Chapter 18: The Stone Pot

Seeing that she did not cling to him like a lovesick fool as she usually did, nor did she utter any nauseating remarks, a flash of surprise crossed the wolf’s eyes.

It was better that she kept her distance; it spared him the disgust. He supposed she finally had a shred of self-awareness.

He dropped the prey he had been carrying onto the ground. A sudden flash of white light enveloped him, and he shifted into his human form. Upon seeing Su Xiyue sitting there in a grass skirt, her layers of fat exposed and piled up, his expression darkened instantly.

What on earth was she wearing?

Still, he couldn’t be bothered to care; he simply felt that ugly people always had a way of inviting trouble.

Yeling caught sight of seven or eight woven baskets lined up beside her. He had never seen such things before and did not know their name, but he could tell they were crafted from vines. They seemed incredibly convenient for holding items, though he had no idea where Su Xiyue had procured them.

His gaze drifted into the baskets. Each one was filled to the brim with wild fruits, wild vegetables, burrs, various kinds of mushrooms, and all sorts of other miscellaneous items. Seeing the mushrooms, he couldn't help but frown.

"What are you doing bringing these back? Don't you know they're poisonous?" He pointed at the basket containing the fungi.

Su Xiyue glanced at him and explained, "These mushrooms aren't poisonous. They're edible, nutritious, and very delicious."

Yeling clearly didn't believe her. His brow furrowed deeply. "Don't say I didn't warn you. If you die from eating them, don't come crying to me."

Seeing his disbelief, she didn't bother offering further explanations. Once she prepared them, he would see for himself whether they were toxic or not. However, to cook food, she needed a pot. Without one, even the best ingredients were useless.

Remembering something, she looked toward Yeling and couldn't help but ask, "By the way, do you know where I can find a stone pot? I mean a stone that is hollow in the middle with a concave bottom, but the inside should be smooth."

Although stone pots heated up slowly, they would at least be functional. As for clay or iron pots, those were out of the question; such things didn't exist in this primitive beast world. Unless she could figure out how to make pottery or find iron, she wouldn't be able to craft those.

Yeling clearly didn't understand. He frowned at her. "A stone pot? What is that?"

Su Xiyue patiently explained, "It’s a stone container used for boiling food. It's hollowed out in the middle so it can hold water or ingredients. It’s best if the walls are thin." Too thick, and the heating process would be incredibly slow.

Yeling still looked puzzled, his brow knit tightly. "How can a stone hold water or food? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?"

She felt a sense of silent frustration, though she knew she couldn't blame him; this world had yet to develop the concept of a stone pot. She thought for a moment, trying to explain in simpler terms.

"It's about finding a stone that is hollowed out in the middle with an oval-shaped bottom. We can use it to hold things, then build a fire underneath to cook the food. But the stone can't be too thick, or it will heat up too slowly."

Upon hearing this, Yeling finally grasped the idea. "You mean a vessel used for boiling food, like a clay pot, but made out of stone?"

"Exactly!"

Su Xiyue nodded, thinking that Yeling had finally shown a spark of intelligence.

Yeling remained silent, frowning in contemplation, as if searching his memory for such a stone. A moment later, he looked at her and said, "There are many strangely shaped stones over at Panshi Mountain. You might be able to find what you're looking for there."

"Panshi Mountain?" Her eyes lit up. She stood up, hurried over to his side, and asked urgently, "Is that place far from here?"

Seeing her suddenly lean in, her face—which was not much smaller than a millstone—thrust right in front of his, Yeling turned his head away in disgust. "It's not far," he said coldly. "If you move quickly, half an hour is enough."

Su Xiyue didn't miss the look of revulsion in his eyes. Though a pang of discomfort pricked at her heart, she didn't take it to heart. She looked up at the sky; the sun was tilting westward, probably around three in the afternoon. Half an hour meant one hour round-trip. If she returned by five, it wouldn't be dark yet. If all went well, she should be able to make it back to rendezvous with the tribe.

She looked at Yeling, wanting to beg him to take her to Panshi Mountain. But then she remembered how much this man loathed her, and she feared he wouldn't easily agree. She sighed inwardly but decided to try anyway. "Um... Yeling, could you take me to Panshi Mountain?"

Yeling frowned at her and refused without a second thought. "No." His voice was cold, without a hint of hesitation.

She had expected the refusal, so she wasn't too disappointed. She thought for a moment and said, "If you take me to Panshi Mountain and help me find a stone pot, I can cook you delicious food that you've never tasted before."

Yeling glanced at her with his silver eyes and sneered mockingly. "Not interested. I wouldn't dare eat anything you cooked." A woman who couldn't even roast meat properly expected him to believe she could make something delicious?

Hearing his mockery, Su Xiyue felt embarrassed. That was the original owner’s lack of skill, not hers. She wasn't going to take the blame for that. Thinking about how the original owner truly couldn't do anything but eat, it was no wonder Yeling didn't believe her.

Su Xiyue gritted her teeth and decided to play her trump card. "Yeling, don't forget that Father told you to look after me, yet you left me here all alone while you went hunting."

She paused deliberately before continuing, "I just encountered a saber-toothed tiger and was almost eaten. Fortunately, Molin was hunting nearby and saved me in time. If he hadn't come, I would probably be in the tiger's stomach by now."

"If I were to tell Father about this, how do you think he would react?"

Even if it meant incurring more of Yeling's hatred, she didn't care. Only with a stone pot could she cook better food and diversify their diet, instead of eating roasted meat, fish, and wild fruit all day long. Besides, she believed that once she made something truly delicious, this jerk’s favorability rating would naturally rise. As the saying went, if you want to win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach.

Yeling's expression shifted. He snapped his gaze toward her, his silver eyes sharp and piercing. "Are you threatening me?"

Su Xiyue wasn't afraid. She met his gaze with a serious expression. "How is this a threat? I'm simply stating the facts."

Yeling pressed his lips into a thin line, his expression grim. He had indeed failed the chieftain's orders to look after her properly. But if he had brought Su Xiyue along, how could he have hunted? She was nothing but a burden. That was why he had told her to stay put before he left. Who knew she would be so disobedient and wander off? If she had been eaten by a saber-toothed tiger, it would have been her own fault.

However, he was ultimately in the wrong. If Su Xiyue truly told the chieftain, even if the chief despised this daughter, he would likely blame Yeling.

Yeling stared at her with dark, cold eyes. "So, what do you want?"

Seeing his resolve waver, Su Xiyue said happily, "Just take me to Panshi Mountain. Once we find the stone pot, I'll act as if none of this ever happened. How about that?"

Yeling stared at her for a long moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he spoke coldly. "Fine. I'll take you."

Seeing him agree, a bright, dazzling smile bloomed on Su Xiyue's face. "Thank you, Yeling."

She knew she looked ugly right now, and that her smile probably looked even uglier, but she couldn't help herself. Yeling looked at the smile on her face and found it blindingly irritating. He must have been insane to agree to take her to Panshi Mountain.