Chapter 92

"No, it can't be like this."

Cloudy stood by, hands on hips, directing Wahben and the other women. At this moment, they were stacking burnt clay bricks to build a wall. The women had little experience; they held the bricks and stacked them straight up until Cloudy corrected them, showing them to stagger the bricks.

The mud used to bond the bricks together was also made of clay. Today, Cloudy planned to build one side of the wall first and check its strength after the mud dried. If it was strong enough, they would continue building the rest.

"Cloudy, you haven't been around much these days," Wahben chatted with Cloudy while laying bricks. "What have you and Titus been up to?"

Enjoying some alone time, perhaps. However, Cloudy was a bit annoyed this morning, which was why she was now guiding Wahben in building the house instead of working on her own projects in the backyard.

Before dawn, Cloudy lay in bed groggily, feeling the absence of the heavy arm that used to press against her. She reached out and mumbled Titus's name a few times, but there was no response. He must have gone out. To the bathroom or for something else...

Too tired to think, Cloudy closed her eyes, stretched her legs, and drifted back to sleep. When she woke up again, it was already light outside, and Titus had returned to the house, covered in suspicious mud.

Cloudy didn't suspect anything at that moment, assuming Titus had gone out to help someone. Things took a turn when she went to the backyard. The once clean and tidy ground was completely transformed, with various plants or shrubs with fruits roughly planted in the soil. Her backyard now looked like a construction site.

Initially, Cloudy, still half-asleep, rubbed her eyes, thinking she was having a very realistic dream where her seeds instantly sprouted and grew like magic beans. After standing still for a few seconds, the hot air around her and Titus's sneaky footsteps told her it wasn't a dream.

No, Titus couldn't have ruined her hard work. That was impossible. There were only two possible explanations...

The soil here had magical nutrients that made seeds grow overnight.
Mischievous wild people were destroying her field.

The answer was 2, but the "mischievous" wild person was none other than Titus, sneaking up on her. The wild man, pleased with his deed, hugged Cloudy from behind and lifted her up, shaking her a few times. "Cloudy, last night, I brought back many plants for you!"

"From outside the settlement. Planted them here so you can eat directly, your favorites."

Cloudy felt dizzy. What was this? Was this some new form of helping plants grow? Although the idea of digging them up and planting them at home seemed ingenious, but... but...

In any case, Cloudy started to feel angry. She hadn't...
Titus got angry and just packed up and left the backyard. She thought she could control her temper, but she couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by the chaotic backyard, with plants haphazardly planted in the ground, resembling overgrown weeds or discarded landscaping plants.

Today, she was supposed to continue observing the seeds' progress. Yesterday, the seeds had all sprouted... but now, not only had they sprouted, she had no idea where the seeds had been scattered off to. Cloudy kept repeating in her mind that Titus meant well. Titus meant well. It must have been because of her strong interest in planting yesterday that Titus secretly did this, wanting to surprise her.

Moreover, it's quite magical how people in this era intentionally try to create surprises for each other. Unfortunately, Cloudy didn't have time to feel amazed or happy; she just felt like her plans had been slightly disrupted. The backyard could be cleaned up again, and seeds could be planted once more...

The biggest issue now was how to tell Titus she wanted to clean up the backyard? It was a surprise he had spent the whole night preparing, thinking she would be delighted.

"Sigh..." She slammed the mud-covered brick in her hand onto the ground heavily, sitting next to the wall where Wowben was trembling: "What's wrong, Cloudy, tired?"

"Not tired." She moved her slightly sore shoulders and continued building the wall. At least the construction on the warm house side was progressing smoothly; the mothers had even started experimenting with firing clay, making clubs, unidentified-shaped plates, and large stones with holes... essentially very prehistoric art, with the outcomes only bringing joy to themselves and serving no practical purpose.

Unidentified shapes... serving no practical purpose... Cloudy almost immediately thought of the mess in her backyard again.

She covered her eyes with hands stained with mud and let out a low sigh. Titus... Titus!!!

Just as Cloudy was feeling miserable on her own, the Matriarch came over with a newborn who had just learned to walk, immediately drawing all the mothers' attention, causing them to drop their work and gather around. It was not much different from grandparents gathering to feed their grandchildren.

Some things never change no matter how many years pass. Cloudy watched the heartwarming scene in front of her with a forced smile. The Matriarch handed the child to another mother and then casually approached Cloudy, as they hadn't had a formal conversation since the incident with Titus: "You and Titus, how are things these days?"

Things were going well a few days ago, not so well today. Cloudy forced a smile and nodded, "Good, Titus and I are good."

While conversing with the Matriarch, Cloudy kept praying that she wouldn't suddenly say something unbearable, like expecting her to do something or wanting Titus to do something.

"I know, Titus took you out hunting."

Cloudy...
Feeling a sudden pang in her heart, she sensed phantom pain in her knees and ankles. Hastily, she responded, "I'll go out with Titus, but I won't leave. No need to break my legs."

Matriarch chuckled, her smile more terrifying than Titus and the others, perhaps due to her more flesh or her older appearance. When she smiled, it was like a statue one dared not look at: "Cloudy's legs won't be broken. You can go out with Titus now, just stay near the settlement, not far, but no hunting outside, you can't go."

Hunting outside... Cloudy wanted to go, to follow the hunters into the deeper, more distant rainforest, which was very appealing to her. However, going alone would only slow them down, so she just thought about it: "I won't go hunting outside."

Matriarch nodded in satisfaction, "Cloudy, you are brave. Despite being so weak, you can bring back images for us. But hunting outside is different, both the settlement and I don't want to lose you."

Yes, is that so.

Hearing Matriarch say this, she felt a bit touched... Looking at Matriarch's dignified yet somewhat intimidating face, Cloudy suddenly had an inspiration.

...

............

"Why!"

Titus grumbled discontentedly, "Cloudy and I can handle it!" Having just returned from gathering food outside, he was stopped by Matriarch at the back gate, demanding that he pull out all the plants he had planted the night before and pile them up nearby.

"Pull them all out." Matriarch stood with her hands behind her back, with Cloudy beside her, holding her head. "Cloudy said she smelled a strange scent and felt unwell. Some of these plants are not good for her."

Hearing that it was not good for Cloudy, Titus could only mutter to himself as he turned around to start working. Halfway through, feeling guilty again, he turned his head, lowering his brows to look at Cloudy, "I made a mistake, you're not feeling well."

"It's okay..." Cloudy held her head, feeling a bit guilty but not too much.