The Primitive Adventures of a Chipmunk 55

Chapter 55

“Cough cough, cough—”

Hua Shi’an had caught a cold. The sheepskin was too small, covering his head but not his feet. He woke up to find his legs had lost all feeling, and his two feet were as if they had been taken out of a refrigerator, both cold and numb.

His back and chest were tightly wrapped in the soft sheepskin. The furry side was against his skin, which was still warm. So Hua Shi’an didn’t think much of it at first, until he sat up from the bed and a sudden itch in his throat made him cough until he was dizzy.

His throat was itchy, his chest was tight, and his head was groggy. If it wasn’t an accident, then it was an accident. He must have caught a cold. Fortunately, the symptoms were relatively mild. Hua Shi’an coughed for a while and sat on the edge of the bed to slowly recover.

Without a phone or a clock, he was not limited by time, but it was also difficult to know the exact time. He draped the sheepskin over himself and squeezed out of the tree hollow. Hua Shi’an looked up at the gloomy sky. Based on the temperature and his own sleep duration, he estimated that it was now noon.

He hadn’t been able to eat the konjac tofu last night. It was too late. After boiling it three times, it was already the middle of the night. In the end, Hua Shi’an was so sleepy he couldn’t even open his eyes. He went back to the tree hollow, closed his eyes, and slept like a log.

The beastman hadn’t come over for a meal today either. It was unclear whether he hadn’t woken up or didn’t want to disturb Hua Shi’an’s sweet dreams. Judging by the beastman’s living habits, it was probably the latter.

His stomach was growling. After washing his face and brushing his teeth and cleaning himself up, Hua Shi’an walked to the large stone pot, moved aside the back basket that was blocking the wind, and lifted the coir sheet that was covering the dust.

After being boiled in plant ash water once and in clear water twice, and then soaked in cold water overnight, the konjac tofu in the stone pot had turned a grayish-brown. The pieces were distinct, the texture was lustrous, and it was Q.Q and springy.

Except for the slightly darker color and the not-so-smooth surface, it was not much different from the konjac tofu Hua Shi’an had seen before.

The quantity was a bit large. A full pot, and if two people were to eat it every day for every meal, it would probably take three to five days to finish.

This thing wasn’t meant to be eaten every meal. Besides, konjac was also a tribe asset. How could he eat it all by himself? Hua Shi’an rested his chin on his hand and thought for a moment, then immediately decided to cook this pot of konjac and share it with the tribe members.

How to cook it was a question. It was fine to stir-fry it plain, but to go around knocking on tree hollows with a plate and asking people to take a chopstickful? Hiss, that was too shabby.

His peripheral vision inadvertently swept over the distant camp. A few bundles of faded bamboo came into view. Hua Shi’an’s eyes lit up, and an idea immediately came to his mind.

Barbecue, thick-cut konjac tofu, skewered and roasted!

He would do it as soon as he thought of it. Thinking of the taste of the barbecue, Hua Shi’an’s legs were no longer cold, and his head was no longer dizzy. He picked up a stone knife and hurried to the camp.

One skewer of konjac, two bamboo skewers. For more than fifty people, that would be more than a hundred bamboo skewers. The workload was a bit large. Hua Shi’an’s knife rose and fell, splitting the bamboo in half, but his eyes kept glancing in the direction of the beastman’s tree hollow.

“Lord Priest!”

Mo Huaishan hadn’t come, but others had come first. The green bamboo in his hand had turned into bamboo strips, and a loud shout suddenly came from behind. Hua Shi’an turned his head to see Yan Zhile running towards him with a back basket, followed by Hong Yong and Chang Yueyue.

Seeing Hua Shi’an was like a hungry wolf seeing meat. Yan Zhile’s legs were a blur as he quickly rushed in front of Hua Shi’an and was about to throw himself at him.

It had only been a few days, but it felt like years. Hua Shi’an smiled and dropped the bamboo strips, opening his arms to welcome the sub-beastman’s enthusiasm.

But just as his hands were less than an inch away from him and he was about to wrap his arms around his neck, a strange smell drifted past his nose. Hua Shi’an’s gaze darkened, and he immediately reached out to hold Yan Zhile’s chest, preventing him from getting close.

“Calm down, don’t touch me. Stand still.”

“What’s wrong? I haven’t seen you in a few days. I miss you so much, Lord Priest.” Yan Zhile was relentless and kept trying to get closer.

One beastman and two sub-beastmen, all with back baskets. It was obvious what they had just been doing.

Hua Shi’an held his chest and pushed him away, quickly taking two steps back to create some distance, his face filled with disgust. “You just finished cleaning the sheep and rabbit hollows, right? You’re rushing at me with that smell. Can’t you smell it yourself?”

“What smell?” Yan Zhile didn’t react until he lifted his hands and sniffed. His smiling face instantly turned into a frown. “Oh my, I got sheep droppings on my hands! It stinks.”

Hua Shi’an fanned the air. “Go and wash it quickly.”

“Oh, oh, okay.”

