Chapter – 62
Is It Finally Bai Yuan’s Turn?
“I’m her beast husband.” Bai Yuan’s voice was firm.
“We’re all her beast husbands!”
Hearing that, Su Han froze for a moment. He tilted his head toward Li Qingqing with an expression that clearly said: Why do you have so many beast husbands?
“You’re a male living here alone—doesn’t seem very appropriate, does it?” Xiao Ziye crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his eyes at the man on the bed.
Li Qingqing thought about it and agreed. “That’s true. So… which one of you wants to take him back and take care of him for a while?”
The five beast husbands all showed troubled expressions again.
Ling Mo: “I still have younger siblings to take care of.”
Chi Lin: “I don’t know how to take care of people.”
Bai Yuan: “I don’t like living with others.”
Xiao Ziye: “Don’t look at me. I’m not serving this kid.”
Feng Hao: I can’t either!
Li Qingqing was so irritated she actually laughed. “None of you is willing, so what are you all arguing for?”
Su Han turned his head away. “As if I want to live with any of you. Once I’m healed, I’ll leave.”
Li Qingqing sighed and made a decision. “He’ll stay here. There are two beds anyway. The rest of you—go back.”
“Stop causing trouble for me!” she said as she pushed all five men out of the tree hole.
After sending away her five “great Buddhas,” Li Qingqing didn’t rest immediately. Instead, she added some beast oil to the lamp and continued reading her Essential Handbook for Transmigrators. She’d spent the whole day studying rice cultivation.
From seedling raising, to transplanting, to harvesting—she researched everything carefully.
She realized that going from zero to one was truly difficult.
When she finally closed the book, she glanced at the person on the nearby bed. He wasn’t asleep—he was staring at her with wide-open eyes.
“Sorry, did I keep you awake?”
Su Han shook his head. “What are you reading?”
“Some classified stuff about the tribe,” Li Qingqing brushed it off casually.
Su Han nodded. His eyes dimmed, as if he was thinking about something. Then suddenly he asked, “You land beastmen… how can one female have so many beast husbands?”
That question hit a blind spot for Li Qingqing. Now that she thought about it, aside from the Wolf Tribe, most beastmen lived in polyandrous arrangements.
“Hm? You’re from the sea? What’s it like there?”
“We merfolk are one wife, one husband. In our entire lives, we only have one beloved.”
Li Qingqing nodded—learning something new. “That’s actually similar to the Wolf Tribe.”
Her gaze suddenly landed on his tail. “When merfolk come ashore, can your tail turn into legs?”
“It should be possible, but I’m injured. My ability is too weak to maintain a transformation.”
Li Qingqing realized that he only had fragmentary knowledge, especially regarding life on land.
“This is your first time coming ashore, isn’t it?” She curiously leaned closer.
The distance between them became quite small.
Su Han coughed a few times and turned his face away. “You female, why are you getting so close to me?”
Li Qingqing was annoyed. She saved his life, and she couldn’t even get near him?
She puffed out the oil lamps angrily. “Sleep!”
She marched toward the other bed, but in the darkness she tripped over something. “Ah!”
Hearing her cry, Su Han frowned. “Are you alright?”
Li Qingqing, too embarrassed to admit it, limped to her bed. “I’m fine!”
—
The next morning, Li Qingqing called An Xuan and headed to the river again.
On the way, An Xuan noticed her limping and teased, “Chief, which beast husband did you favor last night? Looks like he was pretty fierce—you can barely walk!”
Li Qingqing forced a smile. “I fell.”
An Xuan burst into laughter. “I thought you were with that merman you picked up.”
Li Qingqing hurriedly covered her mouth. “Shh! Don’t talk nonsense. If they hear it—especially Bai Yuan—he’d get insanely jealous.”
“He might chop off Su Han’s tail if he misunderstood. Didn’t you see how delicate that merman is?”
Talking all the way, they finally reached the river. The water level had dropped significantly.
“That’s strange—why’d it drop again?”
Someone washing clothes nearby said, “When I came to bathe last night, the water level dropped.”
Last night? Li Qingqing immediately thought of Su Han. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the seawater backflow had something to do with him.
But she had bigger concerns. With the crisis resolved and the tribe calm again, it was time for rice cultivation.
She had already prepared 120 seedlings to test with.
She called over several beastmen to dig a paddy field by the riverside and built a stone water channel for irrigation.
Li Qingqing sat on a big rock, watching the handsome men in the field, shirtless, planting seedlings.
Ling Xiaotuan and Ling Xiaoyu alternated feeding grapes into her mouth.
Li Qingqing let out a blissful sigh. “Now this is life.”
Just as she was enjoying herself, a familiar figure approached.
When he got closer, Li Qingqing finally recognized him.
“Your tail got shorter?”
Su Han gave a soft hum and rubbed his stomach. “I’m hungry.”
Feeling a little guilty, Li Qingqing snatched the stone bowl from Ling Xiaotuan. “Eat some fruit first.”
“Why are you giving him my fruit? You two big meanies!” Ling Xiaotuan protested angrily.
“What do you mean yours? I picked them. It’s just a few fruits—let him fill his stomach.”
Ling Xiaotuan puffed up his cheeks, hoping that’d stop Su Han from eating.
But Su Han swallowed several fruits quickly.
From the field, Bai Yuan kept glancing over, his planting speed getting faster and faster.
He finished the seedlings in no time and headed to the river to wash off the mud.
When he came back, he saw Li Qingqing staring intently at Su Han as he ate.
He didn’t even put on his animal pelt. Fueled by jealousy, he strode straight over.
“Come with me.” His tone left no room for refusal. He grabbed Li Qingqing and dragged her toward the small forest.
Su Han tried to follow, but Bai Yuan shot him a vicious glare.
Li Qingqing quickly stopped the situation from escalating. “I’ll be right back. Don’t wander around the tribe.”
Seeing her still talking to another male, Bai Yuan’s face darkened even more. He tightened his hold and half-carried her deeper into the forest.
“What’s wrong? Don’t be angry. I saved him, so of course I have to take responsibility,” Li Qingqing coaxed.
Bai Yuan froze mid-step. He turned around, eyes watery. “You want to… take responsibility for him?”
After what happened last time, Li Qingqing no longer treated him like a child. She stood on tiptoe and initiated a kiss.
Bai Yuan’s pupils dilated—he couldn’t believe she’d kissed him first.
Just as Li Qingqing started to pull back, he cupped the back of her head and deepened the kiss.
