Smelling the aroma of meat drifting in, Wen Shu was about to leave when she remembered the person next to her and casually asked, "Want to grab a meal together?"
Mious' eyelids moved slightly, his handsome face cold, and he slowly replied, "No..."
Wen Shu's lips twitched, hearing the first word, she immediately nodded, "Alright, you rest first."
She turned around and followed the scent to the kitchen.
As soon as she entered, Wen Shu saw the sizzling roast meat on the fire rack.
Nan was sitting to the side fanning the flames. When he saw her come in, his light-colored eyes trembled slightly. He took out a small packet of salt and sprinkled it on the roast, deftly handing her two skewers.
The aroma wafted to her nose, Wen Shu reached out to take it, her mouth watering uncontrollably, "Thank you, smells amazing!"
Ignoring the scorching heat, she immediately stuffed it into her mouth, praising indistinctly as she chewed, "Thanks, so tasty, your skills are exceptional!"
Understanding what she said, a hint of surprise flashed in Nan's eyes. He stood up awkwardly, "No need to be courteous, it's my honor that you find it delicious."
The towering figure, about two meters tall, like a startled bird, carefully stood in the kitchen, blocking most of the light.
Seeing his humble stance, Wen Shu felt a pang of guilt as she chewed.
In her view, the mistakes made by the original owner weren't hers.
She was willing to do her best to make amends for the original owner, offering treatment and compensation before leaving, but she wasn't interested in changing how they viewed her.
However, healing injuries took about a month, and interacting with Nan like this was really awkward.
Wen Shu finished one skewer of meat and wiped her mouth, "Stop calling me 'female' all the time; you can call me by my name."
Nan's eyes widened; a female's name is a very private matter, only to be addressed by the closest family and mates.
Although they did have a marriage contract, how could they be considered close?
Moreover, didn't this malicious female despise him the most, wishing for no association whatsoever?
Suppressing the surprise and doubt in his heart, he waved his hands repeatedly, "No, I would bring you shame..."
Wen Shu's gaze grew cold, speaking softly, "It's an order."
Nan opened his mouth, then silently bowed his head, "Alright."
Wen Shu couldn't help but sigh internally, let's take it slowly.
After devouring the second skewer of roast, Wen Shu wasn't full yet, but there was nothing left on the fire.
Did the original owner usually eat this little?
Noticing her gaze, Nan explained her unasked question, "Female... Wen, Wen Shu, there's no food left at home."
Wen Shu: "?"
She looked around the unobstructed kitchen. The stone counters were clean, with only a few stone-carved empty bowls, and the bone hooks embedded in stone crevices were empty as well.
With a gust of wind, the bone hooks gently clinked, vividly illustrating the phrase — poor as a church mouse.
"..."
Wen Shu momentarily blanked, how could she forget that the original owner was a gluttonous slacker!
The tribe's Beastman would go out hunting, with males responsible for capturing prey and females for purifying food, distributing based on contribution.
With Nan's low rank, he didn't receive much meat, and the original owner never participated in hunting, relying only on Nan. The household's food reserve was already sparse.
Plus, with the recent Blessing Day, there had been no hunting within the tribe, leaving probably just those two skewers of meat consumed by her.
Seeing her silent, Nan grew uneasy, his face turning paler, "Wen, Wen Shu, I'll join the hunt after Blessing Day... No, I'll go now!"
He closed his eyes briefly and stood up abruptly.
The dense forest was dangerous. Around the tribe, it was still alright, but where the food could be found was filled with mutant beasts, and hunting alone was akin to courting death.
Wen Shu grabbed his arm, hardly believing him, "Are you trying to risk your life?"
Nan's figure stiffened, glancing at her hand, and silently lowered his head, long hair sliding from the sides of the mask, concealing the endurance in his eyes.
"I'll think of something..."
Wen Shu was preoccupied with thoughts of food, unaware of his unusual demeanor.
The kitchen faced the south side, directly towards the tribal square.
