Chapter 112: Matchmaker Fei

After completely processing the bamboo strips, Fei Li looked up at everyone and said, “You all cut the bamboo into strips like I just did. If you can’t, I’ll teach you again.”

Everyone picked a piece of bamboo and began cutting it into strips according to Fei Li’s method.

At first, they struggled to control the force, making it a bit difficult to cut the bamboo.

However, after several attempts, their movements gradually became more proficient.

Seeing that everyone had finally learned, Fei Li also joined in cutting the bamboo with them.

After spending most of the day, a pile of bamboo was finally cut into bamboo skins.

Xiao Chun looked at the pile of bamboo skins, which was as high as a small mountain, and asked, “What are we going to do with so many bamboo skins?”

Fei Li smiled but didn’t answer, allowing everyone to take a short break.

Taking advantage of their rest, he pulled out some bamboo skins and began to weave the base.

Previously, at his grandmother’s house in the countryside, he had seen villagers weaving backpacks and bamboo baskets from bamboo skins.

As a child, he had been very curious about new things, even skipping classes to learn how to weave bamboo baskets.

Because of that, he often faced his grandmother’s loving punishment.

After his grandmother passed away, he rarely returned to the countryside, and he suddenly began to miss those days.

Before he could feel too sentimental, he grabbed a few strips of bamboo skin, laid them on the ground, and started weaving.

Once he got the hang of it, he called over the people who were resting.

Xiao Chun watched his hands in amazement and exclaimed, “Did you really make this from the bamboo strips we just cut?”

He nodded and continued to demonstrate for everyone.

“Pay close attention. We are short on time, and I can’t guide each of you individually. If you don’t understand anything, be sure to ask me immediately.”

While speaking, his hands didn’t pause for a moment.

Everyone watched closely, afraid to miss any important details.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Fei Li skillfully woven the bamboo skins in a circular pattern.

Moments later, a bamboo basket appeared before everyone.

They looked at the basket and couldn’t help but praise, “Lord Fei Li, you’re amazing! You can actually weave a basket from bamboo!”

The people here only used simple and primitive tools, and they had never even seen something like a bamboo basket.

Ignoring their flattery, Fei Li asked everyone, “Is everyone ready to get back to work?”

They nodded, eager to give it a try.

Next, Fei Li explained the essentials of weaving bamboo baskets and led everyone in the weaving process.

With Fei Li’s guidance, everyone quickly got the hang of it.

With everyone’s collective effort, more than twenty bamboo baskets were completed by evening.

The sky gradually darkened.

Fei Li stopped what he was doing and said, “Everyone, go back and rest! We have enough bamboo baskets, and we’ll go to harvest the rice early tomorrow morning.”

After everyone left, Fei Li stacked the finished bamboo baskets together and tidied up the messy area.

As he picked up the scattered bamboo skins from the ground, he accidentally cut his hand on a sharp piece.

A bright red cut began to bleed, and he frowned but continued to clean up.

“Aren’t you a medical student? Can’t you see that you’ve hurt yourself?”

The voice from behind made him stop all his movements.

Turning around, he saw Su Li walking towards him.

In the darkness, he couldn’t see Su Li’s expression clearly but felt that Su Li seemed different from before.

Glancing at his own hand, he nonchalantly replied, “It’s just a small cut, it’s nothing serious.”

“Aren’t you afraid of getting an infection? Is this how medical students treat their wounds? If your teacher knew, they’d probably come here to scold you!”

Hearing this, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Su Li was significantly older than him, yet aside from Su Li’s mature demeanor, he couldn’t tell how Su Li was older. He smiled and looked at Su Li, “You’re not a botanist, you’re a teacher, right? Why do you love to educate people so much?”

“I…”

—Not that I love educating people, I just love educating you.

Turning back, Fei Li reached out again to continue picking up the bamboo skins, but Su Li held his hand.

He was taken aback for a moment before quickly pulling his hand back.

Su Li’s grip was warm, even hotter than his gaze.

“Su Li, you…”

Before he could finish, Su Li grabbed his hand again.

Without giving him a chance to break free, Su Li tore a strip of soft animal skin from his fur clothing and bandaged his wound.

Su Li’s movements were gentle, as if afraid of hurting him.

Once Su Li finished bandaging, Fei Li snapped back to reality and muttered, “Thank you!”

Su Li didn’t respond and kept staring at him.

Quickly finishing up the remaining bamboo skins, he exchanged a brief greeting with Su Li and hurriedly left. Since their last conversation, Su Li seemed to have changed into a different person.

This change made him feel somewhat uneasy.

The next day, while it was still dimly lit.

All the humans in the tribe gathered outside Fei Li’s door, ready to head to the rice fields to harvest the rice before the sun rose.

As Fei Li stepped out of the house, he saw everyone waiting for him.

Compared to the orcs in the tribe, the humans showed Fei Li great respect.

This was because Fei Li had taught them many life skills, making humans indispensable in the tribe and significantly raising their status.

