Chapter 27

Zhuo Yan was busy grinding green mushroom powder, carefully brushing the fine dust off the leather mat before wrapping it in a large leaf.

“A-Yin, don’t touch this carelessly. Eating it will give you a stomachache,” he warned.

“Awwooo~” A-Yin understood. If her brother wasn’t eating it, then she wouldn’t either.

Zhuo Yan smiled. “How about after your patrol tomorrow afternoon, we go explore a bit?” He wanted to unlock some unfamiliar areas of the tribe’s territory.

They had visited the snow-covered hill last winter, but Zhuo Yan hadn’t gone beyond that point.

A-Yin let out a series of enthusiastic howls, signaling her agreement. Zhuo Yan patted her ears. Last night’s leftovers—more than ten pounds of meat—became their dinner, which they grilled together. Elephant meat had a faint salty taste, tender but with minimal fat, which made it juicy rather than dry.

After eating, the man and his leopard companion carried buckets down to the river to fetch water and wash up.

With the weather warming, Zhuo Yan had grown too lazy to heat water for his morning and evening washes. After a full meal, they would head “downstairs” for a stroll. The tribe’s nights were peaceful, and the river near their cave was rarely frequented.

The past few nights, the river had been a bit chilly, but tonight, Zhuo Yan felt the cold had faded. Without hesitation, he stripped off his vest and leather skirt, jumping into the river for a swim. “A-Yin, where are you running off to?”

As Zhuo Yan slipped off his vest, he glanced up just in time to see A-Yin dart off with a sudden howl.

“Huh? What the—?” he muttered in confusion. What was going on?

Was there something out there? Squatting in the shallow water, his leather skirt already off, Zhuo Yan called out to A-Yin. But instead of running over, A-Yin stood a dozen meters away, glancing back at him and letting out a series of howls.

“Is there something there?” Zhuo Yan asked again, puzzled.

A-Yin shook her head, finally trotting over to the riverbank. Zhuo Yan paused, noticing the leopard’s awkward behavior, and suddenly an idea hit him. “Wait… are you embarrassed?”

He laughed at the thought. Embarrassed? Over him taking a bath?

“Back in winter, you wrapped me in your fur, and you weren’t shy then,” Zhuo Yan teased, splashing water from the river at A-Yin.

The leopard didn’t even flinch, standing still as the water drenched her, ears perked up, wide eyes looking adorably round. Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but grin at how cute she was.

“Come on, jump in. I’ll wash you too.”

A-Yin didn’t hesitate anymore. With a splash, she leaped into the water, joining Zhuo Yan. The river wasn’t deep, and with her long legs, half of her body remained above the surface. Zhuo Yan wrapped his arms around her neck, soaking her fur.

“Hold on a second, I’ll go grab the bubble leaves,” he said, swimming over to the shore.

The bubble leaves had been a gift from Qiao and the others after the winter cleaning spree. They had gathered plenty of the soapy leaves, and what was left over had all been given to him.

He crushed the leaves, rubbing the suds into A-Yin’s fur, a fresh fragrance quickly filling the air. A-Yin stared at him with big eyes, not even blinking when the foam got into her eyes.

Zhuo Yan chuckled. “Silly, close your eyes or the soap will get in.”

Only then did A-Yin obediently shut her eyes.

As the bubbles formed, Zhuo Yan scrubbed every inch of her fur, feeling as though he were washing a giant husky mixed with a Samoyed. After finishing, he laughed, “Alright, the rest is up to you.”

A-Yin dove deeper into the river, swimming back and forth to rinse off the foam. Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan turned his attention to cleaning himself.

As he washed, A-Yin swam around, sneaking glances at him. Her brother was so cute with foam piled on his hair, and when he splashed water over his body, his arms and chest looked so strong. He smelled nice too.

“All done, A-Yin! Let’s head back,” Zhuo Yan called out once he finished bathing, feeling refreshed. He slipped into his grass sandals, wrapped his leather skirt around himself, and carried his vest in one hand, his hair still dripping wet. He didn’t want to soak the vest.

A-Yin, hearing his voice, bounded out of the water in just a few strides. At the riverbank, she shook herself vigorously, spraying water everywhere. Zhuo Yan burst into laughter at her antics, which only made A-Yin shake herself again even harder.

“Alright, alright,” Zhuo Yan chuckled, patting her head. “Let’s head home.”

The moonlit night was bright, with a sky full of stars lighting their path. Together, man and leopard made their way back. The cave was pitch-black when they arrived, so Zhuo Yan lit a fire. His hair was still damp, but A-Yin’s thick fur, though it seemed dry from the outside after their windy walk, was still damp underneath.

