After sealing the sugar tree sap to ferment, Jian Mo checked it daily upon returning home.
Making the clay jar had been quite a hassle. If the wine failed and left the jar stinking, it would be a massive waste. The porous texture of the jar meant any bad smell would linger for a long time, rendering the jar unusable for storing anything else later.
Cautiously optimistic, Jian Mo treated the tree sap wine with care, but it turned out to be more successful than he had hoped.
By the second day, the wine had already developed a distinct alcoholic aroma.
On the third day, it emitted a unique fragrance, a mix of floral and fruity notes with a hint of caramel—a surprisingly complex bouquet. Jian Mo was thrilled by the unexpected result, anticipating more surprises to come.
As the days passed, the sap wine matured gradually.
In less than ten days, the flavors deepened and mellowed. The subtle scents below the viscous wine’s surface were detectable only by Wu Jiong, who described the hidden aromas. To Jian Mo, the prominent smell was just pure alcohol.
Excitedly, Jian Mo exclaimed, “Let’s open it and have a taste. I think it’s ready!”
Wu Jiong stopped him by pulling him back with one arm around his waist. “Let me taste it first this time.”
“Fine,” Jian Mo said eagerly, “Then go ahead.”
Wu Jiong grabbed a clean, dry wooden spoon, scooped a small amount, and took a sip.
Jian Mo watched him intently. “How is it? Any off-flavors? Is it drinkable?”
Wu Jiong brought the spoon to Jian Mo’s lips. “No off-flavors. The taste is very pure—extraordinary.”
Curious, Jian Mo steadied Wu Jiong’s hand and drank the remaining wine in the spoon.
The thick liquid hit his palate, flooding his senses with sweetness, richness, and a slight bitterness. After swallowing, a smooth, refreshing sensation lingered in his throat.
The taste was hard to describe but undoubtedly delicious.
“This is amazing!” Jian Mo exclaimed, impressed by the wine’s unique taste.
Wu Jiong nodded in agreement. “It’s indeed impressive. Shall we let the Tou Tou Beasts try it too?”
Jian Mo hesitated. “I don’t really want to share. How about we seal it back and wait a day to ensure there are no side effects? If everything’s fine, we can try again tomorrow.”
“You think we should test it ourselves?” Wu Jiong asked.
“I think it’s safe. You didn’t notice anything strange in the taste, so there’s probably nothing wrong with it.”
“Fair enough,” Wu Jiong agreed.
As expected, they felt fine the following day, and they sampled the wine again. This time, its aroma was even richer.
In traditional winemaking, the wine must be filtered once fermentation is nearly complete to separate the liquid for secondary fermentation. However, since the tree sap contained no solid impurities, there was no need for filtering. They left it to ferment and settle in the clay jar.
The extended fermentation brought out even bolder and more complex flavors in the wine.
Noticing how much Jian Mo enjoyed the wine, Wu Jiong suggested, “Should we collect more sweet sap and brew another batch?”
Tempted, Jian Mo shook his head. “Finding that sap was too difficult. Let’s save it for now and decide after we finish this batch.”
Recently, they had paid extra attention to silver leaf trees while gathering supplies. Strangely, they never encountered the eight-mouthed bugs again, nor did they get stung. Consequently, they couldn’t find any sweet sap either.
Jian Mo even tried cutting a notch into a silver leaf tree to make it ooze sap, but the resulting liquid was bitter with a slight floral scent—not the sweet nectar produced after the tree was bitten by the bugs.
He speculated, “Maybe the bugs inject some chemical substance into the tree, causing it to produce the sweet sap.”
Turning to Wu Jiong, Jian Mo proposed, “Someday, when we’re free and prepared, let’s find the eight-mouthed bugs’ nest and catch some to bite the trees.”
Wu Jiong chuckled, pinching the back of Jian Mo’s neck. “It’s not just one or two bugs—you’d need a whole swarm biting the bark simultaneously to produce the sweet sap. If people get stung too much, they could develop a fever. The consequences would be severe.”
Jian Mo sighed, “I get it. Back in my home, ticks can also cause serious health issues with their bites.”
