LSLFBW: Chapter 135

Qi Bai opened the door latch, shook the snow off his clothes at the doorway and went inside.

Not everyone knew how to do woodworking that used mortise and tendon joints, so the wooden doors and windows of the tribe’s houses were all made by Hu Huo and the horned beastmen together. It was considered a bonus for everyone who received a house.

Qi Bai added two small latches to both the inside and outside of the wooden door. These two small latches served no anti-theft purpose. They were purely to prevent the door from being blown open by the cold wind.

In his spare time, Qi Bai used the bamboo that Lang Ze had cut to make two small kang tables and stools for starting a fire. As for the rest, he cut them into suitable lengths and piled them behind the stove for easy access.

Qi Bai lit the fire under the stove and casually tossed some bamboo scraps into the bottom.

Qi Bai returned to the bedroom while waiting. He rolled up the animal hide blanket and quilt he used for sleeping and placed them against the wall. Then he carefully swept the entire surface of the kang with a small broom.

Just as the heated wall in the bedroom warmed up, he heard the sound of a door opening nearby.

Qi Bai smiled. “You’ve come at the right time. Come, warm up on the kang.”

Tu Ruo had just put down the rattan basket when Qi Bai placed a warm bamboo cup in her hands. He said, “These are some small flowers I dried at the end of summer. They taste quite good when stepped in water.”

Tu Ruo looked at the swirling purple petals in the bamboo cup, finding everything in Qi Bai’s house interesting.

Qi Bai spread out the two pieces of animal skin he had just received and asked, “What type of animal skin clothing do you want?”

Beastmen didn’t have the habit of wearing animal skin clothing. Tu Ruo had seen the clothes of the Linen Tribe at the Xushan Trading Day, but as a slave, she could never afford such expensive cloth.

It wasn’t until she came to the Black Mountain Tribe and saw the various types of clothing worn by the tribe members that she truly understood clothing wasn’t just about displaying status and wealth. It was about keeping everyone warm in winter.

Therefore, after receiving her share of the animal skins, she had been wanting to make herself a garment. Upon learning that Qi Bai was going to make clothes from his two newly acquired skins today, Tu Ruo tentatively asked him about it. Unexpectedly, he invited her to make an animal skin garment with him.

Tu Ruo pointed at Qi Bai and asked, “Can I make one like this?”

Qi Bai nodded. “Of course.”

The clothes Qi Bai was wearing were made last year. The main task was to cut off the front and back panels and sleeves before sewing them together with animal skin rope. It was indeed quite suitable for beginners.

Qi Bai opened the cabinet and took out a clean garment, handing it to Tu Ruo. “Use this as a reference to cut the skin. However, my garment might be a bit large. I’ll alter it for you later.”

Qi Bai was considerably taller than Tu Ruo, but the animal skin garments weren’t completely form-fitting. This meant using his garment as a template was sufficient.

Tu Ruo took the animal skin coat and said happily, “Quan Liu gave me his animal skin. You two look similar, so I can make him one first and he can wear it when he comes back.”

Quan Liu was Tu Ruo’s companion and his animal form was a mastiff. He was perfectly suited to fighting alongside wolves. Therefore, he was chosen by Lang Ze to join the sheep-finding team this time.

Qi Bai agreed. “That’s perfect. Once you make the first one, you will know how to alter it later.”

Tu Ruo watched Qi Bai drape the entire animal skin over his body. This was different from the method he had been taught and she asked curiously, “What type of clothes are you making?”

“These two animal skins are very intact and thick. Cutting them would be a waste. I plan to make two hooded cloaks.”

Making cloaks was much simpler than animal skin clothing. He just needed to cut out the garment pieces and the hood.

Qi Bai looked at the inside of the animal skin cloak. Then he thought for a moment and pulled out two thin pieces of animal skin.

He turned the furry side inwards and sewed two large pockets onto the inside of the cloak using a bone needle.

This way, the pockets hidden inside the large cloak could keep his hands warm and hold some personal items.

The dark animal skins gleamed, making Qi Bai’s already fair complexion appear even more refined.

Tu Ruo didn’t know how to describe the handsome young man before her. She only felt that she had never seen someone so good-looking. “So handsome.”

Qi Bai heard Tu Ruo’s words and took it as a compliment on the clothes. He smiled. “This winter will probably be very cold. The priest and chief will likely distribute animal skins to everyone. If you have extra skins, you can make a cloak like this.”

Tu Ruo smiled and shook her head, continuing to sew the skin with her bone needle. She was already very satisfied with this animal skin garment and she didn’t have any greedy thoughts.

Once it was completely dark, Tu Ruo arranged to meet Qi Bai the next day before packing up her tools for making the animal skin garment. Then she returned home.

Qi Bai also put away the second cloak he was halfway through making. There were no lights in the tribe yet. There was a crack in the window at night but only a little bit of moonlight could come in.

Qi Bai was wondering if he could make a wick by gathering some cotton when he grabbed some soybeans in a bamboo basket by the wall.

