CH 65

Chapter 65: Floating Fish Feast

Yun Zhao, feeling sorry for Xiao Long, nestled gently in his lover's arms for comfort.

Ao Yu sniffed the fragrance lingering on the young man's hair, a scent similar to his own. He contentedly squinted his eyes and unconsciously let his fingers slip beneath the hem of his lover's clothing.

When the slightly cool fingertips touched his skin, the person in Ao Yu's embrace trembled slightly.

At first, Yun Zhao giggled and playfully squirmed due to the ticklish sensation caused by Ao Yu's touch. However, as the fingers moved downward, he quickly lost his ability to laugh.

As the veil was lowered, faintly swaying figures became visible. Yun Zhao leaned against Ao Yu's neck, his forehead covered in sweat, feeling as if he were a slow-cooked fish, with all his bones almost melting away.

Sensing the young man's distraction, Ao Yu lowered his head in displeasure and pressed his lips against Yun Zhao's. His lover must be filled with thoughts of him at a time like this.

...

The sunny days of the past few days made the young beasts in the mountains feel lazy, wanting nothing more than to lie in the courtyard, bask in the sun, and take a long nap.

When Yun Zhao emerged from the room, he saw Wu Mu and Xuanming lying on the trunk of a banyan tree, their four legs dangling, eyes half-closed in sleep.

Lei Huang stomped his feet in frustration, seeing the largest banyan tree occupied by the two black furballs, one on the left and one on the right. "Can't you find another place to sleep?"

Wu Mu lazily flicked his tail and replied, "No, there's shade here."

Lei Huang retorted, "Then why don't you go back to your rooms?"

"Um..." Wu Mu rubbed his ears against the tree bark and turned his head in another direction. "But I still want to soak up a little bit of sun."

Yun Zhao: "..."

The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows that added a touch of elegance to the two black furballs.

Ao Jing placed Luo Xue on his lap and gently groomed the white kitten, eliciting adorable meows and even a long-lost, soft kittenish voice.

Perhaps finding the sunlight too bright, the kitten covered its eyes with its paws and murmured softly, eventually falling asleep without realizing it, its little belly rising and falling with each breath, revealing a faint pink hue.

Yun Zhao was almost infected by their lazy atmosphere, feeling a momentary surge of drowsiness. Suddenly, he shook his head to clear his mind.

After some thought, he proposed, "I heard Bai Ze say that it's the season when floating fish appear in the mountain springs. How about we go catch some together?"

Bai Ze had already explored every corner of the mountains with the rabbits. He knew what was edible and when it was in season, even better than Ao Yu, their owner.

Floating fish usually lived in the spring caves and only emerged to bubble up from the opening during consecutive sunny days. Their flesh was delicate and devoid of any fishy smell, making Bai Ze's mouth water for a long time.

Recently, the weather had been unpredictable, so encountering such good weather was considered rare. Yun Zhao poked the dangling paw of the cat and coaxed, "Even the furballs have grown lazy. I'll make you some carbonated water when we come back."

Only then did Wu Mu stick his head out and touch foreheads with Yun Zhao. "You said it, no slacking off."

"Yes, yes, I promise."

Helplessly, Yun Zhao lifted the kitten from the tree branch and urged the rest of the young ones to head towards the mountain springs. Ao Jing hesitated for a moment, then followed along.

The forest was moist and refreshing, carrying a faint scent of grass and wood, which piqued Ao Jing's curiosity. It was a different scenery from the seas, and everything was attractive to him.

Gurgling water flowed through the smooth black rocks, and the little ferret lost its footing on the slippery moss and plopped into the spring.

"Squeak!" The ferret resurfaced, rubbing its disheveled fur and was fished out of the water by Yun Zhao, who placed it on a rock, where it basked like a long, thick noodle under the sun.

Wu Mu covered his paws and chuckled, coming forward to give the ferret a couple of playful swipes. It was only when the ferret got so angry it wanted to scratch the cat that Wu Mu wagged his tail and dodged away.

Yun Zhao found it amusing and raised his voice. "The floating fish are big. I'll need your help to catch them."

Wu Mu licked his lips. "How big can one fish be? I'll help you."

"Alright." Yun Zhao stood on a rock by the spring, lifting his chin to indicate a spot. "Over there."

The young divine beasts approached curiously and were momentarily stunned.

