Chapter 9

Even though one door remained uninstalled—the wooden hinges were incredibly challenging to make, a fine task that had taken Zhuo Yan all morning to complete four of them—everyone was fascinated by the successful installation of the first door. If it weren’t for Zhuo Yan mentioning that he was hungry and suggesting they eat first, the group would have eagerly surrounded him, insisting that he teach them how to make the wooden hinges right then and there.

Zhuo Yan felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Everyone was so eager to learn!

“I’ll teach you this afternoon,” he promised. “This thing might look small, but it’s tricky to carve with a stone knife. If you apply too much force, the wooden wedge can easily break, especially since we also need to drill holes and create slots. Let’s eat first, though. Come on, Sister Qiao, Brother Aman~ I’m so hungry~”

After his playful persistence and charm, the group finally made their way to the riverside for a barbecue!

As they settled by the water, the smell of the fresh meat filled the air, and everyone’s spirits lifted. Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. Not only had they achieved something significant together, but they were also now able to enjoy a meal as a community, strengthening their bonds further. The laughter and chatter around the fire added a warmth to the chilly afternoon, making the hard work they had put in worthwhile.

How delightful!

Today, everyone else brought meat, but the real highlight was that Qiao and Xiao Xian brought salt!

“Here, Shitou, I have some extra at home. I asked my mother about it, and she said I could give this to you.” Xiao Xian pulled out a small bundle wrapped in green leaves from his rattan basket.

The bundle was only about the size of a baby’s fist.

Zhuo Yan knew that salt was a rare commodity; it was something traded by the sea folk at the Feather Tribe market. He carefully unwrapped the package, revealing the contents—yellow and black grains of salt, in stark contrast to the white salt used in modern times.

He held the salt package in his hands, feeling genuinely touched. The value of such a gift was immense; it symbolized not just a seasoning for their food, but also the care and consideration from his friends. In their world, where resources were scarce, this small act of kindness meant everything. It was a reminder that they were all in this together, sharing what little they had for the sake of camaraderie and community.

Here, giving him salt felt as precious as giving him jewels, diamonds, or gold—more valuable than any of those.

“I don’t have much; you should have enough,” Qiao said as she pulled out her share.

Zhuo Yan felt like crying out loud, overwhelmed with emotion, and could hardly contain himself. “Thank you all,” he said sincerely.

“You need to take good care of yourself this winter,” Qiao advised.

Aman added, “Just don’t die during winter, okay?”

“I know, I know! I’ll do my best to survive,” Zhuo Yan replied, reassured by their concern.

Shitou and Aman’s families were in tight situations, mainly because both households had juvenile beastmen. The young beast-shaped cubs loved to eat meat, and once they transformed into their human forms, they could handle both meat and vegetables. However, it was just like the old saying in modern times: a half-grown boy can impoverish his father.

In contrast, Qiao and Xiao Xian’s families were different. Sister Qiao had a younger brother born in the same litter, who was the same age as her and in his prime. Although he ate a lot, he was also an excellent hunter. Xiao Xian had two older brothers, both beastmen who were still unmarried, so their family had the most supplies stored up.

With the salt available, Zhuo Yan volunteered to take charge of the barbecue at noon.

He placed a thin stone slab over the fire to grill the meat, starting with fatty cuts to render out the oil. The air was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat. Using the chopsticks he had carved himself, Zhuo Yan flipped the meat over while laying down evenly sliced pieces of lean white-horned beef onto the oily surface, which sizzled delightfully as it cooked.

The onlookers couldn’t help but swallow hard.

“It’s so fragrant!”

“Today’s white-horned beef seems especially aromatic.”

Qiao remarked, “Zhuo Yan, how are you using that wooden stick? It looks so convenient.”

Zhuo Yan opened his hand holding the chopsticks to demonstrate to Sister Qiao. “This is really easy to make; it doesn’t burn your hands.”

“Right,” Qiao nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Shitou had gone off to find some branches. While waiting for the food, the group began carving their own wooden sticks, trying to imitate Zhuo Yan’s use of chopsticks. They struggled a bit, laughing and joking as they played around, but they also watched Zhuo Yan carefully to learn how to use them properly.

