Wen Ze looked at Yin He’s retreating figure, chuckled for a while, and then went back to picking osmanthus flowers. 

As summer passed, the days grew shorter, and the nights stretched longer. 

Picking osmanthus flowers was a delicate task. By the time the sun set, the basket only had a thin layer of flowers at the bottom. 

Stretching his stiff neck and back, Wen Ze called out to Zhuo Mu, who was not far off in a tree: 

“That’s enough for today. Let’s head back. We’ll come back early tomorrow.” 

Zhuo Mu nodded as he carefully broke off the last branch. 

Wen Ze carried the basket and quickly climbed down from the tree. 

After Zhuo Mu landed, he walked over with a large bundle of branches full of osmanthus flowers and stood next to him. 

Wen Ze reached out to take half of the bundle. 

But Zhuo Mu handed it all to him and said, “Climb onto my back. It’ll be faster that way.” 

Wen Ze paused for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed about climbing onto his back for such a short distance. 

But Zhuo Mu didn’t give him a chance to refuse. In an instant, he changed into his beast form, lowering his massive head and waiting for Wen Ze to climb on. 

After a full day of work, Wen Ze’s feet did hurt a little, and he couldn’t resist the temptation. He climbed onto Zhuo Mu’s back. 

The two of them quickly made their way home. 

The energetic Yin He had already set aside the tree bark and other items and had heated up the water. 

The clay pot they used for boiling water had been made by Wen Ze himself back at the Rainbow Sun Tribe. It was crudely made, with an uneven body and a slightly lopsided shape. 

Unlike regular clay pots that had a large, round belly, he had specifically added a handle on the side to make it easier to carry. 

The last time someone came to rent the weaving frame, they noticed his clay pot and found it incredibly convenient. Inspired, they went back and made a similar one themselves. 

No matter the appearance, anything made by Wen Ze has the power to attract praise. 

Before long, the pottery jars used for boiling water in the tribe were all replaced with ones that had handles. 

At this moment, Yin He eagerly looked at him and asked, “Brother, do you need me to do anything else?” 

Wen Ze understood his hint and smiled. “Help me get the starch.” 

There was a lot of starch left from the last time. He had kept a small portion in his space and left the rest in the cave. 

“Got it!” 

Yin He immediately turned and ran toward the cave. 

Wen Ze placed the basket by the stove, washed his hands, and took out three clean pottery bowls. 

They didn’t have spoons at home, so they used small wooden sticks instead. 

Not far from the stove, there was a small jar filled with water he had boiled in the morning, which had now completely cooled. 

He scooped up some and washed a handful of freshly picked osmanthus flowers, their fragrance both refreshing and soothing. 

Yin He placed a cloth bag filled with starch next to Wen Ze and opened it, revealing a slightly grayish, lumpy lotus root starch that wasn’t very fine. 

Wen Ze filled each bowl with half a bowl of the lotus root powder. 

Then, he took one bowl and poured in some cool boiled water. 

Yin He didn’t quite understand what he was doing, so he asked, “Brother, are you making starch water?” 

Wen Ze smiled lightly. “Something like that.” 

Yin He eagerly volunteered, “I want to try too!” 

“Sure.” 

The young boy quickly grabbed a bowl. Feeling that cool water was too slow, he scooped some hot water from the clay pot and poured it in. 

Then, copying Wen Ze’s movements, he stirred the water with a small wooden stick. 

Wen Ze first mixed the lotus root powder with a bit of cold water, then added hot water and stirred again. 

The lotus root powder visibly turned smooth and fine, changing to a soft pink color, almost like a jelly. It looked really pretty. 

He admired his work for a moment, thinking to himself, even though it had been a while since he made this, his skills hadn’t declined. Not bad. 

Once the lotus root powder was ready, he got some honeycomb and melted it with hot water to make honey syrup, which he poured into the bowls. 

Finally, he sprinkled the freshly washed osmanthus flowers on top. 

The light-yellow flowers bloomed beautifully on the smooth lotus root powder, releasing a subtle floral fragrance. 

The powder shimmered, and the flowers looked vibrant, with the soft pink and yellow colors complementing each other perfectly. The fragrance blended in perfect harmony. 

This was definitely a dessert that would bring joy just by looking at it. 

Wen Ze admired it for a few more seconds before handing the bowl to Zhuo Mu, who was nearby. 

“This one’s for you.” 

Zhuo Mu paused for a moment, “You should have it. I’ve already memorized the steps and can make it myself.” 

Wen Ze insisted, “I actually enjoy making it more than eating it. Go on, try it.” 

