Chapter 19. Little date in town ❤ (fresh young coconut juice)

“If your new techniques are satisfactory and have no cultivation issues, we could consider adding them to the orthodox Cultivation Manuals,” Long Duy said.

“Give me one of the light orbs, and I’ll have our refiners analyse it to ensure that there are no issues,” Long Hồng Nhung said. “Have I ever taken you to see the kingdom’s refining workshops?”

Long Quang’s stomach twisted. He shifted his body, protecting his spatial storage. “No.”

“Long Quang, are you loyal to our clan or has the human bewitched you?” Long Hồng Nhung asked.

Long Duy’s face said much the same.

Long Quang felt physically repulsed.

“Family, clan will always treat you the best.”

Yet, between Phương and the two dragons in front of him, Phương was like a benevolent Buddha.

“No,” Long Quang said. He pointed to the cave exit. “Go. You don’t really want to give me anything. You just want to take everything nice that I have.”

“Long Quang, don’t act like a child,” his mother admonished.

“Yet in your eyes, you think I am a child, someone who would listen to you obediently, right?” Long Quang said. “Leave my cave.”

“Are you sure about this?” Long Duy said meaningfully.

“I don’t need your cultivation manuals. I don’t need your mentorship. I’ll make my own path in the cultivation world,” Long Quang said.

“Bold words,” Long Hồng Nhung said drily, her tone clear that she didn’t think that Long Quang could do it and that she didn’t care any longer. With a swish of her robes, she propelled herself through the cave exit, transforming back into dragon form the moment she left.

Long Duy gave him a stern look. “You have potential.”

Long Quang retorted, “Give me things for free first before even attempting to ask anything.”

“Who would give such an unfilial child things for free?” Long Duy scoffed.

Long Quang didn’t budge.

“Tch.” Long Duy shook his head and also left.

Long Quang sneered at himself. Unfilial? What about your duty? You always told me that humans were bad, but you’re not even half as good as Phương! There are bad humans and there are also bad dragons!

He didn’t need his mother. He didn’t need Long Duy’s favour. He was doing fine by himself for decades and he’d do fine by himself for decades to come.

“Big brother, big brother!” a little dragon knocked on his cave entrance. “Can we play now?”

Long Quang’s inward monologue against his mother and Long Duy came to an abrupt stop.

“Brother? We bought more shells and gems!” Long Bảo said. “Can we get some bubble tea please???”

“You can play,” Long Quang said, letting them enter his cave. “After I show you the new light orb I got.” He took out his precious jellyfish light.

After all, there was no point hoarding beautiful things if no one knew you had it.

After reselling and drinking the rest of his bubble tea, at a time when it was relatively quiet in the dragon kingdom, Long Quang sneaked out. He took a circuitous route, making sure that Long Duy or someone else wasn’t following him.

As he finally approached the beach, anticipation—and an inexplicable nervousness—grew in his chest.

What kind of new, delicious bubble tea could he drink today?

He propelled himself extra powerfully from the water and transformed into his humanoid form, landing lightly on the beach. He looked at the house.

Huh? Why hadn’t Phương come out yet?

A few steps closer to the house, Long Quang noticed the sign.

[CLOSED!]

Long Quang blinked, his tail swaying in confusion. Closed? What did that mean? Obviously the door was closed.

He went to the front door and stood there, confused that the door didn’t just open. Did he have to knock?

Or was Phương out?

The scent of mint floated by. Long Quang’s conscience wavered. Surely it was fine for him to pluck a few mint leaves now and pay later?

He took some steps towards the garden, only to be intercepted by Phương’s sword.

The sword bobbed a few times and then flew a few meters away.

Long Quang stared blankly at it. “I’m not your master, why can’t you talk?” he complained.

The sword flew over with a vengeance, forcing Long Quang to dodge.

“Hey! I’ll tell anh Phương!”

Finally, Phương emerged out of his workshop. “What’s going on—oh.”

“Anh Phương, your sword wanted to stab me!” Long Quang said.

The sword flew to Phương’s side, all nice and obedient.

Phương smiled wryly, patting his sword. “It has some sore spots. The tearoom is closed. I’m not cooking for at least a month.”

Long Quang’s stomach sank. “Huh? No bubble tea?! But I sold—I drank all of my bubble tea…and you’re the only one…and I made a new move…” 

He cursed himself—why did he resell anything? He should have kept all thousand cups to himself!! He regretted so much! His head and tail drooped. All his bubble tea…

A moment later, Phương’s hand patted Long Quang’s head. A shiver went through Long Quang’s body.

“Hey!” He pushed Phương’s hand back.

“Little Long Quang, let’s go to town, there are some delicious restaurants and stalls,” Phương said, his voice indulgent. “Have you ever been?”

Long Quang frowned. “Human town?”

Phương’s hand was pushed way before it could reach Long Quang’s head again. “Yep. Afraid?”