Catching bugs to harvest tree sap remained a whimsical dream. However, they found other rewards recently.
As summer approached, wild plants thrived, providing an abundance of edible greens and fruits.
The greens were especially tender and crisp during this period, with a mild bitterness that made them relatively palatable. By late summer and autumn, most greens would become tough and unbearably bitter.
Everyone cherished this seasonal window, putting extra effort into gathering greens, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong included.
After bringing the greens back, Jian Mo meticulously sorted them. The tender ones were kept for meals, slightly tougher ones fed to Chirpy, and the oldest leaves given to the Tou Tou Beasts.
Despite careful selection in the field, greens aged quickly. What seemed fresh when picked often turned coarse and inedible by the time they returned.
To preserve the greens, Jian Mo learned they needed to be blanched before drying. Otherwise, they would age and become fibrous during the drying process, making them nearly inedible once dried.
This extra step added to their workload. Most evenings, Jian Mo hurriedly sorted, blanched, and spread the greens on large woven racks to dry. The next morning, he would flip them for even drying and further remove any discolored or tough pieces, feeding those to Chirpy or the Tou Tou Beasts.
One morning, as Jian Mo worked in the courtyard, a small, spotted feline named Ban Jiu wandered in, nudging the gate open with its hindquarters.
Seeing the visitor, Jian Mo called out, “Ban Jiu, you’re here?”
The little feline rubbed against his leg affectionately, meowing, “Brother Jian Mo.”
To protect the drying greens from birds and insects, Jian Mo had enlisted the help of younglings in the tribe who had not yet mastered shape-shifting. He paid them with meatballs, and they enjoyed the task, finding it easy and rewarding.
After greeting Ban Jiu, Jian Mo noticed another figure trailing behind—a Qing Kuo.
Jian Mo laughed, “So that’s why Ban Jiu is so well-behaved today. What brings you here, Qing Kuo?”
Qing Kuo replied, “We were wondering if you’d like to join us in harvesting fruit pods.”
Jian Mo paused his work and asked, “Fruit pods? What kind of fruit pods? Are they a type of wild vegetable?”
Qing Kuo replied, “Yes, they grow on vines over by Ambus Mountain. The pods are large and meaty. You boil them in salt water, soak them, and then sun-dry them. Once dried, they’re great for stewing and can last for a long time as emergency food.”
Jian Mo was intrigued. He had never heard of or eaten them before. “Not many people eat them?”
Qing Kuo laughed. “Oh, plenty. But our chief is a single beastman, and he usually has enough food stored each year. He doesn’t bother drying wild vegetables or making things like preserved fruit.”
Jian Mo nodded. He remembered how last year, when they wanted preserved fruit, they had to trade with others in the tribe to get some.
Qing Kuo continued, “If you’re interested, I’ll bring you some dried pods from last year when we get back. So, are you coming?”
Jian Mo nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely!”
“Then get ready. We’re meeting at the clearing,” Qing Kuo said.
“Got it. Let me inform Wu Jiong first,” Jian Mo replied.
Wu Jiong was feeding Chirpy when Jian Mo ran over to tell him about the plan. Wu Jiong had no objections. If Jian Mo wasn’t heading out with him, Wu Jiong would simply join other beastmen from the tribe on a hunting trip.
Jian Mo had heard there were lots of fruit pods to gather, so he brought along two baskets stacked together and strapped them to his back.
The sub-beastmen of the tribe hadn’t gone gathering with him in quite a while. When they saw him, they greeted him warmly and asked him all sorts of questions.
The group chatted as they headed toward their destination. The light-hearted conversation made the journey feel quicker, and before they knew it, they were almost there.
Jian Mo looked around and asked, “We’re not heading to the Ambus River?”
“Of course not,” Qing Kuo replied. “The vines grow in the canyon. That’s where we’re headed.”
“Is it because the canyon is warm and humid, making it suitable for the pods to grow?” Jian Mo asked.
“Something like that,” Qing Kuo answered with a smile.
The group followed a small path toward the canyon. The well-trodden trail was distinct from the grass on either side, evidence of frequent use.
