Wen Ze was holding a grilled sausage. When he turned around, he saw Bai Ling, dressed in a long-sleeved hemp shirt and pants, with strikingly handsome features. 

Earlier, when Wen Ze had gone to deliver the sausages, Sang Hui and Ji Sha weren’t home. 

At this moment, Bai Ling was holding a small basket made of rattan, with a few leaves covering it. 

He first curiously glanced at the grilled sausages, then called out toward the direction behind him, “Father! Father! Over here!” 

After he finished calling, Wen Ze said, “These are the sausages we made today. Li Shui grilled some on a stone slab. Were you looking for me for something?” 

Bai Ling smiled and walked over, handing him the small basket. “It’s nothing serious. This afternoon, my father found some bird eggs in the forest. He wanted to share half with you.” 

Wen Ze happily accepted them. “That’s great! We don’t have many bird eggs left at home. Thank you!” 

“You’re always so polite. Didn’t you give us sausages too? I didn’t expect them to smell so good after grilling.” 

Li Shui warmly invited him over. “We still have plenty here. Come on, have a taste.” 

Bai Ling, who had just commented on Wen Ze being polite, now felt a little awkward. “No need, Wen Ze has already given us a lot.” 

Li Shui insisted, “But you’d still have to start a fire if you took them home. Just eat some here. Everyone’s here, so it’s lively.” 

As they spoke, Sang Hui and Ji Sha also arrived. 

Li Shui and Qin Shan both pulled Sang Hui and his family to sit around the bonfire and enjoy the grilled sausages together. 

Although the adults weren’t as expressive as the children, they all praised the sausages highly. 

Bai Ling commented seriously, “The ones with cuts in them are especially good. They have two different textures when grilled, and they taste even better than the ones without cuts.” 

Sang Hui nodded in agreement. “Let’s try grilling them like this when we get home.” 

Bai Ling’s face lit up. “Great idea!” 

Wen Ze added, “If you slice the sausages and stir-fry them with wild vegetables or roots, they’re delicious too.” 

Li Shui nodded. “Cutting and stuffing the meat is a bit of a hassle, but once they’re made, they’re so convenient to eat.” 

Wen Ze smiled. Back in his previous world, he used to buy packaged sausages and toss a few into his noodles. The aroma alone would make him hungry. 

After eating two sausages, Ji Sha wiped his mouth and said to Sang Hui, “Next time we catch something we can’t finish, let’s make sausages out of it.” 

“Sounds good! But I’m worried about how short they last.” 

Wen Ze explained, “If you add more salt when making them and hang them up to air-dry, they’ll last longer. You can boil them when you want to eat.” 

The gathered half-beastmen carefully noted his advice, once again marveling at how useful sausages were. 

Bai Ling added, “Not just the sausages, the meatballs we made today were delicious too. They were bouncy, and I really liked them a lot.” 

Seeing that Qin Shan and Ji Sha looked curious about the “meatballs,” Bai Ling exaggerated a little and explained how they were made, making them both eager to try. 

Their partners laughed and promised to make some for them. 

Sang Hui suddenly remembered something and said, “For the Autumn Harvest Festival, we should make extra sausages and meatballs. They’re so convenient to carry around.” 

Li Shui agreed, “Yes, they’ll definitely be popular at the exchange gathering.” 

It was only after they mentioned it that Wen Ze recalled that in the beast world, there were also festivals. 

The most important ones were the four major festivals: the Hunting Festival, Full Moon Festival, Spring Awakening Festival, and Autumn Harvest Festival. 

As the name suggests, the Hunting Festival was all about testing the hunting skills of the beastmen and the gathering skills of the half-beastmen. 

Because the tribes weren’t closely connected, this festival was usually celebrated within each tribe. 

It was also the time when the tribe’s warriors were selected. 

Only every few years would multiple tribes come together for a grand hunting competition. 

The Hunting Festival takes place in late autumn, so there’s still quite some time before it arrives. 

The Full Moon Festival, however, is in mid-winter, similar to the modern New Year’s celebration. It represents family reunion and carries the beastmen’s hopes for a better year ahead. 

The Spring Awakening and Autumn Harvest Festivals are more closely tied to the changing seasons. The former happens at the end of spring and the start of summer, while the latter is around the transition from late summer to early autumn. 

Estimating the time, in less than two months, it will be the Autumn Harvest Festival. 

The reason these two festivals are so highly anticipated isn’t just because of the celebrations but also the gatherings held a few days before and after on the Eden Grasslands. 

And where there was a gathering, there was excitement. 

