Chapter 83

Ye Baizhi continued, “If we raise enough wild boar piglets, we might not even need to go hunting anymore.”

Back when she lived in the Rabbit tribe settlement, she had suggested to her mother and older brother that they try raising livestock like sheep, horses, pigs, chickens, and ducks. Once the tribe succeeded in raising those animals, it quickly scaled into a larger operation. From then on, whenever someone wanted meat, they didn’t have to venture into the forests to hunt.

That made the Rabbit tribe’s territory much safer. And in any case, her mother and brother trusted her deeply. Whatever she said, whatever suggestions she made—they always listened.

She imagined that once the Rabbit tribe’s wild boar-raising operation grew large enough, they could set up a farm. That way, even beastmen with no hunting ability could come to the Rabbit tribe and buy pork.

Moreover, boars could feed on the wild grasses blanketing the hills—so the cost would be next to nothing.

As Cang Fei listened to her, his expression shifted from surprise to outright shock. “You can raise them?”

“But wild beasts are vicious and dangerous…”

Ye Baizhi replied, “If you start with piglets, there won’t be a problem.”

“Of course, you’d need a proper pen—something sturdy—so they can’t escape or hurt anyone…”

“Other wild beasts might be more aggressive, but animals like sheep, cattle, and wild boars are well suited for domestication…”

Ye Baizhi shared several thoughts and suggestions with Cang Fei.

Listening, it was as if a door had swung open in his mind. He suddenly realized—this was possible. It had never even occurred to him before.

People had always considered obtaining meat through hunting or purchasing it from others who did. No one had ever considered raising wild beasts. It simply wasn’t something anyone thought to do—everyone instinctively assumed it was too dangerous. But now, imagining the possibility of raising a few boars right at home, Cang Fei saw a new future: selling pork at his stall with almost no cost and without the risks of hunting.

It was all thanks to Ye Baizhi’s insight—especially since her offal soup business was thriving. With more profit, she was already planning to open additional shops. And that would require plenty of offal.

If Cang Fei’s stall thrived and he processed more game meat, the offal supply would grow with it. They’d definitely need more wild beast offal, too.

If Cang Fei’s stall business took off, with more beasts being butchered, the amount of offal would naturally increase as well.

He listened intently to every word Ye Baizhi said, his heart surging with excitement. “Thank you, Madam Ye, for your guidance.”

Cang Fei asked about some details, and Ye Baizhi patiently explained everything, step by step.

Full of anticipation, he rushed home to share the idea with his family. His son, Cang Yong—now thirteen—was already helping the family with hunting every day, his body bearing numerous scars from it.

When he heard what his father said, his eyes lit up. “Father, Auntie Ye is amazing! I can’t believe she came up with that idea.”

“If we can raise those piglets well and keep more of them, we won’t need to go out hunting anymore—we can manage right at home.”

Cang Fei nodded, “Exactly. The more I thought about it on the way back, the more excited I got.”

His wife, Cai—whose true form was a rainbow-feathered bird—was cheerful, open-hearted, and easygoing. She was also thrilled, and a new sense of hope sparked in her voice. “This is great. We won’t have to hunt every day or worry about the dangers out there.”

“Even if we’re snowed in during the winter, we’ll have wild pork at home.”

“And we’ll be able to keep the stall open.”

“Whether this works out or not, we still have to thank Madam Ye.”

“She’s helped us so much. Most people wouldn’t share such a great idea.”
Cang Fei nodded firmly. “Of course. I understand that well.”

“Oh—Madam Ye also gave me two red bean buns to bring back for you.”

He carefully took them out. To their family, food was incredibly precious.

The moment he saw them, Cang Yong lit up with excitement. “If Auntie Ye made it, it must be delicious!”

He’d tasted her food before—even something as simple as shepherd’s purse soup was delicious.

The whole family didn’t dare eat a full one—they broke each bun into several pieces to savor.

Cang Yong took a bite, and his eyes crinkled into happy slits. “So good! Just eating Auntie Ye’s cooking makes me feel so happy.”

Cai smiled and said, “I think Madam Ye was right—good food really does lift your spirits.”

They used to work hard just to fill their stomachs. But now they finally understood—there’s a huge difference between food that merely fills you up and food that’s truly delicious.

If they could eat something this good every day, they’d wake up looking forward to every meal.

“I really don’t know how Madam Ye makes her food—we’ve never tasted anything so delicious.”

Cang Fei shook his head. “That’s a mystery. But whether it’s Madam Ye or Brother Ye, they just don’t seem like ordinary folks.”

“Maybe they come from a noble tribe.”

To Cang Fei, it was clear—Madam Ye’s family wasn’t like most. They were capable. Distinguished.

Cai sighed with quiet admiration. “People like that won’t stay in our little settlement for long. This place is too small for them.”

“Someday, they’ll leave.”

“For now, just getting the chance to know them feels like a stroke of luck.”

“They’re our benefactors.”

Cai had a strong hunch—if they really did build a pen and started raising wild boars, their family’s situation would surely improve. They might even be able to support her parents’ tribe back home. And when winter came, they’d still have meat without needing to hunt. Fewer people would go hungry or freeze. Just imagining it made her heart race. She could hardly wait to get her hands on some piglets.

As she spoke, Cai glanced at Cang Yong and couldn’t help but remind him, “Be diligent and observant in your daily tasks.”

“If you see Madam Ye’s family doing anything, go over and help right away.”

Cang Yong nodded earnestly. “Got it, Mother. I’ll definitely be proactive and work hard.”

“I actually want to interact more with Auntie Ye and Uncle Ye—but they always seem so busy.”

“When I went to the market to find Father, there was a huge line at Auntie Ye’s stall—business was booming.”

“Everyone was talking with her too. It’s like everyone genuinely likes Auntie Ye.”

Cai nodded. “Of course they do.”

“Forget you kids—even I like her.”

“She’s just… not like the other female beastfolk we usually meet.”

Cai couldn’t quite put it into words, but to her, Madam Ye was just extraordinary.

…

After Cang Fei left, Ye Baizhi continued washing the sprouted malt.

Ye Wulan, having tidied up indoors, came into the courtyard to check on the herbs drying on the racks. Some had been foraged from the mountains; others came from Ye Baizhi’s spatial store. Once dried, she planned to turn them into simple medicinal pills—like cold relief pills and fever reducers—for sale.

Just as the two were busy with their tasks, Shi Fan rushed over, panting. “Madam Ye—it’s bad. My neighbor Zhan Peng is in critical condition. Could you come take a look?”

“That child’s only thirteen. An orphan and pitiful.”