Harvest Factory A Farmer Life - 19 Eating Together

The White Ape looked at Yan Xiu and grinned widely before jumping and grabbed two Bananut fruits. After landing, it walked toward Yan Xiu with his hind legs and fruits in each hand. Chen Hanchen grew tense when the ape walked toward them but Yan Xiu was still calm and smiled.

The ape ignored Chen Hanchen and shoved the fruit to Yan Xiu, it grinned again before sitting on the ground and skinned the fruit with it’s teeth. It was mimicking how Yan Xiu skinned the fruit, albeit a little rough. Looking at the delighted ape, who successfully skinned the fruit and drinking the juice, Yan Xiu nodded with a smile.

He recalled what his father once said, ”Good food is a bridge, connecting everyone. With good food around, there’ll be no fight. Everyone will sit down and eat together in harmony.’ What father said is true.’ thought Yan Xiu as he sat down beside the ape. He was about to skinned another fruit when he recalled that coconut has edible meat part inside it.

He slice the one he drank from before, and as expected, a glistening white meat was exposed. Using knife, Yan Xiu scooped some out. It’s texture was like a jelly, it jiggles and wet with fruit juice. It was soft but chewable, the cheese and banana taste was more pronounce in the meat than the juice, it felt like a cheese banana milk pudding.

The ape looked at Yan Xiu eating and was curious, he did the same and ate the Bananut meat. The strange texture and sweet taste enamored it in instant, the ape liked the meat more than the juice. Yan Xiu and the ape looked at each other and smiled widely, showing their white teeth. The two went back and ate the fruit on their hand.

Seeing the surreal scene of a boy and a demon beast sitting side by side eating fruit, Chen Hanchen didn’t feel anything. It wasn’t because he didn’t feel surprised or shocked, he just already numb, the surprise and shock he received today was too great.

He knew that there’s a kind of cultivator, who shared a bond with demon beast, called beast tamer. It was normal for them to treat their contracted demon beast like family or friend, but a wild demon beast and a boy sitting side by side eating like a friend? He would definitely won’t believe such thing if someone told him that, and yet, such an unbelievable scene was happening in front of him.

Sure, primate demon beasts were smarter and more docile than most demon beast except for some of them, but still, to be eating with a boy while ignoring the potential threat, him (CH)?

Chen Hanchen took a deep breath and sighed. ‘So be it, I’ll get used to it.’ Chen Hanchen decided to just accept it, or else it’s gonna drain him for being surprised repeatedly. He picked a bananut fruit and drank it while sitting beside Yan Xiu, the White Ape only glanced at Chen Hanchen for a moment and went back enjoying the fruit.

Yan Xiu suddenly remembered about the Wood Snake he killed. Thankfully they were still in the outer part of the forest, a little blood smell won’t attract anything dangerous.

“Senior brother, do Wood Snake taste good?” (YX)

“Hm? Sure, it’s good. Why?” (CH)

Chen Hanchen asked but he knew the answer after seeing the glow in Yan Xiu’s eyes. ‘He sure likes to eat.’ thought Chen Hanchen, but he admit he was a little excited since Yan Xiu’s cooking skill was truly good. Who didn’t like good food?

“What do you need me to do?” (CH)

“Can you help me bring it to a river?” (YX)

“Got it.” (CH)

Yan Xiu and Chen Hanchen removed the needles and javelin on the snake body before Chen Hanchen dragged the body toward the river. Yan Xiu collected all the needles and the javelins he thrown before following Chen Hanchen. After a few steps, Yan Xiu stopped and turned around to say goodbye to the ape.

When he looked back however, Yan Xiu saw the ape following him. It’s gaze locked onto him, there was malicious intent or hostility in it’s eyes, only curiosity. Yan Xiu tilted his head.

“Do you want to come?” (YX)

Yan Xiu only asked, he didn’t expect for the ape to answer, as he thought the ape wouldn’t understand him. And yet, under Yan Xiu’s amazed gaze, the ape nodded. Yan Xiu was surprised, for a moment, he only stared at the ape.

“You understand me?” (YX)

The ape nodded again, this time Yan Xiu was excited and went near the ape, staring closely at it. The ape couldn’t speak, but understanding human language was amazing enough. Yan Xiu smiled at the ape.

“Okay! Let’s go then!” (YX)

The ape nodded and the two of them went to the river. At the river, Chen Hanchen was waiting for Yan Xiu, when he saw Yan Xiu and the ape walking toward him, he wondered why the ape was with Yan Xiu. He already knew that the ape wouldn’t harm them, so he no longer tense around it. Before Chen Hanchen could ask, Yan Xiu already ran toward him in excitement.

“Senior brother! The ape understand human language!” (YX)

Yan Xiu thought Chen Hanchen would be surprised but he didn’t.

“You aren’t surprised?” (YX)

“No, I already expected that. See, Little Xiu, after reaching certain level, demon beasts will be able to understand and speak human language, they can even turn to human. And While rare, there are demon beasts who are cleverer than the most. They can’t speak but they can understand human language. That’s why I’m not surprised.” (CH)

“I see.” (YX)

Yan Xiu looked at the ape and wondered when could he speak, while the ape was staring at the Wood Snake carcass. Yan Xiu put the thought behind him and went to process the Wood Snake. The process was easy but took a long time because the snake’s huge body.

Yan Xiu first cut off the head, located the anal vent and cut through from there to the head. After that, he slowly trimmed the skin off the body. Lastly, gutted the snake. Chen Hanchen helped him but it still took two hours.

The snake’s meat then cut to big portions, washed, and wrapped with leaves, so that it would be easy to carry. Yan Xiu took some of the meat and diced it, he then skewered them to sticks. He found some Kiir grass, it was grass that produced lemon taste water if crushed, he splashed the skewers with it. There was about thirty skewers.

While Yan Xiu was preparing the skewers, Chen Hanchen already make a bonfire. The White Ape just saw the two humans before it with interest, he was especially interested in the round snake meat skewers.

Yan Xiu stabbed the skewers around the bonfire, roasting them and periodically turn them. Slowly, the fragrant smell of roast meat drifted to the air. It was like chicken smell only stronger. Chen Hanchen and White Ape were staring intently, drool was pooling in their mouths.

The White Ape reached out to take one of the skewers but it’s hand was swatted by Yan Xiu, he then told it to wait for a little more, which the White Ape obediently nodded.

When the skewers done, Yan Xiu divided them evenly. Each of them got ten skewers. For drinks, they drank the green water with leaves as plate and glass.

The three of them, two humans and a demon beast, sat around the bonfire as they ate delicious skewers with sweet and sour taste. The three of them ate in harmony with smiles on their faces.