People from nearby tribes would bring their goods to exchange at the festival. 

Single beastmen and half-beastmen can also take the opportunity to interact more during the gatherings. Who knows? They might just find a meaningful connection. 

That’s why the Spring Awakening and Autumn Harvest Festivals are also known as the Festivals of Fate. 

When evening comes, everyone lights the bonfires. The tribe leaders put on their most ceremonial animal hide clothing, paint their faces and bodies with oil-based colors, and hold a beast god sacrificial ceremony to pray for the beast god’s continued blessings. 

Once the ceremony is over, there’s singing, dancing, and delicious food to enjoy. 

Just imagining the scene is enough to make one’s heart race with excitement and anticipation. 

Wen Ze hadn’t been to a big gathering in a while, and his eyes lit up. He was about to pull Sang Hui and Li Shui aside to talk about how to earn some supplies. 

Apart from sausages and meatballs, he could also make some soap to bring along, along with hemp cloth and pottery… 

But unexpectedly, Bai Ling, the single half-beastman, came over to him. 

Clearly, Bai Ling was more interested in the fun and the potential of finding a partner. He eagerly asked Wen Ze: 

“Do you know any new clothing styles? Can you tell me? I want to make two new outfits for the gathering.” 

Wen Ze thought for a moment. The temperature would drop by then, so they’d need jackets in the morning and evening. 

He took a stick and drew a simple jacket design in the ground, explaining it to Bai Ling. 

Bai Ling nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining with excitement. He eagerly said, “I’m going to try making one! If I run into any problems, can I come find you?” 

“Of course,” Wen Ze replied, “but I’m not great at making clothes, so I might not be much help.” 

Bai Ling said, “Just telling me the design would be a huge help. What about pants? Any new styles for those?” 

Wen Ze thought for a moment and drew a pair of tapered pants. Bai Ling loved them, exclaiming that it looked great and that he absolutely had to make one. 

Just as Bai Ling was about to ask more questions, Sang Hui sighed and pulled him away. 

“Bai Ling, that’s enough. It’s getting late. Let Wen Ze and the others go back to cook dinner.” 

Bai Ling snapped out of his excitement, his cheeks flushing slightly as he turned to Wen Ze. “Look at me, getting carried away. Hope you don’t mind.” 

Wen Ze smiled and said, “No, not at all.” 

“Can I ask you again next time?” 

“Of course.” 

Just as they finished talking, an idea suddenly popped into Wen Ze’s head. 

But before he could think it through, he was distracted by Sang Hui’s voice. 

“We’re about to head off, Wen Ze, why don’t you join us?” 

“Sure.” 

After saying goodbye to Li Shui’s family, they walked together. 

Along the way, they briefly talked about their plans for the next few days. 

Sang Hui said, “We’ll hunt and gather in the morning, then send people to repair the kiln in the afternoon.” 

Wen Ze asked, “How’s the kiln repair going? It should be me and Zhuo Mu’s turn to help soon.” 

Sang Hui replied, “It’s more than halfway done. Oh, and the work at the salt river will also be finished in a few more days.” 

Wen Ze suddenly thought of something. “Oh, right. Did you put all the mud back on the mudflats?” 

Sang Hui nodded. “Of course. We used filtered salt mud and sand from nearby. If we didn’t fill it in, the river would keep washing away the sand, and we’d lose land. That would shrink our tribe’s territory.” 

Wen Ze felt relieved. “As long as it’s filled, that’s good.” 

The people of this world seem to care a lot about “protecting the environment. 

As they were about to part ways, Wen Ze stopped and said, “I have one more suggestion about how we put the mud back.” 

Everyone stopped and looked at him seriously. “What is it?” 

“Even though we won’t need to dry salt for a long time after this, I’m worried that when we need to make salt again, the mud might not have enough salt. So I suggest we shape the filled-in mudflats into a grid pattern.” 

To make it easier for everyone to understand, Wen Ze picked up a small stick and started drawing on the ground. 

As he drew, he thought to himself, “It’s kind of a hassle to keep breaking these little sticks. Once I finish drawing, I can’t even take the it with me. If I want to show it to someone next time, I’ll have to draw it again.” 

Maybe he should set aside some time to make paper. He could use charcoal to write and draw on it. 

“…So, it’s like this. Big grids with slightly raised edges. When the tide goes down, the water will be trapped in the grids, and the salt in the mud will be absorbed more effectively.” Wen Ze looked up and asked, “What do you think?” 

Aside from the younger Yin He, the adults all seemed to be in deep thought. 

