Chapter 32: Heartache

The game brought back by the hunting party is generally divided equally. Of course, only those with family members participating in the hunt are entitled to a share; those without family members in the party receive nothing.

Today, to celebrate the arrival of the Divine Messenger and the union between the Messenger and A-Yu, a portion of the catch was set aside under the supervision of the Shaman and the Chief for the celebratory feast. The remainder was distributed by the hunting party as usual.

Naturally, the evening’s meal also included purple rice and green beans.

Several bonfires were lit in the plaza, and three large stone pots were set up to boil the purple rice and green bean porridge, following the steps Mu Tong had just taught them. Three other fires were used to roast meat.

Purple rice berries and green beans are actually quite common in the forests surrounding the tribe. It was simply that no one knew how to consume them before, so they were never gathered. Now that everyone knows these two items are edible and delicious, they are quite pleased; the tribe’s variety of food has increased by two.

The purple rice berries, in particular, are favored by families with children, as they know these berries can be stored for a long time without spoiling, and there are many nearby. If they store a large quantity, wouldn't that significantly increase their food reserves for the coming winter?

Furthermore, the purple rice berries have a long harvest season, ripening continuously from spring until winter. The berries, which the Divine Messenger called "purple rice berries" instead of their former name, "hard-heart fruit," have become incredibly popular among the tribe members.

Soon, the refreshing aroma of porridge and the savory scent of roasted meat drifted across the plaza, making the naked little children drool.

Once the food was ready, the Chief and the Shaman stood up one after another. After expressing their gratitude to the Great Deity, they mentioned the union of A-Yu and Mu Tong. The Chief then waved a hat adorned with colorful, vibrant feathers—a symbol of his status—over the pair a few times, while the Shaman did the same with a staff made of unknown materials.

Mu Tong felt a sense of bewilderment: "Does a simple partnership really require all this pomp?"

As the Chief announced that the "union" was official and everyone could begin eating, a wild cheer erupted from the tribe.

The entire tribe sat in a circle around the bonfires. Mu Tong took a look: there must have been nearly two hundred people, both young and old. Su Jia and Zhen, the Chief’s women, began distributing the roasted meat. First, they gave the Chief a large piece, then the Shaman, followed by the Divine Messenger Mu Tong, A-Yu, and Duo Ji, with the rest of the tribe receiving their portions in turn.

Next came the distribution of the porridge. Everyone held a heavy stone bowl; Mu Tong’s hands ached just watching them. She used her own wooden bowl, crafted from a peach tree root—a very common type. She did possess more precious ones made from birch burls, and her finest bowl was one she had fashioned from spirit wood, refined into a magical artifact that would never break no matter how it was dropped.

Because she wanted to stay as close to the life of a primitive tribe as possible, she did not bring out her stainless steel bowls, fine porcelain, or the high-quality wooden ones.

Yet, this simple, natural wooden bowl, devoid of any lacquer, still caught many people's eyes.

Hou Yi asked, "What is your bowl made of? Wood? Can you really make such a beautiful bowl from wood?"

The Shaman snatched the bowl from Mu Tong’s hands and examined it closely. "It is indeed made of wood." Although he had never seen this type of wood before, since it was made of wood, did that mean other types of wood could also be used to make bowls?

Certainly. Facing the Shaman Hou Yi’s inquiry, Mu Tong nodded affirmatively. "The prerequisite is that the wood must be non-toxic."

In truth, Mu Tong was quite puzzled: didn't the tribe use wooden chopsticks? Why didn't they know how to make wooden bowls? "Wood can not only be used to make bowls, but also buckets, furniture... and many other things." Seeing that Hou Yi was quite interested in the wooden bowl, Mu Tong couldn't help but elaborate.

"It can make other things? What is furniture?" Hou Yi’s eyes flickered. He realized that as long as the Divine Messenger stayed in the tribe, they would eventually learn what furniture was.

The Shaman reached into the large staff he carried with him, fumbling for a long time before pulling out two red fruits. After returning the wooden bowl to Mu Tong, he handed one fruit each to A-Yu and Mu Tong.

A-Yu took his with a mix of surprise, excitement, and caution, solemnly placing it into his shorts pocket. Mu Tong took hers and looked closely: weren't these just cherry tomatoes? She hadn't expected to see a familiar variety on this alien continent! She tossed it into her mouth: crisp, sweet, and juicy—it still tasted the same.

Seeing Mu Tong eat the "cherry tomato," A-Yu blushed, took his own fruit out, and ate it as well. The surrounding crowd immediately erupted into laughter.

Fortunately, Su Jia began distributing the porridge, which silenced the crowd. Everyone gnawed on roasted meat while sipping the porridge. The greasy meat paired with the mild porridge was truly delicious: fragrant and thirst-quenching, and much more filling than the usual wild vegetable soup.

Mu Tong tasted the roasted meat; although only a little salt had been added, the meat was fresh, tender, and succulent. Combined with the perfectly controlled roasting heat, every bite was fragrant. Taking a sip of the purple rice and green bean porridge made the experience even better.

Mu Tong also took a rough look at the game brought back by the hunting party. They were all animals she didn't recognize; some looked similar to those on Earth, but there were distinct differences.

On the way to the tribe, Mu Tong hadn't dared to ask too many questions, but she had learned from A-Yu that this continent was called the Hui Xiong Continent, the forest was the Twilight Forest, and the tribe was the Red Water Tribe.

These plants and animals, so clearly different from those on Earth, and these strange place names, made Mu Tong realize clearly that this was a primitive planet, an unknown distance from Earth. She only wondered how large this planet was and if there were any higher civilizations.

Thinking about how long it might be before she could reunite with her family, and thinking of Yang Yuanyuan, who had sent her here, Mu Tong felt a complex surge of emotions. "Mom, Dad, brother, Xiao Hanhan, don't worry! No matter where I am, I will live well!"

The tribal revelry soon came to an end, and A-Yu, Duo Ji, and Mu Tong returned to their grass hut.

Seeing Duo Ji, who was covered in dirt with hair so messy it obscured his face, Mu Tong kindly began to cut his hair. In truth, it wasn't just out of kindness; she was afraid the boy would get lice, and since they lived in the same hut, she didn't want to be infected.

After giving Duo Ji a buzz cut, a cute little face was finally revealed to Mu Tong. She hadn't expected little Duo Ji to be such a handsome,萌-looking boy. His facial features weren't exactly like A-Yu’s, but there was a certain resemblance.

Regarding why the two brothers didn't look much alike, A-Yu explained that he took after their mother, while Duo Ji took after their father.

"Where are your father and mother?" Mu Tong asked, noticing the household seemed to contain only the two brothers.

"Last year, when they entered the Twilight Forest, they were snatched away by a pack of cloud wolves." Speaking of his deceased parents, Duo Ji lowered his head sadly, and A-Yu fell silent as well. "Damn cloud wolves, one day, I will avenge my father and mother!"

Oh no, she had accidentally touched upon a painful subject. To break the heavy atmosphere, Mu Tong threw the shorn hair into the fire to burn and nudged Duo Ji. "Go, go get yourself washed up!"