13: Wolf cubs are too easily embarrassed!

Bai Yao also took a taste.

Although the seasoning was simple and the preparation was far less refined than in modern society, the rich flavor of the Gulu Beast meat blended perfectly with the fresh sweetness of the bamboo shoot. It won out thanks to the extreme freshness of the ingredients themselves, and it was even more delicious than she had expected.

"Yao Yao, this soup... is so delicious!"

Tana had already finished a bowl in a flash and was looking longingly at the pot. "If I could drink a bowl of this soup during the Cold Season, I would be willing to give up one beast husband!"

Her words made Bai Yao laugh.

After finishing, Tana immediately leaned in, grabbed Bai Yao's arm, and shook it. "Teach me, please! How exactly did you make it?"

Looking into Tana's eager eyes, Bai Yao felt a sense of wonder. This girl's personality was truly quick to come and quick to go; it seemed all unpleasantness had already been cast to the winds.

"Sure."

Bai Yao smiled and pointed to the basket in the corner. "The main ingredient is that."

Tana picked up a bamboo shoot, her face full of disbelief. "This? Isn't this the thing that gives you a stomachache if you eat it..."

"You can't eat it raw."

Bai Yao explained patiently, "And it must be cooked thoroughly. If you stew it together with Gulu Beast meat, it becomes very delicious."

She picked up a piece of ginger. "Adding this removes the gamey smell and enhances the flavor."

She went through the simple cooking steps, and Tana immediately directed her beast husband, Kun, who was beside her. "Did you memorize all that? We'll make it when we get back."

Kun nodded repeatedly, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily; he was clearly hooked by the aroma from earlier.

"Yao Yao, thank you. I will definitely repay you well later!"

After sending off Tana, who had been full of thanks and promised to send prey as a token of gratitude, the grass hut finally returned to peace.

Lin silently cleaned up the mess and prepared to take the pot and utensils to the river to wash them, as Bai Yao didn't seem to like these blackened things.

When it came time to deal with the embers still burning in the fire pit, Lin hesitated. In the Beast World, fire meant warmth, safety, and cooked food; it was an extremely precious existence.

Did he really have to extinguish it?

Bai Yao noticed his hesitation and said directly, "Extinguish it."

"You already know the method. When we need it, we can recreate it at any time."

Lin looked at her determined gaze and finally slowly covered the flames with dirt.

In that instant, his internal approval of Bai Yao rose once again. Perhaps it was because she was the "Daughter of the Sun"?

Lin had already gone to the river, leaving only Bai Yao in the house.

She lay satisfied on the new bed, the solid sensation beneath her replacing the prickly grass pile from before.

Looking at the grass hut, which was still simple but starting to take on the shape of a home, and listening to the faint sounds of the Tribe's bustle in the distance, a small sense of happiness welled up.

This life finally had something to look forward to.

Before long, footsteps approached from a distance, and Lin returned.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw Bai Yao lying lazily on that thing called a "bed," her curves fully exposed.

Lin's earlobes instantly burned, and his gaze hurriedly shifted away, having nowhere to rest.

"Lin, come here."

Bai Yao patted the spot beside her. "Try it and see if it's comfortable."

Lin's body stiffened for a moment, but he ultimately compromised and lay down beside her with extreme caution, his entire body's muscles tensed as if he were lying on the tip of a needle.

"Are you that nervous?" Bai Yao thought to herself with amusement.

Bai Yao turned on her side on the bed; the scar on Lin's face appeared particularly distinct in the dim light.

She didn't press for details, just looked at the grass roof and softly planned for the future:

"We will add things to our home one by one—renovating the house, tables, stools... that way, we won't be afraid of wind or rain."

"By the way, do you know how to make animal hide clothes and shoes? It seems we only have this one set."

Bai Yao realized that in the days she had been here, she had worn the same animal hide clothes every day, and so had Lin. She looked around and didn't see any extra animal hide clothes in the room.

Only then did she realize they really only had one set of clothes.

Lin nodded, stood up, and dragged out an animal hide from the corner that had been tanned but still carried a gamey scent.

"Wait!"

"You aren't going to use this directly, are you?"

Lin nodded honestly.

Bai Yao frowned, overwhelmed by the smell. "You need to take this animal hide to the river first, wash it thoroughly, and dry it before you can use it."

Lin was puzzled, as everyone in the Tribe operated this way when making animal hide clothes. However, thinking of how sensitive Bai Yao was to smells, Lin followed her instructions and headed to the river with the animal hide.

When he returned to hang the wet animal hide out to dry, he found Bai Yao measuring the remaining wood again.

"What are you doing?" Lin asked, puzzled.

"I want to make a few wooden bowls; stone bowls are too heavy."

Bai Yao had already realized this while eating earlier; after one meal, her hands were incredibly sore.

Fortunately, there were still leftover materials that could be used immediately.

Bai Yao described it with great interest. "It's just sawing the wood into sections and hollowing out the middle..."

Lin had a special rapport with her now and understood her intention instantly. A cold light flashed from his wolf claws, and the wood instantly turned into regular wooden blocks.

However, when carving the inner wall, the requirement for precise control of strength far exceeded that of building the bed.

With a "crack," the first wooden blank split into two in his hands.

Lin froze, looking at the scrap in his hands, a rare flash of confusion and guilt appearing in his eyes.

"Pfft—"

Bai Yao couldn't help but laugh out loud, taking the carving knife and another piece of wood from his hands.

"It's okay, let me try. It's rare to find something you're not good at, Lin."

She focused, lowering her head, and used the animal bone knife to chisel and polish bit by bit, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.

Lin watched quietly from the side, looking at her serious profile and listening to the sound of wood shavings falling. The frozen wasteland in his heart seemed to be warmed bit by bit by this warm and ordinary daily life, blooming with soft flowers.

He suddenly spoke in a low voice, his tone somewhat hoarse. "Where... did you learn these things?"

Bai Yao paused, looked up, and met his complex and probing gaze. She put down the carving knife and revealed a somewhat mysterious yet incomparably devout smile.

"Lin, do you believe?"

She pointed to herself, then pointed to the sky.

"These were all taught to me by the beast god. It taught me so, so much in my dreams. For example, how to make life better, and how to live better here with you."

She held Lin's large, calloused hand and placed the budding wooden bowl in his palm, her eyes clear:

"Have you ever thought that maybe this is the beast god's will? Perhaps it is just to let us live a good life together."

Lin hurriedly pulled his hand back and lowered his head in confusion, but Bai Yao still noticed that his earlobes had quietly turned red.

She thought to herself, after such a long time of being hurt, it wasn't realistic for Lin to change his attitude immediately.

Plus, this wolf cub was too easy to get shy. It seemed she would have to take it slow. At least he wasn't so resistant to her anymore, right?