Zhuo Mu spoke first. “It’s a good idea. Better than just filling it in the usual way.” 

Sang Hui added, “Exactly! It’ll also prevent the salt mud from washing away. Wen Ze, this is a great suggestion! I’ll head over tomorrow and explain it to the others.” 

Wen Ze smiled brightly. “Great.” 

With that settled, he relaxed, leaning back on Zhuo Mu, who had changed into a giant white python. The cool night breeze brushed against him as he closed his eyes in contentment. 

“Wen Ze.” The giant python beneath him suddenly called out in a deep voice. 

“Hmm?” Wen Ze opened his eyes, tilting his head to look down. 

“If our tribe needs salt in a hurry, do you think we could turn over the mud and sand on the mudflats during the day? That way, we could collect more seawater at night.” 

Wen Ze’s eyes lit up. “Right! I didn’t even think of that. Zhuo Mu, you’re so clever.” 

Zhuo Mu moved forward, and his large head subtly showed a trace of embarrassment. 

The scenery quickly passed by as the giant python fell silent for a moment before saying, “It’s nothing.” 

Wen Ze wasn’t shy about giving praise. “You always pick up on things right away when I think of something.” 

He wanted to say more, but they had already arrived at the cave. Zhuo Mu quickly said, “…I’ll go get firewood.” 

Once Wen Ze slid off his back, Zhuo Mu immediately changed back to his human form, not looking back as he hurried off. 

Watching his retreating figure, Wen Ze chuckled to himself. Is he embarrassed? Haha. 

That night, the three of them enjoyed a feast of grilled sausages and meatballs, eating to their hearts’ content. 

For dessert, they had walnuts. 

Once they were done, Wen Ze was too full to move, so he lazily sat on the grass mat, thinking about making paper. 

It wasn’t difficult, but the main problem was that there wasn’t much time during the day. 

And going into the forest at night to cut wood felt a bit unsettling. I should have Zhuo Mu come along. 

“Zhuo Mu, I was thinking…” 

Before he asked, the sound of footsteps approached from a distance. 

Wen Ze looked up and saw the group of beastmen from the Snow Sea Tribe returning. 

Leading the way was Bai Han, now in his white tiger form. Under the cold moonlight, his powerful figure looked even more imposing and majestic. 

They ran closer. Wen Ze’s gaze dropped to the thick paws in front of him, unable to imagine how adorable those footprints must be. 

If he ever got the chance, he would love to pet a big tiger. 

When Bai Han and his group changed into their human forms, Wen Ze and Zhuo Mu both stood up. 

“Bai Han, what brings you here?” Wen Ze asked. 

Bai Han walked over and answered, “We went to the Rainbow Sun Tribe, but they didn’t give us the weaving frame.” 

Chi Yu’s exact words were, The South Mountain Tribe has far fewer people than we do, and even they don’t have enough. We would have even less to spare. Besides, Wen Ze was the one who taught us how to make the weaving frame. How could we go behind his back and use it to exchange for supplies? 

Yes, I know Wen Ze agreed to let you come, but this is the principle of our Rainbow Sun Tribe—we can’t break it. 

You should go back and talk to Wen Ze. 

“Ah…” Wen Ze understood. “So, you still want to place an order with me?” 

“Yes. We came to you to discuss it.” 

“I understand. Once the weaving frame is ready, I’ll send word to you.” 

Bai Han showed a grateful expression. “Thank you.” 

Wen Ze raised a hand slightly. “I’m not done yet. This time, I don’t want nuts. You’ll have to exchange something else.” 

Bai Han asked, “What kind of supplies do you want?” 

Wen Ze replied, “Food. It should be something that grows easily, has a high yield, and isn’t found in the South Mountain Tribe.” 

Bai Han repeated his words, then turned to his companions. “Do we have anything like that in our tribe?” 

“Our territory is so big, we should have something,” one of them answered uncertainly. “But we’re beastmen—we don’t really know what the South Mountain Tribe has.” 

Bai Han then looked back at Wen Ze. “I’ll have to go back and ask with the elder half-beastmen in our tribe before giving you an answer.” 

Wen Ze nodded. “That’s fine. It’ll take some time before the weaving frame is ready anyway. As for the food I’m looking for, I can describe a few types, and you can check your lands to see if you have them.” 

“Alright,” Bai Han agreed. 

Wen Ze led them to the stove area, where there was still some unburned charcoal, making it brighter than other places. 

As he broke another wooden stick, he made up his mind—once he had the time, he would start making paper! 

