RPS – Chapter 65 In This Moment, Time Stands Still

Early the next morning, before Li and the others had woken up, Li Feng and Nuo were informed that they needed to attend a tribal meeting at the chief’s house. Li Feng glanced at Li and the others still lying in bed and frowned. The meeting was definitely something they had to attend, but what about Li and the rest? Especially with Mo, the baby, and Lu also at home—if both he and Nuo left, would it really be okay to leave them alone? But if they brought the children along, then there really would be no one watching over Li and the others. Sigh…

Li Feng cooked and fed Mo, the baby, and Lu, then instructed them to lock the door and watch over Li and the others. He and Nuo had to head to the chief’s place. When they left, the outer gate had also been secured. It was broad daylight, and with patrols still active in the tribe, things should be safe. Li Feng reassured himself with that thought and took the anxious Nuo with him to the meeting.

By the time they arrived at the chief’s house, it was already crowded. After all, it was freezing outside and the snow hadn’t completely melted yet, so everyone crammed into the house. Fortunately, the chief’s home was large and spacious, which helped a lot. Despite so many people in a single room, it still felt relatively warm.

However, Li Feng looked around at the room full of the wounded and disabled. Everyone who could still move and was conscious had shown up. The more he saw, the more his mind returned to Li. Had he woken up yet? Was everything alright back at home with Mo and the others? What if someone knocked over the brazier and started a fire before they could react…? His mind was filled with all sorts of potential accidents and disasters, making him more and more anxious. He just wanted the meeting to end quickly so he could hurry back. They had only just left, but why did it feel like so much time had passed already?

With a silent sigh, Li Feng turned and saw that Nuo beside him looked the same. Although his face showed little expression, his eyes were filled with worry. Clearly, both of them were thinking about the people lying at home. Hopefully, by the time they got back, those people would already be awake…

Everyone already knew the purpose of this meeting. The recent wolf attack had dealt a devastating blow to the tribe. If it happened again—twice more even—it could destroy the entire tribe. So the urgent task at hand was to come up with an effective method to prevent future wolf attacks, or at the very least, prepare in advance. Being caught off guard like last time absolutely could not happen again.

“Chief, how about we cut more thornbushes and pile them up at the entrances? That way, the wolves won’t be able to get in,” someone suggested. After all, it seemed the wolves hadn’t come through any areas filled with thorns.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. As long as the wolves can’t get in, we’ll be safe, right?” someone else chimed in.

“But that’s not right. If the wolves can’t get in, then we can’t get out either. We still need to go out hunting…” someone else retorted. Although there was less prey in the winter, they still had to go out whenever the weather allowed. They couldn’t just sit around and eat through their stores. Their food might not last the whole winter—going out was a necessity.

And staying holed up at home all winter was out of the question. They had to hunt, or else their skills would deteriorate, not to mention people would grow lazy. If they didn’t hunt for an entire season, come spring, they might not even be able to catch the easiest prey.

“Sigh, that’s true too. So what should we do then?” They really couldn’t think of any good ideas. In the past, all they could do was tough it out. Every year, they had to just sit and wait for the wolf attacks—what else could they do?

“Li Feng, why don’t you say something? Do you have any ideas?” the chief asked. Seeing how all the discussions had led nowhere, he turned directly to Li Feng. This young man often came up with fresh ideas. No matter what, they always ended up benefiting the tribe, so even if he was a bit skeptical sometimes, the chief preferred to keep an open mind—sometimes it was best to just turn a blind eye.

Li Feng, unaware of the chief’s thoughts, was still preoccupied with worry about those at home. He didn’t even hear the chief call his name until someone beside him tapped him, snapping him out of his daze.

“Huh? What is it?” he asked blankly. What happened? Weren’t they in the middle of a meeting? Why was he being singled out?

“The chief asked if you have any good ideas for defending against the wolves,” Nuo whispered next to him, having caught at least part of the discussion.

“Oh…” Li Feng nodded. He had been thinking about this before coming here, but after arriving, all those thoughts vanished—his whole heart had been left at home. Still, since the chief had called on him, he’d share what he had in mind.

“Um, I was thinking, maybe we could build a big gate—like a fence gate—and then chop down trees to block off the main paths. After that, we could wrap the wood with thornbushes…” This seemed like one of the simpler solutions for winter. Other options weren’t really suitable for this season.

