Ch63 – Jealousy
The barley that had been shelled using his plant abilities was simmered slowly in a stone pot over a small fire, giving off the faint fragrance of cooked rice.
The process of making barley porridge couldn’t be sped up. Zhou Ji waited patiently, adding wood to the fire from time to time as he watched the people of the tribe dance and sing.
It was rare for strangers to come to the tribe, so everyone was very happy. Some members of the tribe had already begun to hook up; Xiong Qi and Bao Yu were also very close and intimate.
Things had remained ambiguous between the two of them during the journey back, but it was obvious that they were planning to begin a relationship together tonight.
Zhou Ji had checked the bodies of Bao Yu and the rest of the Little Brook Tribe earlier and discovered that Bao Yu was already pregnant. Of course, she probably didn’t know… Xiong Qi was going to end up as the father for someone else’s child.
But people from this era didn’t attach much importance to these things.
Even if it was someone else’s child, as long as the child identified someone as their father, then that father of theirs would give them some extra care during their childhood
This was similar to some nomadic tribes in ancient Earth. In some ways they were even more open-minded than those people.
Since that was the case, Zhou Ji didn’t say anything.
Zhou Ji liked to be left in peace, but it was very obvious that for him, quiet relaxation had already become a luxury!
“Zhou Ji, exactly what kind of food is it that the Beast God asked you to find?” Xiong Bai, who was a little more familiar with Zhou Ji, leaned over and looked at that pot of barley porridge, “Is this it? Can I try it?”
“No.” Zhou Ji didn’t even hesitate before he refused her.
Xiong Bai left disappointed, but others also gathered around Zhou Ji to try and see what Zhou Ji was cooking.
The scent of all sorts of different animals filled the area around Zhou Ji.
Zhou Ji had never liked the smell in the valley. Now that he was being surrounded by all these people, he felt that it was even more hopeless.
Unfortunately for him, these people had not only come to see the porridge he was cooking. Someone asked, “Zhou Ji, is it really possible to raise dinosaurs?”
“Zhou Ji, what is the Beast God like?”
“Zhou Ji…”
Xiong Ye laughed as he continued to talk about their journey.
These were all valuable experiences that should be shared with the people of the tribe so that they could learn a little more.
While Xiong Ye was talking, someone suddenly came up to him and fell to their knees in front of him, kowtowing, “Xiong Ye, you are great and generous. Please forgive me! I shouldn’t have offended you in the past! Please leave me a path to live…”
The kneeling person was Yang Ying. Seeing her act this way left Xiong Ye somewhat at a loss about what to do.
After he and Shi Li had broken up, he had had no further contact with Yang Ying. His impression of Yang Ying was based on his past interactions with her.
The Yang Ying from the start of his memories had been very weak. She cried a lot and always lamented about how pitiful she was.
She had indeed been very pitiful. At the time, the elderly and weak of their tribe were always given their share of food, but Yang Ying and her family didn’t have a share.
He had felt bad for her, so he had taken Shi Li with him everywhere to look for food, letting Shi Li take it back to her whenever they found any.
Yang Ying had been very nice to him at the time. When Yang Su’s attitude towards him had worsened after he awakened, Yang Ying had even scolded Yang Su for his sake.
However, he didn’t like Yang Ying and didn’t enjoy interacting with her.
Most people wouldn’t like others who complained tearfully to them every time they saw them, not to mention how Yang Ying always whined about the same few things every time.
So in the past, Xiong Ye would hide whenever he saw her.
Later on, Shi Li had joined the hunting team, and Yang Ying had stopped crying, but her attitude towards him had turned much colder. He hadn’t minded and had instead felt more at ease.
As for how Yang Ying had started to nitpick at him about everything after he and Shi Li had agreed to become a mated pair… In fact, it hadn’t mattered how she nagged at him, and he hadn’t paid her much attention.
However, no matter what kind of Yang Ying it was in his memories, he had never seen such a humble version. Xiong Ye now felt quite awkward.
“Yang Ying, what are you doing?” Xiong He reprimanded her. Yang Ying had suddenly rushed up and done this while the people of the Little Brook Tribe were still here. What was she trying to do?
What Yang Ying wanted was to recover her cave. “Xiong Ye, you and Shi Li had feelings for each other for so many years. They couldn’t have disappeared just like that, right? If you don’t treat me well, Shi Li will definitely be angry when he comes back…”
Yang Ying had no other choice.
The tribe had been very busy when Shi Li had first been taken away. Nobody had time to concern themselves over her, and she had been able to eat her fill because of the abundance of food in the tribe.
However, things changed after the salt team departed.
Xiong He had told her and Yang Su to move out of their cave to live in the collective cave instead!
