Rebirth With The Beast_13

Chapter 69 continued....

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Jers was soaked through, his long hair wet and lying meekly against his body. Seeing the dripping hair made Tang Yu feel uncomfortable for him. He hurried over and, rising on his toes, held an umbrella over Jers’s head. Jers was quietly amused, but his face stayed impassive as he took the umbrella.

“Wait a sec—I’ll tie your hair up for you.” As Tang Yu spoke, he pulled out the short knife Su Yi had given him, then dragged Jers around the valley to look for gulu beasts. Tang Yu had only recently learned from Mino that gulu-beast silk could be used as thread.

They hadn’t gone far before Tang Yu found one. He gathered some silk from a tree and led Jers back to the cave.

Jers didn’t interrupt, just watched Tang Yu’s small hands fly, deftly braiding the silk together. Soon the fine strands had been plaited into something several times thicker. Tang Yu rummaged up a handful of beast fangs from a corner, picked four nice-looking ones, and handed the short knife to Jers.

“Here—help me drill the holes.” With Tang Yu’s strength, drilling through teeth was a joke.

But for Jers, the result was different.

Once Jers had made the holes, Tang Yu threaded his braided cord through the teeth—two on each end, just right.

“Don’t move.” Coming behind Jers, Tang Yu smoothed out his hair and carefully tied it up with the cord he’d made.

Jers cooperated the whole time; where Tang Yu couldn’t see, his pitch-black eyes flickered. Being treated so gently by his own female—it was a quietly joyful thing.

Over the next two days, Jers, who usually kept to himself, suddenly took Tang Yu out wandering everywhere.

Su Yi ran into them several times, and Jers even went out of his way to greet him.

Su Yi, a little flattered and baffled, couldn’t figure out what had gotten into Jers—why was he suddenly so warm? He honestly wasn’t used to it. Only a few days later, when Mino dropped by, did Su Yi learn what was up.

According to intel from Mino—who’d heard it from Dilson, well known in the valley to be close with Jers—Tang Yu had given Jers a gift. With Dilson as the source, the info was basically ironclad.

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Chapter 70

Jers was soaked through, his long hair plastered obediently against his body by the rain. Seeing that wet mane made Tang Yu uncomfortable on his behalf. He hurried over, rose on his toes, and held the umbrella up for Jers. Amused though he was, Jers showed no expression as he took the umbrella.

“Hold on, I’ll tie your hair up,” Tang Yu said, pulling out the short knife Su Yi had given him. Then he dragged Jers around the valley to look for gulu-beasts. Their silk could be used as thread—something Tang Yu had learned from Mino not long ago.

They hadn’t gone far before Tang Yu found a gulu-beast. He took some silk from a tree and tugged Jers back to their cave.

Jers didn’t interrupt, simply watched as Tang Yu’s small hands worked quickly, deftly braiding the strands together. Soon the fine silk had been thickened several times over. Tang Yu rummaged up a handful of beast teeth from a corner, chose four pretty ones, then handed the knife to Jers.

“Here—help me drill the holes.” With Tang Yu’s strength, boring through teeth was a joke.

For Jers, of course, it was no problem.

Once the holes were done, Tang Yu threaded his braided cord through the teeth—two on each end, just right.

“Don’t move.” He stepped behind Jers, smoothed his hair, and tied it carefully with the new hair cord.

Jers cooperated the whole time. Out of Tang Yu’s sight, his dark eyes flickered. Being tended to so gently by his own female was, frankly, delightful.

Over the next two days, the aloof loner Jers suddenly took Tang Yu strolling everywhere.

Su Yi ran into them several times; Jers even made a point of coming over to greet him.

Su Yi, a little flattered and a lot baffled, had no idea what had gotten into Jers—this sudden warmth didn’t quite compute. He didn’t find out until a few days later when Mino dropped by.

According to Mino’s “intel,” Tang Yu had given Jers a present. Mino had it from Dilson; everyone in the valley knew Dilson and Jers were close. If Dilson said so, the intel was pretty much 100% solid.

People in the valley knew what kind of person Jers was: a bit lazy, rather proud and solitary.

Who’d have thought that once someone like that got lovestruck, he could be this cute? They say love knocks your IQ offline; apparently even someone like Jers could show a whole other side.

When Su Yi learned Tang Yu had given Jers a hair tie, he suddenly felt he ought to give Xinuo something too. It wasn’t about keeping up; Tang Yu’s gesture had simply nudged him.

So, on a rainy day, Su Yi went to gather gulu-beast silk as well.

Fiddly little accessories were not exactly his forte. More than once his clumsy hands ruined something right before it was finished. There were moments he wanted to chuck it all. But as soon as he pictured Xinuo wearing something he’d made, his resolve softened and he kept at it.

These couple of days, Xinuo took Dino and Little Yilai out hunting. Worried about running into migrating beasts during the rainy season, they didn’t go far from the valley. Getting the beastling used to blood early was how they grew. Su Yi had been uneasy at first, but reminded himself that overprotective fathers raise helpless sons, so he let them go.

That day, as usual, Xinuo took the kids out and brought them home in the afternoon—with two kills and a whole lot of Su Yi’s favorite vegetables.

Su Yi had just finished his gifts. Coming out and seeing the two little mud statues—only their eyes blinking bright through all that grime—he quickly heated water and dunked them both for a rinse.

Then he brewed three bowls of ginger tea and made them drink, finally relaxing a little.

He knew beastmen were hardy, but with little medicine here, better not to tempt illness.

He handed out his gifts to all three of them. The kids stared at their new necklaces, puzzled. “Mother-father, what is this?”

Su Yi demonstrated, smiling. “It’s called a necklace. You wear it around your neck.”

Then he took out the largest, most distinctive one and fastened it around Xinuo’s throat. This strand was threaded with teeth he’d pried from the silver-moon beast’s mouth. The creature was valuable all over; its teeth were tiny and pure white. It had taken Su Yi quite some effort to string them.

Xinuo’s skin was already pale; with a perfect white tooth-necklace, he took on a different kind of striking presence.

Su Yi had also made two horn combs—one for their washing area, and one to give Ian.

He’d always felt for Ian. Being an ill-omened beastman was unlucky enough; on top of that, Ian couldn’t transform.

For the partner’s gift, Xinuo’s face didn’t show much, but inside he was bubbling with sweetness. Near dusk, he and Dilson went over to help Jers.

Dilson had an odd feeling he couldn’t place. He could have sworn both Jers and Xinuo were… sparkling? He got so distracted while working he nearly dropped a stone on his foot—twice.

