Under One Person: The Taoist Priest Descends the Mountain

The three arrived at the small house Xia He had chosen. Cheng Mo started a fire, and Xia He helped slice the pork.

The young Taoist priest said that today they would try a different way of eating – crispy roasted suckling pig slices (Cantonese style) and spicy suckling pig cubes (Sichuan style).

Cheng Mo first cleaned the suckling pig, then cut it in half. One half was marinated inside and out with a special five-spice salt and sauce. Then, he skewered it with an iron fork, placed it on the charcoal fire, and used a long brush to brush it with oil and honey glaze over it again and again.

The pork skin gradually turns golden brown and crispy under the heat of the flames, becoming glossy and tempting.

The remaining half was used to make suckling pig cubes. Cheng Mo cut the meat into even small cubes, fried them in oil until cooked, and then took them out. He added a lot of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns to the pot to stir-fry until fragrant, then poured in the suckling pig cubes and stir-fried them quickly. Finally, he sprinkled peanuts and sesame seeds on top. A big plate of bright red meat was presented, with a pungent and spicy aroma.

Xia He watched intently, swallowing hard. She couldn't resist sneaking a piece of freshly cooked suckling pig. It was so hot that she had to breathe out hot air, and it was also so spicy that she hissed and gasped for breath, but she couldn't bear to spit it out. After chewing it a couple of times, her eyes lit up: "So delicious!"

I couldn't resist taking it again...

While the two were busy, Ma Xianhong quietly took out a palm-sized copper plate magic artifact from his pocket, and with a flick of his finger, an invisible barrier enveloped the small house, blocking out the fragrance.

The fragrance wafted all the way to the Xiu Shen Tang last night, and he didn't want to attract any more people.

Before long, the food was ready—the crispy suckling pig was bright red and fragrant, and it made a crispy sound when cut with a knife; the spicy suckling pig cubes were bright red and oily, and were decorated with golden-brown peanuts.

Cheng Mo and Xia He sat down as if they were the host, and invited Ma Xianhong. As soon as Old Ma sat down, he couldn't wait and kept picking at his chopsticks. The crispy suckling pig slices were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the chili peppers were fresh, fragrant and spicy. He ate without looking up and praised it highly.

After the meal, Xia He got up to clear the dishes.

Cheng Mo reminded her, "There's warm water over there, which makes it easier to wash away the grease."

Xia He retorted irritably, "Do you really think I'm some rich heiress? Besides, cleaning with my Qi is much easier than using warm water or dish soap." With a slight movement of her fingertips, a layer of very faint pink Qi swept over the dishes, and the grease instantly came off.

Ma Xianhong took out a thin, golden magic tool, as fine as a hair, and used it as a toothpick to pick his teeth. He sighed with satisfaction, "Brother Cheng's skills are truly amazing. No wonder Miss Xia is reluctant to leave you."

Cheng Mo lowered his voice: "Don't let her hear you say that, or she'll explode again."

Ma Xianhong chuckled, stood up, and raised his voice towards the kitchen: "Miss Xia, thank you for your hospitality. I'll be leaving now."

A cheerful reply came from the kitchen: "Take care, Brother Ma!"

Ma Xianhong picked his teeth and staggered away from the small house, heading towards the Xiu Shen Tang (Hall of Self-Cultivation).

On the path at the village entrance, Qiu Rang and Ding Ziheng were heading into the woods together, planning to look for wild boars. Even if they didn't catch any, catching a few rabbits would be good, and they would ask Brother Cheng to help with the cooking.

As the two were discussing whether to roast or stew, they looked up and saw Ma Xianhong walking over with sunken cheeks and unsteady steps.

The two men were shocked. Forget about the wild boars and rabbits, and rushed forward to support them, one on each side: "Master! What happened to you?!"

Ma Xianhong was savoring the crispiness of the suckling pig and the spiciness of the chili when they yelled at him, and all the flavors vanished.

He irritably shook off their hands: "Can you two stop making such a fuss? I just stayed up all night doing research."

Qiu Rang stared at his pale face: "I've never seen you look this haggard before."