“But didn’t we already say that once the thorns are in place, we won’t be able to get out either?” someone questioned, and the chief looked at Li Feng for clarification.

“We’ve already made a main gate, so we’ll go through that. As for the fence gate, it needs to be built strong and sturdy—ideally out of solid wood—so the wolves won’t be able to break through or damage it. As for the thorns, when we set up the wooden stakes, there will definitely be gaps between them, and we don’t have that much time to gather enough wood. So we’ll space the stakes out and then weave thorns tightly around them. That way, the wolves won’t be able to get through.”

Li Feng noticed everyone was listening, so he continued, “The other thorn bushes around our tribe grew because they were planted during the summer when it was still warm, so they survived. If we plant them now, it won’t work at all. And if the thorns weren’t grown in place, they’ll die quickly. Simply piling them on the roadside would mean they’ll just get buried by snow or blown away by the wind—they’d be useless. But if we weave them tightly around wooden stakes, that’ll be much more secure. The wolves won’t dare to charge through.”

“Hmm, not bad. What does everyone else think?” the chieftain nodded and asked the tribe.

“But if we have wooden stakes, why not just build walls like we do for houses and enclose the tribe completely?”

Li Feng nodded silently to himself—this person was smart. No one else had brought that up before. Most people were stuck in limited thinking and didn’t even consider building a large wall. “The current weather isn’t suitable for making mud bricks. It’s too cold, and the bricks won’t dry thoroughly, so they won’t be strong. Once it rains or snows, they’ll collapse easily. Plus, it takes a long time to build walls. We can’t afford to wait!”

He had thought about just building a wall. After all, there were no enemies here, only wild beasts, and those lacked the intelligence to breach a wall. But then he realized—what season was it now? The mud bricks wouldn’t dry in time, and the process would take far too long. In this primitive setting, it was completely unrealistic to build a wall in such a short time. Back when they built houses, it had already taken several months—and that was during good weather when the bricks dried quickly.

Everyone nodded after hearing that. It made sense. Even though it might still take some time, no one could come up with a better idea. This was probably the most practical solution for now.

“Chieftain, what do you think? This is just my personal suggestion—I don’t know if it’ll work. Please let me know if there’s a better idea,” said Li Feng, sitting down. This was the best solution he could come up with. Building a wall now simply wasn’t realistic. They needed to deal with the immediate threat. Walls could wait until after winter passed. What mattered now was surviving the current crisis.

The chieftain stood and signaled for the others to quiet down. “I think Li Feng’s plan is workable. If anyone has a better idea, speak up so we can improve on it. If not, then let’s begin preparations immediately…”

Everyone looked around at each other, but no one spoke up for a long time. The chieftain nodded, seeing that no one had any objections. “Then we’ll follow this plan. I’ll assign tasks in a moment. Some will go cut trees, some will gather thorns, and some will weave the fence gate…”

Li Feng had thought about digging a trench like a moat, but seeing all the snow outside, he gave up on that idea. Without water, a trench would be useless, and with water, it would just freeze in this weather—also useless. Better to just focus on building defenses first. A proper barrier should be enough. If they come up with something better later, they can improve it then. After all, he wasn’t an expert in engineering or traps—he only knew a few basic ideas from his past life.

After the chieftain assigned the tasks, Li Feng and Nuo hurried back home. After all, they had injured people and children at home. The chieftain understood their situation and didn’t assign them much—just let them go. After checking on everyone, the two of them joined the others in cutting wood. Meanwhile, the women went nearby to collect thorns. Since the tribe’s surrounding thorns couldn’t be used, they had to go to the base of the mountain to gather more. It would be safer with the men nearby cutting wood.

Everyone in the tribe who was still able to work had to go cut trees. After cutting, some would weave fences while others continued chopping wood. Still others needed to patrol and keep watch over the tribe—no one could afford to be idle right now.

After hearing the chieftain’s orders, Li Feng and the others rushed home. They had been worried sick. Everyone—adults and children alike—had been anxious. They were truly desperate to get back, even if they’d only been gone for a short while…

They quickly opened the door and stepped inside. The warmth of the house made them want to sigh in relief, but that wasn’t what mattered right now. As soon as Li Feng’s eyes scanned the room, they locked onto the blankets—

He saw Mo holding the baby and Lu, sitting beside Li and Bu, all chattering happily. Li Feng felt like he couldn’t hear anything else—just Mo’s voice: “We have to tell Uncle Li Feng—Uncle Li is awake…”

Li was awake. Really awake.

