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墨書 Inktalez
As the drone took off, more and more people gathered around. A pot was set up, and the meat began to sizzle as it hit the hot surface. Soon, seven adults and children had surrounded the area.
The atmosphere was lively, with two chickens being chopped up and tossed into the pot. A crowd of heads leaned in, their mouths watering as they watched.
After a portion of stir-fried chicken was prepared, Shi Tian glanced around and noted that the Chieftain had yet to arrive. With such an enticing aroma wafting through the air, it was surprising that he remained unmoved. His self-control was impressive!
If the Chieftain were here, Simba would surely introduce him. Since there was no introduction, it meant this group did not include the Chieftain. Given his stature, it seemed best to let it go for now. Shi Tian decided to check on Mu Sa instead, curious to see if his father was approachable.
It wouldn’t do if he wasn’t friendly; with a factory being built here, they needed a reliable partner. They couldn’t just move at will without one!
“Come on, everyone, try this! It’s Chinese Cuisine!” Shi Tian called out as he moved the pot aside. A Heng translated for him, and several hands reached out toward the pot, eager to grab some meat.
A herd of cattle returned from outside, and a lean old man herded them into the cattle pen. Two strong men were busy tidying up while the old man squeezed through the crowd.
As soon as Simba saw the old man approaching, he quickly introduced him: “Boss, this is my dad. He just got back from taking care of the cows.”
With that introduction, Shi Tian looked down at the clean pot and then at the lean old man with newfound respect. He clenched his right fist and lightly tapped it against the Chieftain’s in a gesture of greeting.
Even as a Chieftain, he still personally tended to the cows—this old man was truly hands-on!
After exchanging pleasantries, they cleaned the pot and prepared to cook something hearty.
They had brought enough ingredients; otherwise, today would have been a disaster!
A pot of lamb came off the stove as Guotou sat down with the Chieftain and two strong men. The others instinctively moved back, indicating that tribal hierarchy was still quite strict.
As they enjoyed their drinks together, communication was challenging due to language barriers; they spoke in Maasai Language and needed A Heng to translate. The conversation felt laborious. Watching them eat made Shi Tian lose his appetite.
“Chieftain,” he began, “a few days ago we encountered some thieves. Simba and Mu Sa got hurt while trying to protect me; they had to get stitches. I feel quite guilty about it.” He raised his bottle and clinked it with the Chieftain’s and those of the two strong men as he spoke with a face full of remorse.
After taking a big gulp to demonstrate how it’s done, he thought that sipping lightly didn’t make much sense. They should drink more to lighten the mood and ease any tension.
Shi Tian could sense that these Marseille people were still wary of them as outsiders.
“It’s our duty to protect you; just a minor injury,” the Chieftain replied in a long-winded manner. A Heng filtered through his words until only this one sentence remained.
“Heng Ge,” Shi Tian said pointedly, “you can’t be embezzling right in front of me! Did you swallow all of what the Chieftain said?” He glared at A Heng while rubbing his nose in frustration; why did this guy drop the ball at such a crucial moment?
“Tian Ge,” A Heng chimed in eagerly, “the Chieftain praised your cooking! He said he’d kill another sheep tomorrow to treat you and even promised to make you something special.” A Heng was also hungry by now; he imitated them by reaching for food directly from the pot, his mouth full of grease. The more he talked, the less meat there seemed to be left in the pot.
“No problem! I’ll take care of that!” Shi Tian replied enthusiastically. “Chieftain, I’ll go boil some noodles so you can try our Chinese Noodles.” With that promise made, Shi Tian stood up, lifted the pot to pour all the meat into a bowl, and dragged A Heng along to cook instant noodles.
Heng Ge, in a moment I will say a few words, and you will loudly translate them into Maasai so that everyone around can hear. After whispering this, Shi Tian poured buckets of instant noodles into the pot.
Shi Tian began cooking again. Even if they didn't have the chance to eat, a crowd gathered to catch a whiff of the aroma. As the noodles were ready, more and more people surrounded him.
Chieftain, Simba has protected me, and I want to do something for him in return. This afternoon, Simba told me that it is very difficult for your tribe to get water; during the Dry Season, there is no water to drink. So I want to help your tribe dig a well, so that during the Dry Season you won’t have to travel thirty kilometers just to buy water.
During the Dry Season, they need to buy water not just for themselves but also for their cattle and sheep. Previously, Shi Tian bought a truckload in Dashi for three hundred dollars; even if it’s a bit cheaper here, it won’t be by much.
I specifically mentioned Simba to build him up a bit so that he can inherit the position of Chieftain in the future. The old Chieftain has more than one son, and the competition is quite fierce.
When they heard that Shi Tian wanted to help them dig a well, the Chieftain hadn’t even reacted yet when a group of people jumped up in excitement. This is significant for the tribe; if they had to dig it themselves, they would need to sell a large bull to afford it, which is something the tribe cannot bear.
What did you say? You want to help us dig a well? Upon hearing this, the Chieftain suddenly stood up. The alcohol had kicked in as he stumbled over to Shi Tian.
Yes, we’ll dig a well. This place is beautiful; I really like it here. But seeing that waterhole and knowing you can’t drink clean water makes me feel quite upset.
Shi Tian had his own motives, but seeing them drink that dirty water truly moved him; even the water in his swimming pool was many times cleaner than what they had.
If it weren’t for wanting to hurry back home, Shi Tian wouldn’t be so rushed. He thought about making several trips to the tribe first, bringing some small gifts to get familiar with them and treating Simba and Mu Sa well; that way, the effect would definitely be better.
But time didn’t allow for that; he could only establish goodwill first. Once that was settled, he could bring Shi Ye over, and then he could finally return home.
The plan for digging the well was set. He asked A Heng to help contact a nearby drilling company and secured three hundred thousand from Pingtou Ge. Otherwise, even if he got some savings from Old Mo and Old An, it wouldn’t be enough to dig a well.
After spending a night in the car, early the next morning, the four of them took Chieftain straight to the drilling company. After negotiating and checking their balance, they had just three hundred thousand.
They took out half of it and gave it to Simba; this would allow the Chieftain to sign off on it while letting Simba handle the payment so that both of them could feel the weight of this money.
With funds secured, the drilling company became eager to work. They immediately sent someone with them for surveying; within three days they would determine a location and guarantee that the well would be dug within a week.
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