Favorite of the Beast-world: I Got Rich Through Farming-Chapter 22: What is Oil?
Although Xi didn’t know what "shoes" were, from the description and the look of the object, he could guess that An Jin wanted to put them on her feet for protection.
But ’Ah Jin doesn’t seem to understand how rough and low-quality beast hide is. It’s one thing for males to wear this stuff—they’re tough and thick-skinned, so they can wear anything.’
’But! How could a delicate, adorable female possibly wear such crudely made, stiff beast hide?!’
Xi’s heart ached. ’Has Ah Jin really spent her whole life wearing such crude things?! These ugly land-dwelling males have no idea how to cherish a female!’
’The inside of this hide is extremely abrasive. No wonder Ah Jin’s skin is so coarse. If she puts these on her delicate little feet, far from protecting them, they’ll just get even more scraped up.’
The more Xi thought about it, the more indignant he felt on An Jin’s behalf.
’If these careless, foolish land-dwelling males can’t take care of Ah Jin, then he, the meticulous and gentle one, will!’
’The females of his Mermaid Clan all wear the world’s most precious Shark Sha. Cared for by the entire clan, every single one of them has impossibly fair, smooth skin and is showered with unparalleled affection~’
’Whatever other females have, Ah Jin must have too.’
When An Jin wasn’t looking, Xi used his long, slender fingers to pull at the layer of Shark Sha draped over him—a fabric as thin as a cicada’s wing. After measuring out the right size, he unhesitatingly tore the priceless fabric into two pieces.
Then he took up a needle and thread and carefully sewed it to the inside of the hide, right where it would touch her skin. Every single stitch was made with the utmost concentration.
’This is my first gift for Ah Jin. I have to do it perfectly. I absolutely can’t mess this up.’
Xi swam to the shore and handed the finished beast-hide shoes to An Jin. He lowered his head, nervously staring at his own beautiful fishtail, though his eyes darted toward her face. "Is it pretty? Ah Jin, do you like it?"
The young female didn’t respond with the delight he’d anticipated.
Xi’s body stiffened and his heart sank. Just as he was about to force out a few dry words, she suddenly let out a gasp of surprise as if snapping out of a daze. "It’s so beautiful."
Xi’s eyes lit up.
An Jin couldn’t believe it. How could the shoes in Xi’s hands be sewn so beautifully?!
They were exactly what she had asked for!
Overcome with excitement, An Jin threw her arms around him in a huge bear hug. "Xi, thank you so much!"
He went rigid, his fishtail instantly tensing up. His face turned as red as a braised carp. "N-No need to thank me..."
Body still stiff, Xi shyly ducked into the water. Slowly, his torso, arms, neck, and lips submerged, bit by bit... Just as his eyes were about to vanish beneath the surface, he gave his tail a flick and swam back up.
"It’s what I should do~"
The Little Merfolk was both shy and thrilled.
’I never expected Ah Jin to be so enthusiastic,’ he thought. ’I almost couldn’t handle it.’
At Xi’s urging, An Jin crouched on the grass. She was about to reach for the beast-hide shoes, but Xi beat her to it, cupping them in his hands.
"Ah Jin, let me help you put them on."
Seeing the female’s confusion, Xi suppressed his ulterior motives and said with a righteous air, "This will make it easier for me to check the size. I just estimated, so they might not be a perfect fit. If they aren’t snug, they’ll be uncomfortable, so I’ll need to adjust them!"
He examined the actual size of the female’s small foot, made a mark, and then took the shoe off again to make some minor adjustments to the hide.
This was the first time in his life he’d ever seen a female’s foot up close. He found it surprisingly small and delicate.
’Even though her skin is a little dark and slightly coarse, and there are specks of mud on it, to me, her foot is like a masterpiece veiled in dust—far more beautiful than my own useless tail.’
Through Xi’s rose-tinted glasses, An Jin’s little foot looked exceptionally delicate and adorable, making him desperately want to cherish it.