Yan Zhile dropped his back basket and hurried to the river. At the same time, Hong Yong, who was carrying a back basket, and Chang Yueyue, who was draped in an animal skin, also walked to the camp and stopped in front of Hua Shi’an.

“Lord Priest.” Chang Yueyue was as taciturn as ever. She nodded and greeted Hua Shi’an, without another word.

Hong Yong was surprisingly enthusiastic. He came up and picked up the bamboo strips that Hua Shi’an had dropped on the ground, and at the same time, took the stone knife from his hand and said with a smile, “What are you preparing to make, Lord Priest? Do you need bamboo strips or bamboo skin? I’ll help you split them.”

He just needed some help, and free labor had come to his door.

It would seem too eager to agree directly. Hua Shi’an coughed lightly and said politely, “No need. You guys just finished your work. You should hurry back to your tree hollows and warm up. It’s quite cold.”

“It’s not cold. I’m warm from working,” Hong Yong deliberately lifted his hair to show Hua Shi’an the sweat on his forehead. “See, the sweat hasn’t even dried yet. It’s really not cold at all. Don’t be polite, Lord Priest. I’m fast at work. I’ll be done in a jiffy.”

Hua Shi’an smiled. “You really can’t do this job quickly. I need bamboo skewers, very, very thin, as thin as grass roots. Yesterday, Huaishan and I made some konjac tofu. I’m planning to—”

“Konjac tofu? The konjac tubers we dug up before have been made into food? Where is it? Is it delicious?” Yan Zhile ran back, his eyes shining at the mention of food.

It couldn’t be explained in a few words. Hua Shi’an waved to the three of them. “It’s at the foot of my tree. Let’s go. Those who are interested can come and see with me.”

“I want to see, I want to see.”

“Let’s go, let’s go!”

No one could resist the temptation of something new. The three of them ran faster than anyone else, leaving Hua Shi’an far behind.

They rushed to the foot of the crooked-necked tree, but they didn’t know where Hua Shi’an’s konjac tofu was. The three of them anxiously walked in circles, looking left and right, but not at the stone pot.

Amused by the three “little ants” walking in circles, Hua Shi’an quickly walked over and pointed to the very conspicuous stone pot. “Why don’t you look in the pot? It’s food and drink. Would I just throw it on the ground?”

“Huh?”

Standing right in front of the stone pot, Yan Zhile leaned in and looked at the grayish, blackish lumps in the stone pot, exclaiming in surprise, “This, this is konjac? I just glanced at it and thought it was a stone!”

“Who would soak a stone in a pot?” Hua Shi’an complained.

Having dug up konjac with her own hands, Chang Yueyue naturally knew what konjac looked like.

She squatted in front of the stone pot and looked at the konjac tofu soaking in the water, her eyes filled with doubt. “Lord Priest, how, how did the konjac become like this? Shouldn’t it be hard? Why does it look so light and soft? The color and shape have all changed.”

The two sub-beastmen were just looking, but Hong Yong directly reached into the pot and scooped up a piece of konjac, squeezing it a few times. “It doesn’t just look soft, it’s really soft! It’s a strange feeling, soft and slippery, like a fish!”

“Let me touch it, let me touch it.”

“It’s really soft, so nice to touch.”

A few hands reached into the stone pot, squeezing and touching, playing with the konjac tofu like water babies.

Hua Shi’an couldn’t stand it anymore. He coughed lightly into his fist and stopped them in time. “That’s enough. Don’t play with it. That’s something that’s going to be eaten. Don’t get it dirty.”

With that, Hua Shi’an explained to them again, briefly describing the method of making konjac tofu.

After hearing it, Yan Zhile was amazed. He rushed forward in three big steps, grabbed Hua Shi’an’s arm, and shook it left and right, muttering coquettishly, “Lord Priest~ I don’t understand just by listening. Next time you make something good, you have to call me. I want to learn, I really want to learn.”

“Count me in. I want to learn too,” Chang Yueyue chimed in.

Hua Shi’an was very gratified and chuckled softly. “It’s a rare time to rest. It would be so comfortable to stay in the tree hollow. Do you really want to follow me and freeze outside?”

Yan Zhile’s face showed hesitation, but Chang Yueyue’s gaze became more and more firm. “Winter comes every year. We can rest in the future. If we learn more from you, Lord Priest, the winters in the future will be even better.”

“That’s right.” Yan Zhile was convinced by Chang Yueyue. He stuck out his neck and said with a grin, “Besides, you’re not stupid, Lord Priest. You’ll definitely choose a warmer day to work. I’m not afraid!”

That was true. Hua Shi’an nodded in agreement and then gestured to the crowd with his chin. “So what now? Go back to the tree hollow to rest, or follow me to roast konjac?”

“Roast konjac!”

The three of them said in unison, without hesitation.

With three helpers, roasting konjac suddenly became much simpler.

Hua Shi’an had the three of them go to the camp to sharpen bamboo skewers, while he stayed at the foot of the tree to cut the konjac tofu. By the time the konjac was almost cut, the bamboo skewers were also almost sharpened. He then called the two sub-beastmen back to help, skewering the thick-cut konjac tofu one by one and then scoring them diagonally.

