CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 52 WHY DID MOTHER WANT TO EAT BIRD FOOD?_1

Si Yan and her companions successfully gained the trust of the Tiger Beastmen.

Hu Yong had someone bring over a huge White Tiger beast for Si Yan and the three cubs to ride on.

On the way, the three cubs bowed their heads and, as if by some tacit agreement, began pondering the "chicken and rabbit cage" problem.

Dongchi was the first to have a sudden realization. Xi Qing seemed to have figured it out next, and Bei Ji was the last one to suddenly exclaim, "I’ve got it! We can just make all the Long-eared Beasts lift their front two legs to count them!"

"..."

After thinking for a moment, Si Yan patted the heads of the three cubs.

They were all quite smart.

She only had to teach them how to count a couple of times before they understood. After she taught them basic addition and subtraction within a hundred, they learned that too. They caught on quickly. She hadn’t taught them how to solve the chicken and rabbit cage problem, but they figured it out on their own.

Impressive!

Bei Ji’s words seemed to inspire Hu Yong. He thought the whole way and suddenly came to a realization just before reaching Black Tiger City. He lifted his head, his gaze upon Si Yan growing even more fervent and intense.

Si Yan suddenly felt somewhat overwhelmed by this intensity.

Black Tiger City was a newly established main city on the west side of the Beast World continent, bordering White Tiger City. Most of the residents in Black Tiger City were White Tigers. Black Tiger City was so named simply because its City Lord, Ming Yan, was a Black Tiger.

This Ming Yan, quite coincidentally, was a character who had appeared a few times in the original novel. Because of his uniqueness, Si Yan remembered this character. The original work described him as cruel and violent, with two ferocious scars on his face that were very terrifying. He had brutally murdered two females, and these terrible scars were all related to their deaths. He was a male who didn’t even care about the punishment of the Beast Gods! However, the original work also mentioned his preferences and needs. He liked wine, which was very rare on the Beast World continent. Since the only winemaker on the Beast World continent had died, wine had become a treasured commodity. In the original story, the female protagonist happened to come into possession of three jars of rice wine and used them to exchange for many valuable things with Ming Yan.

At this thought, Si Yan looked comfortably at the "city" before her.

The so-called city was just a large courtyard surrounded by some huge stones.

However, in the culturally backward Beast World, such urban culture already interested Si Yan greatly.

Hu Yong settled Si Yan and her family of four under a rock. His fervent gaze unabated, he said, "Respected Teacher, I will now report to our Lord of the Castle. Please wait here for me. I will be able to settle you in very soon."

The Tiger Beastmen outside the city curiously sized up Si Yan and her company. These individuals are small, clearly cubs whose fur hasn’t even fully grown. How can they make Lord Hu Yong so pleasant and accommodating? they wondered.

Si Yan inquired, "Can’t we settle down in Black Tiger City now?"

Hu Yong hastened to shake his head. "No, no, just wait a little longer. It’ll be ready soon."

It seems Hu Yong has some authority, but not quite enough, Si Yan mused.

Si Yan nodded and found a temporary resting place with the three cubs.

Seeing that the four of them seemed easygoing, Hu Yong heaved a sigh of relief, quickly transformed into a tiger, and ran towards the City Lord’s Mansion.

After Hu Yong left, Hu Que stood guard at the cave entrance, seemingly afraid they would leave.

The City Lord of Black Tiger City likes to drink wine... To make wine, rice and wheat are needed, Si Yan mused. So, inside the cave, she asked the three cubs about rice and wheat.

Bei Ji didn’t understand. "Rice and wheat? Mom... Bro, what are rice and wheat?"

After Si Yan described them for a while, Xi Qing seemed to remember something and said uncertainly, "Mom, I’ve heard that the food the Avian Beastmen like to eat is the kind you described... those grains."

"Really? Those individual white grains, about this big, that you husk. Did you really understand my description? Is it really rice and wheat?"

Xi Qing said, "I’m not sure, but the food the Avian Beastmen like to eat is very similar to what you described."

The importance of rice and wheat isn’t just for brewing alcohol—they’re staples, Si Yan thought. I haven’t eaten rice since coming to this world, and it’s been so long that I’m really craving it.

Dongchi watched Si Yan’s nostalgic and almost drooling expression and asked, "Want to eat?"

Si Yan nodded.

The three cubs looked at each other. Why does Mother want to eat bird food? they wondered.

Bei Ji said, "Mother, meat is more nutritious."

Si Yan explained, "But I’m an omnivore."

"What’s an omnivore?" the cubs asked.

After Si Yan explained for a while, the cubs finally nodded in understanding.

Speaking of rice and wheat, it had been so long since she had eaten them, and she really craved them. Si Yan leaned against a rock, fantasizing about rice and wheat while smacking her lips.

But it wasn’t long before her mouth felt uncomfortable. This life in the Beast World is indeed tough. Since there are no tools for brushing teeth, I had to whittle a cup for myself to rinse my mouth. But I’ve been reluctant to use precious water for so many days, and rinsing my mouth doesn’t really help much. As a result, my teeth don’t feel very clean.

I can’t be picky about the environment. But I’m growing more and more nostalgic for the days on Earth, before the zombie virus outbreak: lying in my warm bed, getting up to brush my teeth, eating various kinds of breakfast, and carrying my backpack to school for exams. Thinking about it, those fairy-tale-like days feel so long past, almost like a dream.

Bei Ji asked his two brothers, "What is Mother thinking about?"

After pondering for a while, Dongchi said, "She wants to eat rice. It seems... she also wants to brush her teeth."

"Brush her teeth?" Xi Qing asked.

Dongchi recalled Si Yan’s behavior in Rock Village. She would occasionally pick up a cup to rinse her mouth and then rub her teeth with her finger. She seems to care quite a bit about oral hygiene, he thought. But it has been many days since she was able to brush her teeth.

Suddenly, Dongchi stood up and said to Hu Que outside the door, "Could you get us some more water?"

Hu Que had a Beastman fetch them a large leaf filled with water.

Dongchi took one of his own snake scales, whittled a cup from it with a stone, poured the water into the cup, and then handed it to Si Yan.

"Wake up, you troublesome female," he said.

Si Yan blinked, confused, and looked at the cup.

Dongchi’s face warmed slightly. He turned his head away, affecting a mature tone, "Get up and rinse your mouth."

Si Yan’s eyes lit up when she saw the cup and the water for rinsing.

"Thank you!" Si Yan happily accepted the cup.

Dongchi sat down nearby.

Si Yan took the cup and went aside to rinse her mouth. In these times, with the Blazing Sun Days approaching, using water like this was an extravagant luxury.