Chapter 135: Seeds of Doubt

Everyone keeps saying what, that Ji Chen looks like Old Yu, and what does this have to do with Old Gao?

The already ill‑tempered Silver Eagle Clan Chief furrowed his brows, his complexion growing even worse.

Seeing this, Old Gao instantly darkened his face and rebuked, "What nonsense are you spouting, and why don't you shut your mouths?"

The few young beastmen glanced at each other; although they fell silent, their expressions clearly showed some resentment.

Silver Eagle Clan Chief gave them a glance, and the uneasy feeling in his heart deepened, but perhaps it was only the youngsters' inadvertent words, so he said simply:

"From now on say less of this, no more talk of who looks like whom; it's inappropriate."

These words made Old Gao's complexion change instantly; he snorted coldly, "The young beastmen were just joking, why are you, Chief, so concerned?"

Hearing Old Gao speak, Yun Li almost laughed out loud among the onlookers.

No wonder they arranged for the rumor that Ji Chen looks like someone to reach Old Gao's ears; he truly is, as Leng Xiao said, impulsive, brainless, and hot‑tempered.

Not to mention the young beastmen's claim that Ji Chen looks like Old Yu, who is gentle‑minded and always prefers to think twice before acting.

If you put a nice spin, it's called steady conduct; bluntly, it's procrastination. In Old Gao's eyes, Old Yu is inferior in every way, yet the two females he covets both once liked Old Yu—how could he tolerate that?

Silver Eagle Clan Chief immediately turned cold, "Gao Wang!"

"Gao Wang, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Old Yu's brows furrowed even tighter; the chief had just made it clear he didn't want to haggle over this, so why did he say that—was he afraid the chief wouldn't notice anything?

"What I said has anything to do with you?"

Old Gao, rebuked by Old Yu, thought that Ji Chen looked more like him to others rather than himself, and his anger flared, "Or do you think that because they said A Chen looks like you, he's your offspring? Can you even imagine you could produce an offspring like A Chen?"

With those words, Old Yu's previously composed expression changed instantly.

"Gao Wang, what nonsense are you spouting? A Chen is clearly the offspring of the chief and Ya Er."

"……"

The air suddenly fell into a hush.

"Heh heh!" At this moment only Old Gao was still sneering.

"Ya Er?"

Even the slow‑witted Silver Eagle Clan Chief, upon hearing other males address his female so affectionately, felt a basic male vigilance.

He stared sharply at Old Yu, "How come I didn't know you always called her that?"

Old Yu closed his eyes briefly, then steadied again, "It's just a name; besides, she's been dead for so long—what are you still doubting, Chief?"

Silver Eagle Clan Chief stared silently at him, and Old Yu gave him an unabashed look.

Even if he doubts any connection with Ya Er, she's been dead for years—what could further doubt achieve?

Finally the Silver Eagle Clan Chief withdrew his gaze from Old Yu, but before leaving he seemed to say offhand, "If I recall correctly, when Ningya was in the Tribe, the beastman who protected her the most was you, unfortunately …"

Unfortunately, she knew that Old Yu, in his thirties, was still only a Green‑rank beastman, and she unhesitatingly abandoned him, turning resolutely toward the Silver Eagle Clan Chief.

Upon hearing that, Old Yu's face showed a flash of pain.

Seeing this expression, the Silver Eagle Clan Chief's eyes flashed with a dark glint.

Still can't forget?

It's no wonder to be so affectionate toward such a scheming female…

Not knowing what he was thinking, the Silver Eagle Clan Chief curled a sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth, took a quick step, and soon vanished from the onlookers.

"If she found out you've spent all these years still only a Green‑rank beastman."

Seemingly prompted by the chief's remark, Old Gao recalled the matter and sneered, "No wonder he abandoned you; you're just a useless one."

After speaking, he too quickly disappeared among the crowd, leaving Old Yu alone to face the strange gazes of the surrounding beastmen.

"Old Yu?"

A beastman who couldn't bear to see Old Yu's despondent look stepped forward; Old Yu looked up, gave the beastman a smile, glanced at the remaining beastmen, and said warmly:

"Let's all disperse; there's nothing left here."

The onlooking beastmen paired off, curious about any link between the Tribal Chief's Wife and Old Yu, but considering she'd been dead for so long, any such connection would be a thing of the past.

Nevertheless, some beastmen, still wildly imaginative, whispered to their companions.

"Did Old Yu ever like the Tribal Chief's Wife, pursue her?"

"Probably. Didn't you hear what the chief just said? I heard the Tribal Chief's Wife schemed the chief to have offspring; when she first came to the Tribe, few valued her…"

Although females are precious in the Tribe, relations among beastmen aren't just about a valuable status; being a female who bore the chief's offspring kept her in the Tribe, yet the other females despised her, and the males were constrained by the chief's dislike for her—so Ji Chen's mother's (Jichenamu's) situation in the Tribe was understandable.

Listening to the whispers, Yun Li's eyes flickered, and she slipped an arm around Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao before heading home.

"This won't arouse the chief's suspicion, will it?"

She feared their actions weren't covert enough; if the chief discovered them, their troubles would multiply.

"How could that be?"

Leng Xiao snorted, "It's no secret that those two old males were close to Jichenamu when they were young, and she offended many females back then."

Putting aside other matters, that Old Gao—just wait—once he returns, his current female will surely drive him out of the house.

Staring at the bowl while looking at the pot, which female could stand her male battling other males over another female?

Yun Li heard him and couldn't help but smile, "So that means Ji Chen will soon have no time to mind us?"

"Hmm, not only that; if the chief learns that his female was pregnant yet also slept with other males, Ji Chen will probably be worried whether he himself is the chief's offspring."

Leng Xiao said, rubbing his chin, "I'm not sure if I heard it wrong, but they say Jichenamu was pregnant for about a month before laying an egg."

"But isn't an eagle egg usually laid in less than half a month?"

Yun Li asked curiously, "Is it because they're different‑species beastmen, so the gestation period is longer?"

That explanation exists, but judging from Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao's reactions—Leng Xiu met her questioning gaze with only a smile and no words.

Yun Li understood: regardless of the truth, as long as any beastman remembers that Jichenamu's gestation period was off and knows she slept with several males in the Tribe, Ji Chen could possibly not be the chief's offspring.

If he is suspected of not being the chief's offspring, will the chief still protect Ji Chen as he once did?