OUR HAPPILY EVER AFTER (A WANGXIAN STORY)

Chapter 66

"Pay attention, Princess. I'll cook it for you just this once", Zizhen says as he holds the bird in place and strips it off its feathers after bathing it in hot water.
" Do not push my buttons Zizhen.", Jin Ling tries to get a few feathers off himself. The taller man chuckles lightly and continues. Once the bird is naked and Zizhen is done using it to annoy his friend, he takes his time to make an incision; showing the other man how to remove the gut and organs without spoiling the meat.

"How do you want it done?", he wipes a beady sweat off his face with the back of his palm.
Jin Rulan thinks of what sounds like an easy method; let's just roast it, he says.

"That will take more time and effort.", Zizhen disagrees."We have a pan, some spices, a spring over there, and a whole lot of forest to find some vegetables.", he goes over the things in their possession.

"They dont just sprout out of nowhere!... Who the hell packs cooking utensils in a spirit pouch. I can't believe you've been carrying that around.", Jin Ling throws his arms up.

Ignoring his little complaints, Zizhen holds up the bird with a lifted brow.

"Fine, let's boil it!", Rulan says what he wants to hear.
Although he acts uninterested, Jin Ling later embraces the idea and fetches dry wood to start a fire.

"Should you be adding all that?", Rulan does not keep mute when the actual cooking begins. Like a child, he has so many questions yet when he opens his mouth it's full of criticism.

"Trust my skills," Zizhen says smoothly.

"And the rice?"

"Oh that, just set it on the second fire...Pour some of the water out.", Zizhen patiently guides his companion. Twenty minutes through there was a pleasant aroma circulating in the air. Rulan now believes Zizhen did things right. They take a seat and survey the boiling pans.

"Jin Ling, I know being around them is not easy for you...We'll be out of here sooner than you think.", Zizhen takes out a secret stash of peanuts in the pouch and throws one at Sect Leader Jin. Rulan fails to catch it and has his hands ready for the next one. He sighs, "It's okay Zizhen...Let's face it, Sizhui is a better man for him. I can't make him happier."

"I stand with you Rulan, later we will drink to your broken heart; Squashed and trampled by a Lan with a bitchy attitude. Hahaha.", Ouyang Zizhen says with a mocking tone.

"Ohh, Zizhen, let's not forget to also drink to your father locking you in a room with a woman someday. May you be able to stare at her perky breasts without pissing your pants.", Jin Ling picked up the baton. His evil laugh is short-lived when Zizhen's face suddenly goes crimson and it escalates when Rulan sees the problem- his friend was choking on a nut.

"Zizhen, what's wrong?... Hold on", He hurriedly moves behind the man and wraps his arms around the abdomen. Jin Ling heaves and squeezes, trying to get Zizhen to cough it out but it does not work. Gasping and clawing at his neck Zizhen crouches on the ground and pants with strain.

"Come on, you have to stay still!", Rulan fips him over and sits on him; knees on the ground. "Here goes nothing!", Jin Ling clasps his hands together and gives the man's chest a strong hit.

*Cough*

The culprit pops out of Zizhen's mouth and he finally receives air into his lungs. Rulan taps his cheeks a few times to make sure all was well.

Zizhen, "*Cough*, Jin Rulan...How did you...How did you know she has perky breasts?"

"You say the darndest things when you're drunk. If big blossoms are a kink for you, just tell your old man and stop complaining to me. It's irritating. ", Jin Ling scoffed.