Like many wild greens, cat’s claw must be blanched to remove bitterness before cooking.

With a few sharp chops, Yan Qi sliced a handful of garlic cloves to stir-fry with the cat’s claw later.

Huo Ling said this stir-fried pork slices was delicious too, but on the mountain, pork couldn’t be brought up unless it was snowing, allowing it to be frozen directly in the snow. Substituting rabbit or hazel grouse meat just didn’t have the same flavor.

So for now, they would eat it stir-fried. As for meat dishes, there was also a large fish.

One hour earlier.

The large fish wasn’t caught from the pool beneath the waterfall. That pool was deeper than imagined. They hadn’t brought fishing nets into the mountains, so catching fish meant jumping in. Huo Ling tested the depth, making Yan Qi’s eyelids twitch with worry. He couldn’t bear to let him go in.

Huo Ling didn’t insist. He headed to a stream halfway along the path, whittled a sharp twig, and used it to spear fish.

Spearing fish required skill. The best moment was when a fish swam into a crevice between rocks. Otherwise, human hands could never match the speed of fish in water.

Fortunately, he had the dog to help. Dager searched along the shore for fish, barking twice at Huo Ling whenever he found one.

Meanwhile, Huang Yae kept watch over Yan Qi on the opposite bank. The dog seemed a bit restless, wanting to join the fun, but since Yan Qi remained still, it stayed put.

“Good dog.”

Yan Qi stroked its back, watching not far away as Huo Ling, bare-chested with his pants rolled up to his knees, thrust a branch in and out of the water.

He looked dashing and powerful.

Occasionally, Dager would lunge at the water’s surface, sending splashes flying. As Huo Ling laughed aloud, Yan Qi’s lips also curved upward.

“There are some ribbon flowers right here. Let’s weave two flower wreaths while we wait for them to return.”

After a moment, Yan Qi withdrew his gaze and whispered to Huang Yae.

He had chosen this spot precisely because of the nearby ribbon flower bushes. After selecting a few, he cut several sufficiently long stems with his pocket knife. He brushed the tip against Huang Yae’s nose, making the yellow dog sneeze, then sat down to weave the wreath.

Ribbon flower blooms for a long time. And when cut, they could last five or six days in water before wilting. Their long, supple stems made them easy to weave into wreaths—a skill nearly everyone in the countryside possessed.

Yan Qi plucked nearby grasses and small white and yellow wildflowers, weaving them into the wreath bit by bit. At the end, he tucked the stems under and tied a knot, securing it with wild grass. As long as it wasn’t pulled hard, it wouldn’t come apart.

“Come here, little one. I’ll put it on you.”

Yan Qi first wove a small wreath and placed it atop Huang Yuer’s head, the two ears fitting snugly inside.

“It looks lovely. Don’t shake it off.”

Huang Yuer had been running until he was hot, panting with his tongue hanging out, but now he looked as if he were grinning from ear to ear.

The flowers on the wreath trembled with each movement, giving it a lively, animated quality.

Yan Qi was overjoyed, cupping his face and rubbing it gently.

“Now I’ll make one for your big brother.”

He muttered to himself, picking up another branch of flowers.

Dager had a larger head, so he wove it slightly looser to ensure it would fit properly.

The last two branches were clearly meant for someone else. Though Yan Qi couldn’t picture Huo Ling wearing a flower wreath, he wove them with great care.

Thinking a man wearing red flowers might look odd, he wove in extra green leaves and found a few pampas grass stalks, leaving the fuzzy ends exposed. At first glance, it looked quite unique.

Huo Ling had fair skin; no matter how he was dressed, he wouldn’t look bad.

Lost in these thoughts, she couldn’t help but imagine him.

“Woof.”

Yan Qi was so absorbed in his work that he hadn’t noticed Huo Ling and Dager had already started walking back. It was Huang Yae who nudged his arm to alert him.

“What are you doing?”

Huo Ling approached barefoot, water droplets clinging to his body, seemingly unaffected by the cold.

He held a fish in each hand, each as long as his forearm. Dager had one clamped between his teeth, a fish tail dangling from the corner of his mouth. The fish was still alive, its tail flicking up and down.

Huo Ling looked down, saw what Yan Qi was working on, and suddenly broke into a smile. “How did you manage to weave so many?”

His eyes crinkled with amusement when he glanced at Huang Yae.

“Xiao Yae has one too.”

