Beauty and the Beasts

The four of them walked back to the bonfire in silence. Although there were four of them instead of three, it was much quieter than earlier.

 When others saw that Vincent was seated with them, they let out chuckles. The females mocked Bai Qingqing, while the males mocked Vincent. Of course, the males were merely mocking Vincent and bore no malicious intent towards her.

 Beastmen had a keen sense of hearing, especially so for beastmen with more stripes. Although Vincent could hear what everyone was saying, he acted as though he heard nothing and merely sat next to the bonfire without moving.

 Bai Qingqing could feel that Parker and Cortis were both unhappy, and the atmosphere was super tense. She yawned and said, “Why aren’t you guys eating? The meat is cooked. If you guys still don’t eat, it’s going to become charred. Vincent, you should eat too.”

 “Okay,” Vincent replied. He cut off a slice of the barbecued meat. Glancing around, when he saw that the salt jar was next to Parker, he simply started eating in silence.

 “Hmph!” Parker snorted. He picked up the salt jar and, having grabbed some meat, sprinkled salt on the meat before giving it to Bai Qingqing. “Qingqing, eat.”

 “Thanks.” Bai Qingqing took the meat from him and had a small bite. Still, she felt that the atmosphere was too tense. After some thinking, she said to Vincent, “You like that fox female, don’t you? She’s quite pretty. Why don’t I help you chase her? I’m a female, I know best what females like.”

 She deliberately glanced at Cortis and Parker after she finished speaking. Seeing that their expressions had eased, she inwardly heaved a sigh of relief.

 Vincent glanced at Bai Qingqing through the bonfire and said in his deep voice, “No need. I don’t intend to become mates with anyone in this lifetime.”

 “Ah…” Bai Qingqing felt a sense of guilt. She had upset him in an attempt to make Parker and Cortis feel better. She shouldn’t have done that.

 Just then, a wolf beastman came over with pork belly wrapped in tree leaves. The quantity was little, only around 1kg.

 Parker glanced warily at the meat in the wolf beastman’s hand and asked, “Child of the wolf king, what are you doing here?”

 The wolf beastman ignored Parker, his long and narrow eyes staring fixedly at Bai Qingqing as he said to her, “For you.”

 Cortis stared at him coldly. But considering the occasion, he didn’t strike out at him.

 “For me?” Bai Qingqing looked up and gazed at the male with a pair of wolf ears. Puzzled, she asked, “Have you mistaken me for someone else? I don’t know you.”

 “I know your name is Bai Qingqing. I’m that male whom you asked directions from earlier. My name is Hugh. I like you.” With the demeanor of a soldier, Hugh confessed to her in a serious tone.

 1Bai Qingqing didn’t know what to do. She was thinking of how to reject him without hurting his feelings when Parker snatched the meat away.

 “We accept the meat. You may go now,” Parker said rudely.

 However, Hugh didn’t insist on staying or anything. After taking a last look at Bai Qingqing, he turned around and left.

 Bai Qingqing stared at Parker with a reproachful look. “Why did you take the meat from him?”

 Parker looked at the meat and said with a smile, “This is pork, it’s reared by the ape king’s men. Only the females of royal families get a chance to eat this. My mom loves to eat this. You should try it too.”

 “Isn’t it just pork?” Bai Qingqing pursed her lips, then sighed in frustration. “How am I going to reject him after accepting his food!”

 “It’s only right that a female accepts a gift from a male. Feel free to reject him.” Parker then stared at Bai Qingqing with a doubtful look. “Pigs are very difficult to capture. They move around in a herd and have barbaric and unyielding natures. If you mess with them, they can climb up a tree and shake it until the tree collapses. Do you frequently eat it?”

 “Ah…” Bai Qingqing was dazed for a moment and then quickly corrected herself. “I thought it was something else.”