“I… I’m catching fish!” Tang Hongluan pointed at the plump fish darting past her feet, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t grab a single one. The frustration was written all over her face.
Bi Ze frowned slightly, as if realizing he hadn’t given Tang Hongluan any meat in over half a month.
Had she gotten so hungry that she resorted to trying to catch these things?
“Here, take this!” Bi Ze tossed the deer in his hand onto the ground, recalling how she had been wriggling around in the water earlier, just like how she had squirmed under his tree yesterday. “Stop flailing around everywhere!”
Tang Hongluan: ???
Though inwardly screaming with exasperation, she still dashed over to the deer with lightning speed, afraid her beast-husband might suddenly change his mind and take it back.
Watching Tang Hongluan’s frail frame struggle to drag the deer, Bi Ze curled his lip, reached over, yanked the deer away, and hauled it in long strides to the side of her dwelling. He dropped it unceremoniously, not even sparing her a glance before walking off.
Tang Hongluan shrugged, already accustomed to her beast-husbands’ terrible attitudes.
Not that she cared. She pulled out a bone knife and got to work butchering the deer.
Then, clang! a flaming stick landed right beside her.
Startled, she glanced around but saw no one. Probably thrown by one of her beast-husbands…
Perfect. She didn’t have any fire starters on hand, so this saved her a trip to the central fire pit.
Carefully, she placed the burning wood at her doorstep and added some kindling.
She went back to skinning and carving the deer, a grueling task that left her utterly exhausted by the time she finished.
Grabbing two deer legs, she quickly set them over the fire to roast. The rich aroma of meat instantly filled her nostrils, making her stomach growl even louder.
Too bad she had no seasonings… She scanned her surroundings, but as expected, the original owner of this body had nothing. Well, once she was full, she could explore the area, there had to be useful things around.
In her past life, she’d survived wilderness challenges before. She knew plenty of tricks to turn scraps into treasures!
Soon, the deer legs sizzled enticingly. Tang Hongluan carefully turned them, smacking her lips as she stared at the meat with more fervor than she’d ever spared for any man.
Everything in this beast world was pure and untainted. Even without seasoning, the meat was mouthwateringly fragrant.
Once she confirmed it was cooked, she dug in with pure delight, savoring every bite.
Just as she was happily chewing, she felt a cold gaze land on her.
Instinctively, she looked up.
It was none other than Bi Ze.
That torch must have been his doing too.
Grease smeared around her mouth, she noticed Bi Ze’s disgusted expression and hastily wiped her lips. Remembering the untouched roasted deer leg, she reluctantly offered, “Want one?”
After all, she wasn’t ungrateful, he had given her the deer.
“Oho! Roasted deer legs!”
Before she could react, the untouched leg vanished from the fire.
A pale, delicate-looking man was already leaning against a nearby tree, happily munching away. “I haven’t eaten in days either!”
Tang Hongluan’s eye twitched. A man stealing food from a woman? But judging by his sickly, fragile appearance, this had to be her fourth beast-husband… Yun Li.
Yun Li was an oddball who had drifted to the area a few years ago. The elders of the tribe took pity on him and allowed him to settle among them. However, he never joined the other beastmen in hunting, and no one knew how he had managed to survive all these years.
Yet, he grew increasingly beautiful, so delicate and effeminate that he was the very picture of a sickly, enchanting beauty.
Some of the beastmen in the tribe even lusted after him.
“Yun Li!” Bi Ze’s face was icy. It wasn’t that he particularly cared about this woman’s roasted meat, but Yun Li snatching food from a woman was simply unacceptable. Besides, that meat had originally been given by him to Tang Hongluan. Cutting through all the complications, didn’t that mean Yun Li was essentially eating his food?
He could tolerate raising a useless woman out of obligation, but now he had to put up with Yun Li, this worthless weakling, too?
Yun Li acted as if he hadn’t heard, savoring the roasted deer leg with relish.
That infuriating demeanor wasn’t just irritating to Bi Ze, anyone who saw it would want to beat him up.
Tang Hongluan quickly gnawed her own deer leg clean, then stared wide-eyed at her two beastmen husbands, one cold and imposing, the other delicate and sickly.
But then…
Tang Hongluan sucked in a sharp breath. Yun Li’s pitch-black eyes suddenly radiated killing intent, and paired with his delicate, sickly face, the effect was chilling beyond belief.
“Don’t fight!” Tang Hongluan whispered, trying to mediate. But even a fool could tell neither beastman would listen to her.
Sure enough, Bi Ze transformed his hand into a massive claw and slashed at Yun Li’s face like lightning.
“That’s brutal…” Tang Hongluan yelped and scrambled to hide in a corner, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire.
Yun Li wasn’t about to back down either, dodging with speed like a flash of light.
“Bi Ze, I’m just eating some meat. Is it worth getting so angry?” Yun Li taunted as he evaded. “Could it be… you’re jealous?”
Bi Ze’s lips twitched. This was outright mockery!
As if he’d be jealous over Tang Hongluan!
Narrowing his eyes, he thought, Dodging, huh? A worthless sickly weakling like you, no matter how fast you are, can you really outpace me?
“Aiya!” Yun Li let out a delicate cry of pain and collapsed weakly to the ground, blood seeping from his chest.
He glared furiously at Bi Ze. “Damn bird!”
“Just a little lesson. Next time, you won’t be so lucky.” Bi Ze snorted coldly and turned to leave.
“If you waste what I give you again, you can starve!” he added. Tang Hongluan pouted, that remark was clearly aimed at her. The man really was petty.
Yun Li rolled his eyes, bored, and stood up, blood dripping from his chest as he prepared to leave.
“Your wound…” Tang Hongluan reached out hesitantly but then withdrew her hand, afraid Yun Li might hit her.
“Tang Hongluan!” A sharp female voice rang out.
Tang Hongluan turned to see a robust-looking woman glaring at her from a short distance away. It was none other than Jiang Xin, the chief’s daughter.
Because her own beastmen husbands had grown increasingly outstanding, Jiang Xin often complained that the chief should have assigned these men to her instead.
But the chief had his regrets too… years ago, these beastmen had been completely unremarkable. Who could’ve guessed they’d all become so exceptional in just a few years?
“Don’t think just because Bi Ze and Yun Li fought in front of you that they actually care about you,” Jiang Xin sneered.
Tang Hongluan choked. So, Jiang Xin’s own mind was filthy, and now she was projecting? Just as she was about to retort, Yun Li spoke up.
“What gives you the right to bark here?” Yun Li shot a sharp glare at Jiang Xin, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.
Tang Hongluan smirked. This dog of a man sure knew how to throw insults.
“Yun Li! You’ll have to marry me sooner or later!” Jiang Xin yelled as he fled in terror.
Tang Hongluan couldn’t help but laugh. Were they all this childish?
Yun Li couldn’t be bothered to engage and simply turned to leave. He glanced down at the wound on his chest, that damned bird had struck ruthlessly, coming dangerously close to piercing his heart.
He hadn’t taken more than two steps before collapsing.
Tang Hongluan was stunned. Just like that? He really was a sickly, useless pretty boy, huh?