Fei Li glanced at everyone and said, “Everyone take a bamboo basket, let’s hurry and harvest all the rice before the sun rises.”

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone stepped forward without hesitation to grab a bamboo basket, then set off toward the fields.

Upon arriving at the rice fields, Fei Li divided the workers into small groups of four.

Next, he led everyone into the fields.

After placing the bamboo baskets beside him, he used a stone knife to cut the rice ears and placed them into the baskets.

Everyone followed his example, using their stone knives to cut the rice ears and then placing them into the baskets.

Thanks to the sufficient manpower, they managed to harvest all the rice ears before the sun rose.

Looking at the bamboo baskets filled to the brim with rice ears, Fei Li felt a sense of joy from the bountiful harvest.

“Thank you for your hard work. Everyone takes a short break, and then two people per group can carry the bamboo baskets back to the tribe.”

By noon, the work of harvesting the rice was finally completed.

With the rice brought back to the tribe, the next step was to dry the rice and then mill it into rice grains.

In the following days, Fei Li focused on drying the rice.

Seeing that the rice was almost dried, he began to worry about how his stone mill was coming along.

He arrived at Wuze’s doorstep, and just as he was about to peek inside, he heard voices coming from within.

“I don’t know what help you can provide, all you do is make things difficult for me. Hey… put that down, don’t mess with my tools!”

Wuze looked flustered and angry, but this only seemed to encourage Aola, who continued to provoke him.

Before long, a series of “crackling” sounds came from the house.

Then came Wuze’s complaints, repeating this cycle several times.

Standing outside, Fei Li shook his head, Wuze was definitely single by force of circumstance!

Without further thought, he walked straight into the house.

Upon seeing him, Wuze and Aola, who were arguing, paused for a moment and forgot their quarrel.

“I’ll have someone else polish the grinding plate, I’ll handle the grinding core myself. Is there anything else that needs attention?”

Wuze looked up at Fei Li, completely ignoring Aola.

Seeing this, Aola snorted coldly and also refused to engage with Wuze.

Fei Li smiled, his first experience as a matchmaker wasn’t going very smoothly.

After checking the grinding core, he nodded in appreciation, “That’s right, you did very well, it’s even better than the stone mills I’ve seen back in my hometown.”

He wasn’t lying.

The stone mill at his grandmother’s place was very simple, and it was obvious that the stonemason hadn’t put in much effort.

But Wuze’s work was different!

Grinding cores are usually made of wood, but the grinding core that Wuze made had every contour polished smoothly.

With such a grinding core, the stone mill would be much easier to use.

“The grinding core is excellent, now take me to see the grinding plate.”

Wuze immediately got up and turned his gaze to Aola beside him, saying, “I don’t need any helpers, I can handle it on my own. Just take Aola away!”

Hearing this, Aola also stood up, pretending to leave.

—If you don’t want my help, then I won’t bother helping you.

“Aola, wait for me outside for a moment.”

Aola glanced back at Fei Li before leaving the room.

Turning back to Wuze, Fei Li patted him on the shoulder, “You’ve been in the tribe for a while now, right?”

Wuze nodded.

“How are you getting along with everyone?”

Wuze looked at him for a moment but lowered his head and said nothing.

Since they were all outsiders, Fei Li understood Wuze’s awkward position in the tribe.

“Now that you’ve come to this tribe, you need to get used to everything about it, including interacting with everyone.”

Wuze replied, “I understand.”

“You understand everything, but you haven’t done anything,” Fei Li pointedly addressed Wuze’s issues.

Suddenly lifting his gaze, Wuze met Fei Li’s eyes with some guilt. “I…” He realized that despite his predicament, it was rare for a tribe to accept him and his people, and he should be grateful.

No matter how much the tribe rejected him and his kin, he could endure it.

In such a survival environment where the weak are preyed upon by the strong, having a tribe to rely on was indeed a precious thing.

“Wuze, you should interact more with the tribe’s people. You should learn from Aola, he navigates the tribe with ease and gets along very well with everyone.” At least during the three years he was away, Aola maintained good relations with the tribe.

When he returned, many distanced themselves from Aola due to various reasons related to him.

But it must be said that there are indeed things that Wuze can learn from Aola.

Bringing Wuze and Aola together would benefit both of them.

Seeing Wuze silent, Fei Li changed the subject, “What do you think of Aola?”

Wuze furrowed his brow.

“Find a partner in the tribe, then settle down and live a good life here!”

Having said this, he didn’t add anything more.

Next, Wuze took him to see how the grinding plate was coming along.

Seeing the two of them about to leave, Aola pretended to walk in the opposite direction.

“Aola, come with us!” Fei Li called out to keep Aola.

Aola glanced at Wuze, looking unwilling.

“Let’s go together!” Wuze suddenly spoke up.

Faced with Wuze’s change, Aola found it strange, but out of consideration for Fei Li, he followed them.