“We all have them.”

Yan Qi smiled faintly, stood up, and brushed the dirt and grass leaves off his clothes. He placed Dager’s garland on its head, then picked up the other two. With a hint of hesitation, he asked Huo Ling, “Will you wear one?”

“You worked so hard to weave them. Why wouldn’t I?”

Huo Ling accepted without a word, pressing it firmly onto his head without even bothering to put on his clothes.

Yan Qi lowered his head slightly, letting Huo Ling fasten the last one atop his hair.

It was a pity the brocade flowers had no scent; otherwise, they might have attracted butterflies now.

Dager and Xiao Yae curiously sniffed each other, but for now, they were both well-behaved and didn’t shake off the flower wreaths.

Only Huang Yae tilted his head, puzzled why the two masters were so close together again, ignoring even the fish flopping on the grass beside them.

The ger rubbed his lips with his fingers and gently nudged Huo Ling, urging him to hurry and get dressed.

Then, to prevent the man from making a sudden move, he quickly bent down to pick up a fish from the ground, his hand sinking slightly under its weight.

“Pretty hefty. What kind of fish is this?”

Fish from beyond the wall were rarely seen within the pass, as the waters here were cold. Even when the ice shell grew thick in winter, the fish beneath thrived.

Yan Qi had tasted them several times and found them entirely different from the river fish back home. Not only did they lack any muddy taste, but their flesh was exceptionally tender and sweet.

But the varieties were too numerous—beyond the common names like “three-spotted,” “five-spotted,” and “eighteen-spotted,” there were countless others of varying sizes. He simply couldn’t keep track of them all.

“This one’s called a willow root fish. The ones in the mountains go untouched, so they grow huge. Down there, most are just a hand’s length.”

Huo Ling’s smile remained as he slipped on his clothes, then lifted the fish for Yan Qi to examine closely. “It’s spawning season now. They’ve stored up plenty of fat—this is when they’re at their most succulent.”

“We’ll cook them up when we get back, though two might be too much for us alone.”

He weighed them in his hands. The slightly larger one felt like it must be over three pounds.

“We’ll eat one, and steam the other for them.”

Yan Qi nodded, returning the fish to Huo Ling before crouching down to examine the larger one.

“Dager, what did you catch?”

He pointed to the ground, motioning for Dager to spit out the fish in his mouth. Only upon landing did they see there were two, much smaller than the willow root fish, with round bodies and silvery scales.

Huo Ling glanced at them and said, “These are called huluo. They only grow this big. They’re best fried in oil. We didn’t bring a fish trap this time, so catching them was a hassle. Next time, we’ll sink a trap in the stream by our house. We could catch seven or eight in a single night.”

But Dager only caught it for fun. He doesn’t eat raw fish. After tossing it on the ground, Huang Yae came over to sniff it. Back when he was a stray dog, he’d been starved and would eat anything. Huo Ling feared the fish bones might get stuck in his throat, so he didn’t give it to him and tossed it back into the water instead.

“Dager, back off. Fish blood’ll splash all over you, and then you’ll need another bath.”

Huo Ling cleaned the fish in the courtyard, with Dager and Huang Yae flanking him. Huang Yae stood a bit too close, prompting Dager to step forward and nudge him back. This earned him Huo Ling’s disapproving look.

At the word “bath,” Dager shuddered and stopped picking fights.

Huo Ling sighed with a wry smile. “What are you squabbling with Huang Yae over? When your own pup arrives, you won’t start sulking then, will you?”

He’d once thought having more dogs meant more fun, but now realized it was hard not to favor one over another.

The gutted fish innards were tossed aside. Though the household had no chickens or ducks, they could be composted to fertilize the vegetable patch.

The seeds sown earlier had all sprouted, changing daily, filling the courtyard with lush greenery.

The fast-growing leafy greens were ready to be picked and eaten now, while the slower-growing ones would yield harvests over the next two months.

Compared to the loneliness of living alone before, it’s a complete transformation.

“How should we prepare this fish? Steamed or braised in sauce?”

Yan Qi, apron tied, had just scooped the blanched cat’s paw greens from the pot and set them aside to drain.

Huo Ling tossed the fish onto the cutting board. “Let me handle it. Fancy something spicy? I’ll whip up a spicy fish for you to try.”

Yan Qi usually handled the cooking at home. The ger preferred light flavors, and after eating so many wild greens lately, Huo Ling suddenly craved something with more punch today.

