Chapter 105: Brewing

After the well in the tribe was dug, a few days later light rain began to fall for several days; while moistening the land, it also lowered the scorching temperature somewhat, gradually making it cool.

In the morning, after Ba Ke Er went out, Zhang Fan busied himself with household chores and feeding the livestock. After finishing the household chores and resting, Zhang Fan walked out of the door and stood under the eaves, looking up at the unusually clean azure sky washed by the rain, he couldn't help feeling relieved in his heart! Good thing it wasn't a heavy rain! Good thing it's already cleared up! Otherwise, so much corn in the tribe would likely suffer loss.

Gradually the sun rose from the east! Zhang Fan watched where the sun rose, and slowly a beautiful rainbow with seven different colors appeared! Looking at the somewhat unfamiliar sight before him, Zhang Fan couldn't help but think of Earth.

That selfless beautiful blue planet that nurtured countless lives with its own body! Zhang Fan remembered that the last time he saw a rainbow was on Earth, but back then he was still young and couldn't record the rainbow's appearance in picture form.

Upon thinking of this, Zhang Fan immediately ran into the house and took out his phone. He opened the camera function, aimed at the rainbow in the sky and started taking photos. After taking several shots in a row, Zhang Fan felt it wasn't enough, so he simply turned his back to the rainbow and took a selfie of himself, of course the frame also captured the rainbow.

When Ba Ke Er returned with the game caught in the traps set outside the tribe, what he saw was Zhang Fan with his back to him, constantly fiddling with his phone, even chuckling lightly as he did so, and he didn't notice Ba Ke Er had come back.

Ba Ke Er felt somewhat helpless about this, gave a light cough twice, still didn't see Zhang Fan turn his head, became a bit unhappy, then after putting down the game in his hands, he walked over and grabbed Zhang Fan in an embrace. After gently blowing a few breaths into Zhang Fan's ear, he muttered in a wronged tone, softly:

"Fan Fan, you didn't even see me come back? Why are you ignoring me? I'm unhappy! Disgusting~ disgusting~ hum! No way~ Fan Fan~ I want you to coax me~"

Zhang Fan hearing Ba Ke Er's words, goosebumps rose all over his body! A great hulk over two meters tall actually flopped onto his shoulder, speaking in a voice like a woman coquettishly whining! What he couldn't stand most was that this guy even grabbed his shoulder and shook it violently!

This completely overturned Zhang Fan's view of Ba Ke Er! It made him suspect that his loyal canine companion Ba Ke Er had been swapped out! Actually replaced with a sissy! My goodness! Is this even livable?!

Actually, when Ba Ke Er came back, Zhang Fan had already noticed! Moreover, while Ba Ke Er wasn't paying attention, he took many photos of the two of them. Of course this also included every move Ba Ke Er made when he blew air into Zhang Fan's ear and spoke just now.

After Ba Ke Er finished doing those things, he didn't see Zhang Fan having any big reaction. He also felt a bit bored, so he turned Zhang Fan around, lowered his head and lightly kissed his forehead, then softly said to Zhang Fan gently: 'Fan Fan, I'm back!'

Zhang Fan saw Ba Ke Er return to normal, the goosebumps on his body gradually faded, he lifted his head and smiled gently at Ba Ke Er. At the same time he raised his phone in front of Ba Ke Er.

Ba Ke Er saw Zhang Fan raise his phone and knew he definitely had something to tell him. So he didn't speak, but silently took the phone Zhang Fan handed over, then opened it and only then understood.

It turned out Zhang Fan wasn't unaware of his return; rather, he had been noticed as soon as he appeared in the sky above their home; it turned out Zhang Fan wasn't deliberately ignoring him, but because he was focused on taking photos of themselves together; it turned out Fan Fan, while missing his hometown, also deeply missed him before he came home; it turned out happiness is just this simple!

Ba Ke Er flipped through the photos of him and Zhang Fan on the phone, smiling very sweetly; slowly, the sweet smile on his face seeped bit by bit into his heart. Zhang Fan saw Ba Ke Er smiling foolishly and also laughed.

After noon, the two had eaten lunch and did not stay home for a nap as usual. Instead they took a back basket, pushed a small cart, and went out together toward the corn field behind their home.

