Transmigrated to the Beastman World as a Veterinarian – CH36

Early in the morning, Jian Mo got ready to check the fish traps when Ban Ming dashed out from a small path.

“Brother Jian Mo!” Ban Ming called cheerfully.

Hearing his lively greeting, Jian Mo stopped and waited for him. “Why are you up so early today?”

Ban Ming blatantly lied, “I wake up this early every day.”

Jian Mo gave him a glance but said nothing. He was familiar with the Qing Kuo family and knew they were not early risers, especially Ban Ming. This young beastman had recently come out of a sleep-deprived growth phase. If he didn’t have to go hunting, he’d usually sleep until the sun warmed the ground.

Seeing Ban Ming up this early was as rare as Wujiong sleeping in.

Noticing Jian Mo’s expression, Ban Ming knew his lie hadn’t worked, but he didn’t care. Looking around to ensure no one else was near, he lowered his voice. “Brother Jian Mo, I need a favor.”

Jian Mo immediately became alert. “What is it? Tell me first, and I’ll decide whether to help.”

Ban Ming hesitated, a bit embarrassed. “You know I like A’Meng, right?”

Jian Mo nodded.

Ban Ming continued, “What do you think of him?”

Assuming Ban Ming was looking to formalize his relationship with A’Meng and was sounding him out as a go-between, Jian Mo said, “He’s a great person—outstanding character and capable. A fine sub-beastman.”

Ban Ming raised his chin proudly. “Right? And he’s also really good-looking.”

Jian Mo couldn’t help but tease him. “Should I talk to your father for you?”

“No, no, no!” Ban Ming waved his hands frantically, realizing the misunderstanding. “That’s not why I’m here. I wanted to ask if A’Meng could bring his father to see you about his leg.”

Hearing this, Jian Mo felt both amused and exasperated. After such a long preamble, this was all Ban Ming wanted to ask. “Of course. If someone’s unwell, they can come to me. Wujiong and the others don’t stop anyone.”

Jian Mo genuinely liked A’Meng. His family’s two Tou Tou beasts had been gifts from the young and handsome sub-beastman during a critical time. Even though A’Meng was from the Xiongying Tribe, Jian Mo would help him if needed.

Ban Ming sighed in relief. “That’s what I told him! Brother Jian Mo, you’re such a kind person. Even if his father is from another tribe, you wouldn’t turn him away. But he overthinks things and felt it was better to check with you first.”

Thoughtful people often carry unnecessary worries. Jian Mo nodded understandingly. “Tell him to bring his father over. Muscle and bone injuries take about a hundred days to heal. His father’s leg should be rechecked.”

“Got it! I’ll head over to his tribe and let him know right away. Brother Jian Mo, you’re the best.”

Jian Mo shot him a look. “Only for your partner?”

Blushing slightly, Ban Ming said, “He’s not my partner yet. I’m working hard to become his future partner.”

This guy was handsome and radiated positivity, but he had a silly streak, more like a giant Samoyed than a cunning cat.

Jian Mo waved him off. “Go on, get moving.”

But Ban Ming didn’t leave. “Aren’t you going to check the fish traps? I’ll help.”

Since Ban Ming insisted, saying the cold weather made it hard to handle the fish, he helped Jian Mo pull up the traps and clean the fish. Only after finishing did he bid Jian Mo farewell.

When A’Meng brought his father over, Jian Mo’s attitude was especially warm. Typically, he was stern when dealing with patients and their families—being serious made patients more likely to follow his instructions. But this time, he was softer, influenced by Ban Ming’s sincerity.

“Doctor Jian Mo,” A’Meng greeted him with his father.

“You’ve arrived?” Jian Mo smiled at them. “The journey must’ve been hard, especially with the cold. How’s your leg holding up in this weather? Any new discomfort?”

A’Meng’s father seemed a bit reserved but replied honestly, “It aches a little before snowfall and hurts more in extreme cold.”

“Let me take a look,” Jian Mo said.

After a careful examination, Jian Mo found that the leg had healed decently but hadn’t fully recovered. There were still faint red marks, suggesting some inflammation. He also had A’Meng’s father shift into his beast form for further inspection.

The Xiongying Tribe’s beast forms resembled unicorns with sharp horns that exuded an intimidating aura. In his beast form, the redness in his leg was more apparent, with some visible vascular damage.

Jian Mo frowned. “You haven’t been resting properly since going back, have you?”

A’Meng’s father murmured, “Not really. I’ve skipped many collective activities.”

“Which means you’ve joined them occasionally,” Jian Mo deduced, his tone sharp.

A’Meng frowned and looked at his father disapprovingly.

Feeling a headache coming on, Jian Mo said, “This kind of injury needs careful care. I’ll apply a hot salt compress for now. Keep the leg warm and rest as much as possible when you return.”

A’Meng agreed earnestly.

Jian Mo nodded at the reliable sub-beastman and picked up a worn clay pot, placing it over the hearth. He poured in half a pot of rock salt and slowly stirred it as it heated.

Once the rock salt was thoroughly heated, Jian Mo poured it into a cloth bag, tied the bag securely, and carefully placed it over Yujiao’s injured leg in his beast form.

Before placing it down, Jian Mo tested the bag’s temperature. Though it felt safe, he still reminded them, “If it gets too hot or uncomfortable, let me know immediately. Don’t let it burn you.”

Yujiao quickly agreed.

The hot salt compress would take some time to work, so the father and son sat patiently in the hall to wait.

Jian Mo served them pepper blossom tea, a spiced beverage that didn’t have the luxury of honey but included some candied fruits. The drink was sweet and spicy, excellent for warding off the cold.

Here, snacks were scarce, and anything flavorful was cherished.

Relaxing, Yujiao and A’Meng sipped the pepperflower tea slowly.

