Beauty and the Beasts

Alva instantly said to Bella, “There’s nothing that concerns you here. Go back up the tree.”

“Who are you to interfere in my business?”

Bella didn’t bother speaking with him nicely these days. Raising her flat chin, she said, “I went into heat a few days ago, and I’m in the midst of choosing my first mate now. I wonder who would like to become my mate?”

“Pff pff pff.” The sound of wings flapping sounded, and a long row of peacocks instantly formed behind her. A rough estimation put the number at more than ten.

Once they landed on the ground, they fought to spread their wings, instantly forming a glamorous barrier on the ground.

After all, she was the most beautiful female in the tribe, so it was unsurprising that she had the most admirers.

“Wah~” Bai Qingqing couldn’t help but marvel softly. To be able to witness such a scene before she left made her trip here worthwhile.

Alva shook his butt. He was extremely familiar with such a scene because in the past he was one of the most ardently displaying himself in front of Bella.

But now, with his naked butt, he figured that if he spread his wings in his peacock form, never mind Bai Qingqing, even the females with the lowest requirements in the tribe would look down on him.

Those males spread their wings and tail wider yet, in order to vie for Bella’s attention, even suppressing the competition while showcasing themselves.

Bella, however, merely swept her gaze over them casually, before it landed on Bluepool in the water.

“That male in the water, do you find me pretty?”

Bella asked confidently. But the instant the question came out of her mouth, she sensed that the atmosphere wasn’t quite right. Even those males pursuing her had become kind of strange.

She merely lost to Bai Qingqing a little, surely that didn’t mean she couldn’t call herself pretty?

Bella didn’t know, but the males did. The Merfolk were known for being picky, and they would even reject a female sent right to their doorstep. They would often proclaim with pride that they possessed the most beautiful female in the world.

Even Bai Qingqing didn’t claim to be the most beautiful, so it was hard to imagine just how gorgeous that female was.

Bai Qingqing gazed at Bluepool, who looked as though he had just swallowed a housefly. She couldn’t bear to continue looking at him.

“Hmph, you?” Bluepool, who couldn’t even deign to cast a glance at that ugly freak on the shore, shook his fishtail in disdain.

“Even if I stay a bachelor forever, I’ll never have such casual standards.”

Bella froze. Then, her embarrassment turned into rage. “You’re spouting nonsense! I’m known to be the most beautiful female in our tribe!”

As if what he said wasn’t shocking enough, Bluepool continued, “You’re just a tiny bit better looking than the females they used to offer me on land. I had thought that nobody wanted them. So it turns out that even with your standards you’re already the prettiest in your tribe. Seems like I misunderstood those tribes.”

With that, Bluepool even shook his head, seemingly in remorse over his previous folly.

Incensed, Bella’s chest heaved up and down violently. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? Even the ugliest female in the tribe wouldn’t receive such treatment by a male!

Redness exploded on her face. Then, she stomped and fled the scene, too humiliated to face anyone.

In their heavy and clumsy footsteps, the peacocks chased after her with their wings spread open, making “thud, thud, thud” sounds as they did so.

The riverside became much quieter all of a sudden.

Bai Qingqing heaved out a sigh of relief. Then, she started feeling vexed again.

With Bluepool being so picky, when was she ever going to succeed in pairing him up with someone else? Surely, her only option wasn’t to give birth to a daughter for him?

No way, no way. Things would get awkward if her daughter went on to produce a merfolk offspring—for they would reproduce with their offspring!

“Snow.”

Curtis’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. Bai Qingqing hurriedly stood up with her babies in her arms. She first sized him up. Only upon confirming that he was unscathed did she heave a sigh of relief.

“You’re back?”

Curtis shook his snake tail and went up to her with a large salt brick in his arms.

“I took the chance to get some salt. It’ll last you for quite a while. Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Parker instantly asked.

Curtis gazed far away as he replied, “Somewhere comfortable.”