Chapter 112: The First Step in Winning Her Over is Through Her Stomach - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 112: The First Step in Winning Her Over is Through Her Stomach "You okay?" Chang'e's eyes remained clear and pure, unable to decipher the complex emotions in Su Mo's gaze. Earth's joys and sorrows were beyond her comprehension. Su Mo snapped out of it and reverted to his usual carefree demeanor. "Hehe, it's nothing." "Hungry, fairy? I'll head down the river and catch some fish for you." Chang'e gently shook her head. "I don't really need to eat, but I just have this craving." "This feeling, it's unfamiliar." "I don’t know why, but I just want to eat..." Su Mo paused, processing what she said. She was craving food, plain and simple. Could it be that Chang'e had never eaten before? Or, more likely, never tasted anything quite like his cooking. This realization sparked a new determination in Su Mo. "If you want to eat, then eat. I'll catch the fish." With these words, Su Mo stripped off his animal skin shirt and dove into the river. Watching Su Mo swim, Chang'e's eyes grew distant. Noticing the sweat stains on his discarded shirt, she waved her hand, and the garment became pristine again. Unlike yesterday, Su Mo didn't catch a swordfish; instead, he dug out a plump catfish from the mud. It was hefty, weighing over twenty pounds. Using the leftover bones from yesterday, Su Mo swiftly gutted and cleaned the fish. Catfish meat is flaky, so he gathered some natural bamboo and wood from the dense forest behind the riverbank. Employing his Chi Xiao sword, he lit a fire and began preparing bamboo-grilled fish. Chang'e watched curiously, intrigued by Su Mo's methods. She had never seen anyone prepare food like this. At most, she knew of fish boiled in a cauldron of water, resulting in a bitter, foul broth. Growing up, she never found joy in eating. She couldn't fathom the source of Su Mo's creativity. Soon, the aroma of bamboo-infused grilled fish filled the air. Su Mo tasted it, deemed it satisfactory, and handed a piece to Chang'e, served on a fresh bamboo plate. Chang'e took a bite, her lips barely parting, and found the flavor exquisite. "Delicious." Su Mo grinned triumphantly. "Glad you like it." With their hunger sated, Su Mo was about to put on his clothes when he noticed all the stains had vanished. There was no one else around, so it had to be Chang'e's doing. A warm feeling flooded his heart—this icy maiden had learned to care. They continued their journey, encountering few people. Occasionally, they would come across wild men covered in black hair, offering Su Mo a glimpse into the ancient world. Civilized tribes with cultural heritage were a rarity. Most people lived in primitive conditions, their tribes hidden deep in the mountains. Even Yi, the great hunter, couldn't command these wild folk. He lamented the fall of the Red Hill tribe, pondering how many civilizations' potential had been snuffed out by conflicts. As they traveled, Su Mo gradually collected information from Chang'e, though she, too, was a thousand-year-old recluse with limited insights. Determined to win Chang'e over, Su Mo continuously experimented with different foods, presenting her with a new gastronomic experience every day. Drawing from a wealth of culinary traditions, he aimed to bring joy to her otherwise lonely existence. Their daily conversations grew more frequent, though it remained strictly conversational. Each time Su Mo tried to get closer, Chang'e would vanish, teleporting to a distant location through unknown magic, leaving him frustrated. Understandably, Su Mo was puzzled about advancing their relationship. He knew Chang'e was untouched by worldly desires, maintaining an ethereal, serene aura that treated everyone equally. Her rejections held no basis in power or status. Resolute, Su Mo decided not to overthink it. Persistence would break down the hardest of stones. As their destinies were intertwined, a year, ten, or even twenty years was a small price to pay. About a month and a half later, Su Mo followed Chang'e to the edge of Yunmengze, a vast area dotted with water bodies. The largest river within roared like a mighty dragon. Accompanying Chang'e, Su Mo traced the riverbank eastward to reach Yunmengze's heart. Entering Yunmengze, they encountered more people. Wild tribesmen fished from dugout canoes in the river, and large fields bordered the riverbanks, growing millet yet to mature. The millet was stunted and the fields choked with weeds, depriving the crops of nutrients. This perplexed Su Mo, prompting him to question Chang'e. "Why don’t they weed the fields?" "Weeding? What's that?" Chang'e blinked, genuinely