When full dark fell, Mino came to fetch him for dinner and found him a bit down. After some gentle prodding he learned the “problem”: not only did Jers have a fancy new hair tie, Xinuo had a handsome necklace too.

Dilson wasn’t jealous of the “feminine” trinkets—they were envious of partners who made gifts for them. To soothe his brooding, Mino knocked on Su Yi’s door late that night to learn how to make accessories.

The rain finally stopped the next day, and everyone rushed to hang meat and fish to dry.

House-building at Jers’s place resumed, and Tang Yu officially started firing pottery.

Su Yi hadn’t had high hopes at first, but within two days Tang Yu really had things looking proper.

He chose a cliff wall near his place and had Jers dig a big kiln. Su Yi didn’t wander over until Tang Yu began forming the clay bodies.

Truth be told, Tang Yu looked pretty professional doing it. Su Yi even tried making a few himself. They didn’t look as nice as Tang Yu’s, but at least they were made by his own hands.

The formed pieces needed to be air-dried. With the rainy season’s damp, that would take a while.

Su Yi didn’t have time to trot over daily, so he didn’t join in the later steps.

But just because Su Yi wasn’t involved didn’t mean the rest of the valley wasn’t. The natives of this “primitive continent” were curious and eager to learn all the new things.

Over these two days, Dilson finally got the gifts he’d hoped for. There were… a lot of them—but he was happy to wear them all at once.

Mino made him two bracelets, two necklaces, and several hair ties. He did so much at once so Dilson wouldn’t think he didn’t care. Dilson, for his part, wanted to show off his partner’s skill—and their “abundant” love—by piling it all on.

So, after Jers’s mysterious valley-strolling spree, the valley gained another spectacle: Dilson decked out like a festival tree. He insisted on wearing everything Mino made at the same time to flaunt his beloved’s devotion.

After accidentally catching sight of Dilson fully accessorized, Su Yi’s eyes “burned” for days. To scrub away the mental image of a big man with a “crossdressing kink,” he threw himself into work—namely, strengthening the valley’s defenses. For example: making weapons.

These would be primarily for the valley’s females and for Ian. He’d also make beastman-grade arms, but those required more careful choices of weight and material.

Given the size differences between beastmen and females, he made several kinds: spears, shields, axes, and bows/arrows.

Spears and shields were simpler than the latter two. After Su Yi made one set, others could copy the design. For females, the spear shafts would be much lighter, sized to their height and build.

Axes and bows were trickier. Axes could be made from special stone or bone. For bowstrings, he tested various animal sinews and settled on red-eye beast tendons. For the bow staves, he chose a kind of red bamboo—he told Xinuo what to look for, and Xinuo went out and found it.

Author’s Note:

Would it be okay to switch updates to the evening?

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Chapter 71

After a lot of back-and-forth, Su Yi finally produced his first bow and arrow.

Right around then, Tang Yu’s first batch of pottery also came out of the kiln.

They hadn’t seen each other in days. When Su Yi did see him, Tang Yu was noticeably thinner.

Su Yi knew Jers cared a lot about Tang Yu. He hadn’t expected Tang Yu to slim down under Jers’s nose.

With a teasing smile, he asked, “Huh? How can your Jers bear to work you this hard?”

Tang Yu yawned hugely and said weakly, “I’ll level with you. The main reason I’m this tired isn’t the pottery—it’s that Jers has a…special kink.”

Su Yi perked up. “What kind of kink?”

Tang Yu crooked a finger; Su Yi leaned in. In a conspiratorial whisper, Tang Yu said, “Every single night he has to, uh, feel me up. He still hasn’t gone all the way with me—but every night he insists on fondling his fill. I’m about to lose my mind.”

Su Yi was about to respond when a chill pricked the air. He glanced around and spotted a rather glacial face. Quick as a fox, he patted Tang Yu’s shoulder—and beat a hasty retreat.

Not that he was afraid of Jers; it was merely a strategic withdrawal. Plus, that was between the two of them; as an outsider, he wasn’t about to weigh in.

Tang Yu, too, sensed the cold front as Su Yi slipped away. He had the sudden urge to copy Su Yi’s oil-on-feet maneuver, but before he could lift a foot, a massive pressure rolled up behind him. He could swear he’d never felt anything like it. Aside from that ice-faced Jers, no one else radiated that kind of presence.

“Heh… Jers—you’re here too?” Tang Yu said, grinning weakly.

Jers’s chilly face softened with the tiniest curve of his lips at Tang Yu’s ingratiating look.

On someone like Jers, a cold beauty, that rare smile should have been a stunning thaw of a peak in spring. In Tang Yu’s eyes right now, though, it was more…horrifying than beautiful.

“Little one, you seem… dissatisfied with our nightly intimacy?” Jers asked, one arm around Tang Yu, those deep black eyes fixed on the person in his arms.

Tang Yu shook his head hard and almost raised his hand to swear by whatever beast god there was. “N-no dissatisfaction at all. I—I was just venting.”

Jers had no interest in wrangling words with a silver-tongued Tang Yu. He simply hoisted him over one shoulder. Dangling head-down, Tang Yu struggled instinctively. Jers, displeased, swatted his backside twice. Tang Yu immediately stopped wriggling. He’d been traumatized: every night Jers did as he pleased, and he was terrified that if he angered him, Jers would just… do it.

So he drooped and hummed pitifully as Jers carried him home.

With Su Yi’s weapons and Tang Yu’s pottery, the valley was bustling again.

With Tang Yu’s jars, Su Yi immediately salted some eggs and made a few spicy pickles. As a kid, he’d loved his grandma’s salted duck eggs—and had almost forgotten that taste.

He needed a lot of pottery, but had no time to make it himself, so he struck a deal with Tang Yu: weapons and food in exchange.

With that barter as precedent, Mino followed suit, trading herbs and hide clothing for Tang Yu’s pottery.

To avoid scrambling for clothes come snow season, Su Yi put in an order with Mino—paid in weapons—for several outfits for the kids. If all went as expected, Little Yilai ought to be able to take human form this winter. Su Yi planned to make more clothes himself too—one set for each of the four in their family.

By the time Tang Yu’s second batch of pottery came out, his house was ready for its roof. Xinuo had been helping a lot, so completion wasn’t far off.

Three days later, the winged leopard clan arrived at the valley as promised. Jers’s new house was also finished—perfectly.

They brought two females and four beastmen.

The two females were both young—one chirpy and talkative, the other docile. Of the four beastmen, besides Ed and Tiger, the other two were familiar faces: the pair who’d been with Ed the first time Su Yi and Xinuo met the winged leopards.

