Chapter 5: The Art of Pot Making

Liu Zhenhan looked regretfully at the sea, thinking that even a corpse floating on the water would be better. The white robe he wore, although made of good material, was too large; the excess fabric dragged on the ground, and while he could overlook the dirt, it was easy to trip over it. It would have been simpler not to wear it at all. What was most regrettable was that he had forgotten to bring a pair of shoes when he boarded the ship yesterday. Without shoes, his soles had already been pierced by several thorns.

Knocking open the clay seal of the "Beggar's Bird," he tore off the fleshy parts from the thigh and tossed them to Guoguo, while Liu Zhenhan himself also felt a bit hungry

The little fox was thus half nestled in Liu Zhenhan's embrace, having eaten a rabbit leg and drunk a bit of soup. Her beautiful big eyes were already mostly open, though still dim and lifeless. Yet, just as Liu Zhenhan had imagined, they were eyes that sparkled with emotion, capable of speaking and captivating one's gaze.

Spent half the morning and half the afternoon using a curved knife as a hoe to dig a small water reservoir at the entrance, as for whether it can yield water, Liu Zhenhan himself was not certain

He tied a knot in the fish gut on the wound, moved his arm a bit, and Liu Zhenhan smiled with satisfaction

He tore off the white robe used for carrying a backpack and haphazardly draped it over himself, feeling a bit flustered. Fortunately, after a while, his stomach stopped hurting, and Liu Zhenhan finally took his bow and arrows and stepped outside. The seabirds here seemed somewhat foolish, perhaps because they had never encountered hunters before. They perched on the red willow trees, preening their feathers, and as long as Liu Zhenhan kept his distance, they did not fly away, allowing his poor archery skills to be put to use.

Originally, Liu Zhenhan had planned to traverse the entire island, but he has temporarily abandoned this idea. With one child at home and another unwell, he truly cannot spare the time.

"You must understand, this is to save you." Liu Zhenhan was certain that this little fox probably did not understand what he was saying at all, yet he still could not help but argue for himself

The little fox uttered a series of strange syllables, but Liu Zhenhan could not make sense of any of it.

No wonder Wu Sangui was able to betray the country for a woman in the past! Liu Zhenhan felt a surge of astonishment in his heart; he had never believed it before, but now he could not help but believe it. The little fox in front of him truly had a hint of Chen Yuanyuan's charm.

Apologies! Liu Zhenhan scratched his head and said apologetically: "I don't understand what you are saying; please eat your fill first before we talk."

Having selected three relatively plump seabirds and prepared them, he coated them with fine salt, wrapped them in straw, covered them with a layer of mud, and tossed them into the fire. Liu Zhenhan began to clean the large sea fish and noticed that there was not much freshwater left in the clam pot. He took half of the fish body, salted it twice, hung it in the wind, and cooked the remaining half into a pot of bird egg and fish soup.

Originally, Liu Zhenhan had planned to leave one for the little fox and Guoguo, but upon reflection, he realized that the melon was already damaged and could not be stored for long, so it was better to consume it all himself

When Liu Zhenhan hurried home in the evening, it was already pitch dark. He set down his catch and quickly rekindled the campfire, gently touching the forehead of the little fox.

The little fox continued to chew while shedding tears, and Liu Zhenhan did not know how to comfort her, so he could only feed her bite by bite.

Liu Zhenhan felt somewhat embarrassed, and he himself was a bit shy, so he buried his head and began to eat voraciously.

After shooting down seven or eight birds, Liu Zhenhan felt he had grasped a bit of the essence of archery. Archery is somewhat similar to shooting a gun; the difference lies in the absence of a sight, making it impossible to aim. It relies purely on instinct. As long as one understands the trajectory and range of the bow and arrow, it is generally not too difficult. After all, these birds are rather foolish, standing there as live targets

He tore off some flesh with feathers and skin from the seabird he had hunted and used it as bait. Liu Zhenhan jumped onto the nearest reef and cast his fishing rod.

Is this still ... ... me ... ... Liu ... ... Zhen ... ... shocked ... ...?" Liu, the official, felt a chill all over his body, and the pot "clanged" as it fell to the ground, swaying twice. The grayish-blue edge of the pot knocked off a thin ribbed piece against the stone-stacked stove.

