Chapter – 104
Could It Be a New Female?
Lu Liufeng noticed the unease hidden in the matriarch’s tone.
He guessed that perhaps it was because she had to go to the Ice River to look for blackfish that the matriarch felt anxious.
So he spoke up.
“Matriarch, there’s no need to worry. Whatever happens, we will protect you and make sure you are safe.”
Jiang Xi turned over and buried her face in his feathers, letting out a muffled sound.
One must first strengthen oneself; if she were too much of a burden, their desire to protect her might not be enough.
The journey went smoothly, and they arrived at the Hot River Valley without incident.
In the Hot River Valley, the chief female had already instructed the snake-beast people of the Roaring Lion Tribe to begin gathering food.
However, there weren’t many females in the valley. A few young ones could occasionally be seen along the riverbank or in the riverside forest, talking with the snake-beast people or their mates.
Jiang Xi had thought that since the chief female said the tribe’s females would be staying in the Hot River Valley for some time, she would see many of them.
She saw the chief female at the same time the chief female saw her.
As soon as they landed, the chief female came forward to greet her.
Upon seeing Jiang Xi’s face, she froze for a moment, then quickly greeted her.
“Matriarch envoy.”
Jiang Xi smiled at her.
“You’re early, Chief Female.”
She looked around and asked the question on her mind.
“Wasn’t it said that all the females of the tribe would stay here in Hot River Valley for a while?”
The chief female smiled awkwardly.
“They’ll probably come tomorrow.”
The lazy females of the tribe, having heard that Jiang Xi would be collecting food for the Ice River expedition in the next couple of days, feared becoming laborers themselves. So each delayed their arrival until after tomorrow.
If the chief female explained this, it would only annoy the matriarch envoy and make the Roaring Lion Tribe seem disunited.
So she didn’t give the reason.
Jiang Xi saw that she wouldn’t say more, and didn’t press.
After all, administrative matters were always trivial and complicated.
With such a large tribe, it was impossible to satisfy everyone; managing it was not easy.
At that moment, a cold voice came from the forest by the river.
“You’ve come.”
Jiang Xi turned her head and saw Duan Si gliding out of the forest with his black-scaled snake tail, looking like a centuries-old vampire who hadn’t left his castle in ages.
Jiang Xi smiled at him briefly and said succinctly,
“We’re leaving for the Ice River the day after tomorrow. The reason for coming to Hot River Valley this time is to collect food and also to let you know—I might not be back here for a while.”
After she spoke, Duan Si lifted his crimson snake eyes, scanning around her before settling them on her, his gaze inquisitive, his nose twitching lightly.
Jiang Xi: “…”
She subconsciously touched her face.
She knew she had changed a lot, but didn’t realize it was enough to make Duan Si suspect she wasn’t herself.
At the same time, faint voices of beast people came from nearby.
“Who is she? Why is she with Lu Liufeng? Did Lu Liufeng already break his marriage contract and get a new female?”
“Tsk, Lu Liufeng is amazing. He managed to find such a beautiful female.”
“Is she from the Roaring Lion Tribe? I haven’t seen her before. Could she be a newly exiled female?”
Jiang Xi: “…”
Could you speak any louder?
Lu Liufeng emerged from hiding after transforming, wrapped in beast skins, and said,
“Duan Si, it hasn’t been that long—don’t you recognize the matriarch?”
He deliberately raised his voice so that the murmuring beast people could hear.
The matriarch is still the matriarch.
“Matriarch?”
Duan Si’s gaze fell on Jiang Xi’s unfamiliar, beautiful face, filled with suspicion.
He could feel the presence of the marriage contract and smell her familiar scent, but… this female with a completely changed appearance—was she really Jiang Xi?
Jiang Xi nodded slightly, offering no further explanation.
“We’ll stay in Hot River Valley tonight to prepare food with everyone. Later, I’ll need you to come with me to gather food.”
Food—more is never too much.
The tribe could provide, but one couldn’t rely entirely on them. Always be prepared.
Duan Si pursed his lips, arms crossed, black-scaled snake tail swaying as he circled Jiang Xi twice, not too close, not too far.
Finally, he had to admit—this indeed was the new Jiang Xi.
He replied simply,
“Understood.”
Jiang Xi chuckled and shook her head, saying nothing more.
She turned to speak to Lu Liufeng, only to see him, bare-chested with just a beast-skin covering his lower half, muscles beautifully exposed.
For a moment, she felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment and hurried a few steps forward to cover him.
But before she could move, she saw Yifu approaching with two little blue snakes perched on his head, swimming over from afar.
Jiang Xi froze.
The snake-beast people of Hot River Valley… all went bare-chested with their tails exposed…
Lu Liufeng’s bare chest didn’t seem out of place; in fact, he fit right in.
“Cough.”
Jiang Xi pressed her fist to her lips, pretending to cough to cover her reaction, then quickly changed the topic.
“Lu Liufeng, I’m going to the forest with Duan Si to gather food. You can wander around the valley for a bit or explore nearby, but remember to come back for dinner.”
Lu Liufeng smiled helplessly.
The matriarch treats him like a little beast again.
“Don’t worry, matriarch. I’ll go hunting. Last time, I saw traces of wild boar piglets—there might be some there.”
Jiang Xi’s eyes lit up, and she quickly said,
“If you find piglets, don’t kill them. Bring them back and raise them in Hot River Valley. When the weather warms next year, we can eat them! If there are both males and females, they can continue to reproduce, so we’ll have sustainable meat!”
After saying this, she realized she needed Duan Si’s help, and looked at him with bright, sparkling eyes.
“Duan Si! If Lu Liufeng catches piglets, can you help raise them here in Hot River Valley? Feed them plants—it’s easy to raise them. That way, next year, we’ll have grown pigs for meat.”
Duan Si was silent for two seconds.
Raise… pigs?
But seeing the sparkling eyes of the matriarch, he nodded after a moment of thought.
“Understood. If they are caught, I will raise them.”
Lu Liufeng gave him a strange look.
A handsome, somewhat dangerous-looking young man…
…was going to help the matriarch raise pigs?
Strange as it was, Lu Liufeng didn’t comment, only nodded, determined to do his best.
The matriarch’s wishes were his command.
Just then, Yifu arrived with two little blue snakes.
On the way over, he had already heard the snake-beast people exclaiming about Jiang Xi’s transformation. Seeing it with his own eyes, he was stunned for a while.
But remembering her face had been blackened by wounds before, it wasn’t impossible for her to change this much.
The two little blue snakes, without the adult’s subtleties, sensed a scent they liked and chirped happily, twisting their necks atop their father’s head.
“Matriarch! Matriarch! Fragrant matriarch~”
“Fragrant matriarch~”