Wu Mu widened his eyes. Unlike the carp he had imagined, the floating fish were entirely black, even bigger than his own beast form. Their mouths, bubbling with bubbles, could fit an entire cat's head inside. They were clearly not easy opponents.

As Yun Zhao was about to take out a small knife to sharpen a slender bamboo rod, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Ao Jing quietly starting to cast a spell. He quickly raised his head and asked, "W-what are you doing?"

Ao Jing was puzzled. "Aren't you planning to catch fish?"

Wu Mu jumped over, wagging his tail from side to side. "But it's not fun like that! Besides, if you throw a fireball in, all the fish in the mountain springs will be scared away."

Ao Jing retracted his spell, still somewhat puzzled. Suddenly, the black panther beside him leaped out, splashing countless water droplets.

Xuan Ming held the flailing floating fish and leisurely walked ashore. He placed the fish on the bank and exhaled a breath of hot air.

Wu Mu gestured with a tilt of his head. "See, this is how you catch them, it's more fun!"

Ao Jing nodded, seemingly understanding but not fully. Then, with everyone's gaze upon them, the fish that had just come ashore wagged its tail and jumped back into the water, splashing water droplets mockingly on Wu Mu's face.

Wu Mu: "..."

Ao Jing: "Is this also part of the fun?"

Wu Mu looked at the imposing fish in the water and gritted his teeth. "No, this is called an accident."

Yun Zhao: "..."

He sighed and took off his shoes, then raised the bamboo rod to start catching fish. Wu Mu and Xuan Ming also dove into the water to chase and play with the fish.

Perhaps the earlier actions had made the floating fish more vigilant, and their swimming speed increased, evading their claws several times.

Wu Mu got frustrated and transformed into a little child, using his hands to catch. After all, his small size made it inconvenient to operate.

Unfortunately, they couldn't catch the fish, but the splashing water did drench Yun Zhao, who was diligently fishing nearby, thoroughly.

Just as Yun Zhao was about to reprimand, he heard Wu Mu exclaim in excitement, "I caught one!"

The black-clad child stood up with a smile, cradling a fish in his hands. Before he could boast, the big fish slapped its tail and splashed a "smack," diving back into the water.

Lei Huang sighed regretfully, "Ah, the fish got away."

Luo Xue scratched his ear, "Brother, you got slapped in the face."

Wu Mu touched the red mark on his face, stunned in disbelief, and looked at Yun Zhao in a teary manner. "The fish... Why did it slap me, the cat?"

Yun Zhao quickly embraced the little child, comforting him gently. He rubbed his flushed cheeks and planted a kiss. "It's okay, we'll cook it and eat it once we catch it!"

"Mm!" Wu Mu responded heavily, squinting his eyes as he looked at the fish still taunting him. He flicked out his sharp claws from his fingertips and continued pouncing.

As Ao Jing and Yun Zhao finally managed to catch a floating fish without using magic, Wu Mu and Xuan Ming had already piled up a heap of fish beside them. Unfortunately, not a single one was a floating fish.

Seeing Ao Jing's puzzled look, Wu Mu transformed back into his beast form and licked his paws, his eyes shifting elsewhere. "Hmm... I thought about it, and the taste of other fish is not bad either..."

Yun Zhao chuckled and ruffled the kitten's head. "Floating fish is big enough for us, and these small fish can be fried into dried fish snacks for you."

Upon hearing this, the other young ones' eyes instantly lit up. They squealed and eagerly carried the bamboo baskets, ready to head back.

Yun Zhao reached out his hand towards Ao Jing, who was wiping off the water from his body. "Let's go, we're going back."

Ao Jing looked at the hand extended towards him and couldn't help but pause. Seeing the unchanging smile on the young man's face, he raised his hand and gently murmured in agreement.

...

Back in the kitchen, Yun Zhao took out the floating fish from the bamboo basket. This fish was truly fierce, still thrashing about with strength even after being out of the water for so long.

Ao Jing furrowed his brows slightly, about to speak up and offer to kill it, but he saw Yun Zhao flip the cleaver and deliver a decisive blow to the still flopping fish with the back of the blade. Swiftly, he chopped off its head and started descaling and cleaning the gills.

When Yun Zhao made two smooth strokes along the fish's back and skillfully extracted two pieces of fish belly, he looked up and noticed Ao Jing still standing there, appearing hesitant to speak.

