Chapter 27: What Does It Have to Do With You?
"You should really change your story!" Nan Zishi said urgently, lowering her voice.
Little Snake Yang and Little Fox Qi craned their necks, their curiosity piqued.
’What are Father and the pretty lady talking about? Does Father really like the pretty lady?’
’This is great!’
Nan Zishi said frantically, "How can you choose me? You’re a male who already has a female. Didn’t you hear what Hu An said? A male with a female who chooses another female will be drowned in a pig cage!"
"Are you worried about me?" Hu Bai asked, looking down at her.
Nan Zishi said, "I’m not. I... I’m a female. My reputation doesn’t matter. But your reputation is very important! Hu Bai, I’m begging you, please change your story!"
Hu Bai’s expression darkened.
He gave Hu Zi and the others a frosty glance. Apparently having lost all interest in staying, he grabbed the little cubs who had beaten up Fox Qi.
"Apologize to Fox Qi." Hu Bai’s voice was terrifyingly cold, as if it could turn to ice.
These little cubs usually weren’t afraid of Hu Bai, but for some reason, he seemed especially scary today.
One of the little Fox Beastmen stuck out his neck and said, "We didn’t do anything wrong! If Fox Qi hadn’t been protecting a Wandering Snake Beastman, we wouldn’t have hit him!"
After hearing this, the other little Fox Beastmen chimed in, "Yeah, that’s right! We didn’t do anything wrong."
Hu Zi also interjected, "Hu Bai, these are Hu Li’s cubs. Hu Li’s temper is much worse than mine. If you anger her, she’ll definitely retaliate. In my opinion, these cubs didn’t really do anything wrong. Is an apology necessary?"
When conflicts arose between children, it wasn’t good for adults to interfere too much. That’s why Hu Bai was only making them apologize. As for what to do in the future, he planned to let Fox Qi figure it out for himself.
However, that was no reason for them to twist the truth.
Hu Bai’s stunningly beautiful eyes swept lightly over Hu Zi. Even Hu Zi, who was used to seeing handsome males, couldn’t help but be taken aback by his beauty.
Hu Bai said, "Only those without a family, without a tribe, and abandoned by a female are considered Wandering Beastmen. If a minor Beastman is adopted by a family, they are not a Wandering Beastman. And this little snake cub, as it happens, has been adopted."
"He is not a Wandering Beastman."
She Yang suddenly lifted his head.
’What does Uncle Hu Bai mean by that?’
Nan Zishi, understanding perfectly, nodded. She stroked the little snake’s head. "This Little Snake Beastman cub has already been taken in by me. He’s my god-cub."
All the Fox Beastmen turned to look at Nan Zishi.
A female was the core of a family. If a female offered to adopt a Beastman cub, the matter was set in stone.
This little Snake Beastman might have originally been a Cold-blooded Snake Beastman without a family, one that other Beastmen could bully.
But now that he was taken in by a female, he had a home. And with a home, he had support and backing!
He was no longer a pitiful little wanderer.
Tears suddenly streamed down Little Snake Yang’s face.
He had wandered the Beast World alone for so, so long.
He’d been abandoned, driven away, forced to wander, and wrongly accused. He was homeless and had never known what a home felt like.
Now, he had a home!
The female master of his home was the pretty lady he liked. The pretty lady would give him food, protect him, and praise him.
He liked it so much, he really, really liked it.
Hu Bai glanced sideways at Nan Zishi. He had been thinking that since She Yang saved Fox Qi’s life, he could adopt She Yang himself as a reward.
However, with Nan Zishi, a female, adopting him, his status would be even more secure.
Hu Bai coughed lightly again. Nan Zishi sized him up, studying his expression. ’Based on his lung sounds just now, he should be much better. Why does he seem so weak again?’
’Is he faking it?’
Hu Bai said, "Therefore, your claim that She Yang is a Wandering Snake Beastman is invalid. And there’s nothing wrong with Fox Qi protecting his savior. These little fox cubs injured my cub. I’m only asking for an apology. That’s not too much to ask, is it?"
Hu Bai’s white eyes flickered upward.
Hu Zi suddenly felt an indescribable pressure, and goosebumps broke out on her skin.
’Forget it. It’s not my cubs who have to apologize anyway. I don’t want to get involved.’
