Ancient Eden

The sun gradually rose, the remaining men in the settlement ate breakfast before dispersing, the women gathered in groups of two or three to talk, and also slowly went to do their own thing. Mu Qing went as usual with the children to watch the crops.

This day, Mu Qing always kept an eye towards the direction of the settlement, hoping to hear something. If Li Mang and the others had returned, she believed that there would definitely be some movement. But later, she ended up being disappointed. A long day passed, and Li Mang still did not return.

When they were eating dinner, Naduo looked a bit worried, but she looked much calmer than she did in the morning. She probably noticed that Mu Qing was absent-minded, so she patted her hand and gave her a comforting smile.

Night arrived.

This was the first night that Mu Qing spent without Li Mang since she had arrived.

(17.1)

Mu Qing was unable to fall asleep, she just kept tossing and turning on that piece of animal skin, feeling that her back was sticking to the smooth skin surface. When she turned over, she heard a slight “hiss” sound, that was the sound of the friction between her slightly moist back and the animal skin surface.

She felt a little uncomfortable without his somewhat overbearing embrace and pestering.

But she did not have the heart to think about the reason why she felt uncomfortable, she just kept an ear open to the movements outside, hoping to hear the sound of his footsteps returning back.

He never came back that night. Mu Qing finally fell asleep from exhaustion, but she was extremely uneasy in her sleep. The slightest sound of the wind breaking branches outside could immediately wake her up.

The sky dawned again. When she got up, her head was a little dizzy and swollen. After sitting on the animal skin for a while, a thought suddenly popped into her head: what if Li Mang never came back?

This thought frightened her.

She had sexual relationships with him that were not completely consensual on her part, and even now, she still longed to return to her original world, but she also hoped that he would come back safely, and that everything would be okay.

She quickly pushed the thought out of her mind, she didn’t want to stay alone here any longer. She wanted to be with Naduo.

Naduo was probably a close kin of Li Mang’s. Seeing her would make Mu Qing feel more at peace in her heart.

When she came out, she was surprised to see the chief here. He was standing in front of the trench, at the periphery of the settlement, silently looking at the jungle, towards the west. That must be the direction Li Mang and the others went towards the night before.

Since she had tricked him and escaped from him, she had been careful to avoid him, even though she knew that Li Mang had later convinced him not to pursue her. Now, too, she was careful as she headed towards Naduo’s hut, but she ended up making noise that alerted the chief. When he turned his head, the two people’s eyes met.

Mu Qing was slightly nervous, not knowing whether she should show him respect or what. But she didn’t have to think about it too long, for the chief very quickly walked past her without looking at her, as if he had not seen her.

Mu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and watched him get a little farther away from her. She was about to go on walking towards Naduo’s place when he suddenly stopped, turned around and waved at her, before continuing to walk straight ahead.

There was no one else around her, so he must definitely have waved to her.

Mu Qing hesitated a moment, but then followed behind with some apprehension.

He was the chief here, and Li Mang wasn’t here, she could not defy his will. And not far from them, Naduo, who suddenly got out of her hut, just happened to notice the scene, and was looking at her. This made her feel less apprehensive to some degree.

Mu Qing slowly followed the chief into his hut, completely relieved.

He didn’t do anything, he just threw a ball of rope in front of her and made a knotting gesture.

He was just asking her to teach him some knotting techniques again.

The previous time, Mu Qing did regular knots, this time she racked her brain to remember several knots for leaving messages and knots for protection, which she slowly demonstrated to the chief.

The chief could be considered smart, he watched a few times, and then started practicing with his own hands, very concentrated on the task.

Mu Qing held her breath and slowly retreated. Just as she got out of the door, she almost collided with the oncoming Naonao.