After I Dumped 7 Beast Husbands and Ran

"What did you say? You said that female’s name is Nan Zishi?" Fox Xin shot to her feet, her face paling. Even Fox Zi was startled.

"Nan Zishi... what about her? Is she a female from some ancient Beast Family or something?" Fox Zi asked weakly.

Fox Xin’s eyes were fierce and cold as she berated Fox Zi. "Five years. I gave you five years, and you still couldn’t win over Hu Bai. And now? His female master is back. He’ll want even less to do with you!

That Nan Zishi is an outsider. If she takes Hu Bai away from here, the Ancient Bloodline in our Stone Village will be completely lost!"

Fox Zi was startled too. "What? You’re saying Nan Zishi is Hu Bai’s female master?! But... they didn’t act like it before. Hu Bai was protective of Nan Zishi, but even when everyone was saying all those things about him, he never said she was his female master."

’If he had just said Nan Zishi was his female master, I wouldn’t have been able to keep arguing with them. A lot of the bullying and pressure would have vanished instantly.’

’Why didn’t Hu Bai say anything?’

Fox Xin calmed down. After asking for a detailed account of what had happened, she said, "Hu Bai is very bothered by it."

"Bothered by what?" Fox Zi was curious.

"He’s bothered that Nan Zishi abandoned her husband and son, of course. And that she sold him as a Beast Slave."

Fox Xin sat down and thought calmly. "Think about it from Hu Bai’s perspective."

"Back then, Hu Bai genuinely liked Nan Zishi."

"He had the makeup of a Priest Apprentice on his face, so Nan Zishi didn’t know what he looked like or what his name was. Even so, she abandoned him and even sold them off."

"And now, even though Nan Zishi is back, Hu Bai thinks she despises him."

"If Hu Bai were to tell Nan Zishi their identities as father and son, it would be one thing if she let them stay."

"But what if she abandons him again, sells him again, just like she did five years ago?"

"Hu Bai would completely break down!"

"He can’t bear it."

"Hu Bai is a male with a lot of pride. He’s trying to protect the last shred of his dignity in front of the female he loves."

"He won’t take the initiative to tell her that he’s her fox Beast Husband."

Fox Zi muttered, "But that’s not what really happened. Didn’t Nan Zishi ask Mother to take care of Hu Bai and his son when she left? And she never sold him..."

As Fox Xin thought about it, she suddenly let out a slow, quiet laugh. "Fox Zi, we still have a chance."

"You’d better not disappoint me. You have to bear a cub for Hu Bai and keep that Ancient Bloodline in our family!"

...

Nan Zishi felt the atmosphere in the cave was particularly cold today.

After she set up the IV for Hu Bai, the male fox turned his head away, sulking strangely and refusing to look at her.

’In all my time as a Beast Doctor, I’ve never had a patient give me the cold shoulder like this.’

’What... is this? Does he expect me to coax him or something?’

’But it’s not like I said anything wrong.’

’He really is outstanding. If he didn’t have a female, I might actually be tempted.’

’But I have standards.’

’He’s someone else’s man, someone else’s husband. As a woman from Earth with morals and principles, how could I possibly make a move on another person’s husband?’

’It’s immoral. And rude.’

Nan Zishi gave an awkward shrug and left the cave to prepare today’s food.

The instant she left the cave, Hu Bai’s head snapped toward the entrance, his snow-white eyes glistening with moisture. He looked like he was about to cry from anger.

He looked away, then lowered his head again.

Nan Zishi was completely oblivious to the male’s grievances inside the cave.

She checked on the two cubs, confirmed they only had superficial injuries, and treated their wounds. Afterward, she took the two carefree little ones into the mountain forest to dig for wild vegetables.

"Pretty Sister! I dug up another big mushroom!"

"Wow, Aqi, you’re amazing!"

Little Snake Yang also came over, his tail curled around several large mushrooms.

Nan Zishi happily patted his little head. "Little Snake Yang is amazing too!"

Nan Zishi said, "Come here, come here. Let me show you another spring vegetable!"

