“He ran off so fast,” Shu Ning remarked.
She ignored it for now and used her last Instant Teleportation for the day to return to her cave.
Seeing the pile of ingredients outside her cave, she took a deep breath, lowered her head, and got to work.
First, she used the Bone Knife to remove the melon seeds.
She laid them out to dry in the sun along with the black fruits, peppercorns, and fruit shells.
Then, she cut up the tree roots and set them out to dry as well.
Next, she started a fire.
She used an animal skull as a makeshift pot, filled it with water, and brought it to a boil.
Finally, she added all the dried herbs according to the ratios in the book and let them simmer.
Having finished all this, Shu Ning was about to collapse from exhaustion.
All that was left was to wait for the decoction to be ready.
‘I hope this “pot” can take the heat…’
‘Looks like I’ll have to get a real pot in the future.’
Just then, wisps of smoke began to drift from outside her cave, the air filling with a mix of herbal scents.
Seeing the herbs in the pot emitting a rich, medicinal aroma, her expression softened.
“It’s ready!”
She had just ladled out the medicinal soup when the skull-pot split down the middle with a CRACK and fell into the fire.
Shu Ning stared in shock.
Good thing she’d gotten the soup out just in time, or her whole day’s work would have been for nothing.
Outside Aunt Yin’s home—
It was now dusk.
The sun was about to set, as if to announce to the world that a life would be extinguished this night.
“Sigh…
We should prepare his funeral arrangements.
I’ll go find the High Priest…” said Ah Tin’s father, Lei En, his voice low.
“Ah Tin isn’t dead yet!
How can you be in such a hurry to arrange his funeral!” Yinyin cried, her voice hoarse from weeping.
“Do you think I want this?
But look at him!
He’s barely breathing.
In our clan, has anyone ever this sick survived to see the next day?” Lei En said in despair, his face a mask of helpless anguish.
Beastmen in the tribe, mostly children, often showed these symptoms.
For a case as severe as Ah Tin’s, there was basically no hope.
“SOB…
My poor child…”
“Oh, Beast God…
Please save my poor child.
He’s only fourteen…”
Yinyin turned and knelt outside the cave, bowing piously toward the setting sun.
She murmured over and over that she would trade her life for her son’s.
She begged the heavens to show mercy to her child.
The night wind swept by, and her only answer was the rustling of leaves in the forest before the cave.
Silent and desolate.
‘Yes, there are no gods in this world.’
She knew it was true, yet she still yearned for a miracle.
“Aunt Yin!” Shu Ning suddenly called out.
At that moment, bathed in the light of the setting sun, she seemed to be haloed in gold.
Like a goddess descending to earth.
She appeared, carefully carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.
“I brewed some medicine for Ah Tin.
It’s formulated specifically for his condition.”
“Shu Ning…” With her heart full of concern for her child, she had no energy to spare for her prejudice against Shu Ning.
“It’s no use.
The witch doctor said he can’t be saved…
But thank you for your kindness,” Yinyin sighed.
“Aunt Yin, please just let me try.
It might work.
We can’t give up any sliver of hope that Ah Tin can live,” Shu Ning said.
“Let her try,” Lei En said.
He didn’t believe she could cure his son, but at this point, it made no difference to him whether she tried or not.
“Sigh…
go on then.” Yinyin relented, getting up to lead Shu Ning inside.
Shu Ning entered the cave and saw the boy lying before her.
He was at death’s door, his breathing faint and incredibly fragile, as if he might pass away at any second.
She took a deep breath and tried to pour the medicine down his throat.
“COUGH, COUGH, COUGH…
COUGH, COUGH…”
He was too weak to even open his mouth, and the medicine trickled back out before it could go down.
“This won’t do,” Shu Ning said, frowning.
She had to use her hand to gently pry his mouth open and slowly pour the liquid in.
“Be a good boy, Ah Tin.
Open your mouth.
This is medicine that will make you better,” she comforted him softly.
Shu Ning sighed.
She wiped his mouth, waited a moment, then tried pouring it in again.
This time, he was finally able to swallow it.
Her brow smoothed, and she let out a breath, continuing to feed him patiently.
The couple watched, their expressions a mix of tension and anticipation, but in their hearts, they were prepared for the worst.
