Becoming a Leader in a Primitive Otherworld - Chapter 28

Hearing Xie Yu’s confident demand for help washing her hands, Yun Nai walked over to her.

Instead of helping, she pinched Xie Yu’s cheek. “Wash them yourself.”

“Alright, I’ll do it myself,” Xie Yu said with a sigh, rubbing her cheek against Yun Nai’s hand. “It’s fine if no one wants to help. It’s just washing hands anyway, I can manage.”

Yun Nai poked Xie Yu’s cheek with her index finger. “Are you a child? Needing help to wash your hands?”

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I were a child, Xie Yu thought to herself. “All clean!” she clapped her hands and asked, “Where do you think we should dig the kiln?”

“I think this spot is good. Saves us the trouble of moving things around,” Yun Nai said, gesturing vaguely with her finger.

Pottery kilns typically come in two types: vertical cave kilns and horizontal cave kilns. Once constructed from stone, reaching temperatures of 1,000 degrees Celsius wouldn’t be difficult.

Pottery can be made by hand-throwing on a wheel or hand-shaping, or by using molds for casting and stamping.

Hand-throwing requires a pottery wheel. Since electric wheels were out of the question, they’d have to try a slow-wheel version. Gypsum was also unavailable, making stamping difficult. That left hand-throwing and hand-shaping as their only options.

Hand-shaping pottery was similar to playing with clay. While the resulting pieces would certainly be functional, given the Tribespeople’s current skill level, they wouldn’t be particularly aesthetically pleasing.

“Alright, let’s do it here,” Xie Yu said, surveying the surroundings. Finding no immediate issues, she added, “But we’ll need a couple more days. The Tribe is busy right now. Let them prepare for a bit longer. In two days, we’ll dig the kiln. We should be able to produce about thirty usable pieces in a day.”

Xie Yu eagerly began calculating. She wasn’t concerned with aesthetics; functionality was all that mattered. As they gained experience, their production speed would only increase.

Having never fired pottery before, they didn’t know the exact firing time, but they estimated around eight hours per batch.

Even with this time commitment, by the end of summer, they’d have a substantial quantity to sell at the Great Market.

After finalizing their plans, they started walking back. This time, Xie Yu didn’t ask; she simply took the hand of the person beside her and said, “We need to be careful on the way back too.”

The hand she held didn’t resist, but rather tightened its grip slightly.

“We need to be careful with everything we do.”

To Xie Yu’s ears, this statement carried a double meaning. Yet she hesitated to assume it meant they should hold hands in everything they did—that seemed a bit odd.

Images flashed through her mind: two people holding hands while eating, holding hands while sleeping, holding hands while walking… The idea didn’t seem strange at all; in fact, it felt rather nice.

Xie Yu, who had joined the army midway through her life and defected to the enemy camp, couldn’t help but smile.

“What are you thinking about?” Yun Nai asked, scratching Xie Yu’s palm.

“I was thinking how true the saying ‘Be careful in everything you do’ is.”

When they returned to the Tribe, their hands were still clasped. The other Tribespeople stared in astonishment at their joined hands, their mouths agape.

“What day is it today? The sixth day of summer? Or… the seventh? This is the first time I’ve ever seen the Chief and Priest holding hands…”

A group gathered in a circle, whispering as if they were sharing secrets. “I always thought before that…”

Yun Nai tried to slip her hand from Xie Yu’s grasp, but Xie Yu instinctively tightened her grip, pulling her closer. Yun Nai pushed her back with her index finger, the tip pressing against Xie Yu’s chest.

“I should go back now. You still have something to say, don’t you?” Yun Nai poked her again. “Hurry up.”

Xie Yu watched Yun Nai hurry away, then heard the rustling whispers of the Tribespeople behind her.

“Why did the Priest leave so suddenly? And the Chief is just standing there, not moving.”

Their voices were so loud that Xie Yu couldn’t pretend not to hear them, nor did she want to. With an impassive expression, she walked up to the group and announced, “We’ll be firing pottery in two days. It will take a long time, so everyone should finish any urgent tasks in the next two days. Remind those who aren’t here.”

