After I Dumped 7 Beast Husbands and Ran

Outside the cave, there was a rock ledge that offered shelter from the rain.

Hu Bai had moved the simple stone and firewood stove here. The bone broth from yesterday, still unfinished, was simmering on top. He had also prepared some beast ears to cook.

”Father’s over there!” Fox Qi said, leading Nan Zishi toward the stone stove. He was so happy that his steps were light, and he was even skipping a little.

”Pretty sister, you said yesterday that we should dry the tea tree mushrooms. But it’s raining today, and it looks like the light rainy season is starting, so we can’t dry them anymore. So many have gone to waste,” Fox Qi said regretfully.

Nan Zishi smiled and said, ”Things don’t go as planned nine times out of ten in this world. Wasting a few tea tree mushrooms is no big deal. Besides, now that it’s raining, all sorts of mushrooms should be sprouting in the forest. I’ll take you to pick some next time and teach you how to identify them.”

The plants in the Beast World were much larger than those on Earth. When she first came to the Beast World over a year ago, she had a hard time getting used to it.

But after adapting, she could eat massive mushrooms and gnaw on enormous fruits. Every time she went gathering in the forest, it felt amazing!

”Okay!” Fox Qi was delighted.

Just as Nan Zishi reached the space under the rock ledge, she heard a voice from her host that didn’t sound very welcoming.

”Didn’t you say you weren’t coming back tonight? What are you doing back here?”

The sharp tone made Nan Zishi freeze in embarrassment. Fox Qi looked from his father to Nan Zishi, confused.

The little fairy child’s brow furrowed.

’Before pretty sister came back, Father was clearly very worried about her. Why is he so cold now that she’s here, with such a nasty tone?’

The atmosphere was tense. Little Snake Yang buried his head in Nan Zishi’s arm.

Fox Qi was a little upset. He trotted a few steps forward to criticize his father. ”Dad, what are you doing? It wasn’t easy for pretty sister to come over. And she’s the one who saved my life! Can’t you be a little nicer? If you keep this up, you won’t be my good dad anymore.”

’She hasn’t even raised Fox Qi for a single day, yet the little cub is already on her side, even talking back to me for her sake.’

An indescribable feeling welled up in Hu Bai’s heart. He gave a few weak coughs and turned his back.

Nan Zishi didn’t want to cause a fight between father and son. She apologized awkwardly, ”I’m sorry. It’s mainly because it started raining and the nearby forest didn’t seem very safe, so I came here to impose on you. If... if it’s not convenient, I’ll go into the village and ask if anyone has an empty cave I can borrow for the night.”

Nan Zishi was very embarrassed. Fortunately, the rain wasn’t too heavy, so she prepared to go to Stone Village to ask the other villagers.

”Stop.” The White Fox male suddenly turned around. His face was a little cold. ”If you leave now, Fox Qi will immediately start crying.”

’What does that mean? He doesn’t want me to leave?’

Nan Zishi awkwardly halted, unsure whether to stay or go.

Hu Bai didn’t stay to be an eyesore. He left the simple stove, walked into the curtain of rain, and went inside the cave.

After Hu Bai left, Fox Qi felt like he could breathe again. He let out a sigh of relief and quickly pulled Nan Zishi over to sit by the stove.

”Pretty sister, it’s all hot. Quick, eat.”

Nan Zishi gave a small bowl of food to Little Snake Yang. The Little Snake ate heartily by her side, while Nan Zishi ate and pondered, ”Little Aqi, have I somehow offended your father?”

’Logically speaking, I saved his cub and I’m even treating his illness and saving his life. There’s no reason he should be so cold to me.’

’Where is this hostility coming from?’

She was only treating him for Little Fox Qi’s sake. If he was going to keep giving her the cold shoulder, she wasn’t about to keep trying to be friendly.

Fox Qi shook his head. ”Pretty sister, you’re beautiful and kindhearted, how could you possibly offend my father! Please don’t overthink it. My father is cold to all females, it’s not just you.”

’This little fox cub is such a sweet-talker.’

”He has a thing against females?”

”Huh?”

’Looks like it. He dislikes all females... It’s a psychological issue...’

’I can’t cure that.’

Nan Zishi was halfway through her meal when she heard a noise from the direction of the cave. She and Fox Qi were under the rock ledge, partially hidden by some plants, so they weren’t noticed.

So, Nan Zishi pulled Fox Qi behind a bush to watch.

