Dragon, Truly Shameless (Yuri Futa, Farming) - Chapter 19

As Shen Qingming added rice to the earthenware pot, something suddenly occurred to her. Looking at the slightly yellowed grains in her hand, the rice Long Qing gave her was what was left from last time, meaning Long Qing hadn’t eaten rice for two months! Thinking about it closely, there were no cooking utensils in the cave; the earthenware pot for cooking rice was specifically bought by Long Qing. Not only that, she realized there were no vegetables either. Could it be that Long Qing usually only ate meat?

Long Qing usually had success hunting, and perhaps also gathered wild fruits, like today’s persimmons. It seemed Long Qing ate whatever the mountain offered, and had no other means of making a living. For instance, the sika deer hunted today would actually be more cost-effective if sold. Deer are considered precious livestock; one such deer could fetch a good amount of silver. Buying some chickens and ducks to raise wouldn’t be a bad livelihood, certainly better than just eating it all.

Living off the land and water, with no measures to cope with risks. As she pondered, she suddenly realized a point she had overlooked: there seemed to be no salt here!

Not eating vegetables and staple grains was already unbelievable, but if she didn’t even eat salt, wouldn’t she die? Without salt, one would lack strength, and eventually fall ill, ultimately beyond saving even by the gods. Any living creature must consume salt; even the government used salt consumption to estimate population and levy poll taxes, showing the importance of salt.

If she didn’t need to eat salt, then it could only be… At this thought, Shen Qingming could no longer sit still. She first stealthily returned to the cave to search around, indeed finding no trace of salt. By then, she was a little panicked. She came to the cave entrance; Long Qing was not far away, with her back to Shen Qingming. The sun was nearing the horizon, its light falling on Long Qing, casting a long, slanted shadow on the ground. She had a shadow and wasn’t afraid of sunlight, so she shouldn’t be anything from the underworld.

She boldly walked over to Long Qing.

“What’s wrong?” Long Qing asked.

Shen Qingming silently clutched the corner of her clothes, her chest pounding like a drum. Finally, steeling her heart, she said, “I want salt.”

She had heard elders in the village say that spirits were very beautiful, lived in the mountains, fed on human flesh, and were afraid of salt. Wouldn’t this fit Long Qing? She had expected Long Qing to suddenly transform into some monster and swallow her whole. However, Long Qing paused, then smiled and nodded.

Shen Qingming watched as Long Qing calmly pulled out a wrapped package from her clothes’ lining and handed it to her. It looked like a brocade pouch, bulging with uneven contents. Opening it, she found white salt crystals. Shen Qingming heard her heart drop from her throat back to her stomach—she ate salt; she was human.

Long Qing watched the little girl’s expression swiftly change from tension to relief, not understanding how the girl’s small mind could hold so many disparate thoughts. She sighed, set aside the two skinned deer legs, preparing to roast them in a pit as before, when the little girl walked over again.

Shen Qingming stopped Long Qing’s actions. The autumn evening was already cool. Since there was salt and meat, drinking a hot soup would be the best plan. Long Qing already knew the girl was a good cook and full of ideas, so she simply left everything to her when she saw her about to get busy. Long Qing then sat aside, waiting expectantly.

Shen Qingming went nearby and cut down a relatively thick bamboo stalk. She cut off the large bamboo section at the base, intentionally leaving the closed nodes at both ends, then used a small knife to pry open a small, flat opening in the hollow part. She tried putting a piece of meat through the opening, satisfied with this crude “pot.” Long Qing had no pots here, and the earthenware pot was already used for rice, so to make soup, she could only use a bamboo tube.

She had Long Qing separate the deer bones, chop them, and fill the bamboo tube. In the meantime, she found some familiar wild fruits nearby and filled them into the bamboo tube along with the deer bones. The bamboo tube, full of food, was placed directly on the charcoal fire to roast. Because there was water inside, the bamboo tube wouldn’t explode, and it was perfect for cooking soup.

She also had plans for the remaining venison. She found a very flat stone by the stream, washed it clean, and brought it back, also placing it directly on the charcoal fire to roast.

Long Qing stared blankly as the little girl bustled about. No clothes rack? Make one. No pot? Make one. Now she was putting stones on the fire to roast.

The little girl skewered a piece of deer fat with a branch and placed it on the sizzling hot stone. As the fat touched the scorching stone, it immediately made a sizzling sound, and the aroma of grease burst forth. After just one roll, a layer of oil accumulated on the stone’s surface.

Long Qing understood; this was what humans called pan-frying. Her eyes softened, and she genuinely admired this little girl, or rather, admired human craftsmanship.

