The Female Supporting Character Refuses to Be Human Again - Chapter 209.2

Inside the cave, five people, including Meng Changjin, fixed their eyes on the snowy white grains of rice lying on the green leaves in front of them.

The Wu felt a mix of emotions in her heart. She never expected that Meng Changjin would return with something so important after just one trip. She didn’t even know that a significant portion of the prey outside was thanks to Meng Changjin’s efforts. If she had known, she would have been even more astonished.

The Wu turned eagerly to Meng Changjin and said, “Explain this in detail.”

Meng Changjin cleared her throat lightly and began to recount the story she had prepared in advance, delivering it to the Wu with practiced ease. She spoke confidently about how this rice could be planted to yield even more rice in the future.

Meng Changjin’s manner was straightforward and unapologetic—she didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty about bending the truth. After all, she was doing this for the future of the Yan Tribe. Even if it wasn’t a purely honest statement, the result was beneficial. It wasn’t like she was lying to harm anyone, so Meng Changjin saw no reason to feel awkward about it.

The Wu and the three Chieftains listened to Meng Changjin’s explanation, each of them with a different expression on their face, but all of them generally pleased by the news.

Meng Changjin had brought back quite a lot of rice, so they decided to cook a portion of it and let the Wu and the three Chieftains have a taste. Although the Wu initially thought it unnecessary, when she saw the eager looks on the faces of the three Chieftains, she nodded slightly.

It was time for Meng Changjin to showcase her cooking skills once again. Fortunately, she had enough experience to handle the task. Although she was used to making rice with an iron pot, this time she would be using a stone pot. With the aid of her spiritual awareness, she managed the heat perfectly.

In no time, a small pot of fragrant white rice was ready.

Meng Changjin didn’t cook much—just enough for each of the four people to have a small bowl. As she finished the rice, the large pot of stew outside was also done. The smell of the simmering meat wafted through the air, carried by the wind to every corner of the Yan Tribe.

The combination of freshly cooked white rice and tender meat was simply irresistible.

While the Wu remained composed, the three Chieftains could barely contain themselves. After finishing their portion, they all seemed ready to devour ten more bowls! It was that delicious.

This reaction was exactly what Meng Changjin had expected. The satisfaction that comes from eating carbs like rice was entirely different from the feeling of eating meat alone.

Even though the Chieftains craved more, they knew better. If they ate everything now, there would be nothing left to plant later. Choosing between momentary pleasure and a lasting harvest, they wisely chose the latter.

After the feast of meat and bamboo shoots, it was time to distribute the game among the tribe members. The Yan Tribe followed a system of distribution based on contribution: those who stayed in the tribe and expended less effort received a smaller share, while those who went out hunting, like Meng Changjin, received portions according to their achievements.

Meng Changjin, given her outstanding performance during the hunt and her contribution of the rice, ended up with the largest share. She accepted her portion without hesitation, fully supporting the tribe’s system of fair distribution based on effort.

She knew that although sharing her portion with others might seem generous, doing so repeatedly could lead people to expect handouts without working for them. It could encourage a dependency mindset, which would be disastrous for the tribe’s growth and stability.

Meng Changjin was determined not to set such a precedent. By sticking to the rules of effort-based distribution, she made sure that even if she received more, everyone still respected her for her abilities rather than resenting her for getting more than they did.

Back in her cave, Meng Changjin stored her share of the food in her spiritual plant space to keep it fresh. The hunting party members were all exhausted after their expedition, so the first day back was dedicated to rest.

The next day, the hunters who hadn’t participated in the previous outing were itching to set out on their own hunt. But before they could act on their plans, the Wu called everyone together to work on farming.

Meng Changjin led the charge, guiding the tribe in cultivating a large piece of land near their settlement, which was conveniently located close to the river for easy irrigation. She even handcrafted stone tools like hoes to make the job easier.

They weeded, tilled the soil, and planted the rice. Although they didn’t have any fertilizer, Meng Changjin was confident that the rice she had nurtured with her spiritual energy would sprout and grow.

To further enhance the soil’s vitality, Meng Changjin planted a few spirit-gathering herbs nearby. These herbs would help enrich the land, compensating for the lack of traditional fertilizers.

And then came the pleasant surprise—while digging the fields, they discovered wild yams! Meng Changjin was thrilled by this find. But the members of the Yan Tribe warned her that these yams were poisonous.

Meng Changjin was puzzled at first, but after listening to their explanation, she finally understood. The tribe believed the yams were toxic because touching them caused itchy skin—a common reaction many people have when handling raw yams.

Meng Changjin knew this was a misunderstanding. She gathered the yams carefully, planning to prepare them in a way that would prove they were safe to eat. She hoped that once the tribe tasted the cooked yams, they would be more willing to cultivate them as a valuable food source.

🎭 Behind the Curtain with Kliraz: From Poisonous Yam to Sweet Delights! (≧▽≦)

Did you know that the Yan Tribe’s belief that yams were poisonous because they caused itching is a classic case of mistaken identity? It turns out this reaction is common not just in China but all over the world! In fact, raw yams can cause a similar itchiness in Nigeria, where they’re a staple food. People there neutralize the itch by wearing gloves while peeling, or by boiling the yams to get rid of the irritants (Fasoyiro, S.B. & Arowora, K.A. (2013). Yam Production and Utilization: A Handbook on Nigerian Roots and Tubers. Princeton, p. 76).

But here’s the fun part, our girl Meng Changjin just leveled up as a master chef! She’s turning what the tribe thought was poisonous into a delicious food source, much like how ancient cultures transformed initially toxic foods into staples through clever cooking techniques. (￣ω￣)

Even in modern times, we often rediscover foods once thought inedible. For example, cassava, another root crop that’s toxic in its raw form, is now a global favorite once processed correctly (Cock, J.H. (1985). Cassava: New Potential for a Neglected Crop. Westview Press, 92-94). Who knew that playing with your food could have such world-changing effects?

Meng Changjin is out here transforming the Yan Tribe’s dinner menu, one ingredient at a time! Now that’s what we call a power move, right? (≧◡≦)