I've been transported to the orc continent.

Bai Ling readily agreed: "Okay, tomorrow morning I'll teach the orcs of the Great River Tribe how to render lard, and I'll also teach them how to cook."

A faint smile appeared in Yue's eyes: "Ling, thank you."

His smile wasn't big, just a light, faint smile, like starlight falling on a river—not dazzling, but captivating.

Bai Ling turned his head away, not daring to look at Yue anymore. He gritted his teeth to stop his head from spinning, and then said, "Yue, there's something I'd like to ask you for help with."

Yue: "What is it?"

“You’ll be staying in the Great River Tribe for a few days. I’d like to take this time to explore the tribe and see if I can find anything useful,” Bai Ling said. “I’ve already spoken with Chief Li. I can find edible plants on the Great River Tribe’s territory. I can take as much as I can with me.”

This was something he and Li had agreed upon: he could find edible plants here, but he would have to tell the Dahe tribe how to eat the plants he found.

This request wasn't unreasonable, and Bai Ling agreed.

He wasn't familiar with the Great River Tribe, and if he wanted to gather resources here, it would be best to find a beastman from the Great River Tribe to accompany him. However, Bai Ling wanted Yue to come with him so that he could spend more time with Yue.

Bai Ling was slightly nervous after stating her request.

He and Yue weren't particularly familiar with each other. Yue came to the Dahe tribe to visit her grandfather and great-grandfather, and he didn't know if Yue would be willing to travel with him outside.

To Bai Ling's surprise, Yue readily agreed: "Okay, but I'm going out to collect things with my great-grandfather. Would you like to come with us?"

Although it was different from what Bai Ling had imagined, Bai Ling was already very satisfied as long as she had the opportunity to act with Yue.

"Okay, then it's settled."

Yue then invited Bai Ling: "Ling, why don't you have breakfast with us tomorrow morning?"

He really couldn't stand the food his great-uncle cooked, but he couldn't cook well either, so he could only invite Bai Ling to eat with him.

Bai Ling understood Yue's meaning in an instant. He nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, then I'll go there earlier tomorrow."

"I'll come see you tomorrow," Yue thought for a moment and then asked, "Is there anything I need to prepare in advance?"

Bai Ling: "What do you all like to eat?"

Yue: "Grandpa caught two fish, let's have fish soup tomorrow morning."

Bai Ling remembered that Yue loved to eat fish: "Okay, then let's prepare some more game meat and wild vegetables. Just fish soup might not be enough."

*

In his past life, Bai Ling loved to sleep in, but in this life, he has developed the habit of waking up early.

Today, Bai Ling had to cook at Yue's grandfather's house, so he got up even earlier. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and started waiting for Yue at home.

The moon came very early; he arrived shortly after dawn. Bai Ling slung the basket over his shoulder and said, "Let's go."

Yue's grandfather's house was not far from the village's communal house. The two walked side by side in the daylight, attracting a lot of attention.

It's the season for storing food, so most of the beastmen get up early. When Yue was little, he often stayed at his grandfather's place, and many beastmen in the Great River Tribe knew him.

Some familiar people greeted Yue, and Yue responded to each one. An elderly orc even gave Yue a handful of small green fruits.

Yue's grandfather is quite old. Judging from his features, he must have been a very handsome man when he was young. Yue's features are more like those of his great-uncle, the kind of handsome man.

A fire has already been lit in the hearth, the fish have been scaled, and the meat and wild vegetables have been prepared. Bai Ling said, "Grandpa, one hearth isn't enough. We need to light another fire, and two earthenware pots will make it faster."

Grandpa Yue laughed and said, "I'll make another fire."

Bai Ling began processing the two fish. The scales had been scraped off, but the innards hadn't been removed yet. Holding a bone knife, Bai Ling made a slit under the scales, reached in, and pulled out the fish's innards, then tossed them aside.

"Fish innards are poisonous and bitter. Removing them when cooking fish will make it taste better."

Bai Ling cleaned the two fish, cut the animal meat into small pieces, and lit a fire. He then placed earthenware pots on the fire pit and the fire, filling each pot with animal fat.

"Frying meat in animal fat before cooking will make it taste better. The same goes for fish; fry it first before cooking to make the fish soup more delicious."

Grandpa Yue and his great-uncle had never seen meat and fish cooked like this before, but when the meat and fish were put into the earthenware pot, one emitted a strong aroma and the other a light and fresh taste, the two old men knew that this method was definitely not wrong.

The fish was fried quickly, so Bai Ling added water to make fish soup. The game meat was stir-fried for a while longer; once it turned golden brown, Bai Ling added water to stew it.

“Grandpa, the meat will cook faster if you put a lid on the earthenware pot.” Bai Ling gestured with his hand, “The lid is made of thin twigs, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, and it fits the earthenware pot perfectly.”

Yue said from the side, "Now the pottery pots in the Gaoshu tribe all have lids and steamers, so food can be boiled, baked, or steamed."

Grandpa Yue asked in confusion, "A steamer?"

Yue: "Yes, it's woven from thin twigs, and you can steam food in it."

Yue began telling his grandfather and great-uncle how delicious the steamed cassava cakes were, saying they were perfect with meat soup, and that he could eat several cassava cakes at a time.

As he said this, Yue's eyes shone brightly, indicating that he really loved eating cassava flour cakes.

Grandpa Yue laughed and said, "Well, when Ling has time, let him tell you how to make a steamer. Grandpa will make you cassava flour pancakes."

*

Both the grandfather and the great-uncle praised Bai Ling's cooking.

Bai Ling discovered a little habit of Yue's: whenever Yue ate something delicious and that she liked, her eyes would squint slightly, her icy blue eyes looking like they were filled with honey, and her sweet emotions would almost overflow.

Yue especially loved drinking fish soup; his eyes almost turned into crescent moons, and his whole demeanor softened considerably.

*

Bai Ling and Li, the chieftain of the Dahe tribe, agreed to exchange animal oil for wheat seeds. After the meal, Yue took Bai Ling to the Dahe tribe's square, where beastmen were already active.

Each tribe has a plaza where most of the orcs' collective activities are held. Orcs also gather in the plaza when there is something going on in the tribe.

Li was also there. He pointed to an elderly orc and said, "Ling, this is Xue. She's the orc in charge of miscellaneous tasks for the tribe. Just tell her what you need to make animal oil. I'm taking the orcs to dig up some bigroot grass, so I won't be in the tribe all day."

Bai Ling nodded: "Okay, I understand."

After giving his instructions, once most of the tribe's beastmen had arrived, he transformed into his beast form and led them to dig up large root grass.