Chapter 128: She Doesn

Seeing this, Yun Li felt a sudden chill in her heart, and as she nervously clenched her fist, her peripheral vision began searching for an exit.

A deep, familiar voice suddenly came from behind, "A Li."

It was Ji Xuan.

A wave of relief instantly flashed in Yun Li's mind; with Ji Xuan present, those beastfolk could never do anything to her.

But before she could turn to Ji Xuan's side, Ji Chen stepped forward and blocked her path.

"Brother, why are you here? Did you hear the news that A Duo and I returned and come looking for us?"

"I'm looking for A Li."

Ji Xuan's gaze swept past him and landed on Yun Li, who was blocked behind him, "Since you and Miduo are Mate Bonds, you two should get along well from now on."

Hearing that, Ji Chen smiled, "That's natural. It's just that A Duo likes you, Brother; can't you like A Duo a little?"

Miduo's expression had already soured because of Ji Xuan's words, and hearing Ji Chen use her as an excuse, speaking such meek words in front of Yun Li, she felt an even deeper hatred.

But she couldn't protest; Ji Chen still held her life in his hand.

As for A Li and the others, in Miduo's eyes they were in league with Ji Chen; they had long betrayed her.

"Is that all? I'm looking for A Li; her Beast Husband is waiting for her at home."

After speaking, Ji Xuan slightly averted his gaze and said to Ji Chen, "Step aside."

Ji Chen chuckled lightly, "So you really like A Li, huh~"

Unfortunately, that night he didn't succeed; otherwise, he would be the one feeling proud now.

"Step aside."

Ji Xuan's voice deepened, and Ji Chen turned to look at Yun Li, his tone tinged with regret, "It's truly a pity, just as Brother doesn't like A Duo, she seems not to like Brother either."

"That has nothing to do with you."

Seeing Yun Li lower her eyes slightly without rebuttal, Ji Xuan's eyes darkened involuntarily.

Ji Chen saw this scene, a slight smile curling his lips, and only then did he finally allow Yun Li to follow Ji Xuan away.

"Are you angry?"

Sensing the low pressure from the male beside her, Yun Li halted at the doorway and then looked at Ji Xuan.

Ji Xuan's way of courting females is quiet; he doesn't constantly appear before Yun Li to assert his presence, but only silently lends a hand when Yun Li and the others need help, or casually visits their home to sit and casually tend to the wolf cubs.

He has never delivered food to Yun Li, yet under his suggestion, Leng Xiao and others often bring things that the females and cubs like.

After all, some good items in the Tribe aren't easy to trade, but with Ji Xuan's tacit approval, Yun Li and the household cubs often get to see some fresh goods.

"None."

Ji Xuan also looked back at her, "He's right; you actually don't like me at all."

Just as she doesn't like Ge, she has never given him any response.

Yun Li remained silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.

It's not that she dislikes him; perhaps the household already has three Beast Husbands, and everything seems fine, so she never thought of bringing another male into the home.

"It's not that I have zero affection at all."

She gave a smile, trying to make her words more persuasive, "It's just that my home already has three Beast Husbands, and I've spent more time with them, so when they're around, I subconsciously overlook you."

But Ji Xuan didn't sense any affection from her; she merely said that, and he didn't want to expose the falsehood in her words.

"Hmm, I understand."

Ji Xuan prepared to send her off, "Let's go home."

"Aren't you going in to sit?"

Yun Li invited him, "I heard you all will be going to Five Salt Mountain soon."

If Ji Xuan hadn't heard the latter part of her sentence, he would truly think she simply wanted to invite him in to sit.

He felt a bit helpless; he had just said he liked her a little, only to have his true intention exposed at once.

"Are you interested in the matter of Five Salt Mountain? Didn't Mu Qing and the others tell you?"

Yun Li: "They mentioned a bit, but you all should know the situation over there better, right?"

Mu Qing is about to go to Five Salt Mountain with the Tribe's beastfolk, so she naturally wants to learn more; perhaps the information she gets from Ji Xuan will reduce Mu Qing's doubts when she goes, making the journey smoother.

"Hmm, Leng Xiao already asked about it."

So she doesn't need to ask him a second time.

Ji Xuan briefly felt that, here with Yun Li, he was just a tool beastfolk being used, yet many things he voluntarily stepped in to help with, so they couldn't even be said to be fooling him.

"Is that so? Then I indeed don't need to ask you again."

Yun Li smiled apologetically, "Since you're already here, come in and sit. The leader and the others miss you as well."

Ji Xuan this time only hesitated briefly, then agreed.

Only Leng Xiu was at home; his injury had largely healed after so long, and he was simply staying home under the pretext of recuperation to enjoy some leisure.

Seeing Ji Xuan and Yun Li return home together, he showed a hint of surprise on his face, but said nothing.

"You're back? The food's warming in the Stone Pot; I'll bring it out for you."

Yun Li smiled brightly and said, "Alright."

Ji Xuan watched her casual attitude toward Leng Xiu, then observed how she always treated him with politeness and a certain distance, and a self‑deprecating thought flashed through his mind.

At that moment, several of the cubs seemed to hear the commotion; they each ran out from the corners, circled Yun Li, received a pat on the head from her, and then wagged their tails toward Ji Xuan.

Ji Xuan stroked the still‑soft fur of the cubs and asked, "Have you thought of names for them?"

Yun Li propped her chin with one hand and replied, "Aren't we supposed to wait until they transform before naming them?"

"We could also name them now, and use the names once they can transform."

Ji Xuan, at this moment simply looking for conversation, asked, "Or do you think some of your cubs might never be able to transform?"

Among beastfolk, some don't give names to cubs that haven't transformed yet, because a portion of cubs at one year old cannot transform or become partially transformed half‑beastmen.

But the beastfolk regard these two types of beastfolk as outcasts; they are unworthy of having names.

"Of course not."

Yun Li is merely following the beastfolk custom; in fact she has already given several cubs their names. "I've thought about it. It's just that the cubs are still young, so naming them isn't urgent."

Ji Xuan nodded, "Then what name have you considered for the female cub?"

Yun Li smiled brightly, "Yun Xi. The male cubs could be called Leng Hao, Leng Xuan, Leng Yu."

Ji Xuan, after hearing, showed a hint of smile on his face, "All are good names."

Yun Li let out a snort of laughter, "I didn't think them over that seriously; we'll set these names aside for now. When they're about to transform, we'll properly consider what to call them."

"If they're one year old, they should already understand what we say, right."

Beastfolk cubs grow faster than modern infants; a one‑year‑old cub already possesses the intellect of a three‑ or four‑year‑old.

By then they also have their own preferences, and a name stays with them for a lifetime, so naturally we must see whether they themselves like it.

"Talk while eating."

Leng Xiu took the cutting board and immediately brought over the stewed meat, fish soup, and the like, and also fetched three stone bowls and three pairs of chopsticks.

Ji Xuan, seeing that, said, "I don't need it."

"The house doesn't miss your piece of meat."

Leng Xiu handed him the stone bowls and wooden chopsticks, "Besides, A Li also dislikes a beastfolk eating alone."

From his perspective, Ji Xuan will eventually enter the door, so letting him adapt to some matters early isn't normal.

Yun Li, standing nearby, also nodded, "Eat a little, and try the food that A Xiu and the others made to see if it's tasty?"

Ji Xuan, like other beastfolk, uses a Bone Knife to aid his eating, but chopsticks… he truly has never used them.