Part 2
Ning Yunyi picked up Ning Xiaomiao in one swift motion and kissed his forehead before pinching his little cheeks with one hand: “Were you a good boy this afternoon with the big cat?”
Ning Xiaomiao wrapped his small arms around Ning Yunyi’s neck: “I was good, and Cat-cat was good too. But Cat-cat is so pitiful, I want to let Cat-cat…”
Just as Ning Xiaomiao was about to say something, the big cat suddenly made a noise and dashed over to circle around the small robot carrying the large stone.
Ning Xiaomiao’s attention was successfully diverted. His mouth hung open in surprise as he stared at the huge stone: “Father, this stone is so big! Bigger than one, two, three—so many of me!”
Unable to figure out how many, he simply gave up counting altogether.
Ning Yunyi instructed the small robot to place the water-skin stone in the corner of the yard. Once it did, the disposable robot became useless, falling to the ground with a soft thud and shutting down completely.
Ning Xiaomiao, who had just been captivated by the moving robot, immediately noticed when it toppled over. He ran over, squatted down, and poked at it with his small hand. Looking up at Ning Yunyi, he asked, “It’s not moving anymore. Is it tired?”
Seeing the bright light in the little one’s eyes, Ning Yunyi couldn’t bring himself to say that the robot was broken. Instead, he said, “Yes, it needs to rest for the night. It’ll be ready to play with you again tomorrow.”
Ning Xiaomiao believed him right away. He carefully cradled the small robot in his arms, as if it were a precious treasure. “Then can it sleep with me tonight?”
Ning Yunyi shook his head. “It needs to charge in the study.”
Ning Xiaomiao sighed softly but nodded obediently. “Then I’ll come and keep you company tomorrow night, little robot. Be good, okay?”
Watching the little one treasure the robot like it was a gift, Ning Yunyi couldn’t help but reflect. The small guy had never really had any toys. Now that there was a big cat at home, the difference in size meant it couldn’t constantly be by his side like a toy, making it have a different kind of significance in the little guy’s eyes.
The big cat was family, independent, but toys were something exclusively his.
The big cat gave the discarded disposable robot a glance, then turned to Ning Yunyi: *The child doesn’t understand, but you shouldn’t be so cruel.*
Ning Yunyi decided he would deal with the water-skin stone after dinner. He had promised the big cat an extra treat tonight.
So, he figured… why not prepare a full fish feast?
Of course, calling it a “full fish feast” was an exaggeration since the three of them—two people and one cat—couldn’t possibly finish that much food. In the end, he settled on four dishes and one soup, all fish-based.
Ning Yunyi already had a menu in mind.
First, there had to be sweet and sour carp, which Ning Xiaomiao loved. Then, a dish of pickled fish, which the big cat favored. The remaining two would be squirrel fish and garlic-flavored grilled fish, along with a fish head soup.
He began preparing the ingredients, starting by steaming the rice. Then he moved on to the squirrel fish and sweet and sour carp, both of which required a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce.
Next came the pickled fish and fish head soup. The garlic-flavored grilled fish would be the final dish.
As Ning Yunyi started cooking the first dish, the big one and the small one had already gathered nearby, unable to wait.
Ning Xiaomiao, not wanting to disturb his father, stood off at a distance, occasionally helping out by fetching something. He was busy running around the kitchen, but he was clearly enjoying himself.
The big cat, having nothing to contribute, lay down at the entrance, its nose twitching every so often. The sweet-and-sour aroma, combined with the rich scent of fried fish, made it loathe to move from its spot.
Ning Yunyi then took out the prepared grass carp. He cut shallow slits into the fish and marinated it.
Next, he blanched the accompanying vegetables—potatoes, onions, and carrots—and set them aside.
He poured oil into a pan and, once it was hot, began frying the fish until both sides were golden brown.
The mouthwatering aroma of the fish made Ning Xiaomiao stop whatever he had been doing. He stayed quietly nearby, overwhelmed by the intoxicating scent that filled the kitchen.