Several days earlier, Zhang Fan had already greeted the clan chief, and everyone had received notice that they would harvest corn today. Thus, as Zhang Fan and his spouse walked out of the gate, they also met many tribespeople.

Among them were Wu Na and Ji Lie, the couple who had paired up at the previous tribal gathering, as well as Fei Er and his spouse, and of course Ba Ke Er's parents were also there. Since several families lived close by and their allotted lands were also nearby, they simply decided to go together.

When they arrived at the corn field, everyone said goodbye and headed to their own corn fields. Ba Ke Er and Zhang Fan, upon reaching the corn field, put down the small cart and basket; instead each carried a back basket on their back and went into the field to start shucking corn. This time, unlike before when they harvested tender corn together with the husks, they only took the cobs, discarding the husks.

The nearby families also followed Zhang Fan's method and began busily shucking corn. Labor is honorable, yet also tedious, especially when repeating the same task, which makes one feel bored and weary.

Gradually, everyone felt that just quietly working like this was really boring! So they started looking for topics to chat. Who would have thought! This chatting actually made everyone forget their fatigue, they kept working until the sun set, and everyone still felt unsatisfied. But now it's already late, and everyone has worked an afternoon, so it's indeed time to stop and go home.

So everyone began using the tools they brought to transport the corn they had shucked all afternoon back home. Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er arrived home, both were hungry, so they didn't bother to cook anything complicated. Instead they prepared to casually fry some flatbread, wrap it with grilled meat and vegetables, and eat it as dinner.

While eating the flatbread, Zhang Fan inadvertently almost choked; Ba Ke Er got anxious enough to shout! He patted Zhang Fan's back and gave him water, finally letting Zhang Fan swallow the piece of flatbread stuck in his throat.

At this moment Zhang Fan suddenly remembered something very important! Thinking of this, he didn't even eat the flatbread, but directly shoved it into Ba Ke Er's mouth. Then he pulled Ba Ke Er and ran toward the cellar.

Along the way Zhang Fan just kept laughing, didn't tell Ba Ke Er what it was, leaving Ba Ke Er bewildered; even if Ba Ke Er asked, he just laughed and sold the secret, refusing to say. After Ba Ke Er asked several times and got no answer, he simply stopped asking, figuring he'd find out soon enough!

After Zhang Fan pulled Ba Ke Er down into the cellar, he headed straight for the place at least used for storing grape wine. At this moment, Ba Ke Er looked at the several jars before him and finally remembered, he patted the back of his head and said to Zhang Fan:

"Fan Fan, isn't this the wine we brewed a few days ago? You suddenly brought me here—is it because the time has come and we can open it?"

Zhang Fan saw Ba Ke Er guess so quickly, didn't keep it a secret, nodded slightly and smiled, answering: 'Yeah! Let's open a jar tonight to taste it!'

After saying that, Zhang Fan took the smallest jar of grape wine and pulled Ba Ke Er as they started walking out of the cellar.

As soon as they were back in the house, Zhang Fan impatiently smashed open the seal on the wine jar, then untied the rope binding the jar, and lifted the sealing cloth. As soon as the cloth was lifted, waves of rich wine aroma drifted out from the jar, faintly with the breeze in the courtyard.

Zhang Fan couldn't help but take a big sniff, then immediately scooped out a spoonful with a small spoon, sipped it delicately, then began to close his eyes to savor it. Ba Ke Er saw Zhang Fan's expression of enjoyment, couldn't stay seated, hurriedly brought his mouth to the jar and took a small sip, then made a smacking sound with his lips. Then his eyes lit up! He directly gulped down the whole spoonful of grape wine into his stomach.

After Zhang Fan opened his eyes, he saw Ba Ke Er looking at him with admiring starry eyes and the spoon empty. He glanced at Ba Ke Er, then put the sealing cloth back over the wine jar.

Ba Ke Er became anxious upon seeing Zhang Fan's action!

"Fan Fan, why did you cover it again? We've only just taken that tiny sip!"

Zhang Fan rolled his eyes and said: 'Ba Ke Er, don't you think drinking wine in the courtyard has more atmosphere? Go get two cups first, let's go to the courtyard to eat and drink.'

