Chapter 63

That afternoon in the forest, they ventured farther than before. Since there were beastmen nearby, the nearby woods had already been scoured for edible plants. But as they explored further, they indeed found mushrooms and fungi, even spotting a massive broken tree that was home to a treasure trove of wood ear mushrooms. Zhuo Yan was absolutely delighted.

Aman excitedly discovered a light green mushroom and held it up in front of Zhuo Yan, saying, “This one’s delicious! But after you eat it, you’ll see all sorts of things moving around. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your stomach, but it’s so tasty!”

Zhuo Yan thought to himself: …Aman really loves his mushrooms.

However, the mushroom reminded him of a modern, toxic variety he had encountered before—when cut open, it revealed a green hue that indicated poison. It needed to be cooked longer at high temperatures to be safe. So, he asked Aman, “How did you eat it before? Was it undercooked?”

“I just made soup, tearing it into pieces and boiling it,” Aman replied.

Zhuo Yan recalled that the toxic mushroom needed at least fifteen to twenty minutes of cooking. He glanced at the mushroom in Aman’s hand and suggested, “How about we pick some and cook them properly back at my place?”

“Sure, I’m not scared!” Aman tossed the mushrooms into his basket. “I know where there’s a whole patch. I’ll go get them!”

“Zhuo Yan, if we cook this, will those things moving around disappear?”

“I don’t know,” Zhuo Yan admitted. “We can try it when we get back.”

After all, the poison wasn’t lethal, so they might as well eat it. Zhuo Yan felt much bolder now than when he first arrived; the Leopardmen tribe had little habit of eating vegetables. With scarce greens around, he needed to find some edible plants to balance his diet.

As they wandered through the forest, Zhuo Yan was tempted to try everything green he came across. However, whenever he reached for a plant, A-Yin would rush over to say it was inedible, or Shi Tou would warn him against it, or Aman would mention he’d get a stomachache…

Well, it seemed everyone had sampled most of the options.

Xiao Xian piped up, “Zhuo Yan, this one won’t give you a stomachache, but it’ll make your mouth feel tingly!”

“Tingly?!” Zhuo Yan perked up, excitement coursing through him. “Where does it tingle? Let me see.” It couldn’t be a Sichuan pepper tree, could it?

Xiao Xian pointed to a tree that reached their knees. At first glance, it looked like a willow, not a Sichuan pepper tree. Zhuo Yan wasn’t disappointed; treasures like that were rare. As long as it wasn’t toxic and provided some tingle, he’d be happy.

He crouched down, and the others followed suit, all of them studying that particular grass.

The outer layer of the grass burst open, revealing small prickly seeds that looked a bit like Sichuan pepper. Zhuo Yan reached out to pick one, and A-Yin exclaimed, “Brother, let me try!”

“It’s fine; Xiao Xian already ate some,” Zhuo Yan reassured him.

Xiao Xian chuckled, recalling his own experience. “It’s a bit prickly; I couldn’t even taste the barbecue!”

In spring, the prickles were still soft and green. Zhuo Yan popped one into his mouth, and a jolt of flavor made him scrunch his face. Shi Tou and Aman, curious, followed suit and tasted it.

And so, nobody escaped the experience.

Zhuo Yan’s features contorted as the flavor hit him: an intensified numbing sensation, a concentrated kick of spice—who could understand?

The others wore similar expressions of bewilderment, all of them in sync.

His tongue felt slightly numb, and saliva overflowed. The group spat out their saliva, with Shi Tou mumbling, “Is my tongue broken?” “Same here!” “Hahaha, it’s just so numbing!” Xiao Xian, having already tried one, grabbed another, enjoying the playful chaos.

But Zhuo Yan loved it, even planning to take some of the prickly seeds home to plant near his doorstep.

“Brother, do you like it?” A-Yin asked, still feeling the lingering numbness on his tongue.

“I do! Just one of these will be enough for stir-frying,” Zhuo Yan replied. “I can even grind it into powder for barbecue seasoning!”

He had just discovered a new spice: prehistoric Sichuan pepper.

Today had been incredibly rewarding; he had gathered plenty of non-toxic grasses and planned to sort through them later to find the tastiest ones to add to his meals.

As the sun began to set, they made their way back. A Hui had come out empty-handed. He used to play with the beastmen like that, coming out barehanded, but if they encountered any small game on the way back, this time with A-Yin and the others, everyone carried their woven baskets filled with grass.

