Closer to Revealing My True Self-Chapter 626 - 410 Digging for Gold in X_1

Returning to their residence from the village chief’s house, they still did not find much quiet time, as villagers would come by now and then to recommend items from their homes.

For the villagers, it was best to exchange items for money, but even if they couldn’t, they had nothing to lose. They had plenty of time.

The items were not expensive, and Feng Yi bought some as small gifts to take back and give to others. He also took the opportunity to inquire about the rainforest during the transactions, listening eagerly to any stories or gossip, seeing it as a channel for information.

After five or six groups of villagers had come and gone, there was finally a pause.

Cai Bing shut the door and downed a glass of water. He had been so busy translating that his mouth was nearly parched.

With the break, he could finally rest properly.

As soon as he sat down, there was a knock at the door.

Ding, who was nearest to the door, peered out, "It’s that child from last night."

The knocker was the child they had helped find the night before, now standing at the front door holding a net bag with coconut shells inside used to hold items.

"Let him in," Feng Yi said.

The child, named Sulayem, walked with a slightly awkward gait, likely due to the ’affection’ he received from his family after being found last night. Cai Bing smirked knowingly but quickly composed himself and got back to work.

As a professional translator, Cai Bing was earnest and polite, maintaining the patron’s dignity at all costs. There was no room for impolite behavior!

Feng Yi and the others had already heard about the aftermath of Sulayem’s return the previous night from the villagers they traded with.

The village was small and seldom had news, so occurrences at the village chief’s house could become a topic of conversation for a while. It was hardly a secret, casually mentioned by those recommending items to Feng Yi.

According to one villager, Sulayem was called over by his father after his return for a ’tender’ father-son talk. The emotions ran so high that their voices could be heard throughout the village.

When Cai Bing heard this, he remarked to Feng Shou, "Incredible! Sulayem is only ten and he’s already standing up to his father, tougher than a Malayan bear!"

The emotional father-son interaction eventually subsided with the village chief’s intervention.

"So you’re Sulayem, right? Take a seat," Feng Yi greeted the boy with a friendly smile.

Mimicking the patron’s tone, Cai Bing translated softly, trying not to intimidate the youngster.

Facing so many strangers, Sulayem was a bit nervous and glanced outside the door.

His friends were not far from the door, looking over at them.

Feng Yi noticed and asked, "Are those your friends? Why don’t they come in and sit for a bit too?"

Sulayem shook his head, walked over somewhat shyly, and sat down, passing the net bag he’d brought to Feng Yi with a grateful expression. He spoke in English with a heavy accent, interspersed with some Chinese words, trying to convey his message.

Despite living far from the city, the villagers occasionally interacted with outsiders and had access to high-tech electronic devices, allowing them to learn much, including globally influential languages like Chinese and English.

Sulayem told Feng Yi that he had been kept at home all morning, and at lunch, he expressed to his family a desire to thank Feng Yi personally for saving his life. After all, his keen sense of smell had been a great help to the villagers in finding Sulayem quickly and precisely.

His family had already shown their gratitude, but Sulayem felt he needed to come in person to truly show his sincerity.

Sulayem’s language skills were decent, and despite stumbling through, he managed to express himself. Cai Bing then spoke less, listening to the boy’s words, thinking Sulayem wasn’t bad; although rash and a bit rugged, his actions were acceptable.

Feng Yi’s expression did not change. He did not comment on Sulayem’s recent actions but continued to listen attentively as the boy went on.

Beyond expressing his gratitude to his savior, Sulayem also wanted to explain that he had a reason for going there.

The village did not usually impose strict restrictions on the children, but entering the rainforest required strict conditions: they must be accompanied by an adult or have permission.

The day before yesterday, Sulayem and a few other children around his age were allowed to test a new flying toy in the forest. Due to their inexperienced handling, combined with environmental factors, one of the toys fell into a forbidden area. He wanted to retrieve it, but his family and others in the village did not allow it, saying they would help look for it the next time an organized group went to the forbidden area. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

But that would mean waiting several days, and if it rained in the meantime, his toy could be ruined—and it was his favorite toy at the moment!

With Feng Yi and the others in the village, the adults were less vigilant.

"So, I took the opportunity to go and retrieve my toy, but who knew..."

Sulayem’s lips curled into a pout.

He had been taken to the edges of the forbidden area to participate in rituals when he was five.

After he turned seven, he often joined the picking teams to work in the forest.

Now, he was quite familiar with the area of the rainforest near the village. He had traveled to the forbidden area and back many times, knew the weather, and understood the rules of this part of the forest. To him, the danger was not great.

If things went smoothly, he could return to the village before it was completely dark.

He had made preparations and even carried anti-snake and insect medicine, heading straight to his destination when the opportunity arose.

As for what happened when he went to retrieve his toy in the forbidden area, Sulayem did not elaborate on the details but dryly concluded: