| GB | Can We Give it a Try? | 60
The room gradually sank into darkness, and in the pitch black, a painful cry rang out, trembling and tinged with a sob, saying it hurt.
The rustling of the hemp robe ceased.
Yu Bai took a soft breath, and soon after, a firelight illuminated the room.
Huo Duo'er gazed at the flushed, dazed little face and repeatedly licked his soft, moist lips with his tongue: "Bai."
Yu Bai's fingertip weakly poked the orc's sweaty chest, looking utterly pitiful.
He felt as if he was about to split in two.
Huo Duo'er vigorously rubbed his mate’s back, noticing that Yu Bai was covered in cold sweat and was in no condition to continue.
He picked up the limp Yu Bai and laid him against the headboard, legs spread apart.
Yu Bai caught sight of Huo Duo'er squatting down, carefully inspecting.
He wanted to close his knees, but Huo Duo'er moved his finger away and used the most common orc treatment method.
Licking with the tongue.
Orcs without priests to tend to them would often lick their own wounds when injured.
Huo Duo'er noticed some swelling and redness and instinctively licked, forgetting that Yu Bai could apply medicine himself.
This lick, the sticky sound made both of their ears turn red.
Fortunately, Huo Duo'er still had some sense left. He lifted his slightly twitching face, and his shoulder was kicked by Yu Bai's weak leg.
It didn't hurt or itch, there was no strength in it.
Though disappointed, he knew he really couldn't continue.
He fetched warm water to gently wipe his mate and cooked a pot of porridge.
—
The night was thick, and after the warm water passed over his body, Yu Bai applied some medicinal powder to himself, finally catching his breath.
He slowly sipped the porridge, noticing that Huo Duo'er had been watching him, and couldn't help but say hoarsely, "I've said it hurts so many times..."
The orc's fierce and cold face flashed with guilt: "Bai, it's my fault."
Yu Bai pursed his lips, focusing on drinking the porridge with his head down, not dwelling on the topic.
Actually, he also wanted to give himself to the other, but...
But he had been in pain for so long, and not much had entered.
After thinking this, he shifted his buttocks, his face still pale.
Looking at the orc's strong and healthy body, the courage he had mustered up was extinguished again.
Yu Bai, who had no romantic experience in his previous life, was in a daze, thinking to himself: At the very least, we need to think of some methods.
—
Before he could figure out a solution, the tribe entered its busiest season.
Now that early autumn was approaching, autumn was often brief, and if missed, winter would sweep in.
Therefore, many male orcs were sent out hunting every day, while female orcs and sub-females orcs were busy stockpiling vegetarian food and firewood.
Yu Bai was also busy, but not as much as last year.
This year's planting had yielded a small harvest. He harvested the melons and vegetables from the vegetable field, storing some in the cellar and pickling the rest.
Now that they had exchanged millet and rice with the feather tribe, even just rice with pickles could be quite tasty.
Meanwhile, in the animal shed, the wild chickens and ducks had laid another clutch of eggs. He carefully turned over the hay, collected all the eggs, replaced their nest with a fresh bundle of clean hay, and then left the shed.
As of today, they had raised over forty adult chickens and ducks, and eleven chicks. There were also more than twenty fish in the jars, along with the pork from hunting, which was smoked and stored in the cellar.
Every winter, the tribe's chief would seize the opportunity to send male orcs out hunting.
But the winter environment was harsh, and not every encounter with beasts in the snow would end in survival.
Yu Bai didn't want to repeat last year's experience of staying home idly during the coldest snowstorm, nor did he wish for Huo Duo'er to go out for winter hunting.
He took the initiative to approach the chief and offered some suggestions.
Taking advantage of the approaching autumn, the orcs could dig traps on the hunting mountains to capture wild beasts.
The chief asked, "What are traps?"
Yu Bai sat upright on a stone stool covered with a hemp cloth cushion and patiently explained the traps that could be used for hunting.
The villagers had various hunting methods, such as setting traps and using animal snares.
Due to limited conditions and his own lack of experience, Yu Bai kept it simple, providing only general ideas without going into specifics.
The chief summoned several experienced male orcs to listen, and Huo Duo'er also came.
These orcs were quick-witted. What they didn't know before was simply because no one had done it. With a little guidance, they soon figured out methods and took the orcs into the mountains every day to set traps.
When the weather turned cold and snow fell, any unexpected catches from the traps could be preserved in the snow.
Roughly calculated, not just he and Huo Duo'er, but even the orcs living outside the city could have enough to eat to get through this winter.
With Huo Duo'er taking the orcs out every day, Yu Bai volunteered to slowly take care of the chores in the yard.
