The sun dipped low, painting Tai Chu's training ground in soft orange, when Master finally said, "Call it a day."
Tan Kai legs trembled as he straightened—calves burned like he'd stood on hot stones, knees aching so bad he had to rub them with both hands. "Ugh," he groaned, sinking onto a stone step. "How do you two do this every day?"
Yara Yu leaned beside him, rolling her shoulders with a wince. Her cheeks were flushed from effort, but she managed a small smile. "We'll get used to it. Eventually."
Bright and Nam leaned against a tall traveler's palm, snickering. "You look like newborn deer—wobbly and lost," Bright teased. He tried to strike a "tough" pose—one leg lifted, hands on hips—but tripped over his own foot. Nam caught him just in time, rolling her eyes.
Just then, Nam turned and walked off without a word.
Then a rustle cut through the air.
Nam perked up, waving toward the path. "Over here!"
Everyone turned. Nam walked over, a woven bamboo basket balanced on her hip. Banana leaves covered the top, but the sweet smell of ripe mango and warm coconut drifted out—Tan Kai stomach growled so loud, he had to hide his face.
"Finally!" Bright sprinted over, nearly face-planting into a gnarled root. He skidded to a stop in front of Nam, bouncing on his toes like a kid begging for candy. "Is that mango sticky rice? I smelled it from the lotus pool!"
Nam laughed, lifting the banana leaves to reveal the basket's contents: glossy mango slices, plump rambutan, and three small packages wrapped in banana leaves (each bulging with sticky rice). She handed Bright a mango and one package. "Slow down—you got rice all over your blue shirt yesterday."
Bright didn't listen. He tore the leaf open, grabbed a handful of sticky rice, and stuffed it into his mouth. Rice stuck to his cheeks and chin. He talked through a full mouth, words muffled: "S'good… way better than yesterday's!" A grain of rice fell onto the small lotus stitch on his shirt. Nam sighed and brushed it off with her finger.
Tan Kai hobbled over, hunger winning out over sore legs. "Save some for the rest of us!" He grabbed two packages, handed one to Yang Yu, and tore into his own. The sticky rice was warm, sweet with coconut milk. He ate so fast, crumbs fell onto his jacket. Yara Yu giggled and pointed at his chin.
"Slow down," she said softly. "You'll choke."
She took small, deliberate bites—calm, unlike Tan Kai frantic shoveling. Nam watched them for a second, then leaned in to Yara Yu, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hey—come here. I got something extra."
She knelt down, rummaged under the mango slices, and pulled out a smaller banana-leaf package. It was shaped like a drumstick. She handed it to Yara Yu, whispering: "Don't let those two see. They'd throw a fit."
Yara Yu eyebrows shot up. She unwrapped the leaf carefully, and her eyes widened—inside was a cooked chicken leg, still warm, its skin glistening with oil. "Is this…?"
"Chicken," Nam whispered, grinning. "I snuck it from the cave's storage. Master let me cook it this morning—said I needed practice. Those two?" She nodded at Tan Kai and Bright, who were too busy eating to notice. "They'd finish this whole leg in two bites. You deserve something nice after training so hard."
Yara Yu took a bite. Her face lit up. "This is amazing! How did you learn to cook like this?"
Nam's chest puffed out with pride. "Master taught me first. But I practice every day—I make him mango sticky rice for breakfast, and sometimes chicken or fish for dinner. He says I'm the best cook in the mountain… even better than the chefs in the Heavenly Court." She leaned in, giggling. "Don't tell him I said that, though. He'll get cocky."
Tan Kai looked up then. He'd finished his rice and reached for a mango slice—only to freeze, staring at the chicken leg in Yara Yu hand. His mouth dropped open, mango slice halfway to his lips.
"Wait," he said, pointing. "Is that chicken?"
Bright looked up too. Rice was still in his mouth. He froze, then coughed hard. "Chicken? Why does she get chicken? We trained too!"
Nam crossed her arms, pretending to be stern—but her lips twitched, like she was holding back a laugh. "Because you two eat like wild boars. You'd finish this before I could blink. Yara Yu eats slowly—she actually tastes the food."
Bright's lower lip stuck out in a dramatic pout. "That's not fair! I can taste food! See?" He took a tiny bite of mango, nodded slowly, and said, "Mmm. Sweet. Juicy. See? I'm tasting it!"
Tan Kai nodded eagerly, leaning forward. "Me too! I can taste! Please—just one bite? A tiny one?" He squeezed his thumb and finger together to show how small.
Yara Yu and Nam looked at each other. Then they burst out laughing.
Yara Yu laugh was soft, like wind chimes. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop rice from falling out. Nam's laugh was louder, brighter—she doubled over, holding her stomach. Even Master Tai Chu—who'd been sitting on a stone bench nearby, watching quietly—chuckled, shaking his head.
Tan Kai and Bright stared at them, their pouts growing bigger. "This is cruel," Bright said, fake-wiping a tear from his eye. "First the training, now no chicken. I'm being oppressed!"