That was the only thought in Li Feng’s mind. He knew he should be happy, but all of a sudden, he felt a kind of nervousness that came from being too close to something longed for. He was afraid it might be a dream. During the days when Li was unconscious, every time he slept, he would dream of Li waking up and looking at him gently. Now that it had really happened… he stood frozen at the doorway, unable to move.

But Nuo rushed forward and threw himself into Bu’s arms, gently holding him as he sat up slightly. Nuo, who hadn’t cried much before, suddenly burst into tears like a child. The worry and anxiety that had been bottled up for so long finally had an outlet. He had been suppressing his despair, afraid it would affect Li Feng and the kids, forcing himself to act mature—but he had been suffering inside. And now, finally, Bu was awake. Really awake!

Li raised his head and saw Li Feng standing frozen at the doorway. He tried to smile to reassure him, but the movement tugged at his wounds, making him frown in pain and let out a soft cry.

That soft cry was what snapped Li Feng out of his daze. Seeing Li grimacing in pain, he immediately rushed forward. “Are you alright? Does it hurt? Why are you moving around? You just woke up—can’t you be a bit more careful?”

Li Feng gently helped Li lean against the wall and placed a soft, straw-filled animal hide pillow behind him for support.

“Hehe…” Li simply smiled as he looked at Li Feng, who was carefully helping him lean against the wall. He had slept for so long, and now that he had woken up and could see him again—how wonderful! He didn’t want to take his eyes off his face; just being able to look at him like this forever would be enough.

“What are you giggling at? Hurry up and rest properly, will you?” Li Feng gave him a side glance. However, when he met Li’s gentle and affectionate gaze, his face grew a little hot. He had thought that once Li woke up, he’d react like Nuo did earlier—hug him tightly and burst into tears, then laugh with joy. But unexpectedly, aside from happiness, he felt an unusual calmness inside. It was a bit contradictory, yet it was genuinely how he felt.

He was overjoyed that Li had woken up, but he didn’t know how to describe it or express it. The calmness came from the relief that everything was finally over. The disaster had passed. People say those who survive great hardships are destined for future blessings—after this ordeal, their family would live even happier and more blissfully. Everything would be alright, no matter what, as long as they woke up!

Li didn’t say anything either. Now, just listening to Li Feng’s soft nagging felt especially comforting. Being able to hear this not-so-gentle nagging again—it was a kind of happiness.

“Mm… You… what are you…” Before Li Feng could react, Li, who had just been supported into position, suddenly pulled him into a kiss. He only managed to utter those few words before everything was drowned out by the sounds of their lips and tongues meeting.

Li Feng tried to push him away, but as soon as his hand touched Li’s body, it paused. Instead of pushing, his hand turned into a gentle embrace. Forget it, let him do what he wants. He had already promised himself—if Li woke up, he could do whatever he wanted. Besides, he himself needed this closeness too—to confirm that all of this wasn’t a dream, that this was the long-awaited reality.

The soft warmth transferred through their lips, affirming each other’s presence and well-being. What began as a gentle, lingering kiss gradually deepened into an intimate connection, their tongues entwining, tasting, licking, gently biting—completely immersing them and making them forget everything else. Forgetting even that others were nearby.

Only when Li Feng was nearly out of breath and Li himself was starting to suffocate, their lips reluctantly parted. Even then, their eyes remained locked, unwilling to separate. It wasn’t until the baby, who had been held in Mo’s arms the whole time, smacked Li right on the wound that they finally snapped out of their pink-bubble world.

Only then did Li Feng suddenly realize what they’d just done. He felt dizzy. Sure, he had decided to accept Li once he woke up, but he never intended to kiss so deeply in front of the children and Nuo! He wanted to scold Li, but then thought—he had agreed, after all. It wasn’t just Li’s fault. In the end, with a flushed face, he pretended to gently pat the baby’s little butt.

The baby hadn’t been held by Li in days, and just now, both his dads had completely ignored him. He didn’t care—he wanted to be hugged! So he decided to remind them. Sure enough, when both dads looked at him, the baby got excited, squirming restlessly in Mo’s arms, reaching out his little hands toward Li and babbling happily with drool bubbles.

