CHAPTER 784: 【755】BEAST WORLD FARMING 65 (1 MORE UPDATE)

Pan Lin had entered hibernation that night, and Tiantian and Jin Han, due to extreme exhaustion, also lay on the kang bed for three days, only starting to organize the space after they had rested enough.

Because the amount of corn was so large, it was difficult to explain how it was transported back, so the cobs hung outside were for their own use, and they planned to share more after planting the next year.

As for the ones in the space, she planned to slowly remove the corn kernels, dry a little every day on the head of the kang, and then store them in sacks in the cellar.

So, they now had something to occupy themselves with during the Cold Season.

After drying the wheat, it had to be beaten with sticks to thresh it. After threshing, it was ground into flour. In her previous life, flour was usually whitened with additives, but the flour milled directly from wheat was never so white—the most natural flour was delicious.

Household after household could each receive about a hundred pounds of wheat. Since it was a discovery made by their family, they received three hundred pounds. Of course, they didn’t have a concept of pounds—it was measured in heaps, which were estimated by Tiantian.

Lotus roots were distributed in amounts of about four to five hundred pounds. This produce was large and yielded a lot, so each household received roughly the same amount. Their family didn’t take more.

As for other crops like sugarcane and such, they only took about a hundred pounds, because they had planted it themselves, whereas other families had not, so they took less.

Including both females and young, the entire tribe did not exceed one hundred individuals. Thus, they received a larger share, since each beastman had contributed a lot.

"This year, thanks to tools like hunting rifles, machetes, and sickles, our work efficiency has vastly increased. The traps at the entrance have also been replaced with sharp iron devices, and we’ve even forged many iron pots and iron knives. Cooking and the like has become more convenient and quick, heat transfers faster, and using the ’open pot’ method you taught, they indeed don’t rust,"

Yin Ye proudly raised his thumb to Tiantian as he recounted the hard work and achievements of everyone that year.

"The days ahead will only get better for us. This wheat isn’t dry enough yet. If there’s no sunlight, then dry it more on the kang. Once it’s dry, we can grind it into flour. Also, these corns, we can chat at night while removing the kernels. Let’s get them out sooner so we can make more space in the cellar."

It seemed ridiculous that what they had initially dug to be big enough now felt insufficient as their food supply continued to grow. They had even taken over Pan Lin’s old den this year, o(╯□╰)o.

After the children went to sleep at night, Tiantian sat cross-legged on the kang in the middle room, removing corn kernels with Yin Ye and Jin Han. Lang Sen was busy in another room. Due to his special status, he generally wouldn’t share a kang with Tiantian except during meals, following the rules as a matter of decorum and respect.

Suddenly, a scent seemed to waft through the air, causing both beastmen to stiffen mid-movement. Tiantian herself hadn’t noticed yet, but Yin Ye suddenly snatched the corn from her hand and softly told her, "Stop that, go rest."

"There’s no need, it’s still early. I had a nap in the afternoon and I’m not tired,"

Just as Tiantian snatched back the corn, Jin Han took it away again, saying more bluntly this time, "You’re in heat,"

Tiantian was startled, looked down to check, and didn’t feel anything yet. Beastmen had sensitive noses, but as the person involved, she was always the last to know. Moreover, her cycle was not like human females’ fixed monthly time; it seemed rather random, sometimes occurring every two months, sometimes every three. Since the timing was so chaotic, she had grown accustomed to being reminded by them, so...

All she could do was blush with embarrassment, "Then... I’ll trouble you two to do more work. I’ll go change."

While their reminders prevented her from staining her clothes every time, it was still embarrassing!

Watching the female leave, the two beastmen sitting opposite each other, exchanged glances, and finally Yin Ye spoke.

"I thought something was going to happen during that month and a half."

Jin Han snorted with disdain, "As if I’m so selfish and self-serving. Am I that kind of person? Even if there’s a choice to be made, it’s not mine to make. The power of decision always lies in her hands. I won’t take advantage of someone’s vulnerability, nor will I rob you of a fair chance to compete. Pan Lin has contributed the most this year, and I have no reason to steal his girl while he’s not here. As you’ve seen, the girl is not interested in us right now. Let’s wait; she’ll understand when she’s grown up."

Perhaps with time, she would realize who she truly liked.

They weren’t afraid of being rejected; they were afraid she would choose no one.

And the family would inevitably need to have their own children someday; they couldn’t always keep raising others’ kids, right?

As long as the child was hers, regardless of who she ended up with, they would be the child’s godfathers.

See, they’d arranged everything so well, yet they still ended up empty-handed. Isn’t it sad?

Feeling thirsty, Tiantian boiled some milk for herself. After drinking her fill and cleaning up, she put on a menstrual pad and comfortably snuggled into her bed.