The yak-wolf, which had grown a bit larger, wasn't idle either. Taking advantage of the autumn hunting season, it would head into the mountains before dawn, not only feeding itself but also bringing back some prey for its small two-legged companion.
Thus, every afternoon, Yu Bai would find wild rabbits and pheasants neatly arranged in the yard. The little wolf would lick its paws, raise its neck, and howl.
"See, I'm amazing, aren't I?"
After howling, it would nudge Yu Bai's leg with its shedding fur.
Yu Bai, ever patient, would brush off the wolf hair sticking to his hemp robe. As autumn set in, the little wolf began to shed heavily. Huo Duo'er, annoyed by the shedding, built a wooden shelter next to the main house for it to rest in.
The little wolf knocked the wooden shelter apart and, with a defiant look, went to lie down in a corner of the yard. During the hot weather, it slept in the yard, but as the cold set in, it insisted on sleeping in the same room as its small two-legged companion, refusing to sleep alone in the wooden shelter.
However, the wooden shelter was quickly repaired by Huo Duo'er.
Every few days, whether early or late, Huo Duo'er would always carry Yu Bai to the bed, carefully and persistently studying how to proceed.
Once, the little wolf jumped onto the bed, it wagged its big tail and watched. Huo Duo'er's face immediately darkened.
Even if it were a beast, Huo Duo'er couldn't tolerate it seeing his mate's body, so he mercilessly threw it out of the room and issued a warning.
If the little wolf destroyed the wooden shelter again, even if it was cold, it would have to sleep in the woodshed.
Only then did the little wolf behave, even bringing some dry grass and the animal skin it often used into the wooden shelter.
The busy autumn continued until the north wind blew and the weather turned cold. Only then did the male orcs and female orcs gradually reduce their outings and stayed within the tribe.
One afternoon, a female orc in the tribe went into labor, and both the chief and the priest rushed over.
The birth of a young orc was a joyous event in the tribe. More and more idle orcs gathered outside the door, even the patrolling male orcs stopped to wait.
When Yu Bai arrived, he could hear the female orc's cries from afar.
Orc childbirth is a matter of sheer willpower, with no special conditions or experience required. They regard reproduction as the most sacred act and they were willing to risk their lives to bring their offspring into the world.
Yu Bai stood outside the door, listening to the priest's chants. Like the waiting orcs, he felt tense.
A female orc beside him grabbed his arm: "Bai, do you have a way to help Ju give birth to the cub?"
Yu Bai hesitated.
"I'm not entirely sure," he replied.
In Yu Bai's memory, in the remote countryside where hospitals were far from the village, some pregnant women gave birth at home.
He had accompanied his grandfather a few times to observe. Usually, an experienced midwife would assist the pregnant woman, and afterward, his grandfather would prescribe some nourishing remedies for the postpartum mother.
But those were just folk methods. What if...
The female orc's screams snapped him back to reality. Yu Bai's heart raced until a large hand gently ruffled his hair. Huo Duo'er had returned from outside.
"Bai," Huo Duo'er said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't be afraid."
Yu Bai nodded slightly.
The situation inside showed no improvement. The chief turned to Yu Bai and asked, "Bai, do you have any ideas?"
Yu Bai's heart pounded until the warm touch of Huo Duo'er's hand on the back of his neck gradually calmed him.
He asked Huo Duo'er to fetch some medicine and linen for him, then instructed Ju's male partner to boil several pots of water and prepare a stone knife.
His gaze swept the surroundings and landed on a black sheep female orc, pausing for a moment.
Yu Bai remembered her name was Mian. Last time, her cub had choked on the altar, and he had used the Heimlich maneuver to save it.
Yu Bai walked up to the black sheep female orc and said, "Mian, I need your help."
Inside, the priest emerged, his expression grim. When he saw Yu Bai, he merely glanced away, refraining from his usual sarcastic remarks.
Yu Bai prepared the items according to the folk methods used in rural childbirth. After receiving the medicine and linen from Huo Duo'er, he asked Mian to follow him inside.
The scene was bloody, but Yu Bai steeled himself. He instructed Mian to talk to Ju, teaching her how to breathe and push.
Ju was too exhausted. Yu Bai took out the medicine he had brought and placed a ginseng slice in Ju's mouth for her to hold.
Fortunately, Ju's baby was in the correct position, but her energy was severely depleted.
Mian had experience with childbirth, and with Yu Bai's guidance, she quickly understood. Using the ginseng to revive Ju's strength, and with Ju's own determination, the cub was soon born.
The postpartum cleanup left both Yu Bai and Mian exhausted.