There was no grill or rack. Roasting them one by one was too slow and troublesome. Hua Shi’an hesitated for a moment and had the beastmen help him move a large, flat, and smooth stone slab from the riverbank, deciding to pan-fry them.

He added firewood to start a fire, and the cleaned stone slab was placed on the small stove to heat up. When the temperature rose and the moisture had evaporated, Hua Shi’an scooped a dollop of sheep fat from a bamboo tube and, before it could be melted by the high heat, quickly and evenly spread it on the stone slab.

The temperature gradually rose, and the sheep fat quickly melted. The skewered konjac tofu was placed on the glistening stone slab. The smoke rose, and the “sizzling” sound lingered for a long time.

The taste of konjac tofu itself was very bland. It would taste like whatever seasoning was added.

Hua Shi’an showed the sub-beastmen how to do it, then left the konjac tofu for them to pan-fry. He himself went back to the tree hollow to get the chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and salt that he had ground a while ago, and also took a few tree tomatoes.

He roasted the tree tomatoes in the fire. After they were soft, he peeled them, put them in a clam shell bowl, and mashed them. He then added chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and salt, and stirred them evenly.

Considering that some people couldn’t eat spicy food, Hua Shi’an also made a bowl without chili peppers.

The konjac tofu had been boiled three times and was already cooked. He roasted it until both sides were whitish and slightly charred. Hua Shi’an used a coir sheet to dip the seasoning and evenly spread it on both sides of the konjac tofu.

He had scored it in advance, so the sauce penetrated the konjac through the cracks. After being seared on the hot stone slab for a while, the konjac tofu, which had almost no smell, burst out with a tempting and rich fragrance.

He had only roasted five skewers on his first try. He had wanted to put them in a bamboo tube, but when he saw Yan Zhile sniffing vigorously and Hong Yong swallowing his saliva, Hua Shi’an shook his head helplessly and put the konjac skewers he had just picked up back on the stone slab. “Eat, eat. Let’s have a taste first.”

“Yay!”

“Thank you, Lord Priest.”

The fragrance was truly tempting. No one would be polite at this time. They each took a skewer, blew on it a couple of times, and then impatiently put it in their mouths.

And with that one small bite, a thunderous cry of alarm erupted again.

“Heavens, it’s so delicious! This konjac tofu doesn’t look like much, but it’s so soft and tender, and slippery. With the seasoning that the Lord Priest made, it’s really amazing!” Yan Zhile praised it endlessly and then started to eat in large mouthfuls again.

Chang Yueyue couldn’t eat spicy food very well. She was hissing from the spiciness, but she still took the time to praise it. “It’s really delicious, a very special texture. It’s just, it’s just a little spicy.”

Hong Yong didn’t say anything, but the bare bamboo skewer in his hand already said it all.

Is it really that delicious? Hua Shi’an looked at the three people who were eating like wolves and tigers, lifted the konjac tofu to his lips, and took a small bite.

The timing was just right. Although it had been boiled three times and then pan-fried once, the konjac tofu was not old at all. It was smooth, soft, and tender, and could slide down your throat without chewing.

The seasonings were fully integrated with the konjac. It was very flavorful, numbing, spicy, fresh, and salty, with the sourness of the tree tomato and a faint, fruity fragrance. It was even more delicious than expected, and very appetizing.

He had unknowingly finished one skewer. Hua Shi’an licked his lips, not quite satisfied, and looked up to see three people staring at the stone slab with greedy eyes.

There was still one skewer left on the stone slab. It would get cold if it was left there for a while.

The way they were craving the food was really amusing. Hua Shi’an waved his hand. “If you want to eat it, then share it. But let me say this first, it’s the last one. After you finish it, we’ll pan-fry some for the others first. There’s more than enough konjac tofu. We can eat more later.”

“Okay!”

The three of them replied in unison.

After devouring the konjac, the pan-frying stall became busy again.

The smoky smell of the fragrance had been drifting for a long time. A few more bundles of dry wood were added, and more and more konjac tofu skewers were served, placed in clam shells and packed in bamboo tubes.

In the end, two people were pan-frying, and two were delivering. They were busy until the sky gradually darkened. Finally, everyone in the tribe had tasted the delicious, numbing, spicy, and fresh konjac skewers.

Oh, with one exception.

Hua Shi’an’s estimation was very accurate. After distributing them to the tribe members, there were still a lot of konjac skewers left. Having worked hard without any credit, Hua Shi’an gave each of the three of them five skewers and kept twelve for himself.

The konjac tofu was made by Hua Shi’an and Mo Huaishan. No one would have any objection to this. They were all tired after a day of hard work. The three of them took their konjac skewers and happily left, going back to their own tree hollows to savor them slowly.

He didn’t even have time to wash the stone slab. While the konjac was still hot, Hua Shi’an stood up with two bamboo tubes and, under the gradually darkening sky, walked towards the tree hollow furthest from the camp.