After all, who would feel comfortable eating the "twice-cooked" rabbit meat that has already been chewed to a pulp by someone else

It was utterly enchanting; whether she had her eyes closed or open, whether she was in tears or sipping soup, she exuded a unique charm in every expression. Just moments ago, while feeding her soup, this reconnaissance soldier, who had undergone rigorous training and prided himself on his psychological restraint, found himself lingering a little longer on her rose-like, captivating lips. Moreover, Liu Zhenhan felt that the floral fragrance emanating from her was becoming increasingly intense, a scent that left him somewhat entranced. He recalled how, during the afternoon while hunting, he couldn't help but think of the little fox, which made his cheeks flush with warmth.

Perhaps it is the longing for family, just like me. Liu Zhenhan could not help but feel a tinge of sadness welling up in his heart.

The seawater is very clear, and the underwater vegetation gently sways with the current, while the shimmering surface of the water reflects the afterglow of the setting sun

On the calm surface of the clam pot water, a terrifying face is clearly illuminated. The eyebrows are still sharply arched, the eyes glimmer with cold starlight, and the stubble remains robust and fierce. However, the nose in the center of the face has transformed into two enormous gaping holes, with a peculiar entanglement above, and faintly visible at the openings are blood scabs that are beginning to form into patches.

At this moment, a faint pain shot through his abdomen, causing Liu Zhenhan to frown slightly.

As he walked along, shooting all the while, Liu Zhenhan unknowingly passed through the red willow forest of yesterday and arrived at the seaside. By the seaside, everything had long since vanished; the rising tide had washed away all traces of yesterday and the ravages of the storm, leaving nothing behind.

Liu Zhenhan had finished feeding the books and was also waiting on a little ancestor with a big belly. After serving the two ancestors their rabbit meat, Liu Zhenhan finally turned to the leftover broth and polished off the remaining rabbit meat. In the package he brought back yesterday, there were two or three split melons, which he also devoured in one go. He had no idea what variety these melons were, but their skin patterns resembled that of a watermelon, with green stripes that looked like waves. However, the flesh inside was not red like a watermelon, but a golden yellow. The seeds were red, and the taste was somewhat like that of a cantaloupe, sweet and crisp. In the package he brought back yesterday, there were two or three split melons, which he also devoured in one go. He had no idea what variety these melons were, but their skin patterns resembled that of a watermelon, with green stripes that looked like waves. However, the flesh inside was not red like a watermelon, but a golden yellow. The seeds were red, and the taste was somewhat like that of a cantaloupe, sweet and crisp.

Intense labor also brought him adverse consequences; the bleeding wound on his arm reopened. This discovery made Liu Zhenhan abandon his original intention to catch a few more fat rabbits that were stealthily foraging in the grass. Although the thought of the delicious rabbit meat made him lick his lips.

Lifting the pot filled with blood and fish scales, Liu Zhenhan was just about to pour it out when he suddenly froze in place

Upon returning home, Liu Zhenhan saw that Guoguo and the little fox were sound asleep. Not wanting to wake them, he took out the bow and arrows that were placed in the corner, preparing to shoot a few seabirds to bring back for dinner, as he had grown somewhat tired of eating seabird eggs these past few days

A gentle breeze swept through the red willow forest, the leaves rustling softly as if they were whispering and laughing. With such a fishing rod, lacking even a single hook, how could one possibly catch any fish

"Eat up..." Liu Zhenhan held the large clam pot, using chopsticks made from twigs to remove all the fish bones, and brought it to the little fox's mouth

Despite feeling embarrassed, Liu Zhenhan gritted his teeth and first chewed the thoroughly stewed rabbit meat into small pieces, mixing it with the broth before feeding it to the little vixen.

If it doesn't produce water, I'll turn you into a latrine! Liu Zhenhan swore fiercely at the puddle.

At noon, that rabbit had devoured most of the fruit, and when the little creature started eating, it could almost be described as a bottomless pit; its stomach seemed not to belong to itself, but rather to be a portal to another universe

Go away! Liu Zhenhan's face was once again turned into a big apple. As the little beast emerged from the wolfskin blanket, it lifted a large section, revealing the little fox's elegantly beautiful chest fully exposed to the air, causing Liu Zhenhan to nearly spill the pot of fish soup in his hands

After finishing dinner, Liu Zhenhan extracted the sharp bones from the large fish that the little fox had eaten, threaded them with the finely cut fish intestines, and meticulously stitched up the wound on his arm caused by the water arrow shot from that rabbit. The campfire flickered, and Liu Zhenhan's expression remained indifferent, causing the little fox beside him to furrow her brows in concern.