This wasn’t Tiger’s first visit; he greeted everyone warmly.

With his new house done, Jers hadn’t moved back in with Ian and the others, so Ian’s place had a spare room. The two winged leopard females were settled there. The four beastmen were hardy, so they made do in the valley’s caves.

On their first look around, the two females were thrilled. The valley was beautiful; though sparsely populated, it had neat houses and carefully tilled fields.

“House,” “field,”—these were words they’d learned from the valley folk.

Su Yi’s home was the biggest—taller and sturdier than the rest. Mino’s was smaller but exquisite—the kind females usually adored—its yard fenced off with a little flower bed full of blooms. Then there was Tang Yu’s, with the largest yard—because he’d fenced the pottery kiln into it.

After the grand tour, the two females happily headed to Mino’s to ask how to make a home prettier—as if they already had one of their own.

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Chapter 72

Watching the pair for a bit, Su Yi decided they were much better than certain females they’d met before.

Relieved, he went to Tang Yu’s to make clay bodies. Tang Yu’s earlier runs had mostly been jars and bowls. Su Yi wanted cups and small bottles and jars for ingredients.

When he arrived, Tang Yu was forming a water ewer modeled after an ancient style—small and very elegant.

“Practice makes perfect, huh?”

Tang Yu glanced up. “Captain Su, why aren’t you tagging along with those winged leopards?”

“What for?”

“Aren’t you afraid they’ll stir something up again?” Tang Yu chuckled, hands still working.

Su Yi joined him at the table and only answered after a while. “The two females are fine. If they’re fine, the rest should be fine.”

Since Su Yi said so, Tang Yu lost interest in fretting.

They chatted idly as they worked. Su Yi soon had a few plates, some little cups, and several small ingredient jars.

That day he used the jars to cook soups—three kinds: a fruit sweet soup, a minced meat and mushroom soup, and a meat-and-vegetable soup.

The fruit soup was for Tang Yu; he said he hadn’t had a sweet soup in ages. Su Yi made it to thank him for all the pottery.

He’d planned to pay with weapons, but in the end Tang Yu only asked for two bows and a spear.

By now Tang Yu had given Su Yi close to twenty pieces, and with the seven or eight today, Su Yi felt like he was getting the better end.

He needn’t have worried; Tang Yu didn’t feel taken advantage of at all.

The winged leopards’ main purpose was to learn how to build warm, comfortable houses. The best way to teach was to build one together. Su Yi thought it over and decided they should help Ian build his.

In his view, Jero and Taylor were beastmen with the ability to fend for themselves. Ian was different: sturdier than a female, yes, but not as strong as a typical beastman. If he had to build on his own with those skinny arms and legs, who knew how long it would take?

He also had a selfish motive—and no one in the valley called him on it.

Ian lived alone and couldn’t transform; living by himself was dangerous if trouble came. Su Yi still wanted him to have his own home, though, so they decided to build it near Taylor’s.

Beastmen’s noses and ears were sharp; if danger ever came, Taylor and Jero would be close enough to watch over him.

Dilson acted as foreman for this build, directing the winged leopards. Mino taught their females how to use salt and preserve food.

Thanks to Mino’s stellar performance, most of the winged leopards’ tribute game went to his household.

Su Yi only asked for what he wanted most: salt. He had plenty in his space, but didn’t feel like trekking out for more later.

Tang Yu did not teach the winged leopards the skilled work of firing pottery. Handing over everything for a bit of barter wasn’t worth it. He planned to sell them finished pottery long-term instead.

Back in the original world, the Tang family were born traders. Tang Yu’s knack for the numbers was probably in his blood.

Su Yi had no objection.

This way, Tang Yu would have reasons to come and go between the valley and the winged leopards’ tribe. Over time, they’d gradually accept the valley; some might even move here.

Su Yi had imagined relocations might happen someday; what he hadn’t expected was that on the third day of the winged leopards’ visit—

A few strangers appeared outside the valley.

Still pre-dawn, Su Yi was carried out by Xinuo. Drowsy and limp, he let Xinuo wrap him in a quilt and haul him along.

The people outside belonged to a small tribe nearby. Like the winged leopards, they’d been attacked by roaming beastmen.

What were roaming beastmen? Simply put: beastmen who’d lost their tribe or been banished for crimes—sometimes including ill-omened beastmen.

With no home, they drifted. In the rainy and snowy seasons, to survive, they often raided small tribes—stealing food and kidnapping females.

The group at the valley mouth had just come through such a raid. Their leader explained their tribe numbered only a bit over fifty—tiny by this continent’s standards. They’d once had a few hundred, but repeated beast herd attacks had whittled them down over the years.

They’d meant to seek help from the winged leopards, but many fell ill before they got that far. Looking for a place to rest, they stumbled on the valley.

Su Yi listened with ears perked and eyes stubbornly shut.

Since Su Yi said nothing, Xinuo spoke. “How many of you are left?”

Their leader reported the number, and Xinuo frowned. Nearly forty. If the valley accepted that many at once, problems were inevitable.

“You can rest outside the valley, but we can’t accept you lightly,” Xinuo said. One of them bristled.

“As expected—can’t expect ill-omened beastmen to have any kindness,” the man muttered.

Their leader frowned—whether at his tribesman’s words or Xinuo’s coolness, hard to say. He was about to speak when a beast’s roar rolled from the sky. He whipped around to look up. Several beastmen of mixed species were speeding toward them—among them, one particularly eye-catching form: a breathtaking nine-tailed snow fox.

Su Yi had been intent on dozing, but the gasps around him made him crack an irritated eye—

And there, before him, stood a creature he’d only ever seen in Chinese myth back in the original world, now strolling into view like it belonged.

Author’s Note:

Su Yi won’t lay eggs first—Tang Yu will be the one to lay a dragon egg.

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# Chapter 73

Su Yi stared for quite a while before finally pointing at the fox slowly descending from the sky. “A nine-tailed fox spirit!”

And when that “nine-tailed fox” shifted into human form, Su Yi’s shock only grew. Not because the fox was overwhelmingly seductive, but because—just like his Xinoel—he was white from head to toe. If there was any difference, it was the fox’s eyes: a deep, blood-red, like some Western vampire wearing red contacts.

Those foreign beastmen, upon seeing the fox, all showed expressions of reverence and awe.

Even their leader couldn’t help bending slightly at the waist when he saw the fox.

This peculiar show of deference made Su Yi even more curious about the fox. Because of that curiosity, he couldn’t help stealing a couple extra glances. And in just those two glances, the Xinoel holding him suddenly got unhappy.