A’Meng, with little else to do, began to glance around the room and soon noticed the bark painting hanging on Jian Mo’s wall. The painting was so vivid that A’Meng immediately recognized most of the objects depicted on it.

Sitting upright, he asked, “Doctor Jian Mo, what is this?”

Jian Mo followed his gaze to the painting. “This is my list of acceptable payments. Some people come to me for treatment but don’t have spare cloth, hides, or other standard barter items. They often need to trade with others before bringing something to me, which is cumbersome. So, I made a list of items I need. Even if they don’t have cloth or hides, I’ll happily accept these instead.”

As he spoke, Jian Mo read out the items on the list for A’Meng and Yujiao.

After listening, A’Meng realized he had some of the items Jian Mo needed. He offered to bring pottery shards and curiously asked, “Doctor Jian Mo, do you like fruit wine?”

Jian Mo laughed. “Just call me Brother Jian Mo. Fruit wine is quite useful, and we go through a lot of it in my household.”

A’Meng readily changed how he addressed him and then, with some regret, said, “It’s the perfect season for brewing fruit wine right now, but because of my father’s leg injury, we haven’t been able to pick Snow Bead Fruits this year.”

Hearing this for the first time, Jian Mo asked, “Snow Bead Fruits?”

“Yes,” A’Meng said. “They’re a fruit that only ripens after snowfall. They’re plentiful in our area. They’re very sweet and excellent for brewing wine, though they’re hard to find.”

Jian Mo asked with curiosity, “What makes them so special?”

A’Meng thought for a moment. “The Snow Bead Fruit has a layer of white frost on its surface. For brewing, you don’t need to add anything else. Just crush the fruit and put it in a jar. In three to five days, it starts changing into wine.”

Jian Mo was astonished. “That fast?!”

In contrast, the Mien fruit wine they brewed had been fermenting for ages, and it still mostly smelled like Mien Fruit with a faint hint of alcohol. He suspected it might take an entire season before the wine would be ready, just in time for spring.

“It’s true,” A’Meng said confidently. “You can ask my father if you don’t believe me.”

Yujiao, sitting beside them, nodded. “Snow Bead Fruits ferment quickly and produce excellent wine, but they’re scarce. Sometimes we have to shift into beast form to dig under the snow for grass. Even then, it takes a long time to find the fruits.”

Jian Mo couldn’t help but ask, “Why? Don’t they grow in the same place and bear fruit every year?”

A’Meng shook his head, speaking earnestly. “No, some years they bear fruit, and some years they don’t. Snow Bead Fruits are like mushrooms—you need luck to find them. Plus, their fruiting period is very short. They bloom and fade in just a day or two. Since they grow buried under the snow, you can’t spot them unless you dig.”

No wonder he hadn’t come across them in his memories—this was indeed a rare fruit.

Noticing Jian Mo’s interest, A’Meng offered, “I’ll look for some when I get back. If I find any, I’ll bring them to you.”

Jian Mo waved his hand quickly. “That’s unnecessary. The fabric made from the fur of your Tou Tou beasts is already excellent. I don’t need that much cloth for treating injuries. I’ll need to return some items to you. Do you prefer nuts, fabric, or spices?”

There was no concept of monetary change here; Jian Mo decided on the compensation. He determined fees based on the complexity of the treatment, the rarity of materials used, and the tools required.

Since examining and treating Yujiao’s leg was straightforward, it didn’t warrant a valuable piece of beast-hair fabric. Jian Mo insisted on returning some items.

Though A’Meng didn’t want to accept anything in return, Jian Mo stood firm, explaining it was a matter of principle and elaborating on the concept.

In the end, A’Meng accepted a large pouch of custom spices Jian Mo had prepared.

With their treatment done, Yujiao and A’Meng left with the spices, rock salt, and medical advice.

Jian Mo, however, remained somewhat distracted.

That evening, when Wujiong returned, he immediately noticed something was off with Jian Mo and asked what was wrong.

Jian Mo asked Wujiong, “Do you know about Snow Bead Fruits?”

Wujiong paused. “A’Meng mentioned them?”

Jian Mo nodded. “He said they’re incredibly sweet and perfect for brewing wine. Does our tribe have Snow Bead Fruits?”

“No, only their region has them,” Wujiong replied.

The Xiongying Tribe was far from theirs, with the large Mengshui Tribe lying between them.

It was normal for the regions to have different resources. For example, A’Meng had mentioned they didn’t have Honey Sparrows or honey blocks in their area.

Jian Mo looked disappointed. “I’ll ask the people from their tribe next time. Maybe I can trade for some Snow Bead Fruits or wine.”

After some thought, Wujiong said, “I think the Zhengchi Tribe also has Snow Bead Fruits.”

Jian Mo perked up immediately. “Do they grow in that unclaimed territory near the Zhengchi Tribe?”

He was referring to the area where they gathered noodlefruit, the unclaimed land between the Zhengchi and Yigu Tribes.

Wujiong said, “That’s exactly what I was going to say. Our tribe has gathered Snow Bead Fruits there in the past. But it’s been years—who knows if they’re still around? Want to take a chance and see?”

Jian Mo didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go!”

It had been ages since they’d visited that area, so it was a perfect opportunity to explore again. Jian Mo was also curious about what the place looked like in winter.

Wujiong’s lips curled into a slight smile. “Then let’s turn in early. Tomorrow, we’ll have Chirpy carry us over.”

Jian Mo asked, “Just the two of us? Not bringing anyone else?”

Wujiong raised an eyebrow. “Who else do you want to bring?”

“No, no, just the two of us is perfect. We can go wherever we please,” Jian Mo said, standing up. “I’ll check what good food we have at home and whip up something to bribe Chirpy.”