Jian Mo and Wu Jiong returned to their tribe with the cotton quilts but didn’t actively tell anyone about them.
However, they couldn’t hide it from the sharp eyes of their tribe members.
Qing Kuo teased, “You’ve got a bedding set drying in your courtyard. Who do you think you’re fooling?”
Jian Mo countered, “Just because there’s a bedding set out doesn’t mean it’s for new quilts. It could just be for covering fur bedding.”
Qing Kuo narrowed his eyes at Jian Mo. “Before you went to the Yu Qi Tribe, you already dried a set. If it weren’t for new quilts, there’s no way you’d be drying another one so soon.”
Zhou Fu glanced around to ensure Wu Jiong wasn’t nearby, then chimed in softly, “Or maybe the bedding got wet and needed drying.”
Qing Kuo smacked him lightly. “Do you think everyone’s like you? With Jian Mo and the chief’s habits, they wouldn’t let their bedding get wet.”
Clearly, people in relationships had no filters. Jian Mo raised his hands, signaling for a halt. “Stop, stop! You’re getting ridiculous.”
Qing Kuo grinned. “Come on, show us the new quilt.”
Sighing, Jian Mo led them to his room. “Fine, but just look—don’t tell anyone. I promised the Jiu Nian Tribe to keep it a secret.”
Qing Kuo smirked. “You’re keeping the secret, sure. But we spotted it ourselves, so it’s not on you.”
Jian Mo pulled out the cotton quilt for them to see. “This is it. Cotton quilts are light and warm, unlike fur bedding, which can feel suffocating.”
Qing Kuo ran his hand over the quilt and remarked, “It smells nice, too.”
Jian Mo agreed. “It’s breathable. The natural scent of plants is much better than the natural scent of animal hides.”
Even though the tribe’s leather tanning techniques were advanced, the inherent smell of leather was hard to eliminate. Hides from particularly odorous beasts could, after prolonged use, transfer their scent onto the user.
If they had an alternative, most people wouldn’t choose to use such bedding.
Qing Kuo and the others continued to inspect the quilt, flipping it over in their hands. “This is amazing.”
Jian Mo shared their sentiment. “It’s a shame our tribe couldn’t get the cotton trees to grow. If they had taken root, we could be making our own cotton quilts in a few years.”
Qing Kuo remained optimistic. “Maybe the trees aren’t dead. It could just be that the timing for sprouting passed this year. By next spring, they might grow.”
Ye Luo, who had more experience with plants, added, “It could also be the dormancy period you mentioned. After it ends, the trees might sprout.”
“That’s possible,” Jian Mo acknowledged. “If not, we’ll visit the Jiu Nian Tribe next year and transplant some cotton saplings. If we plant enough, some are bound to survive.”
The Jiu Nian Tribe’s climate was relatively warm, though not excessively so. Given that they were all in the same general region, if cotton trees could grow there, they should be able to grow in the He’an Tribe as well, even if the results weren’t quite as robust.
After admiring the quilt, everyone stayed at Jian Mo’s house to chat.
Over the past few days, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong had been busy visiting the Yu Qi Tribe, and people hadn’t had their fill of talking about their adventures trading for chili peppers. Now was the perfect time to continue the discussion.
Life in the tribe could get monotonous, with the same routine day after day. Any fresh event was sure to be discussed at length until every detail was exhausted.
Jian Mo understood this boredom and didn’t mind spending extra time chatting with everyone.
While chatting, everyone kept their hands busy, helping Jian Mo with some tasks.
This year, they had harvested a variety of nuts, many of which had a layer of flesh covering the shells. They needed to use small knives to remove the flesh before drying and roasting the nuts further.
As a result, everyone stayed at Jian Mo’s house, helping peel the nuts. Since they had pitched in, Jian Mo invited them to stay for dinner.
No one was shy about accepting his offer.
Zhou Fu asked, “Jian Mo, can you make some dishes with chili peppers today? The ones you made last time were so good, but we can’t replicate the flavor at home.”
Ye Luo agreed. “For some reason, our chili dishes always turn out too spicy and overwhelming, not as balanced and tasty as yours.”
Jian Mo guessed, “Maybe you’re adding too many chilies?”
