Immortal Takeout - Chapter 21

When the moon rose, Ta Nuo and Luo Xiang sat together amidst the canopy of the pear tree. The little boss had used some method to make the canopy both sturdy and comfortable. Sitting up there required no effort, and there was no fear of falling.

“Here, the moon feels so close, the view is wide-open, and one can enjoy the breeze,” Ta Nuo commented with the ease of an old immortal. “The spot you chose is excellent. I like it very much.”

“Don’t say things that make me want to hit you,” was Luo Xiang’s sole retort.

The little white umbrella ferried up plenty of delicious food on its surface: meat, ciba glutinous rice cakes, wine, melons, and fruits, all served on white porcelain plates, steadily arranged upon the delicate leaves.

“What special day is it today, to have so many good things to eat?” Ta Nuo asked, puzzled.

Luo Xiang shot him a glance, most likely disdainful of this sea otter’s lack of common sense. But, frowning, he still answered, “February 2nd.” He gave a dismissive snort. “You certainly know how to pick a day.”

Ta Nuo nodded, mentally noting that February 2nd  was also a festival.

“Move your head over here,” Luo Xiang suddenly commanded.

Ta Nuo asked why, curious, but obediently leaned his head forward.

Luo Xiang, who had been concealing something sharp in his hand, snipped off a small lock of Ta Nuo’s bangs with a swift, sudden motion.

Ta Nuo clutched his head in alarm. “This won’t look good,” he protested.

Luo Xiang released his hand immediately, blowing away the hair fragments. He had only cut a tiny bit, but Ta Nuo’s bangs now looked as if a small mouse had secretly nibbled a bite out of them.

Ta Nuo stole a glance at Luo Xiang’s hand. His fingers were slender and pale, with nothing visible between them—it was impossible to tell what he had used to make the cut.

“What did you cut my hair for?” Ta Nuo asked.

“Because it was annoying to look at,” Luo Xiang replied offhandedly.

“Liar,” Ta Nuo muttered, pursing his lips.

Luo Xiang neither confirmed nor denied it. He reached out, picked up the black-glazed meiping vase, bit off the stopper, and took a swallow of wine. He washed the wine down with a drag from his cigarette. The scent of the wine wafted over on the night breeze. Ta Nuo’s nose twitched, and he stared at Luo Xiang with curiosity. He had never drunk wine before, having only secretly licked his father’s cup once as a child. It had been pungent and spicy, not good at all.

Yet, although Ta Nuo was quite certain that wine was not a delicious drink, seeing Luo Xiang enjoy it with such deep contentment made him begin to doubt his own conviction.

“Is it good?” he asked, swallowing saliva, his voice full of curiosity.

Luo Xiang lifted his chin and shook the wine bottle. “Want a taste?”

Ta Nuo, recalling the indescribable flavor from his childhood, wrestled with himself for a moment but ultimately shook his head.

Luo Xiang gave a slight quirk of his lips and didn’t insist.

Ta Nuo then turned his attention to the food he could conquer. The meat was pig’s head meat, braised until glossy and ruby-red, fragrantly sticky and rich, fatty but not greasy. Ta Nuo took a bite and nodded emphatically. While seafood was the staple on an otter family’s table, after attaining sentience, they would also try some human foods, including braised delicacies like pig’s head meat. But he had never tasted pig’s head meat this delicious before, and he ate several pieces in a row before stopping.

“The flavor is excellent, but it’s a bit strange,” he said, smacking his lips as he weighed his words. “It feels like there’s a hint of plant ash inside. Not strong, very faint, not unpleasant.”

Luo Xiang continued drinking by himself, not saying a word.

Ta Nuo tried a piece of ciba. Soft, sticky, and sweet, sprinkled with crispy crushed peanuts. Oddly, the ciba was also wrapped in a faint fragrance of plant ash. “So strange,” Ta Nuo murmured, perplexed, rubbing his face.

Luo Xiang held his cigarette between his left index and middle fingers. He used the lit end to point at each item in turn—the wine, the meat—and introduced, “Dragon head meat, She cake, tribute fruits.” Then he lifted the wine bottle. “She wine.”

(tl/note : Shè cake and Shè wine ritual offerings prepared for the Earth God)

Ta Nuo watched the burning cigarette tip nervously, afraid the ash would fall. However, the long-accumulated ash hung precariously yet reliably, not a single speck flying off.

“Why is it called dragon head meat?” Ta Nuo managed to ask between bites.

“The second day of the second lunar month, Dragon Raises Its Head. The food has to carry a bit of the dragon’s essence for good luck.” Luo Xiang’s explanation was concise. Ta Nuo didn’t fully understand, only grasping that these were all offerings, originally used for the ceremony to celebrate the dragon raising its head and the beginning of the spring ploughing.

“Is it… not quite right for us to steal Mr. Dragon’s food like this?” Ta Nuo asked cautiously. “He’ll notice once he raises his head.”

“It was mine to begin with,” Luo Xiang said, glancing at Ta Nuo. “Eat your food. Less nonsense.”

Reassured, Ta Nuo opened his belly wide and ate until he was eighty percent full, then wiped his mouth contentedly. Luo Xiang’s wine wasn’t finished yet—strange, the bottle didn’t look very big, and he drank at a considerable pace. Ta Nuo secretly picked up the bottle and shook it, hearing that it was still more than half full. He frowned, thinking, *Is this an endless bottle of wine?*

“If you’re full, get down,” Luo Xiang said, taking the bottle back.

Ta Nuo shook his head in refusal, remaining seated. He looked up at the sky. The moon didn’t look perfectly round, but it was bright and large, like a glowing, plump meat bun. Ta Nuo let out a satisfied burp and slowly began to talk. He spoke about the several cats he’d met recently.

