When Shu Ning saw his handsome face suddenly leaning close, her heart pounded and her face flushed.
“Then…
then why is that?”
She really wanted to know the reason.
Seeing her reaction, Xiao Chong gave a satisfied smile and teased, “Maybe because…
you’re too weak, and only I can protect you.”
With that, Xiao Chong stood up and took her chubby hand in his long, slender one.
“Come on, I’ll walk you back.”
Shu Ning froze.
Before she could react, he was pulling her along with him.
‘What…
what does he mean, I’m weak?’
‘Didn’t he just see me subdue Fang Ling?’
‘If we’re talking about weak, Fang Ling is the one who needs protection.’
Shu Ning stared in disbelief at the man walking ahead of her.
She could feel the pulse in every artery thumping along with her heart.
Xiao Chong had long legs, but he didn’t walk very fast, deliberately slowing his pace to match Shu Ning’s.
Shu Ning noticed.
‘And then there was that damn man from this afternoon.’
‘He wouldn’t even wait for me when they walked!’
“Don’t you hate me?
My personality is so…” Shu Ning asked, confused.
She was referring to the original owner of this body, and the things she had made him do in the past.
“I don’t hate you.”
Xiao Chong replied, his deep, magnetic voice holding not a trace of hesitation.
Before, following her orders was just about completing a mission; he hadn’t developed any feelings for her.
He didn’t think anything of it when he helped her plot Xuan Mo’s capture, or when he brought food to a half-dead Yiyuan.
But ever since a few days ago, when this female dared to enter a wild cave all by herself, he seemed to have become interested in her.
He noticed she was no longer as unreasonable and domineering as before, no longer as sloppy and unkempt.
It was as if she had become a completely different person.
He was starting to get interested in her.
It was also around that time that he started to consider Mu Xia’s persistent request for him to become her Beast Husband.
Because he knew her other Beast Husbands all too well.
One had become her Beast Husband unwillingly.
The two snakes had become her Beast Husbands partly thanks to his efforts.
And as for the other two males from the recent marriage alliance, they felt nothing for her at all.
He felt it was perfectly reasonable that the Holy Female was worried about her safety.
“We’re here,” Xiao Chong said gently.
“Thank you,” Shu Ning said gratefully.
After watching Xiao Chong’s departing figure, Shu Ning returned to her cave.
Suddenly, she noticed a tall figure inside.
Shu Ning jumped in fright.
Only when the man stepped out did she get a clear look at his face.
Yiyuan was staring at her with a gloomy expression, his entire being radiating a dangerous aura.
Looking at him, Shu Ning felt a little scared.
“Yiyuan?
What are you doing here?”
Yiyuan dropped the meat he was holding and turned to leave.
“Thanks,” Shu Ning said awkwardly when she saw the meat.
He paused for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately left without a word.
‘It has been over a year since the day she saved me.
The debt of gratitude is more or less repaid.’
‘I’ll leave for good after this delivery.’
Seeing that he remained silent, Shu Ning felt that he was acting strange today, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.
‘Whatever.
I’ll fill my stomach first.’
…
After dinner, Shu Ning used up her remaining Instant Teleportations for the day and applied some pearl powder.
She opened her encyclopedia to study the exact location of the salt.
‘How can I get past the Black Bear Clan to get the salt?’
‘Also, I can’t go alone.’
‘Who should I ask to go with me…’
Lost in thought, Shu Ning drifted off to sleep.
「The next morning—」
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK…
Shu Ning was in the middle of a pleasant dream when she heard someone knocking on her door.
“Coming, coming!” Shu Ning got up to open the door.
The moment she saw who it was, she let out a dry chuckle.
‘Xuan Lin again.’
‘This familiar scene, this familiar person, this familiar plot.’
When Xuan Lin saw she was getting married again and was even smiling so happily, he felt an inexplicable irritation.
“Hurry up and get over there!” he said impatiently, then turned and left.
Shu Ning quickly tidied herself up and set out.
The familiar THUMP THUMP THUMP of drums echoed through the tribe.
When Shu Ning arrived at the Holy Pool where the wedding was to be held, she heard the joyful laughter of the tribe’s young and old and the festive beat of the drums.
She watched as they, dressed in strange costumes and wearing Beast Bone Masks, approached.
They performed a wild, clawing dance as they moved in her direction.
Shu Ning couldn’t help but laugh at the amusing sight.
“Ningning, you’re here!
Congratulations on your wedding!”
One of the males took off his Beast Bone Mask, a happy smile on his face as he spoke.
“Happy wedding, happy wedding!” the other dancing Beastmen chanted their congratulations like a song.
“Thank you, thank you, everyone!” Shu Ning replied gratefully.
The last time, perhaps because she had woken up late, she hadn’t noticed these wonderful scenes.
Shu Ning went back into the room and saw Mu Xia was already inside.
“Mother, isn’t this a bit ridiculous?” Shu Ning said.
“It hasn’t even been ten days since my last wedding.”
“What’s ridiculous about it?
Females your age in the tribe have seven or eight Beast Husbands already.
You only have a few,” Mu Xia said.
“There are still plenty of outstanding males in the tribe.
I was thinking of matching you with a few more.”
“Ah, no…
please don’t!
I have enough, Mother,” Shu Ning said awkwardly.
“How is that enough?
Don’t think I don’t know how your Beast Husbands treat you.”
“Alright, no more talk.
The ceremony is about to start.
Go on,” Mu Xia said, giving Shu Ning a push.
After Shu Ning went up on the stage, she looked out at the crowd and suddenly spotted her Beast Husbands among them—
Xuan Mo, Jintong, Mo Li…
She had just seen Xuan Lin, too.
Only Yiyuan was nowhere to be seen.
However, after seeing Shu Ning, they all left a short while later.
Watching their retreating backs, Shu Ning felt an inexplicable sense of loss.
Just then, someone suddenly grabbed her hand.
Shu Ning looked up—it was Xuan Mo!
“Xuan Mo!”
A flash of surprise crossed Xuan Mo’s eyes when he saw Shu Ning.
She seemed to have lost more weight, the acne on her face was almost gone, and her skin had become much paler.
At that moment, on the other side of the stage, Xiao Chong heard the voice and turned his head.
Seeing Xuan Mo holding Shu Ning’s hand, he frowned.
He immediately strode over.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” Xiao Chong roared at Xuan Mo.
He walked to Shu Ning’s side and grabbed her other hand.
“Ignore him.”
Then he tried to pull her away.
But Xuan Mo didn’t let go, his grip on Shu Ning’s hand remaining firm.
Shu Ning was now being pulled between the two of them.
“Let go!” Xiao Chong demanded.
Seeing that Xuan Mo refused to let go while Xiao Chong also kept pulling her, Shu Ning yanked her arms hard, breaking free from their grasp.
She walked over to Xiao Chong and said, “Let me talk to him.”
Then she went to Xuan Mo’s side.
Looking at the pale, handsome face beneath his inky hair, she asked with concern, “Xuan Mo, are you feeling better?”
“Do you like him?” Xuan Mo suddenly asked.
Caught off guard by his sudden question, Shu Ning froze for a moment.
“I…” ‘What should I say?’
She glanced at Xiao Chong, then back at Xuan Mo.
“I don’t know,” Shu Ning said, biting her lower lip.
Hearing her answer, the light in Xuan Mo’s eyes dimmed.
He then turned and walked away.