After she finished feeding him the medicine, Shu Ning watched Ah Tin nervously for a moment.
She knew the medicine wouldn’t take effect that quickly, so she stood up to leave.
Seeing Ah Tin, still just as pale, and Shu Ning about to leave, the spark of hope that had ignited in Lei En and Yinyin was extinguished.
“Thank you, Ningning, for thinking of our Ah Tin.
We won’t blame you if he can’t be saved.
We’re grateful for your kindness,” Yinyin said, her expression mournful.
“The medicine won’t take effect that quickly.
Check on him again tomorrow.”
Shu Ning wasn’t sure it would work either, and she was worried they might actually bury him tomorrow.
“Will it really work?” Yinyin asked excitedly, hearing that Shu Ning hadn’t declared it a lost cause.
“I’m not completely sure.
Just keep a close eye on him tonight.
If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back.
Remember to have someone watch over him carefully tonight.”
“Okay, we’ll take good care of him.
Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” With that, Shu Ning left.
Back in her cave, she was utterly exhausted.
She kicked off her shoes, lay down, and fell asleep instantly.
「The next morning.」
The moment Shu Ning opened her door, she saw Yinyin standing outside.
“Ningning, Ah Tin’s awake!”
Upon seeing Shu Ning, she spoke, her face weary but her voice filled with excitement.
“Really?
That’s wonderful!” Shu Ning was overjoyed to hear the good news.
“Here, take this.
Ah Tin’s father just caught this pheasant this morning.”
With that, she handed the prepared pheasant to Shu Ning.
“I…” Shu Ning said, embarrassed.
“Just take it!
This is nothing.
You saved Ah Tin’s life.
You’re our family’s great benefactor.”
“Hehe…” Shu Ning chuckled, a little embarrassed.
“Then I won’t say no!”
“What’s there to be polite about?
Don’t be a stranger.
If you need anything at all in the future, just come to us,” Yinyin said.
“Ah Tin just woke up and still needs looking after, so I should get back.”
“Okay.
Aunt Yin, you should hurry back.
But you need to take care of yourself, too,” Shu Ning said, noticing the dark circles under her eyes.
“Yes, alright.” With that, she hurried away.
After watching Yinyin leave, Shu Ning looked down at the pheasant in her hands.
Her eyes lit up as an idea struck her: she would make Beggar’s Chicken.
She rubbed the chicken with the leftover peppercorns and salt from yesterday, wrapped it in layer after layer of leaves, coated the whole thing in wet mud, and tossed it into the fire to bake.
Just as she was eagerly anticipating the delicious chicken, a voice suddenly rang out, ruining her good mood:
“Host, please accept a new mission.
Within the next seven days, you must kiss one of your Beast Husbands.”
The corner of Shu Ning’s mouth twitched violently.
‘What’s coming will come, I guess.’
She’d been so busy these past two days she’d nearly forgotten she had these romance quests.
She was almost starting to get used to life here.
She just wanted to keep a respectable distance from her other Beast Husbands.
A relationship of mutual, polite respect was all she wanted.
“Any one of them?
Does that include Xiao Chong?”
She knew it wouldn’t, but she asked tentatively anyway.
“He is not included,” the system replied coldly.
‘Of course.
The one who was easiest to approach wasn’t even part of the mission.’
‘But if he’s not part of the main quest, why is he a hidden objective?’
‘What am I supposed to do about this?’
‘Looks like I need to analyze who’s the most likely target.’
‘Xuan Lin: Pass.’
‘Mo Li: After I went with him back to the Jiao Clan, he doesn’t seem as hostile to me anymore.
But who knows if that’s just because I saved his older brother.’
‘I’ll put him on the back burner for now.’
‘Xuan Mo: I saved him a few days ago, and he brought me food afterward.
It was probably just out of gratitude.
He doesn’t seem interested in me romantically.
His personality is impossible to figure out.’
‘He’s a possibility.’
‘Jintong: We haven’t spent much time together.
He helped me yesterday, but the chances of success with him are lower than the others.’
‘So, pass on him too.’
‘Yiyuan: Oh, right, what about Yiyuan?
I haven’t seen him in a while.
He used to be the one bringing me food.
Where has he been lately?’
‘Looks like I’ll have to go find him after I finish my breakfast.’