Xinoel being unhappy didn’t mean he’d make a noisy scene like Dilson, nor ice over like Jers—but the consequences were still serious. Because while Su Yi was staring, starry-eyed, at the fox, the arms holding him simply… let go.

And so, in Xinoel’s eyes, his “dazed and lovestruck” mate toppled to the ground with a solid, undeniable thud.

Su Yi scrambled out of the blanket, too pressed for time to care about saving face in public, and hurried off after his suddenly tsundere, sulking Xinoel.

With Su Yi and Xinoel gone, the rest were left gaping.

In the valley, the big decisions were generally made by Su Yi’s household. Now that Su Yi had dropped everything to go deal with a domestic spat, the folks in the valley could only look at one another. In the end, Jero went to fetch Jers, intending to dump the matter on him.

Jers arrived with a face like mid-winter frost. The outlanders, seeing his expression, suddenly felt that the couple from earlier had actually been quite kind. They hadn’t appreciated it then, and now—faced with a dragon with an overwhelming racial advantage, and clearly not a soft temper—their hearts started to pound.

“What’s the commotion?” Jers lifted his eyes toward the outlanders, and a chill ran through them from head to toe.

Since none of the others dared speak, it was the fox—white from head to toe—who opened his mouth.

He was breathtakingly beautiful; those long, narrow fox eyes met Jers’s gaze neither humbly nor arrogantly.

“I’m not from their tribe,” the fox said evenly, “but I can vouch for them. They’re kind-hearted folk and would never steal someone else’s nest.” With one sentence he named the valley’s worry.

Jero showed a flicker of surprise. In his experience, ordinary beastmen instinctively felt fear when facing Jers. The outlanders behind the fox were showing exactly that faint terror. But this fox didn’t; he could look Jers straight in the eye?

Jero frowned slightly. “On what grounds do you vouch? By your own admission, you’re not of their tribe. How can you guarantee them?”

The fox curved his lips in a faint smile—so light it nonetheless gave the illusion of enchantment. His eyes brimmed with confidence, even arrogance.

“I couldn’t have guaranteed them before. But now it’s different—wouldn’t you say?” His last words were directed at Jers. Jers, mildly impatient, drew his body back a fraction to avoid the hand the fox suddenly extended.

Among the outlanders, one quick-witted fellow ventured, “Lie—do you know this dragon?”

So the nine-tailed fox’s name was Lie. The person and the name didn’t match at all. If Tang Yu were here, he’d mutter that a face like that should be called “Beauty,” not something as cutting as “Lie.”

Lie narrowed those ruby eyes, snow-white lashes half-veiling the fine pupils—like a fiery gem wrapped in winter snow at first glance.

“What’s this—just a few years apart and you’re acting like strangers?”

Jers slanted him a look. “You. Come.”

Two words, and everyone in the valley understood that the fox did, in fact, know Jers.

“You come” carried a lot of meaning: Lie could follow him in, but no one else would; the tone allowed no argument.

So the outsiders stayed at the valley’s mouth to rest, and only Lie entered with the valley folk.

As for Su Yi—he trailed after his suddenly tsundere Xinoel.

Xinoel didn’t quite know what had gotten into him either. Was this really the man who had held Su Yi and promised to always trust him? Su Yi had only looked twice at someone else—why did his chest feel so tight?

Su Yi had no shoes on; after just a few steps, the stones split his soles.

Up ahead, Xinoel suddenly caught the scent of blood, turned at once, and hurried back.

He found Su Yi standing on one foot, both hands lifting the other to check the sole. Before Su Yi had come, Mirel often went barefoot and never cut himself. Maybe wearing shoes lately had pampered his feet; he’d barely walked any distance and already torn the skin.

Xinoel crouched and examined the wound; seeing it wasn’t deep, he relaxed slightly.

He scooped Su Yi up with one arm. Su Yi looped his arms around Xinoel’s neck and chuckled softly. “I was only staring because I was surprised he’s white all over like you.”

Xinoel carried him toward the big river to wash the cut, and answered with a low “mm.” It was faint, but Su Yi could hear the sulkiness in it. His heart gave a little tremor; he clasped Xinoel’s neck and kissed his thin lips.

Xinoel’s eyes quivered, and he said, “I know. I trust you.”

But even if he knew Su Yi hadn’t meant anything by looking, his chest still twisted uncomfortably. And he’d dropped his own female—that’s not something a good beastman does.

The forest was growing light. Because it was the rainy season, fog lay thick, and as day brightened the lush treetops were haloed with a fine mist—like everything had been overlaid with frosted glass, turning the scene softly blurred and strangely beautiful.

Xinoel washed the cut clean, gazed at Su Yi’s sole with aching tenderness—and, as if compelled, lowered his head and kissed it.

Su Yi had been idly toying with Xinoel’s hair. Startled by the move, he gave an involuntary tug. Xinoel didn’t seem to feel it. He raised his head slightly; they looked straight at each other, and his pupils shifted into a beast’s vertical slits. Naked love and possessiveness shone there. Su Yi rarely saw emotion so intense in Xinoel’s eyes; for a moment he could only stare back, foolishly.

As far as Su Yi was concerned, he and Xinoel were an old married couple. Whatever should or shouldn’t be done, could or couldn’t be done—they’d done it all. He might be thick-skinned and rough, but he was the one who sometimes dragged Xinoel off to “ahem ahem” first.

Yet now—who knew why—his heart was hammering under Xinoel’s gaze. Those cool hands rose to his ankle and he reflexively leaned back. If Xinoel hadn’t been quick, he would’ve toppled straight into the water.

Xinoel pulled him in, held him tight, and, eyeing Su Yi’s pink ears, bent to bite them with a hint of ferocity.

Xinoel had never had parents to teach him, and didn’t realize a beastman’s possessiveness toward his mate was the most normal thing in the world. He felt torn—disliking this petty version of himself even as he wanted to crush Su Yi to his chest and make him understand who his partner was.

> Author’s note: *grab*

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# Chapter 74

Holding Su Yi, Xinoel sank with him, inch by inch, into the river. This was the same river that ran through the valley—slow-moving, crystal clear; sometimes you could even see tiny fish darting along the bottom.

By now the rainy season was well underway. The weather was cooling; the humid heat was gone. Lying in the water, Su Yi tipped his head back with a helpless face.

Sigh—was he getting a little too used to local customs?

Back then, though he was a bit of a rogue, he absolutely wasn’t the type to start acting like a rutting beast anywhere, anytime.

