'm going to have to try your cooking today!"

"Um!"

Jiang Ci chuckled and took the fish from Qin Yu's hand.

"You two chat first, I'll go help her start the fire!"

As Xu Wan spoke, she followed Jiang Ci toward the stove.

"No, no need."

Jiang Ci repeatedly refused, saying, "I can do it myself."

"fine."

Xu Wan smiled generously, "I can't cook, so I'll just consider this a learning experience."

Since Xu Wan had said so, Jiang Ci no longer refused.

Soon, the two of them were busy at the stove.

Qin Yu sat down next to Lü Si and the others, jokingly saying, "Didn't you guys search this place to see if there's any hidden gold or silver treasure?"

"The people from the Treasure Mirror Bureau already searched the place! If there's any treasure, why would we be the ones to find it?"

Lu Si rolled his eyes at him. "By the way, when are we going back to the capital?"

"You can't stand it anymore?"

Qin Yu asked with a smile, "Or do you want to return to the capital as soon as possible to receive your reward?"

"It's getting boring staying at Poyun Huai." Lu Si stretched lazily and muttered, "It's quite annoying to stay at home, but after being away for so long, I'm starting to miss home."

Qin Yu lowered his brows slightly and sighed softly, "It should be soon! To be honest, I'm also a little homesick."

They had already left the capital before the Lantern Festival.

It's already early May!

Before they knew it, they had been out for almost five months.

He wasn't home, and the old man was still in the north, always leaving Luo Qingyi all alone in the capital. He still felt somewhat guilty.

Once we return to the capital, I must spend some quality time with Luo Qingyi.

Otherwise, if he were to wage war against the Yan state in the autumn, he would probably have to leave the capital again.

The group chatted casually outside. Before long, Jiang Ci had finished cooking the fish and also made two side dishes with wild vegetables.

With the braised meat and wine they brought, it was quite a sumptuous meal.

Guo Yang still didn't sit with them, but sat alone on the fishing boat, eating braised meat and drinking wine by himself.

It was as if Qin Yu and the others' commotion had nothing to do with him.

"Lord Qin, please try the fish I made."

Jiang Ci gracefully picked up a piece of fish and handed it to Qin Yu.

"Okay, I'll try it!"

Qin Yu picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, then immediately gave Jiang Ci a thumbs up, "With such simple seasonings, you can make such delicious fish! Your cooking skills are simply amazing!"

"Really? I'll try it too!"

Hearing Qin Yu's exaggerated words, Lü Si and the others also started eating.

As soon as the fish entered their mouths, they found it to be incredibly fresh and tender, with not a trace of fishiness.

Now, everyone looked at Jiang Ci with admiration, praising her cooking skills.

Jiang Ci pursed her thin lips and smiled modestly, "It's not that my cooking skills are good, it's that the fish is good."

"Don't just watch us eat, you eat too."

Qin Yu subconsciously reached for a piece of fish and put it in Jiang Ci's bowl, but then seemed to think it was a bit inappropriate, so he simply put the fish into Nan Que'er's bowl instead.

But his pause made it clear to anyone with eyes to his meaning.

Nan Que'er quietly reached out and pinched Qin Yu's leg hard.

Although Nan Que'er's movements were small, everyone could guess what was going on just by looking at Qin Yu's expression.

Lu Si's gaze swept back and forth between Jiang Ci, Xu Wan, and Nan Que'er, secretly wondering if Qin Yu's backyard was on fire.

A hint of shyness flashed in Jiang Ci's eyes as she picked up a piece of fish and began to eat it.

Qin Yu chuckled dryly, then raised his glass again, "Jiang Ci and Xu Wan have prepared such a delicious meal for us. Come, let's all toast them!"

"I'm only in charge of tending the fire, let's offer a toast to Jiang Ci instead."

Xu Wan smiled and picked up her wine glass.

"Let's have a drink together."

Jiang Ci held a wine glass in one hand and supported the bottom of the glass with the other. "It is my honor to enjoy the scenery and drink with you all here!"

"Don't be so formal, come on, cheers!"

The cups of the group clinked together.

Jiang Ci drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.

After a glass of wine, the atmosphere at the dinner table was set.

The group ate, drank, and chatted, enjoying the surrounding scenery of the lake and mountains, which was quite a unique experience.

As the conversation got more animated, the group couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Seeing the smiles on everyone's faces, Jiang Ci sighed silently in her heart, but her smile became even brighter and more radiant...