“Let’s sit by the fire for a while before bed.”

That night, A-Yin’s fur was soft and fragrant, and Zhuo Yan smelled fresh as well. They curled up on the stone bed, and once Zhuo Yan fell asleep, A-Yin quietly scooted closer. She knew her brother couldn’t handle the heat, so she didn’t press too close—just a little was enough.

Ah, he smelled so good.

She sniffed the air, her blue eyes gazing at his sleeping face. As she drifted off, one thought lingered in her mind: If only she could turn into a human. Then she could help him with his chores and even hold him at night, so he wouldn’t feel too warm.

The next evening, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin returned from their patrol and went upstream along the river. They found a bounty of wild vegetables, some small flowers, and tiny green berries on the branches that weren’t ripe yet.

Zhuo Yan gathered a large handful of wild greens to take home.

Over the next few days, Aman, Stone, and Xiao Xian came to help Zhuo Yan build a door for his cave. The wood had been drying in the sun, and the team divided up the tasks—some made wooden hinges while others smoothed out the timber and sanded down the rough edges. Meanwhile, A-Yin kept up her patrols with the scouting team.

Ada and Qiao had begun digging their cave, and their family members were helping them—a blessing from elders to the younger generation.

The four of them worked outside Zhuo Yan’s cave, on a wide, flat area under the scorching sun. Zhuo Yan leaned against a crooked tree, enjoying the shade. “Let’s take a break, we’ve been at it all morning.”

“Yeah,” Aman agreed, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Stone, however, kept working, carefully sanding the edges of the wood with a stone knife. Clearly, he wasn’t tired yet.

Xiao Xian sat on a wooden board and asked, “Zhuo Yan, what’s for lunch?”

“What do you want to eat?” Zhuo Yan replied, though he knew the options were limited—just some wild greens. “How about wild greens and doodoo fruit soup?”

Xiao Xian didn’t look too thrilled, feeling the heat.

“Or we can have it cold,” Zhuo Yan suggested, also not keen on the idea of hot soup in the sweltering weather.

“Cold? Like, raw?” Aman asked, intrigued.

Xiao Xian was curious too. “Wait, you mean raw greens? But those wild veggies are bitter! I’ve tried them before.”

Zhuo Yan sighed. While he’d been testing out the greens with little rabbits to see if they were edible, some of the tribe members were already brave enough to try them directly.

Taking a cue from Aman’s experiment with green mushrooms, he mused, “No, we boil them first, then cool them down with cold water and mix them up. Though, it’d be better if we had some extra ingredients.”

Xiao Xian’s eyes lit up at the mention of extra ingredients. “Like what?”

“Garlic, bay leaves, green onions—stuff like that. Garlic grows in the ground, and the root is a round, white bulb,” Zhuo Yan explained, gesturing with his hands.

Xiao Xian shook his head, never having seen it. Stone, however, looked up and said, “I think I’ve seen something like that before, but much smaller, with green leaves on top.”

Zhuo Yan’s eyes widened with excitement. “Seriously?”

Stone set down his stone knife, thinking for a moment. “Yeah, I’ve eaten it before. It’s really strong. My little sister accidentally took a bite and started crying because it made her tongue burn.”

“Strong? Is it spicy?” Zhuo Yan asked, his hopes rising.

Stone wasn’t sure how to describe it but agreed it might be spicy. Zhuo Yan was thrilled. It seemed he still had a lot to learn from chatting with the tribe members—he might find more hidden treasures. “Do you remember where it was?”

Aman spoke up, “If his sister could go there, it must be somewhere in the tribe.”

“Yes, just up on the back mountain,” Stone confirmed.

In their tribe, young ones who haven’t yet shifted into human form are often taken by their families to the mountains to practice hunting skills. They climb trees, catch chickens, rabbits, even snakes—nothing escapes their grasp, not even mice or insects. It’s a way to hone their agility.

Both Aman, Stone, and Salt had all gone through this stage of childhood. Salt chimed in, “Oh right! In a few days, there’ll be more berries in the mountains, Rock!”

Hearing this, Rock was tempted, but since he still had to finish building a door for Sister Qiao, he couldn’t head up the mountain just yet. So, for today’s lunch, they made do with cold-mixed wild vegetables and some Dudu berries. Everyone brought their own food supplies, but Rock also boiled a big pot of Dudu berries, then rinsed them in cold water.

The Dudu berries became wonderfully bouncy after the cold rinse.

Salt was amazed. “Wow! This is so good! It’s so refreshing!” Aman added, “I never thought to rinse them with cold water after boiling.”

