"I've been out hunting for days, the house hasn't been cleaned yet. Let's eat out here. Under the moonlight and cool breeze—quite pleasant, isn't it?"
Shichen dragged a wooden table outside, wiped it down with a cloth, and laid out the food he'd bought.
Xue Kui didn't care where they ate—
as long as there was enough and it was delicious.
His tongue slid across the corner of his lips. The fragrance rising from the dishes made his mouth water. This was the first time he'd seen so much good food at once.
"I heard someone called Shuang'er say that you humans call cooked food… dishes?"
At the mention of that name, Shichen's movement paused. He then smiled and nodded.
Xue Kui immediately gave him a thumbs-up.
"Good dish!"
…Why did that sound like he was rating him instead?
At least Shichen knew the yaksha was still like a child when it came to worldly matters. Instead of overthinking, he simply handed Xue Kui a pair of chopsticks.
Xue Kui accepted the two smooth wooden sticks, stared at them for a moment—
—then opened his mouth to bite them.
"Wait!"
Shichen grabbed his hand in time.
"You've never used chopsticks before?"
"Chopsticks?"
Xue Kui held one stick in each hand, utterly confused.
"It's a tool used for eating."
Xue Kui flipped a chopstick around and jabbed it into a slice of braised pork, lifting it like a skewer, shoving it into his mouth.
"This?"
Shichen chuckled.
He then demonstrated properly—holding the chopsticks, picking up a slice of meat.
Xue Kui watched the movement. Simple. Clean. Efficient.
He imitated the motion, lifting a piece of meat the same way and bringing it to his mouth. Then he raised his hand to eye level, opening and closing the chopsticks a few times.
A convenient tool.
Humans really did like inventing things.
Head propped on one hand, he studied the chopsticks—then recalled the hoes used for farming, and the crossbow Shichen carried.
Using external tools… to compensate for weakness.
So that was how humans survived.
Then—
a fragrance Xue Kui had never smelled before drifted over.
A tuft of hair atop his head stood straight.
What smell is that?
He followed the scent to Shichen, who was pouring a liquid from a clay jar into two cups.
Xue Kui had seen jars before—filled with intensely flavored food. But flavored water? That was new.
Shichen noticed a white head leaning in and grinned.
"Oh? Interested in wine?"
"Wine?"
"It makes you feel… happy. Temporarily. Want a taste?"
Xue Kui held out his bowl immediately.
He feared nothing—
except food from a hilichurl pot.
With a mischievous smile, Shichen poured.
Xue Kui downed it in one gulp—
then stuck out his tongue, face scrunched.
"Hahaha! How is it?"
"Strange. I don't like it."
He poked the wine jar.
"How can water taste so weird?"
"Wine isn't water. It's brewed from grain."
"Grain? Isn't that your food?" Xue Kui tilted his head. "Humans die if they don't eat, right? Why use food to make this weird drink that doesn't even fill your stomach?"
Shichen exhaled quietly.
"In this world, few die of hunger."
He swirled the wine in his cup and drank.
"We don't starve. We die… to beasts. Or to injuries while wandering."
His tone was calm, but something in it made Xue Kui shift uncomfortably.
The night wind grew chill.
Even a Cryo-blooded yaksha felt the cold inside.
"So Lady Guizhong wants to build a safe home for us. I'm… deeply grateful. She asks for nothing. We have nothing worth wanting."
Shichen's voice carried reverence.
Xue Kui thought of the same woman—
who wasn't much different from Morax.
Both only understood violence when persuading him.
He opened his mouth, but didn't interrupt.
Perhaps that was because he was not human.
"And I should thank you as well. Not only because you saved me—" Shichen smiled, warm. "You chose to stay here. That means you want to protect us, same as Lady Guizhong."
The uncomfortable tightness in Xue Kui's chest faded.
He raised his chin proudly.
"Of course. Human food is tasty. If I protect you, I can eat more. And fight strong enemies. Two birds, one stone."
He didn't know it, but among humans, that was called—
comforting someone.
"Hehe. Then we'll count on you."
Shichen lifted the jar again.
"Sure you don't want more? Wine only works when you drink enough. Don't you want to know what humans trade precious grain for?"
Curiosity bloomed.
Xue Kui feared no flavor except hilichurl stew.
"…Fine. More."
Moments later—
Shichen squinted at the jar in confusion.
Snow-white yaksha: drunk.
Human: only slightly flushed.
Despite his superior body, Xue Kui slumped in his chair, eyes unfocused.
His mind became empty—
no sudden urge to fight, no instinct gnawing at him.
A strange peace.
He finally understood what humans sought in wine.
A brief, precious freedom.
Not long after—
Shichen, now also drunk, leaned against Xue Kui.
"Uuuh~ Xue Kui… I miss my parents. They died during a migration."
He sniffled.
"Hey… is Lady Guizhong your mother?"
"Huh? No. Yaksha are born from heaven and earth. I didn't see any living creatures when I was born."
"Oh. I thought Lady Guizhong made you. Since she gave you a name… parents give names."
Guizhong? Mother?
Xue Kui's foggy brain struggled.
"Ah! Then we're the same—we both lost our parents! Let's swear—we become brothers!"
"Brothers?"
"It means we're the closest kind of people!"
Someone who fed him…
showed him wine…
called him family…
Xue Kui grinned stupidly.
"Okay."
"How old are you, Xue Kui?"
"?"
"How many years since you were born?"
"About… one thousand sun-and-moon cycles?"
"So young? Then I'm your big brother!"
Shichen slapped Xue Kui's shoulder—hard.
Xue Kui mimicked the motion.
"Okay! Big brother!"
He didn't notice Shichen's face suddenly go pale.
Because—
CRACK.
Shichen's shoulder…
just broke.
How did it break?
HOW DID IT BREAK?
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