Looking afar, she saw Beastman stacking fresh firewood on a massive bonfire, and on the other side where the square connected to the mountain's base, numerous large interconnected platforms rose, already crowded with thousands of male Beastman and a few scattered females.
The key point was the males coming and going around, placing fresh food.
Wen Shu had an idea, "Nan, have you participated in the gladiatorial tournament?"
Nan's eyes paused momentarily, then he quickly shook his head, "Never participated! I made the marriage contract before reaching adulthood, so I can't join... However, females can participate."
Wen Shu shifted her comforting gaze from him unto the food below, "I'm not doubting you nor planning to find a new Beast Husband."
Though the gladiatorial tournament indeed serves as the Beastman's 'matchmaking event.'
Blessing Day lasts three days, and the two days following the blessing ceremony are dedicated to the gladiatorial tournament.
Females wishing for new Beast Husbands can enroll.
Adult males choose the females they fancy, demonstrating their strength through duels to win their favor.
Although the original owner is ostensibly partners with Nan, she had just come of age and hadn't participated in the gladiatorial tournament.
Thus, she wondered if the food at the gladiatorial tournament could be consumed freely?
Thinking aloud, she asked.
Nan lifted his eyes in surprise, unsure how to react to her eager gaze.
"Just go and find out!"
Wen Shu didn't dwell too long; she grabbed two large pots from the stone platform and stuffed them into Nan's arms, giving him a slight smile, "Stop staring blankly, let's go."
Sunlight shone into her smiling eyes, reflecting a gentle glow, momentarily overshadowing her dirty appearance.
Nan's face under the mask froze for a second, quickly diverting his gaze, looking with a complex expression at the pots in his hands.
Under the influence of the fuzzy light, he surprisingly found the female kind-hearted.
Nan looked towards the female ahead; her behavior from last night until now was surprisingly different, as if she had transformed.
Following the crowd towards the square, Wen Shu attracted numerous stares and overheard various discussions.
Clearly, last night's incident had spread across the tribe, and even other tribes had caught wind.
In the tribe governed by Su'en City, she'd become famous.
Upon stepping onto the square, Wen Shu felt a second of silence around her.
Immediately, the Beastman's murmurings intensified.
Gathered on the left, the Fox Clan Beastmen looked disgruntled, "It's Wen Shu! Why is she here!"
"Didn't she just bond with Mious last night? Is she looking for a new Beast Husband again today?"
Females could marry many Beast Husbands, but acquiring several at once, what's the difference from being unscrupulous!
The young Ai Li held his forehead, "Great, our tribe is going to lose face again..."
The Snake Beast Tribe Beastmen showed varied expressions, while the Sixth-stage Beastman jealous of Mious, Aris, sneered, "Thought Mious had found an outstanding female, but with low spiritual power and... after one night she changed her mind? His taste is truly unique!"
Beside him, Beck expressed hopeful curiosity, "Though the female's spiritual power is low and her looks aren't outstanding, if she mates with Mious, she must have something special! Perhaps her Pregnancy value is particularly high! A high Pregnancy value calls for more Beast Husbands!"
"Indeed, Snake Beast Tribe has had few cubs in recent years, Mious is most likely to become the chief's successor. Surely his choice of female is to produce more offspring for the tribe! The female's Pregnancy value must be high!"
The males, ardent admirers of Mious, grew more excited, almost bouncing with enthusiasm.
The words reached the Fox Beast Tribe, with Beastmen who had participated in Wen Shu's coming-of-age ceremony last month showing a complex expression.
The female Xi Ya couldn't suppress her laughter; she sat in her mate's lap, protecting her slightly bulging belly, her eyes resting disdainfully on the female seeking a vacant spot, "Ha, they're so excited now, will they cry later seeing Wen Shu's meager Pregnancy value?"
On her left, a stunning female adorned with feather earrings, surrounded by five mates, curled her lips disdainfully, "Keep your voice down, don't rush; let them indulge for a while longer, the higher the expectation, the more disappointment when fantasies shatter."
She beckoned with her finger, whispering to her mate, then gave Xi Ya a mysterious smile, "Just wait for the show."