Chapter 85: The Bear Tribe and the Hollow Tree

Gong Mei and Xin had just been looking at the crafts at another stall when they turned around and saw that Yun Li had a few more items in her hands.

Gong Mei's eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, "Where did you get these things?"

A Li, where did you exchange for these items that another female had used?

Xin's face also showed surprise, echoing, "They don't look like newly made crafts; they seem like ones that have been used by others."

Hearing that, Yun Li finally understood why that female had offered such a low price—it was because they were second‑hand goods.

However, she didn't feel ashamed of buying second‑hand items; instead, she generously pointed out that female's stall to them.

"I traded with a female over there; these things looked nice, so I gave her three Crystal Cores in exchange."

Gong Mei and Xin followed her gaze, and both instantly wore a complicated expression.

"So it was her! No wonder…"

No wonder they would trade away the items they gave to the male for her.

Gong Mei didn't finish her sentence; Yun Li, having only half‑understood, asked, "Who is she?"

"Miduo. She's the only female in the Tribe who, even after many years of adulthood, hasn't formally formed a Mate Bond with a male."

Xin glanced at the female sitting there and whispered about Miduo, "She used to be the most beautiful female in the Tribe, looking good since childhood, and her strength wasn't inferior to the Young Master."

Before reaching adulthood, the males who pursued her—no exaggeration—were basically every single single male in the Tribe at the time.

But Miduo only liked the Young Master, insisting that the Young Master become her First Beast Husband.

Yet who could have known that the Young Master didn't like her at all; no matter how many years Miduo chased after him, he simply refused to form a Mate Bond with her.

And once, for reasons unknown, Miduo and the Young Master's younger brother emerged from the Young Master's house at the same time.

Everyone said Miduo tried to force a Mate Bond with the Young Master, but somehow ended up with the Young Master's brother…

"—didn't sleep."

Just as Xin was getting into the old gossip, Gong Mei suddenly interjected, "I've dealt with Miduo before; she's not the type to force a male into a Mate Bond with her."

Xin, cut off, sounded a bit displeased, especially since Gong Mei was still defending Miduo.

"Are you close with Miduo? I recall she never paid any attention to other females before. When Xiangcao questioned Miduo on behalf of Gou, do you remember what she said about us?"

Miduo was so arrogant then, saying that Xiangcao wasn't chosen by Gou because she was too weak, and that only females like Xiangcao would treat a male like Gou as a treasure.

Xiangcao was so angry at Miduo's words that she burst into tears, while Gou remained silent, staying by Miduo's side dutifully; no matter how Miduo humiliated him, he refused to give up pursuing her.

Later, when Xiangcao and Miduo got into trouble for unknown reasons, Gou abandoned Miduo to rescue Xiangcao; after the two formed a Mate Bond, Miduo unusually took the initiative to seek out Gou.

The result was predictable: Miduo suffered a severe blow, and since then she reined in her temperament, no longer shunning the males of the Tribe who pursued her.

She still wouldn't give up having the Young Master as her First Beast Husband; a few males constantly stayed by her side, but none formally formed a Mate Bond with Miduo.

Precisely because of these events, the Tribe's females, Xin included, didn't have a good impression of Miduo.

However, Gong Mei unexpectedly felt some fondness for Miduo and continued defending her, "Those are all things of the past; hasn't Miduo changed these past few years? She's saved the Tribe's females and cubs many times, and Xiangcao and Gou are getting along well now."

Miduo hasn't been harassing them later either; she's not a bad person, right?

A slightly mocking smile appeared on Xin's face, "It was only after seeing that the Young Master didn't like her that she toned down her temperament, but what is she really like…"

"Ahem—"

Seeing Xin about to say something that would further sour the mood, Yun Li hurriedly cleared her throat, stepping in as a peacemaker, "Hold on, hold on, aren't we just out here to have fun?"

Why bring up such unpleasant words? Xin, if you don't like Miduo, she must have something you dislike.

But the Amei people are good, so we hope Miduo can get along well with others. After all, we're all females.

Just because we're all females doesn't matter; Miduo clearly looks down on these females who can't match her.

Xin's opinion of Miduo couldn't just disappear because of Gong Mei's one or two remarks, but seeing Yun Li clasp her hands in a praying gesture, she finally loosened her mouth and said:

"You've said all the nice things. Fine, I won't talk about her anymore; it's all from ages ago. As for A Yu, she was just here a moment ago, and now we don't know where she went."

"Over there, she's looking at the good stuff the Bear Tribe brought."

Gong Mei clearly wasn't trying to argue; when she saw Xin intentionally shifting the topic, she went along and pointed in a direction.

And there were already quite a few Beastmen gathered over there.

A Yu's slender figure was hard to spot in the crowd, but the Beast Husband standing beside her was tall and robust, making it easy for Yun Li and the others to spot her.

Protected by Mu Qing, Yun Li and Gong Mei's group pushed to the front, and soon discovered why the Bear Tribe could attract so many Beastmen.

The sweet honey was only one of them; more importantly were the lifelike beast‑shaped wooden carvings and a heap of fresh foods Yun Li had never seen before.

For example, white fish—Beastmen from the Bear Tribe said you can scrape off the scales, lightly salt and heat it, then eat it raw.

Also, those nut‑like fruits: crack open the shells, toss them into the fire to roast, and they smell fragrant.

There's also wild fruit that bursts when eaten, and insects that become crisp and crackly after being roasted.

Yun Li wasn't interested in edible insects and kept her distance, but Gong Mei and the others liked them, immediately asking the Bear Beastmen to fill several barrels for them.

Yun Li: …

Those eagle‑like Beastmen are really terrifying!!! They even eat insects!!!

"Besides those insects and wooden carvings, give me two barrels of these items."

Yun Li said, her gaze returning to their wooden barrels, which looked oddly like modern bamboo—so large that even ten fingers couldn't wrap around the barrel.

She couldn't help but ask what kind of wood the barrels were made from.

"Are you asking about these wooden barrels, wooden basins? They're all made from hollow trees."

A male Beastman from the Bear Tribe saw Yun Li's appearance, his eyes lit up, and he enthusiastically began introducing things to her.

"Containers made from hollow trees are far more useful than stone vessels for holding things. Would you like to take some home? These items don't require Crystal Cores to exchange."

"Our Tribe has many hollow trees not far away, and we brought quite a few this time."

Yun Li didn't ask for any; Mu Qing and his companions had already fetched plenty of stone tools last night that could be used temporarily in Red Grass Valley.

"Thanks, but no need. It's just my first time seeing barrels like yours; I'm curious what kind of tree they're made from."

"You call it a hollow tree because it's literally hollow inside?"

What does it actually look like?