Jian Mo and Wu Jiong didn’t return until late into the night.
When they arrived at the tribe, everything was still and quiet, as if the entire tribe was fast asleep.
The patrolling beastmen noticed them but didn’t disturb them.
The two walked home softly and silently. When they reached the house, Jian Mo nudged Wu Jiong forward to enter.
Just then, Jian Mo heard a faint sound. “Chirp chirp.”
Turning around, he saw Chirpy standing in front of them, head tilted, watching curiously. It let out another soft sound. “Chirp?”
Caught off guard, Jian Mo felt a flash of guilt, as if he’d been caught sneaking in. “What are you chirping about? Why aren’t you asleep? Go to bed already.”
He stretched out his arm to nudge Chirpy’s fluffy body.
But instead of leaving, Chirpy grabbed his sleeve with its beak and tugged him sideways.
Jian Mo blinked. “Huh?”
Wu Jiong guessed, “Is Chirpy trying to lead us somewhere?”
Following Chirpy’s lead, they took a few steps to the side, stopping when Jian Mo spotted something on the windowsill.
Moving closer, they saw two neat rows of bowls filled with food.
Jian Mo immediately understood. “These must be the longfin eels the cubs caught. Their parents must have cooked them and brought them over.”
Proud of their cubs’ classroom harvest, the parents had likely prepared the eels and sent them as gifts. Perhaps one family had started the trend, prompting others to follow suit, resulting in two entire rows of bowls.
Jian Mo chuckled helplessly. “Which families left these here?”
Chirpy, of course, couldn’t answer, merely letting out another “chirp” to remind them of the food.
Jian Mo patted Chirpy’s head. “Alright, we’ll eat it tomorrow morning.”
It was too late to eat, and both Jian Mo and Wu Jiong had already washed up, with no intention of snacking.
Satisfied that its mission was complete, Chirpy chirped one last time and returned to its nest to sleep.
Wu Jiong and Jian Mo quickly moved the bowls into the cabinet and headed to bed.
The next morning, Wu Jiong got up early, while Jian Mo lingered in bed, rolling around lazily.
The weather was cooler now, and staying under the blankets felt incredibly comfortable. If not for the fear of ruining his nighttime sleep schedule, he might have indulged in another nap.
After much delay, Jian Mo finally pulled on a long-sleeved outfit, yawning as he slowly made his way downstairs.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly. Ying Ao had likely gone out to hunt, while Chirpy was playing with the cubs in the tribe. Jian Mo’s sharp beast ears picked up the cheerful sounds of the cubs and Chirpy’s familiar chirping.
After washing up, Jian Mo served himself breakfast from the pot and ate at a leisurely pace.
Before he could finish, Zhou Fu arrived, bringing someone with him. “Jian Mo, someone’s here to see you.”
Jian Mo swallowed his mouthful of food and asked, “Who is it?”
Zhou Fu stepped aside to reveal the visitor.
It was a sub-beastman holding a River Fleece Beast in his arms. Jian Mo didn’t recognize him as someone from the tribe.
The sub-beastman stood politely at the kitchen door. “Doctor Jian Mo, I’m Di Ying from the Dian Xin Tribe. I’d like to ask you to take a look at my River Fleece Beast.”
Jian Mo set down his chopsticks. “What’s wrong with it?”
Di Ying replied, “I’m not sure. It’s been restless and hasn’t been eating for the past couple of days. Something seems off.”
Jian Mo stood up. “Let me see.”
Zhou Fu left after escorting the visitor, and Di Ying waited at the door.
Jian Mo quickly cleared the table, washed his hands, and joined Di Ying in the courtyard to examine the River Fleece Beast under the sunlight.
While inspecting the animal, Jian Mo casually asked, “Does your tribe also keep River Fleece Beasts?”
Di Ying nodded. “Yes. I heard you have some too, so I brought it here.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Di Ying added, “Doctor Jian Mo, can you treat River Fleece Beasts?”
