Chapter 146: Gong Mei

Nearby there were other females with their own Beast Husbands watching the cubs play, and when they saw Yun Li and Leng Xiao arrive, a beastman who was acquainted with Yun Li came over to greet them.

"A Li, are you feeling better? I heard you had a high fever for several days, even invited the silver granny to your home, and I thought something had happened to you?"

"Now that I see you're fine, I finally can relax."

The arriving female is Gong Mei, and she also brought a cub with her today.

Seeing the eagle cub on her shoulder, Yun Li couldn't help but fall silent.

The eagle cub's appearance seems to have selectively failed to inherit its parents' good looks.

"I'm fine, but your cub—it's been over a month, right? Will it shed its feathers yet?"

When the cub grows up, it should look a lot like its mother, right?

"Of course it will shed; look at the soft feathers on its body—they're not fit for flight."

Seeing Yun Li stare at her own cub, Gong Mei generously handed it to her and said, "Do you want to pet it?"

Her family's wolf cub had been petted many times, and now it was her eagle cub's turn.

Yun Li reached out, stroked the eagle cub's head, and said, "I still think my wolf cub feels better to touch; your cub is too small, I don't even dare to press on it."

Gong Mei laughed, "I also think your wolf cub feels good to touch, but my cub is an eagle, not a fox cub or a leopard cub. We'll have to wait—once it grows, its feathers become beautiful and sturdy, then it'll be pleasant to pet."

At that point, Gong Mei glanced at Leng Xiao, who was talking with her First Beast Husband, then leaned close to Yun Li's ear and said, "Have you ever seen the Young Master's Beast Body? If there's a chance, you could try to get a feel for it."

Yun Li thought for a moment, lowered her voice, and said, "I haven't seen it, but do you know what Ji Xuan's Beast Body looks like?"

Gong Mei noticed that Yun Li's address to the Young Master had changed, and a flash of understanding crossed her mind. She said, "If you really don't like the Young Master, you'd have already driven him away, since he comes to your house almost every day."

"Instead of asking me, you'd better go ask the Young Master yourself."

Gong Mei urged her, "Or you could ask the Young Master to directly turn into his Beast Body for you to see."

Yun Li considered her words, found herself a little intrigued, but she didn't take Gong Mei up, instead smiled and asked back, "Are you really that concerned about me and Ji Xuan?"

Gong Mei instantly straightened up and said, "A bit, actually I also want to see whether Miduo will improve after learning that the Young Master has a Mate Bond with other females; I always felt she didn't have to suffer like this."

"Although she now seems to no longer like the Young Master."

But Gong Mei wouldn't forget how many crazy things Miduo had done for the Young Master; it would of course be best if, after she has her own Beast Husband and cub, she could completely let go of the Young Master.

The worry is that she might only appear distant from the Young Master outwardly, yet still be obsessed with him behind the scenes; if the news that A Li and the Young Master have formed a Mate Bond spreads, who knows what she might do behind the scenes.

A Li's strength is weak; if Miduo attacks her while her Beast Husband is inattentive, A Li would probably be unable to cope.

More importantly, Miduo knows how to target the Tribe's females, yet can evade the Tribe's punishment.

Yun Li didn't know any of this; she was simply reminded by Gong Mei of the first time she saw Miduo, and for a moment her mood became complicated.

"What was she like before?"

Hearing that, Gong Mei probably told her what she knew.

She wasn't really close to Miduo; after all, the Tribe has so many beastfolk, and she didn't live in the same area as Miduo when they were young. So at first she only heard that a female cub named Miduo was very beautiful, and later she and other peers secretly went to see that striking Miduo.

As she grew older, Gong Mei became fond of cultivation, because it allowed her to venture beyond the Tribe.

At that time she occasionally saw Miduo, the Young Master, and Ji Chen walking together in the Tribe.

The Young Master's brow was always furrowed, and he spoke very little; it was unclear whether he resented Miduo constantly clinging to him and chattering, while Ji Chen would smile and pick up Miduo's words.

Later Gong Mei reached adulthood, and the rumors that Miduo bullied other females because she liked the Young Master kept reaching her ears; she originally, like the other females, despised her.

Until Gong Mei, by virtue of her strength, entered the Patrol Team, she saw a Miduo who was both beautiful and powerful—a Miduo who could face danger alone, using her own strength to protect the Tribe's beastfolk.

Gong Mei's view of her changed; when she heard those negative remarks about Miduo, she no longer blindly believed whatever others said, but would privately verify which statements were true and which were false.

Unfortunately, most of the Tribe's talk about Miduo, though exaggerated, was essentially true; only a small portion—such as "Miduo flaunts her looks to flirt with every male" and "Miduo deliberately steals male beastfolk that other females like"—were false.

That day Yun Li heard from Gong Mei many of the things Miduo had done for Ji Xuan in the past.

Targeting females who had pursued Ji Xuan was just one example; she once, disregarding her own safety, braved the cold season to travel farther for herbs because Ji Xuan was injured; when she learned Ji Xuan was busy with Tribe affairs and refused to see her, Miduo caused trouble herself, forcing Ji Xuan to meet her…

After hearing all that, Yun Li's brows remained tightly knit on the way back.

"What's wrong? You've been frowning all the way."

Leng Xiao was standing not far from them; the fox beastman deliberately sought various topics to chat with him. Though he heard some of their conversation, he didn't think deeply about what they were actually saying.

"Nothing."

Yun Li let him smooth the furrow between her brows, slipped an arm around his, and said, "I just heard A Mei talk about the things Miduo did for Ji Xuan before; it's a bit hard to process."

Leng Xiao disliked her being worried about other males, and immediately, without reason, scowled and said:

"These are matters he should resolve himself; what does it have to do with you?"

"Other females entangle him, do things for him; if he can't let go, he still dwells on what other females have done for him."

"Then he shouldn't be bothering you at all; you don't need to be polite to him—if he should leave, let him go!"

Leng Xiao's strong reaction was as Yun Li expected, but Ji Xuan truly couldn't stand a beastman who would still remember the things Miduo had done for her.

So she soothed Leng Xiao, "Don't be angry, I was just sighing like that."

"After all, Miduo used to cling to Ji Xuan; if he liked Miduo, he would have already formed a Mate Bond with her."

"I just have a tiny worry—since she loves Ji Xuan so much, if I end up forming a Mate Bond with Ji Xuan…"

"…will she come to trouble me?"

She said, gesturing with her finger, "It's just a tiny worry; later we can discuss this properly with Ji Xuan."

Leng Xiao thought her 'tiny' worry was far from tiny; since it had come to the point of discussing it properly with Ji Xuan, there must be considerable hesitation and concern in her heart.

"Fine, I'll talk to him later. You don't need to worry about this; if Ji Xuan won't solve his own affairs, should we solve them for him?"

Yun Li asked, "Then how will you tell Ji Xuan that Miduo is no longer clinging to him?"