After Lett and the other returned, Shu Yue worriedly asked, "How was it? What did the witch doctor say?"
Shu Xin took off her soaked beast skin and rain hat, placing them aside. She gave Shu Yue a look that said, "As expected." "The witch doctor wants to keep my tablet for herself, and the witch doctor's daughter, Yi Yi, wants to be Lett's mate."
Lett quickly assured her, "Xin'er, I don't want anyone but you!"
Shu Xin glanced at him. "Whether it's sincere or not isn't just said with words; it depends on your actions."
Lett's brows shot up. "Xin'er, just you watch!"
Shu Yue felt a little speechless. It was one thing for Wen Te to have a persistent pursuer, but she hadn't expected Lett to have one too! Well, it wasn't that unusual. As top-tier outstanding males, it would be abnormal not to have females admiring them.
Seeing the tablet in Shu Xin's arms, she knew the witch doctor hadn't taken it. However, "The witch doctor must have a very strong opinion of you, right?"
Shu Xin hummed in agreement. "Not just strong, but very strong. I don't think they'll give up. I suspect they'll come asking for it again in the next few days. Let's keep the tablet here with you."
"That's a good idea. I'll keep an eye on it for you. You'll all be here during the day, so it's troublesome to keep taking it back and forth."
This was exactly what Shu Xin intended. Even with beast skin wrapping, it was hard to avoid dampness. If electronic products got damp, their lifespan would be shortened. This was the only piece of technology they had, so it had to be preserved well.
...
Around noon, Wen Te, parched, walked into the house and stood by the water缸, drinking several scoops with the ladle. Seeing this, Shu Yue asked, "Did no one give you water after teaching all morning?"
Wen Te's expression was a bit strange. "No one gave me any."
"What's wrong?"
After drinking his fill, Wen Te let out a sigh, his expression difficult to describe. Teaching counting wasn't as easy as he'd imagined, and the tribe members' learning wasn't going smoothly.
"It's nothing, I just feel like everyone is learning a bit slowly."
Shu Yue could roughly guess he meant that others were learning slowly, perhaps calling them笨 (stupid). She offered a heartfelt comfort, "When you first start learning, your brain turns slower. You have to take it slow."
Wen Te grunted. What else could be done but take it slow? If he didn't teach, then Yue Yue would have to, so he might as well endure this suffering.
Lunch consisted of boiled eggs and stir-fried vegetables. The vegetables were stir-fried by Shu Xin, with only oil, salt, and sour fruit as seasonings. Even so, the two sisters found it delicious. The eggs were the main staple, eaten with the vegetables as a substitute for steamed buns and rice.
They didn't prepare lunch for the two beastmen. The amount of meat at home wasn't enough to even fill their teeth, and besides, they had eaten their fill yesterday and could go two days without eating.
During lunch, Balen's figure descended from the sky and landed in the courtyard. He entered the cave with a damp aura. Seeing all four of them present, he got straight to the point. "Lett, did you have a conflict with the witch doctor?"
Lett wasn't surprised by his arrival. "Yes, Father. The witch doctor wanted Xin'er's tablet, and we didn't give it to her."
Balen's eyes narrowed. "That tablet, let me see it."
Lett glanced at Shu Xin, who casually moved the tablet on the bed over. As Lett took the tablet and was about to hand it to Balen, he noticed Balen's hands were wet and retracted it. "Father, dry your hands first."
Balen: ...
Just as he was about to wipe his hands on himself, he remembered the beast skins were all wet, so he wiped his hands on Lett's beast skin skirt twice to dry them.
Lett's lips twitched. There was nothing to say. He directly handed the tablet to him. "Father, don't drop it."
"Nonsense!"
Balen said impatiently, but his actions were careful. "How does this light up?"
Lett, in front of him, unlocked the screen to turn on the light. The moment the light turned on, Balen's eyes became vertical pupils, but they returned to normal in an instant. He then asked how to turn it off.
Lett guided him from the side. Shu Yue and the other two watched Balen clumsily operate the tablet, which was essentially just turning the light on and off.
After Balen learned how to turn it on, he returned the tablet to Lett and said, "This is indeed a good thing. No wonder the witch doctor wanted it."
Lett frowned. "Father, Xin'er's tablet will not be given to anyone."
Balen heard this and swept a faint glance at Shu Xin, finally settling on his son. His tone was unreadable. "If you don't give it, the witch doctor will be unhappy."
"..."
Lett's attitude remained unchanged. "Then there's nothing we can do. The item belongs to Xin'er. If I give it to her, what will happen to my Xin'er?"
Balen's eye twitched. "This tablet is useful to the witch doctor. It will be convenient for treating tribe members in the future."
Shu Yue said indignantly, "It's useful to my sister too! She also knows medicine."
"Uncle, do tribe members have to offer anything good they have to the witch doctor? Does the Warrior Tribe have such a rule?"
Balen frowned at these words. "You cannot disrespect the witch doctor!"
Wen Te, afraid Shu Yue would be reprimanded, tugged at his mate and said to Balen, "Uncle, Yue Yue didn't mean anything else. Just on this matter, I think the witch doctor shouldn't take Sister Shu Xin's things."
"The witch doctor is highly respected in the tribe, but she cannot use everyone's reverence for her to forcibly take other people's belongings. What do you think?"
Balen's frown deepened. "But the witch doctor will be unhappy."
"Father, the witch doctor's happiness comes at the cost of others' unhappiness. Yi Yi wants to be my mate, and I didn't agree. The witch doctor already has an opinion of me," Lett said, his brows gathering with coldness, showing a defiant spirit.
Balen was somewhat taken aback, but not overly surprised. He had long noticed Yi Yi's intentions. Looking at the younger generation, one or two of whom were speaking up for his mate, he felt helpless. He reminded them, "Lett, you should understand how important the witch doctor is to the tribe. When Father is old, the tribe will still rely on you. Having a bad relationship with the witch doctor is not a good thing for the tribe."
Lett shook his head. "Father, we all respect the witch doctor, but we cannot do so without boundaries. Before Xin'er came to the tribe, the witch doctor treated tribe members just fine. The tablet can provide light, but without it, nothing will be affected."
Seeing his son's unyielding stance, Balen sighed almost imperceptibly. "Since you are unwilling to give it, Father will not force you. However, the witch doctor has a great influence on the tribe, and it might cause dissatisfaction among the tribe members towards you. You should consider this yourselves."
Lett nodded in understanding. After all, he couldn't let his Xin'er be wronged just to satisfy others. What use would he be as a mate then?
...
Balen's main purpose for coming was to discuss this matter. Since he had clarified their stance, he should leave. However, before leaving, he asked Wen Te, "Wen Te, did the beast god's envoy teach you counting?"
Wen Te was silent for a moment. Shu Yue then said, "I taught him." She then looked at Wen Te. "Uncle isn't an outsider, there's nothing to hide. If I weren't pregnant and it wasn't inconvenient for me to move around, I would help teach the tribe members counting as well."
This matter couldn't be hidden anyway. Once the people from the Wuda tribe arrived, Balen would naturally know that she taught counting. If he found out then, as a tribal chief, Balen would inevitably overthink things. It was better to be honest now.