The soft flicker of moonlight illuminated the farmhouse's uneven walls, and Liu Fei awoke with a start. Her eyes darted to the window, where darkness blanketed the landscape.
"No, no, no!" she groaned, scrambling upright. "I was supposed to finish clearing the southern field! How did I lose half the day?"
"Host," the system chimed in its perpetually calm tone, "rest is essential for optimal physical performance. Current energy levels: 80%."
"Yeah, great timing," Liu Fei muttered, stumbling toward the door. "Now I'll be working in the dark, and…"
Her stomach let out a ferocious growl, interrupting her tirade. She froze, clutching her middle as the ache of hunger made itself impossible to ignore.
From the corner of the room, a raspy voice broke the silence. "Sounds like your stomach is staging a rebellion."
Liu Fei turned to see Yan Mo leaning against the doorframe, his golden eyes faintly glowing in the dim light. His face was pale, but his smirk was as infuriatingly smug as ever.
"I don't suppose you have any gourmet meals tucked away, do you?" she shot back.
"No," he replied evenly, "but you have Spirit Boar meat, don't you? Or have you forgotten already?"
Liu Fei's eyes widened. The Spirit Boar carcass she'd painstakingly harvested the other night flashed in her memory. She slapped her forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that earlier?"
"Perhaps because you were too busy panicking," Yan Mo quipped, pushing off the doorframe with a wince. "Now, let's see if you can manage to cook without burning down the farm."
The makeshift campfire crackled in the small clearing beside the farmhouse. Liu Fei crouched near the flames, skewering chunks of Spirit Boar meat onto sticks she'd whittled with her rusty knife. The rich smell of roasting meat filled the air, and despite the lack of seasoning, it was enough to make her mouth water.
"System," Liu Fei murmured, glancing at the flickering interface hovering in her peripheral vision, "any advice on how to make this taste better?"
"Spirit Boar meat is naturally enriched with spiritual energy, which enhances flavor and nutritional value," the system replied. "For optimal results, apply seasoning herbs such as Moonshade or Golden Thyme."
"Yeah, because I've got a spice rack just lying around," Liu Fei muttered. She turned the skewers with care, watching the juices sizzle and drip into the flames. "Guess I'll have to make do."
Yan Mo sat a few feet away, his back propped against a tree. His injuries still hadn't fully healed, and she'd insisted he stay put. He watched her with an amused expression, one brow raised as if silently judging her culinary technique.
"Are you going to help, or just sit there and smirk?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"I'm injured, remember?" he said, though he made no move to hide his amusement.
Liu Fei rolled her eyes. "Convenient excuse."
With a theatrical sigh, Yan Mo pushed himself upright and made his way over, albeit slowly. "Fine. Let me show you how it's done, little farmer."
As he leaned down to adjust one of the skewers, his arm brushed against a tangle of vines trailing from a nearby bush. The vines seemed to have a mind of their own, wrapping around his wrist with surprising speed.
"What the—?" Yan Mo growled, attempting to pull away.
"Careful!" Liu Fei cried, moving to untangle him. But her haste only made things worse. The vines tightened, yanking Yan Mo off balance. In the chaos, he toppled forward, colliding with Liu Fei, and they both landed in an undignified heap on the ground.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Liu Fei's face was inches from Yan Mo's, his golden eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk.
"Enjoying yourself, little farmer?" he murmured, his voice low and teasing.
Liu Fei's face burned, and she scrambled to push him off. "Get off me, you overgrown troublemaker!"
He chuckled softly but winced as he shifted, his hand going to his side. The faint stain of fresh blood seeped through his shirt. Liu Fei's irritation evaporated, replaced by concern.
"Your injury's worse," she said, her voice softening. "You shouldn't have moved."
"It's nothing," he replied, though his expression betrayed a flicker of pain.
Before Liu Fei could argue further, a loud voice cut through the night.
"What's going on here?"
Liu Fei and Yan Mo turned to see Chen Guang striding into the clearing, his burly frame silhouetted against the firelight. Two of his cronies flanked him, their expressions just as unfriendly.
"This your idea of farming?" Chen Guang barked, pointing at the campfire. "Setting up a bonfire this close to my fields? You trying to burn the whole village down?"
Liu Fei stood, brushing dirt from her clothes. "Your fields? This is my property. The fire's nowhere near your land."
Chen Guang took a step closer, his scowl deepening. "You've been nothing but trouble since you showed up. First poking around the forest, now this? I'm warning you, girl. Keep your nonsense to yourself."
Yan Mo rose slowly, his movements deliberate. Despite his injuries, there was an air of authority in the way he carried himself. He stepped in front of Liu Fei, his golden eyes narrowing at Chen Guang.
"You've made your point," Yan Mo said, his tone icy. "Now leave."
Chen Guang bristled, his fists clenching. "And who's this? Your new bodyguard?"
"None of your concern," Yan Mo replied. "But if you value your dignity, I suggest you walk away."
The tension crackled like the campfire, the air thick with the promise of a fight. Liu Fei's pulse quickened as she glanced between the two men. Chen Guang's hand twitched toward the axe at his belt, while Yan Mo's posture remained steady, his injured state doing little to diminish the quiet menace he exuded.
"Host," the system chimed in her mind, "escalation detected. Recommendation: De-escalate to avoid conflict."
"Great advice," Liu Fei muttered under her breath. But how?
She took a deep breath, stepping between the two men. "Look, this is a misunderstanding," she said, her voice firm. "We're just trying to cook dinner. The fire's contained, and it's not near your fields."
Chen Guang's glare didn't waver. "You'd better watch yourself, girl. Next time, there won't be any warnings."
With a final sneer, he turned and stalked off, his cronies trailing behind. Liu Fei let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her shoulders sagging with relief.
"Well handled," Yan Mo said, though his smirk suggested he'd been ready to fight.
Liu Fei shot him a glare. "Next time, maybe don't provoke the guy with the axe."
"Noted," he said, his tone amused.
As the tension faded, Liu Fei turned back to the campfire. The skewers of Spirit Boar meat were slightly charred but still smelled heavenly. She handed one to Yan Mo, who accepted it with a raised eyebrow.
"Not bad for a little farmer," he said, taking a bite.
Liu Fei rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "It'll taste better when I figure out how to grow some seasoning herbs."
The system chimed softly in her mind, listing potential herbs to cultivate, but for once, she ignored it. For now, she was content to sit by the fire, the warmth of the flames chasing away the chill of the night. And despite the chaos, she felt a flicker of accomplishment. One step at a time, she was making this farm her own.