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Initially, he had planned to bring the pot home discreetly after dark. However, he realized that in such a close-knit village, keeping secrets was nearly impossible.

Even if he snuck the pot home, the aroma of stir-fried dishes would reveal the truth eventually. Unlike steamed or boiled dishes, stir-frying produces a distinctive fragrance. He couldn\'t seal off the kitchen to keep the scent contained.

So, he decided to openly carry the pot back, inevitably causing a small commotion in the village.

An iron pot was considered a luxury for the villagers. Many still couldn\'t afford one.

Seeing Lu Qing with such a large iron pot naturally drew everyone\'s attention.

Lu Qing claimed that Doctor Chen had given it to him, stirring envy and astonishment among the villagers. 

An iron pot was worth several taels of silver. Doctor Chen must really value Lu Qing to gift him something so precious. 

This confirmed to the villagers that Doctor Chen truly regarded Lu Qing as a disciple and held him in high esteem. 

Otherwise, why would he gift such an expensive item to a disciple? Normally, disciples were expected to honor their masters, not the other way around. 

Especially since the pot was already seasoned, it further solidified their belief.

Reflecting on the villagers\' reactions, Lu Qing felt relieved. Fortunately, he had the foresight to leave most of his silver with Doctor Chen, only bringing back a few loose pieces. 

Otherwise, a large bag of silver would have surely drawn unwanted attention. 

If a nosy villager had opened the bag out of curiosity, it would have been troublesome.

The fire was now burning well, and soon the pot started to smoke.

Lu Qing took a ladle of lard and added it to the pot. Watching the lard melt, he felt a surge of satisfaction. 

Now that he had money, he no longer needed to be frugal with oil. 

Previously, he had always struggled to use the least amount of oil while still making decent-tasting food. 

In a joyful mood, Lu Qing quickly prepared two dishes and a soup: fried fish, fish soup, and stir-fried vegetables. 

Though simple due to limited seasonings, the moment Lu Qing took his first bite, he was nearly moved to tears. 

Finally, this was the taste he had long dreamed of.

"Brother, the food cooked in this big iron pot is so delicious!"

On the other side, Xiao Yan was eating happily. Even the usually disliked green vegetables tasted wonderful to her.

"Of course, this big iron pot is a great tool for cooking. That\'s why I\'ve always wanted one."

"The big iron pot is amazing!"

The siblings enjoyed their meal immensely, leaving nothing behind, not even the soup.

After eating, Xiao Yan patted her slightly full stomach, looking satisfied.

"Brother, let\'s always use the big iron pot for cooking from now on."

"Okay."

Lu Qing nodded without hesitation. That was the very reason he insisted on buying the iron pot. 

However, they wouldn\'t have stir-fried dishes every meal. Even the best food can become tiresome if eaten too often. 

Trying different dishes occasionally was a good idea too.

After dinner, Lu Qing read for a while. As the sky darkened, he put away his book.

He moved the old reclining chair to the yard, lay down on it, and watched the sunset in the distance. 

Although he appeared to be daydreaming, he was actually thinking.

He pondered over what Wang Da\'an had said about the upcoming market.

The oil at home was nearly depleted after tonight’s indulgence and needed replenishing. 

There were also items he couldn\'t ask Doctor Chen to buy. 

Plus, it was time to return the borrowed items to the villagers.

Therefore, attending the market was a must for him.

"I\'ll go tomorrow. Da\'an said there are rules to follow at the market. I can ask him about them."

Lu Qing quickly made up his mind.

"Brother, will the little beast come to our house tonight?"

Xiao Yan suddenly asked.

"It should," Lu Qing replied uncertainly.

"Then I\'ll wait for it tonight."

The little girl was very curious about the small beast her brother mentioned and wanted to see it for herself.

"Alright, but if it gets too late and it hasn\'t come, you must go to sleep."

"Okay~"

Xiao Yan decided to stay up and wait for the little beast.

But children’s willpower isn’t strong. 

Used to sleeping early, Xiao Yan’s eyelids grew heavy as the night progressed. 

In the end, despite her efforts, she soon fell asleep.

Not long after she dozed off, Lu Qing heard the familiar scratching at the door.

He was surprised.

Could it be that the little creature was waiting for Xiao Yan to fall asleep before showing up?

Holding a plate of prepared fish, Lu Qing opened the door.

Sure enough, the little black beast was there.

This time, it stayed in the middle of the yard, looking more relaxed and less wary.

Lu Qing even thought he saw a hint of anticipation in its eyes when it saw him.

Could it have become sentient?

Lu Qing wondered, placing the fish on the ground and stepping back.

As soon as he retreated to the doorway, the black beast approached, grabbed a fish, and ran off.

Alright, though its vigilance had lessened, it was still cautious.

Watching the black beast run back and forth, taking a fish each time, Lu Qing chuckled.

He closed the door, yawned, and went to bed.

He had many tasks to handle the next day and no time to play with the little creature.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Lu Qing saw the empty wooden basin.

How did the little creature digest so much food? It was small, yet its appetite was astonishing.

Two or three pounds of fish were gone in no time, more than an adult could eat.

"Brother, did the little beast come last night?"

Xiao Yan was up, asking as soon as she ran out of the room.

"It did. Look, it ate all the fish."

Lu Qing pointed to the empty basin.

"Ah! Why didn’t you wake me up!"

Xiao Yan was frustrated.

"I told you, if you fall asleep, I won\'t wake you."

"Brother, I\'ve decided. I won\'t sleep tonight. I\'ll wait for the little beast!"

"Alright, good luck."

Lu Qing didn’t mind.

He was now certain that the Fish Stone was indeed magical.

With it, Xiao Yan couldn’t stay up late even if she tried. 

At bedtime, she would surely feel sleepy and go to bed, making things much easier for him.

"Xiao Yan, go play at Grandpa Zhang\'s house today. I have to go out."

"Where are you going, brother?"

"You\'ll know when I come back."

After asking Grandpa Zhang next door to watch over Xiao Yan, Lu Qing took a piece of silver and headed to Wang Da\'an\'s house.