For a moment, Xi felt like he couldn’t move. He stared at her feet, his eyes wide and unblinking.
He set the shoes aside.
He freed his two fair, slender hands with their well-defined knuckles. Cupping them together, he scooped up some water and began to gently splash it over the small feet in front of him, starting to wash them for the female.
An Jin, "??!"
Xi looked at her earnestly. "Ah Jin’s feet are a little dirty. They need to be cleaned, or they’ll get the new shoes dirty~"
The reasoning was flawless.
"I can do it myself," An Jin hesitated. Something felt off. She tried to pull her foot back, but he held it fast in his grip.
After washing her feet clean in a flash, Xi finally let go, satisfied. He picked up the adjusted beast-hide shoes and slipped them onto her feet.
A perfect fit.
Taking into account that the female was still growing, he had thoughtfully left a little extra room in the shoes to prevent them from becoming too tight later on.
Xi said, "Ah Jin, try walking a few steps. If they’re uncomfortable, just tell me and I’ll adjust them again."
Merfolk are born weavers and expert tailors, their craftsmanship exquisite and flawless. When she ran, the shoes felt even more comfortable and form-fitting than the brand-name sneakers she wore in her past life.
She had expected the beast hide to chafe her ankles, but after running a couple of laps, it felt as if a layer of incredibly soft, fine cotton was wrapped around them. The texture was gentle and comfortable.
"That needle you used to sew the hide, where did you get it?"
she asked curiously. "The males in our tribe use beast bones that they’ve sharpened for a long time to mend hides. The one you have looks different."
"Oh, I use fish bones~"
Xi smiled, but inwardly he scoffed. ’How could those foolish land-dwelling males possibly compare to his cleverness? Only they would be idiotic enough to use beast bones that take an eternity to sharpen.’
"Do you have any more?" An Jin paused, a look of longing in her eyes. "I’d like to take some back with me."
Xi was thrilled to be needed. He had just dived underwater to get them when he suddenly thought of something and shot back to the surface. "Ah Jin, you don’t need these! Sewing is a male’s job. How could I let you do it?!"
"Please just get them for me. I have another use for them!"
"Well, alright..."
Only then did Xi reluctantly dive back to the riverbed. He retrieved a bundle wrapped in the leaves of some aquatic plant and opened it to reveal countless sharp fish bones.
These fish bones were hard and their tips were sharp. Just by looking at them, you could tell they were completely different from ordinary fish bones.
They looked more like needle-shaped pieces of jade—thin, with exceptionally sharp points. A light scratch could easily break the skin. They bore a striking resemblance to modern needles.
Even a female like An Jin, with her slender limbs and limited strength, could use them with ease.
"These are spinal bones from a large fish. They’re sharp and easy to use, but they’ll get dull after a while, so I prepared a lot for you~"
The Merfolk continued as if presenting a treasure, "If that’s not enough, Ah Jin, you can always ask me for more. I have plenty..."
Catching a glimpse of the female about to curiously touch the tip of a needle, Xi’s heart leaped. He quickly snatched her small hand and held it in his own, his tone shifting abruptly. "Ah Jin, the tips of these bones are extremely sharp! Don’t touch them, you’ll get hurt!"
...
The forest here was close to the water, so the air was quite humid. The oil-rich wood An Jin had brought didn’t burn as fiercely as usual. The low fire simmered slowly, and it was a long time before the fragrant aroma of fish began to waft from the pot.
An Jin lifted the lid. Guessing enough time had passed, she picked up a stone spoon and took a sip. "It’s alright, but a little bland. Wild fish don’t have much fat. The only thing it’s missing is a richer, oilier flavor..."
The aroma had drawn Xi over long ago, and the greedy worm in his stomach was squirming with anticipation. He knew Ah Jin was a good cook, but he never imagined the scent would be so irresistible.
’Are all the land-dwelling females this good at cooking?!’
Hearing An Jin’s muttering, Xi looked up and instinctively asked, "Oil? What’s that?"