Seeing everyone gather their bounty, A Hui, despite thinking the grass was unappetizing, decided to pick some too, planning to bring it back to the cave for his mother.

Next time he came out, he would carry a basket too, he thought.

After crossing the river, A Hui prepared to head home. Zhuo Yan glanced at A-Yin, who called out, “A Hui, my brother says we’re having dinner at my house tonight. Want to join?”

“!” A Hui’s eyes sparkled with surprise. “I’m coming! I’m coming!”

When they reached the cave, three beastmen were out fetching water and working. A-Yin excitedly planted the prickly seeds her brother had brought back, asking, “Is it okay to plant them in the garlic patch?”

“Of course!” Zhuo Yan agreed.

So A-Yin and her two companions dug holes to plant the seeds and headed off to fetch water. Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan and Shi Tou started preparing the vegetables. The home still had some smoked meat, so Zhuo Yan sliced a thick piece, planning to grill it soon.

“You all gather the vegetables; I’ll go get some Sichuan pepper,” Zhuo Yan announced, intending to sprinkle some on the meat.

Although Shi Tou wasn’t fond of the numbing sensation from the pepper, he was willing to try again since Zhuo Yan was cooking. Aman felt the same; any food prepared by Zhuo Yan was always delicious.

Dinner consisted of pan-fried smoked meat and stir-fried green mushrooms with stewed potatoes.

Zhuo Yan had gathered plenty of green mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms, filling half a basket each. He heated oil in a large earthen pot, quickly stir-frying the mushrooms over high heat for about five to six minutes before adding water, potatoes, and wood ear mushrooms to stew. Finally, he tossed in a handful of the prickly seeds.

Aman watched curiously. “You cooked it for a long time; is it safe now?”

“I don’t know; we’ll just have to try,” Zhuo Yan replied, glancing at the others. “If anything strange happens, don’t go home right away. Wait until it passes.”

He was worried they might lose their way and encounter danger outside the tribe.

“There’s only a brief moment of weirdness,” Aman described, unable to gauge the exact time. “It’s short but kind of fun.”

Zhuo Yan could see Aman’s eager anticipation. If this pot of mushroom soup truly turned out safe—well, he was happy regardless. Not everyone wanted to indulge in psychedelic mushrooms, and this kind was plentiful.

Every spring, they could enjoy mushrooms—what a delight!

“Keep an eye on the pot; I’ll go grind the Sichuan pepper,” Zhuo Yan instructed Shi Tou, who was captivated by Zhuo Yan’s double stove.

Thinking of the amount of meat, Zhuo Yan picked five seeds and called out, “Dinner’s almost ready; wash your hands!”

“Got it, Brother!” A-Yin replied, leading her friends to the river to clean up.

A Hui remarked, “Your brother really likes cleanliness.” He wanted to add that it was a hassle to clean before eating, but he knew saying so would upset A-Yin.

“Of course,” A-Yin said proudly. “Being clean is a good thing.”

Zhuo Yan washed the Sichuan pepper seeds and placed them near the stove. This way, they would dry a little, allowing the green prickles to burn off before grinding them into powder. Mixing it with some water, he rolled up some dough, dipped it in the pepper water, and drizzled it over the grilling meat—this should be just the right amount of spice.

The meat sizzled and turned golden brown, filling a large platter. A-Yin brought out the long table from their home. With no chairs, everyone sat or stood around to eat.

Zhuo Yan thought he should build a long bench one day; he had many friends and enjoyed the privacy of a small family life in the Leopardmen tribe while also cherishing gatherings with friends—since there were not many leisure activities available, chatting and working together felt like a form of play.

There were two large platters of pan-fried smoked meat and a big pot of mushroom soup. Luckily, there were enough utensils at home; if they ran out of bowls, they could use large cups as a substitute.

“Let’s eat!”

“Zhuo Yan, it smells amazing! I’ve already swallowed so much saliva!”

Aman was curious about the mushroom soup and excited to try the grilled meat, especially since it was made with the numbing pepper! He decided to taste the grilled meat first; he’d had the mushrooms before!

“How is it?” Zhuo Yan also reached for the grilled meat. The thick, crispy pieces were golden brown, and with a bite, he discovered it was slightly dry because it was smoked, but he didn’t need Aman to respond; the delight was evident on his face.

“It’s so good!” Xiao Xian exclaimed, taking another bite and savoring it, “Delicious!”

