Volume 3 55 - People who spend New Years outside
The morning sun came over the eastern horizon and the white dazzling light fell over the Black Rice Wasteland.
It had just snowed last night. Although it stopped before the sun rose, there was thick snow on the ground. When Cook stepped on it, it covered him up to his thigh.
Shaking his head as he pulled his right leg out, Cook continued step by step forward until he was around the non-ferrous metal smelting factory.
As the manager of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s non-ferrous metal smelting factory by the Voller Tribe, Cook naturally had more responsibilities compared to the others. Even if it was the first day of the new year, he still chose to guard his post, inspecting the factory as soon as he got out of bed.
But because there was a vacation for the New Years, the factory had been shut down for several days. There was no one here now, so Cook didn’t find anything unusual after walking around, ending his day’s work.
When he was thinking about whether to head back to the warm dormitory with the Magic Air Conditioner to go back to sleep or to go inspect the mine, a wolfman quickly came out of the Voller Tribe.
Cook looked at him and found that it was Wulf who worked at the factory as a transporter, so he raised his hand in greeting.
“Hey, Wulf, it’s the first day of the new year. Why aren’t you at home with your wife and kids, what did you come to the factory for?”
Wulf gave a big laugh with his wolf mouth and ran over to grab Cook’s arm, “Manager Cook, the chief had me come here to invite you to the tribe, so come with me.”
“Invite me to the tribe?” Cook was stunned, “I am a human, it isn’t right for me to run to your tribe on the first day of the new year, right?”
“What? Manager, are you looking down on us wolfmen?” Wulf looked at him with wide eyes as he asked this.
“No, no, no, I didn’t mean that. I just feel that today is the first day of the new year, so you wolfmen should have your own activities. It isn’t right for a human like me to participate in them.”
“What isn’t appropriate?” Wulf revealed a grin and said in an uncaring voice, “We’ve worked together for half a year and you’re treating yourself as an outside? The chief said that you must be bored by yourself for New Years, so he had me invite you over and to let you experience how us wolfmen spend the New Years.”
“But....”
“Alright, stop talking about it. You weren’t this hesitant when you came drinking with me last night, come!”
Without another word, Wulf pulled him along.
Cook couldn’t resist the power of an adult wolfman like Wulf, so he was pulled along by Wulf towards the Voller Tribe.
When he entered the Voller Tribe, Cook found that the tribe was different compared to normal. Other than each household being decorated with red cloth, there was a strong meat scent that wafted out of each window, stirring the appetites of anyone who smelt it.
After seeing Cook, every wolfman in the tribe, regardless of gender or age all revealed a friendly smile towards him.
Although these wolf smiles didn’t look that good, one could feel the friendliness that came from them.
Cook couldn’t help feeling touched.
When he had just been sent to this non-ferrous metal smelting factory by sir chairman, the Voller Tribe’s wolfmen all looked at him with doubt and vigilance, there were even some bad gazes.
But in just half a year, the attitudes of the wolfmen had greatly changed.
Actually the reason was very simple, it was because the mine had started and the non-ferrous metal smelting factory that Cook was responsible for was built, so each wolfmen family had someone who was working there, allowing them to earn a few gold coins a month.
When it came to the year’s end, each wolfman worker was the same as human workers, receiving a bonus of no less than thirty gold coins.
With this kind of stable income and the human products they purchased with the labour card, the Voller Tribe’s wolfmen had their lives improved.
For example, not only did chief Voller’s house have a Magic Air Conditioner, making the room as warm as spring, there was also a Magic Stove, a Magic Water Kettle, a Magic Bread Maker, and all kinds of other household magic machines.
Of course they were all Frestech Brand items.
Cook looked over the household magic machines and he couldn’t help secretly laughing.
When CEO Kennard came to inspect the non-ferrous metal smelting factory last time, he had talked to Cook in secret about selling Frestech Brand household magic machines to the Voller Tribe.
According to their stats, in just half a month, the wolfmen had purchased three hundred Magic Air Conditioners and five hundred Magic Stoves, as well as one or two of the other household magic machines.
With the household magic machines they sold, it could be said that their wages from the Frestech Chamber of Commerce was taken back. It was equal to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce not spending any money to hire these wolfmen workers.
These wolfmen workers were grateful to the Frestech Chamber of Commerce, even being friendly and respectful towards Cook.
In the end, his life was much better compared to before.
Now the wolfmen of the Voller Tribe were most envied by the surrounding beastmen tribe. When the other beastmen saw the good living conditions the Voller Tribe had, they quickly changed their attitudes from the past vigilant to taking initiative to welcome them.
The production base of the four companies that wasn’t far from the Voller Tribe, it had taken initial form in just two months.
