At some point, trees along the mountain and roadside in the He’an Tribe began budding with grayish flowers.
One morning, they awoke to find the entire mountain covered in blossoms. Pink petals and pale white flower centers brought vibrant life to the previously desolate landscape left behind by the long winter.
A faint floral fragrance filled the air, bathing the entire tribe in sweetness.
This time, no announcements were necessary—everyone knew spring had truly arrived.
Attention shifted from small matters like algae and wild fruits to preparing for hunting and gathering expeditions.
Last year, when Jian Mo first arrived, he wasn’t familiar with the process. This spring, however, he discovered that the tribe sent out over thirty teams for hunting and gathering combined.
While he barely knew anyone last year, this year was different. Now, he had acquaintances in every team.
The teams varied in their goals, and the groupings could change depending on tasks. However, most people preferred to stick with familiar companions.
Jian Mo was an exception—he was curious about teaming up with different people to try new experiences.
That morning, upon hearing that one of the tribe’s older sub-beastman gathering teams was heading out to collect wild vegetables, he immediately became interested.
“Ying Duan, can I join you today?” Jian Mo asked enthusiastically.
Ying Duan smiled warmly. “Of course! It’ll be great to have a young and nimble helper to pick the greens from the tree tops.”
Jian Mo informed Qing Kuo and the others, strapped on his gathering basket, and jogged over to Ying Duan’s group. “I’ll do my best to help!”
Having spent so much time here, Jian Mo’s physical fitness had greatly improved. As long as it wasn’t a hundred-meter-tall tree, he could climb with ease.
Ying Duan and the others were delighted. “We just want to gather some wild greens. Unfortunately, not many people around here like them.”
“I love wild greens!” Jian Mo chimed in. “After eating so much frozen and cured meat all winter, I’m craving something fresh.”
Hearing their conversation, members of a neighboring team grinned and chimed in, “We like wild greens and fruits too! Especially non-bitter greens.”
Ying Duan chuckled. “That’s a bit hard to find.”
Jian Mo nodded. “A little bitterness is fine. Just blanch them, and it’ll be good.”
As they talked, Ye Luo approached and asked, “Can I join your gathering trip today?”
Ying Duan welcomed him with a warm smile. “The more, the merrier!”
With Ye Luo joining in, Ying Duan’s team was now full, and they began heading out of the tribe.
The group, composed mostly of middle-aged and older sub-beastmen, moved at a slower pace. Jian Mo found it more relaxing compared to other teams he had joined.
Their destination wasn’t the mountains but the riverbanks downstream. The moist spring breeze carried a hint of freshness, and Jian Mo felt light and energetic as he walked along.
Before long, they came across their first tree with edible buds.
The tree had just begun to sprout. The yellowish buds were tightly curled, and a gentle snap produced a crisp “pop” as they were plucked.
Having never tasted this type of wild vegetable before, Jian Mo curiously brought it to his nose for a sniff.
The buds exuded a fresh aroma, reminiscent of cucumbers but even more fragrant.
“Smells amazing,” Jian Mo exclaimed, surprised.
Ye Luo grinned. “But it’s a bit bitter. Go ahead, give it a taste.”
“Can you eat it raw?” Jian Mo asked skeptically.
Even so, he broke off a small piece and popped it into his mouth. The crisp sound of his bite was followed by a wave of clean bitterness spreading through his mouth.
It was bitter but not unpleasant.
“It’s alright; I can eat this,” Jian Mo said, studying the small cluster of leaves in his hand.
Ying Duan laughed. “Then you’d better eat more!”
When picking the buds, they followed certain rules: never harvest them all. At most, they could take two-thirds, and even then, they had to pick them sporadically to avoid harming the tree’s growth.
Jian Mo’s quick hands deftly snapped off the buds, one after another, filling him with a sense of accomplishment.
Once they finished harvesting the buds, they moved on to digging up wild vegetables along the riverbank.
Jian Mo recognized this plant. Back in the previous autumn, he had used it as a medicinal herb to reduce fevers.