“Yeah, exactly,” Salt agreed. “When we let the soup cool off, the berries get all sticky and mushy. But now they’re all smooth and chewy! I’m definitely gonna make this for my parents when I get home.”

The wild vegetables were crisp and refreshing, and the Dudu berries had a delightful texture, somewhere between mochi and tapioca pearls.

“Have you ever tried mashing the Dudu berries into a powder, then making cakes?” Rock’s eyes lit up at the thought. “You could even grill it! Would it be like handmade noodles if you rolled it out flat?”

Even if they couldn’t make rice pancakes, Dudu berry cakes might just satisfy that craving!

Salt was stunned. “Wait, you can do that?!”

Aman and Stone were also trying to process what Rock was saying.

Stone asked in confusion, “Why mash them up? Isn’t it a lot more work? You could just roast them with the skins on, as long as you poke some holes in them so they don’t explode.”

“And what does ‘grill’ mean, Rock?” Aman didn’t get it either.

“You’ll see, let me show you.” Rock, always quick to take action, brought out some of the Dudu berries stored in his home. After the long winter, the berries’ skins had dried and shriveled a bit, but inside, they were still packed with soft white flesh.

He scooped some berries into a large wooden bowl and grabbed a wooden spoon, pressing down hard on the berries. Soon, their pulp was releasing a milky liquid. Salt, Aman, and Stone were all watching curiously. Rock handed the spoon to Aman.

“It’s already mashed up, Rock,” Aman said, taking over. “Why do you need to mash it more?”

“It needs to be more like a paste,” Rock explained, determined.

Aman, strong as ever, quickly turned the once lumpy berries into a thick, white slurry.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Aman set down the spoon, shaking out his wrist. “Not too hard, really.” Salt, eager to try, asked, “So can we grill it now, Rock?”

“Not yet.” Rock carefully set the bowl aside. “We need to let it sit for a bit.”

Stone, still curious, asked, “How long do we need to wait?”

Rock shrugged. “I’m not sure, I’ll check back in a while. We might be able to separate it.”

“Separate what?”

“Rock, you’re talking in riddles again!” Salt added with a confused frown.

Rock couldn’t quite explain with just words. “You’ll see when it’s ready,” he promised. As they waited, everyone finished their meal and got back to work. Since the door they were making was a wedding gift for Qiao, they were putting extra effort into it, planning an upgraded version with even a door handle.

Before they knew it, A-Yin had returned, racing towards them with speed. Whether it was because of his freshly washed fur or maybe he’d just grown a bit, his form looked more muscular and majestic than ever.

In the sunlight, his fur shimmered with silver highlights.

A-Yin’s fur was unique. Unlike the other leopards in the tribe, his spots were faint, almost invisible in regular light. But under the sun, those silvery spots would deepen, making him look stunningly beautiful.

A-Yin rushed to Rock’s side, mouth full with something bright red—a cluster of berries!

“Ah, berries!” Salt exclaimed. “Are they ripe already?”

Rock took the cluster from A-Yin, who let out a happy growl, rubbing his head against Rock. He had climbed the trees and found the ripest ones, while many others were still green. A-Yin knew the two-legged ones liked berries, so he’d gone looking.

A-Yin nudged Rock with his nose, urging him to taste them. They were really sweet.

Rock noticed some leaves stuck to A-Yin’s fur, realizing he must have climbed quite high. “Good work, A-Yin.”

A-Yin’s tail wagged, pleased with himself. He just wanted his brother to try them. Rock wiped a berry on his clothing before offering it to A-Yin.

“You first.”

A-Yin, always obedient, ate the berry right away. Only then did Rock try one himself, rubbing it clean on his sleeve before popping it into his mouth. The berry was deep pink, about the size of a walnut. Its skin had a pleasant sandy texture, and it was crunchy and sweet with a bit of tartness.

“Delicious.” The juice was refreshing, reminding Rock a little of small apples.

Rock shared the rest of the berries with the others, though Salt was the first to wave them off, saying, “Hey, A-Yin went all the way to get those for you, Rock. We’re not taking any!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Aman chimed in with a grin.

Rock’s scalp prickled. The teasing was starting to feel like they were treating him and A-Yin like a couple.

Still, he and A-Yin ended up sharing four of the berries between them, leaving the other three for Salt, Aman, and Stone, who finally relented and ate.

Seeing A-Yin had returned, Rock suddenly remembered the Dudu berry paste they’d set aside. “Who wanted to see it settle?”

“Me, me, me!” Salt stuffed the rest of his berry in his mouth and hurried to catch up.

