On this day, Dongfang Huaizhu was strolling in the yard, thinking about what surprise she could give Wangquan Baye on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. After racking her brains with no result, she paced around the yard.
"Sister, is there anything bothering you?" Dongfang Qinlan's clear voice came.
Dongfang Huaizhu looked in the direction of the voice and saw Dongfang Qinlan bouncing towards her. The little girl had two braids in her hair today. As she ran, the braids swayed. Dongfang Huaizhu sighed that her younger sister was really cute when she didn't speak.
"Qinlan, didn't you play with Senior Brother Sixteen today?" Dongfang Huaizhu asked. The little girl had been sticking to him for the past few days and having a great time.
The little girl stood in front of her. "Senior Brother Sixteen said he wasn't feeling well and refused to play with me." The little girl puffed out her cheeks.
"Haha, maybe Senior Brother Sixteen just can't get used to the roasted snakes," Dongfang Huaizhu teased her. Her younger sister always liked to play games like catching snakes. No one could stand it.
"Exactly! Every time I'm the only one eating the roasted snakes. Senior Brother Sixteen always hides far away," Dongfang Qinlan said, quite puzzled. There were all strong and powerful men with high - level spells in the Divine Fire Mountain Manor. She couldn't understand how such a person could be afraid of snakes.
"Alright, since Senior Brother Sixteen won't play with you, how about I play with you today?" As soon as Dongfang Huaizhu finished speaking, she saw Dongfang Qinlan's eyes shining with excitement.
Dongfang Huaizhu was dragged by the excited little girl to the back mountain. There was a lush forest filled with countless dangerous and unknown animals. Dongfang Qinlan pulled Dongfang Huaizhu and rushed into it. Dongfang Huaizhu was helpless about her younger sister's boldness.
A wild rabbit hiding behind the bushes looked around timidly, not knowing whether to come out to look for food or just enjoy the only patch of tender green scenery nearby.
Dongfang Qinlan's eyes lit up. "There's a rabbit! Rabbits are the most delicious!" Then she flew out lightly.
Dongfang Huaizhu: ... Rabbits are so cute. How can you eat them! But she still helped Dongfang Qinlan catch the rabbit.
It was a black - furred wild rabbit. Frightened, the little rabbit ran very fast. Seeing that she couldn't catch up, Dongfang Qinlan used her magic power to fly in front of the little rabbit and planned to intercept it.
The little rabbit didn't stop running and changed its direction to run towards the other side. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of it and grabbed its long ears.
"Sister! Sister is the best! We can have rabbit to eat!" Dongfang Qinlan jumped up happily.
The two of them sat down beside a small lake and quickly dealt with the rabbit. Soon, the aroma of the roasted rabbit wafted out. Dongfang Huaizhu handed a rabbit leg to Dongfang Qinlan.
The rabbit wasn't big, and they soon finished it. However, the aroma seemed to attract other animals.
A tiger was lurking in the forest behind them. Dongfang Huaizhu was very sensitive and immediately felt the killing intent. Almost at the same time, Dongfang Huaizhu stood up, turned around, drew her sword, and sent out a sword qi, forcing back the leaping tiger, which quickly disappeared into the depths of the forest.
They didn't care much about this unexpected episode. Seeing that it was getting late, they went down the mountain and returned to the manor.
The next day was the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Dongfang Huaizhu knew that performing sword - dancing wouldn't work. She paced around in her yard and suddenly had an idea. She walked towards the small kitchen and rummaged for useful things.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Dongfang Huaizhu found something: a bottle of Erguotou. Another inspiration struck her, and she found a small stove. She decided to let Wangquan Baye experience hot pot. She didn't believe that anyone could resist the temptation of hot pot.
After making the plan, Dongfang Huaizhu was no longer anxious. When it was almost time for the appointment, she called Dongfang Qinlan and asked her to bring her favorite dishes, while she brought seasonings, chili, and other things, and went to the appointment.
The two of them arrived at the Huishui Bamboo Pavilion first but didn't see Wangquan Baye. It wasn't time yet, so Dongfang Huaizhu set up the stove first, carefully lit the fire, poured in hot oil first, then added chili, Chinese prickly ash, and other things to stir - fry until fragrant, and finally added the manor's sauce. Although it couldn't compare with that in modern times, the aroma was overflowing.
They thought Wangquan Baye would come soon, but they waited from afternoon until it got dark and the moon came out, yet there was still no sign of him.
The food in the pot cooled down several times, and Dongfang Huaizhu heated it up again and again. Her heart seemed to be gradually cooling down. She was disappointed. Did he really not want to see her and planned to break the appointment?
Dongfang Huaizhu watched as pairs of men and women came to the riverside for their dates in the distance. She felt even more disappointed. She stood up, called Dongfang Qinlan, and was about to go back.
"Miss, please wait." A pleasantly surprising voice came. Dongfang Huaizhu looked in the direction of the voice. It was Wangquan Baye flying on his sword. He seemed to be in a hurry, and the hair on his temples was slightly messy.
"Miss, please forgive me. I was held up by something and came late," Wangquan Baye put away his sword and calmed his breath.
"It's good that you're here. Please sit down, sir," Dongfang Huaizhu was extremely happy inside, but she still pretended to be calm on the surface.
Wangquan Baye looked at the things in front of him curiously, full of questions. Dongfang Huaizhu calmly made the hot pot. She heated up the red - oil hot - pot base in the pot again, put in various dishes, and quietly waited for the pot to boil.
"Miss, what is this?" Wangquan Baye asked Dongfang Huaizhu during the waiting time. Obviously, he had never seen it before.
Dongfang Huaizhu knew that her bet was right. He really hadn't seen it. "This is a cooking method I accidentally discovered. It's called hot pot."
Dongfang Qinlan also looked puzzled. Hearing this, she said angrily, "Humph, sister never made this for me! She only made it for him today!" Dongfang Qinlan tilted her head towards Wangquan Baye.
Wangquan Baye and Dongfang Huaizhu both laughed. "It seems I'm quite special to the miss."
"I wanted to give you a surprise. This is the first time I've made it for someone," Dongfang Huaizhu said, tilting her head, looking cute.
Wangquan Baye's ears turned red and redder, almost as red as the hot - pot base. Dongfang Huaizhu covered her mouth and snickered, her eyes turning into a crescent moon.
Dongfang Huaizhu distributed the chopsticks and bowls, indicating to Dongfang Qinlan and Wangquan Baye, who were drooling and staring straight at the pot, that they could start eating.
"Delicious! Sister's cooking is really delicious!" Dongfang Qinlan said after taking a bite.
Wangquan Baye picked up a piece of fish and put it into his mouth. His expression froze. Obviously, he was shocked by the deliciousness. After swallowing the food, he praised, "Miss really gives me a great surprise. It's truly a surprise."
The three of them ate the hot pot one chopstick after another. The scene was strangely harmonious.
"Sir seems to like fish very much?" Dongfang Huaizhu noticed that Wangquan Baye had eaten quite a lot of fish.
"It's the miss's unique cooking method. I've never seen it before," Wangquan Baye explained.
"Please don't laugh at me," he added.
"It doesn't matter, sir. Feel free. It was originally prepared for you," Dongfang Huaizhu signaled Wangquan Baye not to be so polite, and then picked up a chopstick of meat for Dongfang Qinlan.