Invitation (continued)

When they returned to the tribe, everyone had lost weight, and even the Flying-Winged Beast were exhausted and didn't want to move once they landed in their nests.

Traveling long distances is indeed tiring, and carrying heavy loads makes it even more tiring.

Wu Jiong told everyone to rest for two days before going to handle matters concerning the tribe.

Seeing that everyone else was resting while Wu Jiong still had to deal with these matters, Jian Mo sighed inwardly and went to the river to retrieve the fish traps, wondering if there were any catches inside.

If he had any, he wanted to take it back and make some fish fillets.

These past few days, it's been inconvenient to travel, and everyone's been eating dry, bland roasted meat and stems, which has really made us feel unwell.

The children and toddlers from the tribe were wandering outside when they saw Jian Mo. They swarmed around him, asking, "Jian Mo, where are you going?"

Jian Mo laughed and said, "Let's see if there are any fish in the fish trap. How have you been doing in the tribe these past few days?"

Jiang Xing said, "It's alright, just a bit boring. It would be great if we could go out and trade with you guys when we grow up."

Jian Mo reached out and patted his head. "It should be fine in a few years."

Seeing Jiang Xing being petted, Banjiu squeezed forward and patted Jian Mo's leg with its paw. "Meow, Jian Mo."

Jian Mo bent down and picked up the creature. Despite its kitten-like form, it was actually much larger and more sturdy than a cat, and quite heavy in her arms. "Banjiu has grown a bit more. How has it been these past few days?"

The three members of Banjiu's family went out to trade things. He's been living with Ye Luo these past few days, and judging from his appearance, he seems to be doing well.

The Banjiu meowed softly and said, "Okay."

Jian Mo arrived at the riverbank surrounded by a large group of little ones.

There were so many little ones around him, chattering away, that they attracted a lot of attention.

Most people would just laugh it off, A Hu and his group of young orcs, bored and restless, couldn't resist coming over to watch the commotion. "Jian Mo, what are you doing by the river?"

Jian Mo had to repeat what she had told the children, "Check if there's anything in the fish trap."

Xuanse, a young orc standing next to A Hu, said, "We checked on it for you a couple of days ago; all the fish in the fish trap have escaped."

The orcs began to speak:

"Yes, some fish died inside before. The fish outside went in, ate them, and then escaped."

"Jian Mo, you want fish? How about we catch a couple for you?"

What kind of fish do you want? Big or small? We'll catch it for you fresh.

Seeing their enthusiasm, Jian Mo asked, "The river is frozen over, how can we still catch fish?"

"Of course, just break the ice, no problem."

"Jian Mo, don't worry, we'll transform back into beast form, and one swipe of our claws will shatter the ice."

"It's cold, and the fish don't move much, making them easier to catch than in the summer."

"Jian Mo, just watch us."

The young beastmen were going down to the river to catch fish, and the little ones were eager to try as well.

Jian Mo was startled and was about to stop him.

A Hu first scooped up the Banjiu that had rushed ahead, then skillfully tossed it onto the shore. "What are you doing getting involved, you little brat?"

The other orcs also pushed the little ones ashore:

"We bathe in the river all year round, can you do that too? Hurry up and get out, don't catch a cold."

"Jian Mo, we can help you with things here. You guys can stay on the shore."

"Don't come down, okay? If you get swept away by the river, we'll have to frantically try to rescue you."

The little creatures protested, and for a moment, all sorts of sounds, such as "Awooo, Meow, Woof," echoed along the riverbank.

The young orcs sneered, "You haven't even lost your baby teeth yet, stop yelling."

The little ones protested even more fiercely, angrily arguing with the young beastmen, saying that even though they were small, they could still help.

The young beastmen stretched out their large hands and covered the little ones' faces to physically silence them.

The little ones were so angry that they opened their mouths and bit them.

Of course, the little ones who haven't lost their baby teeth can't chew them at all.

A Hu, in particular, was thick-skinned and raised his hand high.

The Banjiu, which was biting his hand, was hung up like that, meowing angrily, and finally had to let go and fall to the ground.

Jian Mo watched from the side, a smile involuntarily appearing on her face.

It's quite amusing to watch these big and small creatures in the tribe arguing.

After playing with the little ones for a while, the young beastmen went down to the river to help Jian Mo catch fish.

Jian Mo she wanted a bigger fish with tender flesh, so they caught a lot of plump carnivorous fish and even helped Jian Mo prepare them.

The fish entrails are stuffed into the fish trap to attract new fish.

Jian Mo felt a little embarrassed about getting so many fish and wanted to invite them home for dinner, but they declined.

For them, it was just a matter of course.

Even in winter, when the river is frozen, they still often take cold baths.

They not only take cold showers, but they also roll around in the snow, groom their fur, and catch some fish. They'd be too embarrassed to ask for a free meal.

The young beastmen didn't go to eat, which angered the little ones, so they ran away too.

In the end Jian Mo carried several plump, large fish home.

With Flying-Winged Beast at home, there's no fear of not being able to finish the food.

Jian Mo fillets the fish, marinates it with spice powder, fruit wine and starch, fries the fish bones on a stone slab, then transfers it to a large earthenware pot, adds boiling water and Flour Fruit cakes, and simmers.

After the soup was cooked, he boiled water in another pot, blanched the fish fillets, then placed the stir-fried pickled vegetables at the bottom, topped them with a spice powder mainly composed of peppercorn powder, and poured hot oil over them again.

The blanched fish fillets are exceptionally tender and delicious; the meat falls off the bone with the slightest touch, offering a different flavor compared to pan-fried or grilled fish.

After tasting it, Wu Jiong said, "This fish is delicious."

Jian Mo took a satisfied bite of the fish slice. "Of course, this is called boiled fish, a very famous dish in our area. It's a pity there aren't enough spices; if there were enough, it would taste even better."