HCB Chapter 44 Let's Exchange Labor
Chapter 44 Let's Exchange Labor
When they arrived, Le Zhong had just seen off a tribesman who had come to exchange food and was sitting down by the fire pit. From afar, Le Zhi saw Le Zhong; he was sitting there at about the same height as Le Zhi, or even a little taller. His profile was sharply defined, a handsome adult male, and his hair shimmered with a beautiful indigo gradient in the firelight.
However, a comparison reveals that his complexion is noticeably different from the vibrant appearance of the surrounding tribesmen. The faint bluish-black under his eyes and his obviously rough and dull skin all indicate that his physical condition is not very good.
When Leyou and Lezhi arrived, a slight surprise flashed in Lezhong's eyes, but it was only for a moment. He quickly concealed his emotions, so fast that Lezhi thought he was imagining things.
"What brings you two brats here? Is something wrong?"
This was the first time someone had called Leyou "little brat" in front of Lezhi. Lezhi pursed her lips, suppressing the smile that was about to burst out of her chest, and secretly looked up to see how Leyou would react.
He originally thought that Leyou would definitely go berserk and lose his temper, but to Lezhi's surprise, Leyou just slightly pouted and complained, "What? I've been out of the cub stage for a long time and I'm about to enter adolescence. I'm not a cub anymore."
Le Zhong, who looked very serious, surprised Le Zhi. After hearing Le You's complaint, he just chuckled softly, tossed a fruit to each of them, and then slowly spoke.
"Ha, the combined age of the two of you is less than a fraction of mine, what else could you be but little brats? Alright, what do you want from me?"
A fruit was suddenly tossed into Lezhi's arms, startling the furry ball on his shoulder. His little black eyes widened, and his fur stood on end, as if he had been attacked. Only after realizing that Lezhi had food in his hand did he calm down, soothed by Lezhi's gentle pats.
At this moment, Leyou had already explained his purpose to Lezhong. He brought out the food that Lezhi had prepared and handed it to Lezhong, saying his request in a flattering manner.
"...That's how it is. You see how much resources we would need to replace a stone slab like that."
Hearing Leyou ask the most crucial question, Lezhi eagerly stepped forward, wanting to hear Lezhong's request. Following Lezhi's lead, Maoqiu also stared curiously at Lezhong, or rather, at the food Lezhong was eating.
Meanwhile, Le Zhong, who was being watched by three pairs of eyes, kept eating the food that Le You handed him with his chopsticks. Before he could even swallow a bite, he would stuff another into his mouth, completely ignoring the need to speak.
Although Le Zhong didn't answer them, at least he accepted their gifts, which was a good start. Le Zhi and Le You exchanged a furtive glance; Le You winked, signaling Le Zhi to calm down.
Seeing the two little ones secretly exchanging words and then staring intently at him, Le Zhong used his good mental fortitude to hold back and not say a word until he finished all the food in his hand. Only then did he wipe his mouth and give Le Zhi a playful look.
"Little one, did you make this?"
When Le Zhong locked onto her with that glance, Le Zhi suddenly felt a little nervous for some reason. Straightening her back, Le Zhi forced herself not to hide behind Le You, but insisted on standing still and gently nodded "Mmm" in response.
Compared to Lezhi, Leyou was much more relaxed. Now that Lezhong had finished eating, it was a good time to talk business. "Yes, Lezhi did most of the cooking, wasn't that good? The stone slab we're making this time is also for easier cooking. So you see..."
Blinking, Le Zhong stroked his chin. "How about this? Since you two little rascals are so well-behaved, I'll help you make this stone slab. The condition is that you have to cook for me for half a month, and of course, I'll provide the ingredients. How about that?"
"Ok, no problem."
Upon hearing Le Zhong's terms, Le Zhi's excitement overcame his nervousness, and he quickly agreed. These terms were perfect for his current situation, as he was basically still supported by the clan and was practically penniless compared to the clan members' assets.
Now that Le Zhong is willing to let him exchange his labor for gold and stone tools, it's probably because he's taking his current situation into consideration and is making a special effort to help him.
Lezhi pursed her lips and looked at Leyou expectantly, her eyes sparkling in the firelight. Leyou, struck by her starry gaze, immediately abandoned the advice she was about to utter.
The clan chief entrusted him with the important task of looking after Lezhi Zai Zai through his childhood, something many in the clan would kill for. The exchange for the Golden Stone Tablet was something they both wanted; Leyou, as the elder, was prepared to contribute the resources himself, but unexpectedly, Lezhong made such a request.
Biting her lip, Leyou looked at Lezhi's expectant expression and reluctantly began to bargain, "If Lezhi has no problem, then I have no problem either. But I also need to go. I can help Lezhi out, okay?"
“Sure, of course no problem. As long as you don’t mind the trouble, do whatever you want.” A warm smile flashed in his eyes, and Le Zhong’s expression relaxed, softening the sharp lines of his face.
"Then it's settled. If you agree, we'll start tomorrow."
Granted permission to work with Lezhi, Leyou relaxed and eagerly began to confirm the schedule.
Nodding indifferently, Le Zhong didn't have any major requirements. "Okay, starting tomorrow, you can come over in the morning, cook, and then you can move around freely, just make sure I have food to eat at mealtimes."
For some reason, as Le Zhong was speaking, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly. At the same time, Le Zhi's heart stirred, and his gaze fell upon Le Zhong, as if he had sensed something.
It was now completely dark, and although there was a fire pit providing illumination, visibility was still somewhat obstructed. Therefore, after looking for a long time, Lezhi still couldn't find the trace he was looking for on Lezhong.
She pursed her lips in confusion. Could it be that her senses were wrong?
Unable to resist, it lifted its foot to get closer to Le Zhong. Just as Le Zhong was about to take a closer look, the fur ball, which had been quietly sitting on Le Zhong's shoulder, suddenly became restless and started stomping on the little paws that were clinging to Le Zhi's shoulder.
The sudden pain in his shoulder caught Lezhi's attention. He turned to look at the black bean eyes that were clearly showing unease, and realized that Maoqiu's behavior must have also made him realize that something was wrong.
"Lezhi, what's wrong?" Leyou tilted her head, looking at Lezhi who had suddenly stepped forward and pushed her aside, somewhat puzzled.
He thought Lezhi had gone up to talk to Lezhong, but after waiting for a long time, Lezhi didn't say anything. Instead, he stared blankly at the fur ball. What was going on? He couldn't understand it at all.
Unlike Le You, who was filled with questions, Le Zhong, sitting to the side, saw the fur ball's reaction and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. After enduring the sharp pain, Le Zhong, with cold sweat just breaking out on his forehead, spoke hoarsely, "Little one, your bird-beast companion is quite good. Take good care of it, and take it with you when you go out. It can keep you safe."
Pulled back to her senses by Le Zhong's words, Le Zhi sensed something unspoken in them. Just as she was about to ask, Le Zhong waved her away, saying, "Alright, you two go have fun. Remember to be on time tomorrow."
Because of Le Zhong's actions, Le Zhi and Le You noticed that his forehead was covered in cold sweat. They exchanged glances and realized that it was not appropriate to continue the conversation, so they had no choice but to take their leave.