Their tribe is much colder than ours… 

Wen Ze had already noticed that the plants in this world were quite similar to modern ones. 

Muttering to himself, Wen Ze quickly searched his mind for cold-resistant crops. 

He drew pictures of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins and briefly described each one. 

Bai Han studied the drawings carefully and said, “There are quite a few edible vegetables in our territory. I think we might have the potatoes you mentioned.” 

One of the beastmen added, “Yes, I think I’ve eaten them before.” 

Wen Ze’s spirits lifted, and he quickly drew rice, corn, and sorghum. 

This time, everyone shook their heads. “We’ve never seen those.” 

Wen Ze didn’t lose hope. “Just look for them; they might be there.” 

Finally, he drew garlic and green onions—two cold-resistant foods that could be used to season dishes. 

Green onions resemble scallions and are excellent at removing the gamey taste of meat, making beast meat much tastier. 

As for garlic, it was a common ingredient in almost every home-cooked meal. 

When he had caught some river clams earlier, Wen Ze thought, “If only I had some garlic. It’d be so much better.” 

He could imagine it: chopping up garlic and thickly spreading it on top of the clam meat to grill. He was sure it would taste amazing. 

Lost in thought, his mouth almost watered. 

Standing up straight, Wen Ze said to Bai Han, “If you can bring me even one of these foods, I’ll give you the weaving frame in exchange.” 

Bai Han asked, “What if we find more than one?” 

Wen Ze smiled, “If you bring me three or more, I’ll teach your tribe how to weave fabric.” 

Bai Han’s eyes widened slightly before he nodded seriously. “Alright, it’s a deal.” 

The beastmen behind him all suddenly focused their gazes on Wen Ze, their determination visible in the moonlight and firelight. 

Wen Ze had promised them something big, and now everyone was eager to rush back to the tribe and find the things he wanted. 

After confirming they had memorized the drawings, the beastmen quickly left. 

Wen Ze cheerfully watched them leave, then turned his head—only to find Zhuo Mu staring at him with his deep red eyes. It was hard to tell how long he had been looking. 

A strange feeling rose in Wen Ze’s chest. He asked quietly, “What’s wrong?” 

Zhuo Mu blinked, and the invisible scrutiny in his gaze faded 

“What did you want to talk to me about before Bai Han and the others arrived?” he asked instead. 

“Oh, I was wondering if you could come with me to chop some branches and strip some bark.” 

“Now?” 

Wen Ze glanced at the sky—it was already getting late. 

“Not today, maybe later when we have some free time.” 

“Alright.” 

Yin He, who had been listening to their conversation, curiously asked, “Brother, what do you need the branches and bark for?” 

Wen Ze answered, “I want to try making something.” 

Yin He was always fascinated by the strange and unusual ideas Wen Ze had, so he eagerly asked, “Can I come with you? My claws are really good for stripping bark!” 

Wen Ze chuckled. “Really?” 

“Of course! You see how much firewood I collect every day! I’m really good at it!” 

Wen Ze teased him for a bit before finally agreeing. “Alright, I’ll take you along. Just make sure you do a good job.” 

Yin He eagerly responded, “Of course!” 

Zhuo Mu, standing to the side, smiled faintly. 

After a long day, Wen Ze was extremely tired. 

He struggled to keep his eyes open as he put away the nuts he’d gathered today. He also checked on the cured meat and was about to go check on the two cows when Zhuo Mu stopped him. 

“I’ve already refilled the grass and scooped the manure. You should go rest.” 

At these words, Wen Ze yawned twice, nodded, and went to take a bath before going to bed. 

For the next two days, Wen Ze and the others from the tribe went out to gather in the mornings and returned after noon. 

They would have a simple meal, then head to Bao Fang Mountain’s kiln to help out, staying busy the whole time. 

In the mornings, Yin He followed Zhuo Mu to observe the hunting and learn techniques. In the afternoons, he helped Wen Ze near the kiln with whatever work he could do. 

One afternoon, they finally finished early, and Wen Ze said to Zhuo Mu and Yin He, “I brought the tools. Let me wash up by the river, then we’ll go to the forest to strip the bark.” 

Zhuo Mu nodded. 

Yin He had been waiting for those words. He eagerly exclaimed, “Yes, yes! Let’s go!” 

They went to the river to wash the dirt off their faces and hands with soap, but since they still had work to do, they didn’t bother changing their dirty clothes. 

Then, the group entered the forest, heading toward the tribe. 

As they walked, they stripped bark from suitable trees and collected leaves. 