The little girl seemed to have endless energy. Just a few days ago, she was desperately seeking death, yet in just one day and night, she had recovered. Now, her movements were swift and skillful, her mind sharp, and her face glowed with happy, soft smiles. Her transformation made Long Qing think of two words: Nirvana. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the little girl seemed to exude a vibrant vitality that drew Long Qing closer.

Shen Qingming was about to slice the meat when someone suddenly approached from behind. Long Qing was right behind her, very close, her cool scent invading the surrounding air, enveloping her subtly. Shen Qingming couldn’t help but shrink her neck.

“I’ll do this,” Long Qing said, taking the small knife from her hand and sitting down to slice the meat. She might not know much else, but her knife skills were quite good. Having her task taken away, Shen Qingming felt even more flustered.

Fortunately, Long Qing’s knife skills were indeed excellent; she finished slicing the meat in less than a stick of incense’s time. Shen Qingming picked up a slice of meat, thin as a cicada’s wing, translucent and reddish. She laid the meat on the stone slab, and it immediately sizzled upon contact with the oil. The meat quickly changed from bright red to reddish-brown, and a rich, charred aroma wafted directly into their faces.

Long Qing’s nostrils flared a few times, thinking to herself that letting the Bean Sprout cook was indeed a wise decision. She stared intently at the meat slices on the stone slab. If it weren’t for maintaining her image, she might have already made a complete fool of herself.

“Ms. Long, dinner’s ready.”

“Coming!” Long Qing responded loudly and hurried over.

The little girl handed her a plate of meat. Each slice was pan-fried to a golden color, with a few salt crystals on top. She picked up a slice and put it in her mouth, and her eyes immediately lit up. The meat was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, making a sizzling sound when bitten. Juices and fat splattered between her teeth, and the rich meat and charred aromas enveloped every taste bud. The salt crystals were the perfect finishing touch. After a few rough chews, she swallowed it whole and eagerly grabbed another slice.

Ah Hu also couldn’t resist, constantly nudging his big head forward, wanting to eat the meat on the plate. Long Qing was utterly helpless, so she had to put some on a plate for him, watching him, afraid of the heat but eager to eat, and smiled without a word.

At this point, Shen Qingming also brought over the bamboo tube used for the soup.

The bamboo tube had been cooking for nearly half an hour; its exterior was blackened. The pre-reserved opening was covered with a bamboo slice. When she removed the slice, the savory aroma of meat soup, accompanied by the fresh scent of bamboo, wafted out, making Long Qing’s stomach rumble again.

“The little girl really knows her stuff,” Long Qing praised sincerely, knowing from the smell alone that the soup would be delicious.

Shen Qingming lowered her head, clearing her throat a bit shyly, “It’s just the usual work in an ordinary family’s kitchen.” Not knowing how to cook was a symbol of nobility; the more one knew how, the lower one’s birth, like hers.

Long Qing thought she was being humble and didn’t ask further. She prepared to ladle a bowl of soup to drink, but saw the little girl scoop out a bowl and walk some distance away, facing the wilderness, pouring it onto the ground horizontally, then kneeling and prostrating herself.

Long Qing was startled: “What is this for?”

“Offering to the Dragon God.” Shen Qingming pressed her forehead to the ground, performed a long bow, and then picked out two thin sticks from the firewood pile to insert into the ground, serving as incense.

Long Qing scoffed at this, looking at the serious little girl with disdain. Humans were interesting; they fabricated a so-called “god” to solve problems they couldn’t solve themselves, perhaps a tiger, perhaps a bear, perhaps a phoenix, perhaps a dragon. She wasn’t sure about others, but she was a dragon, and she naturally knew there was no such thing as a Dragon God. Even with immense power, a dragon was ultimately just one of the myriad living beings, and nearly extinct at that.

“What are you laughing at?”

“I’m laughing at why there’s anything to worship. You often talk about worshipping the Dragon King, yet you can barely feed yourselves. What’s the use of worshipping a non-existent god?” she hinted.

Shen Qingming understood her implication and explained, “It’s not non-existent. People say worshipping the Dragon King can bring protection. Our village built a Dragon King Temple, and whenever someone in the family has to travel far or something happens, they go to the Dragon King Temple to worship and seek protection. This has continued for hundreds of years.”

Long Qing’s eyes narrowed slightly, “Have you ever received protection?”

Shen Qingming shook her head, then nodded again.

Long Qing grew interested, “What does that mean?”

“We are all still alive to this day, so it must be that we have protection.” Not just her; Long Qing, a young woman living in the mountains, probably also received the Dragon King’s protection.

