At noon, Tang Wen enjoyed some roasted bird meat.
Although the seasoning was just a pinch of salt, and the meat was scarce with a slight fishy smell, he still ate it with great relish.
He didn't leave out the heart, liver, bird's eyes, or even the brain.
Tang Tang picked out all the edible parts, leaving no trace of meat behind.
"Here, this is for you," Tang Tang handed over most of the bird meat.
Tang Wen reached out to stop her.
"I'm a girl, I can't eat that much."
Tang Wen turned to look at her, but she avoided his gaze.
"Eat it, sis. There's more for dinner."
"It's good if there is, but it's fine if there isn't. Just make sure to stay safe."
"Mm."
Clink.
Tang Tang tossed the bird meat into his bowl, then turned and carried her own bowl, retreating to a corner.
Her movements were practiced and smooth.
Tang Wen finished his meal in silence, performed a round of the Eight Section Brocade, picked up his bag of stones, and headed out again.
In the afternoon, with the sun still high in the sky, he set off back to the camp, carrying five Red-billed Finches in his arms.
Considering there were still two left at home, he exchanged all five Red-billed Finches for foxtail millet.
To avoid drawing attention, he deliberately visited two different rice shops.
He brought out two at the first shop and three at the second.
After hearing his sister's words at noon, he decided never to exchange more than three Red-billed Finches for rice at a time.
In a world where even fighting over a fish could cost lives, he felt that no amount of caution was excessive.
Seven and a half pounds of foxtail millet—half in his arms, half at his waist—felt heavy, giving him the illusion of having just received a paycheck.
Food was temporarily secured, but the rent for the next few months was still uncertain, the house needed repairs, and there were no tools—the shovel at home had already been sold. Then there was the issue of firewood for the winter…
"You exchanged for rice again? Not all from the same shop, right? Take a rest."
Tang Tang chattered away, hiding the rice, then got up to pour water for her brother.
That evening, besides foxtail millet porridge, each of them had a charcoal-grilled Red-billed Finch.
"Little Wen, what's that outside?" Tang Tang suddenly looked toward the door.
Tang Wen turned alertly, peering through the crack in the door. Outside was completely empty—nothing there.
Plop. He looked down to find half a bird in his bowl.
When he glanced back at Tang Tang, she was scurrying away with duck-like steps, hiding in the corner.
Tang Wen: …
Sis, are you serious?
Hmm, I'll definitely hunt more next time.
After dinner, Tang Tang reluctantly let her brother pull her into practicing the Eight Section Brocade together.
"Feel it, feel how your body moves…"
"Imagine it—as you move, imagine a warm current flowing through your body… A warm current, like hot water running through you…"
Tang Wen explained in detail, but Tang Tang only half-understood.
One taught, the other learned, and they slowly began to practice.
[Skill: Eight Section Brocade, Beginner (11→17/500)]
[Skill: Eight Section Brocade, Beginner (17→24/500)]
…
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.
Tang Wen stuck to his routine of leaving early and returning early, never overextending himself, always making it back to camp before dark. He took small, deserted paths both ways.
Whenever he encountered someone in the camp who seemed to be watching him, he made sure to let the cloth bag of stones at his waist jingle conspicuously.
He never sold more than three birds at a time, and he visited the same rice shop no more than once every three days, deliberately mixing up the order and occasionally skipping a shop to avoid drawing any attention.
He returned early every day, but he was never idle.
After exchanging half a catty of rice for a leaky wooden bucket, Tang Wen took advantage of the early daylight to start reinforcing their small hut.
That day, as usual, he returned early. Carrying the broken bucket, he went to the washing pool to dig up wet mud.
Bucket by bucket, he brought back the wet mud, mixed it with two bundles of dry grass obtained from the half catty of rice, and plastered the hut from top to bottom.
Finally, it was no longer drafty.
Inside the hut, the fire in the earthen stove crackled.
Tang Wen carefully dug a pit about a few dozen centimeters deep in the corner using a shovel he had obtained with two catties of rice.
He laid dry grass at the bottom, placed several new rice jars on top, and covered them with wooden planks and more dry grass.
After finishing all this, the two of them began their meal.
Dinner was substantial: two roasted Red-billed Finches and two large bowls of rice porridge each.
This was a meal they could hardly have imagined before.
After finishing one Red-billed Finch and a bowl of porridge, the siblings stood up one after another, stretched their bodies, and prepared to practice the Eight Section Brocade a few times before eating the rest of their meal.
This was Tang Tang's brilliant idea—no need for extra meals, and they wouldn't go to bed hungry.
