Tomb raider: You're going to extract my alien bloodline?

Chapter 18 West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce

Upon seeing Qin Yuan and Fatty, Wu Xie's weariness instantly vanished with surprise. He strode into the shop, his smile genuine: "Fatty! Qin Yuan! You really came?! I thought you were just being polite!"

The fat man put his arm around Wu Xie's neck and chuckled, "I always keep my word! I said I'd come to see you, and I definitely will! I'll also try the authentic Hangzhou cuisine you mentioned!"

Qin Yuan smiled and nodded, "I came to see how you're recovering, and also... to freeload a meal."

"No problem! I must show you hospitality!" Wu Xie was very happy and waved his hand, "Let's go! Lou Wai Lou, it's on me! Wang Meng can mind the shop!"

Wang Meng timidly raised her hand and asked, "Boss, what am I going to eat for lunch...?"

Wu Xie casually pulled out twenty yuan and slapped it on the counter: "Go buy a bowl of wontons across the street!" After saying that, he grabbed Qin Yuan and the fat man and went out the door without saying another word.

Lou Wai Lou, located on the shore of West Lake, is renowned. Wu Xie was clearly a regular customer, ordering several signature dishes familiar to him: West Lake Vinegar Fish, Longjing Shrimp, Dongpo Pork, Beggar's Chicken, and a pot of Longjing tea.

The fat man rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation: "Look at this, now that's what you call impressive! It's a world of difference compared to the pig slop we eat in the village!"

When the dishes were served, they were indeed exquisitely presented. The West Lake Vinegar Fish, in particular, was incredibly tempting; the fish was whole, drizzled with a dark brown sauce, and garnished with minced ginger.

"Come on, don't be shy! Try this West Lake Vinegar Fish, it's absolutely amazing!" Wu Xie enthusiastically invited, taking a bite for himself and eating with a satisfied expression.

The fat man and Qin Yuan exchanged a glance, then eagerly reached for their chopsticks.

The moment the fish entered his mouth, Qin Yuan's expression froze.

It was an extremely bizarre smell… The fish seemed fresh, but the overwhelming, pungent, and chokingly sour aroma was like having a bottle of vinegar poured directly onto a freshly caught live fish! The sourness domineeringly masked all the fish's natural sweetness, leaving only an indescribable, numbing sensation on the tongue. The flesh… wasn't exactly tender either, and even had a slightly earthy taste.

Qin Yuan forced himself not to vomit on the spot. He glanced at the fat man out of the corner of his eye and noticed that the fat man's fat face twitched. But soon, the guy showed an extremely exaggerated expression of intoxication, as if he had tasted the most delicious food in the world!

"Mmm—!" The fat man closed his eyes, shook his head, gave a thumbs-up, and exclaimed indistinctly to Wuxie, "Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Tianzhen, you Hangzhou people really know how to eat! This flavor... is so rich in layers, sour with a hint of savory, and savory with a lingering aftertaste!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Xie laughed even harder: "Right! I told you it would be delicious!"

Seeing the fat man's exaggerated acting, Qin Yuan instantly understood the bastard's sinister intentions. He sneered inwardly, but immediately put on a look of surprise and delight, nodding vigorously and saying to the fat man, "That's right! Fatty, you're right this time! This vinegar fish... has completely overturned my understanding of food! You should eat more! Especially the belly part, it's the most flavorful!" As he spoke, he enthusiastically picked up a large piece of fish belly meat covered in thick sauce and put it into the fat man's bowl.

The fat man's blissful expression froze for a moment. His eyes twitched as he stared at the "flavorful" piece of fish in his bowl. He chuckled dryly and quickly picked up a large piece of fish back meat, stuffing it into Qin Yuan's bowl: "Hehe, Little Blackie, don't just look at it! This fish back meat is firm and tastes even better! Come on, eat some more!"

The two politely recommended food to each other, wearing fake smiles. Their bowls were piled high with fish, but neither was willing to take a second bite.

Watching the brothers so affectionately sharing food, Wu Xie said, touched, "You two have such a good relationship! Don't be shy, there's always more if you need it!"

Qin Yuan and the fat man cursed inwardly at the same time: "...".

Finally, under Wu Xie's sincere gaze, the two of them, almost with a death wish, swallowed the "delicacies" in their bowls with great difficulty. At that moment, they completely lost control of their expressions, their features contorted for a moment, and they quickly gulped down several mouthfuls of Longjing tea to calm themselves down.

On the other hand, Wu Xie ate with great relish, taking a bite of fish, a bite of shrimp, and a piece of glistening Dongpo pork. His cheeks were bulging, and he looked as satisfied as a hamster hoarding food.

Looking at Wu Xie's enjoyable expression, Qin Yuan seriously suspected that the kid's sense of taste might have been damaged by the corpse fumes in the Lu King's Palace, or... he might actually have some kind of unknown pica.

The memorable lunch finally ended in an eerie atmosphere. When it came time to pay the bill, Wu Xie felt a pang of regret as he looked at the not-so-cheap bill, but he still paid it readily.

The three of them strolled along the West Lake to digest their food. The beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains, and the gentle breeze rustling the willows, finally dispelled some of the lingering strange sour taste in their mouths.

As he walked, Wu Xie's smile gradually faded, replaced by a hint of worry and confusion.

"Actually... my third uncle passed away a few days ago," Wu Xie suddenly said.

"Gone? Where did they go?" the fat man asked.

"Xisha." Wu Xie sighed. "He left in a hurry, without saying much, just leaving a message saying something had happened over there. I always feel... his affair with the Lu Palace isn't over yet."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said incredulously, "There's something even stranger... When I was sorting through my third uncle's things, I found a group photo of them from twenty years ago during their archaeological expedition in the Xisha Islands... Guess what? There's one person in the photo... whose face looks exactly like yours!"

Qin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly; this was exactly what he had expected. The fat man, however, gaped in astonishment: "Twenty years ago? Holy crap! Is this guy some kind of ancient monster? Immortal?"

Wu Xie shook his head in distress: "I don't know either... I feel like I'm getting deeper and deeper into a mystery." He rubbed his face and changed the subject, "Let's not talk about that for now. There's a more pressing problem right now. Pan Zi is still in the hospital, and the medical expenses are considerable. I'm planning to sell the set of jade and agate of decent quality that I brought from the Lu Palace to tide me over."

Upon hearing this, the fat man immediately patted his chest and said with great bravado, "What's the big deal? Just this little problem? Leave it to me! Brother Pan is a real man, his business is my business! I have plenty of distribution channels! I guarantee you'll get a good price!"

Wu Xie glanced gratefully at the fat man: "Thanks, Fatty! But even brothers should keep their accounts straight. We have to split the money from the sale equally. You and Qin Yuan both have to get a share."

The fat man was about to wave his hand and say no, but Qin Yuan nodded and said, "It's my pleasure. It just so happens that I also have something I want to sell, and I might need to trouble you, Fatty, to help me find a way to do it."

The fat man curiously leaned closer: "Little Blackie, you have some hidden treasures? What good stuff? Show them to me, let this fat man, have a look!"

Qin Yuan smiled mysteriously, winked, and whispered, "Let's talk about it when we get back; it's not convenient here."

The fat man understood immediately. Thinking of his little brother's hidden magic, he shut his mouth, but the light in his small eyes showed his excitement and curiosity.