Chapter 148: Favoritism

Not in a hurry? Then that's fine.

Leng Xiu has no objection to Yun Li's idea, because Ji Xuan entered the house a day later, giving the three of them a bit more leeway.

Allowing Ji Xuan to come over and court A Li is a completely different matter from him moving in and living as part of the family.

Not to mention, the courtyard isn't that large; how Ji Xuan will be settled after moving in, he and Mu Qing will also have to discuss carefully.

After calming the distressed Yun Li, Leng Xiu went to the kitchen to have a heart‑to‑heart with Leng Xiao.

It's unclear what they talked about for so long; the four cubs took turns wandering the kitchen several times, ate until their bellies were round, then went inside to lie down and sleep, and they hadn't come out even once.

Mu Qing, on the other hand, went home with his people.

When Yun Li saw Chang Yue behind him, she didn't react, but when her gaze fell on Ke Si's face, her eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.

Her injuries are almost healed, so what brings him to the door today?

Sensing her unwelcome look, Ke Si's eyes turned slightly cold, and he chose a stone bench farther from her to sit.

Seeing this, Chang Yue smiled and shook his head, then sat directly opposite Yun Li.

After Mu Qing finished asking about the household situation, he explained from his seat, "I came over at noon to see you; there's no one to cook for the Witch Doctor, so I came together.

Did I disturb you?"

Yun Li gave him a withering look at his last remark; coming over at noon just to mooch a meal—does he call that 'not disturbing'?

Chang Yue just smiled brightly at her, "You look upset? Who made you angry? Leng Xiao?"

These past few days, whenever the Witch Doctor doesn't summon him, he'll come over to see Yun Li whenever he has free time.

So after a few times, the two grew closer than they were back in Red Grass Valley.

Otherwise he would never have said those two words, "Leng Xiao," at the end.

"I'm not angry, just a bit depressed."

Yun Li sighed, then retorted, "Why do you assume it's A Xiao who made me angry whenever I lose my temper? Do you think A Xiu and A Qing would never anger me?"

"At most, they might be doing something behind your back."

Chang Yue thought that, as Mu Qing and Leng Xiu's bedside companion, she couldn't possibly be unaware of what temperament her Beast Husbands have.

"If they were the ones angering you, they'd already be on their knees begging you to calm down.

Your attitude toward them is different from how you treat Leng Xiao; only he makes you angry, and you don't take it seriously.

But he didn't come to coax you today; I didn't expect what conflict arose between you two. He cares about you so much—what could make him so unsettled?"

After hearing that, Yun Li couldn't help glancing at him several times, "If I didn't know, I'd have thought you'd just been here the whole time."

Chang Yue gave a slight smile, "I guessed it; hearing you say that, I can only claim I'm truly clever."

"Pfft"

Yun Li burst into laughter, "Since you're so clever, why not guess what's making him so uneasy?"

Chang Yue stroked his chin, genuinely pondering, "Did you scold him? Or did he say something unpleasant that you heard? Or… you're letting other Beast Husbands move in?"

The last possibility isn't impossible; his eyes aren't blind—seeing the Young Master of the Silver Eagle Tribe come here daily, it's obvious.

Yun Li propped her chin up, saying with a hint of helplessness, "You actually guessed right."

Hearing that, Chang Yue's heart leapt.

"That fast?"

"Fast?"

Yun Li, puzzled, "It's been over a month since we returned from Red Grass Valley."

And soon they'll be entering the rainy season.

Chang Yue thought to himself, "What about them?"

Yun Li just stared at him; seeing Chang Yue lower his eyelids slightly, he remained silent.

She prompted, "Why have you stopped speaking?"

Chang Yue forced a helpless smile, "I don't know what to say."

He couldn't possibly say that he got sulky upon hearing that she first sought a Mate Bond with another male.

He hadn't even seen that result yet, and they were about to move in.

If he isn't sulky, who is?

"Alright~"

Now it was Yun Li's turn to be at a loss for words, but a sidelong glance at the stone‑faced Ke Si sparked a new topic, "Does he not know how to cook? Or does the Silver Eagle Tribe refuse to send him meals?"

More importantly, as a Blue Rank Beastman, he could go two or three months without eating and not starve to death.

A single male running into a female household is easily misinterpreted by other Beastmen—does he not care at all?

Seeing her steer the conversation toward the Witch Doctor, Chang Yue immediately composed himself and cleared his throat lightly.

"The Witch Doctor only knows how to grill meat."

As for the food the Silver Eagle Tribe sent, they discovered on the first day that the meat was either stale or undercooked.

Clearly, the Beastmen of the Silver Eagle Tribe let them in but had no intention of treating them well.

Later, although Ji Xuan switched to the Patrol Team's usual fare, the Witch Doctor's appetite for meals had already waned, and he bluntly told Ji Xuan and the others not to bring anything over again.

He won't starve even if he skips those meals, but daring to send him that food, when Ke Si later discussed the alliance with the Silver Eagle Clan Chief, his words inevitably became sharp, angering several elder Beastmen of the Silver Eagle Tribe to the point they almost clashed with the Witch Doctor, yet they still held back.

Thinking of this, Chang Yue let out a sigh, "Some Beastmen really love courting death."

"Oh~"

Yun Li elongated the "oh," and hearing that, Chang Yue quickly shifted the topic, "When will you and Ji Xuan form a Mate Bond? Will the Tribe hold a Sacrificial Activity then?"

Yun Li: "Not decided yet. But why hold a Sacrificial Activity? Isn't the Pairing Ceremony enough?"

"But Ji Xuan is, after all, the Young Master of the Silver Eagle Tribe."

Chang Yue, seeing her clueless, asked, "If your Pairing Ceremony takes place during the Sacrificial Activity, will your First Beast Husband's spot be given up by Mu Qing?"

Yun Li frowned, answering without hesitation, "No."

If A Qing were still a Qing Rank Beastmen, she would probably not mention it, and A Qing would also consent.

But now both of them are Blue Rank Beastmen; Mu Qing, though he says he caught up later, if his beast body fights Ji Xuan, it's really not certain that Ji Xuan could win.

Of course, that's just Yun Li's guess; in fact she has no clue.

Emotionally, she's definitely more inclined toward Mu Qing.

Chang Yue was almost rendered speechless by her "No," and asked, "Aren't you afraid Ji Xuan will have objections?"

Yun Li shook her head, "We'll tell him in advance; if it doesn't work, then never mind."

Even if he enters, at most he'll be a Second Beast Husband; that comes from strength, and however clever Leng Xiu is, he can't make up that lack of power with his brain.

"Give up? You give up? Will Ji Xuan give up?"

At this moment, the previously silent Ke Si suddenly spoke up, "What do you take him for?"

"No matter what I consider him to be, at least I have no intention of deceiving him."

Yun Li glanced at him lightly and said, "I'm just being biased."

What's wrong with her favoring Mu Qing, who's been with her longer?