CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: ROASTING MEAT

Su Qinglan stared at the giant bowl of meat like it was some kind of nightmare.

Her chopsticks...I mean, her hands hung in the air. She didn’t even want to touch it.

Her round eyes blinked. Her lips pressed together. She looked completely lost.

How... how was she supposed to eat this bloody mess?

Hu Yan watched her quietly.

He knew. He had seen it in her eyes before; she liked delicious food and cooked food.

But him?

He didn’t know how to make it. He didn’t even know where to begin.

And that made his chest feel heavy. For the first time, he hated his uselessness.

Even Rong Ye, the sly fox, looked reluctantly at the raw meat, his mood soured at the thought of eating this. His violet eyes narrowed as he stared at the meat.

After eating the dishes Su Qinglan had made, he couldn’t go back. His proud, picky tongue refused to swallow this raw meat in his human form.

He leaned lazily on his elbow, tails swaying, but his lips curved in distaste.

Su Qinglan got an idea, and she looked at Hu Yan with her watery eyes, her big eyes shimmering.

"I will not eat this raw meat," she whispered firmly.

Then, her lips curled into a sly little smile.

"Let’s cook it. Right here. The best way."

Hu Yan raised an eyebrow. He tilted his head, curious.

She leaned close, cupping his ear with her hand. Her warm breath brushed his skin as she whispered her plan.

Hu Yan’s golden eyes flickered. The moment he heard her idea, he stood up without hesitation.

And soon, he returned with a huge bundle of dried wood in his arms.

Su Qinglan’s eyes lit up. "Perfect!"

She quickly stacked the wood into a small hill, just like the bonfire in the center of the square.

But when she moved to light it...

She froze.

She didn’t have flint. So... she had only one option.

Her little feet carried her straight toward the center of the gathering.

The sacred fire. Her plan was simple...borrow a flame.

But the moment she got close...a tall beastman blocked her path.

His voice was deep, strict, and unyielding.

"Female, you are not allowed to go close to the fire."

Su Qinglan glared at him. "I know how to be careful! Just let me..."

But he didn’t move. He stood like a solid wall.

Her way was completely blocked.

Before she could argue more, Hu Yan appeared at her side.

The massive tiger loomed like a mountain, his golden eyes sharp.

"My female can control fire," he growled. "Let her go."

His voice rumbled, heavy with threat, his aura pressing down.

The blocking male’s body stiffened.

But before the argument could go further...Su Qinglan was already sneaking past! Let them fight; she would be done in a few seconds.

The moment Hu Yan drew the guard’s attention, she slipped to the side like a little thief.

Quick as a rabbit, she reached out a stick, caught a spark from the great bonfire, and ran! Without looking back.

Her heart thudded in her chest as she dashed back, clutching her flaming stick like a treasure.

The crowd gasped.

Many beastmen had noticed her sneaky work. Their faces grew anxious, their bodies tense.

But not a single one dared to approach. Because they were terrified of fire.

Even with such a huge bonfire burning in the middle, all the males stayed far away. The only ones close were the guard and the witch doctor, who tended it.

So when Su Qinglan came running back with a flame in her hands, the beastmen instinctively shrank back.

She ran past them like she was untouchable.

When she reached her little pile of dried wood, she bent down and carefully lit it.

The fire caught instantly, crackling and dancing.

Su Qinglan grinned proudly.

"Alright. Let’s make something edible!"

She turned to Rong Ye, her hands on her hips.

"You. Skewer the meat."

Rong Ye froze. His ears twitched. His tails fluffed up.

"What...me?" he asked, offended.

"Yes, you." Su Qinglan narrowed her eyes.

"You think I forgot my grudge against you? You stole my first kiss! You’re my ox now. Do the work!" Su Qinglan thought in her mind.

Rong Ye’s violet eyes went wide, then narrowed dangerously. His tails lashed like whips.

But in the end... he still picked up the sticks and skewered the meat one by one, grumbling under his breath. Because he dares not defy her.

Su Qinglan, with a smug expression, sprinkled salt over the pieces. Then she placed the skewers over the small fire.

Sizzle...

The sound made her mouth water.

Soon, the air was filled with the rich, savory scent of roasting meat.

The fragrance curled through the square, drifting in every direction.

Beastmen’s heads began to turn.

Eyes widened.

Noses flared.

Even those who had ignored Su Qinglan before now stared at her fire like wolves smelling prey.

Their throats bobbed, saliva gathering as they swallowed hungrily.

And on the other side, it also caught the attention of the tribe leader and witch doctor and some elders.

Su Mingxuan finally looked away from the stage.

The moment he saw his daughter sitting in front of a blazing fire, calmly roasting meat...

His face drained of color.

"Qinglan!!"

He almost fainted from fright.

Without a thought, he dashed toward her, heart thundering, desperate to drag her away from the flames.

His face was pale, filled with panic.

But before his hand could even reach her, Su Qinglan raised her palm and stopped him.

"Father," she said softly, her voice calm and steady. "It’s all right. See?" She already knew her father’s worries.

She spread her arms out just a little, her cheeks glowing in the firelight.

"I’m perfectly fine. I know how to control fire."

Su Mingxuan’s throat bobbed. His lips parted. He wanted to scold her, to shout at her, to remind her of the dangers.

But just as he opened his mouth...

Quick as lightning, she shoved a fresh roasted piece of meat right into his open mouth.

"Eat."

Su Mingxuan froze.

His jaw worked on instinct, chewing slowly.

And then

His eyes widened.

The flavor... the soft, smoky, savory taste of roasted meat burst across his tongue.

"Delicious!!" he blurted out without even thinking.

Su Qinglan beamed, "See, Father? I can make delicious food even using the sacred fire!"

The beastmen nearby perked up, their eyes blazing with curiosity and hunger.

But before anyone else could react, A lazy drawl came from the side.

"That was mine."

Rong Ye’s violet eyes glittered as he stared at the empty stick in Su Qinglan’s hand.

Su Qinglan rolled her eyes. She swatted his reaching hand away like a fly.

"Roast your own meat."

Rong Ye stared at her in disbelief, his jaw dropping. He turned his gaze down at his own stick. It was charred and black.

Smoke rose from it like incense at a funeral.

The meat was completely gone, reduced to ash clinging stubbornly to wood.

"..."

His beautiful face twisted. He wanted to cry.