“I wasn’t thinking about it, but now you mention it, I’m craving it too.”

Spicy dishes went well with rice. Besides, when he said “spicy,” he meant the red chili peppers from beyond the frontier weren’t particularly fiery. Since Yan Qi had arrived, he often tossed one or two into the pot while cooking—they mostly added color and a bit more fragrance when fried.

So the two decided to steam another pot of plain rice.

In the mountains, besides working, their only other preoccupation was food. With just two mouths to feed, how much could they possibly eat?

Huo Ling always said that people toil their whole lives just to eat their fill. Beyond that, they should strive to eat well.

Yan Qi washed his hands again and asked Huo Ling how many dried chilies he needed. Two strings hung on the outer wall, enough to last a while. By the time they finished these, this year’s fresh chilies would be ripe.

“Quite a few. Grab a couple more handfuls. Do we still have any Sichuan peppercorns at home?”

“Yes, we do. We picked some earlier. There’s still half a jar left.”

The Sichuan peppercorns they used at home were wild. Picking one tree could last them a long time, but wild ones were scarce and hard to gather enough of. Otherwise, such spices would be worth a pretty penny.

Huo Ling first cleaned the large fish, slicing some scallions and ginger into thin strips. squeezed the mixture to coat the fish and remove any fishy odor. He then rubbed salt all over the fish inside and out, poured in a splash of wine and soy sauce, and added a pinch of sugar.

While marinating the fish, he found a small wicker basket and shook out all the seeds from the dried chilies.

Without seeds, the chili’s heat would be milder. Yan Qi claimed to tolerate spice, but in truth, even a slight increase in heat would leave his sniffling and teary-eyed.

He added more this time, but removing the seeds was still the safer bet.

Yan Qi rinsed rice nearby. After washing it, he lit another less-used stove to steam both the sorghum and the fish meat meant for the dog.

Though it was dog food, it was thoroughly cleaned. If it could be served on the table for people to eat, there was no reason it couldn’t be cooked together.

This stove is connected to the indoor heated bed, so it was perfect for stoking the fire. Even as the weather warmed, the heated bed couldn’t go unlit for long.

“I’m about to pour the oil. Stand behind me so it doesn’t splash you.”

Huo Ling declared they’d have a proper meal today, pouring oil into the wok with generous flair. Yan Qi watched, consoling himself that the leftover oil could still be used for stir-frying.

He then placed the fish in the pan first, frying it until the skin wrinkled and turned golden brown. The aroma quickly filled the air, but this was only the beginning.

After a while, Huo Ling expertly flipped the fish. Had someone inexperienced done this step, the skin would surely have stuck to the pan, turning into a soggy mess.

Once both sides were fried, about half a bowl of oil remained in the pan. Huo Ling picked up the plate holding dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, dumping the entire contents into the pan. After stir-frying them until fragrant, he scooped them out and placed them atop the fish. Finally, he ladled the hot oil and poured it over the fish in one swift motion.

The aroma instantly filled the air. To Yan Qi, this was a method he’d never witnessed before.

“Where did you learn this dish?”

He couldn’t help but ask Huo Ling.

Such a preparation was something ordinary households wouldn’t even splurge on for New Year’s.

“When the village chief’s son got married, they hired a chef from town who cooked fish this way. I was just a kid back then. I snuck into the kitchen to help out, and no one paid me any mind. I took the chance to pick up a few tricks.”

Truthfully, he hadn’t learned the whole thing. Skilled craftsmen always guard their techniques, and he’d only seen the surface. The rest he’d figured out through trial and error later. Whether it was authentic or not, the flavor was undeniably good.

By the time this dish was served, the rice was nearly done steaming. A simple stir-fry of cat’s paw greens would complete the meal.

A plate of water spinach soaked up nearly every last drop of oil from the wok. At the table, they dug into the spicy fish, while Dager and Huang Yae enjoyed the steamed fish outside.

A flick of the chopsticks sent garlic-clove-like flakes of fish falling off, allowing them to take big bites at once.

It must be said, oily dishes are simply more fragrant—something those bland, watery ones can’t compare to.

Since they placed the dishes directly on top of the rice while eating, by the end, every grain in their bowls glistened with oil. The subtle spiciness served as the perfect finishing touch. After finishing, a fine sheen of sweat broke out on their foreheads, leaving them utterly satisfied.