Chapter 7

In just two days, the young companion had already developed deep feelings for the white-haired creature in his heart. He could only blame himself—he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“Ughhhh…”

Zhuo Yan felt at a loss for words, not knowing what to say. Xiao Xian misunderstood his silence, sighing with an adult-like expression on his small face, saying, “Don’t worry; it’s not dead yet.”

“…That’s good.” Zhuo Yan nodded. After all, the white-haired creature hadn’t harmed him.

Xiao Xian hesitated for a moment, holding back from telling Zhuo Yan that the white-haired creature’s condition was hardly any better than being dead, fearing it would make him sad. Instead, he abruptly changed the subject, saying stiffly, “I didn’t expect we’d catch so many white-horned oxen before winter this year. It’s really great news.”

“And what about the others?” Zhuo Yan asked.

The white-horned oxen didn’t matter much to him; he’d still be eating a vegetarian diet all winter. At that thought, he felt a wave of sadness and, while tidying up, began wondering if he could set a few traps to catch smaller animals, like chickens.

“Are there chickens in this world?”

“Everyone else went home to help out. I’ve got my older brother and A-Fu at home, but A-Ma thinks I just get in the way, so I ran over here to tell you about the white-haired creature,” Xiao Xian said, suddenly annoyed with himself for mentioning the white-haired creature again. What if Zhuo Yan started asking questions?

Luckily, Zhuo Yan didn’t.

“Today, they’re dividing the hunting team’s catch first. Later tonight, the rest of the meat will be split among the tribe…”

Meat? Wait… Meat!!!

Zhuo Yan’s eyes lit up, and he stared at Xiao Xian with excitement. “Dividing the meat? Do I get some too?”

“Yes, but you might not get very much,” Xiao Xian replied truthfully.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t hold back his excitement. “As long as I get to eat some! Meat falling from the sky—I didn’t even help with the hunt, so this is a total surprise! I finally get to eat meat!”

What a cause for celebration!!!

Xiao Xian was also thrilled about the bounty of white-horned oxen. His older brother and A-Fu had both gone out hunting and brought back plenty. He reminded Zhuo Yan, “Remember to listen out tonight for the signal.”

“Got it.” The thought of meat energized Zhuo Yan, and he swallowed back his excitement, eagerly waiting for the evening.

Xiao Xian stayed to help Zhuo Yan move the “door” back to his place, and it took the two of them several trips. By dusk, the entire tribe was bathed in the warm glow of sunset, and the river shimmered a beautiful, fiery orange with the reflection of the light.

Even though building the door took up most of the afternoon, Zhuo Yan wasn’t worried about the delay; there’d be meat tonight! Suddenly, finishing the door didn’t feel so urgent.

Humming a tune, Zhuo Yan retrieved two hides that had been soaking in the river all day. In the fading light, he used a stone knife to carefully scrape off the softened grease, working meticulously. In his stone pot, leaves were bubbling away; the leaves floated up and down as the water boiled, filling the air with a fresh, earthy scent as the little bubbles rose to the surface.

Xiao Xian crouched nearby, watching Zhuo Yan work.

“You seem different somehow.”

“How so?”

“Well, you’re not as annoying as before. Although Aman-ge always says you’re annoying, he doesn’t actually dislike you.”

Zhuo Yan chuckled and flicked a few drops of water onto Xiao Xian’s head, causing him to cover his head and grumble, “You’re still annoying!” Zhuo Yan laughed heartily and said, “You’re really cute, and Aman’s pretty cute too.”

“Two sub-humans can’t feed each other,” Xiao Xian remarked.

Zhuo Yan: …They’re so innocent, yet their thoughts keep going in that direction.

“Friends! Just companions. I really like you guys.”

“Coming to this world, I’ve found hope and joy in life over these past few days. It’s no longer so boring and lonely. Thank you, all of you.”

Zhuo Yan looked toward the setting sun, its warm hues like flames spreading across the sky. He hoped that Little Zhuo Yan and his A-Ma were reunited in the heavens, well-fed, warmly dressed, and living happily together.

