Chapter 837: Lingering Scents
"It smells incredible..."
Murong Jieyu stirred from her makeshift bed resting high upon a thick tree branch, her senses ensnared by a strange, captivating aroma. The rich, savory scent of roasting meat drifted through the crisp morning air, intertwined with a faint, elegant floral fragrance. The combination was intoxicating, instantly making her mouth water and her appetite surge.
"Awake? Come down and have lunch."
A clear, masculine voice broke through the rustling leaves. Jieyu snapped her eyes open. Peering down through the foliage, she saw Shen Anyu standing beneath the canopy, a relaxed smile on his face as he tended to a small fire. A makeshift barbecue stand rested over the coals, holding several skewers of meat.
Gazing at his handsome, upturned face, a sudden flush of heat crept across Jieyu's dignified features. Her usual poised demeanor faltered, replaced by a lingering, unnatural stiffness.
After fleeing the wooden cabin late last night, she had sought refuge in the sprawling branches of this ancient tree, sitting cross-legged to meditate and sleep. Given her strength at the peak of the Grandmaster realm, balancing on a branch was as effortless as lying on a feather bed.
But her peace had been short-lived. Not long after she settled in, strange, muffled noises began drifting from the cabin below. She might never have shared a bed with a man, but she wasn't entirely ignorant of the world; she knew exactly what those breathless cries and rhythmic thuds meant. Jieyu had squeezed her eyes shut, her heart thrown into absolute turmoil. The relentless sounds had echoed into the late hours of the night, only quieting down long after midnight. She had finally managed to drift off, only to wake up with the sun already high in the sky.
'Second Senior Sister and Fifth Junior Sister... they are entirely too bold!' Jieyu sighed inwardly, smoothing her robes before gracefully floating down to the forest floor like a falling leaf.
"Mr. Shen, did you make this grilled fish?"
She approached the roasting stand, her eyes widening slightly. The fish glistened with a perfect layer of oil, looking crisp rather than greasy, radiating that mouthwatering blend of savory meat and crushed flowers. Up close, the scent clawed at her restraint. She cast a strange, assessing look at the man beside the fire.
In her eyes, Shen Anyu was the First Young Master of Yanxia's Shen Clan, a scion of the absolute highest aristocratic pedigree. His martial strength was terrifyingly deep. How could a man of his status know how to cook a fish to such perfection?
And more, where in the world did he get a metal barbecue stand and a collection of fine seasonings out here in the wilderness?
Seeing the myriad of questions swimming in her beautiful eyes, Anyu ignored the logistics and merely offered a slow, teasing smile. "Still calling me Mr. Shen? Isn't that a bit too distant?"
If not Mr. Shen, then what?
Was she supposed to follow Liu Ruyan and Zhong Lingyin's shameless example and call him 'Husband'or'Brother Shen'?
Jieyu lightly bit her lower lip, genuine hesitation flickering across her face. Under his warm, unwavering gaze, her defenses finally softened. "Then... I'll just call you Anyu."
He chuckled softly. He knew that after the awkwardness of last night's proximity, she was still heavily guarded. They had only known each other for a single day, after all. But these things simply took time. Breaking down the formal boundaries of how they addressed each other was always the first step.
"I woke up early and caught a few fish from the stream. As for the stand and the spices..." Anyu held her curious gaze, casually raising his hand. With a subtle flash of light, a small glass bottle of cumin powder materialized out of thin air. He calmly sprinkled it over the sizzling fish.
Jieyu's eyes went perfectly round, her red lips parting in sheer disbelief. He had just conjured physical objects from the void.
"A Storage Ring. A spatial treasure used by Cultivators," Anyu explained smoothly, thoroughly enjoying the rare, stunned expression breaking her usually composed facade.
"To think such a legendary artifact actually exists... it is simply incredible." It took Jieyu a long moment to process the revelation. When she looked at him again, her gaze carried a new, complicated weight. This man was shrouded in far too many mysteries, casually wielding treasures out of ancient myths.
"Here. Eat." Anyu picked up a wooden skewer and handed it to her.
Jieyu murmured a quiet thanks. Taking the skewer, she parted her lips and took a small, tentative bite.
An explosion of flavor instantly flooded her senses. The skin was perfectly crisped, the white meat beneath tender and completely devoid of any muddy river taste. A subtle, lingering sweetness danced across her tongue, elevating the savory spices. A deep sense of culinary bliss washed over her, and her eyes naturally curved into contented crescents.
"Anyu, this is... this is too delicious!" She swallowed, staring at him in genuine shock.
She frequently ventured deep into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs and often had to roast her own meals over open flames. But compared to his craftsmanship, her cooking was practically inedible. She was a woman from an ordinary background, while he was a young master raised in unimaginable luxury. The contrast made no sense.
"It's nothing special." Anyu turned the remaining skewers over the coals. "I added a secret blend of crushed flower petals. It neutralizes the fishy odor and brings out the natural sweetness of the meat."
