Wu Chen’s cave was quite spacious.
The entire cave was shaped like a fan, with an entrance less than two meters wide. The space expanded further inward, reaching about five meters wide near the back wall.
The distance from the back wall to the entrance was approximately four meters. Perhaps due to the narrow entrance, the interior was rather dimly lit.
Against the back wall lay a large pile of mixed grasses covered with an enormous animal hide—this served as the sleeping area.
Lin Xi carried her backpack over, placed it on the animal skin blanket, and turned to look at Wu Chen.
Wu Chen stood at the cave entrance, his tall frame blocking what little light filtered in, deepening the gloom.
He was still lost in the thrill of Lin Xi’s earlier defense of him against Chief Bai Nu.
Xi Xi had spoken up for him against the chief—did this mean her agreement to form a Mate-bond wasn’t just out of desperation from being homeless?
After all, now that they were in the tribe, if she didn’t want him, she could immediately choose another Beastman.
“Can I freely use everything here?” Lin Xi asked, glancing around the cave’s sparse furnishings.
The cave contained little: a grass-and-hide bed, a stack of tanned but unused animal skins in one corner, and a stone slab leaning against the wall beside them, making the space feel both empty and humble.
Beyond the hides and bed, Lin Xi couldn’t even guess the purpose of the stone slab.
The young Female Beast’s face showed the unease of someone in an unfamiliar environment. Wu Chen snapped out of his thoughts and quickly nodded. “Of course.”
He moved to Lin Xi’s side.
For some reason, now that Xi Xi was truly here as his Female Beast, alone with him in his cave, his heart raced with nervousness.
“Anything that’s mine is also yours. You’re welcome to use it all.”
“In a couple days, I’ll return to the eastern forest to hunt a few Giant Beasts like the brown bear, to make winter hides for you. Before winter comes, I’ll hunt as much prey as possible so you won’t go hungry.”
The Beastman’s tone was so earnest, paired with his sharply handsome features, that Lin Xi felt her face grow warm.
Really, back in the modern world, she’d rarely had chances to be this close to such a good-looking guy!
“Okay,” Lin Xi nodded, her anxiety gradually easing under Wu Chen’s gentle gaze.
Most of the bear beast Wu Chen had killed yesterday remained, wrapped in its own hide and carried back.
There was enough meat for two more meals, so he didn’t need to hunt today.
But the bear hide needed to be processed quickly to craft a warm Animal Hide Skirt for Xi Xi before winter.
After asking if Lin Xi wanted to join him outside and being declined, Wu Chen gave her a few reminders and left alone with the hide.
Lin Xi watched until Wu Chen disappeared from view before slowly sitting on the grass bed.
She scanned the cave once more, finding nothing noteworthy beyond the bare stone walls.
Then she turned her attention to herself.
She had arrived in this world during autumn, too.
Located in the northern region, the weather had turned chilly. She was wearing a loose-fitting thin knit sweater paired with gray wide-leg pants.
Lin Xi reached down to touch her trousers, pondered for a moment, then turned to retrieve her backpack and opened it.
The bag contained few items: two sanitary pads, a medium pack of tissues, a phone charger and power bank, ID and bank cards, a lipstick, and a box of eyebrow razor blades she didn’t remember putting in there.
As for her phone, it had been lost during her frantic escape.
Among these items, aside from the tissues, sanitary pads, and the box of blades, nothing else seemed particularly useful.
She returned everything to the backpack and placed it alongside the pile of beast hides.
Rising to her feet, she walked toward the cave entrance. Passing by the bear meat—which Wu Chen had already sliced into chunks with his sharp claws—she suddenly paused.
Though the bear meat was unpalatable, some parts were exceptionally fatty!
Couldn’t she render oil from it?
With that thought, Lin Xi was eager to try it immediately.
The roasted meat Wu Chen prepared was simply too greasy!
She had only eaten it once that morning, yet the memory of its texture still made her feel queasy.
Since she had accepted the reality of living here, improving her quality of life had to start with satisfying her stomach!
Crouching before the pile of meat, Lin Xi examined it carefully before selecting a small chunk rich in fat.
Carrying the meat, she left the cave to look for Wu Chen.
The cave wasn’t high off the ground—only about ten meters—and faced a sloping path. Frequent use had worn a narrow trail down the incline.
Below the slope lay a vast open area. Perhaps because it was near the tribe’s border, there were few shacks around—only four, each with a pointed roof.
To the south, a narrow river flowed eastward into the forest.
Standing at the cave entrance, Lin Xi could even spot Wu Chen crouched by the river, cleaning beast hides.
Holding the meat carefully to avoid staining her clothes with blood, she headed toward the river. When she was about ten meters away, Wu Chen suddenly turned, his gaze alert.
Recognizing Lin Xi, he immediately stood and approached, taking the bear meat from her hands with a slight frown. “Hungry?”
“No.”
Lin Xi quickly waved her hands and looked up at him. “I’m not really used to the roasted meat you eat. I want to render some oil from this bear meat to make something I can eat tonight.”
“But I’ll need your help.”
“Okay.” Wu Chen agreed almost without hesitation.
Though he didn’t understand what she meant by “rendering oil,” for Beastmen, food was a serious matter!
He had noticed earlier that Xi Xi hadn’t eaten much. At the time, he assumed she disliked roasted bear meat and had planned to ask Hui Jie that evening to exchange for a couple of tender Fleece Beasts for her.
But now it seemed Xi Xi simply didn’t care for roasted meat in general.
Unaware of Wu Chen’s misunderstanding, Lin Xi gestured while explaining her requirements:
“I need a pot about this big and this deep—something that can hold water without leaking and won’t break over a fire.”
“And a burnt bone about this wide.”
Wu Chen watched Lin Xi’s hand movements, his black tail swishing behind him as he pondered for a few seconds before nodding. “Alright, wait here for me. I’ll be back soon.”
“Mm!”
Lin Xi nodded, watching Wu Chen transform into a black panther and dash away. Over the course of one night and half a day, she had rapidly grown accustomed to his occasional shape-shifting.
After Wu Chen left, Lin Xi picked up the Animal Hide Skirt that had fallen off the moment he transformed, folded it neatly, and set it aside. Then she turned her attention to the bear meat she had brought, which was lying on the ground.
Suddenly, she remembered that rendering fat required a ladle and an empty basin.
As she looked at the meat again, she couldn’t help but frown.
There was truly nothing here!
No pot, no bowl, not even any containers to hold things. Only then did it dawn on her how difficult the life ahead would be to face.