That was bad enough, but they also had a lot of work to do during the day.
They had to cut grass and plant earth eggs every day, and she had no longer had any free time to spare. It was obvious that they were targeting her and her son.
In truth, it was Yang Ying who was overthinking this matter. Nobody in the tribe was targeting her; there really were a lot of things that needed to be done recently… However, she and Yang Su hadn’t done much work before, which led them to always take longer to finish than others and have less spare time. That part was indeed true.
“There is no longer anything between me and Shi Li.” There was no hesitation when Xiong Ye spoke.
He would admit that he had once been worried when the man suspected of being Zhou Ji’s father had taken Shi Li away, but after careful consideration… Shi Li being taken away that time was something he had brought upon himself.
That person wouldn’t have noticed him at all if he hadn’t spoken up.
However, he had insisted on revealing Zhou Ji’s identity for some reason… It clearly had nothing to do with him!
“How could you be so heartless…”
“What exactly do you want?” Xiong Ye demanded.
“You guys can’t drive us out of our cave!” Yang Ying had tears on her face as she looked at Xiong Ye.
When Xiong Ye heard her say this, he immediately understood why she had rushed out and acted like this.
Xiong He hadn’t made a final decision yet about what to do with the Little Brook Tribe, but he was leaning towards allowing them to stay.
Firstly, the Little Brook Tribe didn’t have many people. Secondly… these people were all young and able-bodied, and there wasn’t a single old or weak person amongst them!
If he let a group of people like this go, he would never have another chance like this!
It was because of this that on the same day that the people of the Little Brook Tribe had arrived, Xiong He had planned to clear out some of the caves to let them reside in. Yang Ying’s and Yang Su’s cave was amongst the caves that he intended to clear out.
“That cave was never yours… And it’s not as though you’re left with nowhere to live.” Xiong Ye said. Couldn’t Yang Ying and Yang Su just go and live in the collective cave?
“We’ve already lived in that cave for many years. And it’s not like you don’t know what the collective cave is like, right?” Yang Ying argued. When she had first come to the tribe, the tribe had allowed their family to live in the valley out of sympathy, and they had lived in the collective cave. The environment there… was really bad.
“I know. I’ve lived there too.” Xiong Ye didn’t understand why she was complaining.
“I don’t want to live in the collective cave… Your cave is very spacious. How about you let us live in your cave?”
Xiong Ye looked at this person incredulously. Why would he?
Yang Ying pushed on, “Didn’t you allow Zhou Ji to move in with you before?”
“He’s my mate!”
“What does he count as? He’s just someone who pushed in half way!” Yang Ying wiped away her tears and continued, “The person you like is clearly Shi Li! Have you forgotten the past? When there wasn’t enough food in winter, you still went out to break open the ice and catch fish for Shi Li even though you obviously disliked the cold. One time when Shi Li was sick, you went out and worked so hard just to catch a dinosaur for him to eat. You’ve even taken attacks from dinosaurs for Shi Li’s sake. You guys grew up together, and your feelings are so good…”
Xiong Ye had indeed done all the things Yang Ying talked about.
Even if he and Shi Li hadn’t been mates at the time, they had been the best of friends. He had cared for Shi Li from the bottom of his heart, and it was because of this that he had found it even more difficult to accept when Shi Li had unhesitatingly turned his back on him.
“Everything you talked about is from the past.” Xiong Ye said.
“Exactly! Shi Li took advantage of Xiong Ye so much, and then did so many disgusting things, yet you’re still expecting Xiong Ye to help you!” Xiong Bai charged out and interjected. She had grown up together with Shi Li and Xiong Ye, and Xiong Ye would occasionally bring her along when they went hunting or something… She wouldn’t have fallen for Xiong Ye otherwise.
Of course, her crush was now also something of the past.
At this moment, the people of the tribe were feeling a little shocked.
Xiong Ye and Shi Li had still been young a few years ago. They all knew that the two of them had a good relationship, but they hadn’t known that Xiong Ye had done so many things for Shi Li and his family. Looking at it now… Shi Li’s behavior back then had indeed been very despicable.
Even Lang Yin felt embarrassed. She hadn’t known that Shi Li had been basically living off of Xiong Ye before this!
No wonder Shi Li took it for granted that he could eat her meat. How despicable!
With this in mind, Lang Yin looked at Xiong Ye, her eyes filled with a bit more friendliness––they could be considered to have suffered the same thing!
Everyone greatly sympathized with Xiong Ye, but Zhou Ji’s expression was a little ugly.
If it weren’t for the fact that he was worried he might lose control, he really, particularly wanted to send Yang Ying flying with a good kick!