“Manager Lin is very beautiful, the most beautiful white cat I’ve ever seen, but his temper isn’t great. Icy, and a bit fierce,” Ta Nuo said, frowning. “Guokui is very good, though. He’s brave and has his own ideas—a cat with great ambitions. Mimi is very cute, just not very talkative. I want to eat the grilled fish cakes she makes. Did you know? Grilled fish cakes are delicious. Oh, you wouldn’t know.”

Luo Xiang didn’t seem particularly interested.

“Respond to me a little,” Ta Nuo said quietly.

Luo Xiang *tsk*ed and turned his head away.

Ta Nuo continued, “So, overall, I think cats are quite cute. Even though they all have their quirks and tempers, they’re clever and interesting.” He struggled for the right adjective. “Anyway, they’re animals you could live with.”

Luo Xiang frowned. What kind of lousy description was that? “Why are you being so flattering today?” he asked.

Ta Nuo corrected him earnestly, “I’m praising cats, not you. You can’t call me flattering.”

…

Luo Xiang was left speechless.

Luo Xiang was left speechless.

“So,” Ta Nuo continued, “I think keeping a cat would be quite nice.” He clasped his hands together, lost in thought. “I want a cat with a particularly big, fleshy face that’s very comfortable to pet. What name do you think would be good?”

“You are not keeping one,” Luo Xiang rejected him outright. “You can’t even support yourself, let alone a cat.” His tone was full of disdain.

Ta Nuo mustered his courage to retort, “I’m the one who’d be keeping the cat. I don’t need your permission.”

So, it seems the little boss doesn’t like cats, huh? Why is that? Ta Nuo mentally updated his notes.

Luo Xiang abruptly thrust a hand towards him.

Ta Nuo hurriedly covered his neck, shouting, “Don’t throw me! Don’t throw me! I can get down by myself! I’ll do it myself!”

With that, he let his rear end drop down and carefully climbed down the branches. It took him about a quarter of an hour, huffing and puffing, before he finally made it from the tree to the ground, his legs feeling like jelly. He let out a sigh and brushed off his pants and the seat of his trousers.

Luo Xiang remained seated at the top of the tree, accompanying the moonlight, taking a drag of his cigarette followed by a swig of wine.

Ta Nuo tilted his head back, raised his voice, and asked, “Little Boss, why are you so happy today?”

Luo Xiang looked down at him. “Where did you get the idea that I’m happy?” His tone was icy.

*You are happy, I can tell from everything about you,* Ta Nuo thought. But he didn’t dare say it out loud, and could only offer a foolish grin.

A long silence ensued, until Ta Nuo’s neck grew sore. He lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

Then, Luo Xiang spoke. “Today is my birthday.”

“Really?” Ta Nuo cried out joyfully, throwing himself against the tree trunk. “Happy birthday—!”

His shout pierced through the layers of leaves and branches, startling a certain someone.

“But I didn’t prepare a gift, I’m sorry,” Ta Nuo said, lowering his voice, ashamed. Not only had he not prepared a gift, he had also eaten most of the birthday boy’s feast. “How about this, next time I’ll bring you some dried shrimp for you. Mom’s sea salt dried shrimp are the most delicious.”

Luo Xiang lifted his eyelids, glanced at Ta Nuo, and snorted coldly. “Liar.”

Ta Nuo was baffled.

“Think for yourself. What did you promise the first time you came?”

Ta Nuo rubbed his face, thinking hard for a long time. Luo Xiang continued drinking, paying him no mind. Just as Ta Nuo was about to rub his cheeks raw, he finally remembered something.

That day, on his way over, he had already finished all the dried shrimp. It seemed he had promised the little boss he would bring him some sea salt dried shrimp. He had actually forgotten all about it.

Ta Nuo’s face flushed red. It appeared he really was somewhat untrustworthy. No wonder the little boss never seemed to like him much. Ta Nuo knocked on his own head, rather懊恼 (chagrined).

The little white umbrella was stuck in the ground under the pear tree, staring at him quietly, as if issuing a silent reproach.

“I promise—” Ta Nuo yelled, trying to salvage this precarious relationship and redeem the trust between them, “Next time I—”

“Shut up,” Luo Xiang cut him off directly. “Get lost. You’re too noisy.”

Ta Nuo held his breath, wanting to try harder, to state his resolve, but then he thought again that slogans without action are empty and utterly unconvincing. The little boss probably didn’t want to hear any promises he couldn’t be sure of.

So, he said nothing more. He bent at the waist, bowed towards the pear tree, turned, and left.

On the third day, early in the morning, Luo Xiang heard a *dong dong dong* knocking sound coming from outside the door. It was faint, but persistent. He scratched his head vigorously, got up impatiently, and went to open the door. He found a neat row of transparent glass jars lined up at his doorstep. The jars were filled to the brim with deep red sea salt dried shrimp.

A sheet of white paper was pressed under the central glass jar. Luo Xiang bent down, pulled the paper out, and unfolded it.

A line of small, clumsily written characters was scrawled on it.

— They’re fresh. I secretly tried one, and they’re very tasty. I hope you like them. Again, I’m sorry. Again, happy birthday. I hope you are happy every day.

— Oh, and, if I get a cat, I plan to name it Taji Guo Men Xia ①.

Luo Xiang looked up, quickly scanning the surroundings. That foolish sea otter had already left. The furrow between his brows deepened. He crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it casually into the yard. Then he bent down, picked up the three glass jars, and brought them inside.

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① A Tajine is a type of pot, you can braise shrimp in it.