These words made everyone feel even worse. Did this mean they would never see Big Horn again?
Shu Yue also realized this and said no more. The family returned with heavy hearts, bringing the two large bags with them. The gifts prepared in advance could not be given, sigh!
Warrior City became busy. Every household began to salt meat, preparing for winter.
Leite and Wente went to check the prey inventory daily, ensuring they had enough for trade.
A'man took people out hunting. Ya, with nothing to do, took her younger son to Shu Yue's house for a visit.
She said with a touch of emotion, "Everything is good here in the East Sea, except the winters are too cold. The West Sea has never been this cold."
The West Sea's winter did not hinder hunting. They hadn't expected the East Sea to be so cold that there were no prey during winter. Even powerful Dragon Beasts were helpless without prey.
Shu Yue teased, "You've been here for over ten years, still not used to it?"
Ya shook her head, "I'm used to it now. I'm fine, but you guys really suffer, unable to even leave your homes."
Shu Yue admitted this, "Yes, you can still go out hunting with A'man, while I can only stay home and watch the snow. Going out would freeze me to death."
Ya thought of Shu Yue bundled up like a zongzi during winter and couldn't help but laugh.
Long Xiaxia had a new playmate, Long Teng, Long Rui's younger brother.
Shu Bei was taken out by Long Rui early in the morning. They said they had discovered something delicious. While the adults chatted, the two little ones played games of climbing trees and flying down.
Shu An wanted to join but couldn't. Bored, she ran to find Sister Duoduo.
Duoduo rarely had free time. She was usually surrounded by many males, and quiet moments were few.
With nothing to do, the two girls went shopping. Once the weather turned cold, opportunities to go out would be fewer.
"Huh? When did a roasted insect shop open here?" Duoduo looked curiously at a secluded shop at the end of the street.
As soon as Shu An heard roasted insects, her mouth began to water. "Are there still insects at this time? Let's go in and take a look."
The two walked in. Everyone was busy processing food for winter, so there weren't many people in the shop.
However, the shop owner surprised Shu An. Wasn't this the Uncle A Yong she had met a few months ago?
Duoduo's gaze fell on the roasted insects sprinkled with cumin. "Grandpa, how much are these insects?"
A Yong was gaunt, with slight wrinkles on the back of his exposed hands. Apart from his face, which was still recognizable, he looked like an old man in decline in every other aspect.
Shu An remembered him clearly.
A Yong did not correct her misunderstanding of his age. He simply said, "It's cold, and I don't have much stock left. I used to sell them for one copper coin a skewer. If you like them, I'll sell you the rest at a discount. Fifty copper coins for all one hundred skewers."
Duoduo immediately agreed when she heard this good deal. "Okay, Grandpa, we'll take them all."
A Yong seemed to smile. "Please wait a moment, I'll go to the back room to get the rest."
"Okay." Duoduo picked up a skewer of roasted grasshoppers and sniffed it. "An'an, smell this, it's very fragrant. I wonder where they found these insects."
Shu An didn't lean over to smell it, but quietly reminded her, "Sister Duoduo, he's called A Yong, and he's only about thirty years older than us, not an old beastman."
Duoduo was shocked. "No way, he looks so old!"
Shu An also didn't understand. "Perhaps his body is too weak."
Duoduo felt he was too pitiful. No wonder he had to catch insects to sell. She felt a bit of sympathy. "Then let's give him twenty more copper coins later. Winter is coming soon, I hope he can get by a little better."
Shu An had no objections. "Whatever you say."
In just a few words, A Yong came out with a plate of roasted insects. They smelled delicious, as if they had just been roasted.
Duoduo looked past the insects to observe A Yong, trying to find a trace of youth in him. Shu An lowered her head and took money from her wallet.
Just then, a sudden change occurred. A Yong flipped the tray of roasted insects onto Duoduo's head, then knocked both of them unconscious with a palm strike each.
A Yong's eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't expected it to be so smooth!
Footsteps sounded outside, startling A Yong, who quickly dragged Duoduo and Shu An into the back room. He sprinkled them with a scent-removing powder. After doing all this, the footsteps reached the outer room.
Yin Chuan looked at the ground in surprise and called into the room, "Boss, your things have fallen on the ground."
A Yong came out from the back room. Yin Chuan was even more surprised. "Brother A Yong, you opened this shop?"
A Yong grunted in acknowledgement. "These that fell on the ground can't be sold. Do you want them? If so, I'll give you the rest for free."
Yin Chuan waved his hand. "How can I accept that? Just give me the ones that fell on the ground. How much are the ones in the counter? I'll buy them."
A Yong casually said, "Just these few, ten copper coins is fine."
"Oh." Yin Chuan paid him.
A Yong packed these insects for him. While the other was packing, Yin Chuan stood at the doorway. If he wasn't mistaken, there seemed to be the scent of Shu An and another familiar female here?
Yin Xiao's sense of smell was much keener than ordinary beastmen, having some connection to canines. He wouldn't be mistaken. Shu An had definitely been to this shop.
Just as he was about to ask, the other had already packed them for him. The actions were very quick, as if he was eager to get rid of him.
Yin Chuan suppressed his doubts and walked out with the roasted insects.
He didn't leave but stood by the shop entrance eating. He thought that Shu An's scent was very clear, and she should have come just before him. Even if she had left, she couldn't have gone far. He would wait here.
It wasn't that he had any romantic feelings for Shu An, but he simply wanted to look after her like a sister. Most importantly, he was worried about Shu An appearing near A Yong. He couldn't quite explain the feeling, but it made him uneasy.
With him waiting outside, A Yong in the shop became very anxious. If he waited any longer, the two people in the back room would wake up, and his plan would fail!
"Don't eat here. I'm going to close the shop," A Yong said, suppressing his anxiety.
Yin Chuan moved aside. "You close it. I'll wait for someone here."
A Yong: "..."
"Don't eat in front of my shop. If you throw the wooden skewers on the ground, I'll still have to clean them up."
Yin Chuan kicked the wooden skewers on the ground together. "Don't worry, after I finish eating, I'll take them with me to burn as firewood."
A Yong's face turned cold. "Can't you tell? I don't want you eating in front of my shop. Do I have to say it harshly for you to understand?"
Yin Chuan looked up at him, said nothing, and walked to the side. In his heart, however, his vigilance was raised. Something was wrong. Why was he so eager to get rid of him and what was he trying to do?!
A Yong stood at the shop entrance, watching him walk away before turning back. As soon as he entered, Yin Chuan returned. This time, he had learned his lesson and didn't appear at the front door, but circled around to the back of the inner room.
At this moment, A Yong was about to attack Duoduo. He grabbed her by the neck and was about to exert force when he heard a noise from the front again. "Boss, are there any more roasted insects?"