Instinctively, he felt that every whiff of the fish made his mouth water.
Father had said this was grilled fish, but it was different from the kind they had cooked outdoors over an open flame a while ago. This one, he said, would be slow-cooked on a tray over a low flame.
Ning Yunyi removed the fish from the pan once it was golden and began frying the base ingredients.
Since it was garlic-flavored, the base consisted of minced garlic mixed with barbecue sauce. As the fish and the sauce’s rich aroma filled the air, the entire kitchen seemed to be enveloped in the bold, lingering scent of barbecue.
Ning Yunyi laid the blanched vegetables on a rectangular tray and placed the fried fish on top. Then he poured the garlic sauce over everything.
He added minced garlic, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns on top of the fish. Then, he heated oil in a small pan until it was hot and poured it over the fish, releasing an even more intense burst of aroma.
The golden-brown fish skin sizzled under the hot oil, seeming to curl up slightly, and the fragrance reached an entirely new level.
Ning Yunyi carried the tray to the dining table, where he had already set up a small stove. He turned the flame to low, and before long, the fish began to simmer. The meat was soon bathed in the bright, flavorful sauce, and the rising steam seemed to hook into anyone’s hunger.
A loud gulp was heard from one of the two standing by the table, though it was unclear who it came from first.
Ning Yunyi was placing cilantro and green onions on the fish when he heard the sound and chuckled. “Go wash your hands. Dinner’s ready.”
The big one and the small one immediately turned and bolted.
From a distance, Ning Xiaomiao’s little voice could be heard muttering, “Cat-cat, I let you call Father, but I’m the older brother, so I get to go first.”
The big cat’s paws slipped as it skidded to a halt by the sink. It could’ve skipped washing altogether.
Ning Yunyi, with his sharp hearing, finally understood why the big cat had been so enthusiastic earlier. He couldn’t help but laugh, teasing, “Big cat, no food unless you wash your paws.”
The big cat: “…”
The two people and one cat ate their dinner with their heads down, fully absorbed.
The big cat had once ranked the chopped pepper fish head among its top three favorite fish dishes.
But after tasting the garlic-flavored grilled fish, it had to push the chopped pepper fish head down the list.
The garlic-flavored grilled fish, simmering over a low flame, became more flavorful the longer it cooked. Each bite was packed with an intense, dominating flavor that fully awakened the taste buds, making every pore on the body scream for more.
In the end, the fish bones were claimed by the big cat. It mixed the sauce with rice and fish bones, adding another half bowl of rice.
The four dishes, one soup, and the large pot of rice were completely devoured. The fish bones and head were even chewed down to crumbs by the big cat, whose teeth were impressively strong.
Ning Yunyi was quite satisfied with the meal, not to mention the two furballs who were naturally fish lovers.
After nightfall, Ning Yunyi turned on the lights in the yard and began processing the water-skin stone.
Ning Xiaomiao and the big cat wanted to help, but Ning Yunyi refused.
The water-skin stone was tricky to handle, and he was afraid that flying shards might hurt them.
So, the two could only obediently squat on the steps, insisting on keeping him company rather than going back inside.
Once fully protected, Ning Yunyi took out a sharp knife from his storage space, one that could slice through iron like it was mud.
He began cutting the water-skin stone with his spiritual energy.
Ning Yunyi hadn’t stocked up on jade stones, not anticipating a doomsday scenario. Naturally, he didn’t have the specialized tools for cutting raw stones.
However, by reinforcing the knife with spiritual energy, he was able to achieve the same cutting effect.
Thus, Ning Yunyi began slicing the stone, piece by piece, as if he were cutting through clay.
Ning Yunyi had guessed correctly. There was indeed jade inside the stone. Although there wasn’t much, there was a piece about the size of two fists, of decent quality, and it contained a fair amount of spiritual energy.
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