“Pottery? Is that made from mud?” Hui asked, recalling the scene of Xie Yu digging clay.

Xie Yu nodded. “If we succeed, we won’t need stone tools anymore.”

As she walked away, she overheard someone behind her saying, “This is great! Last time I chipped a tooth on a rock.”

“Yeah, you sound like you’re talking through a hole now.”

Instead of returning to her hut immediately, Xie Yu went to the warehouse. In a corner, she found two circular stone disks, each with a small hole drilled through the center.

Li had told her yesterday that they were finished. These were the stones she planned to use for sundials, which would make timekeeping easier. The next two days would be perfect for testing their accuracy.

After all, she needed to know the exact time to take the pottery out of the kiln, so she had to prepare in advance.

One sundial stood prominently in the center of the camp, visible to all. The other was placed near the newly dug kiln, allowing for timely monitoring of firing times.

Using a stone knife, Xie Yu carefully carved the numbers one through twelve onto the stone disks. She then found two slender stone rods that fit snugly into the small holes between the circular faces.

The shadow cast by sunlight would indicate the time on the stone disk, but this method only worked on clear, sunny days. On cloudy or rainy days, or at night, the sundial was virtually useless.

One sundial was large, the other small. Xie Yu called upon several tribespeople to move the larger one to the center of the camp and carefully positioned it at the correct angle.

Calibrating the time was best done using noon as a reference point. After much effort, they finally achieved a rough alignment.

With the large stone disk now prominently displayed in the camp, many passersby would curiously approach to examine it.

Xie Yu explained the basics of reading the sundial to them. The cubs, who had already learned the numbers, began taking turns announcing the time to those who asked. When the cubs wandered off to play, the tribespeople had to learn to read the numbers themselves to check the time. Gradually, they became familiar with the few simple numerals.

Two days later.

Having received prior notice, the tribespeople had completed all urgent tasks within the two days.

They had dug a horizontal cave kiln. The digging process itself was relatively quick; the time-consuming part was lining the cave walls with stones.

Compared to vertical cave kilns, horizontal cave kilns could hold more ceramic blanks. Given their high demand for pottery, they opted for the horizontal design.

Horizontal cave kilns heat up and cool down more rapidly. After a period, the kiln chamber’s temperature would be sufficient to fire the pottery.

The firebox, flue, and kiln chamber were arranged horizontally.

The kiln chamber was located behind the firebox and connected to it via two or more flues.

At the bottom of the kiln chamber was a grate with small holes, known as fire eyes, through which flames entered the chamber via the flues.

The firing process, from lighting the fire in the firebox to completion, typically took eight to nine hours. Larger, thicker pottery pieces required even longer.

The Tribe had dug two horizontal cave kilns. Building more would be unnecessary for the time being and would only waste time.

Xie Yu decided against making a slow wheel first. Instead, she planned to have the tribespeople create a few ceramic blanks to assess their skills.

Xie Yu had all the tribespeople try their hand at pottery, observing their techniques. Though none had any prior experience, some produced surprisingly decent results, creating vessels that were both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

“Priest, I’m done!” Li and Lian called out in unison, carefully cradling their finished pieces.

Xie Yu, hearing their shouts from across the area, turned to look. The sight was almost unbearable.

Two misshapen lumps sat on the stone slab, their forms so bizarre that it was impossible to tell what they were supposed to be, even upon closer inspection.

Though most of the creations were rather ugly, Xie Yu refused to let anyone discard their work. Instead, she gathered all the pieces and placed them together in the kiln.

“Chief, why keep these ugly things?” Ke teased, winking mischievously at Lian. Lian lunged at her, trying to put her in a headlock, but Ping intervened, grabbing them both with one hand to restore order.

“Ke’s is ugly too!” Lian retorted, kicking her angrily.

Ke readily admitted, “Of course! Mine’s the ugliest.”

Lian was dumbfounded by her pride in this, leaving her speechless.

Xie Yu nodded slightly in agreement. “It’s quite remarkable to make something so ugly yet distinctive. We should fire it as a memento.”

Yun Nai’s creations are still the most beautiful, Xie Yu thought with quiet pride.