“You’re saying strange things again,” Xiao Xian replied, his fluffy, round ears twitching slightly. “I don’t think you’re annoying anymore, so there’s no need to thank me.”

Zhuo Yan felt an urge to reach over and ruffle Xiao Xian’s ears, but his hands were wet, so he decided to spare the kid this time.

He set the de-greased hide aside and, holding a stick, poured wood ash into the stone pot. Xiao Xian let out a yelp, thinking Zhuo Yan was making a mess. Zhuo Yan raised an eyebrow and said, “Not at all; this will make it even cleaner.”

“Really? But the water just got dirtier,” Xiao Xian replied skeptically.

Zhuo Yan stirred the mixture with a wooden stick. It was still a bit too watery, so he added another handful of wood ash. Xiao Xian, watching from the side, scrunched up his face in distaste as the mixture slowly thickened into a black, mushy paste that looked anything but clean.

“That should do it,” Zhuo Yan said, pausing as the light began to fade. He quickly got to work and called on Xiao Xian to help without hesitation.

Xiao Xian, curious to see if this messy paste could really clean the hides, eagerly joined in. Mimicking Zhuo Yan, he spread a thick layer of the paste onto the inside of the hides, then rolled them up tightly.

“Is that it? Just leave them like this? Your hides are definitely going to smell awful!”

The hides, after soaking in water all day, were wet and heavy. Zhuo Yan placed them on a nearby stone, catching his breath as he replied, “Yep, now we wait. Tomorrow, I’ll rinse and knead them before drying. For now, I’ll carry the stone pot back; keep an eye on things for me.”

Xiao Xian nodded.

Zhuo Yan took a few steps with the stone pot in his arms, then turned back. “Why don’t you come with me? Are you okay staying here alone, or would you get scared?”

“???”

Xiao Xian’s furry, round ears twitched, and his expression clearly said, What are you talking about? Realizing he might be overthinking things again, Zhuo Yan still added, “If you do run into any danger, Xiao Xian, just go ahead and leave. Don’t worry about the hides—I’ll be back down here in no time.”

“Got it,” Xiao Xian replied. But he couldn’t imagine what kind of danger there could be, especially in the middle of the tribe where people were nearby. Zhuo Yan’s words seemed strange, but for some reason, Xiao Xian found him genuinely kind.

So, crouching by the hides, Xiao Xian watched as Zhuo Yan jogged off in the distance. Curious, he poked one of the hides, causing some of the black paste to ooze out and dirty his hands. He glanced from his hands to the riverbank a short distance away, debating. Finally, he held off and muttered to himself, “I’ll wash my hands when Zhuo Yan gets back.”

Zhuo Yan, not wanting to keep Xiao Xian waiting too long, hurried back as fast as he could, but the stone pot was heavy. He had to pause frequently, breathing hard by the time he finally made it back to his cave. The entrance was still cluttered with the wooden boards he’d used around midday, but he felt a sense of accomplishment looking around at all his belongings. Each item had its purpose, and the sight made him feel content.

Zhuo Yan set the stone pot down and hurried back down the path.

“I—I—I’m coming—” he gasped, catching his breath as he ran.

Xiao Xian stood up and asked, “Zhuo Yan, why didn’t you let me carry the hides back with you earlier?”

Zhuo Yan was taken aback: “?!”

His mind raced; he felt like the ground could swallow him up.

“I—I didn’t think of that,” he replied, resting his hands on his hips as he tried to catch his breath. “You’re really clever, Xiao Xian.”

Xiao Xian’s furry ears perked up with joy at the compliment. “I’m going to wash my hands! Wait for me, and I’ll walk back to your cave with you.”

“Sure, I’ll grab the meat soon, and I can drop you off on the way. Is that okay?” Zhuo Yan asked. Even if it wasn’t on his way, he felt he had to make sure Xiao Xian got home safely, especially since it was getting dark.