Just like Aman with his mushroom-induced high, Xiao Xian felt no discomfort from the numbing sensation of the pepper. He had secretly snacked on it before for fun. Shitou, on the other hand, wasn’t fond of the tingling on his tongue; it felt strange to him. But as he watched Aman and Xiao Xian enjoying the meat, he couldn’t resist taking a bite himself—

What a peculiar sensation.

Shitou chewed thoughtfully, savoring the rich, smoky flavor of the meat mingled with a hint of the pepper’s numbing essence. The tingling on his tongue was mild, almost pleasant, prompting him to take another bite.

Big-headed A Hui took gargantuan bites, his cheeks puffing up like a chipmunk’s. He had never eaten at A-Yin’s home before, but now, as he savored the roasted meat, memories flooded back—he had pursued Zhuo Yan in hopes of tasting his famous barbecued delights.

But this time, the flavors were simply exquisite.

“Why is the pepper so mild this time?” he asked, intrigued.

A-Yin replied, “Because my brother diluted it with water.”

“Smart move,” Zhuo Yan shot A-Yin an approving glance.

“My brother is really clever!” A-Yin beamed with pride.

“Stay humble, stay humble,” Zhuo Yan chuckled.

The others were too busy enjoying their feast to pay attention to the pair’s affectionate banter. They devoured the meat, finding it a bit dry—after all, it was smoked—but the complex flavors danced on their tongues, enhanced by the pepper’s warmth. Each sip of the mushroom soup was a delight.

“Wow, this is delicious,” Shitou exclaimed.

“I told you guys, this mushroom soup is fantastic!” Aman declared loudly.

“I just don’t like things moving in front of me,” Shitou grumbled.

“My mom said eating too many of these mushrooms can make you silly,” Xiao Xian chimed in.

That was why, despite Aman’s enthusiastic recommendations, Shitou and Xiao Xian had only dared to sample the mushrooms once or twice before—fear kept them at bay. But for Aman, the taste was worth the risk. He gulped down his mushroom soup, eagerly awaiting any signs of a trippy visual experience. A tinge of apprehension gnawed at him. “Will I really turn silly?” he asked nervously.

“Yeah,” Xiao Xian nodded, concern flickering in his eyes.

Aman thought to himself, Surely, I’m not that foolish, right?

Zhuo Yan encouraged everyone to continue eating; tonight’s dinner was exceptionally tasty, thanks to the pepper. After enduring a winter filled with monotonous smoked meat, he found himself falling in love with it all over again.

The mushroom soup was equally impressive. The mushrooms lent their rich flavor to the broth, complemented by the potatoes. Zhuo Yan had even thrown in a handful of the ‘grass’ he had foraged earlier—five different types, of which three were inedible.

Two varieties stood out: one with thick green leaves that turned gooey when cooked, refreshing alongside the savory mushrooms; Zhuo Yan decided that one was worthy of being classified as a vegetable.

The second type had long, serrated leaves with crisp, crunchy roots reminiscent of water spinach—also a candidate for the vegetable category.

The rest? Just grass, plain and simple.

Zhuo Yan shared his findings with the group, “I think the serrated greens and the fat-leafed greens are delicious. The others? Not worth keeping.”

“I agree,” Shitou nodded. “I’ll pick them out when I get back.”

“Let’s gather more next time,” Zhuo Yan suggested.

“Sure!”

He planned to develop the gentle slope at the cave entrance into a small vegetable garden. Ah Tou and Ah Hui were too busy relishing their meal to chat; they nodded appreciatively as Zhuo Yan praised the deliciousness of the greens. Ah Hui mentally noted to bring these two tasty options back to his mom on their next outing.

Aman finished two bowls of mushroom soup and a couple of slices of roasted meat, still waiting for the anticipated visual experience—but it never came.

“Zhuo Yan! There were no trippy visuals tonight,” he laughed. “Guess I won’t be turning silly after all. I can eat as much as I want now!”

Shitou and Xiao Xian seemed to snap back to reality, realizing that indeed, there had been no visions.

After dinner, night fell. A-Yin took the water bucket to the river to wash the dishes while Ah Tou and Ah Hui carried the pots and flat stones down with her. Shitou and Aman returned the table and stools to Zhuo Yan’s cave, while Zhuo Yan cleaned up the stove, and XIao Xian swept the floor.

Everyone quickly divided tasks and soon finished cleaning up.

“We’re heading back,” someone announced.