A light drizzle was falling. A young fox Beastman was at the entrance of their cave, flashing a fake smile at Hu Bai. ”Hu Bai, look, the light rainy season is here. My female master needs a Beast Skin for a mattress. Do you think you could lend us yours? It’s not like you have a female in your family anyway.”

Fox Qi’s expression changed drastically when he heard this. They only had one last whole Beast Skin left, and it was the one pretty sister had been using recently. If that Beast Skin was taken, they wouldn’t have any left!

’When pretty sister is a guest at our home, she’ll have to sleep on the hard rock.’

’It’s fine for me and Father, but pretty sister is a female. She needs a Beast Skin to use.’

Nan Zishi grabbed him. ”Don’t be rash.”

Families with a female enjoyed priority when the tribe distributed resources. Families without a female, on the other hand, were often suppressed and bullied.

Not only were they suppressed during resource distribution, but they were also easily bullied by more powerful families in their daily lives.

Hu Bai coughed twice, his voice weak. ”Your female master, Hu Li, has nine Beast Husbands. Can’t nine males scrape together a single Beast Skin mattress for their female master?”

Hu Bai’s tone was flat, but the faint hint of contempt was unmistakable.

Nine Beast Husbands, several of whom were even Beast Warriors—how could they be incapable of hunting a single beast or providing a Beast Skin?

The young fox Beastman suppressed his anger and forced a smile. ”We’ve gathered some, we have! But it’s still not enough. You know how it is... females are delicate. No matter how many you lay down, it’s never soft enough. Hu Bai, it’s useless for you to have a Beast Skin. You don’t have a female in your family.”

Hu Bai slowly raised his eyes. ”Why do you assume my family has no female?”

The young fox Beastman said, ”Who doesn’t know about your family? You were sold by your female master. How could you possibly have a female?”

Hu Bai’s icy eyes sharpened, and the air grew colder still.

Nan Zishi was a little surprised. Fox Qi’s family was small, just him and Hu Bai. She hadn’t been bold enough to ask why before.

’He was actually sold?’

She was astonished and whispered to Fox Qi, ”Your father was sold by his female master?”

Fox Qi hadn’t wanted to bring this up. It was his family’s shame, and because of it, any Beastman in the village felt they could step on them.

Fox Qi’s ears drooped slightly. He lowered his head dejectedly. ”Yeah. My mother... no, that female sold my father for three Beast Skins. Pretty sister, my father was actually abandoned by his female master. But his Mate Totem is still there. That female sold him, but she never broke the bond... My father doesn’t know what she’s thinking either.”

Nan Zishi ruffled his hair. ”You two have suffered. Your mother—no, that female—if she knew how hard your lives have been, she would surely feel for you and regret her actions.”

Fox Qi forced a smile. ”I hope so.”

After saying that, Fox Qi looked up at Nan Zishi. ”Pretty sister, would you be willing to be my mother? I heard that even though males in the Beast World can’t initiate breaking a mate contract, there are Forbidden Techniques and Secret Techniques that can.”

He had overheard this just a few days ago when Fox Zi came to argue with Hu Bai.

”My father is pretty good-looking, and he knows how to cook. Besides being a bit weak, and a bit grumpy, and a bit cold when he talks...” Fox Qi’s voice trailed off, losing confidence. ”But! It’s a buy-one-get-one-free deal! If you get my father, you get Little Aqi as your cub too! Isn’t that great, huh?”

Seeing Little Aqi trying so hard to sell his father and himself, Nan Zishi couldn’t help but smile. She ruffled Fox Qi’s head. ”Thank you, Little Aqi. I like you very much too. But things between adults aren’t that simple.”

The confrontation between Hu Bai and the young Fox Clan male was still ongoing. Hu Bai said, ”No one would turn down a Beast Skin, let alone when it’s the last one my family has. Fox Qi and I need it too.”

The young fox replied, ”Hu Bai, it’s for my female master! And we’re just borrowing it. We’ll return it once the weather clears up and we hunt a new one.”

He said they would return it, but who knew if they actually would? And even if they did, who knew if it would be the original Beast Skin?

Hu Bai said, ”Then go hunt. Get a good Beast Skin for your female master.”

Seeing that Hu Bai was unyielding, the young fox finally got angry. His face twisted into an ugly expression. ”Hu Bai, you’re nothing but a male who was sold into being a Beast Slave by his female master for three Beast Skins! Your life isn’t worth anything. What can you possibly do!”