Jian Mo had never been to this area before. Even when Wu Jiong took him gathering, they never ventured here, as they usually opted for forests rich with a variety of food sources.
He realized there was a difference between amateur gathering and joining the tribe’s dedicated gatherers. Perhaps he should go out with the tribe more often—they might collect more together than he did with just Wu Jiong.
Lost in thought, Jian Mo followed as the group took a sharp turn, leading them straight into the canyon.
Before he could lift his head, an intense floral fragrance filled his nostrils.
Looking around instinctively, he saw the three canyon walls blanketed with pink, blue, purple, and white flowers. The entire gorge was enveloped in a sweet, heady aroma.
Even honeybirds flitted among the blossoms.
Jian Mo was awestruck.
He rarely saw such a profusion of flowers in the wild, and these were thriving magnificently!
His mouth fell open in surprise. “The whole mountain is covered in flowers?”
Qing Kuo nodded. “Yes. These pods grow alongside the flowers. We’ll pick the young ones.”
Jian Mo hurried to follow Qing Kuo.
As they climbed, Jian Mo noticed small flowers growing on the roadside vines. The flowers were shaped like tiny birds, with a bulging center that protected the flower’s column, flanked by two petals.
The sight stirred a vague sense of familiarity. He stared at them for a long moment, trying to recall where he had seen something similar.
While Jian Mo was deep in observation, Qing Kuo pulled a vine closer and said, “We’ll harvest these young pods. The older ones get tough, and the fuzz on the pods becomes coarse and scratchy.”
Jian Mo leaned in for a closer look. The pods indeed had fine fuzz on them.
Wait a second—why did these pods look so familiar?
These were beans!
It finally clicked. The flowers looked like pea blossoms!
He stared at the pods in shock. The shape resembled common beans like hyacinth beans or flat beans, only larger.
Jian Mo couldn’t believe it. He had searched so long for beans, and they had been growing right here, in the hills near the tribe.
Hidden in plain sight!
Pointing at the pods, he exclaimed excitedly, “I think these are the beans I told you about!”
Qing Kuo looked puzzled. “Aren’t beans round and hard, something you can cook directly? We don’t eat the seeds. They’re poisonous.”
“But you eat the pods, right? Aren’t the pods just as toxic?” Jian Mo asked.
“Not exactly. The toxins in the pods can be removed by boiling them in salt water,” Qing Kuo explained.
“Then couldn’t the seeds also be detoxified by boiling them in salt water?” Jian Mo pressed.
“We’ve never tried eating the seeds,” Qing Kuo replied with a shake of his head.
Jian Mo was still reeling from the discovery and had no immediate response.
Hearing their discussion, Ye Luo approached, holding two dried pods. “Here are some pods from last year. Jian Mo, do these look like the beans you mentioned?”
Jian Mo took the pods. Naturally matured and dried from the previous year, they resembled oversized, shriveled flat beans. The seeds inside were plump, encased in a tough, flexible pod.
Using his nail, Jian Mo split open a pod. Cashew-like seeds tumbled out. Though irregularly shaped, their smooth surface and familiar seed scar on the side were unmistakable.
“These are definitely beans,” Jian Mo declared, marveling. “They look almost identical to the ones we have back home.”
Qing Kuo scrutinized the seeds. “Let’s take some back and prepare them. We’ll know for sure once we try them.”
Jian Mo nodded, inhaling deeply to steady his emotions. “Alright.”
Elated by the discovery, Jian Mo felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. After taking a moment to regain his composure, he joined the group in harvesting the pods.
The young pods closely resembled oversized flat beans. The vines bore not only newly grown pods but also leftover pods from last year and blossoms that had yet to turn into pods.
Looking at the sea of flowers covering the hills, Jian Mo’s thoughts drifted to Earth, where summer always brought an abundance of green beans that seemed impossible to finish. A smile spread across his face.
It was true—what you seek tirelessly often comes to you effortlessly when the time is right.
Fate works in mysterious ways.
