NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16 - Heavenly Rice
He felt eyes bore through his back. Intense concentration as he was busy cooking the meal. It felt terrible. Did his mother feel like this when cooking? Or was it a him problem mixed in with a Hu Jun can body slam him probably problem?
Yin Hu didn't like having his back to anyone he learned.
An urgent desire to run or escape filled his chest. Maybe jump and spin. Keep the two directly in his line of sight at all times. Watch the predator and baby predator in case they attempted to do anything. He understood it was ridiculous. But couldn't help it.
His greatest worry remained as his strength compared to cultivators. And finally one day be taken care of instead of taking care of others.
Yin Hu closed his eyes. He felt his stirring hand tremble for a moment. Before finally letting his shoulders sag.
When the hell am I going to get pampered?!
This dream of his seemed so far away. Impossible. With every single wayward wind taking the time to veer towards them to help conspire against his dreams. Small problems piling up, one on top of the other into something he struggled to get around.
I need to shift gears. Convince the girls to take care of me!
Yin Hu smacked Hu Shui's grabby hands. His rice spacial bag sat heavily to his right. The same exact amount of supposed rice that had been in it since the beginning without change. Shui couldn't help her curiosity. Constantly trying to get her hands on the rice bag to check it out.
Said little grubby hands scooted closer to the bag so she didn't have to reach far.
Unwilling to look away from it.
There was no way he would let her touch his most prized possession. His entire plan hinged on this one item. Within it were everything he had earned in the isolated floating island and more. All his wealth and future potential of living in luxury depended on its safety.
He opened his eyes. The rice was slightly burned. It was normal. Just the way he liked it. Nothing to do with him zoning out and falling into a meditative state over the rice every single time he made it. Something about the aroma induced that feeling.
"Done!" he said.
Ecstatic to finally not have to stand over the pot or keep his back to the girls.
He carried the piping hot pot of food over to the girls. Placed it on the low table they had. It was stuffed to the top with rice. Far too much rice in there and would likely not be finished today. A waste of food. No salt. No spices.
Nothing but bland, plain rice he had been eating for eons.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Yin Hu blinked the tears away. His eyes were getting blurry. Thrown into a new world with endless possibilities and miraculous energies and still stuck in this mess. It hurt that there was no way around it. His taste buds had been ruined by it.
He subconsciously scooped and filled their bowls with rice. High stacks and extremely generous portions.
"Salt," Jun said. Looking from the rice to him. Back and forth with a confused look on her face. "Y-You didn't put any salt."
Yin Hu scoffed. Unwilling to admit he had no idea how to cook. Worse yet that was all he consumed. He was supposed to be their super nuke ancestor. Dragon slaying this and that. Eater of all the glorious foods and amazing things in the world.
This entire ego and personality depended on this very moment.
"Why would I taint the quality of this rice with such mundane ingredients," He said. He scoffed again. "Preposterous."
He lowered his head. Resigning himself to the fate of another bowl. He got to work chomping, quick to answer his stomach's grumbling pleas of sustenance.
The girls hesitated. Jun tried to share a look with Hu Shui, but the little girl had eyes only for the rice. Stuffing her face already. Yin Hu made sure to ignore any looks or gazes Jun sent him. Questioning his decision.
Nope. If I have to suffer, then they'll suffer with me! Especially Jun and her horrific cooking skills!
Yin Hu focused on his own food. Hearing the scraping of plates and Hu Shui's loud munching. He made a mental note to teach her to keep her mouth closed when eating. Even Hu Jun had become silent, equally focused on her food.
He prepared a spiel and entire series of how their conversation was about to go. Lean heavily into his mysterious persona and ancient being aura cheat. Mostly calling out their generation for being weak. Like most old people were wont to do.
Only in suffering could one rise to the peak of cultivation! Just another test in a life filled with them!
And more.
"Woah!" Hu Shui said. Dropping her bowl onto the table.
Yin Hu looked up. Jun had wide eyes. A confused look. Hu Shui laid back onto the floor, hands on her stomach. Just like he expected them to be. Horrible cooking.
"How is this possible?" Hu Jun said. Pieces of rice sticking to her cheek. As though she had stuffed her face in the food. "How could food so good exist?"
He channeled his inner old monster persona. Putting every ounce of depth and power in his voice. "A toad in a well does not see heaven in its entirety. How could you both understand Mt. Tai—"
Wait. What did she say?
Jun's hands shook, staring at the bottom of the bowl. She reached in and picked up the final rice grain. Then popped it into her mouth. Closing her eyes and savoring every moment she chewed on the single piece.
"We," Jun gulped it down. "We aren't worthy. To think I would ever eat heavenly rice so casually. In such abundance—"
She pointed at the still two-third full pot of rice. He had really miscalculated the amount necessary to feed three people. Yin Hu was used to his own measurements and he ate a lot of it all the time.
"—I could. No," she helped Hu Shui to sit up. Both bowing in front of him. "We could not begin to show our gratitude. Thank you."
Yin Hu was grateful for the massive beard that hid his expression. He was never going to take it off. "As long as you know."
He was quick to finish his bowl unlike the two. They refilled theirs at least three times after the first initial scoops. Asking for permission every time. Hu Jun made sure to stuff Shui like a turkey with more and more rice.
The little girl was dizzy and was forced into a meditative pose. Closing her eyes and focusing intently.
The thought to stop them did appear in his head, but he reasoned this was probably the first time they didn't have horrific slop and mud for food. They could be excused for the time being. Maybe even a few more times if they learned to cook it themselves.
"Ancestor," Hu Shui opened her eyes. "How do you eat so fast and not need to meditate?"
Yin Hu blinked. Heat rising to the back of his neck and tips of his ears.
Did she just call me fat?