The Female Supporting Character Refuses to Be Human Again - Chapter 213.2

After treating herself to a delicious meal, Meng Changjin packed some of her freshly smoked meat and delivered it to the Wu and the three Chieftains. Even though she had cooked the meat outside her wooden house, her new place was a bit far from the caves where most of the tribe lived. So, only a few people got a whiff of the tasty aroma.

But once those living in the caves started cooking their own smoked meat with bamboo shoots, the scent spread far and wide, much more than when Meng Changjin had done it alone. The mouth-watering smell reached all corners of the Yan Tribe, making everyone else’s roasted meat seem less appetizing in comparison.

Some people regretted not joining Meng Changjin in her smoked meat endeavor earlier. Now, they could only sniff the air enviously as others enjoyed the delicious food. Their regrets soon turned into determination—they were ready to learn how to make this mouthwatering delicacy themselves.

In the following days, the salt trade team went to the Jing Tribe twice more, each time bringing back even more salt than before. Now, the Yan Tribe had no issues with salt supplies. Meat was also in abundance, thanks to the hunters who were feeling the pressure of living up to Meng Changjin’s standards. As a result, their hunting results had reached new highs.

With plenty of salt and meat available, the tribe members were eager to try their hand at smoking meat. Despite their enthusiasm, they were too shy to directly ask Meng Changjin for help. Instead, they turned to the few families who had learned the smoking technique from her.

The members of the Yan Tribe were always willing to share knowledge with each other, but this time, those who had learned from Meng Changjin asked for her permission before spreading the technique to the rest of the tribe. Meng Changjin, of course, was more than happy to agree. The more people who knew how to smoke meat, the better—it meant she didn’t have to teach everyone herself!

Soon, the Yan Tribe was caught up in a frenzy of smoked meat production. Every day, columns of smoke rose into the sky from all around the settlement. The tribe was growing and improving rapidly. Thanks to Meng Changjin’s foraging efforts, their diet had become much more diverse, and their meals were no longer limited to just meat.

Even though their food options had increased, the Yan Tribe remained as frugal as ever. They only harvested as many wild vegetables as they could consume, never wasting a single leaf. Meng Changjin also taught them how to dry the vegetables, allowing them to store some for future use.

Drying vegetables was especially useful since wild greens could become tough and inedible as they aged. Drying them at their peak meant they could be rehydrated and used during the winter months when fresh greens were scarce. The tribe members eagerly embraced this technique, grateful for Meng Changjin’s guidance.

As the summer approached, a new trend began—some of the Yan Tribe members decided to try building wooden houses like Meng Changjin’s. Summer in the caves brought a whole new set of problems, with insects and ants being the worst of them. While the fire’s influence kept larger animals at bay, it didn’t affect these small pests.

The buzzing and biting of insects were a constant nuisance, especially at night. People often found themselves waking up to the itchy, swollen bites all over their bodies, which even the Wu’s herbal remedies couldn’t soothe quickly. With Meng Changjin’s wooden house proving to be bug-free, more and more tribe members were inspired to try living in wooden homes.

One evening, several people approached Meng Changjin, asking for her help in cutting down trees and guidance on how to build their wooden houses. Although it was a serious request, Meng Changjin couldn’t help but chuckle at their appearance. Their arms and legs were covered with swollen, green-tinted bumps from insect bites, giving them a slightly comical look.

Even though she knew they were suffering, Meng Changjin struggled to keep a straight face. She had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud because, as a young person in the tribe, laughing at their misery might seem inappropriate.

Managing to suppress her laughter, Meng Changjin quickly got to work. There were quite a few people interested in building wooden houses this time, likely because they couldn’t bear the insect bites any longer. This meant a lot of trees needed to be cut down.

Meng Changjin decided to clear the trees in a group, which would also free up a larger area of land. While this cleared space wasn’t suitable for planting crops due to the thick roots remaining underground, it did help expand the Yan Tribe’s territory.

By enlarging the open area, they increased the tribe’s safe zone, keeping most wild animals from venturing into their territory. Meng Changjin worked on the trickiest parts of the project, such as making sure the foundations were solid and the joints fit perfectly, while leaving the simpler tasks to the others.

Despite their desire to help, the tribe members struggled with the finer details of construction. Their tools were too crude to handle precise work, and their efforts often resulted in uneven holes and wobbly structures. To avoid the risk of collapsing buildings, Meng Changjin took charge of the crucial aspects herself.

She directed the others to compact the soil and level the ground, while she focused on cutting wood, making joints, and preparing the wooden pegs. With everyone working together, they made impressive progress.

Over the course of just a couple of weeks, five new wooden houses were built. As soon as the first families moved in, they quickly realized that they weren’t being bitten by bugs anymore. Word spread fast, and this news motivated even more tribe members to start building their own wooden homes.

🧐 Kliraz’s Curious Cat Corner: Bug-Free Living and the Wood House Revolution! (≧◡≦)

So, the Yan Tribe is officially done with the cave life and saying hello to modern wooden houses! Did you know that in ancient China, summer houses with raised wooden floors were common in the south to avoid bugs and humidity? They used the natural properties of wood to create ventilation and keep those pesky critters at bay (Needham, J. (1986). Science and Civilization in China. Cambridge University Press, Vol. 4, p. 120-122). Looks like Meng Changjin’s got this down to a science!

And those bug bites! (≧▽≦) Can we just take a moment to appreciate how they motivated the tribe to ditch their caves? This totally reminds me of the ancient Roman practice of using “mosquito nets” in summer to avoid getting bitten while sleeping. Those clever Romans would hang these nets over their beds to keep the insects away (Davidson, J. (2000). The Greeks and Romans on the Bed. Phoenix Press, p. 43-45). The Yan Tribe is getting a taste of that fancy life!

With Meng Changjin’s wooden houses now a hit, who needs pest control when you’ve got good ol’ architecture doing the job? This might be the start of the Yan Tribe’s very own “modern” neighborhood—who knows, they might even start hosting housewarming parties soon! (¬‿¬)