Fortunately, the stone slab didn’t conduct heat too quickly, allowing the meat to develop a beautiful color and cook evenly. Zhuo Yan tended to the sizzling meat while also teaching his friends how to use chopsticks.

As the meat on the stone slab turned a golden hue, glistening with the sheen of rendered fat, interspersed with thicker pieces and slightly charred edges—

“When will Zhuo Yan be done?”

“I’m suddenly so hungry.”

“Exactly!”

Zhuo Yan heard their words mixed with the sound of them swallowing, and he swallowed too—it was just too fragrant, too tempting. “Just wait for me to finish this last step: adding the salt.”

“That’s actually salty stone,” Xiao Xian corrected him vaguely, but he didn’t care anymore; all their attention was fixed on the stone slab.

Zhuo Yan carefully picked up a piece of ‘salty stone.’ With a little pressure from his thumb and index finger, it crumbled easily. He tossed some in the palm of his other hand and then sprinkled a bit onto the grilled meat, throwing the rest into the pot of stewed meat bones.

“It’s ready to eat!!!” He swallowed hard.

The group gathered around, eager to dig in. They used their chopsticks to grab the meat. Aman and Shitou struggled with the chopsticks, worried they might drop the meat. They didn’t mind the heat and grabbed pieces of meat with their hands instead. As Aman took a bite, his eyes widened in shock. He quickly chewed and swallowed, looking at Zhuo Yan with intense admiration.

Zhuo Yan was busy using a large leaf to catch the meat, overwhelmed by the delicious aroma. Ignoring Aman’s gaze, he blew gently on the piece and took the first bite of grilled meat he had waited so long for.

“Mmm, hot, so fragrant!”

As Zhuo Yan savored the first bite, he suddenly remembered that this wasn’t his first experience with grilled meat. A few days earlier, Sister Qiao had given him a piece of grilled meat. To be honest, that piece was cold and not particularly tasty; it lacked the juiciness and flavor he craved.

However, at that moment, it had still tasted heavenly because it had been so long since he had eaten meat.

“Hey, I won’t call you ‘Hated Beast’ anymore,” Aman said, breaking Zhuo Yan’s reverie.

Zhuo Yan burst into laughter and replied, a little mumbled, “I didn’t mind that. I know you’re just saying it; you don’t really hate me, hehe.”

He could tell the difference between genuine feelings and mere words.

“But it’s different now! Your grilled meat is really delicious. With such tasty grilled meat, nobody could possibly hate you,” Aman exclaimed, his mouth full of meat, clearly enjoying it.

“Exactly!” Xiao Xian chimed in, his fluffy ears perked up in excitement, a clear sign of his enthusiasm.

Shitou nodded in agreement from the side.

Sister Qiao added, “I want to learn this from Zhuo Yan so I can make it for my mom when I go back.”

“I want to learn too! Me too!” Zhuo Yan’s friends chorused, their eyes sparkling with eagerness.

During the second round of grilling, Zhuo Yan was nearby peeling potatoes while verbally guiding Sister Qiao and the others on how to grill. “You need to watch the heat. The thickness of my stone slab is important; if you have a thinner stone slab at home, you’ll need to use a smaller flame with matches. If your slab is thick, then add more firewood to heat it up more.”

“Exactly! Don’t cut the meat too thin, but also not too thick. Remember, it should be the width of your palm—not the size of your palm, but the side of it—yes, just like that.”

“Separate the fatty and lean pieces. The white ones are the fatty parts; they have more oil, so put those on first to render out the fat. Don’t rush to flip them; let them cook slowly.”

“You can use a small hammer or a wooden stick to pound the lean white horn beef a bit, which makes the texture softer. If you prefer it firmer, you can skip this step; both methods are worth trying.”

Zhuo Yan mused that if they had garlic and spices, the flavor would be even better.