“Absolutely!” Xiao Xian shouted enthusiastically, then paused, looking intrigued. He lifted his hands and ran over, exclaiming, “Zhuo Yan, look at my hands!”

“Your hands? What happened? Did you get leeches from the water?” Zhuo Yan moved closer to inspect, squinting in the dim light. Despite the darkness, his vision was quite good, and he quickly noted that Xiao Xian’s hands were unhurt.

Xiao Xian shook his hands excitedly. “I got all covered in that black stuff earlier, but after I rinsed them by the river, there were bubbles, and they washed up really clean!”

“Oh, I see!” Zhuo Yan explained. “If you added a bit of grease to that, it would be like soap! But right now, using grease to make soap would be a bit wasteful. Once our lives get better, I’ll teach you how to make soap. With soap, we can experiment with paper too. And if we have paper, why not iron? Iron knives, iron pots…”

He felt a spark of hope for the future!

Xiao Xian followed Zhuo Yan, still holding the damp hides. “You’re talking strangely again,” he said, but he could tell that Zhuo Yan was in high spirits.

Let him be strange, Xiao Xian thought.

Once they returned to the cave and caught their breath, a series of knocks echoed through the air—thud, thud, thud. Zhuo Yan recognized that sound immediately: it was the meat! The excitement surged through him, and he felt like he could climb thirty flights of stairs without tiring. His back no longer hurt, and his legs felt strong. Thrilled, he called out to Xiao Xian, inviting him to join him.

“Hehehe, meat!”

The two of them made their way down the slope in the dark, with Xiao Xian leading the way toward the center of the tribe. Zhuo Yan hadn’t ventured here much before, so he followed closely behind, carrying a woven basket. As they moved deeper into the tribe, they encountered more and more sub-beastmen and beastmen, some of whom were holding torches, creating a lively atmosphere.

When they reached a large open area, they found that the tribe’s leader had already begun distributing meat. The beastmen who had already received their portions earlier wouldn’t get any more tonight. Now, the meat was being divided according to the households. The larger households would receive more, while the smaller ones would get less. If there were young ones in the household, they would also be given some bones for the young to chew on and play with.

Hearing this distribution rule, Zhuo Yan, not one to shy away from asking, boldly inquired, “So, do I count as a young one too? I’m not married yet, which means I don’t have a partner!”

Xiao Xian looked at him, bewildered. “Huh?”

“I’ll go ask in a bit,” Zhuo Yan said, his eyes shining with excitement as he headed toward the queue. He called out loudly, “Xiao Xian, you should go back now! Don’t worry about me; I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Amid the bustling noise, Xiao Xian’s voice was swallowed up, watching as Zhuo Yan approached one of the older beastmen responsible for distributing the meat. He couldn’t believe Zhuo Yan had the courage to do that!

In the center of the area, the tribe leader was overseeing the distribution. One of the older beastmen, resembling a human but distinctly beastly in nature, was in charge of handing out the meat. His hair was graying at the temples, and he wore a leather outfit that highlighted his muscular build. Wrinkles marked his face, suggesting he was around forty years old. He had a stern demeanor, not prone to smiling, which made him appear somewhat intimidating.

Zhuo Yan felt his heart race as his turn approached. When he finally stood before the elder, he mustered all his politeness and asked, “Excuse me, sir, may I have some bones?” He quickly added, “I’m not yet partnered; I’m a sub-beastman living in the outer cave.”

His explanation rushed out in hopes of clarifying his request, feeling a mix of hope and anxiety as he waited for the elder’s response.

The elder in charge of distributing the meat halted his bone knife, lowering his eyelids and casting a cold, scrutinizing gaze in Zhuo Yan’s direction.

Zhuo Yan felt a bit embarrassed under that stare. Was he being too shameless? Here he was, trying to snatch bones from children.

“W-Well, if it’s not allowed, then never mind,” he stammered, almost on the verge of tears. This uncle was really fierce.

He thought to himself, I’m sorry, I made a mistake.

Even the tribe leader turned to look at him.