The cave kiln’s floor was piled high with dry grass, withered leaves, and a stack of firewood. After the tribespeople carefully placed each ceramic blank into the kiln, Xie Yu glanced at the sundial beside her. “It’ll be a while yet. Let’s go rest.”

Yellowish smoke billowed from the kiln’s vents, drifting slowly into the sky.

When the first batch of pottery was fired, even those who had initially criticized their own creations eagerly embraced their pieces and carried them home.

“It’s not so ugly after all! I can use it to hold water now!” Ke patted her oddly shaped jar with satisfaction.

Xie Yu cautioned, “They’re fragile. Be careful.”

The second and third batches of ceramic blanks were gradually produced by a select group of tribespeople Xie Yu had trained, while the others continued with their other tasks.

The construction team hurried to build a thatched hut near the kiln, providing a more comfortable workspace for those crafting the ceramic blanks.

The new hut was slightly larger than their previous thatched dwelling, housing over a dozen sets of tables, chairs, and stone basins, though only seven or eight sets would actually be used.

Yun Nai was quite familiar with pottery making and often helped out whenever she had time.

Perhaps driven by a touch of perfectionism, she insisted on shaping the clay into the most beautiful forms possible, sometimes working until sunset.

As dusk settled, the crimson sun began its descent, and the faint crescent moon emerged. Soon, darkness would envelop the land.

“Chief, we can fire the new batch tomorrow,” one of the potters reported.

“What about the Priest? Is she still there?” Xie Yu asked, glancing at the potters returning from the kiln.

The potters nodded. “Yes, she’s working on one last piece. She told us to come back first and said she’d return shortly.”

Xie Yu waved them off and strode toward the wooden hut near the kiln, leaving a trail of footprints along the riverbank that stretched toward the hut.

By the time she arrived, Yun Nai was already washing her hands.

Xie Yu deliberately made some noise to announce her presence. She waited until Yun Nai stood up before approaching from behind.

“I’ve been waiting for you for so long.”

Warm breath brushed against Yun Nai’s ear as she tilted her head slightly. “I’m going back now.”

“I’m already here, Nai Nai,” Xie Yu said, meeting her gaze, the burning intensity in her eyes unmistakable. “And the point is, I waited for you.”

Not that long.

Yun Nai found herself staring intently at Xie Yu’s rosy lips, which were so close they nearly touched. They were like a sweet, juicy peach, irresistible to taste.

If she leaned in just a little closer… just a little closer… she could… she could…

Suddenly, a hand covered her eyes. Yun Nai raised her index finger and pressed it against Xie Yu’s lips, whispering, “Don’t look.”

“Why?” Xie Yu’s eyes grew restless, her long lashes brushing against Yun Nai’s palm. She was puzzled by the sudden restriction.

Because if I keep looking, I won’t be able to resist anymore.

Yun Nai didn’t answer. Instead, she pressed her finger harder against Xie Yu’s lips, the soft flesh yielding slightly under the pressure. “I don’t know. Just don’t.”

The subtle atmosphere, like a lingering fragrance that enveloped them both, materialized into Xie Yu’s arms as she pulled Yun Nai into a hug.

Xie Yu nodded obediently, feigning understanding. Yun Nai sighed in relief, only to have Xie Yu seize the opportunity.

She pecked at Yun Nai’s finger like a little bird.

The atmosphere was so harmonious that Xie Yu couldn’t resist asking, “What’s my current level? Passing, good, or excellent?”

“Probably good.”

“What additional privileges does ‘good’ grant compared to ‘passing’?”

“Like this,” Yun Nai thought, “you can hug me.”

Xie Yu’s mind raced. “But from my perspective, you’re currently ‘excellent.’ Want to test your privileges?”

The only sound was their breathing. After a moment of silence, the finger pressed against Xie Yu’s lips lowered. Immediately, she felt warm, soft lips brush against her left cheek—a fleeting touch.

“Privilege testing ends here. Let’s head back.”

Finally freed from the darkness, Xie Yu caught sight of Yun Nai’s slightly flushed ear tips in the orange sunset glow and couldn’t help but smile.