For a moment, Mu Silin felt a sense of defeat. It was the first time a female had ever said she didn’t like him, that she looked down on him. At that moment, his masculine desire to conquer and his competitive spirit were ignited.
His subordinate beside him was a clever one:
"General, there’s no need to be angry about this. Although Miss Shen Yue deceived us all before, you were the smart and farsighted one, General. You didn’t break off the engagement with the Duke Mansion. If the other six Beast Husbands who did annul their engagements with Miss Shen Yue were to see her now, they’d probably be eaten up with regret."
As he spoke, his eyes darted around as he came up with an idea:
"General, Miss Shen Yue has already given birth to the Little General, and you two still have a marriage contract. Even if Miss Shen Yue looks down on you, it’s a fact that you are her Beast Husband. Right now, others don’t yet know how precious she is, and no one is competing with you. You must seize this opportunity, General! Get a firm grip on Miss Shen Yue. Fulfill your duties as a Beast Husband—curry her favor, admit your mistakes, vie for her affection, and stick to her side. Make her forgive you, make her care for you, make her fall in love with you and rely on you until she feels she can’t live without you. When that time comes, even if other competitors appear, they won’t stand a chance against you!"
The subordinate delivered this long speech in a single breath, as if he could already envision his general sweeping away all rivals and being exclusively doted on. He silently gave himself a thumbs-up in his mind for his own cleverness.
Mu Silin listened, his eyes widening as he stared at his subordinate as if he’d heard something utterly preposterous.
’Curry favor, admit my mistakes, vie for affection?’
’Is that something I, Mu Silin, would do?’
’What a joke.’
He gritted his teeth. "Have me, your General, curry favor with her, admit my mistakes to her, and vie for her affection? Don’t even think about it. It’s impossible in this lifetime!"
With that, Mu Silin had decisively set himself up for a fall.
His subordinate immediately tried to persuade him:
"General, the one who strikes first gains the advantage!"
"Shut up! Even if she’s beautiful now, I refuse to believe any other man would want a woman of unknown origin who comes with seven children!"
The words had barely left his mouth.
Unexpectedly, Er Bao’s voice drifted up from below:
"Female Mother is so pretty! You have to find us a few more good-looking Fathers! Uncle Ancient Bear is super good-looking. Female Mother, let Uncle Ancient Bear be our sire!"
Mu Silin: "..."
Hearing this, the subordinate beside him piped up:
"General, you might want to consider my suggestion."
"Consider what? I will absolutely not curry favor with her!"
He shot a fierce glare down at Er Bao. ’That little leopard cub.’
’I’m not even dead yet, and he’s already in a hurry to find a stepfather—and he wants several of them? He’s being so filial it’s killing me!’
Dabao also turned his little head:
"Female Mother, I think Uncle Ancient Bear is great too!"
Hearing this, Shen Yue paused for a moment, then looked at Si Muye.
Si Muye’s face flushed red, and he pressed his lips together, not daring to look at Shen Yue.
Er Bao ran over and hugged Si Muye’s leg:
"Please, Uncle Ancient Bear? You’re so good-looking, and so tall and mighty! You’d be a perfect match for our Female Mother as our Father! Er Bao wants Uncle Ancient Bear to be Er Bao’s Father!"
Mu Silin was so angry he clenched his fists.
’That little leopard cub. I swear I’m going to go down there and give him a beating.’
’I’ll show him who’s really the tallest and mightiest!’
His subordinate quickly grabbed him:
"General, don’t be impulsive! Now is not the time for you to appear. You’ll frighten Miss Shen Yue."
Si Muye looked down at Er Bao by his feet. Though he had never been one for physical closeness, he couldn’t help but pick the little cub up.
He looked at Shen Yue with a blushing face, mustered his courage, and asked:
"A Yue, I... Can I?"
Shen Yue blinked:
"The children like you. You can decide for yourself."
’It wouldn’t be a bad idea to tie Si Muye down using the children.’