puzzled. "It's always been like this," she said with a hint of curiosity. Su Mo finally understood the root of the sparse population: not only low productivity but also a refusal to improve farming methods. "No reason," Su Mo replied dismissively. The ancient world, though wide and sparsely populated, had its charm, with no need to alter history's flow. Soon, they arrived at a tribal settlement. Here, Su Mo realized that not everyone in ancient times stood over 1.6 meters tall. Nutritional deficiencies among the people kept their height between 1.5 and 1.6 meters, with only a few exceeding 1.6 meters, evident in their ornate attire, marking them as the wealthy. Upon entering the tribe, the villagers eyed Su Mo and Chang'e with fear and caution. With his towering, muscular build and golden hair, Su Mo appeared godlike. In contrast, Chang'e stood out even more at 1.72 meters. Both caused the tribal villagers considerable unease. A lean man about 1.6 meters tall approached them, boldly meeting Su Mo's gaze. To him, Su Mo's golden hair shone like the sun, reminiscent only of Yi, the great hunter, whose visage he had glimpsed from afar during the decennial tribally gatherings. As for Chang'e, the villagers dared not even glance her way. To them, such beauty was only befitting a godlike figure like Su Mo. Summoning his courage, the lean man spoke. "What brings you to our Blackwater tribe?" Su Mo, looking down slightly, replied first. "We're heading to Yunmeng City." Chang'e, familiar with such encounters, spoke plainly. "Let's go." Clearly, she had no intention of lingering. Though intrigued by the tribe's potential unique offerings, Su Mo followed Chang'e, abandoning his curiosity. After leaving, they continued along the riverbank when the lean man reappeared, bringing a gift. "Wait a moment." Turning back, Su Mo saw he held a salted, sun-dried fish. In these salt-lacking primitive times, this simple salted fish was invaluable. "A gift for us?" The man nodded earnestly. "It’s all we have to offer." Su Mo accepted the fish, noting the salt crystals on its surface. He inhaled deeply, detecting the rich aroma developed during its preservation. "Thank you." "You’re welcome." Seeing Su Mo accept the fish, the man rushed back to his tribe, satisfied. Chang'e looked at the salted fish with interest. "What is that?" Su Mo smiled confidently. "It's something good. You'll understand once I've prepared it." "Okay." Chang'e's eyes gleamed with anticipation. Unbeknownst to her, the culinary delights created by Su Mo gradually won over Chang’e's palate, allowing her a taste of ordinary human emotions. Once they left the boundaries of the Blackwater tribe, Su Mo turned to Chang’e. "Can you check if this salted fish is safe?" Chang’e nodded slightly, her cool gaze sweeping over the fish. Then she shook her head. "No poison, it's safe to eat." "Good to know," Su Mo replied. He approached a shallow riverbank, meticulously cleaning any residual grime from the fish before peeling off the entire fish skin. The only inedible parts of the salted fish were the skin and head; the rest was fair game. Rinsing the fish meat with fresh water, Su Mo placed it on a clean leaf. Then he dove into the water to catch more fish. In this journey, they had survived primarily on fish, their diet untainted by monotony despite the lack of salt. Now, with salt in their possession, a proper feast was in order. Before long, Su Mo caught two swordfish from Yunmengze's great river. These swordfish, relatives of eels, boasted tender flesh rich in oils, promising exceptional flavor when grilled. Previously, the absence of salt precluded realizing its gastronomic potential. Now, with seasoning in hand, he envisioned even tastier dishes. After cleaning the swordfish, Su Mo intricately stuffed slivers of salted fish meat into them and grilled them using his Chi Xiao sword. A unique aroma blended with the original fish flavor, reminiscent of grilling eel. He handed the grilled fish wrapped in clean leaves to Chang’e. With a hint of anticipation, she took a bite. An entirely different exquisite taste burst open in her mouth, leaving Chang’e utterly spellbound. Watching her enraptured expression, Su Mo felt deeply satisfied. As long as she delighted in the food, he thought, the challenge lay not in nurturing her hunger, but in cultivating a discerning palate. Slowly savoring every morsel, Chang’e finished her fish, then glanced longingly at the remaining serving in Su Mo's hand. Obliging, Su Mo passed her another piece of fish. Once satiated, Chang’e's cool, serene eyes displayed a touch of hesitation. "You’ll keep cooking for me in the future, won’t you?" (End of Chapter)