“Heh.” The cool laugh held no discernible emotion. Shen Qingming saw Long Qing sitting on the stone, her aura seemingly turning a little cold. “All things in the world are conserved. If you want your wishes fulfilled, what do you offer in return?”

For a moment, Shen Qingming only felt that the woman sitting on the bluestone smiled extraordinarily charmingly, and she murmured, “We offer livestock to the dragon, and even our own…”

…kind.

Some villages had the custom of sacrificing young girls to dragons. Taohua Village did not before, but now she had become the first girl offered to a dragon.

“Heh.”

Another cool laugh, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Shen Qingming was slightly lost in thought. Long Qing just happened to turn her head, and the sunlight fell on her face, seemingly coating it with a layer of light. She sat serenely on the bluestone, half-supporting her body, her sash loosely tied, revealing a large expanse of beautiful skin on her chest. To the villagers, this woman would appear wanton and frivolous, but in Shen Qingming’s eyes, she felt Long Qing… should be this way! Long Qing was like a spirit nurtured by the wilderness; not wearing clothes and exposing her skin was instead the most natural state.

“Sacrificing livestock or kin?” Long Qing raised an eyebrow, looking over. A faint orange-red glow flickered in her eyes, hidden by the sunlight, not quite clear. “To call upon others to sacrifice to fulfill your own wishes, is that what you consider sincerity?”

“Have you ever thought that, for the dragon in your eyes, what she receives might be the pleas of livestock, or the pleas of your sacrificed kin? All beings are equal, so why would the dragon not respond to the sacrificed livestock, but respond to you?”

This question seemed casual, asked offhand, yet it made Shen Qingming pause. In truth, she had never considered this perspective; it had always been this way since childhood. The villagers all told her that the dragon would protect them, and everyone believed it. They built a Dragon King Temple, and even when life was difficult, they would pool money for offerings. No one opposed this behavior; they called it faith. As a member of the community, the only thing she could do was believe in this faith and silently pray that she wouldn’t become a sacrifice.

Long Qing’s mention reminded her: if the dragon also heard the pleas of livestock, just as it heard her plea that day. The dragon responded to her, but not to the villagers; was this why the dragon had never responded to humans? But thinking of the black dragon in her dream, Shen Qingming seemed to become certain of something again. She devoutly bowed several times to the heavens, her sincere and unhurried attitude greatly astonishing Long Qing.

What is faith? Long Qing watched, saying nothing.

After worshipping the Dragon God, Long Qing poured herself a large bowl of meat soup. Without waiting for it to cool, she slurped it down, wanting to swallow her tongue upon the first taste.

The soup, made from large bones, was a rich, milky white. With just a touch of salt, it achieved the simplest, most authentic savory flavor. Shen Qingming had also added some mountain fruits to neutralize the gamey smell, so the soup had no gamey taste, only a fresh and delicious one. Because it was cooked in a bamboo tube, the soup also had a faint bamboo aroma. It was said that gentlemen excelled in scholarly pursuits, and those who achieved success often referred to themselves as “Green Bamboo Gentlemen,” comparing themselves to green bamboo to praise its noble qualities. The meat soup, due to the bamboo aroma, even shed some of its richness, gaining a touch of elegance.

Long Qing greatly praised it, finishing a bowl in a few gulps. As she was about to refill it, a large clump of green vegetables was abruptly placed in her bowl. She stared blankly at the vegetables that had appeared out of nowhere. Did a dragon need to eat vegetables? She was about to pour the vegetables back, but her eyes suddenly met the girl’s serious gaze, and she reluctantly put the vegetables back into her bowl.

“Ms. Long is too picky. Not only do you need to eat meat, but also staple grains, and vegetables are indispensable. Since there are no cultivated vegetables right now, just make do with some wild ones. Later, I’ll cultivate a vegetable patch, which will also save some effort in finding wild vegetables.”

“Actually, not eating them also… Alright, I’ll eat them.” Long Qing still wanted to decline, but the little girl had already piled most of the wild vegetables from the bamboo tube into her bowl. Not only that, she continued until a green “mountain of vegetables” was built, forcing Long Qing to awkwardly change the subject.

Wild vegetables were often uneven in appearance, coarse in texture, and slightly bitter in taste. She swallowed a mouthful of wild vegetables with difficulty, and couldn’t help but recall how, a few months ago, the little girl only ate rice and no meat, and she had forcefully piled a mountain of meat in the girl’s bowl. This time, it was the girl’s turn to pile a mountain of vegetables for her. Indeed, the tables had turned.

Author’s Note:

Although it’s a slow burn, don’t be stingy with the pearls (rewards)! Don’t be so cheap! I think this story is quite heartwarming, and it’ll be very sensual later too.