Si Muye was instantly filled with confidence. He then picked up Dabao as well:
"Alright. From now on, Uncle Ancient Bear will be Dabao and Er Bao’s Father. As your Father, I will protect you just like your Female Mother does, and I will protect her too."
The corner of Shen Yue’s mouth curved up.
’The man is in the bag.’
It was very likely Si Muye had only said that because he found it hard to refuse the children, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She would take it slow.
After spending this time with him, she knew that although this man seemed taciturn and reserved on the outside, on the inside, he was like a passionate, shy young boy.
He was good to her and the children, too.
Besides, Si Muye had a high spiritual power level, and his Combat Power was off the charts. She couldn’t say for sure about the Royal City, but here in this barbaric land, with Si Muye watching her back, she and her seven children could probably do whatever they pleased.
Shen Yue was happy, but Mu Silin, hiding in the shadows, felt his heart sink.
One moment he was saying no man would want a woman of unknown origin with seven children, and the next, Si Muye had thrown his words right back in his face.
’How can that Bear be so shameless? Does he enjoy raising another man’s children?’
’So eager to be the father of my children. If he wants to be a father so badly, why doesn’t he find a female and have his own?’
His subordinate coughed:
"General, the situation doesn’t look good. It seems Si Muye’s feelings for Miss Shen Yue are anything but ordinary!"
Mu Silin scoffed:
"You think I need you to tell me that? I’m not blind!"
’That Bear clearly has ulterior motives toward Shen Yue. Look at that blushing face, that innocent act he’s putting on. Who is he trying to seduce?’
He couldn’t reveal himself now, but he absolutely couldn’t let that Bear get his way.
His dark green eyes narrowed slightly as he thought for a moment:
"I recall the Ancient Bear Clan has been worrying about who will be the next family successor these past few years? And their current clan leader is old, frail, and bedridden?"
The subordinate replied: "I believe that’s the case."
Mu Silin was not satisfied with this answer. He gave his subordinate a faint but meaningful look.
The subordinate’s scalp tingled under that gaze. Realizing his general’s true intentions, he immediately changed his tune:
"That’s right, that is indeed the case."
’Even if it wasn’t, it had to be now.’
Mu Silin was finally satisfied and nodded:
"Mm, it seems my memory serves me right. Si Muye has been away for many years and has had enough leisure time. It’s time for him to go home, inherit his great responsibility, and fight for power."
Hearing this, the subordinate’s eyelid twitched.
’Didn’t the General just say he would never vie for affection in his life...?’
’And now, in the blink of an eye, he’s resorting to dirty tricks.’
"You know what to do, don’t you?" Mu Silin prompted.
The subordinate immediately straightened up:
"Understood. I’ll get it done right away. I guarantee I’ll make this Great Knight leave at once."
Mu Silin added, "Mm, I recall the Black Panther Royal Family has a few young ladies waiting to take Beast Husbands. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to arrange a marriage with this glorious returning hero. What do you think?"
The subordinate: "..."
’So ruthless, General.’
’You don’t leave your love rivals any way out. And you said you wouldn’t vie for affection...’
"Well? I’m asking you!"
The subordinate immediately nodded. "I think it’s an excellent idea."
Mu Silin shot him a look, his tone turning cold:
"If it’s so excellent, then hurry up and do it!"
"Yes, I’m going right now."
Terrified, the subordinate scrambled away.
As for Si Muye, he was ecstatic that Shen Yue had agreed to let him be the children’s Father.
Spending these past few days with Shen Yue, he felt as if he had finally found a place where he belonged.
Learning new things and new knowledge from her every day, he had already found himself unconsciously drawn to her, his heart stirred by her.
It was as if the secrets she held were endless, impossible to fully explore. Even if her appearance hadn’t recovered and she still looked as she had before, he would still have been uncontrollably moved and attracted by her.
Having received Shen Yue’s approval, Si Muye was so excited he ran straight out to hunt.
He was ready to release his racing heart and trembling hands.
But he was completely unaware that a sinister hand was about to crush his beautiful dream.