Little Aqi and Little Snake Yang both ran to Nan Zishi’s side. She pointed to a leafy green plant growing low to the ground and said, "This is shepherd’s purse. It’s very fragrant."

Nan Zishi dug up the shepherd’s purse and let them smell its roots. "Isn’t it fragrant? This vegetable is only available this season. Once it flowers in a little while, you can’t eat it anymore."

"I’ll remember it!" "HISS HISS HISS!" Little Aqi and Little Snake Yang exclaimed excitedly.

"Yang, let’s go dig for more wild vegetables!"

...

"What? Our cub was bullied by Hu Bai and his son?!" Hu Li shot to her feet.

"So, Hu Bai! Not only did you refuse to lend us Beast Skins and injure my Beast Husband, but you also bullied my cub! You’re clearly looking down on my Hu Li family!"

"Come with me! We’re going to settle the score with Hu Bai!"

The dark-skinned female red fox was about to head out with her nine Beast Husbands. She liked strong males, so every Beast Husband she had chosen was the tall and sturdy type.

Just as Fox Zi slowly arrived at the entrance of Hu Li’s cave, she saw Hu Li about to leave. She stopped her and said, "Little Li, what are you about to do?"

"Fox Zi, I heard about what happened today. You helped my cub out, in a way. I’ll remember this favor. But as for Hu Bai, a mere father and son duo with no female master is making trouble for my family. That’s a sign of disrespect! I’m going to teach him a lesson!"

Fox Zi said with a grin, "If you go now, the most you can do is beat them up. What’s the use in that?"

"What do you mean, ’what’s the use’?" Hu Li was confused. "It would be satisfying enough, and it would let that father and son know that our family is large and not to be trifled with!"

Fox Zi leaned in closer. "Hu Bai and his son made an example of your cub today. If you go beat them up now, my mother will have to intervene as the village chief. And since your family would be initiating a family feud without reason, my mother would have to fine you salt. Would it be worth it to have less salt to eat?"

At the mention of salt, Hu Li actually did calm down a little.

In the Beast World, adult Male Beastmen could replenish their salt intake by drinking beast blood. But females and cubs could only get it from eating salt.

And salt was extremely rare. One had to accumulate supplies, and then the tribe’s Hunting Team would take those supplies on a long journey to the coast to trade with the Mermaid Clan for salt.

The Mermaid Clan was proud and looked down on land-based goods. Often, even after bringing many Beast Skins, they would only receive a few bags of salt in return.

That was why in Stone Village, there was never enough salt to go around.

Fox Zi smiled. "If you really want to teach him a lesson, I have an idea."

"What idea?" Hu Li asked.

Fox Zi said, "Hu Bai is incredibly aloof. He absolutely won’t do anything he doesn’t want to do. You know I’ve been pursuing him for years, but he won’t even spare me a glance."

As she spoke, Fox Zi sounded more and more aggrieved.

Hu Li spoke up for Fox Zi indignantly. "Fox Zi, you’re the most beautiful female in Stone Village. And that Hu Bai, at best, is just a Beast Slave who was sold by his own female master for three Beast Skins. The fact that you want him is a compliment to him. His refusal to accept you just proves he’s blind!"

Fox Zi smiled. "Exactly. So I was thinking, if I make him my Beast Husband and mark him with my totem, then I’ll be his female master. After that, however you want to teach him a lesson... wouldn’t it just take a single word from me?"

Hu Li’s eyes lit up, but then she asked, "But he already has a female master. You can’t mark him by force. How are you going to make him break his previous mate bond?"

"I have a Breakup Fruit that was passed down from my ancestors. After he eats the Breakup Fruit, I’ll just slash his totem with my claws! His Mate Totem will be forcibly broken."

After eating a Breakup Fruit, the Mate Totem would light up. If someone were to slash the totem with their claws at that moment, it would instantly turn the Male Beastman into an unowned Wandering Beastman. It was a truly wicked plan.

Hu Li said, "Alright, I’ll help you."