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墨書 Inktalez
Gradually, I saw the lights and heard the barking of dogs; Jiangshuiquan Village was just ahead.
Qiu crouched down, placed me on the ground, and with a swift motion, he broke off a branch and fashioned it into a walking stick, handing it to me.
Was this his way of telling me to walk on my own?
He didn’t explain anything. I obediently took the walking stick and limped along behind him, but my heart was far from calm.
Was he trying to avoid letting others see him carrying me? If so, who did he not want to see? Was it Melan? Had something already developed between them?
At this thought, I felt a sharp pang in my heart.
Had I arrived too late?
Reflecting on the months I had spent in the Tang Dynasty, aside from the time when my father unexpectedly passed away and Qiu had gently comforted me, there had been no further intimate contact between us, especially in public. However, it was somewhat reassuring that I hadn’t noticed any closeness between him and Melan either.
Was there some secret they couldn’t share, or was it simply due to shyness?
My thoughts were in turmoil until I caught a whiff of food.
A delicious aroma wafted from the house we were staying in! With Melan suffering from a high fever and too weak to get out of bed, who could be making dinner?
The door opened, revealing Luo Dachun with flour dusted on his face and his hands wet. Upon seeing me, a look of surprise mixed with complexity crossed his features.
“Is there really such a thing as a curse in this world? Liuying, how are you feeling? You mustn’t die!”
A curse? What was going on here?
Beside him, Nie Qiuyuan seemed to hold his breath for a moment, as if struggling to endure something.
"You were supposed to die from the curse, right? Isn't the antidote written on your desk? I've been thinking all afternoon and believe I've figured out what this 'pizza' really is!"
Huh? Who told him such a thing? And honestly, isn't that just nonsense? Luo Dachun is a smart person; how could he believe such words and even 'crack' the meaning of 'pizza'?
I was stunned, feeling both shocked and amused. Perhaps even intelligent people have their blind spots, places where they lack critical thinking. Even when struck by lightning, they might still hold onto their beliefs.
Luo Dachun said seriously, "Liuying, don't be afraid. I've figured it out: 'Pi' means to open or spread; 'Za' refers to a witch. So, I think the antidote should be something like this!"
He presented a large bowl of oddly colored noodles, filled with various diced vegetables and topped with cheese cubes, sprinkled with the tomato sauce I had prepared earlier.
Using fermented dough to make the noodles, they actually retained their shape after cooking, which was quite impressive. This bowl of noodles was truly the epitome of dark cuisine.
It was my fault for simply writing the two characters for 'pizza.' If I had written 'Pizza,' it would have sounded much more credible. This reminded me of a Japanese food show where everyone could only guess and infer what a dish looked like based on its name, description, and ingredients. The results were often hilariously varied.
Inference is an interesting thing; it exists everywhere!
But what if Luo Dachun knew that the term 'pizza' was merely a transliteration? Would he go crazy?
"Da Chun, there's been a misunderstanding; my judgment was wrong. Liuying is fine; she just went out to pick mushrooms and got a little hurt." Nie Qiuyuan said calmly, his expression unchanged.
What? His judgment was wrong? Was he the one who led Luo Dachun to 'crack' what he thought was my so-called curse?
In an instant, I gained a new understanding of Qiu. When he rescued me, his thought process was so clear; he knew exactly that I had gone out to pick mushrooms to make a special dish!
Was he subtly playing with Luo Dachun?
There was a subtle sense of dark humor lingering in the air.
After spending a few months together, I found Luo Dachun to be quite the character. He had a sharp tongue, but he wasn't a bad person. In fact, he was quite intelligent, and his demeanor could even be described as carefree and unrestrained. However, for some reason, he had an unconditional trust in Nie Qiuyuan. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of history lay between them.
No rush; I would eventually figure it out.
"Thank you, Brother Luo. Liuying is fine now." I struggled to suppress the laughter bubbling inside me. Yet, Luo Dachun's actions stirred a flicker of warmth in my heart; it was genuinely touching.
It felt as if, in this unfamiliar world, I was gradually beginning to acquire some warm connections—bonds between people.
Half an hour later, I served Liao Zhen a freshly made Pizza.
The round, thin crust was perfectly crisped, topped with evenly distributed pieces of marinated meat and rings of green and red peppers. Of course, there were also the various mushrooms I had painstakingly gathered. All the toppings were covered with a layer of cheese that had melted into golden-brown patches, just the way I wanted it.
It smelled absolutely divine!
Just the aroma alone had Luo Dachun captivated under my apron, and even Qiu wore a smile at the corners of her mouth.
"You really have talent, Liuying. This smells amazing!" Luo Dachun exclaimed in admiration. "Where did you learn to do this?"
"I can do much more!" I replied with a sweet smile. "Once, I met a foreign chef who taught me many recipes from his homeland. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future for me to cook for you all."
As I chatted away, I silently prayed that they weren't childhood friends who had grown up alongside me.
Unfortunately, while I focused on the small details, I overlooked the bigger picture.
"Weren't you supposed to have amnesia?" Detective Luo asked sharply.
"Cough cough... I..."
I was nearly choked, a mouthful of blood almost bursting out. Fortunately, Qiu changed the subject.
“How do you eat this pizza?”
“Just figure it out! I’m going to check if Melan’s mushroom porridge is ready.” I seized the opportunity to escape in embarrassment.
When I returned, the two handsome men were cutting the pizza into half-inch squares with a knife, picking them up with chopsticks, and dipping them into the plate of tomato sauce like they were dipping in vinegar, sending piece after piece into their mouths.
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“It’s delicious!” Luo Dachun praised sincerely. “Liuying, come eat!”
I responded and joined them in eating pizza like scallion pancakes.
For some reason, I suddenly felt a gentle warmth in my heart, a slight acidity in my eyes, and just a little urge to cry.
It was a hint of the taste of home.
That night, as usual, I was jolted awake from my dreams around midnight.
“Looking for me?” Night Phantom sat on the edge of my bed.
It was truly amazing. While I was busy by the stove alone, I wondered if you would come tonight; if you did, I would bake you a pizza!
But even on your journey, do you still exist? Then where do you usually hide?
Wherever there is autumn, there is night; it seems that it’s not a lie after all!
"Just wait." With my messy hair, I tiptoed into the kitchen to start a fire and reheat the pizza I had secretly saved for him until it was crispy.
"I saw that, and I really wanted to try it," Ye said, a charming smile playing on his lips. "It's great that there's some for me."
I slathered ketchup haphazardly on the pizza.
"Let's eat together. I want to know the real way to enjoy this," Ye said, his beautiful eyes looking at me meaningfully through his mask.
I couldn't help but chuckle. I took out the knife he had given me and deftly cut the pizza into eight equal slices, then reached out to grab a piece. The hot cheese stretched long as the toppings tumbled down. I held the slice in my hand and stuffed it directly into my mouth.
"So barbaric?" He looked astonished.
"Try it; this is the true flavor!" I pushed the pizza toward him.
Suddenly, Ye laughed happily. The air around him was always so relaxed and soft. This person was such a unique presence; it seemed that in his heart, nothing strange was unacceptable.
I sat across from the Ancient Handsome Man, tearing apart the pizza with my hands, chatting about trivial things as we spent half of a leisurely long night together.
If only we had a can of beer, that would be even better.
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