On the way, when they came across hemp grass, Wen Ze asked them to chop it down, bundle it up, and carry it on their backs. 

While they were peeling the bark, Zhuo Mu reminded Yin He, “Don’t peel in circles, the tree will die. Just peel a strip vertically from each tree.” 

Yin He nodded, “Got it!” 

This task was much easier than fixing the kiln, and everyone was in a good mood, treating it more like a leisurely walk. 

Halfway through, their backs were already full. 

Zhuo Mu turned to ask, “Should I change back to my beast form?” 

Wen Ze shook his head, “No need. I just wanted to try, but collecting too much at once is too much to handle. Let’s stop for now and just cut some more hemp grass.” 

The two beastmen, one big and one small, agreed. 

The forest was lush and full of life, and the air was fresh. 

They wore shoes made of hemp grass and stepped on the layers of fallen leaves, the sound of their footsteps creaking with each step. 

A gentle breeze brushed their faces, and Wen Ze keenly caught a familiar floral scent! 

“Huh?” He stopped in his tracks, sniffed twice, and his eyes lit up. 

“What’s wrong?” Yin He had walked ahead and turned back, looking puzzled. 

“Did you smell that fragrance?” 

“I do,” Yin He glanced down at the ground, “There are a lot of wildflowers here.” 

“No, it’s not those flowers! Follow me!” 

Wen Ze quickly moved to the front, pausing for a moment to figure out the direction, then confidently stepped forward. 

The other two exchanged a look and followed. Soon, they reached the edge of the forest. 

In the distance, tall trees started to appear. 

Clusters of small golden flowers hung from branches with vibrant green leaves. 

It was osmanthus! 

Not only did they have a pleasant fragrance, but they were also useful. Osmanthus tea and pastries made with them have always been well-received. 

If he hadn’t smelled it this time, Wen Ze would’ve forgotten that it was the season for osmanthus to bloom! 

He looked up, his gaze fixed on the clusters of flowers, and then quickly untied the bundle of hemp grass from his back and set it on the ground. 

“Zhuo Mu, Yin He, do you recognize this flower?” 

Yin He shook his head, but Zhuo Mu said, “I do, why?” 

Wen Ze asked, “It’s not poisonous, right?” 

Zhuo Mu replied, “No, it’s fine.” 

Wen Ze’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Then I want to pick some and make something delicious!” 

The floral scent was so appealing that the two beastmen couldn’t help but imagine how delicious food made with osmanthus would be. 

Yin He, the greedy panda, couldn’t stay calm when it came to food, so he also set down the bark on his back and said loudly, “Brother, I’ll help! I’ll climb the tree and shake the flowers down, and you can catch them from below?” 

Wen Ze quickly stopped him, “No, it’s windy now. If you shake it, the petals will blow away.” 

Yin He grumbled, “Then should I just pick them with my hands and put them in the basket?” 

The bear beastmen from the South Mountain Tribe were excellent tree climbers, so Wen Ze wasn’t too worried. 

“Alright, just be careful while picking up there.” 

Yin He replied, “Got it! Even if I fall, I can change into my beast form.” 

With that, he ran up to a tree and used his hands and feet to scramble up with ease. 

Seeing how skilled he was, it was clear he had climbed plenty of times for fun before. 

Wen Ze then turned to Zhuo Mu, “I’ll pick flowers from a tree too. Can you break off some older branches for me? We’ll slowly pick them when we get home.” 

Zhuo Mu agreed, “Sure.” 

The three of them split up. Wen Ze pulled out a clean basket and began picking slowly, but carefully, ensuring the petals stayed intact and free from impurities. 

Surrounded by the fragrant osmanthus blossoms on the tree, he found the task quite pleasant. 

At first, Zhuo Mu hadn’t controlled the force well and lost some petals when breaking branches, but he soon got the hang of it. 

The only one struggling was Yin He. 

His hands were clumsy, and he almost crushed the petals and leaves together when picking them. 

Wen Ze winced at the sight. “Yin He, why don’t you take the bark and hemp grass back first? Start a fire and boil some water.” 

Yin He pouted, “When will you two come back?” 

“It’s almost dark. We’ll head back soon and return early tomorrow to pick more.” 

Hearing that, Yin He reluctantly climbed down, slowly gathering up the bark and slinging it onto his back. 

Wen Ze said casually, “Once the water’s boiled, I can use the osmanthus to make you something delicious.” 

Yin He immediately perked up and dashed toward home. 

“Then hurry back! I’ll be waiting!” 

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