“See you tomorrow, Zhuo Yan!”

“See you tomorrow!”

“A-Yin, let’s go hunting tomorrow!”

“Sure!”

As they dispersed, the lively atmosphere at the cave entrance faded to calm. Zhuo Yan stretched, and A-Yin hurried back with some chickens while the wild boar scampered off out of sight. When it got a little darker, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin went to the river to freshen up, ready for bed.

While brushing his teeth, Zhuo Yan deliberately let the bubble leaves sit in his mouth for a bit longer, feeling a rush of warmth on his cheeks from his secret thoughts. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Shitou and the others were right—he shouldn’t overthink things. He had just been thinking about…

A simple kiss, nothing more.

With that thought, a smile crept onto Zhuo Yan’s face. It seemed A-Yin sensed his happiness and turned to look at him. “Brother, you’re secretly happy,” he said confidently.

“Just a little bit,” Zhuo Yan replied, trying to sound coy.

A-Yin gazed at his brother, equally joyful. “I’m so happy!”

“Is it because the food was delicious tonight?”

“No! It’s because you’re happy, which makes me happy,” A-Yin replied earnestly.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t suppress his smile. He knew A-Yin was sincere, and hearing such heartfelt words brought him joy. The atmosphere between them shifted, tinged with a budding intimacy.

“A-Yin, you asked me before about the kissing thing between sub-beasts and beasts by the river,” Zhuo Yan began.

A-Yin’s eyes sparkled. “Brother, do you want to kiss me?”

His eagerness surprised Zhuo Yan. “Shall we give it a try? Do you want to?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Zhuo Yan felt a rush of nerves; this was his first kiss. A-Yin was slightly taller and leaned down towards him, his blue eyes deepening in the moonlight, captivating Zhuo Yan. He cupped A-Yin’s face in his hands, tilting his head up, and leaned in for a gentle kiss.

Their lips met softly.

It was moist and carried a faint scent of the bubble leaves.

When they pulled apart, Zhuo Yan’s heart raced. He looked at A-Yin, who lowered his head, murmuring, “Brother, the pepper is still tingling. My head feels all fuzzy, and it’s pounding.”

Heart racing, and so was mine.

Zhuo Yan felt a wave of shyness wash over him as he nodded, thinking that maybe they could save their next kiss for later. Once they reached the cave, closed the door, and climbed into bed, A-Yin gently nestled against him. With a curious gaze from Zhuo Yan, A-Yin reached out, cupping his brother’s cheeks in his hands.

It felt just like earlier, when Zhuo Yan had kissed A-Yin on their way back.

Zhuo Yan sensed what was about to happen next, his heart racing faster than ever. He felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation—like a boy in love for the first time, pure and innocent.

In the next moment, A-Yin’s lips met his, a flicker of a tongue grazing against his.

Zhuo Yan: !!!

“You—” he gasped, the tip of his tongue brushing against A-Yin’s.

Both of them froze, wide-eyed.

A-Yin’s pupils dilated in shock, and he hurriedly exclaimed, “I saw other beastmen do this before—they lick! Brother, it’s so tingly! I want to lick your tongue; my head feels all fuzzy!”

“…Should we try that again?” Zhuo Yan asked, instinctively licking his lips.

A-Yin was already leaning in to lick again.

They fumbled through their first kiss, awkward yet electrifying.

“Brother, let’s do it again?”

“…Okay, one more time.”

They kissed again in the cave, breaths mingling, hearts pounding. Zhuo Yan felt like fireworks were bursting in his head, warmth flooding through him—he was really in a relationship! This was wonderful!

Kissing A-Yin wasn’t just tolerable; it was utterly delightful.

At that moment, he noticed his reflection in A-Yin’s eyes. The beastman’s gaze was so open and sincere, completely unguarded. Zhuo Yan finally understood why A-Yin was so adamant about his feelings; it was evident in the way he looked at him.

…But they didn’t go further than that.

For Zhuo Yan, kissing tonight was a giant leap for someone as inexperienced as him in love. As he lay down to sleep, he still felt giddy, that blissful confusion swirling around him, wrapped up in the warmth of the furs.

“A-Yin, did you turn all fuzzy?” he teased.

“No, Brother.” A-Yin chuckled, “The furs are fuzzy!” He reached beneath the blanket, feeling around.

Suddenly, Zhuo Yan yelped, and A-Yin froze.

