1320 Leaps & Bounds
After collecting all the hidden ingredients, Hyson and Xiang Wai came back to the campsite. Hyson put all the ingredients down and ran to Raelle's side.
Seeing him panting, Raelle asked, "What now?"
"You have a favorite smell?"
"Huh?"
"Favorite smell," he repeated. "Do you have one?"
Raelle thought about it before nodding her head. "I do actually."
Hyson was shocked when he heard that answer from her and asked, "What is it then?"
"The scent of snow," came the very unexpected answer. Hyson frowned and asked, "Snow has a smell? Why didn't I know that?"
"I didn't know it too," replied Raelle.
"What about your favorite sound?" he asked again.
"The crackling sound of wood burning in the fireplace," said Raelle.
Hyson fell into deep thought and he didn't even have to ask to confirm but he still did. "These favorites are associated with Xian Ge, right?"
Raelle nodded her head without any hesitation.
"You never had favorites in life. You're someone who couldn't even tell what your favorite color is because you never had one."
"Now, I do," said Raelle. "Of course, you do. Do you mind me asking why the smell of snow is your favorite?"
"It was the first time someone held my hand and walked with me on that snowy path," she told him. "It was our very short honeymoon when it happened. And before you ask, yes, the crackling sound of wood burning became my favorite sound on the same day."
Hyson sighed to himself deeply, "You all really scare me with this love and also, fascinate me sometimes."
Raelle gave him a look, "Says the guy who always wanted to see me falling in love."
"I am glad my wish came true and I got see the Raelle in love version. This version is not all that unacceptable."
"Why did you come to ask these questions out of nowhere?" asked Raelle.
"Isn't it because Wai was talking nonsense with me and I got curious? Why else would I think of something like this."
"What did she say?"
"She said people love always have a favorite smell which they associate with love."
Raelle nodded her head, "I would have called that crap before but now, I can't say anything about this."
"I don't wanna talk to you anymore," said Hyson as he left her again.
Raelle shook her head looking at his excited self. He was so hyper that she suddenly felt tired looking at him but this thought alone startled her too. Since when did Raelle Xiang start feeling tired? Wasn't she the humanoid robot who never got tired? Now, she was even feeling tired just looking at her best friend's hyper self. "Weimin Ge, you're so good," complimented Hyson. "You caught so many fish in such a short time. How about you teach me too? I wanna learn this skill too."
"What's the use?" asked Xiang Weimin. "I'll just catch the fish for you whenever you want to eat it."
Shui Xian chuckled when he heard that, he put down his knife and said to Hyson, "Fai, how about you first come and learn how to clean the fish with me?"
Hyson looked at the fish on the chopping board and took a step back, "No, I don't feel like learning that. Doesn't sound very exciting."
"Skills are skills. Why are you so picky with it now?"
Hyson still shook his head.
"Are you scared, Fai?" asked Xiang Wai in a teasing manner.
"What am I scared of?" retorted Hyson. "I just feel bad for the fish."
"You don't feel bad eating it," reminded Xiang Wai.
"That's because I didn't kill it with my own hands," was Hyson's response. "But this is different. If I really picked up that knife and dropped it on the fish's head, I'll feel guilty for life. There would be an innocent fish's life on my hands."
They all laughed at his nonsense and said, "Don't you feel the same when you're eating it?"
"No. Then the fish is doing it's job by being my meal and amusing my taste buds and comforting my stomach. It's different. Very different. No need to laugh at me so much."
"Only you would have so much nonsense in life," said Shui Xian. "Then help me wash the vegetables. Can you do that?"
"Can!" answered Hyson and took the vegetables basket to wash the vegetables.
"He is a gem!" commented Shui Xian. "But very annoying too."
They all divided the work and soon started cooking. It was already getting dark when Xiang Weimin collected some firewood and started a bonfire. Maybe it was because there was rain the previous day, it was slightly chilly at night. So, even though he originally thought they won't be needing a bonfire, he changed his idea later on.
Sitting around the bonfire, they shared the food cooked by Xiang Weimin and Shui Xian. Eating the grilled fish, Hyson praised, "Xian Ge, you're good at this."
"I told you, I am good at this but you never believed it," said Shui Xian.
"Isn't it because you never cooked for me before? How would I know how good you are at this?"
"I never got the chance to do so," replied Shui Xian. "Then we should have more such outing where you can show off your skills," said Hyson taking this chance to climb up the pole.
"Why is it that food can never block your mouth?" asked Raelle. "And why would my husband cook for you. If anything, he'd do it for me. I'm his wife."
"Stingy," commented Hyson. "You're very stingy as always. I don't know what to say to you as you're becoming so unrecognizable to me now."
"Stop talking already," said Raelle.
"How about I tell a story?" suggested Xiang Wai.
"Why?" asked Raelle.
"Because my dear sister, that's what people do on camping trips. Sitting around the bonfire, signing, dancing, playing games, riddles, or telling stories. I believe you have the worst singing voice around here."
"As if you're a great singer."
"At least I know the lyrics. You don't even know that."
"I don't pay attention," said Raelle.
"Xian Ge, you should have brought your guitar and played it for us," said Hyson.
"He won't do it," said Raelle. "He seems to just love putting that guitar in his safe. He only takes it out to clean it lovingly and just gazes at it for hours."
Shui Xian scratched his head when he heard his wife's complaint but he still explained, "Isn't it because it's a very precious gift from you? I don't wanna ruin it."
"Husband, I gave it to you so that you can play it," told Raelle. "Not to keep it in a glass safe. If I wanted that, I'd have given to a music museum or something."
Shui Xian pursed his lips, "What if it broke?"
"I'll buy you a new one! I'm still here!"
Shui Xian sighed, "Fine. Next time, I'll carry it with me on trips."
"I like the sound of that," said Xiang Wai. "Now, can we get to my story?"
"Your last storytelling skill has already traumatized everyone," said Xiang Weimin.
"I'll try to make it fun," promised Xiang Wai. Seeing that everyone resigned to their fate, she finally got her wish and cleared her throat before speaking, "So, it happened when I first joined the military academy. We were sent to the virgin forest for a training exam. We had to live there for a month and survive too. Mind you, there were too many poisonous snakes and insects in that place. And since everyone was an enemy, we had to act alone too. One night, while running away from a wild boar, I actually lost my way. I got bitten by a snake and thought I was done for."
Strangely enough, everyone was listening intently to her story this time around. Whether it was because they found the story interesting or her way of storytelling improved only they would know. For now, Xiang Wai was happy that she got everyone's attention and felt smug too. Ha! Didn't she say she had the most stories to share in this family?
"It seemed my time hadn't come yet and I ended up finding a ruined building in front of me. It looked so dilapidated and covered with moss and vegetation. All in all, it was like the building had become one with the forest and it was difficult to tell what it looked like originally. I took the last antidote pill with me but it was't working. My leg was slowly losing sensation and it was all blue and black. I dragged my body inside that building slowly."
She didn't immediately tell what happened next but took an appropriate pause to build some suspense as she was told to do so after her last story. She seemed to have learned her lesson very well this time and even improved by leaps and bounds.
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