Zhuo Yan felt his face burn with embarrassment and instantly regretted asking the question. But then, to his surprise, the elder handed him a large piece of meat and instructed the person next to him to give him a few extra bones. The tribe leader then said, “You’re Zhuo Yan, right? Winter is coming soon. If it snows heavily, you should move into the big cave ahead of time.”

Zhuo Yan’s heart raced with a mix of relief and gratitude as he accepted the meat and bones, his earlier fears fading away. He felt a sense of belonging wash over him, and the warm camaraderie of the tribe began to take root in his heart.

“Huh?” Zhuo Yan had initially considered finding a hole to crawl into, but he was taken aback to realize that the tribe leader was actually looking out for him, reminding him to head to the big cave early. Suddenly, his eyes welled up with tears—he was genuinely touched.

“I understand now! I still want to hold out a little longer. If I can’t manage it, I’ll definitely go to the big cave. Thank you, tribe leader and uncle,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion.

The tribe leader looked at him with a hint of pity and said, “You should head back now.”

As Zhuo Yan walked out with the rattan basket on his back, it felt heavy, but his heart was even fuller—he was truly moved by their kindness.

“Here comes that annoying beast! Xiao Xian just said you were going for bones. You didn’t get scolded, did you?”

To his surprise, Xiao Xian hadn’t gone home at all. Several other little friends were nearby, all of them waiting for him. The camaraderie of the group filled the air with warmth and laughter, contrasting sharply with Zhuo Yan’s earlier feelings of loneliness. He felt a sense of belonging he hadn’t anticipated, and it made him smile despite the heaviness of his load.

Qiao noticed that Zhuo Yan’s eyes were slightly red, and he comforted him, saying, “That uncle isn’t angry at you just because he doesn’t smile. If you want bones, I have some at home—”

“No need, the uncle and the tribe leader already gave me some,” Zhuo Yan replied happily. “That uncle is a bit fierce, but he’s a really good person.”

Hearing this, the little friends all breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Xian chimed in, “I used to get so scared when I saw that uncle that I would cry.”

“Shitou cried too,” another child added.

“Aman cried as well!”

Shitou and Aman started teasing each other, bringing laughter to the group.

Everyone burst into hearty laughter, and Zhuo Yan found himself laughing along, the warmth of friendship filling the air. In that moment, he felt a deep sense of acceptance among his peers, their shared stories weaving them closer together. The earlier worries that had clouded his mind began to fade, replaced by the joy of being part of a community that cared for one another.

Within the tribe, although there were certain customs derived from animal behavior, there were also moments filled with warmth and compassion.

Zhuo Yan was saying goodbye to his friends when he overheard a conversation among some orcs and sub-orcs nearby. They were discussing the tribe leader’s decision to give such a large piece of meat to the white-furred creature. One of them pointed out that since the creature couldn’t take human form and wasn’t a sub-orc, it wouldn’t be able to reproduce.

“…With those severe injuries, it will definitely die anyway; giving it that much meat is just a waste.”

“The tribe leader said that this time the white-horned cattle were brought in by the white-furred creature, and it’s on the verge of death. Letting it have a hearty meal before it passes is the least we can do,” the sub-orc replied, his tone tinged with sympathy, although it quickly faded. “The white-furred creature left the tribe with the meat. The tribe leader probably doesn’t want it to stay through the winter; having a beast within the tribe during winter could be dangerous. What if it goes mad from hunger and harms someone…”

Zhuo Yan listened intently, the conversation igniting a mix of emotions within him. He felt a pang of sadness for the creature, realizing that even in the world of beasts and orcs, there was a semblance of understanding about the fragility of life. The tribe’s approach reflected a balance between survival instincts and a humane approach, emphasizing that even the harshest of environments could have moments of kindness and empathy.

As he turned to leave, Zhuo Yan felt a new sense of purpose. He hoped to find a way to help the white-furred creature, recognizing that everyone, regardless of their form, deserved compassion in their final moments. With a determined heart, he resolved to do something meaningful, believing that even small acts could create ripples of change in a world that often prioritized survival above all else.