Ye Luo, noticing his expression, explained, “The new shoots of this plant have no medicinal properties yet. You can eat them as a vegetable instead.”
“It’s also tender now,” Ying Duan added. “Once it grows, it gets tough, bitter, and sticks in your teeth.”
Jian Mo nodded, recalling that some plants could be both food and medicine. He was only slightly surprised by their use.
Ying Duan announced, “Once we finish gathering the greens here, let’s move downstream and aim to fill our baskets.”
The group voiced their agreement and pressed on.
By the end of the day, Jian Mo discovered that his teammates had exceptional stamina and dexterity. Among them, he was undoubtedly the weakest link, a realization that left him a bit resigned.
Even with all his training, his physical fitness was still slightly inferior to theirs.
“Well, let’s see if another year of exercise will make a difference next spring,” Jian Mo thought.
When they returned to the tribe, most of the other teams had also come back.
The group handed over part of their harvest to the tribe for distribution. Ye Luo, being part of the distribution team, stayed behind to assist with the allocations.
By now, Jian Mo was familiar with the tribe’s logistics and no longer needed to collect his share personally. A quick word with Wu Jiong was enough, and Wu Jiong would retrieve their portions for both of them.
This saved Jian Mo some time to work on chores at home.
With the arrival of fresh wild vegetables, Jian Mo decided to make a batch of noodles for dinner.
He began by kneading dough, setting it aside to rest, and then blanching the tree buds.
Since they had gathered more tree buds than they could eat in one meal, he blanched the extras, salted them, and packed them into jars for fermentation to make pickled greens.
Pickling would further reduce the bitterness, enhancing the flavor, and the fermented greens would also have mild health benefits when consumed.
Humming a tune, Jian Mo worked on the pickling process.
Wu Jiong’s tall figure soon appeared at the door, carrying their share of the day’s rations. “We got a big chunk of lean meat and two hefty ribs. Which do you want for dinner?”
Jian Mo, initially planning to make noodles with meat sauce, changed his mind when he saw the ribs. They were perfectly marbled, with tender meat that looked incredibly appetizing. “Let’s have ribs tonight—just one piece will do.”
“Alright, I’ll hang the rest of the meat under the eaves,” Wu Jiong replied.
Jian Mo nodded. “The weather’s still cold, so hanging it overnight will keep it fresh for tomorrow morning.”
Carrying the ribs to the yard, Wu Jiong asked, “How big should I chop the ribs, or should I cook them whole?”
Jian Mo shook his head vehemently and held up his fingers for reference. “No, no! Chop them into pieces about the size of two fingers. Too much, and we won’t finish it.”
Wu Jiong took the ribs to the chopping block in the yard and got to work, while Jian Mo stayed inside, preparing side dishes.
Having fresh noodles was a rare treat, so Jian Mo didn’t skimp. He carefully planned every step.
First, knead and roll the dough, then let it rest while preparing cool boiled water to rinse the noodles once cooked.
The meal wouldn’t be complete without bird eggs—it was all part of the ritual.
He also planned to cook two sausages, slicing the browned and crispy links into thick pieces to pair with the noodles.
Of course, the fresh wild greens were essential, along with pepper sprout paste, garlic powder, and a handful of crushed nuts to add texture, a perfect substitute for peanuts.
Taking out two large noodle bowls, Jian Mo hummed as he prepared everything.
He started boiling water for the noodles but suddenly remembered he hadn’t made a broth yet. Heading outside, he retrieved some cured bone and a fresh chunk of beast meat to simmer into a flavorful stock.
Any leftover ingredients wouldn’t go to waste—they could always be fed to Chirpy.
The house quickly filled with steam, and the broth in the pot turned milky white. The cured bones lent it a rich aroma, while the beast meat enhanced its fresh, savory flavor.
Jian Mo shook the freshly cut noodles to loosen them and dropped them into boiling water.
As soon as the noodles were cooked, he fished them out and rinsed them in cool water to stop the cooking and wash away excess starch. Even the rinsing water would later go to Chirpy—nothing was wasted.