Tan Kai nodded quickly. "Oppressed! Master, tell her to share!"
Master Tai Chu stood up, stretching his arms. "Don't look at me. Nam cooked it—she gets to decide who eats it. But if you two keep pouting, I'll add an hour to your stance training tomorrow."
Bright's pout vanished instantly. "No, Master! Mango sticky rice is my favorite! I don't need chicken!"
Tan Kai nodded so fast his head spun. "Me too! Rice is way better! Chicken's overrated!"
YaraYu and Nam laughed harder. Yara Yu held out a tiny piece of chicken to Lin Chen. "Here—one bite. Don't tell Nam."
Tan Kai popped it into his mouth, closing his eyes. "Wow," he said softly. "That's… amazing."
Bright gasped. "You shared with him and not me? Unfair!"
Nam handed him a mango slice—its skin bright yellow, perfectly ripe. "Here. This one's from the tree by the lotus pool. It's sweeter than chicken, I promise."
Bright took it, bit into it, and his face lit up. "Whoa! This is the best mango ever! Can we go pick more tomorrow?"
"Sure," Nam said, sitting down next to Yang Yu.
They spent the next hour eating and talking. Tan Kai told stories of his village—Aunt Mai's fried tilapia, the mango orchard he used to sneak fruit from. Yara Yu talked about Li Na, about the lotus ponds they'd tended together when she was little. Bright rambled about the time he'd tried to climb a mango tree and fallen into the lotus pool (Tai Chu had laughed so hard, he'd dropped his tea cup).
By sunset, their bellies were full, and their legs didn't ache as much. Master Tai Chu clapped his hands. "Off to bed. Dawn training—no sleeping in."
They groaned, but obeyed. Bright and Tan Kai bickered about racing to the mango tree tomorrow. Yara Yu and Nam walked behind them, whispering and laughing. Tan Kai looked up at the sky—stars were starting to twinkle, and the moon hung soft and silver. For the first time in weeks, he felt home.
Five miles from the Ironwood Forest, a small tavern glowed with oil-lamp light. The sign above the door creaked in the wind: "The Mango Inn."
Ne Zha pushed the door open, his red armor glinting in the light. He shouted, "Waiter! Over here!"
A skinny waiter in a gray tunic hurried over, wiping his hands on a dirty cloth. His hair was messy, and there was a stain on his sleeve. "Evening, sirs! What can I get you?"
"Bring your best food," Ne Zha said, slamming a gold coin on the table. "Roast pork, fried fish, whatever's fresh. Don't skimp."
Erlang Shen leaned back in his chair, his third eye hidden under his forehead. He spoke slowly, his voice calm: "And wine. Your strongest."
The waiter nodded. "Right away, sirs! Be back in a minute!" He scurried off to the kitchen.
Erlang Shen watched him go, then turned to Ne Zha. "We need a plan. We've been searching the Ironwood Forest for weeks. If we don't find Tai Chu soon, the Jade Emperor will punish us."
Ne Zha frowned, tapping his fingers on the table. "What plan? We don't even know which cave he's hiding in. The forest is huge!"
"I have an idea," Erlang Shen said. "We disguise ourselves as a mother and daughter—lost, scared, screaming for help. If Tai Chu hears, he might send Tan Kai or Yara Yu to help. Then we grab them."
Ne Zha raised an eyebrow. "Disguise ourselves as women? And what if we attract Tong's men? Or those forest spirits? We're immortals, but they could ruin the plan."
Erlang Shen sighed. "You're right. Tong's men are in the Ironwood too—we saw their fire pits yesterday. And the spirits… they don't like Heavenly Soldiers. We can't risk it."
The waiter came back, carrying a tray with two clay bowls of rice, a plate of roast pork, a plate of fried fish, and two wine cups. He poured the wine carefully, then said, "Anything else, sirs?"
Ne Zha shook his head. "No. Leave us."
The waiter nodded and hurried off.
Ne Zha picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and nodded. "This is decent. Hey—did you notice? We're not the only ones in the forest. That group of men in black coats—they're searching for something too. I saw them yesterday, by the river."
Erlang Shen eyes lit up. He picked up his wine cup, took a large sip, and slammed it down on the table. "You're right! Those men—they must be after Tai Chu or Tan Kai. We can use them. Make them talk. Find out where Tai Chu's cave is."
Ne Zha grinned. "Exactly! That's what I was thinking. Tomorrow, we find them. They'll tell us everything—if they know what's good for them."
Erlang Shen raised his cup again. "To the plan."
Ne Zha clinked his cup against it. "To not getting punished by the Jade Emperor."
They ate quickly. Ne Zha devoured the roast pork, while Erlang Shen picked at the fried fish. After paying, the waiter showed them to a small room upstairs—two straw mats on the floor, a small window that looked out at the forest.
Ne Zha flopped down on one mat, yawning. "Finally—no sleeping on the ground. My back was killing me."
Erlang Shen sat on the other mat, closing his eyes. "Rest. Tomorrow, we find Tong's men. And then we find Tai Chu."