“Baby, not now, okay? Daddy is hurt. When Daddy’s better, then we’ll cuddle lots, alright?” Li Feng gently kissed the baby’s soft cheek and said softly. Li really couldn’t make any big movements now—if he did, the wound that Li Feng had painstakingly stitched with catgut and the finest fishbone needle might split open again. It wasn’t the best stitching job, but compared to his old sewing skills, it was much better. At the time, he had been as careful as possible—after all, he wasn’t stitching fabric, but flesh. Li might have been unconscious, but the pain still made his muscles spasm. That made Li Feng even more meticulous, though it took a long time. When he finally finished, he himself almost fainted from the tension and exhaustion.

He had even killed a sheep just to get its intestines for sutures. He wasn’t sure whether sheep gut was really better than other animals’, but in all the shows, novels, and occasional magazines he’d seen, ancient doctors always used sheep gut for stitching wounds. For safety’s sake, he’d only use that.

When he was stitching, he’d scared Nuo and Mo half to death. They’d never imagined a person’s flesh could be sewn like animal hides. But after it was done, they were amazed and full of admiration—the wound really was smaller, and this was much easier to manage than just slapping medicine on an open wound. These days, the bottoms of their cooking pots were nearly scraped into holes from all the boiling.

Later, when Li Feng explained it to the tribal chiefs, they almost looked at him like he was a monster. But after seeing the results, their expressions turned just like Nuo and Mo’s—astonished, awed, incredulous. All kinds of emotions, but mainly admiration. Everyone knew smaller wounds healed faster. The process might be terribly painful—not just physically, but emotionally, especially for those who stayed conscious. They didn’t want to look, but were too curious not to. Once they looked, their hearts tightened even more. Still, they understood—it was all for their good. The women ended up doing the rest of the stitching, since Li Feng had to go take care of Li and the others…

Now, Li Feng checked Li thoroughly from head to toe and found that the stitched wounds hadn’t split open. A few spots were slightly red and oozing a bit—probably from earlier movement—so he treated them and then ordered Li to behave like a vegetative patient: either lie down or sit still, but absolutely no moving. Li could choose.

Li smiled gently and somewhat playfully chose to sit. After all, he’d been lying down for days—his bones were stiff and sore. Sitting was more comfortable, and he could keep watching Li Feng. If he wanted a kiss, he could just lean over. Since he woke up, Li Feng had become much more obedient. Even when he kissed him in front of Nuo and the kids, he didn’t jump like before—just blushed a bit and changed the subject. So cute. This kind of Li Feng made him want to keep holding him forever.

During the days when he and Nuo were unconscious, Li Feng must’ve been worried sick. He had to care for them and also comfort the frightened children, all while handling other things. The thought made Li’s heart ache. Li Feng had always been slender, but now he looked even thinner—his jaw noticeably sharper.

“Li Feng…” Li called as he watched him cleaning the basin used to wipe him down. Normally, they didn’t bathe in winter, but Li Feng insisted on cleaning him to prevent infection. Now that he was done, he was tidying up.

Li Feng looked up. “What is it? Are you feeling unwell? Is the wound hurting?” he asked anxiously. He had been very careful—had he accidentally bumped the wound?

Li continued to smile gently. “Come here.”

Thinking something was wrong, Li Feng hurried over. But as soon as he approached, Li pulled him into a warm embrace. A steady heartbeat, a comforting warmth—then a warm breath tickled his ear, and Li’s slightly hoarse voice rang out:

“Li Feng, I will treat you well—very, very well. We will be happy, so very happy!”

No formal thanks, no “you’ve worked hard”—just slow, sincere, vow-like words. Not a loud confession, not poetic romance, yet the most moving thing Li Feng had ever heard. More heartfelt than a mountain oath, more intimate than a custom-tailored suit pressed to the heart.

At that moment, Li Feng’s tears could no longer be held back. No more suppression. They flowed freely, falling onto Li’s bare shoulder, leaving a faint watermark. The heat of those tears made Li feel almost scalded—his heart ached, yet it was also filled with joy.

In that moment, they embraced quietly. In that moment, time stood still, as if it would last forever.  In that moment, it was as if the most beautiful eternity had been captured and sealed in time.