Zhou Fu shook his head. “I don’t think so. We can’t handle very spicy food, so we only put in one or two chilies.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Alright, I’ll cook for you and show you how it’s done.”
Although they hadn’t gone hunting or gathering in recent days, Jian Mo’s household still had plenty of food. He cut down some strips of dried meat and prepared side ingredients like sinew grass to make several dishes.
Everyone crowded into the kitchen to watch him cook.
Jian Mo started by heating oil in the pan, then tossing in the chilies to fry briefly, reducing their raw heat.
The first step immediately made everyone exclaim, “So, the chilies need to be fried first?”
Jian Mo explained, “Not necessarily, but frying brings out their aroma better.”
Zhou Fu nodded. “Got it. We’ll fry them next time.”
Jian Mo added, “Be careful not to over-fry them. Overcooked chilies lose their aroma and become bitter.”
Qing Kuo asked, “How do you know when they’re fried just right?”
Jian Mo lifted a chili with a spatula to show them. “When the color darkens slightly but hasn’t turned black, that’s the right point.”
As Jian Mo cooked, Wu Jiong returned home. Seeing the crowded kitchen, he didn’t say much and instead went to the vegetable patch to pick cooling herbs to make a chilled herbal drink for everyone.
Spicy dishes needed a cooling drink to balance the heat; otherwise, they might be too intense to enjoy.
Since it was rare for Jian Mo’s household to prepare so much food, he invited everyone to bring their families, including their children, to join the meal.
The beastmen were a bit shy, but the children didn’t hesitate and eagerly ran over.
Zhou Fu’s child, Qiu Li, even brought Bian Chirpy along to greet Jian Mo and Wu Jiong politely.
The children’s tolerance for spicy food turned out to be even higher than the adults’. At the table, they kept eating despite the heat, their faces red and their breaths coming out as “huff huff,” but they showed no intention of stopping.
Watching the children’s enthusiasm, Jian Mo had an idea. “In my homeland, we have a snack called spicy strips. They’re delicious, and I think you’d like them. I’ll make some when I have the chance.”
Jian Mo rarely praised food, so when he said something was delicious, it likely truly was.
Bian Chirpy tilted its head. “Brother Jian Mo, are spicy strips made of chili peppers?”
Jian Mo replied, “They’re made with chili oil, and shaped into strips. It’s the same idea—crispy and spicy.”
Qiu Li looked up at him with wide eyes and asked, “Brother Jian Mo, when is ‘when you have the chance’?”
Zhou Fu lightly knocked his son on the head. “Don’t ask like that.”
Qiu Li rubbed his head but persisted. “I just want to know.”
By Earth’s calendar, Jian Mo hadn’t eaten spicy strips in over a year. Talking about them now even made him crave some.
He turned to Wu Jiong. “Do we have any free time in the next few days?”
Wu Jiong replied, “Tomorrow.”
Jian Mo smiled at Qiu Li and Bian Chirpy. “Then I’ll make them tomorrow.”
The two children cheered. “Brother Jian Mo, can we come watch?”
“Of course,” Jian Mo said. “Qing Kuo, you can come too if you’re free. You can help me out.”
Qing Kuo laughed. “With an invitation like that, how could we not come?”
Jian Mo chuckled. “Alright, everyone’s welcome. I’ll make plenty.”
After finalizing plans for the spicy strips, Jian Mo prepared the necessary ingredients in advance.
He only knew how to make rice-based spicy strips. The pearl rice they had here was large-grained, so it might need to be ground finer—but that was a task for tomorrow.
News of Jian Mo’s spicy strips spread quickly. The next morning, a group of children gathered under his window, watching with eager eyes.
Jian Mo laughed at their curiosity. “It’s not ready yet. You all came too early.”
Jiang Xing piped up in a clear voice, “Brother Jian Mo, we came early to see if we could help.”
Seeing the children’s eager faces, Jian Mo decided to involve them. “Alright, go to the vegetable patch and pick some herbs for me.”
Jiang Xing grabbed a basket. “Brother Jian Mo, what herbs do you need?”
“Scallions, ginger, garlic, and wide-leaf grass. Just fill one basket,” Jian Mo instructed.
