Su Qinglan hummed softly as she carried the basin of meat toward the river. Hu Yan followed her with steady steps, silent as always.
She crouched down by the water and dipped the pieces of meat one by one, scrubbing them carefully with her hands until the blood washed away. The cold river water stung her skin, but she didn't mind. She wanted her food clean.
Hu Yan stood behind her watching with crossed arms. His golden eyes didn't blink once, as if he was trying to figure out why she was wasting time.
"Meat must be washed," Su Qinglan explained, more to herself than to him. "If you don't wash it, it smells bad."
Hu Yan tilted his head. For a moment he didn't move. But then, without a word, he crouched down beside her. He picked up a chunk of meat and dunked it in the river. His movements were clumsy at first. He rubbed the meat too hard, splashing water everywhere, then frowned when it slipped out of his hand.
Su Qinglan bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