He wanted to cover his face and weep—in fact, he did, halfway, before Xinoel pried his hands away.

Xinoel in heat was truly devastating.

Meeting those eyes—eyes that had bewitched him a thousand times—Su Yi shamelessly leaned in first.

Before, they always preferred the deep of night, by flickering firelight.

Then, what he saw was a beauty in lamplight.

But now, he saw Xinoel in daylight—every feature crystalline clear.

His eyes dazzled like diamonds. Seeing his own reflection there, Su Yi suddenly felt he looked good too.

They rested their foreheads together, close enough to share breath.

Su Yi loved this easy quiet, and the way Xinoel stayed still and simply looked at him.

Humans shouldn’t be spoiled—but once someone loves you and cherishes you, you do grow soft.

The old Su Yi would never have had his pulse race and mind scatter at a man’s gaze. His heart was rock. Even at death’s door, he’d shown no fear.

But now, it was different. Take his split sole: Xinoel turned back, lifted him, washed the wound—and Su Yi felt both wronged and absurdly pampered.

“Su Yi, let’s have a child.” Xinoel dropped the line out of nowhere; Su Yi jumped, thinking he’d misheard.

“Don’t we already have two?” Meaning: that’s plenty, isn’t it?

Xinoel caught the flash of resistance on Su Yi’s face. Did Su Yi not want to carry their baby? The thought made his pupils constrict.

“I want to see you carrying my child.”

Su Yi truly didn’t want to. If he hadn’t spent nearly thirty years in his old world with its cultural norms… If he were just another ordinary female here, he’d gladly have Xinoel’s baby.

But he wasn’t. He was a 21st-century police officer with a modern education.

Just picturing his belly swelling made the veins pop on his forehead.

“…Okay.” But when he opened his mouth, that’s what came out.

Because he didn’t want Xinoel hurt—not even by an offhand word. He’d rather lie and make Xinoel happy.

They didn’t, in the end, “successfully” have an outdoor romp. With so many outlanders outside the valley, Xinoel refused to let anyone see Su Yi.

Nor did they hurry back. Since they were out, Su Yi decided to get some exercise and snag some game.

Inside the valley, Jers returned with Lie.

All the females—valley natives and wing-leopard visitors alike—were stunned by Lie’s beauty.

This was the beastman continent, but the love of beauty never changes in any world.

Tang Yu knew Jero had taken Jers away. He waited at home a long time, and, not knowing what was happening, grew worried.

Unable to sleep, he dressed and went out.

When he drifted past the site for Ian’s new house, he saw a snow-white figure walking beside Jers in the distance.

Jers was a man of few outward emotions; even living with him day after day, Tang Yu rarely saw a smile.

Now, catching the curve of an unguarded smile, Tang Yu couldn’t process it.

The white one leaned in somewhat intimately; Jers neither drew back nor scowled.

Tang Yu was dumbfounded. He’d never gotten treatment like that.

Jers rarely smiled at him at all.

He thought back to the way Jers had reacted to his approaches at the start—so sensitively—and jealousy surged. The more he watched the two interact, the stronger it got.

The wing-leopard tribe’s two females trailed behind. In their eyes, both Jers and this new “Lie” were outstanding.

But since Jers already had a mate, they wouldn’t intrude.

Now, with Lie appearing, the females’ attention shifted at once.

Lie wasn’t like most beastmen—big, broad, and burly. He was more Ian-like in build: between “beastman” and “female,” though only slightly shorter than Jers.

His face, too, was somewhat Ian-like—one that drew the eye and held it.

The difference was that, though Lie was beautiful, his gaze was edged—like a blade half-drawn.

Tang Yu snorted, deliberately kicked a stone, and made a great clatter—hoping to draw Jers’s attention.

But sharp-eyed as Jers usually was, today he never looked Tang Yu’s way.

Tang Yu wanted to storm off—but after a few steps he couldn’t resist glancing back.

Seeing the white one lean in to whisper to Jers yet again, Tang Yu ground his teeth. “Talk, talk, talk—do you have to be that close?”

He found another stone—bigger—and aimed a kick.

He was still a bit of a kid. He didn’t have Su Yi’s steadiness; he did what he thought without thinking of anything else.

He’d timed the kick for the white one, but without even looking, Lie tilted aside and let it pass.

Before Tang Yu could work himself up, he realized he’d made trouble.

Because the stone sailed straight toward a wing-leopard female.

Tang Yu knew exactly how much force he’d used. If it hit, it’d hurt. His own booted foot was aching from the impact.

The one struck was the gentler of the two. He didn’t scream—just let out a small grunt.

> Author’s note: Apparently didn’t post? Try again!

---

# Chapter 75

Knowing he’d messed up, Tang Yu rushed over to help. As he neared, Jers gave him a single look—and Tang Yu’s heart stuttered.

He opened his mouth to apologize, but before he could speak, the injured female said, “I’m fine, really.”

He’d even seen Tang Yu’s panic—and comforted him instead? Tang Yu was stunned. He’d have preferred scolding and a beating. This soft forbearance only made Tang Yu look more thoughtless.

Lie gave Jers a meaningful glance, then looked at Tang Yu. If Tang Yu hadn’t been scented with Jers’s smell, he’d never have believed Jers would take a mate.

As Lie remembered him, Jers was extremely picky about lovers. Back then, when a female in Lie’s tribe offered herself, Jers hadn’t spared her a glance.

He never expected Jers’s mate to be such an ordinary little female.

The gentle wing-leopard female was named Jimmy, famed in his tribe for a good temper. Though he said he was fine, his leg began swelling at once. His companion Tata was the blunt type; seeing his friend hurt, he flared at Tang Yu.

“What’s wrong with you? You hit someone and don’t even apologize?”

Knowing he was at fault, Tang Yu hurried, “I’m sorry. I—I was wrong.”

He reached to help Jimmy, but Tata shoved him aside. He’d shoved with anger behind it, too, so the force wasn’t light. Tang Yu staggered back, but he couldn’t be mad. Anyone would be upset if a friend was struck for nothing.

Tata looked to Lie, hoping he’d carry Jimmy back.

The injury wasn’t severe, but females raised in big tribes were pampered. They rarely did rough work, let alone got hurt.

Now that his friend was suffering, Tata naturally wanted a beastman to take care of him.

Lie, however, clearly didn’t plan to cooperate. He neatly avoided Tata’s gaze and walked away, cool as ice.

At the moment, everyone else was busy. Only Jers was left.

Tata felt awkward, but couldn’t bear to have Jimmy hobble back. So he asked, “Jers, could we trouble you to carry Jimmy?”

