Lu Qing called out several more times, realizing the ancestor wasn’t there anymore. He began to panic—had he talked too much, annoying the ancestor into leaving?
What should he do now?
He had to admit that when it came to pleasing the ancestor, he was rather lacking.
Just as Lu Qing was debating whether to summon his grandson for advice, Gu Xingzhao returned, carrying several bags filled to the brim with supplies.
Not giving much thought to the old man’s nervous energy, she dropped the bags and noticed the fish grilling over the fire was nearly done. She quickly sat down in the spot Lu Qing had vacated, clearly in a hurry.
Opening a jar of seasonings, she mixed five-spice, cumin, chili powder, sesame oil, and other spices together in a small bowl, then grabbed a brush and started coating the fish with the mixture. As the fish sizzled, the smell became incredibly enticing.
Lu Xingyao, sitting nearby, sniffed the air. Why did the fish smell especially good today?
Not just him—Lu Yang and the others also noticed, licking their lips. They had been eating grilled fish for days, but suddenly, the craving hit harder than ever.
Gu Xingzhao glanced at Lu Qing and said, “I saw you grilling fish, so I brought some seasonings from home and just added them to the fish. Try it later; it should taste pretty good.”
Lu Qing was taken aback. So the ancestor had just gone to get food supplies? He thought she had left because he was being too bothersome.
“Thank you, Ancestor,” he said with a sigh of relief. As long as she wasn’t annoyed with him, it didn’t matter. He could save his earlier concerns for another time.
He sat back down in his previous spot, his eyes locked on the three fish in front of him. He didn’t dare say a word, afraid that if he did, the others might snatch the fish, leaving him with nothing but bones.
The moment Lu Qing sat, Gu Xingzhao had to shift over to make room for him. With so many people crowded together, she had to be careful not to bump into anyone.
Meanwhile, Lu Xingyao had already figured it out. The ancestor must have returned, which explained why the grilled fish smelled so incredible today!
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his father, grandfather, second uncle, and third uncle. Five people and only three fish. That wasn’t going to be enough.
Especially with his second uncle—three fish wouldn’t even be enough to fill the gaps in his teeth, let alone satisfy his appetite. He himself had to make sure he got one whole fish.
His father would, of course, be filial and share a fish with his elderly grandfather, so that was one fish accounted for. His third uncle, being frail and sitting closest to the fish, was sure to grab one too.
Lu Xingyao swallowed nervously. He only needed to worry about his second uncle!
The smell of grilled fish grew stronger, and everyone, lost in their own thoughts, was eyeing the fish with increasing hunger.
Finally, the fish was ready. The skin had turned crispy, a golden hue visible to the eye. The split sections had cracked open, revealing tender meat inside, releasing an irresistible aroma.
Someone was the first to reach out, and before long, everyone else followed suit, grabbing for the nearest fish!
In the blink of an eye, Lu Xingyan had successfully nabbed one fish, and Lu Zhou grabbed another.
Lu Xingyao and Lu Yang exchanged bewildered looks, “???”
What just happened? The fish that had been right in front of them had disappeared!
Lu Xingyao’s mouth dropped open, unable to believe what had just occurred.
Meanwhile, Gu Xingzhao had already picked up one of the fish, taking in the rich aroma before blowing gently on the steaming meat.
She took a careful bite, her eyes narrowing in pure delight. It tasted just like the fish her grandfather used to grill in their courtyard when she was a child!
The five men around her glanced at one another. There had been three fish, but now only two remained. Where had the third one gone? The answer was obvious.
Lu Xingyao, despite his intense craving, knew better than to steal food from the ancestor’s plate. Instead, he turned his hopeful gaze toward his third uncle: Kind Third Uncle, please share with me!
Lu Zhou, however, had already divided his fish into three portions. He placed one piece in a bag for his father, Lu Qing, and another for his brother, Lu Yang, leaving the third piece for himself.
Lu Qing took a bite of the grilled fish, and the meat practically melted in his mouth. The flavor burst across his taste buds, rich and aromatic.
“!!!” He stared at the fish in his hand, amazed. This seemingly ordinary fish had been transformed into something extraordinary by the ancestor.
He couldn’t help but recall the grilled fish from the previous day, which had tasted bland and fishy in comparison.
Even Lu Zhou, who wasn’t particularly picky about food, found himself captivated by the delicious, tender fish, devouring it faster than usual.
Lu Xingyao watched, his gaze fixed on his third uncle, waiting for him to share even a morsel of fish.
But Lu Xingyan, seemingly unaware of his nephew’s pitiful expression, slowly chewed on his portion. The delicate flavor of the fish, combined with the unique seasoning, made it the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted.
Watching his third uncle eat, Lu Xingyao was stunned. Was his uncle really going to eat it all and not share with his own nephew!?
Among the five men, Lu Xingyao was the only one who didn’t get to taste the delicious fish.
Lu Yang quickly polished off his share, licking his fingers. The fish was simply too good!
He thought to himself, What was I even eating the past few days? None of it compares to this!
Lu Qing noticed his grandson’s disappointed look. He knew full well that Lu Xingyao had secretly enjoyed many of the ancestor’s midnight snacks in the past. This was just one missed fish; was there really a need for such theatrics?
Perhaps he was hoping the ancestor would soften and grill another couple of fish.
Seeing Lu Xingyao’s tearful expression, Gu Xingzhao did indeed feel a bit sorry for him. She quickly mixed the rest of the seasoning in a bowl and, along with some chicken wings and meatballs from home, sent everything over to Lu Xingyao, along with a box of bento meals and fruit she had almost forgotten about.
There was so much food that it immediately caught everyone’s attention. Lu Xingyao nearly jumped with joy.
Even Lu Qing was taken aback. The ancestor had sent over an entire feast all at once.
Gu Xingzhao explained, “Lu Qing, I’ve been busy these past few days and didn’t have time to send food. Make sure everyone gets a share of the meals and eat up. You all look like you’ve lost weight, so make sure to eat plenty.”
Lu Xingyao’s sharp nose caught the scent of the seasoning, and he realized that this was the secret to why the fish had tasted so good!
While everyone else was focused on dividing up the bento meals, Lu Xingyao stealthily grabbed the bowl of seasoning, tucked it under his arm, and slipped away.
He gathered up another fish, as well as the meatballs and chicken wings, then built a small fire away from the group. While everyone else was happily eating the meals and fruit, he quietly skewered his food, seasoned it, and began grilling it over the fire.
Just as his food was nearly done, he looked up and found himself surrounded.
Lu Xingyao’s smile froze on his face. “…”
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