“You already have a cub now, all you need is a Beast Husband to protect you both. If… if you don’t mind, I’m willing to be your Beast Husband, to protect you and the cub. I can even promise not to have fox cubs in the future—I’ll treat this tiger cub as my own flesh and blood.”
Hu Zhuo spoke with sincerity, and Hu Li was indeed moved. Who wouldn’t want a handsome, housekeeping-savvy good husband?
“Hmm… that depends on your performance.”
“Really?” Hearing Hu Li’s promise, Hu Zhuo felt these were the sweetest words he had ever heard in his life.
“Really. There’s a five-day trial period. If you don’t perform well, I won’t let you be my Beast Husband.”
“Okay, okay, I promise—I’ll definitely take care of you and the cub comfortably.”
Hu Zhuo excitedly ran outside and shouted, “Hahaha, Hu Li has allowed me to be her Beast Husband! Yay! This is the happiest day of my life!”
Seeing him laugh foolishly like a husky, and worried other Beastfolk might hear, Hu Li immediately stopped him. “Hu Zhuo, come back quickly. I haven’t agreed yet.”
Hu Zhuo was very obedient and immediately returned to the mother and child. “It’s fine. The fact that you even considered letting me be your Beast Husband already makes me very happy. Over the next five days, I’ll definitely perform well. And once I successfully become your Beast Husband, I’ll do even better—I absolutely won’t let you or the cub suffer any grievances or bullying.”
For the next five days, Hu Zhuo single-handedly managed Hu Li and the cub’s daily life—roasting meat, washing hides, hunting, making hides. Except for breastfeeding, which he couldn’t do, he handled everything meticulously. And so…
Hu Zhuo successfully passed the probation!
In this Beast World Continent, Bonding doesn’t necessarily require the two parties to mate. Two Beastfolk who share a mutual affection willingly mate, Bond, and have cubs. But Hu Zhuo thought about how Hu Li usually had to nurse the child and how exhausting that was. He didn’t want her to get pregnant and have cubs again right now. Besides, he had promised Hu Li he could do without Beast Cubs—he wouldn’t force her.
Hu Li was puzzled. “Then how do we Bond?”
Hu Zhuo smiled mysteriously, transformed his right hand into sharp claws, and made a cut on his left hand. Then he asked Hu Li to open her mouth.
Hu Li was utterly confused, but in the end, Hu Zhuo gently placed his hand near her mouth, letting her suck the blood from his hand.
“Cough, cough.” Hu Li choked a little from the metallic taste, wondering who on earth had come up with this second method of Bonding.
“It’s done. From now on, you are my Wife-Master. I’m so happy.”
“I… can I kiss you? Just… just on the forehead, just once.” Hu Zhuo nervously held up one finger.
Sigh! She’s already his wife—what’s not allowed? Hu Li was exasperated by how overly cautious he was.
“Of course you can.”
Hu Zhuo clenched his fists and slowly leaned toward Hu Li. Just as he was about to kiss her forehead, noises sounded from outside.
“Hu Li! We heard you had a tiger cub. We came to see.”
Hu Zhuo, embarrassed, immediately darted aside.
Hu Li was frustrated—for someone from the open Beast World, how could he be shyer than she was?
The Chieftain arrived with a group of people. Only the Females entered; their Beast Husbands waited outside.
“Oh, Hu Zhuo is here too! How can a Male be in a Female’s cave?”
Seeing the females begin to complain, Hu Zhuo was the first to assert his claim. “I am Hu Li’s Beast Husband now, and I have the right to stay here.”
“Hu Li, if you need more Beast Husbands, my cousin has a son who is very strong and can hunt a wild boar. Let him be your Beast Husband!”
“That’s right! Hu Zhuo is so thin and weak, he definitely can’t protect you and the Cub. You should find a few more Beast Husbands soon!”
Several females chimed in one after another, all looking down on Hu Zhuo, believing he couldn’t protect a female.
Hu Li smiled faintly. “Thank you for coming to see me, but for now, I only want Hu Zhuo as my Beast Husband. As for taking more Beast Husbands, we’ll talk about that later!”
“Well, that’s fine too. Let us see your Cub!”
Hu Li had Hu Zhuo bring the Cub over for them to see. The females all praised it, which was exactly the effect she wanted—to reshape the Beastfolk’s perception of her in the Tribe, making it easier to take down Hu Rong in the future. She hadn’t forgotten the past grievances at all.
“It’s a Tiger Cub. Hu Li, you really know how to give birth.”
“Look at how adorable the Cub is. It truly makes us envious.”
The tiger is the King of All Beasts. Although they hadn’t seen Hu Li’s Tiger Beast Husband and didn’t know if his Bloodline was noble, being connected to the Tiger lineage made it more distinguished compared to their Fox Cubs.
“Hu Li, if you need anything in the future, just let me know. I’ll send someone to bring it to you.” The Chieftain spoke up at the right moment. Even an ordinary Tiger Bloodline was more noble than an ordinary Beastfolk. As long as their family stayed, the Tribe would have the capital to act boldly. Once the Cub grew up, which nearby Tribe would dare provoke the Red Fox Tribe?
“Hmph, what’s so great about it? Without even looking, I can tell it’s the lowest and most common Tiger Bloodline. Yet you all treat their family like a treasure.”
All the females turned around to see Hu Rong standing at the door. Though inwardly displeased, they still had to flatter her on the surface, given her high status.
“Sister Hu Rong, come quickly and see the Cub. It’s so adorable.”
“What’s the use of being adorable? It’s nothing in the face of absolute strength.” Despite saying this, Hu Rong couldn’t help but lean in to look. When she saw it was indeed a Tiger Cub, the seed of jealousy in her heart sprouted and grew rapidly.
“I thought it was some noble Tiger Bloodline, but it doesn’t look like it!”
“Hu Rong, the Priest went to see your Cub. Shouldn’t you be taking care of it instead of running over here?”
“Chieftain, you wrong me! Someone came to inform me to come congratulate Sister Hu Li on giving birth to a Tiger Cub, so I rushed here.” Hu Rong spoke with her usual confidence. Even if her Cub had died, there were other Cubs, and her position in the Tribe remained unshakable.
“Heh, you came to see if I was dead, didn’t you?”
Hu Li’s words shocked all the females, followed by a gleeful anticipation for drama. Each harbored their own schemes, hoping Hu Rong would step down sooner. They had long grown tired of her arrogant demeanor and privately wished she would perish.
Hu Rong remained composed, as if the words weren’t about her. “Sister Hu Li just gave birth to a Cub, not accomplished some great feat, yet her tone grows more and more arrogant.”
“Who’s arrogant is clear to everyone, but your desire to see me dead is genuine.” Hu Li turned to the Chieftain. “Chieftain, I want to report Hu Rong for secretly harming the females of the Tribe.”
The chieftain wore a stern expression. Harming a female was no small matter, and Hu Li’s status was no longer what it used to be—he would have to reassess the situation.
“You’re lying!” Hu Rong naturally refused to admit it. The chieftain hadn’t taken her side before, and he wouldn’t now.
“A few days ago, Hu Rong not only lured me to the Forbidden Land and pushed me down, but she also placed a Curse on me during my labor, cursing me and the cub in my womb to bleed to death.”
“I said no such thing. Who can prove it?”
Just then, the Priest happened to lift the animal hide curtain at the entrance.
Heaven helps me, Hu Li thought, a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips. “Priest, you’ve come.”
Hu Rong turned abruptly, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had forgotten that it was the Priest who had delivered the cub that day.