The children listened attentively, then dashed off with their baskets, full of energy and enthusiasm.
Watching them go, Jian Mo couldn’t help but smile.
Before long, some of the adults arrived as well.
Qing Kuo looked around and asked, “Where are the kids? Bian Chirpy barely touched breakfast and ran off in a hurry.”
Jian Mo replied, “I sent them to gather herbs.”
Qing Kuo nodded approvingly. “Good idea—keeps them busy instead of chattering around here.”
Zhou Dao’s father, Chen Yi, suggested, “When they’re done, they can cut grass for the winged beasts.”
Zhou Fu agreed. “That’s a great idea. They’ve gotten pretty good at finding food for Chirpy and Ying Ao.”
As everyone chatted, they headed to the kitchen.
Jian Mo had already steamed rice in preparation for the spicy strips. To make them, he needed to mix the rice with flour and starch, knead it into dough, roll it out, cut it into strips, and steam it again.
While there might be other methods for making spicy strips, this was the only one Jian Mo knew.
Jian Mo instructed, “Wash your hands first, then start kneading and rolling the dough on the cutting board.”
Everyone agreed readily and quickly washed up to get started.
Rolling and cutting dough didn’t require much skill, just effort. When Jian Mo worked on these tasks alone, the tediousness often made him impatient. But doing it together, chatting and laughing, made the process much easier. Slowly but surely, more and more strips of dough filled the wooden basin.
Seeing the growing pile, Jian Mo said, “Keep rolling. I’ll prepare the chili oil.”
Qing Kuo asked curiously, “How do you make chili oil? Do you just throw the chilies into hot oil?”
Jian Mo waved his hand. “No, no, that’s an easy way to burn them. I heat the oil first, then pour it over chili powder.”
He showed them the finely ground chili powder he had prepared. The dried chilies, crisp from the sun, had been pounded into a fine powder using a small stone mortar.
Jian Mo explained, “First, I’ll make fragrant spice oil. Later, I’ll pour it over the chili powder. This powder already has sugar, fruit wine, and shellfish powder mixed in. The sugar and shellfish powder enhance the flavor, while the fruit wine keeps the chili powder slightly damp to prevent burning.”
Everyone nodded as though they understood, though their expressions suggested otherwise.
Ignoring them, Jian Mo directed someone to light the fire and poured oil into the pan. Since the tribe didn’t have vegetable oil, they used beast oil. Different types of beast oil had varying flavors—some were very strong, while others were mild. To avoid overpowering the flavor, Jian Mo chose a mild beast oil.
Once the oil heated up, he added a mix of spices and fried them patiently.
Soon, the aroma filled the kitchen.
Qing Kuo sniffed the air and remarked, “This smells so good! I bet it’d taste amazing with anything.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Exactly. When we pour it over the chili powder, it’ll smell even better. You can use chili oil to mix with vegetables, meat, or even eat it plain as a side dish.”
Zhou Fu said enthusiastically, “We should make some to keep on hand.”
Jian Mo agreed. “Good idea. The cold weather will keep the oil fresh for a long time. It’s perfect for when you’re too lazy to cook.”
The oil was ready in no time. Jian Mo carefully ladled it out and drizzled it over the chili powder, and stirring as he poured.
Each splash of hot oil released a wave of fragrance, filling the entire kitchen with a spicy, aromatic scent. It was both enticing and overwhelming, and several people ran outside, coughing but unable to stop praising, “It smells amazing!”
Jian Mo chuckled. “This is chili oil. Go ahead and taste it.”
No one held back. They dipped chopsticks into the oil and sampled it.
Zhou Fu exclaimed, “It’s not as spicy as I thought!”
Jian Mo explained, “That’s the point. Properly made chili oil prioritizes aroma over heat, resulting in a milder, more balanced flavor. That’s why it’s perfect for mixing with or complementing other dishes.”
Zhou Fu nodded, impressed. “It’s delicious! The sugar and shellfish powder really enhance the flavor.”
Jian Mo said, “Those ingredients are key, especially the shellfish powder. It’s easy to get, so don’t skimp on it.”
If soy sauce had been available, Jian Mo would have added that too. But since the tribe didn’t have any, he had to make do. His fish sauce, fermenting in the backyard, wouldn’t be ready for some time.