Tang Tang picked up the fire poker, stirred the firewood, and fanned the flames, making the fire burn brighter.
The narrow hut became slightly more illuminated.
Starting with the preparatory stance,
First Section: Hands thrust upward to benefit the triple burner.
...
After completing five rounds, Tang Wen's experience panel showed a new change.
[Skill: Eight Section Brocade, Beginner → Novice (1/1000)]
He leveled up!
A surge of joy filled his heart.
A warm current flowed down from the Baihui point at the top of his head, spreading throughout his body.
So refreshing!
In the darkness, his eyes sparkled with newfound energy.
But before Tang Wen could fully enjoy his happiness, a gurgling sound came from his stomach. He clearly felt his intestines churning.
Hungry!
So hungry!
He grabbed the bird meat by the fire and, in a few quick bites, stuffed it into his mouth.
"What's wrong?" Tang Tang was startled.
"Hungry! So hungry..." The sudden hunger made Tang Wen's eyes gleam with a greenish light.
"Ah?" Tang Tang hurriedly handed him the other charcoal-roasted Red-billed Finch and clumsily scooped porridge from the pot.
Tang Wen devoured everything—two bowls of porridge and two birds—in less than a minute.
"Don't rush, don't rush! I'll cook more right away!"
With a clatter, Tang Tang grabbed the rice jar and, gritting her teeth, poured it all out!
This must be five, no, six catties!
Tang Tang closed her eyes as she washed the rice, her chest inexplicably aching: six catties in one meal? Even the lords in the camp city wouldn't dare eat like this, right?
The earthenware pot couldn't hold that much; it could only cook two catties of foxtail millet at a time.
Tang Wen was so hungry he felt dizzy. Though he was sitting on the ground, he swayed unsteadily.
Before the rice was ready, Tang Tang quickly grabbed a handful of washed foxtail millet and stuffed it into Tang Wen's mouth.
"Mmm!"
Raw foxtail millet actually tasted so good.
Tang Wen grabbed handfuls of raw rice and stuffed them into his mouth!
Tang Tang watched with worry and heartache: "What's going on? Did something go wrong with the practice?"
"The Eight Section Brocade—it's fine! It's very effective..." Tang Wen mumbled, looking at his attribute panel.
[Name: Tang Wen]
[Age: 14 years, 9 months]
[Body: 0.35 → 1.0]
[Spirit: 0.71 → 1.0]
[Skill: Farming Mastery (719/1000)]
[Skill: Stone Throwing, Mastery (959/1000)]
[Skill: Eight Section Brocade, Beginner → Novice (1/1000)]
Over the past ten days, Tang Wen's [Body] and [Essence] attributes had shown some improvement.
However, it was far from the dramatic increase he experienced after breaking through in the Eight Section Brocade!
He was grateful to his past self!
Bored and with nothing else to do, he had diligently learned the Eight Section Brocade...
Six pounds of foxtail millet wasn't enough.
Seeing that Tang Wen was almost finished eating and showed no signs of stopping, Tang Tang got up, her heart bleeding, and opened a newly sealed jar of millet: "Even the Guard Captain in the city wouldn't dare to eat like this..."
Despite her words, she didn't hesitate to add firewood, wash the millet, and cook the rice.
After consuming over ten pounds of millet, Tang Wen was finally full. Exhaustion washed over him like a tide, and he fell asleep instantly.
Tang Tang held the empty jar and sat through the night, periodically touching her brother's chest and forehead.
...
When Tang Wen woke up, he felt refreshed and stretched, his bones cracking as he did so.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable? Are you too full?"
Tang Tang's small hand reached over to feel Tang Wen's stomach, and the sensation made her pause: "Little Wen, you've gained some flesh."
Lifting his shirt, it was clear that while he was still lean, there was now muscle.
"The effect is amazing!"
His once emaciated body had finally become sturdy.
Was this the change that came with reaching a Body attribute of 1.0?!
The Eight Section Brocade was definitely the right choice!
Tang Wen clenched his fist, his muscles bulging.
The feeling of strength was incredible.
Tang Tang's face was full of surprise as she kept pinching her brother's arm: "The foxtail millet wasn't wasted, the foxtail millet wasn't wasted..."
Then, as
if remembering something, she looked up and asked: "Are you still hungry?"
"Uh, no! I'll have some soup, you eat the foxtail millet, and then we'll do morning exercises together."
The young lady frowned deeply, thinking about the sixteen pounds of millet from the night before, and after a while, she finally managed to say, "Okay."
(End of Chapter)