Free Web NovelChapter 559: Chapter 405: Stiff Hides
"Thank you for your help."
Wu Yue brought out some fruit from the kitchen and gave it to the females who had helped. The women happily accepted them and left to attend to their own tasks.
"This cowhide is useless, but it’s so heavy. I’m about to die of exhaustion."
Qingcao grabbed a bamboo container from the side, took several large gulps of water, and then raised her arm to wipe her mouth before looking at Wu Yue.
"Yue, what else needs to be done? Our Hunting Team is resting today, so just let me know if you need help. I have time."
Wu Yue turned her head, a touched expression on her face, but it darkened the very next second. "Qingcao, can’t you close your legs when you sit down!"
’She doesn’t even have any underwear beneath that Beast Skin Skirt. Seeing her sit there with her legs spread is a real eyesore.’
Qingcao pouted and closed her legs. "Geez, Yue, you’re so fussy. Isn’t this how everyone sits?"
As she spoke, she walked over and lifted Wu Yue’s skirt. "Aren’t you the same... Huh? What are these colorful things?"
Wu Yue: "..."
She had always worn these big, floral shorts underneath. Because they were shorts, they were very convenient for moving around in, even while wearing a Beast Skin Skirt.
But to have them revealed like this in broad daylight... Wu Yue glared at Qingcao. ’Doesn’t a girl need to keep her dignity?’
But Qingcao, whose attention was currently fixated on her floral shorts, didn’t notice her anger at all. She was still tugging at the brightly colored fabric. "They’re so pretty! Yue, do you have any more? Can I trade you some food for them?
If I had these, you wouldn’t have to keep nagging me about showing my butt."
Wu Yue: "..."
’Ugh!’
’What does you showing your butt or not have to do with me?’
’Is that something I want to see?’
Stone-faced, she said, "This is the only pair. I can’t trade them with you."
Qingcao looked at them again and again, disappointed. Finally, under Wu Yue’s glare, she reluctantly let her Beast Skin Skirt fall back into place.
"Help me move one of the large vats from the side of the house into the courtyard."
After speaking, she picked up a small basket and went into the kitchen. She raked all the wood ash from inside the stove and put it into the basket.
"Yue, I’ve moved the vat. What’s next?"
"Pour water in until it’s half full. There’s water in the stone pot in the kitchen."
She spoke as she carried the wood ash toward the courtyard.
This was all leftover wood ash from yesterday’s fires. Luckily, because Yuan Lang and the others were leaving, she hadn’t disposed of it. Otherwise, she would have had to go ask for some from another family.
"Yue, what are you doing with so much burnt ash?"
Wu Yue poured the wood ash from the basket into the vat and stirred it evenly. "To soak the cowhide."
Qingcao looked at the murky black wood ash in the vat. "Why use such murky water? It’ll get the cowhide all dirty."
"This is how Amu used to do it. I don’t know why, either."
She moved a rock to press down on the Beast Skin, ensuring all of the cowhide was submerged in the water.
Wu Yue let out a light sigh. "That should do it."
Qingcao looked at the cowhide soaking in the black water and secretly decided that in the future, she absolutely could not let Yue handle the Beast Skins brought back by the Beastman Warriors on her own.
’It’s a good thing this was just cowhide that no one wanted. If it had been a precious Beast Skin, wouldn’t that have been a terrible waste?’
"Oh, right, Qingcao. I have a few Beast Skins in my house that Yuan Lang brought. I want to use them to make some clothes. Do you know how to process them?"
Qingcao froze for a moment. "That guy Yuan Lang gave you Beast Skins without even processing them first?"
"Maybe he doesn’t know how to process them, either."
She had never actually seen any of the tribe members here tan hides before.
With that, she ran into the house and brought out the Beast Skins Yuan Lang had given her yesterday.
Qingcao pulled one over to take a look. "These Beast Skins have already been processed."
Qingcao looked at Wu Yue in confusion. "See? The grease and flesh scraps are all gone. It’s obvious they’ve been washed and dried."
Wu Yue tugged at the stiff-feeling Beast Skin. "But if they’re this hard, they won’t be comfortable to wear."
’Not only are they uncomfortable, but they also shed badly.’
Qingcao gave Wu Yue an envious look. "Yue, this is how we all process Beast Skins. Even though the hide is hard, it’s very warm in the winter when you wrap the furry side around you."
As she spoke, she pulled her friend’s hand over to feel the Beast Skin clothes she was wearing. "Feel my Beast Skin clothes. They’re just like this, too."