Jian Mo’s thoughts were a jumble, but his hands worked steadily. The fruit pods were large and plump, and it didn’t take long for him to fill the two baskets he had brought. He strapped one basket to his back and the other to his chest. Testing the weight, he found it manageable, though a bit awkward for walking. Fortunately, the path was smooth, and with Qing Kuo leading the way, it wasn’t much of an issue.
The others soon noticed Jian Mo’s fondness for the pods he called “beans.”
“These pods, even if we can’t eat them all, could be used to feed Chirpy or the Tou Tou Beasts,” Jian Mo said earnestly.
Qing Kuo chuckled, “True, you’ve got Tou Tou Beasts at home.”
Jian Mo nodded. “And besides, beans seem much easier to gather than Mien Fruit. Remember how we had to struggle to collect it last year?”
Qing Kuo’s tone turned cautious. “But these pods are toxic. If you eat too many, you’ll get sick—vomiting and diarrhea. It’s not worth it.”
“I’ll process them first,” Jian Mo replied confidently. “Let me see if I can figure out other ways to prepare them.”
The group saw how determined Jian Mo was and decided not to say more.
When they reached a rougher part of the trail, Qing Kuo volunteered to carry the basket strapped to Jian Mo’s chest. Together, they made their way back to the tribe.
Everyone they passed seemed surprised at the sheer amount of pods Jian Mo had collected.
At home, the younglings, including Ban Jiu, were dutifully guarding the yard and shooing away birds. When Jian Mo arrived, they ran up to him, tugging at his pants and shirt while curiously peering at the baskets.
But upon seeing the pods, the younglings quickly jumped back and scampered to the side.
“Really? Was that necessary?” Jian Mo asked in amusement.
The little white wolf, Zhou Dao, wagged his tail and howled, “Brother Jian Mo, those are gross! They’re poisonous.”
“I’m going to see if I can make them taste good,” Jian Mo replied with a chuckle.
Zhou Dao hesitated, looking at the pods before retreating further. “Never mind. I’d rather not.”
Even the food-loving little wolf wasn’t interested in the pods, which made Jian Mo wonder if these pods were entirely different from the beans he knew on Earth.
Still, Jian Mo remained optimistic. Beans were incredibly nutritious, and he had always been fond of them.
The younglings, satisfied with their task of guarding the dried greens, carried off their meatball rewards and ran off to play.
Jian Mo collected the dried greens and brought the damp ones indoors to finish drying tomorrow. Then he turned his attention to processing the pods.
The pods were rough, even the young ones, with fuzzy skins that made them less appealing. Jian Mo scrubbed them with salt to clean off as much dirt and fuzz as possible. Afterward, he chopped them into pieces, squeezed out the excess water, and boiled them in salted water.
When the pods were cooked, he tasted a piece. As expected, it had a slightly bitter bean-like flavor—not terrible, but certainly not delicious.
The seeds inside the pods resembled young beans but were even more bitter, with a stronger plant-like aftertaste.
There was no denying it—these weren’t quite like Earth’s beans.
Jian Mo had seen plenty of beans back on Earth and knew that not all of them were particularly tasty. For instance, mung beans, which were quite famous, also had a subtle bitterness to them.
To him, bitterness wasn’t a dealbreaker. As long as the pods weren’t toxic, they could still be useful. Beans were a superb crop, rich in protein and nutrients, and worth keeping as a food reserve.
As the kitchen filled with steam, Wu Jiong entered silently and asked, “Boiling fruit pods?”
Jian Mo turned and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! I think these might be the beans I told you about!”
Wu Jiong stepped closer, holding Jian Mo’s waist as he peered into the pot. “Aren’t beans supposed to be really tasty?”
“Hmm? I take it you’re not a fan of these pods?” Jian Mo teased.
“They’re slightly poisonous,” Wu Jiong replied, frowning at the pods in the pot.
“Let’s see if we can soak out the toxins,” Jian Mo said, popping another piece of pod into his mouth. “It’s not that bad.”
“Maybe you just like them more than others,” Wu Jiong said, shaking his head.