Continuing his movements without pause, Yun Zhao tilted his head and asked, "What were you about to say just now?"

Ao Jing looked at the floating fish, which had been dismantled within a few moments, and took a step back, shaking his head. "It's nothing."

Yun Zhao nodded indifferently, focusing on his actions once again.

Indeed, this fish was big. After marinating the fish head in rice wine and covering it with a layer of spicy chili paste, he added mushrooms and vermicelli underneath and placed it into the steamer.

He peeled off the fish skin, intending to discard it, but he discovered a layer of oil beneath the skin that felt soft and bouncy when touched. It felt wasteful to throw it away.

So Yun Zhao simply cut all the fish skin into small pieces and stir-fried it with dried chili peppers in the pan.

As for the fish meat itself...with its delicate and oily texture, Yun Zhao decided to use half of it to make sashimi and the other half to cook it in a spicy broth with the remaining vegetables.

The kitchen immediately became bustling and lively. The rabbits put the cut vegetables into plates and brought them to the stove, using their feet to support the plates and using small fans to tend to the heat.

Yun Zhao efficiently prepared his customized menu. When he started uncovering the pots and plating the dishes, he noticed that everyone had squeezed near the window, their eyes fixed on him...and the dishes in his hands.

Yun Zhao smiled and said, "It will be ready soon."

The young divine beasts cheered in unison and rushed to grab bowls and chopsticks, eagerly waiting by the dining table.

Ao Yu helped Yun Zhao carry the steaming hot boiled fish to the table. Ao Jing, observing his brother's actions, immediately stood up to help in the kitchen.

Yun Zhao, holding the plate in one hand, gently pushed him back. "No need to help. This is the last dish."

He arranged the translucent slices of raw fish on the table and smiled. "I wonder how it compares to the ones in the sea. Have a taste and see."

"Mm." Blushing, Ao Jing obediently sat back down next to his friends.

The fragrant and crispy fish skin filled the air with a fresh and spicy aroma. Bai Ze took a bite and couldn't help but quickly serve himself some rice, happily enjoying the combination.

The remaining fish head and the boiled fish were also highly appreciated. The freshly fried fish head with chopped chili pepper was still emitting steam, and as they used their chopsticks to reveal the snowy white fish meat hidden beneath the vibrant red chili, its soft and tender texture and the flavor intensified by the spicy oil made saliva flow in their mouths.

Originally, Yun Zhao was worried it might be too spicy, but to his surprise, everyone continued eating without even lifting their heads. Even Ao Jing, who was sweating from the spiciness, didn't slow down his pace.

Ao Yu picked up a golden square from the plate and asked, "What's this?"

Yun Zhao swallowed the fish meat in his mouth and replied, "Fish bones."

The floating fish was truly a treasure, with its crystal-clear and richly fatty fish bones. Yun Zhao had chopped them into small pieces and deep-fried them. Unexpectedly, they turned out crispy and fragrant, just as delicious as fried rice crackers when paired with spices.

Ao Yu picked one up, examined it skeptically, and took a bite. It was crispy, dry, and fragrant, crumbling upon chewing. The spices on the surface burst with flavor along with the fat, making him unable to resist picking up another piece and stuffing it into his mouth.

Yun Zhao proudly said, "Delicious, isn't it?"

Ao Yu nodded, his eyes full of satisfaction and happiness. Everyone also felt the same way after eating everything. Yun Zhao, just as he promised, made carbonated water with honey to be enjoyed by everyone. 

The peach juice tasted even sweeter and helped relieve spiciness.

After taking a sip, Ao Jing covered his mouth in surprise, feeling a tingling sensation like an electric current running through his tongue.

Watching his reaction, Wu Mu, with a smirk on his white-bearded face, said, "You might not like it on your first try, but it will get better if you drink it a few more times. Yun Zhao doesn't make this carbonated water casually."

Ao Jing looked puzzled and asked, "Why?"

Wu Mu's tail wagged happily, and he glanced at the little phoenix engrossed in eating, a mischievous smile flickering in his eyes. "Because a certain bird secretly ate too much of it at night and ended up with a bloated belly. After taking a digestive pill, it went into the mountains... Mmm, mmm, mmm!"

Yun Zhao became quite alert, sensing that the kitten had something to say, and his temples throbbed. "Stop, that's enough..."

Any further discussion would ruin the appetite...