Without the tiger cub around, Hu Li felt listless every day. She finally understood the saying that children can tie a mother down.
“A Li, would you like fish, rabbit meat, or vegetables today?”
“A Li, is there anywhere else on your body that feels uncomfortable? Let me massage it for you!”
“A Li, the flowers outside are blooming brightly. Don’t you like flowers? I’ll go pick some for you.”
With the experience of caring for the first cub, Hu Zhuo now handled the second pregnancy with ease. Hu Li was almost lulled to sleep by his constant questions.
After finishing a lunch of stewed meat with vegetables, Hu Li patted her slightly bulging belly. Hu Zhuo immediately asked cautiously, “A Li, why is this pregnancy growing so fast? I remember when we had the tiger cub, it wasn’t this big!”
“Um… could it be because I’ve been eating too much?”
“Alright then!” Hu Zhuo scratched his ears awkwardly.
“Hu Zhuo, are you home?”
A Male voice broke the awkward atmosphere.
“Stay here, I’ll go see who it is.”
Hu Li didn’t think much of it. Soon, Hu Zhuo returned with a grave expression.
Seeing his troubled face, Hu Li asked curiously, “Did something happen in the Tribe?”
Hu Zhuo nodded. “Yes, Magic Beasts have appeared outside the Tribe. Hu Qingyu is also injured. Now, the surrounding Tribes are calling all Males to go out and hunt the Magic Beasts.”
“All Males? What if a second Magic Beast attacks the Females in the Tribe?”
Hu Zhuo gently held her in his arms. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. If a Magic Beast really attacks, Hu Qingyu is injured and might not be a match for it. I’m afraid you might get hurt because of it.”
“Ah, don’t worry about me. Don’t you know what I’m capable of? I’m just concerned about the other Females in the Tribe who won’t have Males to care for them. Don’t worry, go with peace of mind. This is a great opportunity to make a contribution to the Tribe. I think you also want our Cub to know after birth that his Father Beast is a warrior of the Tribe, right?”
Hu Zhuo’s furrowed brow relaxed. “You’re right, A Li. I can’t let our Cub be looked down upon by the Tribe’s members like I was. I must become a warrior. Wait for me. Once I hunt the Magic Beast, no one will dare to look down on me. Then, no one will say Hu Zhuo isn’t worthy of Hu Li.”
“Alright.”
The person outside was still urging him. Hu Zhuo gently leaned against Hu Li’s belly and whispered, “Cub, your Father Beast is going to hunt Magic Beasts. You must take care of your mother for me, understand?”
Hu Li teased, “Alright, hurry up and go! The Cub is still small and definitely can’t hear you.”
“Mm, I’m leaving.”
Recalling the scene between them just now, Hu Li still found it overly sentimental, like a newlywed couple parting ways. Just as she was feeling awkward, an uninvited guest arrived at the cave.
“What are you doing at my home?”
Hu Qingyu wore a smile. “Hu Li, do you dislike me so much that you won’t even let me into your home? Then let’s say I’m here to ask for a drink of water, is that acceptable?”
“Hu Zhuo isn’t here. Wait until he returns to entertain you.”
“I’m injured now and desperately thirsty. There’s no water at my home, so I had to come to you.” Hu Qingyu laughed self-deprecatingly. So, there would come a day when he would lie for a Female without his heart racing or his face flushing.
Hu Li, of course, didn’t believe him. Hu Qingyu’s home was miles away from theirs, in the opposite direction of the Tribe. Besides, the Tribe wasn’t without stored water, and all of it was closer than their home.
“To get close to me, you’ve really gone to great lengths. Stop beating around the bush—what’s your purpose? Speak.”
“Hahaha, Hu Li, you really are clever. So clever it fascinates me. Then I’ll be direct—I… want you.”
Hu Li knew it. This guy is utterly single-minded. Even after being rejected by a Female, he still clings like a stubborn bug, impossible to shake off.
“I don’t want you, hear me?”
“What’s so good about Hu Zhuo? He can’t hunt as well as I can, he’s not as strong as I am, and most importantly, his status in the Tribe isn’t as high as mine. Why him?”
“Because I like him, not you.”
These words thoroughly enraged Hu Qingyu. As the top warrior of the Red Fox Tribe, he had actually lost to a weak Male. If others found out, where would he put his face?
“Fine, fine, fine. Since you said so, don’t blame me.”
Watching him approach step by step, Hu Li’s heart pounded. This definitely wasn’t good.
“Don’t come any closer. Hu Zhuo will be back soon.”
Hu Qingyu chuckled twice. “It’d be a miracle if he didn’t die right there.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Hu Qingyu didn’t answer her. Instead, he picked her up and headed outside the Tribe.
“Let me go!”
No matter how much Hu Li struggled, he showed no sign of stopping. Instead, the struggle drained her strength.
Being pregnant with a Cub already made her more prone to fatigue than usual. Without strength, Hu Li gradually fell asleep in his arms.
Hu Qingyu looked at her peaceful sleeping face, his gaze unconsciously softening. He thought that although Hu Li was a bit plain and thin, she still had her merits. Why hadn’t he noticed her good points before? Otherwise, their Cub could already be running around.
When Hu Li woke again, it was already dark. They were in a cave, with Hu Qingyu guarding her. However, his condition seemed dire—his face pale, blood still oozing from the wound on his right shoulder.
“Awake? There’s food over there. I wouldn’t mistreat a Female.”
Hearing the weakness in his voice, Hu Li already had a rough guess. She didn’t immediately go for the food but instead lifted his arm to examine the wound.
Hu Qingyu’s closed eyes snapped open, relaxing only when he saw it was Hu Li. He gave a self-mocking smile. “Don’t you hate me? Why care about my injury? Don’t worry—it’ll be as you wish. I won’t live long.”
“Don’t worry, you won’t die.” Hu Li was completely confident. While such a wound might be fatal to a Beastfolk in the Beast World, for her, a modern person from the 21st century, it was nothing serious.
Hu Qingyu took it as her comforting him. Since he was going to die anyway, he let her treat him however she wanted.
Hu Li bought some hemostatic supplies from the System Store, then tightly wrapped his wound with animal hide to prevent further blood loss before eating the food placed nearby.
The mosquitoes and insects around were too numerous, biting Hu Li until she was irritated. She decided to try the method of drilling wood to make fire—who would have thought she’d actually succeed?
Watching the Sacred Fire ignite, Hu Qingyu’s eyes grew inscrutable. He could feel his strength returning, and the bleeding from his wound had stopped. Perhaps it was truly as she said—he wouldn’t die. In that case, he became even more determined to win her heart.
The female’s graceful figure was right before his eyes. Hu Qingyu unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. From his perspective, Hu Li’s curves were perfectly accentuated—where they should be full, they were full; where they should be lifted, they were lifted—not the least bit inferior to the females of his clan.
Just as he was thinking this, Hu Qingyu noticed something unusual happening to his body. Damn it, his heat cycle had come early.
He didn’t think he needed to hold back at a time like this. Following his instincts was the right thing to do. Besides, with the female he had been longing for right in front of him, how could he possibly resist? So he stood up and walked toward her.
Sensing movement behind her, Hu Li had just turned her head when the person behind her pounced, pinning her to the ground, her hands restrained against the mountain wall.
“I told you, you can’t escape my grasp.”