Little Doudou’s bright eyes sparkled as she scooted closer to Lin Youyou and whispered, “Sister Lin, my name is Doudou. Father said we’re staying at the small town ahead for a day. Then we can go shopping together.”
He San’s deep eyes shifted toward the little girl currently speaking. Doudou immediately shrank her neck guiltily.
Would she tell anyone that her father had just smacked her little bottom earlier?
Of course not.
Would she admit that she’d caused trouble by secretly running away from home and had therefore been chased by assassins?
Absolutely not.
Even children had their dignity.
Looking at the guilt written all over the little girl’s face, Lin Youyou’s eyes filled with amusement.
“What do you want to look at?” she asked.
“Fun things, pretty things, delicious things, delicious things I’ve never eaten before!” the little girl replied with shining eyes full of determination.
Lin Youyou laughed softly.
Though the child liked everything, she had specifically emphasized “delicious things I’ve never eaten before,” proving she was definitely a little foodie with a special obsession for new delicacies.
Although He San remained silent and calm on the surface, his eyes when looking at his daughter were filled with helpless indulgence.
Clearly, he was completely devoted to his daughter.
“Master, the meat is ready to roast.”
A guard approached respectfully carrying a cleaned rabbit and pheasant skewered on long sticks.
“Mm.”
He San nodded.
The guard crouched carefully and placed the meat onto the rack already set above the fire.
Doudou pouted and muttered quietly, “It’s roasted meat again with barely any flavor. Every time I travel with Father, we eat this stuff. I’m so tired of it.”
Because she was sitting close beside her, Lin Youyou heard every word clearly.
She glanced at He San, who appeared completely unconcerned.
Given his earlier display of skill, his hearing was surely far sharper than ordinary people’s. There was no way he hadn’t heard Doudou’s muttering.
He simply couldn’t be bothered to deal with the little girl.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Youyou looked toward He San and asked, “Master He San, I’ve learned some cooking before. My roasted meat should at least be edible. If you don’t mind, let me do it instead?”
The usually taciturn He San lifted his head.
Within his indifferent eyes reflected the cautious little girl before him.
After a brief pause, he nodded lightly.
“Mm.”
Upon hearing his master agree, the guard immediately stepped aside and gave up his position to Miss Lin.
Lin Youyou did not stand on ceremony. Taking the meat from the guard, she called over her shoulder to Madam Xu without even turning around.
“Mother, please help me fetch the dark blue bundle from the carriage.”
“Alright.”
Madam Xu, who had been sitting awkwardly to the side unsure how to join the conversation, immediately agreed. She even secretly let out a small breath of relief before quickly leaving.
Soon she returned carrying a dark blue bundle and handed it to Lin Youyou.
Opening it, everyone saw that it contained various bottles and jars.
All the containers were tightly sealed, and each was wrapped in cloth, which was why they hadn’t made noise or broken during the journey.
Lin Youyou opened them one by one while occasionally turning the meat over the fire. She used a small knife to score the skin of the rabbit and pheasant before brushing on sauces and sprinkling seasonings from the jars.
Slowly, the aroma of roasting meat mixed with rich seasonings spread through the forest.
Several scents blended together perfectly, making everyone unconsciously swallow their saliva.
The fragrance was absolutely incredible.
Just smelling it was enough to know the meat would taste amazing. Looking at the beautifully glistening rabbit and pheasant roasting over the fire, one glance alone was enough to make people want to bite into it immediately.
Surely the outside would be crisp while the inside remained juicy, tender, and fragrant.
Unfortunately, they clearly did not have the good fortune to eat it. At best, they could only enjoy the smell and satisfy their cravings that way.
Little Doudou, who had already been sitting close to Lin Youyou, now pressed even nearer. Her large eyes stared fixedly at the meat without blinking.
If not for her powerful self-control, she would probably already be drooling.
Her tiny hands twitched restlessly.
“Sister, this smells way better than any meat I’ve eaten before. When can we eat it?”
“Just a little longer,” Lin Youyou replied without stopping her work.
She was applying the final layer of honey. The moment the honey coated the meat, its glossy surface became even more beautiful and tempting.
Taking advantage of the time, Lin Youyou also opened the bundle of dry rations Madam Xu had brought and placed several flatbreads over the fire to warm.
After a while longer, the meat was finally ready.
A guard brought over plates, and Lin Youyou skillfully used a specialized knife to slice the rabbit and pheasant into neat pieces.
The smooth precision of her movements made everyone watching glance at her in surprise.
Her cooking skills were far beyond merely “acceptable.”
Just looking at her clean and efficient knife work, and then at how quickly the rabbit and pheasant had been stripped down to bare bones, everyone simultaneously arrived at the same thought:
If this girl ever decided to kill someone and dismember the body, she would definitely be a professional.
“Mother, bring our pot over here.”
Without even lifting her head, Lin Youyou chopped the bones into pieces with a few quick strikes before adding, “Master He San, could you trouble your guards to fetch some clean water?”
Soon the pot arrived.
Water went into the pot, followed by the chopped bones.
Lin Youyou set the plate of meat on the table nearby, then carried over the warmed flatbreads and smiled at Doudou, who had already followed the aroma over, as well as He San, who was already seated at the table.
“Alright, have some bread and meat first. Once the soup is done, drink a little soup too. We’re out in the wilderness, so please make do with this.”
“Thank you, Miss Lin.”
He San did not refuse politely. He picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of meat into his mouth.
Seeing her father begin eating, Doudou immediately stopped restraining herself and hurriedly grabbed her chopsticks as well.
Her little stomach had already been growling from hunger. The aroma had tempted her so badly she could barely sit still.
The fact that she had managed to wait until after He San took the first bite before eating herself was already proof of the etiquette drilled deep into her bones.
The moment the meat entered her mouth, Doudou’s eyes narrowed happily. She hunched her shoulders and nearly shook her little head in delight.
Delicious.
How could it possibly be this delicious?
The exterior was crispy while the inside remained tender and juicy. The meat was soft and flavorful without being dry at all. Though the seasonings were fragrant, they didn’t overwhelm the meat’s natural flavor—instead, they enhanced its freshness perfectly.
“So good! So, so good!”
Doudou had absolutely no idea how to describe her feelings.
It was all because she never studied properly. Now she could only use the words “so good” to express herself.
Smiling, Lin Youyou picked up a piece of meat for her mother.
“Mother, you should eat too. Tell me how my cooking tastes.”
Looking at the meat placed into her bowl, Madam Xu’s expression became extremely complicated.
She lifted it slowly and took a bite.
After chewing only twice, her eyes widened slightly.
She had to admit—
The meat truly was delicious.
The texture was incredible, far better than anything she had eaten before.
Madam Xu lowered her head and quietly continued eating, hiding all the emotions in her eyes.
Although they had spent the past several days rushing along the road, she had also been carefully observing the Lin Youyou before her.