Zhuo Mu accepted it. “Thank you.” 

He took the bowl, scooped a piece with a small wooden stick, and put it into his mouth. 

It was fresh and fragrant, with a smoothness that made it feel like water was flowing through his mouth. 

When he chewed, it had a slight bounce and stickiness—an entirely new texture he had never experienced before. 

Seeing the sparkle in Zhuo Mu’s red eyes, Wen Ze smiled, “Well? Not bad, right?” 

Zhuo Mu looked at him and said seriously, “It’s delicious.” 

Wen Ze grinned confidently. “There’s plenty of lotus root starch, just let me know when you’re done, and I’ll make more!” 

“Brother,” Yin He called out urgently, “Look at mine. Why can’t I get it to mix properly?” 

Wen Ze turned to him, not surprised to see the lumps of starch in his bowl. “You were too lazy and poured in hot water right away. That’s why it clumped like this. Just leave it. You can use it for cooking later.” 

Yin He sheepishly responded with an “Oh” and set the bowl aside. 

Not satisfied yet, he refused to let Wen Ze help and insisted on trying again. He followed the proper steps this time—adding cold water first, then hot water. 

But for some reason, whether it was the force he used or something else, the lotus root powder he made just didn’t turn out as smooth and pretty as Wen Ze’s. 

The three of them made nearly ten bowls of lotus root powder, each topped with honey syrup and osmanthus flowers. They were fragrant, sweet, and incredibly satisfying to eat. 

Still, no matter how good it was, it couldn’t replace a proper meal. Wen Ze prepared a real dinner afterward. 

Meanwhile, Zhuo Mu and Yin He were busy with household chores like feeding the cows and milking them, occasionally helping Wen Ze out with little tasks. 

The dumplings were all gone, so for dinner, Wen Ze cooked some wild vegetables with sausages, roasted sausages, stewed meat, stir-fried bird eggs, and steamed root vegetables. 

After their hearty meal, Wen Ze recalled the nuts he had exchanged with Bai Han earlier. He was craving a snack but had other tasks to handle, so he pushed the thought aside. 

“The bark and hemp we brought back. How should we handle it?” Zhuo Mu asked while heating the water and scrubbing the pots. 

Wen Ze stood up, thought for a moment, and responded uncertainly, “Maybe soak it in water?” 

He understood the basics of papermaking: soften and bond the fibers from plants. So, he had chosen barks, leaves, and hemp, all rich in fibers, but he had never actually done the process himself. 

To soften the fibers, he considered soaking them in water or steaming them. 

The second option would be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and would use up firewood. Since he wasn’t in a rush, he wasn’t keen on that method. 

Soaking them was simpler —just find a pond, drop it in, and leave it. 

But… he knew it would take a long time for the leaves in the water to soften into fibers, which made him a little impatient. 

“How about we smash it with stones first, then soak it in the water?” Wen Ze suggested. 

Zhuo Mu didn’t ask what he was trying to make. He simply nodded. “Sure. I’ll do the smashing. You watch and tell me when it’s enough.” 

Wen Ze smiled brightly. “Thanks! You’re strong, so that really helps.” 

A faint smile flickered across Zhuo Mu’s sharp eyes. 

After tidying up the stove, Zhuo Mu directly moved a huge stone over. 

Wen Ze had seen people break things with big stones before, but this one was the biggest he had ever seen. He couldn’t help but be amazed. He really had terrifying strength. 

Following Wen Ze’s instructions, Zhuo Mu began smashing the bark and other materials with the massive stone. 

Worried that the effect might not be good, Wen Ze only had him smash half of it and didn’t let him crush it too much. Once he saw some fine fibers, he told Zhuo Mu to stop. 

Seeing this, Yin He picked up a smaller but still heavy stone and started smashing the hemp on his side. 

The three of them worked up a sweat, the pounding sounds echoing far into the distance. 

After they stopped, Wen Ze, who hadn’t even done any of the hard labor—still somehow felt exhausted. 

“That should be enough. Let’s take everything to the pond and soak it.” 

The pond where Wen Ze had planted lotus roots and where Yin He and the others had once played in the mud had long since regained its clarity. 

The three of them tossed tree bark and other materials into the water. To keep them from floating up, they also placed some stones on top. 

Once they finished, Wen Ze clapped his hands. “Let it soak for now. If it doesn’t work, we can switch to running water later.” 

Anyway, he had plenty of time. He could improve things little by little. 

Before heading back, he moved to the other side of the pond to check on the lotus seedlings he had transplanted. 

Plants in the beast world were tough. Even though it wasn’t the right season for planting, nearly all the lotus roots had survived. 