Jian Mo replied, “I should be able to, but I might not have all the necessary medicine. Let me take a look first.”
After examining the animal, Jian Mo lifted the plump River Fleece Beast in his arms. “It seems to have urinary retention. Has it been unable to urinate for the past two days? Do the other River Fleece Beasts have similar symptoms, or is it just this one?”
Di Ying shook his head. “I don’t have any others. This is the only one I keep.”
Surprised, Jian Mo asked, “As a pet?”
Though unfamiliar with the term “pet,” Di Ying quickly understood. “Yes. I’ve loved raising River Fleece Beasts since I was young. This is the third one I’ve raised, the offspring of my last one.”
“That’s wonderful.” Jian Mo completed his examination. “It does seem to be a urinary issue. I see some swelling, likely due to an infection.”
Di Ying grew nervous. “What should I do?”
Jian Mo reassured him, “I’ll try to relieve its bladder first, then make an herbal diuretic for it to drink. Leave the River Fleece Beast with me for now.”
Di Ying visibly relaxed. “Thank you so much. What will it cost?”
Jian Mo estimated, “Once everything’s done, probably one or two rolls of cloth. If you don’t have cloth, other resources will work.”
In these parts, cloth was the most common currency for bartering, especially with the abundance of cotton fabric from the Jiu Nian Tribe.
Di Ying was relieved to hear the price. “I was worried you might not treat River Fleece Beasts.”
Jian Mo smiled. “I treat animals often. I’ll do my best, but if I can’t help, there’s nothing I can do.”
Di Ying nodded. “You’re very kind, Doctor Jian Mo.”
Jian Mo carried the River Fleece Beast to the clinic.
The fluffy creature was clearly unwell, but it was small enough that Jian Mo didn’t need assistance. Using his knowledge, he successfully relieved its bladder despite the limited tools available.
Afterward, he handed the River Fleece Beast back to Di Ying. “I’ve helped it urinate. Feel its stomach—it’s no longer hard, right?”
Di Ying touched the animal’s belly and exclaimed in delight, “It’s true!”
Jian Mo continued, “Now I need to gather some herbs to make a diuretic.”
Di Ying offered, “Should I come with you?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Yes. I’ll show you what to gather so you can prepare the medicine yourself later.”
The herbs needed were common, and Jian Mo found fresh ones in his vegetable patch.
After brewing the herbal tea in an old clay pot, Jian Mo cooled it down and helped Di Ying feed it to the River Fleece Beast. “Now we wait to see if it can urinate on its own. Feed it the herbal tea a few more times, and it should recover.”
Di Ying gazed at the animal with a mixture of guilt and relief. “If only I’d known this before, my first River Fleece Beast wouldn’t have died so young.”
Jian Mo patted his shoulder sympathetically.
Di Ying smiled faintly. “When I was young, I loved playing with my first River Fleece Beast. I guess I was timid because my father passed away early, so I found comfort in animals.”
Jian Mo nodded. “That’s understandable. Lots of people where I’m from keep pets for similar reasons.”
Di Ying’s eyes lit up. “Your place sounds amazing. Most people here don’t understand why I keep River Fleece Beasts without eating them.”
Jian Mo grinned. “Look at us—we keep flying beasts like Chirpy and Ying Ao.”
Initially, they’d kept Chirpy as a mount, but raising Ying Ao had been more about companionship. While Ying Ao could fend for itself and help out, it was, in essence, a beloved pet and family member.
Di Ying smiled again when he heard Jian Mo’s words. “I knew Doctor Jian Mo wouldn’t think I was strange, so I brought my River Fleece Beast to you.”
Jian Mo replied, “It’s not strange at all. As long as it doesn’t harm others, everyone has the freedom to do what they enjoy.”
Di Ying nodded earnestly. “Yes!”
The River Fleece Beast’s condition wasn’t severe. After drinking the herbal tea, it quickly regained the ability to urinate on its own.