Aman and Shi Tou followed closely behind, crowding around the large wooden basin with wide eyes.

“Zhuo Yan, why is there clear water on top?” Xiao Xian asked, amazed.

“It’s so strange, the top and bottom are completely different now,” Aman chimed in, equally fascinated.

Shi Tou just nodded, equally puzzled. The basin, once filled with the thick juice of the duduguo fruit, had been left untouched for a while, and now the contents had separated into two distinct layers.

Zhuo Yan grabbed a small ladle and carefully scooped out the clear liquid sitting on top. He stirred the remaining mixture, noticing it had thickened slightly. A thought crossed his mind—if the juice could separate naturally, could the fruit itself be dried and ground into powder? But for now, he set that idea aside, as keeping the fruit in its shell was still the best method for long-term storage. Perhaps in the future, he could experiment further.

For now, the group’s focus was entirely on the thick duduguo paste. Curiosity bubbled among them as they asked Zhuo Yan to explain what “roasting” was and how this preparation would taste different from the boiled version.

“Let’s light a fire. I’ll make you duduguo pancakes,” Zhuo Yan said confidently, feeling this experiment was unlikely to fail. The sticky nature of duduguo was stronger than flour, which reassured him.

He placed a flat stone over the fire and fed it with small sticks of wood to keep the flame steady. If only I had some oil, Zhuo Yan mused, as the stone heated up. Once ready, he scooped a ladle of the thick duduguo paste onto the stone. Thanks to the earlier separation of water, the paste held its shape, spreading slowly but not running off the edges. As it cooked, a pleasant, unfamiliar aroma filled the air—something between the scent of rice and a faint, floral sweetness.

The edges of the pancake turned slightly translucent while the center firmed up. Zhuo Yan used chopsticks to flip it over, revealing a delicate golden crust. The group stared in awe as the first pancake was ready.

“Here, try it.” Zhuo Yan used chopsticks to break the pancake into smaller pieces, realizing the sticky texture made it harder than expected. He resorted to using a small stone knife to divide it up. Blowing on the hot piece in his hand, he turned to A’Yin first, his silver-furred companion. “Be careful, it’s hot.”

A’Yin nudged Zhuo Yan’s hand with his nose before eagerly biting into the pancake. The crunch of the crispy outer layer was followed by a muffled grunt of surprise—it was hotter than he expected. Zhuo Yan quickly pulled the rest away as A’Yin panted, tongue out, trying to cool his mouth.

“Eat slowly,” Zhuo Yan chuckled, gently scolding his companion as A’Yin clung to him affectionately, promising to be more careful.

Xiao Xian, watching all this unfold, exclaimed in wonder, “Zhuo Yan, I never imagined duduguo could be made like this!”

A’Yin wagged his tail, happily munching on his second bite, while Zhuo Yan smiled. “You’ll understand when you try it yourselves.”

He handed out more pieces, and as they all took their first bites, their eyes widened in delight. The outer layer was crispy, while the inside had a chewy, sticky texture, capturing the subtle sweetness of the duduguo fruit. The flavor reminded them of roasted rice or baked bread, with a natural fragrance all its own.

Compared to the boiled, springy duduguo they were used to, this roasted version was heartier, more filling, as it had lost some water content. Zhuo Yan noted that while the boiled version was best for sweet dishes, this pancake-like variation was more savory and satisfying.

“This is delicious,” Aman nodded approvingly, taking another bite.

“I like this way of preparing it,” Shi Tou added.

Zhuo Yan grinned. “Let’s call it roasted pancakes. Next time, I’ll try a different method.”

“Sounds great, Zhuo Yan!” Xiao Xian cheered, impressed by his creativity. Though it was just the same fruit, Zhuo Yan had come up with a completely new way to enjoy it, and to Xiao Xian, that was nothing short of brilliant.

As the day drew to a close, the sun turned a soft orange, gradually disappearing beyond the horizon. Aman, Shi Tou, and Xiao Xian bid their goodbyes, heading back to their homes with full bellies and new ideas.

Zhuo Yan stayed behind, finishing off the rest of the duduguo batter, making enough pancakes for himself and A’Yin. The two of them split the meal, satisfied and full.

“A’Yin, when you’re rested, take me to explore the mountains,” Zhuo Yan said, leaning back against a tree, looking up at the fading sky.

“Woof!” A’Yin eagerly bounded toward him, wagging his tail, clearly excited by the idea. He nuzzled against Zhuo Yan’s side, signaling that he was ready to go whenever Zhuo Yan wanted.

“Not tomorrow though—I promised to finish the door for Sister Qiao,” Zhuo Yan said with a laugh.

