Mo Li gazed at his hand, held by Shu Ning’s chubby little paw, and a flicker of disgust flashed in his eyes.
He wanted to shake her off, but the thought of the homecoming gift Shu Ning had mentioned preparing for him gave him pause.
He’d see just what sort of thing this female could have prepared.
So, uncharacteristically, he let her continue holding his hand.
He said nothing, but inwardly, he still resisted the contact.
Shu Ning, on the other hand, felt very shy as she held his cool, pale, slender hand.
Before long, the two arrived at the entrance to Shu Ning’s cave.
“Here.”
She excitedly showed him her haul.
Mo Li stared at the dazzling gemstones in the female’s hands, then at the many bags behind her.
A flicker of astonishment appeared in his normally icy eyes.
“These… Where did you get them?” Mo Li picked up a gemstone to examine it closely.
Its quality and texture were both top-grade.
It emitted a brilliant, multicolored light under the sun’s rays.
“I found them myself,” Shu Ning said proudly, her voice rising.
She blinked, looking up at him.
It was as if she were showing off her spoils, waiting for his praise.
“These… You found all of them yourself?”
Mo Li’s sapphire-blue eyes fixed on Shu Ning.
His expression shifted slightly and he pursed his lips, as if trying to conceal his surprise, though he couldn’t hide it completely.
“Mhm~”
Shu Ning lifted her head proudly.
Catching the change in his expression, she added:
“So, can I accompany you for the homecoming visit now?”
He couldn’t guess where she had found all these gemstones, nor how she had managed to carry them back.
‘Is this ugly female, rumored to be incredibly lazy, lying?’
But seeing these gemstones—the likes of which he had never seen before—his prejudice toward Shu Ning lessened, just a little.
“Mm,” Mo Li assented.
“That’s great!” Shu Ning said happily.
‘But how are we going to transport all of this?’ Shu Ning wondered, her brow furrowing as she looked at all the gemstones.
Suddenly, she remembered something.
“Wait here for a second,” she told Mo Li before hurrying off.
A short while later, Shu Ning returned with several well-built males in tow.
Xiao Chong was among them.
Mu Xia had asked them to help Shu Ning move some things, but she hadn’t given any specifics.
“Could I trouble you all to help me move these to the Jiao Clan?”
When Xiao Chong learned that the gemstones were a homecoming gift from the fat female to her new Beast Husband, he looked displeased.
With that, the group set off for the Jiao Clan.
The Jiao Clan and the Wolf Clan were not close, but they were all strong and sturdy Beastmen.
After shifting into their beast forms, their pace became many times faster.
The only exception was Shu Ning.
The fat female was not only slow, but she also grew tired after a short while and had to cry out for a rest.
She couldn’t help it; she was still very fat.
“I can’t… I can’t go on…” Shu Ning panted, out of breath.
“You can’t go on *again*?” Xiao Chong said with disdain.
“And you wanted to make a good impression on this homecoming visit?
Look at the state of you.”
“I’m so sorry,” Shu Ning said, full of guilt.
“Get on.” Xiao Chong walked over to Shu Ning and squatted down, motioning for her to climb onto his back.
“But…”
“Hurry up,” Xiao Chong urged.
“We already left late.
At this pace, we won’t reach the Jiao Clan by nightfall.”
Not wanting to delay the journey, Shu Ning had no choice but to climb onto his back.
“Thank you,” Shu Ning said, her face flushing.
“Don’t get the wrong idea.
It’s not like I wanted to help you.”
“I just want to get this task over with as soon as possible.”
He rose to his feet, and they set off once more.
The swift wind blew through Xiao Chong’s hair, revealing the tips of his slightly reddened ears.
Mo Li watched them, his eyes glinting.
He remained silent the entire time, simply taking the lead and pressing forward.
Along the way, Shu Ning saw many of this world’s wondrous sights.
There were endless forests, treeless mountains, and all manner of birds and beasts that scattered in fright at their passing.
…
‘So beautiful!’
Shu Ning sighed in admiration as she took in the surrounding scenery.
Not long after they had set out, Xuan Lin had already spotted the party of Beastmen.
They were heading in the direction of the Jiao Clan.
The slightest stir within the Wolf Clan did not escape his eyes.
He had seen the scene from just moments ago.
‘When did they become so close?’
‘This female!
Getting a new lover wasn’t enough for her, was it!’
His gaze darkened abruptly, his eyes clouding over as if shrouded in shadow.
…
“When are we going to get there?” Shu Ning shouted over the wind.
When no one answered, she asked again.
Only this time, she leaned in and shouted right next to Xiao Chong’s ear.
The contact with his ear made Xiao Chong’s silver-gray fur twitch.
“Soon.” Having traveled far and wide since he was young, Xiao Chong had been to the Jiao Clan’s lands before.
…
Up ahead, Mo Li noticed their interaction.
His dark blue eyes flickered and his brow furrowed as an indescribable irritation welled up inside him.
After passing through another stretch of forest, an azure sea came into view.
Scattered shells dotted the pale golden sand.
A light breeze stirred the waves, which crashed against the reefs in steady pulses.
In the distance, the cry of a seagull could be heard from time to time…
“It’s so beautiful!” Shu Ning couldn’t help but exclaim.
She hopped down and ran joyfully across the sand, dipping her feet into the cool, crystal-clear water.
The beautiful scene left the male Beastmen staring, transfixed.
‘It would be even better if she wasn’t so ugly.’
Seeing the other males staring at Shu Ning, Mo Li’s brow twitched.
“Still playing around?
It’s almost dark,” Xiao Chong said.
His tone was impatient, yet it held a hint of indulgence.
“I know, I know!”
“Mo Li, where do we go from here?” Shu Ning asked.
At her words, everyone turned to look at him.
“This is a breathing pill.
It will allow you to breathe underwater, but the effect only lasts for three days.”
After everyone took the pills Mo Li gave them, they followed him into the sea.
“This is amazing!
How is this even possible?” Shu Ning exclaimed excitedly.
The group pressed onward, eventually disappearing into what looked like a dangerous tsunami but was, in reality, the entrance to the Jiao Clan’s domain.
Upon seeing Mo Li, two guards led them toward the palace.
Before long, they arrived at the palace of the Jiao Clan.
The Jiao Clan’s palace stood deep within the sea.
It was built entirely from translucent crystal, its surface shimmering with a faint blue light that seemed to merge it with the surrounding water.
Giant coral pillars supported the palace roof, their surfaces inlaid with countless Luminous Pearls.
They cast a soft glow that illuminated the entire palace as if it were daytime.
The group was stunned by the sight of the palace before them.
‘Will the gifts I brought seem too shabby in comparison?’ Shu Ning suddenly worried.
She glanced self-consciously at Mo Li beside her.
His figure was tall and slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
His every movement carried an innate noble air.
His face was as handsome as a painting, with a high-bridged nose and finely-pursed lips.
He looked like a perfect sculpture, exuding an undeniable allure.
Under the light of the Luminous Pearls, the man exuded even more Charm, his aura a perfect match for his status as the Third Prince of the Jiao Clan.
Mo Li felt her gaze on him and his brow furrowed slightly.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry, Mo Li,” Shu Ning said sheepishly.
“Are the gifts I prepared for you too shabby…?”
A glimmer suddenly flashed in his eyes, revealing a hint of surprise.
“It’s fine.”
“Oh…” Shu Ning’s head drooped.
“They’re already very good.”
“Really?” Hearing this, Shu Ning felt encouraged.
Her eyes lit up, and she silently gave herself a pep talk.
“You’ll see in a moment,” Mo Li said, his tone as placid as ever.