If it wasn’t for the fact that it was winter and it was rather cold on the Black Rice Wasteland, so they had to stop their work, one or two factories would have already been finished.
“Come, manager Cook, I’ll toast a cup to you.” Chief Voller’s voice woke Cook from his thoughts.
Seeing the giant cup in chief Voller’s hand, he gave a bitter laugh in his heart before drinking it all.
“Good! Truly refreshing! I like humans like you, manager Cook.” Chief Voller praised before filling up Cook’s wine cup again, “Come, let’s toast this cup to your Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Xu. Although he isn’t here, I represent all my clansmen to thank him. If it wasn’t for him choosing to invest near our tribe, our tribe’s lives wouldn’t have become this good. Come, let’s drink!”
Cook couldn’t refuse this toast. Looking at the giant cup in his hand, he shook his head a bit thinking that he never would have imagined that he would be spending the first day after the new year getting drunk in a beastmen tribe.
“Come, drink!” After this thought, Cook raised his cup to clink chief Voller’s cup before drinking it all down.
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While Cook was having his second cook, old man Afaylia had just brought Archie out. They were planning to visit the other families that came from Banta City to greet them for the New Years.
Seeing the sun over them and feeling the warmth that came over him, old man Afaylia mumbled something before shaking his head with a strange expression.
He was fifty four this year, but he was spending New Years away from Banta City for the first time. This feeling really was strange.
Moreover, the weather in the Stantine Duchy was different from the Lampuri Kingdom. If they were in Banta City, even if it hadn’t snowed yet, the weather would be very cold. Whenever they went out to greet the neighbours for New Years, old man Afaylia would put on a thick cotton coat.
But now that they were in the Stantine Duchy, the weather here was similar to their spring or fall. Old man Afaylia only needed to put on a coat before heading out.
Archie was young, so he was only wearing a single shirt and didn’t have a coat on.
Of course, what was different was that Afaylia and Archie were wearing clothes made from new materials. Compared to before, where they were wearing clothes that were patched up, it was much better.
Looking at Archie who was energetic as he wore his clothes that cost thirteen gold coins, old man Afaylia felt gratitude towards the Frestech Chamber of Commerce again. He patted Archie on the shoulder before heading towards Leia’s house.
Because of the Frestech Chamber of Commerce’s recruitment, there were over two thousand farmers that came from Banta City. There were many of them who were like Afaylia and Leia’s family who all moved.
When they came here, they moved into the uniform houses that the Frestech Chamber of Commerce had already prepared. They naturally formed a village made of the farmers from Banta City.
Even before this, most farmers weren’t close to each other. However, after coming to a foreign country, they naturally talked with each other a lot and their relationships had become much closer.
Because the Stantine Duchy was too far from Banta City, taking around a week for a round trip, most of the farmers didn’t choose to go back over the New Years and decided to celebrate it here.
After Afaylia and Archie came out, they gave countless people on the way New Years greetings.
When they came to Leia’s house, Leia’s father was also prepared to head out. When he saw Afaylia coming over, he quickly came forward to greet them.
historical
Archie greeted Leia’s parents and wished them a happy new year before heading in and pulling Leia who was also wearing new clothes.
Seeing Archie and Leia who looked much better after wearing new clothes, Afaylia had an idea. He looked at Leia’s father and signaled him with his eyes.
Leia’s father understood and waved his hand at Archie and Leia, “Alright, you two can go play. You don’t need to worry about the matters at home, just remember to come back at noon for lunch.”
Archie happily took Leia’s hand, “Come, Leia, let’s go play by the sea. I’ve already rented a ship from a local fisherman, we can go out and play. Think about it, being able to go out to sea on the first day of the new year, how fun it would be!”
Leia also had an excited look. She looked at her dad for approval and after obtaining it, she gave a bow to Afaylia before happily running off with Archie.
Seeing the two quickly leaving, Afaylia revealed a smile before turning to Leia’s father, “I think....those two children are this well suited, how about we let them get married?”
Unexpectedly, Leia’s father didn’t hesitate at all as he gave a straight nod.
“Un, I was already thinking this. After New Years, we’ll find a good time to let them get married.”
Leia’s mother on the side also nodded, “Right, we should let them get married early, otherwise something might happen since they have nothing to do.”
Afaylia looked at Leia’s mother and he couldn’t refute it after thinking about it.
If young people like Archie and Leia were together for long, they really couldn’t tell if something were to happen.
But Leia’s parents had agreed, so Afaylia was very satisfied.
Thinking about how easily they agreed, it must be because his family had also moved here. They could earn over a hundred gold coins a year, Afaylia felt even more gratitude for the Frestech Chamber of Commerce.
“Alright, let’s discuss this....”
While Archie and Leia were running to the sea, they never thought that their wedding was already decided by their parents.