Qi Bai made the stone mill for two reasons. Firstly, to make wheat-based foods. Secondly, to grind some celosia flour to try making soy sauce.

Soy sauce production mainly required two ingredients: soybeans and wheat flour.

The celosia wheat he obtained was very long, unlike the short-awned wheat widely cultivated in modern times. Qi Bai thought it looked more like barley or highland barley. However, this was the only type of wheat he had found so far. No matter what, he could only try using it.

Unfortunately, the soybeans grew in hilly areas and the celosia was obtained from another tribe. Neither of them grew near the Black Mountain Tribe. To be on the safe side, Qi Bai planned to keep most of the soybeans and celosia as seeds for next spring’s planting. This meant he didn’t have many materials available now.

Qi Bai used a small bamboo tube to scoop a small bowl of soybeans from a rattan basket. He washed them and soaked them in water overnight.

The next morning, Qi Bai steamed the softened soybeans in a steamer.

Once the soybeans were cooked, he let them cool on a winnowing basket. Then he thoroughly mixed them with ground barley flour and placed the mixture on the basket to ferment.

The house was kept warm by a fire burning 24 hours a day, allowing the mold on the soybeans to grow freely.

Therefore, when Lang Ze opened Qi Bai’s door four days later, he was greeted by a green winnowing basket with a strange smell.

Lang Ze frowned. Qi Bai was always the cleanest person in the tribe and he wouldn’t let food spoil without a reason.

He recalled what the tribe members had told him about Qi Bai not leaving the house for several days. This made Lang Ze quicken his pace.

Lang Ze abruptly lifted the animal skin curtain of the bedroom and saw a small snow leopard lying on his back in a small wooden basin filled with steam.

A small piece of animal skin still rested on the snow leopard’s forehead. As the water rippled, the tip of his little tail swayed gently from where it was protruding from the surface. He had clearly fallen asleep from soaking too comfortably.

Lang Ze put the animal skin down and quietly walked to the edge of the small wooden tub. The snow leopard’s ears twitched, about to wake up. Lang Ze swiftly reached his hand into the tube.

“Meow!”

Qi Bai wasn’t actually deep asleep. He had vaguely heard some sounds coming from outside. He just hadn’t expected the other person to act so quickly, subduing him before he could even struggle to open his eyes.

Lang Ze chuckled and brought his face close to the snow leopard, wanting to rub his nose against Qi Bai’s.

A wet little paw stretched out straight, trying to block between the two of them.

Lang Ze was undeterred by the rejection. He didn’t mind the paw and gently rubbed his nose against the snow leopard’s paw.

The snow leopard wanted to puff up his fur, but he was completely soaked and couldn’t manage this difficult move.

Lang Ze rubbed the little snow leopard’s belly. “You still need to eat more. You are too thin without fur.”

“Meow! Meow!” The little snow leopard protested.

Unfortunately, Lang Ze couldn’t understand leopard language at all. He put the little snow leopard back in the small wooden tube. “I won’t bother you. You can wash up now.”

As he said this, Lang Ze’s large hands gently rubbed the little snow leopard’s head and scratched his chin.

After this full-body massage, Qi Bai was so comfortable that he couldn’t help purring.

Qi Bai shook his head. No, he wasn’t a real cat. He couldn’t indulge in such pleasure. He couldn’t keep bathing.

Taking advantage of Lang Ze’s inattention, Qi Bai leaped onto the animal skin that had been spread out on the edge of the kang. He deliberately shook off the water, splashing it all over Lang Ze.

“Why are you bullying me as soon as you get back?”

Qi Bai’s voice was indignant. Lang Ze had changed. Ever since they became partners, Lang Ze was no longer the reserved person he used to be. Every time he got the chance, Lang Ze would relentlessly ‘bully’ him.

Qi Bai’s fair skin was flushed pink due to just taking a hot bath. There were a few touches of rosy blush on her lips and chest, making Lang Ze unable to look away. Even Qi Bai’s slightly puffed-up cheeks looked exceptionally beautiful at this moment.

A surge of heat flowed through Lang Ze’s body. He reached out to gently stroke Qi Bai’s cheek. “I missed you.”

It was already too late by the time Qi Bai reacted.

After being tormented in his beast form for half a day, Qi Bai’s human form couldn’t escape disaster either.

“Lang Ze, Bao Bai, Priest Yang Luo is asking why you haven’t gone over yet!”

The voice outside was like a thunderclap, striking Qi Bai as he was entangled with Lang Ze.

Qi Bai pushed Lang Ze away, pulled the animal skin blanket over himself and wrapped himself completely in it.

Qi Bai’s lips were even redder than before and his almond-shaped eyes, glistening with moisture, were fixed on Lang Ze as if silently questioning him.

Lang Ze took a deep breath. Then he looked down and touched his nose. “By the way, we found the four-eared sheep. Priest Yang Luo asked me to come and get you to take a look.”