Hu Yan acted as if nothing had just happened, taking out his key to open the door.
The Beastman from next door, who often went hunting with Lang Qiu and the others, heard them return and came out to greet them. "Hu Yan, you're back?"
Hu Yan nodded in acknowledgment. "Di."
Di said, "The cold winter is coming soon. I'm thinking of taking on some missions tomorrow. Want to come along?"
The two families were in similar situations, though their neighbor's was slightly better. But with the cold winter season fast approaching, they still needed to stock up on more food to get through it.
Bai Zhi smiled and said, "They aren't going on any for now."
Di found that odd. Based on his impression of their female head, she was the type who always pushed Lang Qiu and the others to take on more missions—preferably high-paying ones—without any regard for their safety. 'So why would she refuse today?'
But however strange it was, she had already said they weren't going, and he couldn't possibly force them.
Just then, however, he noticed that Hu Yan and the others were each carrying several bags, big and small, with clothes peeking out from inside.
Di's eyes widened in shock as he looked at all the clothes. "Why did you buy so many clothes?"
Then, his sharp eyes spotted that the Light Computer on Hu Yan's wrist was different from his old, battered one—it was the latest model. He shouted in excitement, "That's the newest model Light Computer! It's super expensive! I heard from Zhou before that the latest model costs tens of thousands of Star Coins!"
He let out a sharp cry. "Hu Yan, did your family strike it rich or something?"
Di's voice was so loud that it immediately caught the attention of the surrounding residents, who all opened their doors to look.
After all, Bai Zhi's family was notoriously poor in this area. No matter how poor other families were, they at least had clothes to wear. In contrast, Bai Zhi's five Beast Husbands were almost always bare-chested year-round, and in winter, they had to transform into their beast forms to stay warm.
Now, hearing that their family had struck it rich, not only buying lots of clothes but also the latest Light Computers, everyone couldn't help but come see for themselves.
One of the Beastmen suddenly said, "I've seen this brand of clothing in the mall. It's really expensive... Buying this many must have cost a fortune..."
That single comment set things off, immediately sparking a heated discussion.
"Clothes and Light Computers... that has to be hundreds of thousands of Star Coins, right? Ugh, I'm dying of envy!"
"Hundreds of thousands of Star Coins? Isn't their family always broke? Where did they get the money for all this?"
Just then, a sharp-eyed Beastman spotted Sang Mo, who was partially blocked by Hu Yan. "It's not just Hu Yan! That Beastman behind him—I've never seen him come out before—is also wearing the same model Light Computer and carrying the same bags. He must be her fifth Beast Husband. Tsk, tsk, tsk... he has even more scars than Hu Yan and the others..."
People in the neighborhood often saw Lang Qiu and the others with new and old injuries. After a while, they all knew what was going on.
They just hadn't expected this Beastman to be in even worse shape than Hu Yan and the others. No wonder they'd never seen him out and about.
At that moment, a Beastman said gloatingly, "Her Beast Husbands really have it rough. Going without clothes year-round is one thing, but they have to get beaten too."
He had barely finished speaking when another Beastman suddenly said, "But she bought all of her Beast Husbands Light Computers and clothes. How many Star Coins must that have cost...!!!"
His words silenced everyone present. The Beastman who had just been gloating about how miserable Bai Zhi's Beast Husbands were found his expression frozen on his face, unsure for a moment whether he should pity Hu Yan and the others for their miserable lives or envy them for their new clothes and Light Computers.
Bai Zhi watched as they came out of their homes, sizing them up and discussing them in low voices. This feeling of being watched like an animal in a zoo made her press her lips together uncomfortably.
Seeing more and more Beastmen and females coming out, Di realized his voice, loud from shock, had drawn too large of a crowd. He looked at them sheepishly and scratched his head.
In the midst of the silence, a female whined tearfully to her Beast Husband, "Waaah, why are you all so useless! I want pretty clothes and jewelry too!"
Her words were like a bombshell, instantly turning envy into jealousy.
Jealousy makes people ugly.
A Beast Husband who was usually on bad terms with Lang Qiu and the others said in a sour tone, "Hu Yan, did your family hunt an S-Class Beast or something? To be willing to spend so much."
Another Beastman chimed in, "Yeah, why didn't you call us if you were hunting an S-level Beast? We all live in the same area. It would've been easier to cooperate if you ran into one."
"That's right. Why wouldn't you call us for something this good?"
Hearing their sour remarks, Di frowned. "Yang Lie, that's enough out of you! Why should they have to call you for an S-level Beast they found? So you can take a cut of the money?"
Seeing Bai Zhi getting picked on by the crowd, Sang Mo showed no intention of helping. On the contrary, the sight of her flustered and surrounded by people pleased him, and a faint light flickered in his dark eyes.
Hu Yan, however, saw what was happening and said calmly, "Our family didn't hunt an S-level Beast."
"If you didn't hunt an S-level Beast, then where did you get the money?" Then he turned to the others. "Their family is so poor. How could they suddenly afford all this? Don't tell me they stole someone's Star Coins? You all better check your own homes, just in case you've been robbed blind and didn't even know it."
Bai Zhi's eyes flew wide in disbelief. "Well, I've really seen it all now! You just pull accusations out of thin air! What proof do you have that we stole your Star Coins? Just your baseless say-so? By that logic, can I just claim you stole Di's sister's clothes yesterday?"
She had only meant it as a hypothetical, but to her surprise, they actually took her seriously. They all turned to look at the Beastman who had just spoken with surprised and meaningful glances.
"You really stole them?"
The Beastman's face was already flushed red from all the stares. Hearing someone ask so suspiciously, he immediately roared, "Nonsense! When did I ever steal her clothes!"
Bai Zhi tilted her head. "Then when did I steal your Star Coins?"
The Beastman was rendered speechless. He just couldn't stand seeing the family that used to have it the worst around here suddenly buying new Light Computers and new clothes, so he'd blurted it out of spite. He never expected Bai Zhi to turn the tables on him like this. Now, the way everyone else was looking at him was so meaningful, it was as if he'd really done it.
But he hadn't done it at all!!
The crucial part was, he had no way to explain himself. If he said he didn't steal them, who could prove it?
It was an injustice he couldn't even explain!!
"You, you..." Facing everyone's curious and meaningful stares, his face flushed red, and he turned and stormed off.