Chapter 280: A Literacy Craze Sweeps the Tribe

The heavy rain gradually ceased, but the Rongdi Tribe was bustling with activity.

Since a few people from Dashan exchanged for this Grain Seed, the Rongdi's first task upon returning was to have Li Xiang prepare the fields; Li Xiang now can only think about how to get Nan Qinghuan away, but he needs the Rongdi's assistance.

Thus the two of them are essentially helping each other to get what they need.

He agreed to help the Rongdi with farming, but to be honest, having grown up in the city he knows little about field work, so he only understands a bit.

Whether he can successfully raise seedlings and plant them is a huge challenge for him, yet he must agree; the Rongdi are capricious, and he worries that if they see he cannot handle it, his worth will be minimal.

These Beastmen will not be lenient with him.

He is now helping the Rongdi develop the Tribe while devising a way to get Nan Qinghuan out; he calculated that the fifteenth of next month is the optimal moment to leave.

He must not miss it!

After everyone irrigates the Farmland, he personally demonstrates how to contain the water and conducts a proper sowing.

When all this is done, it is already noon.

"Li Xiang"

From behind came the voice of High Priest Duo Luo; Duo Luo is quite interested in Li Xiang and today specially brought him food. She, a Beastman, usually eats all sorts of random things, but Li Xiang says raw meat is unhealthy, so she dug up some small potatoes, boiled them, and brought them to him.

Li Xiang dislikes the wild woman at first glance, yet she seems eager to cling to him.

"High Priest, something?"

Duo Luo took the potatoes from the earthen jar and handed them to him, "Try the potatoes, they're cooked."

Seeing the small potatoes, Li Xiang's mind went boom—"Did you dig up the potatoes that just grew?"

Duo Luo saw his uneasy expression, "What's wrong?"

"Calling you a wild person is accurate; you're so small yet you dug up what we'll eat later?"

"You..."

Duo Luo, angry, thought, as High Priest she's never been spoken to like that; she didn't know the small potatoes were off‑limits, "I did it for your sake. Seeing you hadn't eaten, I went to dig the potatoes. Why are you upset?"

"What am I supposed to be happy about? You know these could grow big. Digging them so early—if everyone digs like you, what's the point of planting? Take them away, I won't eat them."

After saying that, Li Xiang left to wash his feet. As High Priest, Duo Luo felt her face lose any dignity from such mistreatment, and the tribe members whispered among themselves, which made her very angry.

"What are you staring at? Get to work!"

The tribe members sprang into action at her shout; no one expected the usually formidable High Priest to be rebuked by an outsider male.

It was truly satisfying.

"Hehe…"

A mocking voice came from behind; Duo Luo turned and, even angrier, asked, "What are you laughing at?"

The She Nü had now become one of the locals; most of her people had adapted, so avenging her father was a task only she should handle.

But she cannot get close to the Rongdi.

This makes her very distressed.

Perhaps she should try this female.

She stepped forward and smiled, "High Priest, you're wasting effort; I've tried to lure him and failed, you can't do it either."

"Just you? Can't you see how ugly you look? I heard you once tried to seduce Ying and were called Hei Meier by Nan Qinghuan. 'Hei Meier', how unpleasant."

"You..."

She Nü didn't concede easily; she stepped toward Duo Luo, looking at the potatoes she hadn't given out, "Li Xiang likes that one called Nan Qinghuan; you didn't notice?"

"How could he like Nan Qinghuan?"

Duo Luo was somewhat surprised.

She Nü sneered, "If not for this, why would he keep seeking her? There's only one way to become Li Xiang's female, and that is to make Nan Qinghuan die."

"Stop sowing discord here. Do you think I'll follow you? The tribe is developing now; I advise you not to cause trouble, or you'll die."

After saying that, Duo Luo turned to leave; she wouldn't heed the female's words. The She Nü, seeing her ploy fail, suddenly said, "Wait, if I can make Li Xiang like you, will you do me a favor?"

Duo Luo scoffed, "If you had a way, you wouldn't be called a fool by the Rongdi. I advise you to stay put, stop daydreaming, or you'll be eaten."

Duo Luo quickly left after that. After she departed, She Nü was half‑fuming; she thought, "No, I must find another way to take revenge."

Morning light was just peeking.

It was another beautiful morning.

When Nan Qinghuan awoke to the warm sunlight, A Mu stood by her bedside, smiling brightly at her.

"Qinghuan, you're awake! Come, get up quickly, the fruit you wanted is here."

"A Mu…"

A Mu presented her with a bowl of teal fruit that looked very sour; she exclaimed, "What is this…"

"These are called Wing Fruit, very sour; pregnant people love them. Try some."

Nan Qinghuan hurriedly grabbed one, popped it into her mouth, and it was truly delicious; the bizarre sourness that pregnant women eat as a delicacy.

"A Mu, where did this come from, Ying?"

When Ying was mentioned, A Mu's expression soured, "He went out to work; isn't this the time to plant rice? Everyone's busy."

"Then I'll go take a look."

She hurried to get up; she ate the entire bowl of fruit, and after finishing still felt like eating more.

"Qinghuan…"

Outside, Axi and a group of tribe members arrived; Aning and others came to see her.

"Qinghuan, get up quickly; look, everyone brought lots of things for you."

"Axi?"

Outside came a group of women, each carrying a basket filled with food: rice, corn, cured meat, and sour fruit.

"Qinghuan, these are all gifts from everyone. We heard you're unwell; if you want fruit we'll pick it for you. You see, Ying went out late last night and almost…"

Axi hadn't finished speaking when A Mu blocked him.

Cough—

A Mu heard that and immediately coughed, and Axi fell silent, "My meaning is…"

The words made Nan Qinghuan understand instantly, those fruits… "A Mu, were those fruits picked by Ying in the middle of the night?"

She felt deeply sorry for the man; how could he have gone to gather them in such a downpour last night? She also realized how foolish she was, wondering why she hadn't considered the fruits' origin, feeling as if she were pregnant and her mind couldn't keep up.

"A Mu, where is Ying?"

She is going to look for him.

"Qinghuan, don't be impatient; he's fine, he went to have Ashu prepare a stool."

Upon hearing that Ying was fine, she finally relaxed and hurriedly asked, "A Mu, what are the stools being prepared for?"