Hunting Wilderness: Starting with the Butcher

Chapter 42 Private Chef's Gathering and Thank-You Gifts!

Although Beijing has no shortage of upscale restaurants, celebrities often choose private chefs for their private gatherings to avoid being disturbed. Compared to upscale restaurants, private chefs only cater to regular customers, and the number of customers they serve each day is extremely limited.

In terms of price, private chefs are more expensive than upscale restaurants. However, celebrities can dine in such places without worrying about being disturbed or having their privacy compromised. As a result, there are quite a few high-end private chefs in Beijing.

Upon arriving at the private kitchen Wu Yue had booked, Yuan Linghan discovered that it was located inside a traditional courtyard house. Without GPS navigation, Yuan Linghan probably wouldn't have guessed that this quaint courtyard house was actually a private kitchen.

After parking the car, Yuan Linghan first looked around to make sure no paparazzi were taking pictures before letting Chen Duling out. His cautious manner left Chen Duling both amused and exasperated. She really wanted to say that she wasn't famous enough to be constantly followed by paparazzi.

Unlike her outfits for previous TV appearances, Chen Duling's style is noticeably more fashionable now that she's back in the city. A white shirt paired with a black ribbon is simple yet elegant; the black ribbon adds a touch of sophistication and prevents the shirt from looking plain.

She paired the white shirt with a blue pleated midi skirt, the pleats adding a youthful and energetic touch. Black high heels and white knee-high socks completed the look, blending a retro feel with a fresh and youthful vibe, making her appear both sweet and stylish.

Her hair was tied in a neat ponytail, which made her look even more youthful and energetic. Her already slender figure, standing next to Yuan Linghan who is 1.8 meters tall, made them look like a perfect match, both in terms of looks and height.

Although Yuan Linghan didn't say anything, Chen Duling could still sense that the man beside her, who didn't talk much, appreciated her carefully made-up appearance. It's said that "women dress up for those who appreciate them," and she was no exception.

Upon arriving at the private room Wu Yue had reserved, Yuan Linghan saw that Huang Bo and Zhao Liying were already there. He glanced at the time and said, "Brother Yue, wasn't it supposed to be seven o'clock? How come you're here before Dudu and me?"

When asked, Wu Yue smiled and said, "We'll start eating at seven o'clock sharp! I was worried you'd come early, so I came over since I had nothing else to do."

"Brother Bo, Sister Ying, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Xiao Ling, why are you being so polite? We just arrived, only a few minutes earlier. Did you come with Dudu?

Faced with Huang Bo's teasing, before Chen Duling could speak, Yuan Linghan took the initiative to confess, "Brother Bo, you're an old hand, I don't think you can hide this from Dudu. That's right! Dudu is my girlfriend now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Duling felt both shy and happy. Wu Yue, on the other hand, teased, "Dudu, you were quick!"

Zhao Liying jokingly added, "Dudu, you're really repaying my life with your body!"

Although Chen Duling felt shy from everyone's teasing, she was still very satisfied with Yuan Linghan's honesty and responsibility. Especially since they were still in the honeymoon phase, she naturally hoped to receive more pampering and care from Yuan Linghan.

Taking advantage of the moment when they had finished eating, Yuan Linghan said, "Brother Yue, you've practiced martial arts for many years, do you know any bow makers?"

"Making bows? You're planning to buy bows and arrows?"

"Hmm! Although modern composite bows are quite powerful, they have many parts and are troublesome to maintain. In another month, I will be going abroad to participate in a wilderness challenge. I plan to have a custom-made ancient bow that I feel comfortable with for the upcoming competition."

When asked, Wu Yue thought for a moment and said, "There are very few craftsmen who know how to make bows these days, but I can inquire for you. However, ordering a custom-made bow might take a month or two. And what you want to order is probably a stiff bow, right?"

"Yes! I'm very strong; pulling two stone bows shouldn't be a problem."

"What? Xiao Ling, you can draw a two-stone bow? Are you sure?"

