Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Ginger, Eggs, and a Tiger

Su Qinglan didn’t waste time. As soon as Hu Yan’s broad back vanished among the trees, she also grabbed a small hide bag, which was left behind by the original owner and is used to carry items, and tiptoed out of the cave.

The morning air was cool in the beast world. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of thick trees. She could even hear birds chirping and leaves rustling, and somewhere far away, the low cry of a beast echoed.

She hugged the hide bag tighter to her chest. "Alright, Su Qinglan, let’s see what this beast world has to offer."

At first, she did not find anything good. The bushes were thick, but most held only sour berries or thorny branches. She crouched down, sniffed a few wild herbs, and wrinkled her nose. Too bitter. Useless.

Her stomach growled again. "Don’t betray me now," she scolded it.

But then, as she pushed deeper into the forest, she spotted a cluster of thin green stalks poking out of the ground. Her eyes lit up. The leaves were narrow, but the fragrance, when she rubbed the stem, was sharp and familiar.

"Ginger!" she gasped, crouching down. With quick hands, she dug into the soil, pulling out the knobby, golden-brown roots. They were smaller and rougher than the ginger she knew, but when she broke one open, the spicy, pungent aroma wafted into the air. Her entire face lit up.

"Yes! Real ginger! My ancestors must be blessing me."

She carefully placed the roots in her basket, her heart already planning recipes. With pork and ginger alone, she could at least stir-fry something simple. Maybe ginger pork with salt... it wasn’t spicy pork strips, but it would taste good.

Her search continued, and soon she stumbled upon a patch of broad-leafed greens, glistening with dew. They looked a bit like bok choy—tender stalks with wide leaves. She plucked several bunches. Nearby, she even found some long, wild onions growing by a stream, their scent sharp and clean when she pulled them free.

It wasn’t much, but already good enough for her first day. She washed the vegetables in the stream, humming to herself, pretending she was back in her tiny modern kitchen with a wok and soy sauce before the apocalypse.

"If I chop the pork thin, stir-fry it with ginger and green onions, then toss in these greens... add salt... maybe wild herbs for fragrance..." She licked her lips, already tasting it in her imagination. "It won’t be authentic, but Hu Yan won’t know the difference. Hah, spicy pork strips my foot... ginger pork stir-fry, here we come."

Just as she was about to head back, a shadow flickered above. Su Qinglan looked up just in time to see a large bird swoop away from the canopy, leaving its nest behind.

And her mind immediately lit up with an idea, and she was right.

Inside the nest, tucked between twigs, were several large, pale eggs, each almost the size of her fist.

Her mouth went dry. "Oh. My. Dear."

She crept closer, hands trembling with excitement. She didn’t know what kind of bird laid them—maybe a wild pheasant, maybe something more exotic—but food was food. Carefully, she scooped three eggs into her bag.

"Eggs, pork, ginger, veggies..." Her grin turned downright villainous. "This isn’t survival. This is a full Chinese home-cooked meal waiting to happen."

With her bag brimming with treasures, Su Qinglan practically skipped back toward the cave, already picturing the dishes: stir-fried pork with ginger and greens, maybe even a fluffy egg dish.

Her lips curled smugly.

"Hu Yan, you scary tiger, you’re about to fall in love with my cooking all over again."

On the way back, Su Qinglan hummed to herself, clutching the bag like it was full of gold. Vegetables, ginger, onions, eggs—perfect. But halfway up the rocky path to her cave, she stopped dead in her tracks.

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