Looking at the pond’s surface rippling under the evening breeze, Wen Ze imagined it filled with blooming lotus flowers and couldn’t help but smile. 

Seeing his expression, Zhuo Mu understood immediately. “The lotus roots are growing well?” 

“That’s right!” Wen Ze pulled out a stone hoe from his space and started digging a trench. “We can bring the water over now!” 

Zhuo Mu and Yin He came over to help. Once they finished the last bit of work, they all went to the riverbank to clean the dirt off their bodies. 

Back at the cave, Wen Ze, barely keeping his eyes open, picked a few osmanthus flowers before crashing into bed.  

The next day, Wen Ze couldn’t stop thinking about his osmanthus flowers. While it was still dark, he woke up. 

Yin He was still asleep, his large bear body rising and falling with steady breaths. 

Wen Ze lightly sniffed the air, confirming that Zhuo Mu was also asleep downstairs. He smiled quietly. 

This was rare. For the first time, he was the earliest one to wake up at home. 

He tiptoed out of the cave but froze. 

The osmanthus branches they had brought back yesterday were now bare. All the petals had been plucked off and were spread out in a sieve. 

The petals were perfect, with no impurities left. Such careful work must have been done by Zhuo Mu. 

Thinking that Zhuo Mu had been picking petals by the faint light of the fire while he was asleep made Wen Ze’s heart soften. He felt a little embarrassed for feeling proud about waking up earlier than Zhuo Mu. 

After fetching some water, washing his face, and brushing his teeth, Wen Ze went to check on the two cows. 

They were lying quietly on the ground, with some leftover grass stalks from last night still in front of them. 

“You two are getting picky, huh? Only eating the leaves and leaving the stalks behind.” Wen Ze raised a hand and patted the larger cow’s head lightly. 

“When winter comes, even the stalks will be dry. Let’s see what you do then.” 

The big cow blinked its clear, round eyes and let out a low “moo.” 

Wen Ze didn’t hurry to add more grass. He just cleaned up their mess before turning toward his new house. 

Once there, he counted the stones recently delivered and thought, these were enough! He could start laying the foundation! 

His eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but feel excited. 

When he walked back to the cave with light steps, he saw that Zhuo Mu was already up and boiling water over the fire. 

“You went to check on the new house?” Zhuo Mu asked. 

“Mm-hmm!” Wen Ze couldn’t wait to share his excitement. “Zhuo Mu, I can start the foundation now!” 

Zhuo Mu paused for a moment. “When do you plan to start?” 

“Today!” Wen Ze replied eagerly. “I won’t go to the kiln, and I’m not gathering materials either.” 

Zhuo Mu nodded. “I’ll tell Wu Ye and the others to have someone else lead the hunt.” 

Wen Ze thanked him. Though he said that he didn’t have to help, he was secretly happy that Zhuo Mu was staying. 

All the way until they left to pick osmanthus flowers, Wen Ze’s smile never faded. 

As for Yin He, he was still asleep, so Wen Ze didn’t wake him. 

By the time they arrived at the osmanthus trees, the sky was just starting to brighten. The air was damp, and crystal-clear dewdrops clung to the leaves. 

Wen Ze took off his basket and pulled out the large piece of hemp cloth inside. 

It wasn’t one big piece but several sewn together. 

He measured it, and with Zhuo Mu’s help, they spread the cloth under a tree. 

Looking up, Wen Ze said, “The trees too tall. I can’t reach the branches from the ground. I’ll have to climb up.” 

Zhuo Mu replied, “Let me try in my beast form.” 

Wen Ze nodded and took a few steps back, watching Zhuo Mu changed into his beast form again. With his massive head, Zhuo Mu nudged the tree branch covered in petals. 

He used very little force, but the branch still snapped with a series of loud cracks. 

As the branch fell to the ground with a thud, the area fell silent. 

The two of them exchanged a glance before they both burst into laughter. 

Changing into beast form really was “overkill,” Wen Ze chuckled and waved. “Let’s stick to human form.” 

Zhuo Mu changed back into his human form and quickly climbed up the tree. 

He had long wooden sticks stored in his space. After stripping the bark and using them multiple times, the wooden poles had been worn smooth. 

Holding the stick, he gently tapped the osmanthus branches. 

The dew-covered flowers were slightly heavier, and since there was no wind in the morning, they fell smoothly onto the cloth spread out beneath the tree. 

Wen Ze’s job was to adjust the cloth beneath, collect the petals, and occasionally direct Zhuo Mu to change positions. 

While some impurities were mixed in with the flowers this way, the efficiency was far higher than picking them one by one. 

