I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 21 [Courageous Chili Pepper]

The light of excitement never dimmed on Deng Shen's big face. He lowered his voice and moved even closer.

"It's at the convention center in Yueshan District, Xiangcheng! That place is huge, the event runs for two weeks, it ends next Tuesday. Let me tell you, buddy, it's absolutely packed with people, like Chinese New Year!"

Song You's hands didn't stop moving, but his mind was racing.

The Yueshan District Convention and Exhibition Center is only a little over three hours away from here by car.

Go and see if we can promote it; that would be a good option.

He suppressed the thought, glanced at Deng Shen's eager expression, and deliberately asked him, "Deng Shen, aren't you itching to fish just by watching others fish today?"

These words seemed to hit Deng Shen's sore spot. The excitement on his face instantly vanished, he let out a long sigh, plopped back down on the stone bench, and looked completely dejected.

"Don't even mention it. I just haven't been home for a week." He waved his hand, looking utterly dejected. "My wife confiscated all my precious belongings!"

"She said if I dare bring any more of those bottles and jars of bait into the house, she'll throw me out, fishing rod and all!"

Deng Shen grew angrier as he spoke, picking up his teacup and taking another big gulp: "I just came here to find some peace and quiet. Speaking of which, I grew up in the countryside, catching fish and shrimp every day, much happier than I am now."

He looked at the reservoir in the distance, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Song You's heart stirred, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Come on, Brother Deng, let me show you some of the good stuff I have here."

He led Deng Shen around the yard and to the vibrant vegetable garden.

Under the summer sun, the vegetable garden was lush and green. Bright red tomatoes hung from the vines, long purple eggplants glistened with oil, and tender cucumbers dangled from the cucumber trellis, their tips still adorned with fresh yellow flowers.

Deng Shen's eyes lit up again when he saw the vegetable patch.

"My goodness, bro, how did you grow these vegetables? They're growing so well!"

He squatted down, curiously poked a tomato, and then leaned closer to smell the cucumber's fresh aroma.

"Can I eat it directly?" He looked up at Song You with longing eyes, his expression no different from that of a greedy child.

"Sure, pick as many as you like." Song You was very generous. He had brought a lucky charm with him today, so he didn't need to be stingy with the money for vegetables.

Upon hearing this, Deng Shen chuckled.

He reached out and picked the tenderest cucumber, rubbed it casually on his clothes a couple of times, and then took a bite.

After the crisp sound, he stopped chewing and his eyes widened.

"Sweet! Crisp! This flavor is just right!" He finished one in a few bites, then picked another tomato, wiped it, and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Delicious! This is exactly the taste!"

Song You chuckled inwardly as he looked at Song You's naive and unsophisticated demeanor.

These vegetables, nourished by the power of nature, are of a quality far superior to ordinary vegetables, but their true wonder cannot be tasted by the senses of ordinary people.

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the Druid's Diary began to unfold in his mind.

【Vibrant Cucumber】: A high-quality summer vegetable, containing a subtle natural power. After being processed using culinary druid techniques, it can quickly restore energy and reduce fatigue.

【Courage Chili】: Vibrant in color and brimming with fiery energy. After being processed using Gourmet Druid techniques, it provides a temporary psychological boost, enhancing the wearer's courage in the face of adversity.

【Power Tomato】: Plump and juicy. After being processed by the Gourmet Druid's skills, the consumer will receive a slight, short-term boost to burst power.

......

Putting aside the effects after processing, even ordinary energy wouldn't be perceptible without Song You's intervention.

Most people would just think it tastes good, is big, and looks nice.

"This is just an appetizer." Song You said slowly, watching Deng Shen eating with relish. "Let me process it for you, and it will taste even better."

"Even better?" Deng Shen stopped what he was doing, his mouth still full of half a tomato, and asked indistinctly, "How much better?"

He now thinks this is the best vegetable he has ever eaten.

Song You didn't explain, he just smiled mysteriously.

This really whetted Deng Shen's appetite. He finished the tomato in his hand, wiped his mouth, rubbed his hands together, and moved closer to Song You.

