Qiao Suluo flashed a bright, radiant smile. "There’s such a large patch here, and no one has dug any of it up."
As she spoke, she stepped forward and chopped off the Konjac sprouts above, leaving the roots underneath to make it easier to dig. When unearthed, it was a massive Konjac.
"It’s so big. When I get back, I can make Konjac Tofu. It can be stir-fried, or I can make Konjac. But making Konjac requires seasonings like chili and pepper." I could even make Konjac to sell, she thought.
The system said, "The Beastmen here only think of this as a root, not as food. Perhaps they don’t know how to process it either, so they assume it’s poisonous."
"It’s actually very simple to process," Qiao Suluo replied. "You just need to burn plant ash to make alkaline water, and that will remove the toxicity."
Full of motivation, she dug and dug.
"This body is too fat. I feel exhausted after doing just a little work," she muttered. She desperately needed to lose weight. "System, the Weight Loss Pill in your Space Mall is too expensive. Can we negotiate? If I only buy a tiny piece at a time, it should be cheaper, right?"
"Yes."
"Can I buy the Detoxification Pill like that too?"
"Yes."
By noon, Qiao Suluo headed home carrying a bamboo basket full of Konjac and mugwort on her back.
As she returned, there were also Beastmen heading home from the fields with hoes on their shoulders. When they caught sight of Qiao Suluo, they were so shocked they nearly jumped out of their skin. The female beastmen, who had been walking their separate ways, instantly gathered together to gossip.
"That’s Qiao Suluo, right? Am I seeing things?"
"Of course not. She’s the only female beast in our tribe who’s that fat. She’s like a mountain!" Every household in their village lived in poverty and often went hungry. Both female and male beasts were thin; Qiao Suluo was the only fat person around.
"Heavens, I really thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. To think there would actually be a day when the lazy, gluttonous Qiao Suluo went up the mountain." Ever since Qiao Suluo arrived at their tribe, no one had ever seen her leave the house or do any work, though she did frequently visit the county town.
"Did you see what she’s carrying in her basket?"
"Isn’t it just mugwort? But it is strange. Doesn’t she boast about being from the Capital City? She usually looks down on our local wild vegetables."
"I saw poisonous roots hidden under the mugwort."
"What? Poisonous roots? Is... is she trying to poison her Beast Husband to death? Heavens, how can she be so vicious!"
"Shh, keep your voice down."
Gradually, a look of horror settled over everyone.
Qiao Suluo had excellent hearing and naturally caught their conversation. She scoffed inwardly. "These people have nothing better to do than gossip about others’ affairs, and I’m the center of gossip in this boring, rural Cat Clan Tribe. To think they actually suspect me of trying to poison my Beast Husband with Konjac. Though, if it were the previous owner of this body, she really might have done something like that."
By the time Qiao Suluo arrived home, Que Hongjin was already awake. He was currently chopping wood in the courtyard.
In the broad daylight, Qiao Suluo could see his features much more clearly. His face was truly as picturesque as a painting, and his demeanor was as gentle and refined as jade—partly refined, but mostly ethereal. It was noon, and the bright sunlight spilled over him. The tips of his silky, jet-black hair seemed to emit a subtle, emerald luster, much like the iridescent colors of a peacock’s feather. His beauty was simply breathtaking. However, while his mild appearance seemed approachable, it concealed an aloofness that kept others at arm’s length.
Not knowing what to say to him, Qiao Suluo walked straight past him toward the kitchen.
Just then, the system persistently reminded her, "Host, capture his heart! Don’t waste any opportunity.
"Look, his wings are broken, and his shoulder blades ache with every movement, yet he still chops wood every day. This is the perfect chance for you to show some concern for him."
Qiao Suluo didn’t want to speak. She felt incredibly awkward, but if she didn’t try to win him over, her quest progress bar wouldn’t move at all. "If they turn villainous too quickly, they might just stab me to death with a single strike," she thought.
Pausing in her tracks, Qiao Suluo turned around. She gave Que Hongjin a stiff wave and forced herself to complete the task. "You’re awake."
Que Hongjin paused his chopping. His picturesque eyes landed on her, meeting her clear, vibrant gaze. Those eyes looked as if they could speak.
She lacked her usual arrogance and domineering attitude today. Instead, she seemed much calmer and completely devoid of her typical hostility. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but he felt she looked slightly thinner. Moreover, she had cleaned herself up quite nicely, looking completely different from her usual unkempt state. Recalling last night and realizing his external injuries had improved significantly, a deep, dark inkiness seemed to swirl in his eyes. He wore a faint, cryptic smile. Though he appeared gentle and easygoing, he was secretly on guard and sharp as a blade.
"Yes, I’m awake."
Qiao Suluo braced herself and asked another question. "How are you feeling? Are you much better?"
He looked at her with a half-smile, his tone mild and elegant. "With my wife treating my injuries last night, my body has recovered quite a bit."
According to her past habits, if his body recovered even a little, she would only double the abuse. In the past, she had never cared about him at all; she wouldn’t have even bothered with fake concern. She truly was different today.
Qiao Suluo breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s good. Um, the wood you’ve chopped is enough for today. Take a rest first; don’t exhaust yourself."
Que Hongjin didn’t stop his movements. "You must be joking, my wife. If I chop more firewood, I can take it to the county town to sell. A bundle like this goes for five cents.
"Five cents can buy a pound of coarse grain flour."
Qiao Suluo’s hand trembled as she held her machete. Had they really been reduced to making a living by selling firewood? However, given their injuries, they couldn’t exactly go deep into the mountains to hunt. The wild beasts deep in the mountains were strong fighters, and there were plenty of Fierce Beasts. In their current crippled state, if they encountered a wild beast, they would likely be swallowed whole before they could even exchange a single blow.
Qiao Suluo forced a stiff smile, trying her best to lighten the mood. "Um, I’ve prepared some food. We won’t go hungry."
With that, she stepped aside and set down the contents of her bamboo basket. She began by washing the mugwort and shiitake mushrooms. Since processing the Konjac would take a long time, she planned to leave that for the afternoon. Using the glutinous rice flour she bought from the Space Mall along with the mugwort, she started making the outer dough for green rice balls, using the mushrooms for the filling. Once prepared, she wrapped them up and placed them in a pot to steam.
Thankfully, the Space Mall also accepted the Konjac she found on the mountain, allowing her to earn a few more points. Unfortunately, the points exchange rate for Konjac was low—only one point per pound. Fortunately, she had collected a large quantity. Therefore, she had managed to get a tiny piece of weight loss medicine, which could help shed some excess fat.
In the kitchen, Qiao Suluo noticed that the morning food had been eaten, indicating that the two men had had their meal. After finishing the cooking, she wondered why Bai Qianluo wasn’t at home.
Just then, a voice called out from the doorway. "Mr. Que! While Young Master Bai was washing clothes by the river, he accidentally fell in! He wasn’t breathing by the time he was pulled out! What a tragedy, his life is just gone like that!"
The villagers didn’t dare call out to Qiao Suluo. Knowing her temper, they were certain she wouldn’t care whether her Beast Husband lived or died. They could only call for Mr. Que. In the eyes of the Beastmen in the Cat Clan Village, Mr. Que was the most gentle and easygoing.
"What?"
The axe in Que Hongjin’s hands clattered to the ground. Disregarding everything else, he sprinted toward the river. Qiao Suluo’s expression drastically changed as well, and she took off running after him.
"He absolutely cannot be dead!" she thought.