He divided the noodles into two bowls, one large and one small. He carefully topped them with soft-boiled bird eggs, pan-fried sausages, pickled greens, and the fresh green buds they had gathered. Finally, he poured the creamy, aromatic broth over the noodles.
The fragrance was irresistible.
To finish, Jian Mo added crispy fried ribs, a dollop of pepper sprout paste, a sprinkle of garlic powder, and a handful of crushed nuts.
The two bowls of noodles were now ready. They were a feast for the senses, with their vibrant colors and enticing aromas. The dark yellow pickled greens, orange-red egg yolks, golden-brown fried ribs, and bright green buds all came together in perfect harmony.
Unable to resist any longer, Jian Mo carried the steaming bowls to the table, shaking his reddened fingers from the heat. He called out, “The noodles are ready! Come and eat!”
Wu Jiong strode in from outside, grinning. “I smelled it cooking earlier. My stomach’s been growling nonstop.”
Jian Mo chuckled. “Me too! I didn’t used to care much for noodles, but looking at these bowls full of goodies, I just can’t wait!”
“Let’s eat,” Wu Jiong said.
The two sat across from each other. Jian Mo wasted no time, grabbing a large bite of noodles with his chopsticks and slurping them down while they were still hot.
The noodles were soft yet chewy, with a delicate starch fragrance that filled his mouth.
After finishing the noodles, he took a sip of the broth, exhaling deeply in satisfaction.
Next, he picked up some of the tree buds with his chopsticks.
Blanching had indeed removed most of the bitterness. The buds were crisp and fresh, crunching delightfully with each bite. Eating them felt like savoring a piece of spring itself.
Jian Mo couldn’t help but sigh contentedly.
Only someone who had gone an entire winter without fresh vegetables could truly appreciate the joy of eating something so tender and fresh. Even the faint bitterness was delicious—refreshing, like a cool breeze brushing past.
Sweat beaded on his nose from the heat as he paused to ask Wu Jiong, “What do you think?”
“Delicious,” Wu Jiong replied simply.
Chewing on a rib, Jian Mo grinned. “I think so too. Spring is just amazing.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Tomorrow, the two of us will head out alone. I’ll take you to gather a special wild vegetable that grows on the cliffs.”
Jian Mo’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of vegetable?”
“It’s tender and not bitter. You can eat it after just a quick blanching. The flavor is exceptional, but it’s rare, and not many people know about it,” Wu Jiong explained.
Jian Mo immediately decided, “Let’s go! First thing tomorrow morning!”
But their plans were foiled the next morning.
Qing Kuo arrived at their house bright and early, saying, “It seems the tribe has accidentally created cement.”
Jian Mo, still groggy, was instantly wide awake. “What do you mean by ‘seems to have created cement’?”
Qing Kuo clarified, “Didn’t you mention it before? Cement is that hard, grayish-black stuff that’s even stronger than lime when dried. It can bond stones together better than lime. Well, we just found a big chunk of something like that near the mine.”
Still unsure what Qing Kuo was talking about, Jian Mo quickly made up his mind. “Let’s go take a look.”
The three of them hurried to the mine and soon saw a large clump not far from the entrance.
The lump was gray-brown and looked very much like a rock from a distance.
Jian Mo recalled seeing it several times during the winter, half-buried under snow. He had assumed it was just a discarded rock from the mine.
To think it was actually man-made!
Qing Kuo kicked the hard lump and explained, “I already asked around, but no one remembers who made it. All they recall is that some leftover lime was burned and thrown into a pit, then later mixed with mine slag and discarded clay. Eventually, it turned into this.”
Jian Mo pondered for a moment. “It might have been an accident.”
He speculated, “The lime we use is quicklime, which is stable when dry. But during the snowy winter, melting snow likely seeped into it, turning it into a slaked lime paste. The paste could’ve bonded with the other materials, forming this hard lump.”
Qing Kuo’s eyes lit up. “So, it wasn’t deliberate? Just a fluke?”
“Possibly,” Jian Mo replied. “We need to test it first to see if this stuff qualifies as cement.”
If they truly had stumbled upon cement, it might finally be time to move forward with building their new kitchen.