But perhaps it was simply that he hadn’t had freshly grilled meat in so long, Zhuo Yan felt that the quality of the white horn beef was truly exceptional. It was better than any beef he had bought in modern supermarkets. The meat had a perfect texture—not tough at all—full of flavor without that typical strong odor of beef.

After the second round of eating, Zhuo Yan placed the cleaned potatoes and taros on the stone slab to roast in the remaining grease, while he cut up some larger pieces to put into the pot of bone broth.

Though everyone hadn’t quite filled their stomachs with meat yet, it wasn’t the time to indulge in that. Instead, they could enjoy some roasted vegetables. Once the soup cooled down a bit, they could wrap the broth in leaves to drink. As they sipped, Zhuo Yan suggested, “When we go to make the wooden barrels tomorrow, we might as well make some wooden bowls and spoons too. That way, we won’t have to use leaves for drinking soup.”

“Slurp, slurp,” they responded, enjoying the deliciousness.

“It’s so good!”

“It smells amazing!”

There were no more arguments; everyone nodded along enthusiastically. Whatever Zhuo Yan suggested, no one had any objections—his cooking was simply too delicious!

Once they were full and satisfied, the group lazily settled by the riverbank, basking in the warmth of the sun, which still held a bit of heat during the day.

Qiao rubbed her belly and said, “Zhuo Yan, everything you make tastes amazing.”

“Exactly!” another voice chimed in.

“Mm-hmm,” Stone added in agreement.

Aman remarked, “You’re no longer the ‘Disliked Beast’ now. If other beastmen had the chance to taste your cooking, you wouldn’t have to worry anymore. I can guarantee you that, while not all beastmen, there will definitely be some who would want to become your partner.”

Zhuo Yan was taken aback. “??? Huh?”

“I’ll mention it to the beastmen,” Aman continued, counting off Zhuo Yan’s changes. “You’re different now; you’re smart, you grill meat well, and it’s delicious…”

Zhuo Yan was so startled that he didn’t dare to daze off any longer. He quickly said, “Thank you, Aman, but I really don’t want to find a beastman partner right now.”

Aman clearly didn’t believe him; in fact, neither did the others.

Zhuo Yan sighed, feeling a bit exasperated. “I—I’m being honest. I’m still thinking about the white-haired guy.” He revealed his worry, “He ran out of the tribe, and… I really don’t want to be in a relationship right now.”

Aman looked at Zhuo Yan with indignation. “He can’t even transform! What’s so good about him? You shouldn’t think about him anymore.”

“Exactly,” Xiao Xian chimed in weakly. “He might even be dead.”

Qiao, noticing Zhuo Yan’s troubled expression, finally said, “Let it go. Zhuo Yan is still young; let’s talk about this again in a couple of years.”

Stone nodded in agreement.

Zhuo Yan sighed in relief, thinking, That was close; I managed to get through it.

He hadn’t expected that the tribe would also “urge marriage,” but Aman meant well—he had previously shown enthusiasm for Zhuo Yan finding a beastman partner, which was Aman’s way of looking out for him.

However… Zhuo Yan truly wasn’t interested at the moment.

Fortunately, Qiao stepped in to diffuse the situation, suggesting they drop the topic. The group then shifted to discussing the activities planned for the next day, eager to return and assemble the other door. Zhuo Yan was ready to teach everyone how to make wooden hinges.

Stone and Aman, being the strongest, put a lot of effort into carving the wood, but they either ended up making it too small or breaking it entirely. On the other hand, Qiao and Xiao Xian worked meticulously and quickly.

“Zhuo Yan, I think I’ve got it now! I really understand, but my hands just won’t cooperate,” Aman exclaimed, looking quite frustrated. He genuinely hadn’t been slacking off; he truly had learned the technique.

Stone nodded, sharing a similar expression of grievance.

Zhuo Yan patted both their shoulders. “It’s not your fault; everyone has their strengths. What I mean is, Qiao and Xiao Xian excel at detail-oriented tasks, while you two have incredible strength. You’re great at climbing trees, too.”

This seemed to lift their spirits a bit, and they nodded, feeling less aggrieved.

The second door was completed very quickly; by early evening, the group had successfully assembled it. At last, Zhuo Yan’s entrance had the tribe’s very first set of double doors.

