Leng Ruo Li sat on the back of the large black eagle, feeling envious of Ming Jiu Xiao for having such a pet.
"Brother Eagle, you've been flying for a long time. Where are you taking me?" Leng Ruo Li asked with a smile.
"Almost there!"
The large black eagle flapped its wings and replied.
Immediately, it swooped down and flew into a cave embedded in the cliff face.
Leng Ruo Li dismounted from the large black eagle and carefully examined the cave, which shocked her.
The cave was filled with a colorful, shimmering light. It was a massive, natural lava cave, but inside, it was covered with various small flowers and grasses, looking very beautiful. There were also many shrubs growing.
The large black eagle led Leng Ruo Li to the depths of the cave, to the bottom of a natural waterfall. The temperature here was quite low, making Leng Ruo Li shiver.
The large black eagle walked to a small green stone and suddenly said to her, "Stomp hard on this green stone with your foot."
Although Leng Ruo Li didn't know what the large black eagle was up to, she did as it asked.
She walked to the green stone, lifted her foot, and stomped on it. The entire waterfall was diverted, with the water flowing down on both sides of its original path. Where the waterfall had been, a huge stone gate appeared and slowly opened.
The large black eagle then flapped its wings again, signaling Leng Ruo Li to sit on its back.
Once Leng Ruo Li was on its back, the large black eagle flapped its wings twice more and flew into the large stone gate. Immediately, the stone gate closed automatically.
As Leng Ruo Li flew past the large stone gate, she was almost too astonished to speak.
"Wow, wow!"
"Where on earth is this place!"
The night sky here was a deep blue, with small stars arranged in an orderly fashion, shining like the eyes of mischievous children, holding unspoken secrets.
Under the night sky, there was a lake not too large. By the lake stood a house built of straw, surrounded by peach trees. However, these peach trees had not yet bloomed, with only pale pink flower buds on their branches.
From the back of the large black eagle, Leng Ruo Li could see from afar the flamboyant figure outside the straw house. She didn't know if Ming Jiu Xiao particularly liked wearing red, but every time she saw him, he was wearing a crimson long robe. She wondered what the significance of his attire was.
The large black eagle flew to the side of the straw house and stopped. Leng Ruo Li jumped off. Upon seeing her, Ming Jiu Xiao quickly waved her over.
"Girl, come here quickly! I want to show you something."
Ming Jiu Xiao glanced at Leng Ruo Li and said mysteriously.
Leng Ruo Li walked over and saw Ming Jiu Xiao with his back to her, head bowed, busy with something, which made her very curious.
As she approached, she realized that he was holding a small golden eagle.
"Girl, I found this little golden eagle by chance. I was planning to bring it out to give to you tonight, but while I was taming it today, I injured its wing, and now I'm busy treating its wound."
Ming Jiu Xiao said apologetically. At this moment, he seemed a bit flustered, with feathers pulled out from the small golden eagle placed on the low table.
Seeing this, Leng Ruo Li shook her head, then raised her hand to her forehead and said with great helplessness, "Are you sure you're saving it, and not killing it?"
"Girl, I am truly saving it. But it has too much feather. If I don't pull out its feathers, I won't be able to see its wound, and how can I treat it?" Ming Jiu Xiao explained.
"Leave it to me!"
Saying that, she took out disinfectant, a small bottle of golden wound medicine, and some bandages from her sleeve.
Leng Ruo Li's bandaging was quick and skillful. In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, she had finished bandaging the small golden eagle.
"Wow, girl, you know medicine? That's amazing! I've known you for so long, and you never told me this secret. You're too stingy!"
Ming Jiu Xiao said to Leng Ruo Li with a feigned anger, raising his right hand in a delicate posture.
"You never asked me! Besides, everyone around me knows I know medicine, only you didn't."
Leng Ruo Li rolled her eyes at him, feeling very speechless.
"Is that so? Then it's truly my oversight. I'm sorry, girl. From now on, I will definitely understand your joys, habits, and every detail clearly." Ming Jiu Xiao said seriously.
Leng Ruo Li: "..."
"Girl, since you could save this little golden eagle, I'll give it to you now."
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Li was a little surprised.
In modern times, she had watched the TV series "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and fantasized about having a golden eagle. She never expected this dream to come true after coming to ancient times.
Seeing Leng Ruo Li stunned and silent for a long time, Ming Jiu Xiao thought she was dissatisfied with the little golden eagle.
So, Ming Jiu Xiao explained, "Girl, don't underestimate it. Although it's small now, when it grows up, it will be even more majestic than my large black eagle."
"You misunderstood. I was just wondering if you would really be willing to give this little golden eagle to me."
"Of course. Anything I give to you, I, Ming Jiu Xiao, am willing to part with. However, I asked the large black eagle to bring you here tonight because I want you to taste the peach wine I brewed last year. Come, I'll take you to get the wine now. You can leave the little golden eagle here to recover."
After Ming Jiu Xiao finished speaking, without waiting for Leng Ruo Li's agreement, he picked up a small shovel, grabbed her sleeve, and walked towards the peach forest.
Ming Jiu Xiao led Leng Ruo Li through the peach forest for a few minutes and stopped in front of a very large peach tree.
"Girl, the peach wine I brewed is buried at the base of this big peach tree, where I tied a red ribbon as a marker."
Saying that, Ming Jiu Xiao started digging with the small shovel in his hand. After digging for about ten minutes, he finally saw a wooden chest. He had buried the wine quite deep.
"Wow, girl, this wooden chest contains my peach brew, and it's finally dug out!"
Ming Jiu Xiao said, chuckling happily. He carefully lifted the wine out of the soil, opened the wooden chest, and took a look.
"Not bad, not bad, completely intact!"
"Girl, let's go back and taste it."
Leng Ruo Li nodded and glanced at Ming Jiu Xiao's hand, seeing that the jar of wine was quite heavy.
The two returned to the small straw house. Ming Jiu Xiao took out two bowls, removed the lid of the wine jar, and a fragrant wine aroma wafted out.
"Hmm, not bad!"
Leng Ruo Li sniffed the wine aroma and also complimented it.
Then, Ming Jiu Xiao poured a bowl of peach brew for each of them and began to taste it slowly.
"What a fine wine!"
This jar of peach brew tasted really good.
Leng Ruo Li didn't expect this effeminate man to be such a skilled winemaker.
The two drank bowl after bowl, and more and more...