Chapter 36

What did you hear, to be so angry?

Yun Li's strength is insufficient; she can catch a bit of the conversation between Leng Xiu and Meng, but not all of it. It's nothing more than wanting her to leave here and follow the other beastmen of the tribe to move up the mountain.

But why does she have to move? Even if the earthquake's aftershocks no longer reach this side, she doesn't want to leave her partner's care, leave the newly built wooden hut, and instead move into a crowded cave where she'd have to eat that big pot of rice every day.

It's nothing, just a bit annoyed with that Meng. I and my brother aren't failing to protect you. He keeps coming here every day to nag a few sentences; if it weren't for your sake, I would have beaten him up already.

Yun Li doesn't want to leave them, and Leng Xiao is also fond of his female; the two of them aren't failing to care for their female, so why must they make her go up there to suffer?

If they move up there, and they aren't paying attention, A Li could be bullied by the other beastmen and they wouldn't even know.

Anyway, Leng Xiao refuses to let Yun Li go no matter what he says; his brother agrees with that, so what right does Meng, a lone male beastman from someone else's family, have to interfere in A Li's and their affairs?

How many times has he come now?

Yun Li also finds it strange; even though the tribe currently needs two Qing Rank Beastmen to focus as much as possible on patrolling and guarding the tribe, why is Meng so concerned about Leng Xiu and them staying down the mountain?

Saying it's out of concern for her, yet never asking her opinion, always urging Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao to send her away.

If it's not concern for her, then could Meng's daily enthusiasm be because he's afraid of death? He just wants to send away this burden—her—so that Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao can have time and energy to help him when beasts break through the tribe's defense line.

It's the fifth time.

It's only been the third day since all the tribe's beastmen moved up.

In addition, Meng has come to find the two brothers five times, and Leng Xiao feels annoyed whenever he sees Meng.

Are they all here to find you?

Yun Li leaned in his embrace and asked, 'Did he used to be this close with you guys too?'

Speaking of this, Leng Xiao couldn't help but chuckle, 'Before, we were just acquaintances, not really close; moreover, I was the one who interacted with him the most back then, and now you see him only calling me brother.'

Actually, anyone who knows the two brothers knows that his older brother is the one who calls the shots among them; whatever he does, there's always his older brother's shadow behind it.

Now Meng comes to talk with the two brothers, not seeking him but instead seeking his older brother—isn't he relying on this connection through A Li, thinking his older brother won't refuse him?

Hmph!

Then he's mistaken; his older brother is still willing to engage with him, only because he wants to figure out some things.

Hearing Leng Xiao's words, Yun Li felt a flicker of incomprehension and asked, 'Has he already figured out who I am?'

Otherwise, if it were any other beastman, after being refused a few times they'd surely take the hint and stop bringing this up, but Meng acts as if he has nothing to fear and still dares to come over.

What he's relying on can't be past affection with Leng Xiao, can it? Obviously not—it's her!

Leng Xiao lowered his head and kissed his female's forehead, 'Even if he knows, so what? My older brother won't listen to him.'

If Meng and A Li were on close terms, his older brother would certainly be wary of A Li and thus have fewer thoughts about Meng, but he isn't.

Then does Leng Xiu still listen to him talk for that long?

Having said that, Yun Li curiously glanced toward Leng Xiu's direction, 'What could they be talking about to make it last so long?'

Upon hearing that, Leng Xiao's eyes flickered slightly, 'What else could they be talking about? It's definitely about the increasing number of beasts outside.'

Yun Li looked up at him, 'Isn't it a fact that the number of beasts outside is increasing? But Meng is just a squad leader of the Patrol Team; it's supposed to discuss how to defend against beasts invading the tribe, so it shouldn't be just him, a single beastman, coming over.'

She somehow felt that Leng Xiu would talk to Meng for so long because there must be something else.

Leng Xiao smiled, pressing his forehead against Yun Li's, 'Then does A Li feel that my older brother has discovered something about Meng worth investigating?'

Yun Li lowered her head, thought seriously, then lifted her eyes and asked, 'Is it related to me?'

Leng Xiu probably isn't intending to ask Meng about all those past things where he didn't look out for her, and then settle scores with him, is he?

Leng Xiao stroked his chin, thinking about the matter they'd inadvertently learned, and still gave his female a slight hint: 'It's related to you, but also to your mother.'

Yun Li's face showed incomprehension, 'Mother?'

What relation does that have with the Original Owner's mother? Meng and the Original Owner's mother aren't siblings, are they?

Leng Xiao nodded, 'Yes, your mother, but some things aren't certain yet. A Li, wait for my older brother to pump Meng for information, then go ask him; I don't know much either.'

He just knew that before giving birth, A Li's mother seemed to have had some conflict with Meng, after which A Li's mother had a difficult labor.

But Leng Xiao and his older brother aren't sure whether A Li's mother's difficult labor is related to Meng; they just feel it's a coincidence, and if they hadn't discovered Meng coming to find them, they wouldn't dare to even look at A Li's face.

They also wouldn't suspect him.

Yun Li couldn't think of what matter Leng Xiu had involving her, involving the Original Owner's mother; surely the Original Owner's mother's difficult labor couldn't be related to Meng, could it?

That thought flashed through her mind and was quickly suppressed; rather than letting herself wander here in random thoughts, it'd be better to listen to Leng Xiao and wait for Leng Xiu to return and ask what's going on.

'Since that's the case, next time I'll go myself and make it clear. A Li being by our side won't affect us.'

Leng Xiu saw Meng's intention to leave, didn't stop him, just went along with what he said, and then watched Meng somewhat embarrassedly turn and leave.

Although he wanted to probe Meng about his relationship with A Li's mother, it wasn't the time yet, so he only asked one question: 'Meng, you clearly cared about A Li back then, so why didn't you personally go see how she was living?'

Who knew he'd get an answer that upon seeing A Li, he'd think of her mother and become sad.

'Sad? Does a beastman's psychological endurance get so poor that they wouldn't dare glance at their sister's offspring for over ten years?'

Leng Xiu murmured that softly, then turned his head and saw Yun Li looking over in his direction, his brows and eyes involuntarily softening.

He hoped Meng truly had nothing to do with A Li's mother's difficult labor, otherwise he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't strike Meng down.

'What are you guys talking about? What did you say?'

As Leng Xiu approached, Yun Li couldn't wait to break free from Leng Xiao's embrace, run to his side, and start asking; she really wanted to know what Leng Xiu and them had discovered.

'We talked about why Meng initially abandoned you and didn't care; he said he had Rui send you some food each month.'

'He never sent any food; I never received any.'

Hearing Leng Xiu's words, Yun Li couldn't help but frown, and even after raking through the Original Owner's memories she found no trace of this.

'So Rui lied to him.'

Leng Xiu said firmly, 'But Meng isn't as good as he claims; if he truly cared about you, you wouldn't be living as you did before.'

Yun Li blinked, 'I know that, but just now Leng Xiao said you discovered something related to me and also to my mother—what exactly is it?'

Leng Xiu glanced at Leng Xiao, pondered for a moment, and ultimately didn't hide it from her: 'We suspect Meng's involvement in your mother's difficult labor back then.'

Yun Li's expression changed in an instant.