Chapter 148: Barbecue on a Rainy Day

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Rain lashed against the ground, the leaves, the roof, and the grass. It was a torrential downpour, washing away the dust of the world. Zhong Di, having changed into dry clothes, immersed himself in this beautiful melody. The sound of raindrops hitting the earth provided a brief, soothing comfort to his soul.

Through the window, Zhong Di observed the surroundings, "watching" the plants as a sense of joy filled the air. After a stretch of scorching weather, this sudden heavy rain felt refreshing not just to the plants, but to Zhong Di himself.

Woof! Woof!

Yusheng appeared before Zhong Di, carrying a rabbit in its mouth.

Woof! Woof!

Right behind it, another dog ran into the farm. As soon as it entered, it began to follow Yusheng cautiously, eventually pressing itself affectionately against its side.

Zhong Di was stunned. What was going on? Why did the dog bring back another dog?

"Yusheng, you rascal, where have you been gallivanting?" Zhong Di stepped out to the shelter by the door. After a closer look, he realized that the dog Yusheng had brought back was a little female.

Well, well! Yusheng had grown bold; it was still so young, yet it already knew how to woo a female dog. Judging by her demeanor, she seemed quite obedient to Yusheng.

Woof!

Yusheng dropped the rabbit on the ground and let out a bark at the female dog. She whimpered twice, then lowered her body, crawled slowly to Zhong Di’s feet, and rested her head on his shoe. Zhong Di understood—the little dog was showing its loyalty.

Oh, wow! Yusheng certainly knew how to train his mate!

With this thought, Zhong Di crouched down and patted her head. He had to admit, Yusheng had good taste; the little female was quite pretty. Her coat was a pale yellow, and even though she was soaking wet, she possessed a unique charm. After seeing her new master’s gesture, Yusheng barked twice more. The female darted away, and Yusheng looked at Zhong Di with a smug, proud expression, as if to say, "See? Even if you ignore me, I can still find a companion to play with—and she's a well-behaved one at that."

"Want some roasted rabbit?" Zhong Di asked, deciding not to fuss over the dog's antics.

Yusheng nodded and rubbed its head against Zhong Di’s leg.

"Alright, wait here!" Zhong Di grabbed the rabbit and headed into the kitchen.

"Oh! Where did this rabbit come from?" Just as Zhong Di was preparing the rabbit, Sun Miaomiao appeared behind him.

"Achoo!" No sooner had she spoken than Su Rou let out a sneeze.

Zhong Di looked at the two of them. They had clearly braved the rain to come over, but Su Rou seemed to have caught a chill.

"Sorry, I think I have a cold."

"Not quite. You just sneezed from the rain. I’ll get you a cup of hot water, we’ll warm up by the fire, and I’ll boil some ginger soup. You’ll be fine in no time," Zhong Di suggested. It wasn't a real cold; just a bit of a chill that often affected those with a slightly weaker constitution in such weather.

"Alright, thank you," Su Rou said softly.

Sun Miaomiao watched from the side, grinding her teeth. *Pretending, she’s just pretending.*

"Achoo! Little brother, I’ve caught a cold too," Sun Miaomiao decided to abandon all pretense of reserve.

Zhong Di shook his head. Why were these two girls so fragile? He took their personal mugs from the sterilization cabinet and poured them both hot water.

As they sipped their tea, the two women watched Zhong Di prepare the rabbit. Besides the roast, he planned to grill lamb skewers, enoki mushrooms, and chili peppers. Since he was already grilling, he might as well do it properly—it would be a waste of such beautiful weather not to.

Soon, Sun Miaomiao and Su Rou joined in, helping to thread the skewers. Surprisingly, the two worked in harmony without bickering, which was quite a feat. It was no wonder people said women were mysterious creatures. Though they were less skilled than Zhong Di, their help made the process much faster.

Soon, a heap of ingredients was ready: mushrooms, peppers, enoki, lamb—everything they craved was prepared.

Rain continued to patter and drum outside. Beneath the shelter of the homestead, a bonfire crackled, the firewood slowly turning into glowing charcoal. The process was simple: burn the wood into coals, transfer them to the grill, and arrange the skewers.

Grilling, brushing with oil—the meat sizzled—then more grilling, seasoning, and waiting. The simple, rustic process, combined with the weather, felt incredibly satisfying. As for the rabbit, Zhong Di seasoned it and placed it in a small earthen kiln under the shelter, usually reserved for roasting whole chickens or ducks.

"Spicy! So spicy! Water, quick!" Su Rou cried out after taking a bite of a grilled chili.

"You’d be better off squeezing some lemon juice on it," Zhong Di said, polishing off a skewer of enoki mushrooms. The best way to neutralize spice was acidity; it stimulated saliva and killed the heat instantly.

"Ah! I wanted some enoki mushrooms too," Sun Miaomiao muttered, watching the last skewer vanish into Zhong Di’s mouth.

The barbecue lasted for two full hours, and everyone was thoroughly satisfied. A cool breeze blew, making the warmth of the fire feel even better. Zhong Di tightened his jacket. *Ah, this is the life!* He hadn't felt this relaxed since his last fishing trip. The decision to take four days off each month was clearly the right one.

As time passed, the heavy downpour slowed to a gentle patter. Puddles had formed in parts of the yard, a rare sight indeed. The rain finally stopped, and the water dripping from the roof slowed to a trickle. After finishing their ginger soup, Sun Miaomiao and Su Rou left, looking perfectly fine.

Once things were quiet, Zhong Di took some fresh chicken, placed it on the grill, and roasted it plain—no salt, no oil, nothing. As soon as it was ready, he hurried to the guesthouse. He had several little ones to look after, and he worried they might have gotten cold in the rain.

He usually fed the Pallas's cats plain food, as they were still too young for seasonings or oils, which were bad for their digestion. The farm-raised chicken was so delicious that even he could eat it plain and find it flavorful—though, admittedly, a bit of salt would have been even better.