Jian Mo finally understood why these beans had been left untouched, even though they were growing everywhere. Most of the He’an Tribe clearly disliked the pods, preferring even processed Mien Fruit to these.
As Jian Mo worked, Qing Kuo’s voice rang out from the yard. “Jian Mo, are you home? I brought over some dried pods from last year.”
“In the kitchen! Come in!” Jian Mo called.
Qing Kuo entered, carrying a basket of dried, brown pods. “These are from last year. Try them out—they’re not poisonous, but the flavor is… average.”
Jian Mo picked up a dried pod, examining it closely. It really did resemble a dried green bean. He bit off a small piece, and his mouth filled with a combination of saltiness and astringency.
Scooping hot water from another pot, Jian Mo soaked the dried pods in a ceramic basin. “Let’s let them soak and see how they taste.”
“Sure,” Qing Kuo replied. “If you need more, just let me know. We still have plenty from last year, but I figure by the time you finish those, this year’s pods will be ready.”
“Probably,” Jian Mo agreed.
Wu Jiong wasn’t fond of the pods, but he didn’t complain as he helped Jian Mo with the work. After blanching the fresh pods, Wu Jiong carried them to the upstream river to soak in running water.
Jian Mo also peeled some of the dried pods from last year. The seeds inside were smooth and full, with no signs of insect damage. However, the seeds were even more bitter than the pods and had an unpleasant smell.
Jian Mo boiled the seeds and left them to soak in the river. He knew that if these beans turned out to be fundamentally different from Earth’s, he might never find the exact kind he was looking for in this world.
Thinking about this, Jian Mo couldn’t help but feel a bit down.
However, after a moment of reflection, he reminded himself that they already had plenty of food. Whether they had beans or not wouldn’t significantly affect their situation.
He needed to keep a balanced perspective.
In the tribe, after boiling the fruit pods in salt water, they would typically leave them to soak in the river overnight. The next morning, the pods could be retrieved and laid out to dry.
Jian Mo, however, prioritized flavor and soaked his pods in the river for three days straight.
The extended soaking significantly reduced the bitterness of the pods, but at the cost of diminishing their natural flavor as well. The result was a rather bland taste.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too, Jian Mo thought, resigning himself to the compromise.
He prepared two batches of pods: one using the dried pods Qing Kuo had given him and the other using pods he had dried himself.
Wu Jiong didn’t like either version, but Jian Mo found them tolerable. When paired with stewed meat, the pods vaguely reminded him of the flavor of dry bean stew—albeit a milder, more diluted version.
If the pods weren’t particularly enjoyable, the beans were even worse.
Still, neither the pods nor the beans were poisonous. To confirm their safety, Jian Mo tested them on the male Tou Tou Beast, feeding it half a bucket of beans and half a bucket of pods. The beast remained lively and healthy for several days without any ill effects.
This proved that both pods and beans were edible, and food safety wasn’t a concern.
The only issue was that after gorging on the pods and beans, the Tou Tou Beast developed mild bloating. Its belly was noticeably swollen, and it frequently passed gas.
For a few days, Jian Mo avoided the animal pen. If he had to go inside, he wore a mask to block out the smell.
The male Tou Tou Beast, meanwhile, was ostracized by the female beasts and retreated to a corner, its furry face appearing almost apologetic.
Clearly, portion control was critical—overfeeding led to rather embarrassing consequences.
Having finally found beans, Jian Mo wasn’t ready to give up so easily.
After pondering for days, he proposed to Wu Jiong, “Let’s go to the salt lake and fetch some brine. I want to see if I can make tofu.”
“Tofu?” Wu Jiong asked, unfamiliar with the term.
Jian Mo struggled to explain and said, “It’s a food similar to Mien Fruit cakes. It requires complex processing, and the salt lake water is a key part of the process.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Alright. Let’s go tomorrow. We could use some extra salt anyway—the tribe’s supply is running low.”
The salt lake water, rich in metal ions, was essentially brine. Jian Mo was confident it would work for making tofu, though the result might not be perfect.
Beans might not taste great, but surely tofu wouldn’t be that bad, right?
Thanks for the chapter! The poor beast.