The chili oil turned out wonderfully, leaving everyone eager for the next step.
Jian Mo guided the group to steam the rice strips. These were made from rice mixed with flour and starch, kneaded into dough, rolled flat, and cut into strips.
After steaming, the rice strips were slightly chewy, with a subtle sweetness. Coated with chili oil, they looked glossy and appetizing, their vibrant red color making them even more tempting.
Once mixed, each person grabbed a strip to taste. The chewy texture, combined with the rich, spicy-sweet chili oil, created a flavor unlike anything they had eaten before.
Most people loved the spicy strips, but the children were especially enthusiastic. Despite the heat making them pant and gasp, they couldn’t stop eating.
“Brother Jian Mo, these spicy strips are amazing!” a child exclaimed, their eyes sparkling with delight.
The phenomenon of children loving spicy snacks wasn’t unique to this tribe. Jian Mo, feeling a bit smug, replied, “Right? When I was a kid, I loved spicy strips too.”
The children nodded fervently, looking at Jian Mo with newfound admiration.
Jian Mo laughed. “Be good, and I’ll make them again next time.”
The children chimed in, “We’re always good! Brother Jian Mo, can Chirpy eat spicy strips too?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment before answering, “Don’t feed them to Chirpy. I’ll take care of that myself.”
The kids weren’t exactly careful when feeding the winged beasts, and Jian Mo didn’t want to risk overfeeding them. Chirpy and Ying Ao were already shedding for the season, and too much salt might make them look like fluffy dandelions.
Jian Mo made a large batch of spicy strips, keeping some for his household while distributing the rest. Since the tribe members had been helping care for his animals and home while he and Wu Jiong were away, he felt it was only right to express his gratitude.
Though helping each other was a given in the tribe, Jian Mo wanted to acknowledge their kindness.
A few days later, Ye Luo came to Jian Mo with a frown. “Something’s off with the kids.”
Wu Jiong asked, “What’s going on?”
Ye Luo hesitated. “I asked around but didn’t get a clear answer. It seems like the kids from our tribe have been picking on kids from other tribes. They’re outside playing right now—you should see for yourselves.”
Bullying among the children was a serious matter. Jian Mo exchanged a glance with Wu Jiong.
Wu Jiong nodded. “Let’s check it out.”
The two, along with Ye Luo, headed to the open ground outside. Sure enough, the children were engaged in a large-scale group competition game in the fighting arena.
The He’an Tribe’s children and those from other tribes had divided themselves into two teams.
The kids roared and shouted as they played, seemingly enjoying themselves. At first glance, everything appeared normal.
Ye Luo leaned closer and whispered, “Look closely. The ones in beast form carrying others on their backs are all from the other tribes. Not a single one is from our tribe.”
Jian Mo observed more carefully and realized it was true.
Typically, some young beastmen preferred staying in human form, while others remained in beast form, and either was perfectly normal. However, it wasn’t typical for one group to always bear the burden, especially without taking turns.
Clearly, the children weren’t alternating—only the other tribes’ children were doing the heavy lifting.
Jian Mo was about to call out to them when one child glanced in their direction. The child shrank slightly, then suddenly shouted, “Chief Wu Jiong is here—!”
The moment those words rang out, the children scattered like startled birds, bolting toward the edge of the arena.
Their reaction was so conspicuous that it only made things more obvious.
Jian Mo’s lips twitched. Seriously? Not even trying to pretend? If I didn’t suspect anything before, I definitely do now.
As expected, Wu Jiong’s deep voice called out, “Jiang Xing.”
Jiang Xing froze like a kitten grabbed by the scruff, his fur practically bristling. He turned around reluctantly, his toes still pointed toward escape. “Chief, what’s up?”
Wu Jiong’s tone was calm but carried authority. “I have some questions. He Feng, you and the others stay too.”
The named children wore expressions more pitiful than tears as they dragged their feet toward Wu Jiong.
“Chief,” they mumbled, looking utterly defeated.
The rest of the children took advantage of the distraction to flee as fast as their legs could carry them.
Wu Jiong gazed down at the small group before him. “Are you going to explain yourselves, or should I start asking?”
Thanks for the chapters!