He was nervous. It was a bit much to ask—especially in front of Jers’s mate.

Jers looked at Tang Yu, wanting to hear his answer.

He’d noticed Tang Yu earlier when he returned with Lie. He’d told Lie that Tang Yu was his mate, and Lie had deliberately tested him—acting close to see if the little female would get jealous.

Jers had wanted to see exactly that. It had been over a month since they confirmed things, but they were still in a “under the covers, hands only” phase.

He was starting to wonder if Tang Yu really liked him.

Of course, that was just idle thought. In his heart, he remembered: Tang Yu had chased him first.

In the end, Jers carried Jimmy—because Tang Yu agreed to Tata’s request and even forced a magnanimous face, telling Jers to take good care of him.

A crack appeared in Jers’s confidence, and widened as Tang Yu turned and left.

He lifted Jimmy and started walking. They were quite close to Taylor’s place, but Tata insisted he take Jimmy to Mino to have a look, so Jers carried him halfway around the valley.

On the way they ran into Jero, Dilson, and Ed.

Dilson reacted the strongest. He strode up, furious. “Jers, what are you doing?”

Among beastmen, taking a mate meant no more playing the field; it was shameful.

Jers was calm. “Tang Yu asked me to.”

Dilson gaped. Tang Yu?

Tata, worried people would think Jimmy was a scheming female, rushed to explain. “Yes, he asked him himself! If he hadn’t hurt Jimmy’s leg, we wouldn’t have asked.”

Dilson was dumbfounded. Tang Yu asked him? What a farce.

Jimmy wriggled free from Jers’s arms, face flushing. “It—it was an accident. I—I can walk.”

After the coming snow season he’d be an adult. Before, aside from his brother and beast-father, no beastman had ever carried him.

Being held like that by Jers had mortified him. And Tata had insisted on making it a big deal.

Feeling his friend’s reproachful gaze, Tata hurried to support him.

“Jers, are you and that Tang Yu fully bonded?” Tata asked, eyeing Jers’s handsome face. He was Jimmy’s good friend; a single glance told him Jimmy’s thoughts.

Jimmy clearly liked Jers’s type. That was why—knowing Jers had a mate—he’d still allowed himself to be carried.

“Not yet,” Jers said, coolly—and felt a stab of irritation.

“Fully bonded” meant completing the true mate ceremony. Unlucky beastmen had no priests or shamans, so they couldn’t hold a proper rite. But Tata wasn’t asking about a rite—he meant: had they actually consummated it?

They hadn’t. Any beastman could smell it. Truly mated partners carried each other’s scents strongly.

On Jers, there was only a faint whiff of Tang Yu.

So for those not yet truly mated, admirers could chase them openly. Once bonded, a third party was forbidden—beast-god taboo.

Hearing that, a spark lit in both Tata and Jimmy’s eyes. Tata nudged his friend. “Jimmy, Jimmy—what a chance!”

Dilson’s face darkened. He shot a glare at detached-as-ever Jers—he stirs up trouble, then stands aside like it’s none of his business.

Jimmy flushed scarlet. It was the first time he’d ever liked a beastman; he felt utterly unconfident. And the one he liked was not only exceptional, but someone else’s would-be mate.

But to give up… he couldn’t.

“Jers, c-could you consider…” It had taken all Jimmy’s courage to start the sentence.

Before he could finish, Jers said, “Sorry. I don’t like you.”

Jimmy blinked. The hope still clinging to his heart shattered at a blunt, merciless refusal.

> Author’s note:

> Who’s Lie’s pairing? A sickly, wicked seme—okay?

> This CP won’t get much space in the main text; extras are already drafted. After the main story finishes, there’ll be side stories for Mino & Dilson and for this pair.

---

# Chapter 76

Jers ignored the two females’ expressions and turned to head back the way he’d come. He hadn’t gone far when Dilson blocked his path.

Dilson’s face was grim—like he was about to call Jers to account.

Jers lifted cool eyes to him, clearly waiting to see what he’d do. After a long pause, Dilson said only:

“Mates are meant to be cherished. If you ever hurt him, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.” With that, he didn’t bother to waste more time.

Jers froze a moment. He hadn’t expected the usually slow-witted Dilson to say that. Of course he understood; he’d only wanted to provoke Tang Yu a bit.

Provocation—well, it had worked.

But the effect wasn’t what he’d hoped.

Elsewhere, Su Yi and Xinoel passed by Ian’s construction site on their way back. Seeing Ian and Tang Yu, Su Yi went over to say hello.

“Many hands really do make light work,” he said, eyeing the house taking shape.

Ian didn’t reply. He was studying Tang Yu. Only then did Su Yi sense something was off.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping to Tang Yu’s side. Tang Yu gave a wry smile; for once the chatterbox was quiet.

Since Tang Yu wasn’t speaking, Ian answered. He was no smooth talker; when Su Yi first met him, Ian’s affect had been rather off.

Now, though much better and smiling more, he still wasn’t talkative. The picture that emerged from his few words was sparse.

Su Yi had to fill in the details himself—and when he heard that Tang Yu had told Jers to carry someone away, he was speechless.

“So… do you like Jers or not?” he asked, straight to the point.

Tang Yu’s eyes went wide. “If I didn’t like him, why would I live with him?”

“If you like him, be forthright.” Su Yi shoved him lightly. Tang Yu stumbled.

He twisted, ready to snap back—then felt someone catch him.

He turned to see Jers’s wintry face and suddenly lost his bearings.

Jers shot Su Yi a look, as if warning him to go easy next time. Su Yi pretended not to see, grinning and chatting with Ian.

Tang Yu, scowling, let Jers haul him off.

First Jers grabbed him by the collar; then he carried him; then he simply slung him over a shoulder.

Back home, he produced—like a magician—a courtyard piled with hides. Tang Yu had planned to sulk, but one glance at hundreds of pelts and he forgot about anger.

“Where did all these come from?” he asked, excited.

Jers narrowed his eyes and said nothing, watching Tang Yu thoughtfully.

“Obviously they’re my grand gift to you. With Jers’s personality, do you think he’d obediently stockpile this many hides?” said a voice.

Tang Yu followed it and found that snow-white fox standing at their gate.

Tang Yu instinctively rejected him. Even knowing this was a beastman, he couldn’t help being on guard.

Jers gave Lie a barely visible shake of the head, signaling him not to provoke Tang Yu further.

Lie lifted his shoulders, slid Tang Yu a sidelong glance from those beautiful red eyes, and waved as he turned away.

