Chapter 67: People These Days Are Too Cunning

Ge Miao wiped the spit off his face, all his earlier excitement now gone, looking deflated.

Staring at his father, who was still rattling off like a machine gun, he pouted, but in his heart he still insisted that such a pretty girl like Village Chief Yun shouldn’t be taken advantage of. Hmph, he’d tell his mother about it when he got home tonight.

“Chief Masa.”

Masa immediately stopped talking and turned around. The anger on his face vanished, replaced by a stiff smile. “Village Chief Yun, is there something you need? Is the recruitment finished?”

Yun Qimu straightened the registration forms and stood up, smiling gently. “Not yet, we still need ten more people.”

Masa instantly became serious. “Are our tribespeople not good enough? I’ll go to the other tribes and—”

“No, no, that’s not it.” Yun Qimu quickly stopped him. “It’s not like that, Chief Masa. The Tengu Tribe’s people are excellent. It’s just that for the last ten spots, I’d like to recruit some who are good with their hands. It doesn’t matter if they’re not very strong, or if they’re injured. As long as their fingers are nimble and they’re careful, that’s enough.”

Masa’s eyes lit up at once. He slapped his thigh. “The girls in our tribe, and the young wives, are all good with their hands! My own wife is really skillful too. Look at this outfit I’m wearing—she patched it together from all sorts of scraps. She made it for me when she first married me, and it’s still holding up after all these years!”

As he spoke, he spread his arms to show off his clothes to Yun Qimu.

Yun Qimu looked at the wrinkled, indeterminately colored, and heavily patched garment and fell silent.

To be honest, she really couldn’t see any “skillfulness” in that outfit.

But who would’ve thought Chief Masa had this hidden “show-off wife” side? She’d never noticed before.

Yun Qimu replied dryly, “Well, perhaps the chief’s wife can come and take the test.”

“Test?”

“Yes, just cutting paper with scissors. Whoever does the best job, the top ten get selected.”

Masa was overjoyed when he heard this and immediately agreed. “Village Chief Yun, just wait a moment. I’ll get people to come for the test right away.”

He glared at his son, who was still standing there in a daze. “What are you waiting for? Go call your mother and all the girls in the tribe to come try out. Village Chief Yun’s recruitment is a great opportunity for them!”

Ever since he’d tasted grilled fish, Masa’s opinion of Earth Village had changed in a flash—faster than flipping a page. Now he was especially enthusiastic.

Ge Miao jumped up with a shout and dashed off like his tail was on fire, calling back, “I’m going, I’m going right now!”

Soon, the sound of gongs and drums echoed through the tribe: “Everyone come out and take a look! Earth Village is hiring! Three bottles of top-grade nutrient solution every day...”

At the Masa household.

Hualan, rubbing her aching head, was sorting through the junk her son had dragged home. Hearing the commotion outside, she frowned and turned to her best friend, busy working beside her. “Meifang, what’s all that shouting outside? Did you hear?”

Near the door, a round-faced woman looked up, massaging her sore arms.

She wrinkled her face and said indifferently, “Sounds like something about hiring, and top-grade nutrient solution too. Hmph, I bet it’s just those kids making a fuss again. Ignore it, let’s finish sorting this stuff. I need to go home and lie down—I’m exhausted. Why does your Ge Miao drag everything home? Can’t he tidy up a bit?”

Hualan shot her a look and chuckled. “You’re just lazy. You live the easiest life in the tribe, and you’ve got the most meat on you. Good thing your husband Kuke’s ability can feed you, otherwise you’d have a hard time.”

Meifang puffed out her chest proudly. “Of course! Back then, I fought off more than ten little hussies to marry Kuke—just so he could make meat for me. Now I’ve finally made it. Of course he has to take care of me, or I’ll scratch up his face so he can’t go flirting with other girls.”

“But honestly, eating so much meat gets boring. I wish Kuke would bring me some vegetables for a change.”

Hualan rolled her eyes and laughed. “Keep dreaming. What vegetables do we have here except for dirt lumps? Now even those won’t grow in the fields. Soon there’ll be nothing left to change up your diet.”

Meifang pouted. “Hey, you’ve got to have dreams. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll have some.”

“Earth Village is hiring! Earth Village is hiring! Three bottles of top-grade nutrient solution every day...” The raspy voice outside was now right at their door, and the sounds of others joining in the excitement drifted in.

Meifang was surprised. “Huh, they’re really making it sound convincing. Which kid is so good at this?”

Just then, Ge Miao burst in, all flustered and excited. “Mom! Mom, why are you still at home? Hurry, come to the tribe entrance!”

“What’s going on?” Meifang quickly grabbed the overexcited young man, nagging, “You’re not a kid anymore, why are you still so jumpy? You’re the young chief now, you need to be steady.”

“Oh, Aunt Meifang, you’re here too.”

“What, you just noticed me? You ungrateful brat, after all the meat I save for you every day.” Meifang pretended to glare at him in annoyance.

“Hehe.” Ge Miao scratched his head sheepishly. “Aunt Meifang, I’m just in a hurry. Earth Village is recruiting, looking for ten people who are good with their hands. Three bottles of top-grade nutrient solution every day!”

“What? So the kids outside weren’t just messing around, it’s real?” Meifang’s eyes widened in shock.

“It’s real, really! Village Chief Yun from Earth Village is here in person. My dad checked the nutrient solution and said it’s legit, and my brother-in-law guarantees it too. Earth Village is the real deal.”

“Oh wow, Luke is back too? That’s great! Now Sakela doesn’t have to marry that black-hearted, black-livered, black-bearded guy from next door. Wonderful!” Meifang slapped her thigh, grinning from ear to ear.

She quickly grabbed Ge Miao and hustled outside, shouting as she went, “Come on, take your aunt to sign up too! When it comes to skillful hands, your aunt’s the best. I’m quick-witted too. Hurry, let’s run—can’t let anyone else snatch those spots!”

Ge Miao stumbled as he was dragged along, turning to give Hualan a resentful look. He grumbled to himself: Aunt Meifang was just saying he was too jumpy, but now she’s even more worked up than he was.

Hualan could only smile helplessly. Meifang sure didn’t look tired at all, the way she was running!"