Chapter 58 Part 1

“What happened?” Chu Yi returned from outside carrying his hunt and noticed the off atmosphere in the camp, so he asked.

“Nothing much, these people just didn’t want to leave again.” Fu Chengmao explained somewhat irritably. He had originally thought that Chu Yi and Ouyang Yuyuan would cause them trouble, but Ouyang Yuyuan hadn’t complained or made a fuss the entire way and had even coaxed Cousin Huaiyan very well.

Chu Yi went without saying—he had provided them with the greatest help.

Fu Chengmao glanced sheepishly at the several wild ducks in Chu Yi’s hands. “You went hunting?”

The dry rations they brought weren’t enough, and he had considered sending someone out alone to hunt, but his team members had to watch the Program Group people to keep them from running off randomly. Besides, the swamp was full of poisonous snakes, venomous insects, and even poisonous tree leaves. They simply didn’t dare to go out hunting as openly as Chu Yi did.

Hadn’t Zhang Jue’s face only just fully deflated? The Program Group people were already enough of a headache for him. He would rather cut everyone’s rations than let his own team members take risks.

Moreover… if these people couldn’t fill their stomachs, they might not have the energy to cause trouble.

He thought this way, but seeing the meat Chu Yi carried, Fu Chengmao’s eyes still brightened.

Men naturally craved meat. The packaged meats they brought had been eaten up in the first couple of days, and yesterday and today they had eaten nothing but compressed biscuits. Their mouths were tasteless as bird droppings.

Even more enthusiastic than Fu Chengmao was Ouyang Yuyuan. “Hehe, Yi Ge, you worked hard. I’ll take these. Go roast by the fire over there. You worked hard, worked hard…”

Ouyang Yuyuan was stingy. Chu Yi had hunted a total of six wild ducks, so he kept two for their side and let Fu Chengmao take the rest to distribute.

Fu Chengmao was straightforward. He had someone boil two pots of water, chopped the cleaned ducks into small pieces, and threw them in to make two pots of hot soup. The seasonings were on hand—they knew they were coming to such a damp, muddy place, so salt and ginger were essentials. One team member had even brought a small bottle of baijiu. Fu Chengmao dumped it all in, treating it as sterilization and deodorizing.

Meanwhile, Chu Yi got to work roasting ducks with practiced ease.

“Yi Ge, you even brought spices and honey!”

Ouyang Yuyuan watched the ducks roasting and sizzling with oil. He already thought they were good enough, but then Chu Yi took out a small brush and layered honey onto them! The duck skin, soaked in honey and licked by the flames, gradually turned golden and shiny—more fragrant than any he’d seen in a big hotel!

“Is it done yet? Can we eat now?” Ouyang Yuyuan squatted eagerly by the fire pit, his eyes lit by the campfire, the pupils clearly reflecting two ducks.

Fu Huaiyan imitated him. Uncle Ping thought it looked bad and tried to pull him away, but he threw a tantrum.

Chu Yi had no choice but to stuff a duck wing into each of their hands, letting the two “kids” taste it first!

“Is it cooked?”

“It’s cooked!” Ouyang Yuyuan bit into the roasted duck wing and squinted in satisfaction. “The skin is crispy and fragrant, and the duck meat is so flavorful!”

“Sweet~~” Fu Huaiyan ate with oil dripping from his mouth. Uncle Ping chased after him with a wipe, but Fu Huaiyan turned his back on him in displeasure.

“Uncle Ping, come eat too.” Chu Yi had already taken down the two roasted ducks, sliced them quickly into thin pieces, and placed them on disposable tin foil plates.

Uncle Ping: “How could I…”

“No worries, I can’t finish two by myself. It’s better to eat together.” As Chu Yi spoke, he also called over the doctor, who hesitated to approach.

Uncle Ping and the doctor sat down then. Ouyang Yuyuan and Fu Huaiyan finished gnawing their wings and ran over to join them.

“Little Bro Chu’s roasting skills are really impressive. It’s been a long time since I’ve had roast duck with this kind of homey flavor.” Uncle Ping sighed as he ate.

The Fu Family had money and power. The ducks they bought were billed as naturally raised, and their roast duck used apple branches and pear wood, but it still felt like something was missing.

Ouyang Yuyuan grinned. “Maybe it’s the atmosphere.”

Hearing this, Uncle Ping actually gained a slightly better impression of Ouyang Yuyuan—not just because of the words, but because of his optimistic and cheerful personality… These past few days had been tough not just for the Program Group people; even this old guy felt the strain. Ouyang Yuyuan still had dried mud in his hair, but with good food, he forgot everything else.

In harsh conditions, facing people heavy with Resentment Qi and full of complaints, one’s mood would be affected too. That was how the Program Group people were—they had to stir up trouble now and then.

But facing a cheerful, lively, and contented young man was different. He could even find joy in hardship and experience a unique flavor…

A while later, Fu Chengmao took the opportunity of delivering duck soup to shamelessly snag half a roast duck. Though better than nothing, it would at least let his team members have a taste.

Only the Tarot Girl and the Program Group people were full of resentment. Why did their duck soup have to be shared with everyone, while Chu Yi’s roast duck wasn’t shared with them?