“I-I-I think… it’s my tail?” He felt a shock run up his spine as A-Yin’s hand brushed against it.

A-Yin reached out again, and Zhuo Yan stammered, “D-Don’t touch!”

“Brother, you sounded like you liked it!” A-Yin replied, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

Zhuo Yan: That was just too sensitive!!!

“Do I have a tail?” He pulled the blanket back, revealing his side profile. There it was—a fluffy, spotted tail swaying back and forth, the tip held in A-Yin’s hand. Zhuo Yan gasped, “Ahhh!!!”

He truly had grown a tail!

“Brother, don’t be scared; everyone has one,” A-Yin said reassuringly. He released his grip and morphed into his leopard form, playfully wrapping his own tail around Zhuo Yan’s.

“Ahhh! Don’t touch it!” Zhuo Yan could barely voice his protests.

It felt so bizarrely tingling.

A-Yin released Zhuo Yan’s tail, reverting back to human form, and wrapped his arms around his brother. “Don’t worry, Brother! Xiao Xian has fuzzy ears too; it’s just that you’ve grown a tail!”

Suddenly, Zhuo Yan remembered the beastman lore: sub-beastmen and beastmen are all born as beasts, and sub-beastmen carry those genes. They only reveal a bit of their beastly traits when excited or sensitive.

For instance, Xiao Xian, being young, had let his fuzzy ears slip out when he was too excited.

Maybe because Zhuo Yan had always been in human form, he hadn’t expected to grow a tail today. He reached back to feel it; it was indeed soft and fuzzy, but nothing strange beyond that.

“…” Just thinking about how he grew a tail from their kiss made him feel like a fire had been ignited in him. “When will I turn back to normal?”

A-Yin shook his head, unsure. “I’ll wait with you, Brother.”

“Okay, just don’t touch it again.” Zhuo Yan recalled how Xiao Xian usually took about ten minutes to retract his ears.

The two lay on the stone bed, watching as the tail slowly disappeared.

A-Yin kept his hands to himself, and Zhuo Yan, feeling more curious than before, waited about ten minutes. Finally, the tail vanished completely. He reached back to touch his backside, feeling only his skin.

“How amazing!”

“Brother, can I touch it?” A-Yin asked, his eyes sparkling.

Zhuo Yan thought: …No, you can’t! I’m afraid it might pop out again.

A-Yin looked slightly disappointed, then said, “When your tail comes back next time, I’ll sneak Ah Touch.”

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but laugh, and A-Yin joined in, their spirits lifted.

“Let’s sleep.”

“Okay.” A-Yin pulled the blanket over them and cuddled close.

Zhuo Yan thought: …I’m already used to sleeping like this. He wondered if they would be able to kiss in public without it being awkward if he grew a tail during the day.

The next morning, after a simple breakfast, the sound of drums echoed through the tribe—calling for the beastmen. It seemed the tribe was finally returning to a normal hunting routine.

A-Yin rushed outside.

Today’s hunting team was heading on a long journey, taking along a younger group of beastmen: A-Yin, Ah Tou, A Hui, Ah Ri, and others. Zhuo Yan guessed the tribe wanted to train the younger ones; this year, they’d probably focus on youth hunting. However, he doubted they’d be hunting anything too large, like the gray elephant.

“Be careful out there and learn from Da Ya and Ah Sen,” Zhuo Yan advised.

“I know, Brother.” A-Yin hugged him tightly, “You stay home, keep the door locked, and prop up the wooden sticks.”

Zhuo Yan nodded. “It’s spring now; the tribe has patrols. You can head out with peace of mind.”

The hunting team was set to leave right away, and A-Yin quickly joined them. Zhuo Yan watched as the group’s shadows disappeared into the forest near the river before turning his attention back to his chores.

The grass along the riverbank had grown rapidly, and he could finally start weaving things again.

He needed to make more grass mats, brooms, small sweepers, and boxes, and the vegetables he collected yesterday needed to dry out. A-Yin had also planted the prickly ash tree.

As noon approached, his friends called out to him from the slope near the cave entrance.

Zhuo Yan spotted Qiao and paused, suddenly realizing that Ah Da must have gone hunting too. Finally, he was able to see Qiao! As soon as they met, Qiao’s face was flushed with excitement, and she immediately launched into a lively discussion about their plans for the day.

“What did those three say?” Zhuo Yan asked, grinning.

Qiao’s cheeks turned even redder.