Having tucked in the wolfskin blanket, Liu Zhenhan again used his mouth to pass a bit of fish soup to the little fox. The little fox closed her eyes, her face flushed like that of a drunken person, the flickering campfire casting a dreamy light on her beautiful and enchanting face. Liu Zhenhan could only feel that the Shaolin Temple beneath him had reopened for business.

A large fish covered in spines proudly emerged from the water weeds. Before it could swallow the bait, a sharp wolf-tooth arrow had already pierced through its skull at close range. The fish's tail swept through the clear seawater, instantly stirring up a mixture of mud and blood. Liu Zhenhan seized the fishing rod and thrust it forward. The end of the rod had been sharpened long ago, resembling a javelin, and it pierced through the fish's abdomen in one swift motion. Liu Zhenhan tugged on the fishing line made from his robe, cheerfully pulling the large fish, along with the rod, up onto the reef. The clear seawater was once again stirred up, creating a mixture of mud and blood as Liu Zhenhan seized the fishing rod and thrust it forward. The end of the rod had been sharpened long ago, resembling a javelin, and it pierced through the fish's abdomen in one swift motion. Liu Zhenhan tugged on the fishing line made from his robe, cheerfully pulling the large fish, along with the rod, up onto the reef.

While doing all this, the little fox blinked its eyes, continuously gazing at him. Liu Zhenhan felt a bit embarrassed under the gaze of her bright, sparkling eyes

Liu Zhenhan stood motionless, like a wooden sculpture or a clay figure, gazing intently at the surface of the water below.

Seeing Liu Zhenhan chew the bird meat into pieces and then bring his mouth closer, the little fox shyly closed its eyes and gently shook its head

The little creature grew a pair of dog noses, and as soon as it caught a whiff of the aroma, it joyfully burrowed out from under the wolfskin blanket, leaped onto Liu Zhenhan's head, first showing affection, and then jumped down to eagerly gaze at the pot of fish soup

Liu Zhenhan does not rely on a fishing rod; the bow in his hand has already been drawn into a half-circle, with the sharp wolf-tooth arrows aimed at the seabird bait beneath the water's surface. One of his feet is planted on the fishing rod, while the other rests on the gleaming curved knife. As soon as he detects a fish biting, he will shoot an arrow first, and if that fails, he can always dive in for hand-to-hand combat.

I can make a fish soup for the little fox! Looking at the large fish weighing at least four to five pounds, Liu Zhenhan felt a surge of joy in his heart

Liu Zhenhan went to take a look at the pond he had worked hard to dig for half a day. Fortunately, it had already accumulated a little water, and he could feel that the soil at the bottom of the pond was starting to become damp. He picked up a bit of it on his finger, a dark and muddy clump.

At this moment, Liu Daguangren's heart was also shattered like a piece of clam shell.

Guoguo has eaten enough rabbit meat and has long since burrowed into the wolf fur blanket to sleep. Liu Zhenhan discovered that every time it uses that air ball, it becomes lazy and reluctant to move, wanting to rest

Perhaps it was due to catching a chill, Liu Zhenhan felt a bit anxious within himself. In this place, if he were to fall ill again, it would surely be the end for him.

Since he had come all the way here, there was no rush to return. Liu Zhenhan simply found a long wooden stick, tore several long strips from his robe, and tied them together to make a fishing rod

Not bad, the temperature has returned to normal. It seems that the earthen kang still has some utility! Liu Zhenhan chuckled as he rubbed his hands together

Lord Liu swiftly withdrew his hand

The little fox looked at him, and suddenly a stream of tears rolled down from its eyes. Liu Zhenhan felt as if his heart was about to break. Clumsily wiping away the tears from the little fox's eyes, Liu Zhenhan blew on the steam rising from the fish meat and gently placed it into the little fox's mouth

At this moment, Liu Zhenhan was indeed in pain, but upon noticing that the little fox was paying attention to him, he had no choice but to put on a heroic facade.