Ding Ziheng cautiously suggested, "How about... we give up research?"

Ma Xianhong: "...This child is beyond redemption!" He angrily turned and quickened his pace to leave.

Qiu Rang and Ding Ziheng looked at each other in bewilderment.

Qiu Rang scratched his head: "What's wrong with the sect leader?"

Ding Ziheng also shook his head: "I don't understand."

The two exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.

Qiu Rang said, "Forget it, the cult leader goes crazy when he's doing research, don't mess with him."

Ding Ziheng wholeheartedly agreed: "Brother Cheng... how pitiful."

……

Inside the small house, Cheng Mo and Xia He had just finished cleaning the kitchen and moved two old bamboo chairs to the yard to bask in the sun.

The afternoon sun was warm and inviting, making people feel lazy and relaxed.

Cheng Mo suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, what was the purpose of breaking that earthenware pot?"

Xia He exclaimed "Ah!" and patted her head: "I had completely forgotten! When I came here, Old Zhang next door gave me a ceramic jar. I was wondering what I could put in it, but it just broke like this."

Cheng Mo praised, "As expected of you, you've already built good relationships with the villagers so quickly."

Xia He was a little smug: "It's all thanks to the delicious food you prepared last night."

Cheng Mo laughed: "That's because you have strong social skills."

Xia He casually replied, "It still has to be you..."

She suddenly stopped, blinked, and said, "Wait, what are we praising each other for? Are we crazy?"

Cheng Mo leaned back in his chair, squinting his eyes: "Praise makes you healthier, praise makes you more beautiful."

Xia He chuckled at his words, stood up, and patted her skirt: "Alright, stop lounging around. Come see the new house I've decorated..."

She paused, her voice slightly lower, "Our new home." Her pretty face flushed slightly as she finished speaking.

Cheng Mo pretended not to see it and calmly got up: "Alright, let me give my opinion."

The first thing I saw when I entered the house was a simple flower stand by the window in front of the hall, with a few bunches of wildflowers on it.

Cheng Mo walked over and said, "Oh, these flowers are nice, but it's a pity they'll wither soon, leaving only withered petals on the ground."

The joy on Xia He's face faded, and she muttered, "Then don't look."

Cheng Mo ignored him and walked inside. Both bedroom doors were open, and he peeked out. "The bedrooms are nicely furnished, but why two? We'll have to share one room, won't we?"

Xia He's pretty face flushed bright red, and a hint of joy crept back onto her brow. She hesitated for a moment, then said in a soft voice, "Oh dear, what are you saying... it's not that far yet..."

Cheng Mo looked at her in astonishment and said, "What are you thinking? Who wants to sleep in the same bed with you? I mean, if we put two beds in this room, we can sleep in one room tonight so we can look out for each other."

His expression turned serious. "This is Biyou Village, the whole village is full of people from the new Jie Sect. Do you know what kind of people are in the Jie Sect?"

Xia He suppressed the ripples of romantic feelings within her and asked curiously, "What are they?"

Cheng Mo walked to the window, looked at the quiet village outside, and said in a calm tone: "A bunch of monsters and demons, it's a complete mess. I hope they don't take advantage of the darkness and pick us off one by one."

Xia He blinked, snorted coldly twice, and crossed her arms to look him up and down.

"Little Mozi, I saw right through you. You men are all the same, you all use the same tricks to fool girls. First, you're in the same room, then you're in the same room but not in the same bed, then you're in the same bed but not under the same blanket, and if you're under the same blanket, you don't rub against each other, and if you rub against each other, you don't..."

"Alright," Cheng Mo interrupted her, "saying any more would be against the rules. Besides, I really don't have that much on my mind, so don't make things up."

Xia He stared at him suspiciously: "Really?"

"Really," Cheng Mo said calmly, "you'll find out tonight."

"Hmph, I'll believe you for now." Xia He pouted, unable to suppress her smile as she turned away.

Cheng Mo turned around and went to another room, bringing back the bedding. He placed the two beds side by side in the room.

The two of them sat cross-legged on their respective beds, staring at each other, doing nothing, letting time slip by.

The sky gradually darkened.

dong dong dong.