I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 423 – Strive to create a good life
The arrival of the Green Tribe was just a minor episode amid the bustling and tense autumn harvest of the Green Sparrow Tribe.
After the people of the Green Tribe departed, the busy autumn harvest continued.
People worked diligently and nervously, and although tired, their smiles never diminished.
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”
With vigorous shaking, the man with the balloon in hand carefully sifted through a handful of grains, letting them rain down on his bare feet, tickling them pleasantly.
After shaking for a while, he scraped away the remaining chaff and some stalks from inside the bamboo sieve, then stopped.
He walked to the edge of the threshing ground, dumped out the contents, and then refilled the sieve with half a basket of freshly harvested, unprocessed grains, continuing to shake back and forth.
He cherished the tool in his hand, a bamboo sieve, especially in windless conditions paired with a winnowing basket. It processed freshly harvested grains with incredible speed.
This tool had been crafted at the direction of the Divine Child.
Turning his head to look at the Divine Child, who was barefoot and drying grains in the field, a deep admiration rose from the man’s heart.
The Divine Child always created handy tools from ordinary materials, making tasks simpler, more efficient, and less laborious.
Without these tools created under the Divine Child’s guidance, even if they were willing to exert themselves, it would be impossible to plant and harvest such a large quantity of grain at once!
“Whoosh, whoosh…”
With one ear missing and now much taller, Cheng held a trapezoidal wooden box in his hand, used for scooping up and gathering dried grains into piles.
This odd-looking wooden box, called a “yungzi,” was specifically designed for cleaning and collecting grains, almost equivalent to the efficiency of five or six times that of a bone rake.
Cheng grasped the handle of the “yungzi” in his hand, scooped up a mound of grains, and swiftly withdrew it. The box already held more than ten kilograms of grains.
Then, turning around, he skillfully emptied the contents into a sizeable bark-wrapped basket. In just a few motions, the basket was filled.
Second Senior Brother, waiting nearby, hoisted the burden onto his shoulders and headed towards the house.
Round bundles had already been tied in one corner of the house, each filled with thoroughly dried newly harvested grains.
Second Senior Brother set down his burden, lifted a basket, exerted a little force, and swung it onto his shoulder. With a tilt of his hand, the grains inside made a pleasant sound as they slid into the tied bundles.
Shaman wasn’t idling, either. He was always cheerful, helping here or there all day long without stopping.
Han Cheng had advised him more than once to rest more and not tire himself out, to which Shaman always smiled and agreed, but soon after sitting down for a while, he would get up and start working again.
Han Cheng understood the Shaman’s joy in his heart. Seeing him like this, he could only shake his head helplessly, smile, and remind others not to let Wu do too heavy work.
Such tense labor continued for twenty days before gradually nearing its end.
Throughout this long period, the people of the Green Sparrow Tribe were on edge, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
With most of the grains safely harvested and stored in the house, they could finally relax and no longer be in such a hurry.
The strenuous labor was not in vain for the Green Sparrow Tribe. Initially, five houses reserved for storing grain were now packed full.
Even so, plenty of grain was left without a place to store.
With great enthusiasm, some members of the Green Sparrow Tribe immediately offered to store the excess grain in their own houses, even suggesting they could pile it on their sleeping platforms without minding.
Han Cheng considered this but ultimately refused, concerned about what these stored grains might smell like after some time.
The final decision was to vacate one residential house to store the surplus grain. The Green Sparrow Tribe had only harvested the grain stalks once; while the second and third harvests yielded slightly less than the first, the quantity was still substantial, given the hundreds of acres of grain stalks.
Looking at the several houses filled with grains, everyone in the tribe showed genuine smiles. A sense of security and satisfaction spread among them, and they were assured of food in hand.
After such prolonged and continuous hard work, the tribe’s people became much tanner and thinner, yet their spirits remained high.
Seeing the one house left with only a grain, Eldest Senior Brother and others felt uneasy, thinking it should also be filled like the other five houses. They immediately rallied some people to prepare for the second harvest.
These folks were truly dedicated.
Han Cheng couldn’t help but reflect on this with admiration, understanding their sentiments well.
Initially, these people had lived day by day, unsure of their next meal.
Now, with the opportunity for better days ahead, they naturally grasped it tightly.
While the Green Sparrow Tribe had seen significant growth in recent years, guided actively by Han Cheng, without Eldest Senior Brother’s and others’ dedication and hard work, developing to their current extent would have been impossible.
Han Cheng smiled and halted them, declaring a half-day rest today and preparing delicious food to celebrate. The rest of the tasks could wait until tomorrow.
As the Divine Child, his words were naturally followed.
Before long, people in the tribe began preparing for the evening feast, chatting and laughing in the large courtyard.
As dusk fell and the sun set, the western horizon was adorned with magnificent fiery clouds.
The aroma of wine and meat spread through the Green Sparrow Tribe’s courtyard, intoxicating the senses.
The shaman had too much to drink tonight, becoming more talkative and joyful. Eventually, he staggered to the grain storage house, clutching the doorframe and sobbing loudly.
Despite his stature, he cried like a newborn.
After eating their fill not long ago, many people soon nodded off to sleep.
Partly due to the alcohol, partly due to exhaustion…
Inside the room, Han Cheng lay quietly on the bed with Bai Xue, feeling a gentle joy in his heart and a profound inner contentment.
He made each day better through his efforts, ensuring those around him lived better lives. In a way, this was the meaning and value of life.
Achievements gained through hard work brought genuine joy and peace of mind.