Favorite of the Beast-world: I Got Rich Through Farming-Chapter 177 - 126: Mating with the Wolf (Part 3)

They were dried to make mosquito coils, which were then placed in a small jar and lit. The insect-repelling effect was excellent—a simple, clean, and pollution-free method.

"BZZZ~"

Upon smelling the white smoke, the once-active mosquitoes and insects began to fly about in a daze. Soon, they started dropping to the ground, their legs twitching as they died in droves.

Ling Hong frowned, quickly grabbing a broom and dustpan. He swept up all the dead insects and tossed them into the small woods beside the house.

The faint white smoke filling the room carried a subtle fragrance that was a deadly poison to insects.

While this dosage was almost harmless to humans, the smell was still somewhat acrid.

Taking advantage of the early hour, the two left the house, which was thick with the scent of herbs, and began tidying up the neglected vegetable patch beside the cabin.

Ling Hong transformed into his beast form and used his claws to loosen the soil, allowing the melted snow to better penetrate the earth.

He accidentally dug up a few thin, wriggling little earthworms.

One of the small earthworms was accidentally broken in two. It wriggled for a moment as a fluid oozed from the wound, but it soon twisted its way back into the soft soil and disappeared.

The thatched pens at home were nearly empty. Most of the chickens and sheep had been slaughtered, with only a few young ones left for breeding. The sight of the empty pens now felt unavoidably desolate.

An Jin planned to ask the Beastmen to catch more herds of animals to raise once spring arrived next year.

But that meant they would have to start the taming process all over again. ’Sigh, I should have saved a few more.’

As the sky began to darken, An Jin brought the stone crock of pickled cabbage, which had been fermenting all winter, up from the cellar and placed it on the stone table inside.

She lifted the lid and took a sniff.

A rich, sour aroma filled her nostrils.

The pickled cabbage leaves had long been soaked until they were pale and soft. Ling Hong handed her a pair of chopsticks. An Jin picked up a leaf and put it in her mouth; her tongue felt sour and slightly tingly.

’This is it!’

They still had a few fish in the ice cellar they’d been saving, and today was the perfect day to make a big pot of fish with pickled cabbage.

Ling Hong worked alongside her, slapping two large, plump fish onto the stone table. He quickly and deftly scaled them with a stone blade.

The thin, black skin of the fish was springy. Ling Hong quickly cleaned the black membrane and innards from the fish’s belly.

He separated the fish bones from the flesh, cut the flesh into tender fillets of moderate thickness, and after rinsing them clean, placed them on a large vegetable leaf.

Meanwhile, An Jin prepared the other ingredients, such as enoki mushrooms, bean sprouts, and some baby bok choy.

The two worked together. They coated the fish fillets evenly with a special blend of spices, added some scallion whites and ginger slices, then set it all aside to marinate. This would remove any fishiness, make the fillets tender and smooth, and build a base flavor.

They heated fruit oil in the pot, then added the pickled cabbage from the jar and stir-fried until fragrant. Next, they added the fish bones and head.

They stir-fried for a moment longer, then poured in a packet of spices and continued to toss everything over high heat.

Once the mixture was aromatic, they poured in half a small bucket of boiling water and covered the pot to let it cook. The two listened closely to the GURGLE GURGLE of the simmering liquid inside.

When the broth was nearly ready, An Jin added the marinated fish fillets to the pot, then sprinkled sesame seeds, scallions, and rattan peppers on top.

The aroma of the pickled cabbage fish soon filled the entire room. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"It smells so good!" An Jin couldn’t help but swallow. As she used a piece of animal hide to lift the lid, a sudden blast of steam scalded her hand. "Ah—"

Ling Hong grabbed her hand and blew on it, his concern obvious. "Stay back. I’ll check if it’s ready."

"Okay." An Jin went outside, grabbed a handful of unmelted snow, and pressed it against her reddened hand.

On her way back in, she brought the steamed rice into the main room.

Ling Hong lifted the lid. Inside, the fish head had been cooked until tender, and the broth was a rich, tempting white. The sight of enoki mushrooms and pickled cabbage mixed with the creamy-white fish fillets was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

His eyes lit up, and he gulped.

The two of them ate the fish with pickled cabbage and white rice with great relish as the sky outside gradually darkened.

After they had eaten their fill, An Jin felt sticky from a day of work and wanted to take a bath. Ling Hong boiled a pot of water for her and tossed her dirty clothes into a wooden bucket to soak.

She bathed in the warmth of the cabin, a faint mist filling the air. It seemed to carry a mix of soapberry and her own natural scent.

Ling Hong dutifully transformed into his beast form and lay down at the door. His snow-white wolf ears were pricked, vigilantly scanning the surroundings to prevent any single Beastman from courting death by trying to peek.

"Ling Hong? Are there any more bath towels?"

The female’s soft voice called out from inside the room.

The Silver Wolf’s ears twitched. He quickly shifted back into a tall, strapping man and went inside to grab a towel. But the moment he opened the door to the side room, he froze.

The beautiful female was in the tub, not wearing a single stitch of clothing. Her damp black hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her lovely black eyes, as beautiful as a bright moon in the night sky, were dewy with moisture as she gazed at him nervously.

An Jin looked at the dumbstruck man at the door, and his reaction made her smile, dispelling much of her own nervousness. She spoke softly, "Let’s become mates, Ling Hong..."

’The days are getting warmer. Gu Yin will probably wake from hibernation soon.

’If I don’t mate with Ling Hong now, things will get difficult. The two of them will probably fight. I should just cut the Gordian knot.

’There’s no time like the present.’