Chapter 132: The Desert Becomes an Oasis

She stared wide‑eyed at the innocent A Lei, sighed helplessly, and thought only primitives would claim that corn is poisonous. If this were modern times, it would be a staple grain everyone loves.

She couldn't help teasing the girl, "Is it poisonous? Just try it later and you'll know."

"Try it?"

A Lei felt a little scared; although it smelled fragrant, could it be eaten? "I hope it's not like Guzi—eating that killed you."

"Guzi?"

She was a bit surprised; A Lei quickly nodded, then fetched a few mushrooms from beside her. Goodness, Nan Qinghuan saw that they were wild mushrooms.

"Did you eat them?"

"No. Last time a tribe member ate them and died, so we dared not. But everyone was starving, so we went to gather them again."

"Can't eat them; throw them all away."

Nan Qinghuan grabbed the mushrooms and tossed them into the fire, "Never touch them again. You have food now, understand? It was hard to cook the corn and roast it, but none of the tribe dared to touch it. Though they were very hungry, the poisonous mushrooms terrified them; they simply couldn't bite this unknown thing."

Seeing the corn was done, Nan Qinghuan wanted everyone to taste it, but no one dared. She furrowed her brow, took one and handed it to Ying, asking him to try, "Ying, you try it and tell them what corn tastes like."

Ying, though he had never seen corn, trusted Qinghuan because she said it was edible. He reached for the corn, furrowed his brow deeply, then took a big bite and chewed. He had expected… but the flavor was… He took another bite, seemed to slow his motions, then ate greedily; when the tender corn burst in his mouth, Ying couldn't help shouting, "Delicious, so sweet!"

"It's edible? Ying even ate it?"

Only then did the crowd believe the corn was truly edible; when the Wolf Tribe members tasted the fresh sweet flavor for the first time, they devoured it ravenously.

Even the tender corn cobs were eaten down.

Starving A Qi and A Lei gulped down two corns in one go, wiping their mouths as they ate, looking utterly content.

The Wolf Tribe people had mostly grown up eating snakes, insects, rats, and ants; now that they tasted such delicious corn, they felt their souls soar.

"So tasty! I've never eaten anything this good. Heaven's Daughter, how did you know it was edible?"

Nan Qinghuan merely smiled lightly, the warmth at the corner of her mouth like a spring breeze; seeing the tribe gnawing the corn, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

These corns are Heaven's Gift.

It seems the Wolf Tribe's fate was not meant to end; for the first time, she believed in destiny.

She hurriedly smiled, "Of course I know; I've eaten it before. Hey, where did your chief go?"

When she asked Yao, Ying grew a bit upset and instantly got jealous, his long arm scooping her whole body into his embrace, furrowing his brow at her, "You may not ask other males, Qinghuan. Now they can get by, and we must return."

Ying didn't want to stay any longer; his tribe still had many tasks, and they'd been out too long, not knowing how the tribe fared. Nan Qinghuan's grand goal remained unfulfilled, and she slightly frowned, "Ying, can you give me a little more time?"

That made Ying rather displeased; he didn't understand why she was still here—Rongdi had retreated, the plague was gone, and the tribespeople were fed.

What else does she want to do?

Thinking of Yao's words, he felt uneasy, pressing his chin gently against her forehead, rubbing it lightly; his words carried a hint of helplessness, a tone never used before—more a suggestion than a command, "Qinghuan, we should go back, okay?"

Nan Qinghuan was astonished by the man's change; she never expected Ying to say such things. "Ying, I…"

He seemed afraid she would reject him; before she could finish speaking, his scorching lips claimed hers, lingering unwilling to let go.

A beam of golden light streaked across the horizon.

On the wind‑rippled, cloud‑stirring cliff, whorls of white mist drifted, curling and scattering through the air. The air was exceptionally fresh, likely after a heavy rain, and the Forest exhaled a scent of moist earth.

When Nan Qinghuan approached Yao holding a Corn Cob, he stood at the cliff's edge, his sharp gaze scanning the barren woods ahead.

"I've been looking everywhere for you; I didn't expect you to be here sightseeing?"

Yao's body stiffened; he hadn't expected her arrival. He turned his head, staring at her; she still wore that tattered dress, revealing two days‑old, pale, slender legs.

Such a feminine allure naturally drew him, yet he also knew she was on many males' minds.

"Do you need something from me?"

"This, try it; I saved it especially for you."

Seeing her bring the cob, Yao merely shook his head and didn't reach out, "I'm not hungry; give it to the tribe."

He realized the thing was called corn, and it tasted superb. His tribe wasn't starving at the moment, but he was still pondering the future. "They're already full; this is for you, Yao—what are you thinking?"

Nan Qinghuan still admired him; at least he thought of the tribe. Only when the tribe is fed does he have an appetite, unlike some tribal chiefs who satisfy themselves first before caring for their people.

A trace of sorrow crossed Yao's face. "Heaven's Daughter, thank you and Ying for everything you've done for our tribe these past days. Though we won't starve now, I must think of the tribe's future. The corn there will eventually be exhausted; what will my people survive on then?"

Hearing this, Nan Qinghuan hurried forward and stood beside him; together they looked down upon the Wolf Tribe settlement, golden light piercing the clouds and spilling onto the ground, their faces bathed in sunlight.

Modern and ancient thoughts gradually collided here, sparking new vitality.

She lifted her finger toward the sun on the horizon. "Yao, look—each day the sun rises and sets, endless. Your tribe now rises like that sun. What do you think they can live on? The answer is both far beyond and right before our eyes."

The remark left Yao a little puzzled; he turned his head and stared deeply at Nan Qinghuan. Her face always radiated a joyous smile, and he couldn't understand why she was so bright and lovely.

It seemed that any worries that reached her vanished, leaving no more trouble.

"Heaven's Daughter, are you talking about this corn?"

Yao was clever; he guessed Nan Qinghuan's meaning, but this thing grew on the mountain, and yesterday his tribe had already stripped it clean—there would be none left thereafter.

"Exactly—that corn. This thing is also called Maize, one of the five grains. Yao, I can help you plant corn here, turning this desert into an oasis, but you must agree to one condition."

As soon as she spoke, Yao's brows tightened as he stared at her. "You mean the corn can still… what?"

"Of course it can. It's both food and seed. I'm not afraid you'll be angry—when I came to the Wolf Tribe, it was for these corn. You must know this can change your tribe's destiny and save many lives."

Yao was skeptical of Nan Qinghuan's words. He took the Corn Cob she offered, puzzled how such a tiny husk could alter a tribe's fate. "Don't doubt me. I can help you, but after I help, you must give me some seeds. I'll take these corn back to Ying's tribe so their land can also be planted with corn. I know this is easy for you—will you agree?"

Actually she could have stolen them, but she felt that was improper; it was better to ask openly and honestly.

Yao hadn't expected her condition to be so simple. He suddenly looked up and laughed brightly, "Ha ha, fine—if you can help the tribe plant corn, I'll personally give you the best seeds. How's that?"

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