Chapter 82: Every Male Beast Has a Weakness

Lin Manzhi had doubts in her heart, but she did not ask Mo Lie in front of everyone, quietly standing beside him.

While everyone cheerfully said they still had Exotic Beast Skin to trade for Meat Jerky, Shan Yan, dragging his injured hand, shuffled over, watched Mo Lie bow his head, and weakly asked, "I want to trade; may I ask how many Meat Jerky one Exotic Beast Skin can be exchanged for."

Mo Lie's expression did not change; recalling the price in Ansen City, he said, "One whole Small Exotic Beast Skin trades for ten pieces of Meat Jerky."

That was the same price as when they went to Ansen City, and after hearing it, Shan Yan's pallid face finally showed a hint of color; he sincerely bowed again to Mo Lie.

Shan Yan: "May we come back after the rain stops to trade for Meat Jerky with you?"

Mo Lie indifferently nodded: "Sure."

As Mo Lie nodded in agreement, the three Xiu Shui Jiao Male Beasts beside him immediately said they wanted to trade for Meat Jerky, and shortly after, several other male beasts in the crowd also expressed a desire to trade Meat Jerky with Mo Lie.

From a short distance, Luo Ji saw the scene, clenched his back molars, and the fury inside him over Mo Lie's public slap could not be suppressed.

He was the chieftain of the Rosangya tribe; although Mo Lie displayed great strength and he could not confront Mo Lie, no matter how powerful he was… he still had a weakness!

Luo Ji's eyes flashed with a cunning light, then he looked at the silent Lin Manzhi standing beside Mo Lie.

Even if you are that powerful, you must obey your family's Wife Master.

He walked over, his dry yellow hair clinging to his scalp in the rain, his sturdy features showing an earnest expression as he looked at Lin Manzhi, his voice tinged with concern:

"Lin Cixing, I shouldn't be speaking about your family's affairs, but the food in your household is being left to the Beast Husband to ask about without even a word to you, and carelessly wasting it wouldn't be good, right?"

Lin Manzhi: "??"

Talking to me?

She lifted her head, looked at Luo Ji standing three or four people away, and replied, "Hmm?"

Immediately, Mo Lie also looked toward Luo Ji, his expression unreadable.

"You may not be aware since you just arrived here; during the dry season all the prey have left this Sand City, and even the strongest male beasts can hardly find any food."

Luo Ji, bearing the heavy pressure in his heart, continued, "In our household, without the Wife Master's word, we male beasts dare not take the food privately."

Lin Manzhi was stunned by the obvious sowing of discord.

This is the norm under the status gap between Beastfolk males and females.

Mo Lie subtly raised an eyebrow, glanced at Lin Manzhi beside him, and his fingertip hanging at his side moved silently.

The onlookers wore bewildered faces, thinking the Meat Jerky wasn't in hand, so they couldn't trade for it, right?

In an instant, everyone's attention turned to Lin Manzhi, since everyone knew the Wife Master was the original decision‑maker of the household.

Luo Ji's face seemed to want to use her hand to slap Mo Lie; under his expectation, Lin Manzhi smiled and said, "Then you're really pitiful, you have to get the Wife Master's permission even to eat a meal."

Luo Ji: "..."

His face froze; it was a perfectly normal thing, yet hearing it from Lin Manzhi's mouth made him feel a mix of grievance and embarrassment.

Lin Manzhi glanced at Mo Lie beside her, her voice light, soft and sweet, "My family isn't like that; my Beast Husband Mo Lie can eat Meat Jerky however he wants, and if he wants to trade it for something, that's fine; I listen to him about the Meat Jerky."

When she said that, every male beast present changed their gaze toward Lin Manzhi, shocked by her words to the point their breathing became erratic.

How could a female be ruled by a male beast? Such a thing is as rare as the sun rising in the west, yet Lin Manzhi said exactly that; she not only didn't get angry and scold her Beast Husband, but smiled and defended him aloud.

The crowd's eyes reddened with envy, feeling jealous, thinking Mo Lie wasn't a lord, now alone and powerless, yet how could he form a Bond with such a wonderful Wife Master!

How hateful, why don't I have such a good fate?

The onlooking male beasts all thought the same, and Luo Ji felt even more distressed, standing dazed in the rain.

Shouldn't it be like this?

Under the crowd's strange gazes, Mo Lie's mouth twitched slightly, his dark cold eyes sweeping over Luo Ji, "Wife Master, we've finished here, let's go back."

After speaking, he looped one hand around Lin Manzhi's waist and led her straight home.

Luo Ji watched the two walk away, a breath stuck in his chest, neither in nor out.

Is this Lin Cixing not smart?

He held his breath for a moment, thinking that Lin Cixing's indulgence of Mo Lie taking Meat Jerky to help the tribe's Beastfolk was useless; when the dry season comes, the tribe's Beastfolk would never sell the Meat Jerky to Mo Lie and his group.

Heh, really stupid.

Mo Lie clearly looked like a male beast expelled from a great clan, and Lin Cixing, a pheromone‑bearing female, the two truly had never known hardship, recklessly kind‑hearted!

With that thought, Luo Ji stopped being angry, and snorted coldly, thinking.

"I'll wait to see the day you all go hungry."

…

When she got home, Lin Manzhi took off the thick, cumbersome Exotic Beast Skin raincoat and hung it on a branch by the hall's outer doorway; her raised hand hadn't yet lowered when a cool breeze brushed her back.

She thought of Mo Lie's earlier collection of Exotic Beast Skin and turned her head to ask, "Why do you need so many Exotic Beast Skins?"

Mo Lie raised both hands, wrapped them around Lin Manzhi's slender waist from behind, drew his whole body toward her until his chest pressed against her back, his voice slightly hoarse, seemingly pleased: "Can you say it again, my Beast Husband Mo Lie?"

Lin Manzhi's whole being fell into a solid embrace, and her heartbeat's rhythm was instantly thrown off.

Afterwards, she blinked lightly after hearing the words, her ears flushed, and she didn't dare turn to look at Mo Lie.

Why does a normal address become so shameful when Mo Lie says it like that?

She blushed, her eardrums hearing her heart pounding, and a hint of embarrassment made her forget to try escaping his embrace.

Lin Manzhi shyly pressed her lips together, her black eyes flashing, and whispered, "… huh? I just didn't want them to look down on you at that moment…"

Mo Lie lowered his gaze.

Hearing Lin Manzhi's dry explanation, he let out a low laugh.

The chest against Lin Manzhi's back sent a slight tremor, a cold, sharp breath lingering faintly at her ear, as if burned.

Mo Lie's hand moved aside, slowly grasping Lin Manzhi's hand; then he rested his head on the female's crown, his body relaxing slightly, like a lazy Da Mao Mao cradling his favorite toy, reluctant to let go:

"Zhi Zhi… this is the first time I've heard you call me your Beast Husband Mo Lie, I'm delighted."

Lin Manzhi's heart softened at his voice, she struggled and found she couldn't break free of Mo Lie's embrace.