After saying that, Zhang Fan hugged the wine jar and walked toward the courtyard. Ba Ke Er, after finding the cups, didn't immediately go to the courtyard to drink wine, but instead placed the flatbread, grilled meat, and vegetables together on a tray and brought them out with the wine cups.

When Ba Ke Er arrived, Zhang Fan immediately poured each of them a cup of wine, then they began drinking face to face. That night they finished that small jar of grape wine. Naturally Ba Ke Er drank the most; although he had never drunk alcohol before, even after consuming quite a bit of grape wine he did not get drunk. On the other hand, Zhang Fan, whose alcohol tolerance is low and who likes to show off, got drunk.

Ba Ke Er saw Zhang Fan drinking and drinking, then he fell asleep slumped on the table, also feeling helpless—how could he be tired and not say anything? No choice, Ba Ke Er could only first carry Zhang Fan into the house, change his clothes, then lay him on the bed to let him continue sleeping.

Then he himself returned to the courtyard, gathered the leftover food into the house, closed the courtyard gate, went back to the room, changed clothes, and lay down beside Zhang Fan to sleep.

The next morning, when Zhang Fan woke up, Ba Ke Er's figure was already gone from the bed. Zhang Fan rubbed his head, which ached slightly from the hangover, frowned, and began to recall what had happened the previous night.

After thinking for a long while, he still couldn't figure out how he had collapsed, so he simply stopped thinking, changed his clothes, got up, went to the bathroom to wash up, then went to the main hall to have breakfast.

After breakfast, Zhang Fan's headache gradually subsided, so he didn't stay at home any longer; instead he put on a homemade straw hat, then placed a jar of wine and several cups in a back basket and carried it to the corn field to work. Upon arriving at the corn field, Zhang Fan discovered that Fei Er and his group had already arrived.

Zhang Fan quickly called over all the females, then began pouring each person a cup of grape wine for them to try. Everyone didn't hold back with him, after all they were usually good friends, and Di Er was Ba Ke Er's mother, so when Zhang Fan brought out the grape wine, everyone rushed forward!

Each person took a cup of grape wine and began drinking. After finishing, everyone gave Zhang Fan a thumbs-up in praise. Meanwhile Fei Er also remembered the grape wine he had brewed with Zhang Fan; thinking of this, he lost interest in shucking corn, said goodbye to everyone, and ran straight home.

After Zhang Fan shared the grape wine with everyone, he didn't continue to slack off; instead he went into the corn field and began busily shucking corn. He kept at it until just after Ba Ke Er brought back game but wasn't seen at home; following the scent, he found him, then stopped and returned home together with Ba Ke Er, each carrying the fruits of their labor.

At noon, before Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er ate, they hurriedly sent two jars of grape wine to Di Er and Lei Ya. Because when Zhang Fan was sharing the wine with everyone, he clearly noticed Di Er's fondness for it. So whether to cater to her preference or to respect the elders, those two jars of wine definitely had to be sent.

After lunch, the two again went to the corn field and began busily shucking corn. Of course on the way they were inevitably asked by everyone about the grape wine. Indeed, just a morning's time, the entire tribe's members all knew about the grape wine.

However, Zhang Fan also didn't delve deeply into it; for the tribespeople who came to inquire, Zhang Fan answered everything he knew, holding nothing back! He explained in as much detail as possible, repeating it several times, after which everyone dispersed.

When evening came, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er finished work and were pushing the corn home when they discovered that the children who usually played all over the tribe had vanished without a trace! Out of curiosity they asked someone, and only then did they learn that those children, after hearing about the grape wine, had gotten cravings, obtained their parents' permission, and all went up the mountain to pick grapes.

Upon learning this result, Zhang Fan was both laughing and crying! He couldn't help but think: if those parents knew the grape wine could get people drunk, would they still allow the children? However, regarding this, Zhang Fan just casually thought about it and didn't say it out loud, with a bit of malice imagining what the parents' reaction would be if the kids all got drunk.

Afterward, Zhang Fan directly pulled Ba Ke Er home to eat. However, he didn't know that all the indigenous people of the Beastmen Planet are amazing drinkers—even the youngsters can down a thousand cups without getting drunk! Meanwhile he is the only person on the whole planet who gets drunk from alcohol.