Huang Bo, sitting next to him, paused for a moment and asked, "Old Wu, what does 'two stone bows' mean?"

"I'm saying he can draw a bow that requires 200 jin to draw. Don't let my martial arts background fool you, I can barely draw a 1-stone bow with my current skill level. I never expected Xiao Ling to be so strong."

After listening to Wu Yue's感慨 (expression/reflection), Huang Bo asked in confusion, "Wait a minute, Lao Wu, doesn't the Romance of the Three Kingdoms say that Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong could draw bows with a strength of eight or even nine stones? Was the whole Romance of the Three Kingdoms just made up?"

Faced with Huang Bo's question, Wu Yue was momentarily at a loss for words. Fortunately, Yuan Linghan spoke up at the opportune moment: "Brother Bo, although the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is not entirely fictional, it cannot be regarded as official history."

Ancient units of measurement varied, and even the same "shi" (石) could have different meanings. For example, the "History of the Song Dynasty" records that the famous general Yue Fei could draw a bow weighing 300 jin (斤). However, in the Song Dynasty, one "shi" referred to 120 jin (斤), and three "shi" would be 360 ​​jin (斤), which is the peak of a military general's strength as recognized in official history.

Throughout history, generals capable of drawing a bow with a draw weight of three stones have been extremely rare. Furthermore, *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* is not official history, and its descriptions of generals' martial prowess likely contain artistic embellishments. Of course, it's not impossible that they were indeed that powerful!

After this explanation, Huang Bo and the others finally understood that a man capable of drawing a bow with a draw weight of two stones was an extremely rare existence in this day and age. Wu Yue then promised to inquire about this matter for Yuan Linghan.

In addition to ordering custom bows and arrows, Yuan Linghan also plans to return to his hometown and find a blacksmith he knew from the slaughterhouse to forge custom-made equipment such as axes, saws, and hunting knives for future hunting in the wilderness.

To Yuan Linghan's surprise, when the dinner ended, Zhao Liying smiled and handed him a box, saying, "Xiao Ling, this is a gift from me. Please accept it as a way of expressing my gratitude."

"Sister Ying, aren't you being a bit too polite?"

"Don't mention it! Dudu has already offered herself to me, so I won't steal her away. This is a multi-functional outdoor watch; I had it specially bought for me. It's not expensive, so please accept it. Who knows, I might need your protection someday!"

Seeing Zhao Liying's frankness, Yuan Linghan glanced at Chen Duling. Chen Duling, seeing Yuan Linghan's questioning look, replied with equal helplessness, "Since it's Sister Ying's kind intention, then please accept it!"

Huang Bo, who was standing nearby and watching this scene, couldn't help but tease, "Xiao Ling, you're a real man who can face a giant python without fear, so why do you have to look at Dudu's eyes when accepting a gift? Dudu, you're amazing!"

Chen Duling blushed again at the teasing, while Yuan Linghan ignored her and accepted the gift, saying, "Sister Ying, since it's your kind gesture, I'll accept it without hesitation. If there's anything I can do to help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Okay! But the condition is that you need to inform Dudu first, right?"

"Sister Ying!"

Seeing Zhao Liying teasing her, Chen Duling couldn't quite handle it. But regardless, she was very happy to have made friends with these industry veterans through the show, and felt that participating in this variety show was really worthwhile.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Chen Duling drove Yuan Linghan back to the apartment because he had been drinking. She noticed the watch Zhao Liying had given her; its condition and performance were quite good, and it cost around 20,000 to 30,000 yuan.

A watch of this caliber is quite a thoughtful gift. It expresses gratitude without putting too much pressure on Yuan Linghan. However, Chen Duling was already pondering what gift to give Yuan Linghan next.

Even though she had already given herself to him, she still wanted to give Yuan Linghan a gift. The problem was, Yuan Linghan might not accept anything too expensive. Although they hadn't known each other for long, she could sense that Yuan Linghan hoped their relationship could be more pure and simple.