’But this Nan Zishi... I’m afraid she’ll be an obstacle to me winning over Hu Bai.’
The Male Beastmen standing nearby started to comment:
"Those little cubs didn’t know this Cold-blooded Snake Beastman wasn’t a Wandering Beastman."
"Besides, Stone Village has never been very welcoming to Cold-blooded Snake Beastmen."
"But at the end of the day, this Cold-blooded Snake Beastman is only five years old, and a little disabled Beastman at that. He’s not really a threat to the village."
"And he has a family now, with a female to look after him. This..."
"It does seem like they shouldn’t have hit Fox Qi and the Cold-blooded Snake Beastman."
"How about it, Hu Li’s cubs? Why don’t you just apologize?"
The little fox cubs said stubbornly, "No! We didn’t do anything wrong, so we’re not apologizing!"
"Not apologizing? Fine by me." Nan Zishi casually grabbed the little fox cub who had been the most vicious toward Fox Qi and She Yang. Her grip was so strong that the fox cub couldn’t move. "If you won’t apologize, we’ll just get physical."
"Fox Qi, slap him!" Nan Zishi commanded.
Fox Qi hadn’t expected Nan Zishi to actually stand up for him. After giving her a grateful look, he slapped the cub right back!
The little fox cubs were hurt by the slap and terrified by Nan Zishi. Not daring to provoke a female, they all cried out, "Don’t, don’t hit me! I-I’ll apologize."
"Fox Qi, I’m sorry!"
The other cubs were scared too and quickly chimed in, "Sorry, we’re sorry!"
"We’re sorry, Fox Qi! WAAAAAHHH!"
The scene was quite a mess.
Nan Zishi let Fox Qi land a few more slaps before letting go. She nonchalantly rubbed her wrist and said, "So you apologized... What a shame. I was hoping to slap all of you."
The little fox cubs huddled together in a ball.
’Father was right. The prettier the female, the scarier she is.’
...
Hu Bai carried Fox Qi while Nan Zishi led She Yang, and the two of them walked toward the cave.
Although the two cubs, Fox Qi and She Yang, had suffered quite a few external injuries, they both looked exceptionally happy.
Even though they weren’t together, they made faces at each other from their respective adult’s arms.
Nan Zishi jogged to catch up with Hu Bai. She looked up and asked, "What did you mean when you said I was your only choice? Hu Bai, I’m not going to stay here forever. After your IV drip tomorrow, I’m leaving Stone Village."
Hu Bai suddenly stopped walking. His snow-white eyes stared straight at her.
"You’re leaving. What then? What about me and Fox Qi?"
Nan Zishi fretted anxiously, at a loss for what to do.
"No, that’s not... You’re my patient, and Fox Qi is my friend. But ultimately, you two belong to Stone Village. I have to leave..."
Nan Zishi paused, then finally said, "What does that have to do with you?"
Nan Zishi had no idea how much damage her words had caused.
Hu Bai’s aura instantly turned cold, and a sense of lonely abandonment suddenly radiated from him.
He seemed furious. Turning on his heel, he strode back to the cave without waiting for Nan Zishi.
...
Hu Zi mulled over the situation with Hu Bai. The more she thought, the more difficult it seemed to handle, so she ran over to her mother, Fox Xin’s, home.
Fox Xin was currently enjoying the care of her Beast Husbands; three of them were giving her a full-body massage.
"Mother!" Hu Zi called out as she walked in. "Something major has happened!"
"What is it? You’re acting so rashly. Can’t you be a little calmer?" Fox Xin sat up.
"Mother, I have a competitor!" Hu Zi said, walking to Fox Xin’s side. "A rather good-looking female has appeared by Hu Bai’s side, and he’s very protective of her! Mother, at this rate, I’ll never get Hu Bai!"
Although she said this, Hu Zi wasn’t actually that interested in pursuing Hu Bai.
Hu Bai was handsome and outstanding, and Hu Zi had indeed been infatuated with him when she was younger. But after that infatuation turned into a task assigned by her mother, all Hu Zi felt was resistance.
’So what if Hu Bai is outstanding? It’s not like I want him for myself.’
"Oh, right, Mother. That female’s name is very unusual. It’s two words long. She said her name is Nan Zishi."