Chapter 42: Cooking Porridge

Zhao Chi looked around in all directions.

Confirmed it was safe.

"Let's go, Tang Ruan, hurry up and get water, so you can all eat your fill. Once you've eaten, we'll go wipe out that group of goblins."

"Huh? Didn't you say those goblins have thirty-five strong warriors? We've only got twelve people — can we really beat them?"

Tang Ruan was a little worried.

Zhao Chi laughed and said, "What thirty-five warriors? Goblins are the best at blowing their own horn — everything they say is exaggerated. The number they gave might not even be real; maybe there aren't even thirty of them."

Tang Ruan nodded. "Oh, there are a lot of things I don't really understand yet. Thank you for patiently teaching me."

This Tang Ruan — quite polite.

Zhao Chi smiled and said, "No need to thank me. When we get back, you can pass on what I've told you to the others too."

Tang Ruan nodded and said, "Mm, I will."

"Let's go, hurry up and get water."

After that, things went very smoothly.

They ran into no obstacles.

Zhao Chi's iron pot and Tang Ruan's wooden basin were both filled to the brim.

The two of them carefully and quickly returned to the territory.

They went straight into the lord's house.

In the kitchen, fair-skinned Gu Qing was inside.

The clothes clearly weren't finished yet.

But Gu Qing already had all the supplies needed for cooking prepared.

Piled up in a full corner of the wall.

Seeing Zhao Chi and the others, she stood up happily: "You're back? My lord, I've got all the firewood ready for cooking — you can light the fire right away."

Zhao Chi set the pot on the stove.

Looking at the full pile of firewood, he was a little surprised.

Though the firewood was simply piled up,

it was very neatly arranged.

It was divided into three separate piles along the corner of the wall.

The innermost pile was all thick, large logs — they could burn for a long time.

The middle pile was dry branches and some thin twigs.

And the outermost pile was dry grass, dry leaves, and dry bark — perfect for kindling.

Zhao Chi couldn't help asking, "Did you do all this yourself?"

Tang Ruan also sighed, "Sister Gu is amazing."

Gu Qing smiled and waved her hand:

"How could I have done all this by myself?

"There were three sisters who did it together with me. After all, we had to cook first and let everyone eat their fill.

"As for clothes, wearing them a little earlier or a little later doesn't matter — no one else can see anyway.

"Even if my lord here saw, it wouldn't matter.

"Don't you think so, Tang Ruan?"

Tang Ruan hadn't expected Gu Qing to suddenly ask her.

She stammered, "Oh-oh, um, yes, if my lord sees, then he sees — it's nothing."

As she spoke, her face flushed and she lowered her head.

Seeing her embarrassment, Gu Qing couldn't help bursting into laughter.

But suddenly, her expression changed.

She was seen abruptly leaning close to Zhao Chi.

"My lord! How come you've got blood on you? Are you hurt? Let me heal you!"

Zhao Chi looked down and saw some bloodstains on his waistband.

But it was all from the goblins.

Zhao Chi gave a brief explanation.

"Oh my, you scared me to death. As long as you're fine, that's good."

Gu Qing patted her proud, full figure and let out a breath of relief.

Waves rippled, blossoms trembling.

Zhao Chi asked, "Gu Qing, can you cook rice? Tang Ruan and I are going to bury those three goblins."

Gu Qing laughed and said, "My lord, how could I possibly not know how to cook plain rice? You really think too little of me. Supplies are scarce right now, but once we have enough, I'll let you see what I can really do in the kitchen — I'll make you something delicious every single day."

Zhao Chi laughed and said, "Alright then, I'm in for a treat."

After saying that, Zhao Chi suddenly felt something was off.

In Gu Qing's attributes, he hadn't seen any cooking skill at all.

Without a cooking skill, what culinary skill could she possibly have?

Zhao Chi asked, "Gu Qing, you… also have quite some insight into cooking?"

Gu Qing was frank about it: "Absolutely no insight at all."

"Uh… then you?"

Gu Qing laughed and said, "That's why we have to wait until supplies are enough. I'll practice hard — I have to become your personal chef, so I can guarantee meal safety."

Dining safety?

Is her loyalty really only 5 points?

Zhao Chi was a little pleased: "Good, then I'll be counting on you from now on. Today's rice — no problem, right?"

Gu Qing also laughed: "The rice really is no problem, rest assured. But I think we'd better cook it into rice porridge — after all, there's no dish to go with the rice. Tang Ruan, what do you say?"