"Brother, stop keeping me in suspense. Do you have any chickens? I've been craving them lately, and I'll use the vegetables from your garden as a side dish."

"Okay, just wait."

As soon as Song You entered the kitchen, Deng Shen moved a small stool and sat at the kitchen doorway, watching him expectantly.

This time, Song You didn't make any complicated dishes. It was just the simplest spicy chicken, with a few freshly picked chili peppers.

[Divine Art] is activated; a prayer is recited, and a flash of sword light appears.

After going through the whole process, Deng Shen was no longer surprised.

But when the plate of bright red, tempting, and intensely fragrant spicy chicken was served, he couldn't help but swallow hard.

He picked up a piece of chicken covered in chili peppers and put it in his mouth.

The firmness of the chicken and the spiciness of the chili explode in your mouth.

This time, however, in addition to the exquisite taste, a strange warm current slid down his esophagus and quickly spread throughout his body.

The fatigue I felt from staying up all night to do live streams and driving long distances was completely gone.

He felt full of energy and his mind became exceptionally clear.

"This feeling." Deng Shen was stunned. He even felt that if he were to go home and face his wife's nagging now, he could fight three hundred rounds with great energy.

This isn't eating, this is clearly mana regeneration!

[Druid Log: You received genuine praise from a diner, Gourmet Druid beginner progress +2%! Current progress: 34%.]

Seeing Deng Shen's expression of utter disbelief, Song You was secretly overjoyed.

"How about it, Brother Deng? I wasn't lying to you, was I?"

"Amazing! Brother, your cooking is amazing!" Deng Shen slapped his thigh.

He made a decision immediately.

"Hey bro, do you have any guest rooms left? Give me one! I'm not leaving today!"

"What? Brother Deng, are you planning to stay here permanently?" Song You joked.

"Absolutely!" Deng Shen said seriously. "I need to recharge here, otherwise I won't have enough battery life when I get home!"

Song You was amused by him and arranged a clean guest room upstairs for him.

After paying and settling in, Deng Shen didn't disturb Zhao Qian, who was fishing. Instead, he wandered around the courtyard of the farmhouse, checking on the chickens and teasing the fish, just like a child on summer vacation.

Night falls.

The entire courtyard fell silent, save for the tireless chirping of insects.

Deng Shen had already gone back to his room to sleep. Song You had finished cleaning up the kitchen and was about to go to rest when a thought suddenly struck him.

He closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink into the reservoir.

[The whispers of nature].

The fish's collective instincts immediately responded.

A feeling of satisfaction and excitement was clearly conveyed to me.

In Song You's mind, the expensive bait that Zhao Qian brought had created an enticing food area on the bottom of the water, where the fish were happily enjoying it.

In front of Zhao Qian's fishing spot, two carp weighing three or four pounds each had already been caught by him with his superb skills and placed in the live fish basket next to him.

"This guy is really good."

Song You silently praised him.

Without relying on his sacrifice, Zhao Qian's skill in catching fish in this sparsely populated reservoir is beyond doubt.

Song You has never been stingy with his kindness towards such powerful guests.

He took a plate of pickled cucumbers that he had made at noon from the kitchen and headed towards the reservoir.

A dim blue night fishing light illuminates the fishing spot.

Zhao Qian was sitting motionless on the fishing box, intently watching the float on the water.

"Brother Zhao, want something to eat?" Song You tiptoed over.

Zhao Qian glanced back at him, shook his head, and said in a low voice, "No need to trouble yourself, I brought instant noodles."

This is indeed the standard equipment for a fishing enthusiast.

Song You handed over the plate of pickled cucumbers he was holding.

"Instant noodles are tasteless on their own. I make my own marinated noodles, you should try them."

He handed over the plate, and a refreshing, tangy aroma instantly filled the night.

Zhao Qian twitched his nose, took the plate, and glanced at it under the light.

On the plate, the cucumbers, cut into small pieces, are bright green and translucent, making one's mouth water just looking at them.

He casually picked up a spare pair of chopsticks, took one, and put it in his mouth.

"Click."

After the crisp sound, Zhao Qian abruptly stopped chewing.

A startling light suddenly shone in those eyes that had always been calm and still.