Chapter 94: Chapter Ninety-Five Sucrose

After putting the pottery jar into the cellar, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er left the cellar to go to the courtyard to draw water and wash their hands.

"Ba Ke Er, I'm asking you, have you seen nearby a long, straight little tree that tastes sweet when eaten? The edible parts are green like bamboo, and of course there are also purple parts like grapes, but the leaves are different, they look like thatch."

Zhang Fan suddenly realized that he had been on the Beastmen Planet for so long yet had never seen sugarcane, but after thinking that he himself didn't often go outside the tribe, he couldn't help asking Ba Ke Er, this native who often hunts in the tribe.

Ba Ke Er instinctively felt that the weird tree Zhang Fan was asking about was just like sugarcane!

"Fan Fan, maybe I know where that strange little tree you're looking for is, though I'm not sure if it's really it. How about I take you to have a look?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fan became very excited! "Hahaha... That's great! Let's go, let's go, let's go! We'll hurry over and see, then we'll know if it's what I'm looking for!" After saying that, Zhang Fan couldn't wait to run and close the big door, then ran back to Ba Ke Er's side urging him to transform quickly.

Seeing Zhang Fan so happy, Ba Ke Er didn't say anything and immediately transformed into his beast form, carrying Zhang Fan as they flew toward the east of the tribe! Zhang Fan sat on Ba Ke Er's back, his view very open, and far off he saw a large expanse of sugarcane field to the east outside the tribe.

"Hahaha... Ba Ke Er, I think I've already seen what you were talking about. It's over there in the field, right?" Saying this, Zhang Fan pointed at the sugarcane field with his hand, "Hurry up! Later we definitely need to get a lot of sugarcane to make sugar!"

Upon hearing that Zhang Fan had already confirmed those sugarcane stalks were the raw material he was looking for to make sugar, Ba Ke Er immediately increased the frequency of his wing flaps. In a short while, Ba Ke Er had flown Zhang Fan above the sugarcane field. After Ba Ke Er found a relatively open spot, he landed.

As soon as Zhang Fan landed, he started running toward the sugarcane field. Seeing Zhang Fan go ahead, Ba Ke Er hurriedly changed back to human form and followed.

"Fan Fan, there's so much sugarcane, oh! No! It's sugarcane, hehe! However much you want, I can help you bring it back. But it looks like some sugarcane has bugs, so we should pick carefully."

"I know that for sure! But Ba Ke Er, let's hurry and start picking! While it's still light, help me bring some sugarcane back so I can process it first, then you can go hunting? Would that work?"

"Of course it can! Fan Fan, you say how, we do how! Hehe!" After saying that, Ba Ke Er began selecting in the sugarcane field those stalks that are tall, straight, with few joints and long. Once selected, he directly cut them off with a swipe of his beast-formed claws.

Not long after, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er had already cut no less than twenty sugarcane stalks. Looking at these sugarcane, Zhang Fan simply grabbed a few bundles of dry grass nearby, made them into rope, and had Ba Ke Er tie the sugarcane into two bundles. The sugarcane being ready, Ba Ke Er transformed into his beast form, let Zhang Fan climb onto his back, then grabbed the two bundles with his claws and flew up into the sky toward the tribe.

After arriving home, Zhang Fan got down from Ba Ke Er's back. Ba Ke Er also quickly changed back to human form, began to separate the sugarcane, and following Zhang Fan's instructions started to peel off the outer layer of the sugarcane cleanly before cutting it into pieces.

Zhang Fan saw that the time was about right, stepped forward to take over Ba Ke Er's work, and drove Ba Ke Er out of the tribe to go hunting.

Zhang Fan had only processed five or six sugarcane stalks when Ba Ke Er returned home with the processed game. Seeing Ba Ke Er back, Zhang Fan hastily put down the sugarcane in his hands, washed his hands, went forward to receive the game Ba Ke Er brought back, and entered the kitchen.

Ba Ke Er saw the sugarcane Zhang Fan had left in the courtyard, washed his hands, and went over to continue processing it.

By the time Zhang Fan had poured the washed rice into the pot to start cooking, Ba Ke Er had already prepared all the sugarcane and placed it into several large wooden tubs. After moving the sugarcane into the main hall, Ba Ke Er went straight into the kitchen and voluntarily helped Zhang Fan.

Soon, the two had prepared their own dinner and the evening feed for the livestock in the courtyard.

Zhang Fan was responsible for serving the two persons' meals on the table, while Ba Ke Er was responsible for going to the courtyard to feed the livestock there.

After Ba Ke Er had taken care of the livestock, he washed his hands, entered the house, and ate with Zhang Fan.

After finishing the meal and washing the dishes, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er began to carry the processed sugarcane chunks, tub by tub, to the edge of the already cleaned grindstone. Then Ba Ke Er went to the courtyard and led over a donkey with its eyes covered by cloth. Seeing this, Zhang Fan hastily handed over the rope at the edge of the grindstone.

After Ba Ke Er had harnessed the donkey, he began using a large spoon from the tub to feed the sugarcane chunks into the opening of the stone mill. Zhang Fan then went into the house to fetch a disinfected cloth bag, placed it over the outlet of the grindstone, to filter the sugarcane juice.

Ba Ke Er originally didn't quite understand when Zhang Fan went into the house, but now seeing him put the bag over the grindstone outlet, he finally got it. Of course, Ba Ke Er also didn't miss the chance to flatter.

