"Come, follow me!" Xiaoxue said, holding Wu Fan's hand and leading him to another corner of the cave.
"Ah, I see!" Wu Fan exclaimed as understanding dawned on him.
In front of him was a stone hearth with a carved wooden container resting on top. Inside the hearth, a few glowing embers remained, and a pile of firewood was stacked neatly beside it.
Nearby, a simple wooden plank served as a countertop, with a bamboo knife lying on it.
"But what do you eat here? I don't see any food..." Wu Fan asked, still puzzled.
"Haha, you'll find out soon enough! Oh, big brother Wu, let me show you something else!" Xiaoxue said with a smile, pulling him toward another area.
"Incredible, there's even an underground river here?" Wu Fan exclaimed, delighted by the sound of flowing water.
"Yes, look, there's a lake over there. That's where we bathe and fetch water. A bit further away is our toilet area. The water carries everything away, so it's always clean here. Don't you think it's convenient?" Xiaoxue said proudly.
As she spoke, she began to remove her clothes.
"Ah!" Wu Fan didn't immediately realize what was happening, too focused on admiring the underground lake. It wasn't until he caught a glimpse of something white out of the corner of his eye that he noticed Xiaoxue, already naked, walking toward the lake.
Startled, Wu Fan quickly averted his gaze.
Even in the dim torchlight, he had clearly seen her fair and slender figure... It was the first time he'd witnessed such a sight, and his heart raced uncontrollably, his body trembling with excitement.
If not for his reserved nature and the strong moral sense instilled in him by rural life, he might have already lost control.
"Big brother Wu, come on, let's bathe together! You smell bad after lying in bed for over twenty days. Come, join me!" Xiaoxue called out joyfully, splashing around in the water.
Luckily, Wu Fan had already turned his back, sparing himself further embarrassment.
"Hehe, Xiaoxue, your mother is right. There's a difference between men and women. You take your bath; I'll bathe later, alone," he replied awkwardly, stepping away to inspect something else.
"Hmph!" Xiaoxue pouted, clearly a bit upset.
In the shadows, a pair of eyes discreetly observed the scene, satisfied.
Zhao Tingfeng, Xiaoxue's mother, thought to herself, "This Wu Fan seems to be an honest man. If, within a month, he doesn't lay a finger on Xiaoxue, I'll pass on those two ancient books to him and teach him everything I know about medicine and martial arts."
When Xiaoxue finished bathing and dressed again, a voice echoed through the cave: "Xiaoxue, teach Wu Fan how to cook. Starting today, he'll handle the cooking, and you'll guide him."
"Okay, Mom!" Xiaoxue replied.
She went to fetch Wu Fan from the other side and brought him back to the kitchen area.
"You scrape the ash off the hearth to reveal the embers, then add some dry wood on top and blow gently. The fire will start up again, and you can begin cooking," she explained, demonstrating as she spoke.
"Oh, I know how to do that. But... this little wooden pot, won't it burn?" Wu Fan asked incredulously, holding the wooden container.
"No, it's made of a special kind of wood, harder than iron, and as long as there's water in it, it won't burn!" Xiaoxue replied, tapping the pot proudly.
"Alright, but what are we going to cook?" Wu Fan asked, remembering the saying: even the
best cook can't prepare a meal without ingredients.