Jian Mo instructed Di Ying to continue feeding it the herbal tea for two more days and to pay closer attention to such issues in the future.
Di Ying agreed and said he would bring clothes as payment in a few days.
After seeing Di Ying off, Jian Mo specifically went to the animal pen to check on their own River Fleece Beasts.
Their beasts were plump and fluffy, with luxurious fur, and they were all perfectly healthy with no similar issues.
Jian Mo breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
A couple of days later, Di Ying returned with the promised clothes as payment. Along with it, he brought a felted River Fleece Beast doll and a basket of herbs.
Jian Mo looked at the doll and exclaimed, “You’re so skilled!”
Di Ying scratched his head sheepishly. “It’s nothing. People in our tribe often make accessories for other tribes. Sometimes we make little toys, too, but this is the first time I’ve made a River Fleece Beast. It’s not very accurate, but if you like it, that’s what matters.”
Jian Mo said sincerely, “It’s perfect! It looks amazing and so lifelike. I couldn’t have imagined such a doll without seeing it for myself.”
Di Ying became even more bashful. “Then, Doctor Jian Mo, please accept it. This basket of herbs is also for you. It’s a special herb from our tribe, said to be good for sub-beastmen. Doctor Jian Mo, since you’re developing a bit late, maybe this will help?”
Jian Mo touched the pair of cat ears still perched on top of his head that he couldn’t retract.
He’d never taken the matter too seriously, but it seemed others were worrying about it on his behalf.
Jian Mo smiled. “Thank you. I’ll give it a try.”
Di Ying explained, “You use this herb just like any other—boil it into a tea and drink it twice a day. It’s a tonic, so it’s good for your body. Whether you brew more or less each time doesn’t matter much.”
He spoke so earnestly that Jian Mo also promised seriously, “Alright, I’ll make sure to use this basket of herbs.”
Di Ying added, “If it works for you, feel free to visit our tribe. I can take you out to dig up more.”
Jian Mo accepted both the herbs and the doll but refused to take the cloth.
Di Ying insisted, pushing the cloth into Jian Mo’s hands. “A gift is a gift, but medical fees are medical fees. Doctor Jian Mo, you must accept this. Thank you for treating my River Fleece Beast. To others, it might just be an animal, but to me, it’s a friend. I’m truly grateful.”
Seeing his determination, Jian Mo went back inside and retrieved a scarf. “This is a scarf we got from another tribe. The colors and patterns are quite special. I’d like to give it to you.”
Di Ying initially hesitated but eventually accepted after Jian Mo insisted.
A bit embarrassed, he exchanged a few more words with Jian Mo before saying goodbye, explaining that he needed to return to his tribe.
Jian Mo noticed that Di Ying had come alone and would return alone. It seemed he was a courageous and independent sub-beastman.
Curious about the herbs Di Ying had brought, Jian Mo asked the tribe members about them before brewing the tea.
The tribe members confirmed that the herb from the Dian Xin Tribe was indeed beneficial for sub-beastmen. They also mentioned that the same herb could be found within the He’an Tribe’s territory and offered to collect some for Jian Mo during their next gathering trip.
Surprised, Jian Mo said, “This herb grows here? I didn’t know that.”
Ye Luo explained, “We noticed you didn’t seem very interested in becoming a sub-beastman, so we didn’t bring it up.”
Jian Mo touched his fluffy cat ears. “Did I really seem that way?”
Ye Luo nodded. “Yes. The chief even told us not to mention it so you wouldn’t feel pressured.”
Jian Mo felt a warm wave of gratitude. Despite being an “outsider,” he never felt like one. Wu Jiong and the tribe had silently supported him all along.
Jian Mo smiled. “Got it. I’ll give it a try. Actually, I don’t mind becoming a sub-beastman anymore.”
Ye Luo looked at him, then nodded. “Alright.”
