At least by normal standards.
Though from Tiye’s perspective, he was only barely acceptable.
Quite a few sub-beastmen liked him.
Tiye was terrified that Si Bai might accidentally be charmed by this good-looking scoundrel and choose to mate with him.
Such a thing was absolutely unacceptable.
His fighting spirit surged.
He desperately wanted to teach this bastard a proper lesson.
Unfortunately, there were many tribesmen present.
And Lord Bayar was standing nearby as well.
Tiye did not dare make a move recklessly.
If he were punished and sent out on another hunting expedition, he would be unable to see Si Bai for several more days.
Si Bai felt somewhat speechless.
His gaze swept lightly across the injuries on both of them.
The wounds looked strangely similar.
Although comparatively speaking, Oyu’s injuries were noticeably more severe.
Si Bai was not stupid.
He could clearly see Oyu’s intentions toward him.
Because of that, he had deliberately maintained a certain distance from him all along.
Si Bai said calmly, “I don’t like you, and I will never accept you as my mate.”
He did not want to leave behind emotional debts in this world.
In the beast world, beastmen greatly outnumbered sub-beastmen.
Once a beastmen and a sub-beastman formed a mating bond, a beastmen mark would be branded onto the sub-beastmen’s body.
This beastmen mark could never be removed unless the mate died or personally dissolved the bond.
A beastmen could only form a mating bond once in his lifetime.
Si Bai was a dimensional traveler.
He did not know when his mission would be completed, nor did he know when or where he would eventually leave.
Because of the unique circumstances of this world, he would not casually leave behind emotional attachments.
Oyu looked completely unconcerned as though he had already expected this answer.
“It doesn’t matter if you reject me.
But a sub-beastman has no right to reject a beastmen’s right to pursue them.”
In other words, he intended to keep trying no matter how many times he was rejected.
The more setbacks he faced, the more determined he would become.
Oyu handed over all the prey he had hunted, including the Braicow he had taken from Tiye, and gave everything to Si Bai.
Then he left.
And he left very decisively.
He did not listen to a single word of Si Bai’s refusal.
Tiye immediately bristled with anger.
Si Bai quickly reached out and rubbed his head, soothing the indignation of the “big cat.”
Under the comfort of those soft hands, Tiye let out two contented purrs and finally calmed down.
“Tiye, take these things back to him.
I don’t want them.”
Taking them back was exactly what Tiye wanted!
He instantly lifted his head high.
His round furry tiger ears stood upright and he happily circled around Si Bai several times.
While doing so, he subtly rubbed against Si Bai’s slender waist.
He had even been planning to act spoiled for a while longer.
Suddenly, a cold and chilling gaze stabbed into him.
The frightening sensation made him shudder and leap away in alarm.
“Accept them.”
Lord Bayar, who had been watching coldly from behind for a while, finally decided to speak.
Even if the gifts were returned, that beastman would only bring them back again with stubborn persistence.
It would simply create more trouble.
They were only a few hunting spoils.
If Si Bai did not want to eat them, he could just throw them away.
The bonfire celebration came to an end, and night fell.
Si Bai was carried back home on Tiye’s shoulders.
From a distance, he immediately noticed that the large wooden house looked very different from before.
“Tiye, what did you hang all over the outside of the house?
It looks so…
colorful.” Si Bai thought for a long moment before finally coming up with a suitable description.
“Very bright…”
Tiye proudly lifted his head, assuming he was being praised.
“Those are rare and beautiful fragrant herbs and fruit blossoms.
They don’t wither easily, and the scent they release keeps insects and mosquitoes away.
They also smell really nice and fresh.
All the sub-beastmen in the tribe love them!”
With his beloved sub-beastman riding on his back, Tiye ran with an especially carefree and spirited stride.
For countless beastmen, this was a privilege they could only dream of.
Along the way, he had attracted no shortage of jealous stares from other beastmen.
His tiny sense of vanity was practically swelling with pride.
“Actually, I also hunted some special furs.
They’re the kind many sub-beastmen want but can never find.
I specifically caught them for you, Baibai~”
As Tiye ran, he hummed an unfamiliar little tune.
The wind blew through Si Bai’s long hair, sending it fluttering behind him.
“They still need some time to be tanned.
Once they’re ready, I’ll hang them outside together with the herbs, flowers, and food.
When winter comes, I’ll make winter clothes for you.
They’ll be really warm.
I’m sure you’ll like them~”
“Thank you, Tiye…”
Along with his gratitude, Si Bai also felt a trace of guilt.
There was no such thing as a completely selfless gift.
The more a person gave, the more it reflected how strongly they desired something in return.
If Si Bai remembered correctly, Tiye wanted to become his mate.
But…
Forget it.
He would find another way to repay him in the future.
Tiye had planted several small saplings in front of the house.
The holes were neither too deep nor too shallow.
The soil had already been packed down and the young trees had been watered carefully.
Their leaves were fresh and tender, and for now, their chances of survival looked quite good.
“What kind of trees are these?”
“These are berry trees!” Tiye replied happily.
“Their red fruits can be eaten fresh or used in cooking.
They’re really delicious.
This kind of fruit tree grows very quickly.
By next year, Baibai, you’ll probably be able to eat the first batch of fruit they produce~”