“Not afraid,” Long Quang retorted, straightening.

Phương grinned. “Don’t worry, with me and my trusty sword around, no one will touch you!” He wrapped an arm around Long Quang.

Long Quang’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly remembered the two humans from a few weeks ago, the ones that kissed each other.

The ones that hugged and bantered and kissed on the mouth…

“So, do you have a sword? Or do you want to fly on mine?”

Long Quang snapped back to the present, stepping out of Phương’s hold. “I have my own sword.”

He pulled out his own blue-bladed sword, which complimented Phương’s current red-bladed sword.

Together, they stepped on their swords and headed to the nearby human town.

“It’s a common town and there aren’t many cultivators around, so there’s no need to be afraid,” Phương said as they flew.

“I’m not afraid,” Long Quang said.

As the human town came into view, Long Quang slowed down. He quickly patted his own head to make sure his horns weren’t showing and looked back at himself to make sure his tail wasn’t out.

Then, Long Quang sped up again and successfully entered the human (!) town.

Unlike the dragon kingdom, all the houses and people were small. Sounds didn’t travel as far, but sight was unhindered.

And there were so many humans. The scent of humans strong in the air. Their clothing was plain, lacking colourful shell and gem adornments.

As he and Phương walked down the street, many humans made way for them, but there were a few stall owners who bravely called out to them.

“Master Cultivators, come try out our food, guaranteed to be extra special and delicious!”

Many more humans turned to look at them, and some stared blatantly, leaning to the side to chat with their friends about them.

Phương glanced over to Long Quang and smiled. “So, how is it? Not as scary as you thought, right? Or do you want to hold hands to make sure we stay together?”

Long Quang scoffed, swiftly tucked his hands in his robes. “Where’s the delicious food you promised?”

“Hmm.” Phương placed a hand on Long Quang’s back, nudging him towards a particular street-side restaurant. “Have you ever had these before? These are the best bánh khọt in town.”

“Have you made them for me before?” Long Quang countered. He had not eaten human food before meeting Phương.

Phương laughed. “Alright. Take a seat, I’ll treat you to this meal.” He took a seat at one of the empty short tables.

Long Quang sat opposite him. He wasn’t going to refuse being treated to food by Phương the Profiteer.

“Uncle, give us two plates, big servings!” Phương took out a silver coin.

“Yes,” said the man standing in front of a huge round pan that had lots of little rounded indented cups for cooking bánh khọt. He poured in more batter into empty cups and started taking out the finished bánh khọt.

As they waited, a woman at the stall next door came over. “Esteemed cultivators, would you like a drink to accompany your meal? We have freshly pressed sugar cane and sweet coconut.”

“Give us two coconuts and one cup of pressed sugar cane,” Phương said, handing over some copper coins.

Long Quang looked around, eyes wide as he took in all the human sights. When the plates full of ‘bánh khọt’ was placed in front of him—mini golden savoury pancakes, with a small curled up shrimp pressed into the top—Long Quang didn’t understand—all of this for just a silver coin?

The man’s helper, his young daughter, also gave them a light salad and fish sauce dipping sauce and chopsticks.

And then when the drinks came—all of this for even less than a silver coin?

Phương’s bubble tea and dishes costed spiritual stones! (As was the cost of the food in the dragon kingdom.)

Why was this food so cheap?

“Don’t be afraid, tuck in,” Phương said. He sipped his coconut juice straight from the coconut and ate a little pancake after dipping it in the fish sauce.

Long Quang tried the drinks first. The pure coconut juice was sweet and fragrant, simple yet delicious. The pressed sugarcane juice was much sweeter, with vegetal and woody notes.

Next, the food. Long Quang loved eating shrimp. The little pancake was crispy on the underside, fluffy in the middle, and the fish sauce was extremely savoury, sweet, sour and spicy and paired perfectly with the shrimp.

This was good! And it was cheap! Without further ado, Long Quang ate. The little pancakes were so small, he could finish one in a single bite—and oh, each bite was delicious.

Phương took out another silver coin and a big plate. “Uncle, make me some more to take away.”

The man nodded seriously.

“Thank you brother,” his daughter said happily as she took the silver coin.

Long Quang: *tears in his eyes* human food is actually so cheap! Phương is actually such a big profiteer!

Phương: I just value my time (◡‿◡✿)

Notes:

Fresh coconut juice: if you’ve never had fresh coconut juice from young coconut, with its tender coconut meat, I highly recommend!

Sugar cane juice: known as nước mía in Vietnamese, it’s made from getting sugar cane and crushing it in a machine to extract the juices. I’ve seen it sold a lot at various Vietnamese/Asian festivals.

bánh khọt: tiny little pancakes, they look almost like little cupcakes. They’re made of rice flour among other things…I confess, we never make these at home because we don’t have the equipment u_u

ALSO, R.S. Vaesen (Youtube, Cara) made some art of our cutie baby Long Quang!!! (≧∀≦)