Recalling how she endured hunger and cold the same time last year, and how she could now contentedly eat, drink, and sleep in a warm kang, she mused on the unpredictability of life. She didn’t ask for much, just the hope to live each day peacefully and safely with these family members.

As for the Beastmen, sometimes she didn’t even dare to look into their eyes, fearing she couldn’t respond and unsure of how to choose.

She had considered choosing one of them as her partner, but it was such a tough decision. She felt compassion for Pan Lin, gratitude for Yin Ye, and an indescribable stirring of emotions for Jin Han. Perhaps it was because she spent the most time with Jin Han that she had these illusions.

But when she returned to the tribe and saw both Yin Ye and Pan Lin, she would immediately reproach herself for being so fickle.

"Could it be that I’m a fickle radish, greedy to have it all?"

Tiantian wanted to cry without tears; rather than that, it would be better not to choose at all.

Yes, she couldn’t choose. Unable to pick out one, or choosing one and then longing for another, it would be better to sever her own emotions completely.

At least, in her current understanding, Pan Lin was the one furthest from her, yet he was the most diligent and powerful, wanting to firmly protect her in his arms. He was the one who saved her from the Wandering Beast. Logically speaking, it wouldn’t be wrong for her to choose Pan Lin, as the first impression is most important, isn’t it?

But she was afraid of snakes, an obstacle that was always there. No matter how kind he was to her, she would still feel momentarily dazed when facing his beast form.

Yin Ye was also her savior. Perhaps he wasn’t as talented as Pan Lin or as imposing as Jin Han, but he was the most attentive and gentle of them all.

He didn’t compete or strive for supremacy; he, like Lang Sen, quietly did what he could for their home and silently protected her.

However, apart from feeling grateful to him, she only felt a kind of familial affection. As for being moved romantically or emotionally, it seemed elusive.

And if she chose Pan Lin or Jin Han, she wouldn’t bear the thought of hurting Yin Ye.

So now, Tiantian was at a stage of uncertainty, feeling that what she was doing was wrong, and any other action would be heartless.

Jin Han, she could say, was the Beastman she spent the most time with. There were many intimate moments between them, and he cared for her warmly. She relied heavily on him, even more so than on Yin Ye and Pan Lin.

Yet with such deep understanding, Tiantian, being as kind-hearted as she was, wouldn’t allow herself to abandon any of them. She preferred to keep things ambiguous rather than choose one and hurt the remaining two.

So, after much thought, it would be better to let them speculate about her true feelings. At least that way, they would all be on the same starting line.

Only if everyone ran together could they enjoy the simple joy of togetherness. But if one day their paths diverged, the environment in which they lived might undergo drastic changes. Human hearts are the most unpredictable and hardest to conquer. She didn’t want the result of years of effort to end in failure.

She wouldn’t be fooled by their current appearances. All that talk about not caring who fathered her child, or with whom to be together? It was all nonsense. Once she was really with one of them, she didn’t believe the other two wouldn’t feel resentful or disgruntled. They could have lived like a family, why turn into mere relatives over some supposed feelings?

With this in mind, she let go. Without the psychological pressure, even her sleep improved.

Liang Tian shook his head helplessly watching her sleep without a care, comforting herself or maybe self-hypnotizing in the space.

Foolish girl, foolish girl. She could have had it all, yet she chose the toughest path of a nun. It’s puzzling what she was trying to achieve!

Based on her intentions, was she planning to continue this tug of war as a prolonged strategy?

It was truly time to light a silent candle for those Beastmen!

Well, who told them to fall for such a female?

In the future, to satisfy their physical needs, they would surely have to give up their personal desires. Gain and loss, that indeed reflected the harsh reality of society.

——

The next day was yet another day of heavy snow and wind. Early in the morning, Yin Ye was called out by the Beastmen. By the time he returned, everyone in the house was awake.

Tiantian, wearing a hat, came out and looked puzzled at Yin Ye who was lighting a fire. "Who is it? What’s so important early in the morning?"

"Wanshou City was attacked by a Beast Tide and suffered heavy losses. They’re seeking help outside our tribe, having gone to Vine Mountain Tribe, Xinba Tribe. They say we have plenty to eat, warm houses to live in, and we take in children. Just now a Beastman came to inform us to have breakfast and then attend a meeting with the High Priest to discuss," Yin Ye explained.

Tiantian shook her head upon hearing this, "It was only a matter of time before they were attacked by wild beasts. They call it Wanshou City, but it’s just a congregation of tribes with no actual city walls, still living in the most primitive stage of raw-food consumption. Surviving Cold Season would be a miracle. Ironically, they once looked down upon our scattered tribes, deeming themselves the stronger ones. Such a bitter twist!"