Chapter 12: Betrothal Gift

Betrothal Gift

"Sheng, look, I caught so many fish!" The youth's excited voice came over. Baini raked his dripping wet hair back, his brows and eyes unrestrained. Beads of water mischievously slid over his well-defined abdominal muscles, and the fish strapped to his back were still flopping about.

After Baini had his fill, he found a Lamp Fish Beastman nearby to ask for a grass net, then went and netted a large basket of fish to bring back.

Since being with Sheng, he used his human form more and more often. After all, the difference in their sizes was just too great, and it felt strange when they were together.

The youth's handsome brows and eyes were full of satisfaction, but the joy in his eyes froze when he saw the thing on Yinxu's neck, and the corners of his mouth pursed in dissatisfaction. "What is this?"

Resting quietly amidst the white fluff was a black-gray sphere, hung around the neck on a piece of grass rope.

Yinxu hadn't been wearing this thing before!

A hint of amusement flashed in Chaosheng's eyes as she explained slowly, "It's the leftover material from the Yu Sheng flower; I made it into a pendant for Yinxu to wear around his neck. It can prevent Black Filth from invading his Mental Sea again."

Upon hearing this, Baini's upturned brows and eyes drooped. The anger in his eyes was almost palpable as he stared at her, both furious and fierce. "Sheng, you never made one for me!" He accused her with the aggrieved, angry air of a child who hadn't received any candy.

Clearly, he had known Sheng longer and was closer to her, yet Sheng hadn't thought of him first?! Was he going to live a life of being mistreated by his Mate before he had even married into the household?

The more Baini thought about it, the angrier he became. His handsome, unruly face was full of gloom and disappointment, and the resentment in his eyes was almost solid as it shot straight at this heartless female!

"It's not like that..."

"Then what is it like?"

Yinxu saw that Baini had misunderstood and was just about to explain when he was interrupted by Baini. Baini looked at this culprit, his mouth pulled tight with resentment; he didn't know what trick he had used to bewitch Sheng.

His mother had over a dozen Beast Husbands. When she was young, only two or three were favored, and his Beast Father could be considered the most favored, so naturally, he and his sister were more loved by their mother. But those Beast Husbands who were neither capable nor favored had it miserable. Their mother would marry them home for a moment of novelty, but once her affection was exhausted, she wouldn't even want to bear their cubs, and they could only live on without any hope.

Baini bit his lip hard, his eyes dark and gloomy. Sheng, would Sheng treat him like that too?

"Look!"

"What is this?"

While Baini was lost in his own thoughts, Chaosheng had walked up to him unnoticed. She opened her tightly clenched palm, and a cord made of Snake Orchid Grass gently sprang up, with a small black-gray sphere hanging from it, exactly the same as the one on Yinxu's neck.

Baini's eyes lit up instantly, and he began to stammer, filled with deep anticipation. "Is... is this for me?"

Chaosheng nodded and smiled lightly. "Mm."

"It is for you."

"Hurry up and take it."

Baini hurriedly took it back as if it were a treasure, holding it in his hands and observing it intently, wishing he could stare a hole through it.

Seeing him acting like a fool, the smile at the corners of Chaosheng's mouth deepened. "No matter how much you look at it, it won't turn into two."

Hearing this, the tips of Baini's ears turned slightly red, as if he had realized he had been a bit silly just now. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and carefully put it on his neck, touching it twice with lingering reluctance after he had finished putting it on.

He knew Sheng wouldn't forget him!

After the novelty wore off, Baini came over stickily again. "Sheng..."

"Hm? What is it?" Chaosheng looked at him in confusion.

"How did you think of making this for me?" Baini's eyes were shimmering with ripples, full of spring light, and the corners of his mouth turned up sweetly. If it weren't for Yinxu being nearby, he would have loved to hold Chaosheng and spin her around.

"..." Why make it for you? Wasn't it because I was afraid you'd make a scene?

Yinxu's Mental Sea was cleaned with Yu Sheng flower ash, and the effect was certainly not as good as purifying it directly with Witch Power, so wearing a flower ash sphere could help prevent and consolidate it.

Baini's Mental Sea had been cleaned very thoroughly; he didn't need this at all.

But she still understood the principle that one should not worry about scarcity, but rather about inequality. Since they were going to live together in the future, it was naturally better to treat them as equally as possible.

Chaosheng looked at Yinxu, who was squatting to the side in silence, and beckoned to him. Yinxu had very tactfully walked to the open space nearby to sit down earlier; now, seeing Chaosheng call him, his eyes stirred, and he got up and walked toward her.

Baini curled his lips when he saw Yinxu walking back, but he didn't say anything.

Chaosheng looked at the two two-meter-tall handsome Beastmen, her eyes gentle, and said to them earnestly, "You both gave me dowries, so I must give you something in return."

"Sheng..." Yinxu wanted to say more but stopped. His little bit of dowry wasn't worth anything; she didn't need to return anything to him.

"Wait until I finish speaking." Chaosheng's tone was soft, her eyes pausing slightly. "I was exiled here, and I don't have anything of value on me. This herbal sphere made of Yu Sheng flower can help purify the Mental Sea and resist the invasion of filth. A Sea Spirit Ginseng can sell for three hundred Crystal Coins, so I imagine this flower ash sphere is worth no less."

"Let this be the betrothal gift I give you." As she spoke, a shy flush appeared on Chaosheng's face. This betrothal gift was truly meager, but right now, other than Baini and Yinxu's dowries, she couldn't take out anything else. She couldn't very well send their dowries back to them.

"Sorry, this is all I can take out right now."

"Sheng, what is a betrothal gift?" Yinxu looked at her in confusion, his eyes blinking lightly.

"?" Chaosheng frowned. Did they not know what a betrothal gift was? She tried hard to search through the original owner's memories, but the original owner's memories regarding marriage were few and far between. The only thing related was the marriage to the Mermaid King, but that wasn't anything worth remembering.

"A betrothal gift is... is..." Chaosheng struggled to find an explanation they could understand. "It means you gave me a dowry, so I should give you a betrothal gift. This is called 'give and take,' representing that we are both satisfied with this marriage."

Yinxu shook his head, his eyes helpless. "Sheng, we don't have this concept of a betrothal gift."

"Is this a custom of you Mermaids?"

They really didn't have it? Chaosheng swallowed quietly and made up a dry excuse. "Yes, that's how it is where I'm from."

"Then the Males of your Mermaid Clan are truly happy." Baini's voice was low, his eyes full of expectation. "The Polar Sea doesn't go in for this. Females are rare here; Males must have outstanding looks and abilities to be chosen by a Female and taken home as a Beast Husband."

"Many Females pretend to be gentle before marriage, but after marriage, they completely change their faces. So, in order to get a good Female and make their lives easier after marriage, Males will prepare many precious dowries to please the Female."

Baini had seen enough of the fate of those married Males; he had even thought about just not marrying a Mate at all. It wasn't until Chaosheng appeared that his thoughts changed. His heart stirred, and he couldn't help but want to get close to her. Even if the result wasn't good, he... he was willing.

"Sheng, we are truly lucky to have met you." Ripples appeared in the depths of Yinxu's eyes, and the curve of his mouth was soft and gentle.