“Friends?” Tang Yu had no heart left for the hides, and headed for the room with a frown.

“Met before. Don’t get along.” Jers’s answer didn’t satisfy him. Not get along—and he sends you a mountain of hides?

Tell it to a ghost.

Sensing Tang Yu’s displeasure, Jers slipped an arm around his waist and—effortlessly—lifted him up.

Tang Yu yelped and tried to tell him to put him down—only to find himself flipped and gathered tight in Jers’s arms.

“What are you doing?” He pushed, but Jers stood like a mountain. Knowing resistance was useless, he huffed, “Fine, do whatever you want.” It came out hot and unwilling; to Jers’s ears, it was sulky acquiescence.

Jers dipped his head and brushed the tip of his nose against Tang Yu’s. Tang Yu feared this sort of cheek-to-cheek intimacy the most; it gave the illusion they were head-over-heels.

He lifted his eyes to Jers; with the twin tear moles beneath, they looked like actual tears, and Jers’s heart clenched.

“Tang Yu, if you like me, why push me away?” Jers said with certainty, those ink-dark eyes fixed on him. Under that gaze, Tang Yu always felt like he might be swallowed up.

“Who says I like you?” he snorted. His mouth blustered while his body leaned closer.

Seeing Tang Yu burrow in of his own accord, a tiny smile flickered in Jers’s eyes.

Just then, rain began to pour outside. Tang Yu shoved his face away and sprinted out to rescue the things in the yard.

Jers rose, helplessly amused, and helped carry things in while watching Tang Yu flail around.

When everything was stowed, Tang Yu swiped rain from his forehead. “Whew, just in time.”

“Just in time for what?” Jers swung the door shut and pinned Tang Yu against it.

This time, Tang Yu was smart enough not to struggle pointlessly, and let Jers kiss him a few times.

Jers brushed a reward across his lips. Before, their intimacy had mostly been Jers bullying Tang Yu; they rarely kissed, and if so only lightly.

This time, who knew why—but when their lips met, Tang Yu hooked his arms around Jers’s neck and slipped his tongue between his teeth.

Jers’s dark eyes opened slowly, shimmered once, and he caught Tang Yu’s lips with a rough bite.

Tang Yu winced and tried to turn his head; the pain nagged.

No matter how he twisted, Jers pressed him firm and deepened the kiss.

Outside, sheets of rain washed the valley clean.

Su Yi and Xinoel were occupied housing the outlanders. Thankfully they hadn’t come in overwhelming numbers; spread among the valley caves, they could just fit.

> Author’s note:

> I’ve been ill lately; family wouldn’t let me use my computer. Wrote this chapter on the sly. Once I’m better, no more missed updates.

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# Chapter 77

At noon the next day, the outlanders rushed into the valley carrying a child. Su Yi was ready to scold them—then saw the child and understood why they’d barged in.

He hadn’t seen this little one yesterday; he’d probably been sent later.

The child looked four or five, clutched tight in a beastman’s arms, blazing with fever—skin burning, face flushed. One look said it: fever.

From Su Yi’s experience, both grown and young beastmen were sturdy; they didn’t fall ill easily.

For this child to be sick now, outside of snow season, spoke volumes about what he’d suffered—fright, hunger, strain, and then, probably, a soaking in the rain.

Su Yi didn’t make things hard. He waved them toward Mino’s house.

Afterward, Taylor gathered the valley folk to discuss what to do.

Frankly, accepting a sudden influx of outlanders was tricky.

Handled badly, the valley would become theirs—not by open seizure, but by numbers. Their habits could overwhelm the valley’s, not the other way around.

Taylor swept the circle and said, weighty, “I think we can accept them—but we need a chieftain.”

That role would be pivotal.

It had to be someone who could command and lead. As soon as Taylor spoke, Su Yi’s first thought was Jers.

In a primitive setting, preaching reason to primitives won’t do.

With his born “tall-rich-handsome” advantages, Jers carried a natural king’s air. Lazy at times, yes—but absolutely able to hold the line. If he said “one,” no outlander would dare say “two.”

Just as Su Yi was about to point a finger at him, Tang Yu—tucked beside Jers—raised his hand like an eager schoolboy.

“Um, I actually think Lie would be great.”

No one expected Tang Yu to propose an outsider; all eyes turned to him.

When he’d heard “chieftain,” Tang Yu had known Su Yi would push Jers. But for personal reasons, he didn’t want that. Locking Jers into that job would make their future anything but peaceful.

To keep Jers out of it, he blurted Lie’s name. Whether out of antipathy to a potential rival or genuine belief in Lie’s suitability—either way, that’s what he said.

“I agree,” Jers added. “Lie and I knew each other before, and those outlanders clearly trust him.”

It was rare for Jers to explain anything so earnestly.

Hearing Jers back Lie, Tang Yu shot him a glare and muttered under his breath.

No one else heard, but Jers did—perfectly.

He narrowed his eyes and tugged Tang Yu closer. Tang Yu blushed scarlet, glared up at him, and—recalling last night—felt his heart skip.

Su Yi couldn’t watch anymore. He frowned. “Jers, you knew this Lie before?”

Jers gave him a look and, in his usual terse way, sketched their past encounter. It was vague, but Su Yi could imagine enough had happened.

With Jers so certain, the others held their tongues. Lie, quite inexplicably, became the valley’s provisional chieftain.

As for Lie himself—when he heard, he first shot Jers an exasperated look, and then found it too late to dodge.

The outlanders wouldn’t object. To them, Lie was the savior of their tribe.

With him leading, they’d accept far faster than with anyone else.

The valley got noisy with so many newcomers.

Their former tribe had been small. Unlike the larger ones, they’d never lived strictly by race, so they were already mixed.

Now, two little beastmen sprinted past—one a bear cub, one a wolf pup.

They played a while, then spotted Dino and little Eli and stopped.

Eli hadn’t shifted yet, so he was just a white little snake—nothing special. Dino, though, drew their interest.

His forearms bore the markings seen only on beast forms—the sign of the Unlucky.

Their families had warned them not to get too close to valley folk.

Though the valley had saved them, most ordinary people still feared and disliked Unlucky beastmen.

Eli was playing ball. He loved balls nearly as much as his favorite foods.

Sensing eyes on them, Dino looked over. The two little ones glanced away and tried to skirt him—only to be distracted by Eli’s toy.

They inched closer, carefully avoiding Dino. It made Dino uncomfortable; he edged away, unhappy.

At midday, coming to collect the boys, Su Yi found Dino sitting alone while Eli and the others were tangled in play.