He possessed a vast array of skills, and master-level culinary arts was merely one of the extraordinary abilities he kept in his back pocket. He rarely used it, usually only cooking when he wanted to satisfy a specific craving or reward himself. The First Young Master was generally far too lazy to play chef.
"It is very special..." Jieyu took another eager bite, her eyes sparkling with delight. The warmth of the food seemed to seep straight into her chest.
[Ding! Detected that the Destined Heroine Murong Jieyu's favorability has increased by 1. Plundering +3,000 Destiny Value!]
The corners of Anyu's lips curved upward. "Take your time eating. I'll go wake Ruyan and Lingyin."
Dusting off his hands, he turned and strolled toward the wooden cabin, leaving Jieyu happily working on her meal.
He pushed open the heavy wooden door, stepping into the dim interior.
Liu Ruyan lay sprawled across the wooden bed, her eyes squeezed shut, her breathing slow and even. She looked entirely asleep. But Anyu's sharp senses caught the minute, frantic flutter of her eyelashes the second the door creaked open, accompanied by a sudden spike in her heart rate.
'Playing dead?' Amusement flashed in his dark eyes. Without a word of warning, he stepped forward and climbed directly onto the mattress.
"Shen Anyu! You—what are you trying to do?!" Sensing the immediate shift in the mattress, Ruyan abandoned her act. She snapped her charming eyes open and scrambled backward toward the corner of the bed, a chaotic tangle of pale limbs and tangled sheets.
It was broad daylight!
Was this beast actually planning to do that in the middle of the day? Third Senior Sister was sitting right outside the door!
Anyu paused, taking a moment to admire the disheveled, peerlessly enchanting mature woman cowering against the wall. He offered a slow, predatory smile. "Nothing at all. I just noticed that your lip color looks exceptionally pretty today."
"Really?" Ruyan's guard dropped slightly, her natural vanity taking over. She lifted her chin, a hint of smug pride coloring her tone. "It isn't rouge. It's completely natural. I was simply born beautiful."
But as she spoke, she noticed the temperature in Anyu's gaze rising dangerously. A deep blush stained her cheeks. After a brief, internal struggle, she tilted her fair face upward, deliberately pouting those rosy lips.
"If you want a taste, then come taste it. Don't think I don't know you're dying to kiss me."
Anyu raised an eyebrow. The woman who was usually a contradictory mess of timid submission and playful teasing was suddenly acting brave? He caught the mischievous, challenging glint swirling in her long, fox-like eyes.
Ah. She hadn't rinsed her mouth yet this morning. And considering exactly what those lips had been occupied with late into the night... she was trying to gross him out.
"Where did Lingyin go?" Anyu asked, ignoring the bait entirely.
Ruyan let out a soft hum of disappointment. "Lingyin went down to the pond further in the woods. She said she felt sticky."
"Are you really not going to kiss me? You're already tired of me, aren't you? You get exactly what you want, and then you throw me aside. How cruel..." Seeing him stall, Ruyan pressed her advantage, putting on a flawless, heartbroken pout.
This woman truly never learned when to stop playing with fire.
Anyu narrowed his eyes, a dangerous, heavy darkness settling over his features.
"Alright, alright! If you don't want to, you don't have to!" Sensing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, the predator's aura locking onto her, Ruyan panicked and tried to shrink further into the corner.
"Heh. Too late."
"Ah! Wait, Jieyu is right outside! You can't!"
"She was right outside last night, too."
"But—but it's broad daylight now! Please!"
"What does the sun have to do with anything? I don't care."
I care! Ruyan screamed internally, her resistance melting into breathless whimpers. It's over. How am I ever going to look Jieyu in the eye again?
An hour later, the cabin door finally creaked open.
Anyu stepped out into the clearing, looking entirely refreshed. Behind him trailed a thoroughly thoroughly flushed Liu Ruyan, her head bowed, radiating the timid, exhausted energy of a newlywed wife.
They were immediately met with the complicated, burning stares of both Murong Jieyu and Zhong Lingyin, who had returned from the pond.
Ruyan felt her face burning so hot she wanted to claw a hole in the dirt and bury herself alive. Forcing a stiff, agonizingly awkward smile, she waved a trembling hand. "Jieyu, Lingyin... good morning."
"Good morning? Senior Sister, the sun is past its peak. It is well into the afternoon," Lingyin replied smoothly. Her tone was polite, but a dark, unmistakable flash of jealousy burned in her eyes. You kept him all to yourself during the day, didn't you?
Jieyu's pretty face was dusted with a heavy layer of pink. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the grass, refusing to look up.
Anyu completely ignored the silent, swirling undercurrents of tension between the three women. He casually finished the last of his food, wiped his hands, and gestured toward the dense tree line.
"Let's move. Baiwu Mountain Valley is only a thousand meters away."
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