The orcs, hearing the cub's cries, felt relieved. As for Ju, her partner took care of her, while most of the orcs focused their attention on the newborn cub.
When Yu Bai emerged, his steps were unsteady. Huo Duo'er picked him up and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Bai, you did great."
Yu Bai shook his head slightly, his weak arms encircling the orc's neck. "I've seen my grandfather assist with childbirth before, but this was my first time doing it myself."
It wasn't true that he wasn't scared, but thankfully, with the help of the other orcs and Huo Duo'er's reassurance, he managed.
The old priest and the chief approached him.
"Bai, we owe you this time," the chief said.
Priest Mien remained silent, but his attitude wasn't as rigid as before. However, pride kept him from softening his expression.
Yu Bai smiled softly, "It's all thanks to everyone's efforts. Last time, Jiu Fe brought back a very effective herb from Rama Mountain called ginseng. If it weren't for the ginseng helping to revive Jie, the outcome might have been different."
The chief murmured, "Jiu..."
Yu Bai nodded, "We should also express our gratitude to Jiu Fe for today's events. After I return, I'll draw the appearance of ginseng on a wooden board. Chief, you can have everyone take a look so they can recognize it in the future. If they find ginseng, they can gather more of it."
With the task of identifying ginseng, Yu Bai's plan to impart knowledge was also set in motion.
—
Initially, any orcs from the Yuan tribe who were eager to learn, whether they lived inside or outside the city, regardless of their strength, could attend the lessons as long as they were interested.
The chief cleared out a large wooden hut in the tribe that was originally used for storage. Inside, several basins of firewood were burning, and Yu Bai taught there.
The lessons ended before evening. A shadow blocked the doorway tightly as Huo Duo'er, who had returned from hunting, came specifically to pick him up.
Yu Bai, already wrapped in two layers of animal robes and wearing a hood, was easily lifted into Huo Duo'er's arms.
He softly called, "Huo Duo'er..."
The silver-gray orc's eyes met his, instantly softening.
Huo Duo'er was now the most powerful male orc in the tribe, he always had a cold expression except when facing Yu Bai.
Therefore, the other orcs were somewhat intimidated by him. Seeing him carry Yu Bai away, they quickly made way.
The early winter wind was already quite biting. Huo Duo'er's palm protected the back of Yu Bai's head as he took him back to their small courtyard, and soon busied himself in the kitchen.
In the evening, he cooked a pot of fish soup. Huo Duo'er picked out the tender fish meat and placed it in Yu Bai's bowl, waiting for him to finish eating before speeding up his own pace, consuming the entire pot of fish and soup mixed with rice.
Yu Bai was somewhat puzzled.
Although Huo Duo'er wasn't a talkative orc, he wasn't usually this silent after meeting him, or this busy by himself without a word.
It wasn't until bedtime, after Yu Bai had soaked his hands and feet in hot water, that Huo Duo'er returned to the room, seemingly holding something.
"Bai..."
The firelight revealed the orc's slightly red ears. Huo Duo'er opened his palm, revealing an oval stone about the size of an egg.
The stone shimmered under the firelight, smooth and translucent.
Yu Bai widened his eyes in surprise, "Where did you get this?"
Holding the stone, it felt warm to the touch despite the cold weather.
“I got it from Ze.”
Ze was the chief of the Heiyao tribe.
This tribe was very skilled in mining stones, and Ze had privately kept several good stones they had dug up in the past.
Recently, Huo Duo'er had taken a small group of orcs from the Heiyao tribe out hunting. After witnessing Huo Duo'er's strength, Ze was deeply impressed and gradually began to regard Huo Duo'er as a leader, integrating into the new tribe.
Huo Duo'er, unsatisfied with his desires, found ways to expend his energy, much to the dismay of the orcs who followed him on hunts.
Ze privately approached him to inquire, and upon learning the reason, his eyes showed a hint of mischief. He handed over this stone and mysteriously explained its special use.
Yu Bai's eyes sparkled with curiosity, "What special use?"
Huo Duo'er whispered it to him.
After hearing it, Yu Bai let out a soft "ah," almost wanting to throw the stone away.
He hit Huo Duo'er's shoulder, but Huo Duo'er embraced him, his breath hot as he kissed his soft, delicate earlobe.
"Bai, Bai... Can we try it..."
Yu Bai's eyes were moist, looking pitifully obedient, and he didn't refuse.
Until Huo Duo'er slowly pushed the warm stone inside.
The orc looked at the spot that had nearly been licked away, swallowing heavily.
He embraced his mate, his eyes red and hot, his voice rough and urgent.
"Bai, Bai is so good, so obedient, it went in."
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