The other three erupted in laughter. Aman chimed in, “We were just saying how long it’s been since we last saw Qiao!” Shi Tou added, “Qiao and Ah Da are definitely going to have cubs this year.” Xiao Xian nodded vigorously in agreement.

Amidst their laughter, they made their way to the river to work, sharing yesterday’s discoveries along the way: the spicy, peppery roasted meat was delicious, and Zhuo Yan had mentioned the serrated greens and fat-leaved plants. It turned out that boiling the green mushrooms for a bit longer made them safe to eat.

“…But the forest we went to yesterday was a bit far. We’ll check again when they return,” Zhuo Yan added.

“I wonder if there are any mushrooms left,” another friend mused.

“I picked a ton yesterday, Qiao Jie! I’ll save some for you,” Zhuo Yan offered.

Qiao graciously accepted with a nod.

By noon, they had made mushroom soup, each bringing along some smoked meat. They exchanged news; Zhuo Yan’s cave still had a decent stash because they had eaten fish for half a month during winter, while most of the others were already out of smoked meat.

“No wonder the hunting team went so far,” Zhuo Yan remarked.

“Actually, it’s already quite late this year,” Shi Tou said. “In the past, the hunting team would head out as soon as the snow melted.”

Qiao added, “There will definitely be plenty of game before the autumn snow season.”

“There should be! Our tribe hasn’t gone out much for hunting; even Zhuo Yan seems a bit off,” Aman commented.

The others, especially Qiao, turned to Zhuo Yan. He pretended to be serious as he said, “Well, I’ve started dating A-Yin.” He wanted to inform his friends.

Curiosity sparked among them, “What’s dating?” they asked. When Zhuo Yan explained it as a relationship without formal rituals, no one was surprised. “You two were basically already there!” “Congratulations, Zhuo Yan!”

Zhuo Yan felt a wave of happiness wash over him.

In the days that followed, the sub-beastmen of the tribe gathered by the river, repairing old baskets and brooms, learning from Zhuo Yan how to create new ones.

Three days later, the hunting team returned, all fifteen members bringing back large chunks of meat, with A-Yin mixed in among them. His silver fur had been stained brown.

The sound of drums filled the air—it was time to distribute the meat.

“Is that rhino meat?”

“So much! Did they bring back two or three?”

“No, it seems like one exceptionally large one.”

Zhuo Yan carried his basket to the plaza, greeting everyone. A-Yin had transformed back into human form, busy hauling meat. Upon spotting Zhuo Yan, his face lit up with joy. “Brother!”

“Are you okay?” Zhuo Yan asked, concern etched on his face.

“I’m fine!”

Zhuo Yan felt relieved and opted not to chat further, as everyone was watching them, their smiles teasing and good-natured. He still felt a bit shy.

As the meat was divided, Zhuo Yan silently prayed for the elder to give him some of the fatty portions; his soap supply had run out. Just then, the chief announced, “This time, we have some fatty rhino meat. Last time Zhuo Yan made soap, if everyone is willing, we could make some soap like we did with the pottery—each cave can take some.”

“Sounds good!”

“Let’s follow the chief’s lead!”

Everyone agreed, and they planned to bring back bubble tree leaves as well—sometimes, hunters forgot to grab them along with their catch. They had seen Ah Da and Aman use soap, claiming it worked better than the bubble leaves.

Last year, when Zhuo Yan was making soap by the river, the others hadn’t paid much attention. Then, when the salt team left, there hadn’t been any fat meat to bring to Zhuo Yan, and he got busy helping the entire tribe make salt. But now, Zhuo Yan could teach them how to make soap, and everyone was eager to learn.

Making soap collectively would actually be better.

There was plenty of fatty meat—around a hundred pounds. Zhuo Yan listed the tools they’d need: stone pots, plant ashes, strainers, and clay pots, arranging to meet the sub-beastmen by the river tomorrow.

After that, it was time to divide the meat—each person received over twenty pounds.

Once home, they avoided the “bath rush.” A-Yin quickly washed the blood off in the river. Later that night, Zhuo Yan took his small portion of soap and followed A-Yin back to the riverbank.

By then, it was deserted.

That night, as Zhuo Yan returned home from the river, he felt his fluffy tail swaying behind him. He was sitting on A-Yin’s back, who was in his beast form, using his tail to playfully hook Zhuo Yan’s.

Zhuo Yan: …his face flushed as he buried it against A-Yin’s back.

It felt a little exhilarating.