Once they were back, they could easily sort out the impurities. 

By the time the sun had fully risen and the morning dew had gradually evaporated, the two of them had already gathered two large baskets of osmanthus flowers. 

Just in time, Yin He also woke up and came to help. Wen Ze turned to Zhuo Mu and said, “That’s enough for now! Let’s head back and make breakfast.” 

“Okay.” 

On the way back, Wen Ze was still sitting on Zhuo Mu’s giant python back, with two baskets of osmanthus flowers piled beside him. He was happily sorting through the impurities in the baskets. 

Yin He, who had changed into a giant panda, walked alongside them and said to Wen Ze, “Brother, I was half-asleep this morning, but I think I heard you mention laying a foundation?” 

“Yeah, after breakfast, we’ll get to work.” 

Yin He scratched his panda head with his paw, his round black ears swaying as he moved. 

“Haha, I thought I was dreaming!” 

As they walked, they ran into a patrol of beastmen. When they heard Wen Ze’s words, they immediately said, “Wen Ze, you’re finally laying the foundation? Once we finish our patrol, we’ll come help you!” 

Wen Ze happily agreed, “Sounds great! Thanks!” 

However, somehow, word spread, and the number of people who came to help turned out to be far more than expected. 

Having experienced this kind of situation before, Wen Ze looked at the crowd gathering in front of him and, unsurprised, said, 

“So, everyone’s here?” 

Wu Ye replied, “Yes, with so many stones, I was worried the three of you wouldn’t be able to handle it.” 

Ji Sha, who was standing beside him, said, “The kiln is almost done, I’ve left Sang Hui to keep an eye on it, and I only brought Bai Ling with me.” 

Bai Xia was excited. “Wen Ze, just tell me what needs to be done!” 

After a couple of days of treatment, Zhong Chu’s nose had improved a lot. In human form, his nose was still a little red, but he silently nodded in agreement. 

Wen Ze looked around at everyone and smiled, “Alright, I won’t be polite then. Should we get started?” 

Everyone responded together, “Yes!” 

Wen Ze continued, “Apart from these stones, I’ll need river sand.” 

Zhuo Mu immediately said, “I’ll take some people and go dig it up now.” 

Wen Ze nodded. “Great, thanks for the help!” 

Once Zhuo Mu and his group left, Wen Ze walked over to the open space and asked Yin He to bring over a large basket filled with ash from plants. 

He grabbed a smaller basket, tilted it slightly, and started walking forward, letting the ash fall out in a straight line. 

At first, no one understood what he was doing, but after a while, the lines he created formed a rectangle. 

Someone asked, “Is this the size of the house you want to build?” 

“That’s right.” 

Once the lines were drawn, it was time to start digging. 

Beastmen only changed into their beast form when they sleep inside. 

To keep warm, Wen Ze decided to build a six-meter-high house. 

Based on his past life’s experience, the foundation needed to be dug one meter deep. 

But since he wasn’t sure about Yin He’s weight, he decided to dig it even deeper. 

He stood in the middle of the space, raised his hand above his head, and indicated the height to everyone. 

“Dig downward along the unmarked lines—to about this deep.” 

Everyone responded, “Got it!” 

Wu Ye and Bai Xia immediately changed into their beast forms and began digging with their claws. 

The ground, which had been trampled flat from frequent gatherings, was as easy to dig as if it were paper. In just a few moves, they dug out several holes. 

The soil underneath was much softer, and if they started building directly, there was a risk of the house collapsing or tilting. 

Despite their rough movements, the two worked carefully, following Wen Ze’s instructions and digging out the entire area without disturbing the ash lines he had marked. 

Once that step was finished, they started using the prepared stones to lay the foundation. 

Zhuo Mu came back, and Wen Ze had them mix the stones with river sand, then added water. They used their feet to press and compact it, squeezing out the gaps between the stones to make the foundation tighter. 

Next, Wen Ze refilled the small basket with ash and jumped into the foundation pit. 

After thinking for a moment, he poured layer after layer of ash inside, marking the positions for the walls. 

He had already planned the house’s layout several times in his head over the past few days. 

In the beast world, there was no need to worry about laying wires or pipes, so he managed to mark the lines in one go. 

Wen Ze then directed everyone to reinforce the wall positions with extra stones. 

Finally, they filled the pit with soil. 

The broken stones, branches, and other debris in the soil were all removed. 

Wen Ze led the group over and asked everyone to step firmly on the soil. 

He didn’t let them use their beast forms, fearing their large paws would distort the wall positions. 