A’Yin cuddled up to him, content. “Any day you want, brother, I’ll take you,” his actions seemed to say.

The next day, just as Zhuo Yan was getting ready for work, Xiao Xian, Aman, and Shi Tou returned—each with half a basket full of duduguo fruits.

Zhuo Yan blinked in surprise. “Are we having a duduguo party at my place?”

But since they were already here, they got to work. Between pounding the fruits into paste and setting them aside to rest, Zhuo Yan decided to try something new. He brought out his large stone pot, aiming to test if hand-rolled dough was possible with duduguo.

Half of the paste was used for pancakes, while the rest went into the pot. Zhuo Yan stirred constantly to prevent it from sticking, and before long, the thick paste began to form a smooth dough. After letting it cool, he rolled it out with his newly-made rolling pin.

“Wow!” Xiao Xian exclaimed. “What do you call this, Zhuo Yan?”

“Uh… hand-rolled duduguo?”

They experimented further—one batch tossed with fresh wild greens and another boiled like noodles. Both were delicious, though Zhuo Yan felt the broth lacked seasoning. Still, the texture was impressive, almost like hand-pulled noodles.

“I’m making hand-rolled noodles in a primitive world,” Zhuo Yan thought, half-amused. If he could find garlic on his next mountain trip, it would elevate his dishes to a whole new level.

By the end of the day, after cooking so many duduguo dishes, the trio left with stacks of roasted pancakes wrapped in large leaves, happily taking their share home.

“If you want to reheat them, just roast them a bit,” Zhuo Yan suggested.

“Got it, Zhuo Yan!” they replied cheerfully.

Later, A’Yin rushed back with something clutched in his jaws. Zhuo Yan squinted in surprise—it was something with wings, and it looked like it could fly…

“It’s a fat bird. They’re clumsy, can barely fly, but they’re really chubby,” Aman explained. These birds hop between tree branches, and while they seem easy to catch, they’re actually a bit of a hassle.

Shi Tou pulled a face, clearly unimpressed. Xiao Xian added, “Zhuo Yan, this bird tastes awful.”

Zhuo Yan raised an eyebrow. If even Shi Tou, who usually wasn’t picky, thought it was bad, it must be truly terrible.

The fat bird was already dead, and as Zhuo Yan cleaned it, blood splattered on his hands. The bird’s insides were a disgusting yellow, and despite its plump appearance, it was mostly air—not much meat at all.

No wonder Shi Tou, Aman, and Xiao Xian all turned their noses up at it.

A’Yin, noticing the reactions, drooped his head in disappointment. He didn’t know. He thought the fat bird would be a great catch, something with lots of meat to make his brother happy.

“Didn’t the other beastmen tell you?” Aman asked, confused.

A’Yin couldn’t speak, but his ears and tail drooped further, clearly upset. He had tried so hard to please Zhuo Yan, but all he did was bring something useless, and he’d even gotten his brother’s hands dirty…

Zhuo Yan frowned, not because the bird was inedible, but because he worried that A’Yin might be getting mistreated by the others. Lately, Ada hadn’t been around on patrols, so A’Yin had been on his own.

“Are the other beastmen picking on you?” Zhuo Yan asked gently.

A’Yin, sensing his brother’s concern, immediately perked up, shaking his head and wagging his tail to reassure him. No, no one was bullying him, everything was fine. Please don’t worry.

“They didn’t tell you the bird’s no good and just let you climb trees after it?” Shi Tou grumbled, growing angry on A’Yin’s behalf. “That’s so mean.”

“Yeah, really mean,” Xiao Xian agreed, looking to Zhuo Yan. “If my second brother gets moved to the patrol team, I’ll tell him to help A’Yin out, let him know which animals are worth catching and which ones taste the best.”

“Thanks, Xiao Xian,” Zhuo Yan said, appreciating the gesture.

“No problem, no problem.”

Normally, teaching hunting skills would be the role of A’Yin’s beast-father, but A’Yin had learned everything through trial and error, often getting hurt in the process. The thought made Zhuo Yan’s heart ache.

That night, as they lay on the stone bed, Zhuo Yan gently rubbed A’Yin’s ears and kissed his head over and over, his voice soft and comforting. “It’s okay, A’Yin, you did great. You didn’t know the fat bird wasn’t good to eat, but you still caught it, and that’s what matters.”

“You’ll learn more and more, and soon, you’ll be the best hunter.”

A’Yin, hearing his brother’s soothing words, licked Zhuo Yan’s cheek, feeling his spirits lift.

Brother is so kind… A’Yin thought, his heart full of warmth. I really, really love my brother.