By now, Bai Ning had recovered her composure. She looked at Beichuan, who stood behind Ye Lan with a face full of self-reproach, and shook her head.
“It’s alright, Witch Doctor Ye Lan. Don’t blame him; I was just too sensitive.”
“How can we not blame him? It’s totally his fault! If he hadn’t suddenly leaned in, Sister, you wouldn’t have strained your wound!” Tongtong stomped its feet irritably inside Bai Ning’s mind.
Bai Ning tried to communicate with Tongtong mentally: “Tongtong, don’t be angry. He didn’t do it on purpose. I was just too tense.”
“Humph! Crude beastman!” Tongtong was still unhappy, but since Bai Ning had spoken, it didn’t push further. It muttered a grumpy complaint and went back to repairing its system. Once the system was fixed, it would be able to help its Sister much more effectively.
Beichuan, the “crude beastman,” felt his guilt deepen upon hearing Bai Ning’s words. The little female is truly too kind. I scared her and caused her more pain, yet she isn’t angry—she’s even making excuses for me. How can she be this good?
If… if I could become her mate… Beichuan’s eyes practically began to glow as he looked at her. Bai Ning, naturally, noticed. While she could appreciate his looks, she was currently in no mood for a romantic “Beast World” affair. She only wanted to recover quickly so she could go out, gather resources, exchange them for a “Yellow Millet Dream,” and reunite with her parents and brother.
Ye Lan’s impression of Bai Ning also improved significantly. Although the females of their tribe were quite well-behaved compared to other tribes, she had never met one with such a gentle temperament.
If this brat Beichuan can become her mate, he’ll truly be blessed, Ye Lan thought. She glanced back at Beichuan, and seeing him staring daze-edly at the little female, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She slapped Beichuan on the arm.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and help the little female secure the splints on her arm!” Ye Lan barked. “And be gentle! If you hurt her again, I’ll have your father come deal with you!”
“Ah! Oh, I know! I’ll be careful! Little female, don’t worry, I definitely won’t hurt you this time,” Beichuan promised hurriedly, snapped out of his daze by the slap.
Bai Ning curled her lips into a faint smile and nodded at him.
This time, even though he was only a palm’s width away from her, Beichuan didn’t have a single flirtatious thought. He held Bai Ning’s arm with utmost sincerity, carefully fixing the wooden boards in place. Only after he finished the knots and saw that she wasn’t in any discomfort did he finally relax and straighten up.
“Little female, try moving a bit. Is there any discomfort?”
“It’s very good. Thank you.” Bai Ning looked at her arm and then up at Beichuan. She hadn’t expected him to be so meticulous; the tightness was just right.
The tips of Beichuan’s ears turned even redder. The little female is so gentle… she even said thank you to me…
Ye Lan walked over, checked the work, and nodded. “It’s secured well. As long as there’s no strenuous movement, the wound shouldn’t be pulled. Little female, is this enough? Is there anything else you need us to do?”
“This is enough, Witch Doctor Ye Lan. Beichuan, thank you both so much.” Bai Ning was truly grateful. If not for them, she likely would have died in the jaws of some wild beast before Tongtong could even begin repairs.
YeLan gave a kindly smile. “Little female, no need to be so polite. Just stay here and rest easy. If you have any problems, just let Beichuan help you. He’s a bit of a fool sometimes, but he’s very efficient.”
“Beichuan? Let him help me?” Bai Ning blinked. Then what about using the bathroom? Would he have to carry me there? At that thought, her face flushed red with embarrassment.
“Yes, this is Beichuan’s cave, and he was the one who brought you back. It’s only right that he takes care of you.” Y e Lan paused before continuing, “Although there is a rule among tribes that a female belongs to whoever brings her back, our tribe never forces a female. If you are willing to accept Beichuan, that would be best. If you aren’t, it doesn’t matter; he will still take care of you during your recovery. Once you’re healed, if you want to leave, we will help you.”
Meanwhile, Ye Lan muttered to herself: ‘If this brat can’t get her to agree to be his female after all this time, he only has his own uselessness to blame.’
So that rule really exists! Bai Ning’s pupils shrunk. She had zero interest in finding a partner right now! Although the Witch Doctor said they wouldn’t force her, this beastman was strong and sturdy—if he actually wanted to do something to her, she wouldn’t be able to stop him!
“Sister, don’t worry. They won’t hurt you,” Tongtong sensed her anxiety and offered comfort.
Bai Ning didn’t know why Tongtong was so certain, but now wasn’t the time to ask questions. She could only nod and agree for now, planning to grill Tongtong later when they were alone.
“Alright,” Bai Ning looked at Beichuan. “Then I’ll be troubling you for a while.”
Meeting Bai Ning’s eyes, Beichuan’s breath hitched. His heart raced uncontrollably. Not knowing what to say, he could only shake his head frantically. “No trouble, no trouble at all!”
His foolish look was more than Ye Lan could bear. After giving Bai Ning a few more instructions about resting, she left the cave.
Now, only Bai Ning and Beichuan remained. Silence filled the air like a thick fog.
“Uh…” “Uh…” “You go first…” “No, you go first…” “…”
Another bout of awkward silence followed. Finally, Bai Ning broke the ice. “Um… Beichuan, right? Broken bones take a long time to heal. Won’t I be a burden to you?”
Beichuan shook his head vigorously. “No, no… The Clan Leader knows I brought you back and that you’re injured. He told me to take good care of you and said I don’t need to go out hunting for a while.”
After saying this, Beichuan subconsciously gripped the animal skins he was wearing, terrified that she wouldn’t believe him or wouldn’t let him take care of her.
Seeing him like this, Bai Ning found it a bit funny, and her tension eased slightly. “Alright then. I’ll be in your care for the coming days.”
“It’s no trouble at all. I’m very happy to take care of you.”
The words tumbled out of Beichuan’s mouth before he could think, leaving both of them stunned.
“I mean… I… that… there’s still prey outside that needs processing! I’ll go handle that first. Little female, if you need anything, just call me. I’ll be right at the cave entrance!”
Beichuan’s face turned bright red instantly. He wanted to explain but didn’t know how, so he clumsily changed the subject. Without waiting for her reply, he scrambled out of the cave. If one looked closely, they could see that his footsteps were completely panicked.