Everyone, influenced by Wen Ze’s enthusiasm, worked really hard. The soil was quickly compacted and became lower than the surrounding ground. 

Wen Ze instructed them to bring more soil and fill the pit again. Then, they repeated the process of stepping and pressing down. 

After repeating this a few times, they had filled the pit with several times more soil than they had dug out. The ground was now solid and even slightly higher than the surrounding area. 

Wen Ze asked Zhuo Mu to test it out. 

“The soil underneath is stable. As long as we don’t deliberately apply force to break it, it won’t shake.” 

Wen Ze sighed with relief and grinned brightly. “It’s done!” 

Seeing this, the others cheered as well. “That’s great! This task wasn’t even hard—I barely did anything!” 

Wen Ze had originally planned to spend a whole day on the foundation, but looking at the sky, it was still before noon. 

Feeling how much faster work went with more people, he once again thanked everyone and warmly invited them: 

“If you hadn’t helped, we definitely wouldn’t have finished by noon. Come with me to Zhuo Mu’s place, I’ll make you some lotus root starch for you to drink!” 

“No need, no need! We just moved some stones and stepped on the ground. We’re not tired at all.” 

“That’s right, making starch isn’t easy. You should keep it for yourselves.” 

As they were about to leave, Wen Ze immediately had Zhuo Mu stop the beastmen. He quickly grabbed Bai Ling’s sleeve. 

“I can’t keep letting you help for free! Just come with me! It’s just some lotus root starch, not a full meal! Besides, my lotus root starch is especially delicious. Right, Yin He?” 

Yin He nodded eagerly. “Yes! It’s pink and translucent, super fine, with a hint of lotus root fragrance. It’s thick and sticky —so good!” 

Standing firmly on Wen Ze’s side, he kept persuading them. “Uncle, Brother, just try it! I promise once you taste it, you’ll want more! If you don’t come, my brother will feel bad.” 

Though Zhuo Mu didn’t say anything, his presence was enough to convince everyone. 

Wen Ze nodded repeatedly and said sincerely, “Yes, if you don’t come, I’ll feel embarrassed asking for your help next time.” 

Left with no choice, everyone finally agreed. 

When they returned to the cave, Yin He, without needing instructions, immediately started a fire and boiled water. 

Zhuo Mu found the bag of lotus root powder, and once the water was ready, Wen Ze, the “expert,” quickly began making the drink. 

Luckily, the beastmen were used to carrying important items in their space, so there was no need to worry about running out of bowls—they always brought their own. 

Once the powder was mixed with honey syrup, it sparkled in the sunlight, shining like a piece of flowing pink jade. 

It was already beautiful, but when Wen Ze sprinkled a layer of pale yellow osmanthus flowers on top, several half-beastmen gasped. 

“Wow, it’s so pretty! So fragrant! Is this really for eating?” 

Wen Ze laughed and said, “Of course it is! Come, try it.” 

Bai Ling, holding a bowl of lotus root powder, stared at it for a while and said with a dreamy expression, “It’s too beautiful. I can’t bear to eat it.” 

Bai Xia teased, “Then let me eat it.” 

Bai Ling quickly pushed him away. “Go away!” 

As Wen Ze was pouring hot water into the lotus root powder, he couldn’t help but chuckle. A little water splashed out and almost burned his hand. 

The lotus root powder eventually made its way into Bai Ling’s stomach. He really enjoyed the delicate, sweet taste and the sticky texture of the food, and he couldn’t stop praising it. 

The others also joined in, saying it was both unique and delicious. 

“Wen Ze, could you teach me how to make lotus root powder? I want to make some for my father when I go back home,” Bai Ling asked. 

“Sure,” Wen Ze replied. “There are many ingredients, so you can try anything you’d like.” 

As soon as he said that, many people became curious and gathered around. 

Everyone was preparing and tasting the lotus root powder, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious. 

Wen Ze walked over to Zhong Chu and asked about the injury on his nose, as well as which areas in the territory had the most beehives. 

Zhong Chu answered one by one. 

After everyone left contentedly, Zhuo Mu, washing the dishes, asked, “Are you planning to go find some honey?” 

He noticed? 

Wen Ze froze for a moment and said, “Yes. We use a lot of honey at home, and there isn’t much left. Also, I want to use the honey to preserve osmanthus flowers.” 

“Can’t you dry them in the sun?” 

Wen Ze looked a little troubled. “I could, but they’ll change color. I still prefer using honey.” 

Besides, osmanthus flowers soaked in honey have an excellent flavor that leaves a lingering aftertaste. 

Zhuo Mu nodded, but a hint of hesitation appeared on his usually cold face. 

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