“Can I give it a try?” Xiao Xian asked eagerly.

“Of course,” Zhuo Yan replied, but then added, “You do know how to open a door, right?”

Xiao Xian hurriedly assured him, “Yes, yes! I’m not like Aman.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I can do it too!” Aman shot back, engaging in playful banter.

Despite the teasing, everyone was in high spirits. After finishing the door, they decided to test it out. They set up a scenario where someone would knock on the outside, and the person inside would unlatch the door. Each time someone pushed open both doors, a chorus of excited gasps and exclamations erupted from the group.

Zhuo Yan watched as his friends played and laughed, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

At that moment, Xiao Xian wanted to go inside to open the door. Everyone had gathered outside, and Xiao Xian first closed the door securely. Through the door, Aman called out, “Do you know how to close it?”

“Hmph, of course I do!” Xiao Xian replied from inside.

Shitou and Qiao were both laughing, entertained by the playful banter and antics between the two.

“Okay, okay, I’ve closed it!” Xiao Xian announced, pulling on the door handle for emphasis. “It’s really secure now; you can’t get in!”

Aman started to knock on the door, eager for the second round of their game. He was a bit stronger now and didn’t hold back as much as he did the first time when he was afraid of breaking Zhuo Yan’s handiwork. Zhuo Yan had reassured him that it was fine to test its sturdiness. Nevertheless, Aman still moderated his strength. With each knock, the sound echoed, and his confidence grew.

“Wow, this is really sturdy, Zhuo Yan!” Aman exclaimed, a hint of surprise in his voice.

Zhuo Yan chuckled heartily at the sight of his friends’ joyful antics. Their laughter and excitement filled the air, making the atmosphere even more vibrant and cheerful.

Once Xiao Xian unlocked the door, Aman and Shitou each opened a door, marveling at the functional design. “This is amazing! How cool is this!” they exclaimed, their eyes wide with wonder.

The four of them were so absorbed in their excitement about the door that they could have talked about it for hours if it hadn’t started getting dark. Zhuo Yan watched as his friends prepared to leave, still able to hear their animated chatter about the door behind him.

“I wanted to make a door like Zhuo Yan’s before I paired up with Ada, so that my mom could open it herself,” Qiao mentioned, her tone reflective.

Aman replied, “So you and your second brother haven’t paired up yet because you’re worried about your parents, huh?”

“At least we should get through this winter first before discussing it,” Qiao responded. “Once winter is over, we can make the door.” She felt relieved at the thought of being able to pair up with Ada and having their own space.

Xiao Xian chimed in, a hint of frustration in his voice, “It’s too late now; otherwise, I would want to make a door too. But my family doesn’t listen to me. They say I’m still a kid. If my father saw Zhuo Yan’s door, he would definitely believe me!”

“Zhuo Yan is just too clever,” Shitou remarked, admiringly shaking his head in awe.

Even Aman, who used to be stubborn and hard-headed, now said, “He’s different now; he’s no longer disliked by the beastmen.”

…

As the voices grew fainter, Zhuo Yan found himself smiling unknowingly. It wasn’t that he was no longer disliked; rather, in the eyes of his four little friends, he had gained their acceptance. However, among the other sub-beastmen in the tribe, prejudice still lingered against him.

But it didn’t matter. There was plenty of time ahead.

Zhuo Yan wasn’t concerned about that. He headed to the crooked tree where he had left the skins to dry all day. They weren’t completely dry yet, so he decided to let them sunbathe for another day. Still, he could already feel a significant improvement compared to before—the faint scent of leaves lingered, and the skins felt soft and fluffy. They would definitely provide warmth when used.

Perhaps it was because they now had a door, or maybe it was something else, but he felt a heightened sense of security today. After finishing with the skins, Zhuo Yan didn’t return to the cave immediately. Instead, he took a moment to gaze at the distant water and the wild grasslands illuminated by the stars. Everything appeared empty, with the wild grass swaying in the wind, and there was nothing…

Had the white-haired boy truly not returned?