Eli had never had many playmates. All at once, with two new friends, he was thrilled—chasing and squeaking in a voice much higher than usual.

Su Yi called them and told Eli to invite the two to eat at their place.

If they were to live together, he wanted to chip away at prejudice. He couldn’t fix it all, but children were easiest to reach.

At Su Yi’s house, the two were struck dumb by the beautiful home—the light, the solid build, the cozy touches.

What seized them most, though, was the smell—mouthwatering aromas that had them swallowing hard.

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# Chapter 78

Su Yi deliberately let the boys breathe the scents a while longer, and only when their mouths were nearly watering did he have Dino bring out two honey-glazed roast legs for them.

Because Dino handed them over, the boys warmed to him despite themselves.

As they ate, they realized not only was the food delicious, even the things holding it were special. At Su Yi’s nod, Dino taught them to use bowls and chopsticks. Children’s hearts are simple; after a few kindnesses, their guard fell away.

Su Yi hoped small impressions would ripple outward, helping the newcomers adapt sooner.

On Lie’s third day as chieftain, the wing-leopard folk departed. They’d learned most of what they’d come for—though not Su Yi’s weapons-making or Tang Yu’s pottery. Those two skills Su Yi meant to use later for trade.

Once the wing-leopards left, Lie held his first formal gathering.

Aside from the valley natives, it was all outlanders—though now, they were one tribe.

Lie was beautiful enough that even silent in a crowd, he drew every eye. Because of what he’d done for them, the outlanders’ respect had become fervent devotion.

His beast form was a nine-tailed snow fox like those in games and novels. His eyes were red as gems; the corners tilted up with a wicked charm.

Everyone waited for him to speak. Lie glanced at Su Yi and said softly, “To be honest, I’m not the best choice as chieftain.”

A buzz rose at once, mostly from the newcomers. They were perfectly happy with Lie as chief.

Su Yi blinked. Xinoel murmured at his side, “You’re the best choice. Jers called you his friend, didn’t he? If Jers trusts you, and they believe in you, you’re the right one—no need to demur.”

Lie smiled inside. He hadn’t truly meant to refuse—he’d wanted to hear exactly that.

With endorsement from the valley, his position became even more natural.

Xinoel’s eyes were sharp on Lie. He didn’t know him, and had it not been for Jers’s guarantee, he wouldn’t trust him.

Lie was simply too pretty—didn’t look like a leader at all. In beastman thinking, a chief should be someone fearsome, like Jers.

And yet Jers had said Lie was formidable.

Formidable?

A beastman who looked like a beautiful female—and Jers called him formidable.

They were puzzled, but had to believe Jers. He wasn’t a liar.

After Xinoel spoke, the outlanders began to echo their support.

A glint of cunning passed through Lie’s ruby eyes. “Since I’m chieftain, I hope both valley folk and newcomers will live in harmony. I helped you from the same good will the valley folk did. I won’t tolerate anyone deliberately ostracizing others, and I won’t tolerate any disrespect toward Unlucky beastmen. You should know my temperament by now.”

A chill flashed in his eyes. On that face, it didn’t clash; it added a strange allure.

No one dared dissent, so he continued: “You’ve likely noticed most people here are Unlucky. I know many of you fear and dislike them. I used to think the same—until one day I met my best friend, Jers…”

He paused and looked over at Jers. He’d meant for Jers to chime in, but found him instead cradling his lover, whispering intimately.

Head bent, Jers wore a shadow of a smile; his black eyes were soft with indulgence.

Tang Yu was murmuring something, voice low, face flickering with mock anger.

Lie sighed. One reason Jers had nominated him, clearly, was he didn’t want to spend time building and managing a tribe. And that Su Yi—he’d neatly removed his own partner, Xinoel, from contention as well.

Lie felt helpless—but he also understood. With outlanders making up the majority, installing a native as chief could backfire.

Picture it: Jers as chieftain orders drills and defenses built; some would balk. Jers could suppress them by force—becoming a tyrant.

History (in Su Yi’s old world) has plenty of tyrants, and their ends are seldom good.

A tribe needs the right leader and a harmonious team to grow strong.

Lie had already spent time among the outlanders—and in their hearts, he’d saved them.

So his strength was real, and he could command belief. That was one reason Jers agreed.

“We’ll follow you, Lie. We’re happy to have you as our head,” a beastman called.

With that lead, others chimed in:

“Yeah, Lie—we trust you.”

“That’s right! You’re the bravest I know.”

…

Su Yi’s eyes flickered. He glanced—meaningfully—at Jers. Feeling the look, Jers sighed and finally spoke.

“I have something to add.” His voice fell, and the field fell silent at once—like someone had hit a mute button. You could hear people breathing.

“Lie is chieftain,” he said evenly. “But this is our home. Whatever you do, follow our rules. Don’t try to remake this place to suit your old habits.”

Jers wasn’t wordy. His tone was always calm—full of the quiet confidence of someone with absolute racial advantage.

> Author’s note:

> What’s so great about being chieftain? It’s all trouble and worry. Let Lie take the hard job—Jers and Xinoel have adventures to go on with their lovers later.

> ⊙⊙ Is that a spoiler?

> A couple days and I’ll be well; once I am, daily updates.

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# Chapter 79

Su Yi turned to whisper to Xinoel; Xinoel obligingly dipped his head. With their height difference, Su Yi had to stand on tiptoe even with Xinoel leaning down.

“Jers gives off, like, severe chuunibyou vibes.”

“What’s chuunibyou?” Xinoel asked, baffled. They were close enough that speaking meant pressing together. Several times, Xinoel nearly gave in to the urge to kiss him. But Su Yi disliked public displays, so he held back.

“Putting on a cool act. Showing off.” It wasn’t the best explanation, but he couldn’t delve into it.

After that, Lie introduced the valley’s houses and the planting of vegetables and melons—what he’d worked to learn these two days. He wasn’t crystal clear, but everyone listening lit up.

The snow season is the hardest on the beastman continent. Food grows scarce; the weak die.

Life in the valley was better than anyone imagined: warm houses and stores to overwinter.

When the group dispersed, Su Yi and Xinoel were still whispering, one sentence here, another there—drawing glances from the many unattached around them. Some felt a twinge of envy and thought: when I get a mate, I’ll be that lovey-dovey too.

Ian’s house—built with wing-leopard help—shot up fast with so many hands. He’d been smiling for days. He had never dared dream he’d have a home, a place of his own.

Since Su Yi’s family arrived, everything had been getting better. And now, Ian finally had his own home—his, Ian’s, alone.