"Fan Fan, is this bag you put on for filtering sugarcane residue? Or Fan Fan, you're clever! How come I didn't think of this method!" Saying this, Ba Ke Er pretended to slap his own forehead, showing a regretful expression.

Zhang Fan had long guessed Ba Ke Er's little trick, and didn't expose it. Instead he put on an air of superiority and said: "That's for sure! Hmph! Don't you think about who I am? I am a Divine Envoy carefully selected from tens of thousands by the Beast God with great difficulty! Could I be selected if I weren't clever?" After saying that, Zhang Fan laughed even more arrogantly.

Seeing Zhang Fan so happy because he (and) was praising his cleverness, Ba Ke Er became even more earnest in his acting.

It was precisely because of this that what could have been squeezed out as sugarcane juice before sunset was only finished after nightfall. This progress caught Zhang Fan somewhat off guard; he had originally thought they could make sugar today.

Who would have thought that only now did they finish this juicing step; there was no choice, so Zhang Fan had Ba Ke Er bring the pressed sugarcane juice into the room to let the impurities settle. After dealing with that, the two washed up and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, Zhang Fan got up early because he was thinking about his sugar. Coincidentally, Ba Ke Er also got up at that time, so the two discussed and decided to first finish breakfast before making sugar.

Thus, after the two had finished breakfast, they began to bring the already settled sugarcane juice into the kitchen. After washing the pot clean, Ba Ke Er started to sit by the stove and light the fire. Zhang Fan waited until the water vapor in the pot had completely evaporated, then began to ladle the sugarcane juice into the pot spoonful by spoonful with a large spoon.

After Zhang Fan had ladled the sugarcane juice into the pot, he began to tell Ba Ke Er: "Ba Ke Er, first turn up the fire, then when the sugarcane juice in the pot boils, reduce to low heat and simmer slowly. Making sugar is a lengthy process; you must watch the fire, and absolutely avoid burning the sugar."

"Okay, Fan Fan, I've got this covered! This, do you still not trust me to handle things? Absolutely!" Saying this, Ba Ke Er also slapped his chest firmly with his hand.

"Hmph, that's best! If you burn my sugar, just wait and see how I'll deal with you! Hmph!" Zhang Fan said that, then glanced toward Ba Ke Er.

Ba Ke Er saw Zhang Fan's gaze and instantly felt defeated, so he began to flatter cautiously.

"Well, Fan Fan, rest assured, I will be very careful! I will absolutely not burn the sugar!"

Not long after, the sugarcane juice in the pot came to a boil; Ba Ke Er quickly followed Zhang Fan's instruction and reduced the fire. Zhang Fan looked at the juice in the pot, then hastily grabbed a spoon and began stirring continuously.

As time passed, the sugarcane juice in the pot gradually became a bit thicker. Zhang Fan saw this and secretly felt happy inside, though he didn't show it on his face. After all, he still didn't know whether this pot of sugar would be successfully boiled! So Zhang Fan became even more unwavering, continuing to stir the juice in the pot at that pace.

How keen Ba Ke Er's eyes are! With just a glance he saw the change in the pot, and his heart began to blossom with joy.

"Fan Fan, do you see it? This pot of sugarcane juice has already changed, becoming much thicker than before! So Fan Fan, does that mean our pot of sugarcane juice can successfully become sugar?"

Zhang Fan actually didn't want to discourage Ba Ke Er, but given the trend he couldn't avoid doing so! If he spoke too definitively and it still failed, that would be embarrassing! Even though it's in front of his partner. Um…

"Well, Ba Ke Er, actually I'm not sure whether we can succeed today, so I can't guarantee it, after all this is my first time making sugar. I also don't have full confidence that we'll succeed, so…" The rest of the words Zhang Fan didn't utter, but Ba Ke Er already understood them in his heart.

"In that case, let's work hard together! If this pot doesn't succeed, we can still try again with a second pot, a third pot…"

Upon hearing Ba Ke Er's words, Zhang Fan's heart was instantly healed. Indeed, having a partner who can connect with his soul, fully support him, and dote on him is still very important!

This time, Zhang Fan and Ba Ke Er were busy in the kitchen the whole morning, aside from going to the toilet they didn't go anywhere else. They stayed in the kitchen the whole time, busy making sugar.

Sure enough, hard work pays off! When Zhang Fan saw that the sugar in the pot had begun to crystallize, his excited feelings were simply indescribable in words! Seeing Zhang Fan so happy, Ba Ke Er laughed even harder, his mouth almost splitting up to the back of his head! It's simply that there's no limit to how exaggerated it can get, only more exaggerated.

After the sugar had completely crystallized, Zhang Fan used chopsticks to pick up a small piece and feed it into Ba Ke Er's mouth, which was already stretched open as far as it could go.

"Come on, come on! This is the little master's reward for you! You've also worked hard these past two days! Hurry up and close your mouth to eat the sugar!" Ba Ke Er, with the sweet sugarcane sugar in his mouth, felt that this sweet taste was gradually conquering his taste buds step by step, and then step by step sweetening his heart.

Zhang Fan saw Ba Ke Er enjoying the sugarcane sugar so much, and couldn't help but pick up a piece for himself. This bite really made him feel the sugar was delicious; he wasn't sure if it was a psychological effect, but he actually felt it tasted better than any sugar he had ever eaten on Earth. Perhaps this is due to a change in mindset and environment! Of course, it's also not ruled out that it's because this is the fruit of his own labor.