The passing beastmen all turned to look—some gloating, some rolling their eyes in disdain—but not one thought to lend Yun Jiao a hand.
“What are you trying to do again?” Shi Yi glanced at the piece of meat with disgust. “Yun Jiao, I’ll say it once more: I already have a mate. Stop trying to curry favor with me by bringing me things.”
Yun Jiao took a long moment before pushing the meat aside, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, and standing up.
This was the male the original Yun Jiao had always liked? How revolting.
“Curry favor with you? You’re ugly and delusional. I was walking along just fine, and you suddenly jumped out like a club and shoved me. And now you think you’re in the right?”
Shi Yi sneered: “If you weren’t trying to please me, why bring meat? Out of all these beastmen, you just happened to bump into me? Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind.”
The onlookers whispered among themselves.
“Exactly, why didn’t she bump into me instead?”
“Yun Jiao’s always liked Shi Yi. She used to take meat given to her by other males and offer it to him. Clearly, she still hasn’t given up.”
“Tsk tsk… Shi Yi’s mate Bai Wei is a high-quality female with strong fertility. Yun Jiao’s just a useless female—how could she ever compare?”
“What a pity. She’s so beautiful. I used to like her a lot, but who knew she’d turn out to be barren.”
Shi Yi listened to the gossip, chin raised arrogantly: “Give up already. No matter how you try to please me, I’ll never choose you.”
“Ha! You’re ridiculously self-confident,” Yun Jiao laughed angrily. “A bat with chicken feathers stuck to it—what kind of bird do you think you are? Look at your face, your features all fighting each other. Even covered in ash, I look better than you with makeup. What would I ever like about you? Your ugliness? Your stench from not bathing?”
Shi Yi didn’t understand every word, but enough to darken his face. “You’re insulting me?”
“Not too dumb after all—you realized I’m insulting you. I thought that lump on your neck was a tumor instead of a head!” Yun Jiao rubbed her stomach impatiently. “I don’t want to waste words with you. You dirtied my wild boar meat—pay me back with another piece. I don’t want to see your disgusting face.”
Shi Yi narrowed his eyes dangerously. “You think talking like this will make me notice you? Dream on!”
“…Unbelievable,” Yun Jiao muttered. “I’m talking about compensation. You shoved me and ruined my meat. That’s the issue. Why are you dragging feelings into this? Do you not understand human speech? I’m not talking about romance. I’m saying: pay me back the meat. Four words. Got it?”
“You—”
“What’s going on here?” A female rushed over, blocking Yun Jiao and glaring at Shi Yi. “Shi Yi, have you no shame? You even strike females now?”
Shi Yi choked, quickly protesting: “I didn’t!”
“Didn’t? Yun Jiao’s mouth is bleeding, and you still deny it?”
“And all of you!” She turned on the crowd. “Yun Jiao is a female. She’s bleeding—you saw it. Shi Yi hit her, and instead of helping, you just stood around watching? I’ll spread the word of this to all the females. Let’s see which of you ever gets chosen as a mate after this.”
The beastmen’s faces changed.
“Guo Guo, this has nothing to do with us!”
“It’s between Yun Jiao and Shi Yi—we can’t interfere.”
“Shi Yi’s the tribe’s strongest warrior. We can’t beat him!”
“She’s just shameless. Shi Yi already has a mate, and she still tries to please him with meat. What’s it got to do with us?”
“Exactly. She’s a useless female, can’t bear cubs. What kind of female is that?”
…
The males muttered excuses, unwilling to offend Guo Guo—the chief’s only daughter, plump and clearly fertile, soon to be sought after at the coming adulthood ceremony.
Shi Yi added: “Guo Guo, she’s the one shamelessly chasing me.”
“Lies! Yun Jiao has no parents or anyone to hunt for her, so she often trades fruit with Lei Xiao for meat. I’ve seen it many times, even eaten her roasted meat myself. How does that become her trying to please you? You may be the tribe’s top warrior, but don’t flatter yourself—do you think every female in the world likes you?”
Guo Guo had once admired Shi Yi, assuming he’d be Yun Jiao’s first mate. But after last year’s adulthood ceremony, when Yun Jiao was declared barren, Shi Yi immediately turned to Bai Wei. Since then, Guo Guo had despised him.
Shi Yi snorted: “I never said every female likes me. You’re just defending her because you’re friends.”
“I’m not! I’m telling the truth!” Guo Guo cried, nearly in tears.
Yun Jiao patted her shoulder, about to speak, when a lazy voice cut in: “Well, well, what’s all the fuss?”
The beastmen looked up—it was Lei Xiao.
One male quickly asked: “Lei Xiao, you’re just in time. Guo Guo says Yun Jiao traded this meat with you. Is that true?”
“Yeah. We’ve traded several times.”
Silence fell. So Guo Guo was right.
Shi Yi flushed, but still insisted: “Even if she traded with you, she could still use it to please me.”
Lei Xiao snapped impatiently: “I don’t care to argue. The meat’s dirty now. Compensate Yun Jiao with another piece of equal size—or I’ll beat you.”
Shi Yi’s face darkened. “Lei Xiao, you’re standing up for this useless female?”
Lei Xiao replied coolly: “Tribal law says males can’t hit females. If they do, anyone can punish them. You hurt Yun Jiao—that’s a fact. I’m only asking you to compensate. If I beat you, it’s just enforcing the rules.”
Shi Yi: “…” He could handle others, but Lei Xiao… he really couldn’t win.
Reluctantly, Shi Yi fetched another piece of meat from his cave and handed it over.
Yun Jiao accepted it without even looking at him, thanking Lei Xiao instead.
“Idiot,” Lei Xiao flicked her forehead. “Getting bullied and not even coming to me?”
Yun Jiao covered her head, aggrieved: “You never said you’d stand up for me!”
“…So now it’s my fault?” Lei Xiao muttered, frowning at the blood on her lips. “You’re hurt. I’ll take you to the healer.”
“No, no, it’s just a rush of blood.”
“Stop arguing!” Lei Xiao grabbed the meat, hoisted Yun Jiao onto his shoulder, and carried her off to the healer’s dwelling.