Chapter 8: Smiling So Hard the Eyes Crinkled with Happiness

In the end, he made a decision, intending to stabilize Bai Wanwan first.

“Go and call Xin Feng here.”

The remaining beastmen were all cautious; Hu Ya, who had just ruined the patriarch’s plans, was glared at several times.

Only Bai Wanwan smiled, completely ignoring the patriarch’s dark expression.

After a while, Xin Feng was brought before the patriarch.

His face, which possessed an extreme sense of contrast, showed a hint of confusion, but his gaze turned calm after sweeping over the crowd.

“Xin Feng, I called you here because the Holy Female, Bai Wanwan, wants you to be her beast-husband. Are you willing to become her beast-husband?”

As he said this, he deliberately paused and sighed, “If you aren’t willing, Uncle won’t force you. After all, you have made significant contributions to the tribe.”

Holding onto a final shred of hope, the patriarch thought of how Xin Feng used to be the tribe’s top warrior, favored by many females.

Even after his talent was destroyed and his face scarred from injury, there were still those willing to have him as a beast-husband, but Xin Feng had rejected them all.

Therefore, the patriarch felt that Xin Feng would likely not agree to be Bai Wanwan’s beast-husband either.

He was a proud beastman; he wouldn't be able to accept being one of many powerful males by a female’s side.

If Xin Feng refused, he could keep Xin Yu and Xin Shan by Bai Wanwan’s side, have them sire two litters of cubs first, and figure out the rest later.

Before Xin Feng could speak, Bai Wanwan walked up to his side. “If I told you I have a way to restore you to your former self—not just your face, but your talent as well—on the condition that you become my beast-husband, would you be willing?”

Xin Feng’s expression froze, and he turned his head abruptly.

Although he didn’t ask, his eyes said everything.

“Whether you want to take this gamble is up to you.”

No powerful male could endure becoming a waste.

Although the patriarch couldn’t hear what Bai Wanwan had said to him, he felt it would be detrimental to his plans and immediately interrupted their conversation.

“Xin Feng, don’t feel pressured. If you don’t want to, Uncle won’t force you…”

“I am willing.”

“Hmm… what?”

The patriarch realized what had happened, and he suddenly felt as if he had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own feet.

“I am willing to be Bai Wanwan’s beast-husband.”

Bai Wanwan’s eyes curved into crescents as she turned to the patriarch. “Patriarch, Xin Feng said he is willing, and I like him very much, so please preside over the mating ceremony for us.”

“No!”

Hu Ya rushed over, staring at Xin Feng in disbelief. “Why did you agree to mate with her? Is it just because she is a Holy Female?”

The sense of superiority she had maintained in front of Bai Wanwan for over a decade had been shattered repeatedly over the past few days.

Xin Feng, whom she had once liked the most, hadn’t wanted to be her first beast-husband, and even after he was severely injured and disfigured, he still refused to be her beast-husband.

Yet, he had agreed to Bai Wanwan so easily.

“Xin Feng, even if you mate with Bai Wanwan, you won’t be her first beast-husband. Are you willing to just be an ordinary beast-husband by her side?”

“Yes, I am willing.”

He turned his head, looking at Bai Wanwan seriously for the first time.

Over the past few days, he had learned from other beastmen that Bai Wanwan was not a useless female, but a rare Holy Female from a super-tribe.

Unlike most females who were robust, she was fair and delicate, looking like she wasn't easy to provide for.

But… this was his only chance.

He craved strength; he craved the ability to roam the deep mountains freely as he once had.

“Why? Because she is a Holy Female?”

Before Xin Feng could answer, Bai Wanwan answered for him, “Isn’t that enough?”

“Bai Wanwan, you are doing this just to spite me.”

As if it wasn’t her who had lured Xin Shan and Xin Yu into bed.

Although that was a result she was happy to see, she really had no standing to accuse her.

“Enough, Hu Ya. This is what Xin Feng wants himself.”

The patriarch suppressed his anger and glared at his two disappointing sons. “Alright, that’s enough for now. You two, come back with me.”

He had to think carefully and find a way to get Wanwan to bear a litter of cubs for the two brothers.

“Let’s go, we’re going home too.”

Bai Wanwan grabbed Xin Feng’s arm.

Xin Feng wasn’t used to a female’s touch and stiffened visibly, but he still followed her toward the stone cave.

“Bai Wanwan, let go of Xin Feng.”

Bai Wanwan turned around and huffed loudly. “What? Do you not have your own beast-husbands? Why are you staring at someone else’s all day? I advise you not to provoke me, or else, do you believe I’ll snatch all your beast-husbands away? When that happens, whoever you like, I’ll snatch them on purpose. After all, how many beastmen can refuse a Holy Female like me?”

Hu Ya was so angry she couldn't speak, glaring at her fiercely.

Bai Wanwan didn’t want to waste time on her. She turned back and found Xin Feng looking at her with an unreadable expression.

Thinking of the nonsense she had just spouted, she quickly said, “I was just scaring her. I don’t actually like the males she likes.”

Xin Feng frowned. “No matter what, they are better than me. Why me?”

“Are you that lacking in confidence?” Bai Wanwan smiled. “Because once you recover, you will be the strongest and best-looking. Why couldn’t it be you?”

“I don’t know if what you said is true or false, but I am willing to gamble.”

Xin Feng did not hide his inner thoughts; his purpose in mating with her was to restore his strength, nothing more.

Bai Wanwan, of course, didn’t like him either, as they had only met twice.

The reason she chose Xin Feng was that she felt this beastman had an honest gaze, and the cubs born later could earn her more rewards and life points.

“I’m a little scared living alone. You should move in today.”

“Alright, then you rest for a bit, and I’ll go move my things.”

Xin Feng was quick; it took him three trips back and forth to move all his belongings.

In truth, there wasn’t much—mostly some animal skins and food.

Bai Wanwan watched as he uncovered a piece of animal skin and brought over the stone basin underneath.

“You take these salt blocks.”

Salt blocks!

Heaven knows how much she had been longing for some flavor in her mouth.

Her eyes went wide.

If she could find flint to start a fire, and in the middle of winter, make a pot to eat some hot, boiled meat slices, how happy would that be!

“One, two, three, four, five… how do you have so many salt blocks?”

“I traded for them with traveling merchants in the past.”

Bai Wanwan nodded. “That’s great. You don’t mind if I use these, right? I’ll pay you back later.”

“Hmm, they’re yours. Just use them; no need to pay me back.”

Although he became her beast-husband for other reasons, since he held the title, he had to take care of his female just like any other male.

Bai Wanwan hadn’t expected him to be so generous. Having these things showed that his life used to be very good.

But… he was now as thin as a bamboo pole; his life must have been very difficult lately.

She hadn’t expected him to be so generous, giving her all his salt blocks.

Once she got the system rewards, she would have to treat him well.

Touching the salt blocks, unable to put them down, Bai Wanwan’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

Xin Feng happened to catch a glimpse, and a thought flashed through his mind about what he had seen at the river that day.

The little female was a bit too fair, and her frame was a bit too delicate.

(End of chapter)