Chapter 67: Preparing for the Stall

Everyone, after deciding on tomorrow's stall, besides needing to buy the items brought from the tribe, also had to bring the "new product"—candied haws—and then began preparing for tomorrow's stall.

Ba Ke Er and Mo De went to the Bear Tribe's stall again and bought some honey. Then they brought Zhang Fan and Fei Er along with enough animal-skin bags, left the Tiger Tribe's territory, and flew toward the forest rich in fruit. Since they weren't sure what fruits were nearby and weren't certain where suitable fruit could be found, Ba Ke Er took Zhang Fan while Mo De took Fei Er, splitting into two teams to search in different directions.

Zhang Fan, sitting on Ba Ke Er's back, circled the forest above and found nothing, wondering if the fruit were hidden by leaves. The more he thought, the more likely it seemed; since he'd found nothing up there, he decided to go down and look. So Zhang Fan had Ba Ke Er descend, preparing to land and search. On the other side, Fei Er saw Ba Ke Er bringing Zhang Fan down, thought Zhang Fan had made a discovery, and quickly had Mo De land as well.

After landing, Zhang Fan eagerly grabbed Ba Ke Er's hand and kept searching all around. Ba Ke Er, looking at their joined hands, felt warm inside. Unconsciously not wanting to find the fruit too quickly, he at first deliberately flew Zhang Fan over fruitless parts of the forest. But thinking of his Fan Fan being so obsessed with the little fruit, he couldn't bear to let him keep searching hard and coming up empty.

"Fan Fan, why don't we look elsewhere? There's no fruit scent in the air here."

Hearing Ba Ke Er say that, Zhang Fan realized he'd been played! Goodness! He'd actually been tricked by his own "wife"! Goodness! Simply unbearable!

"Ba Ke Er, you clearly know there's no fruit here—why bring me here to circle? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Zhang Fan said, somewhat indignant.

Seeing Zhang Fan getting angry, Ba Ke Er couldn't help but falter. "Um, um, Fan Fan, it's all my fault! All my fault!" he said, his voice growing softer, "I just wanted to be alone with you a little longer, so please don't be angry, okay? Getting angry is bad for your health, Fan Fan." Toward the end, Ba Ke Er couldn't help apologizing again.

Zhang Fan was still annoyed, but seeing Ba Ke Er sincerely apologizing over and over, he didn't want to stay angry anymore, though he felt that forgiving him so easily would make him seem too easily appeased. After rolling his eyes, he came up with a good idea! He began to struggle not to laugh, and to keep his plan hidden he desperately suppressed his laughter. After a while he managed to hold back, then spoke to Ba Ke Er:

"Do you really want me to forgive you that much?"

Seeing Zhang Fan beginning to relent, Ba Ke Er eagerly nodded and said, "Yes! Yes! Yes! So Fan Fan, are you going to forgive me?"

"Forgiving you is fine, but you have to agree to one condition first!"

"Fan Fan, what condition? As long as you're not mad at me, I'll agree to anything!"

Hearing Ba Ke Er agree so quickly, Zhang Fan strained even harder to keep his face straight while laughing hysterically inside.

"As long as you agree to let me get on you once, I'll forgive you and won't be angry with you."

Ba Ke Er's face turned green at Zhang Fan's request; he couldn't help silently tearing up inside. Goodness, what sin have I committed? How could Fan Fan think of this? How can a female mount a male?! As he thought, he accidentally blurted out what was on his mind.

Seeing Ba Ke Er refuse, Zhang Fan grew even angrier! What the hell! I've sacrificed myself letting you ride me for so long, and you still won't devote yourself to me!

"Forget it, if you won't agree, then forget it—just pretend I never said I'd forgive you."

Hearing Zhang Fan say that, Ba Ke Er no longer cared about the male-female issue; he thought it was more important to appease Zhang Fan first.

"Fan Fan, don't—don't be angry, I agree, I agree, isn't that enough?"

Seeing Ba Ke Er agree, Zhang Fan finally couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Hahaha… Great! Let's leave it at that—you'd better remember what you promised!"

Ba Ke Er saw Zhang Fan so happy and started laughing too—great, Fan Fan has finally forgiven him. As for being counter‑attacked, we'll talk about that later; for now, let's just take Fan Fan to pick fruit.

"Fan Fan, go this way—there's lots of fruit here." Having said that, he took Zhang Fan's hand and walked off in the opposite direction.

After walking about fifteen minutes, Zhang Fan smelled the sweet fruit scent in the air. Walking another five minutes with Ba Ke Er, he saw ripe fruit hanging on the trees on both sides. Upon seeing the fruit, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er stopped and began climbing the trees to pick fruit.

After picking fruit from several trees in succession, they finally filled all the animal‑skin bags they'd brought. Having gathered the fruit, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er prepared to head back.

to the Tiger Tribe's territory. On the way back they met Fei Er and Mo De, who were likewise returning with full loads, and the four of them journeyed together back to the Tiger Tribe's encampment.

Arriving at the Heaven Lion Tribe's tent gathering place, the four again divided labor. Zhang Fan and Fei Er washed the fruit, while Ba Ke Er and Mo De mashed the cleaned red fruit into juice.

After the fruit was ready, the four again split tasks to boil honey and juice for the candied haws' sugar coating and to thread the fruit strings. Once the syrup was ready, they began coating the fruit strings with sugar. Thanks to their experience from the first afternoon batch, everyone worked quickly. Soon all the fruit strings were turned into candied haws and placed on stone slabs to set. After all the candied haws were done, Zhang Fan realized they hadn't made the straw sticks for holding them.

After Zhang Fan told Ba Ke Er what materials were needed for the straw sticks, Ba Ke Er immediately went to look, since the Tiger Tribe's area had no rice stalks, thus no straw. He therefore brought back some dry grass and, using vines and wooden sticks, fashioned several sticks. Seeing the sticks were ready, Zhang Fan took the finished candied haws from the stone slab and stuck several strings on them, finding they were quite stable.

Zhang Fan smiled and praised Ba Ke Er: "Ba Ke Er, well done—these sticks are usable." Upon receiving Zhang Fan's praise, Ba Ke Er laughed even happier.

After all preparations were finished, everyone moved the candied haws from outside into the tent. Fortunately it was afternoon and everyone was out at the fair, so no one noticed Zhang Fan and the others making candied haws.

That day, after Zhang Fan's and Fei Er's families ate dinner together, they each returned to their own tents to sleep.