Beast World: A Fragile Beauty Blessed with Many Children-Chapter 156 - 155: Quick to Take Things

In a family, a male’s status and treatment didn’t just depend on his own strength, personality, and background. It was far more influenced by the female’s way of handling things, as well as the character of the household’s Beast Husbands!

The shock he received this morning had been significant, but it also made him understand why his clansmen wished he had been born female.

Si Shuo chuckled lightly and patted his shoulder. "Actually, if you had given out the Spirit Plants, you probably could have brought back quite a few of your clansmen, right?"

Xiao Cheng nuzzled her neck. "Dear, you already anticipated this, didn’t you?"

"Yesterday afternoon, Hang He told me a bit about the living situation for everyone in this area.

It’s rare for families to be like ours or Yimei’s family, with several Beast Soldiers among their Beast Husbands.

Most families only have one Beast Husband serving in the Beast Soldier Camp. All their dependents, who live with them in tiny homes, rely entirely on that one Beast Soldier’s monthly salary.

The burden on a large family is immense. So, they take on odd jobs, like weaving bamboo baskets, performing manual labor for others, or making and selling snacks," Si Shuo said softly.

Guangshou City had a history of over a thousand years. With its huge population of Beastmen, land was scarce and fiercely contested. Everyone had to give their all just to survive in the city.

Far from the forests, the Beastmen no longer had to be constantly on guard against nearby Fierce Beasts. However, this also meant their traditional source of livelihood was gone, forcing them to find new ways to get by.

One less person in the family meant one less pair of hands to work. Who would take a risk for a pie-in-the-sky promise?

Xiao Cheng’s mood had eased a bit. He said, somewhat embarrassed, "It’s just that my clansmen have such a low status in their families. I... I was so furious, I couldn’t bear to give away the Spirit Plants you condensed."

"It’s alright. In the future, our family will need to make writing brushes, paper, and ink, which will require a lot of helping hands.

We can just pay them to come and work for us!

Sometimes, the number of Crystal Stones they earn is what determines their status in the family."

At any time and in any place, it’s no empty saying that one’s financial situation determines their status in the family.

Si Shuo smiled and gave him a gentle push, then turned her head to look at the three males, who stood there looking anxious and uneasy.

Xiao Cheng grinned and took a step back, scratching his head as he made the introductions. "This is Xiao Bo, Xiao Kai, and Xiao Yuan."

"And brothers," he said, turning to them, "this is my wife, Si Shuo!"

The three males hurriedly bowed. "A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Si!"

Si Shuo nodded at them. "It’s nice to meet you."

’These three were quite handsome, at least above average for Beastmen. But chronic malnutrition had left their cheeks gaunt, twisting the natural charm in their eyes into something that looked frivolous and almost mean.’

’Still, their gazes were honest, though tinged with the bitterness and numbness that came from a hard life.’

"I was wondering, what do you all usually do at home? And if you don’t mind my asking, how many Crystal Stones do you earn per month?" Si Shuo inquired after a moment’s thought.

The three males exchanged a look. The eldest of them lowered a bamboo basket from his shoulder. It was filled with a number of exquisite items. He offered it with a smile and said, "To answer your question, Mrs. Si, I weave various kinds of wicker baskets at home and sell them at the market every few days. I heard you just moved in yesterday, so please take these to store your things. I’m sure we’ll be relying on your kindness a great deal in the future."

Xiao Cheng accepted them without hesitation. The wicker baskets, coming in all shapes and sizes, were indeed beautiful and creatively made.

A smile flashed in Si Shuo’s eyes. ’He didn’t manage to give away a single Spirit Plant, but he’s certainly quick to accept gifts.’

"These don’t sell for much. On a good day, I might earn seven or eight Level 5 Crystal Stones. That works out to about twenty-odd Level 6 Crystal Stones a month, which is barely enough to feed myself and the female of my household."

Si Shuo nodded in understanding. ’So this is the bare minimum for a male to secure his place in a family.’

’Their lives would be even more difficult if not for the Beast Soldier in the family earning over five hundred Level 6 Crystal Stones a month. On top of that, half the males in the household fought Fierce Beasts in the Border City District, each bringing back eighty to a hundred Level 6 Crystal Cores monthly.’

’After all, they still had to get through the long, unproductive rainy season and harsh winter.’

’That’s why Beast Soldiers held such a high status in their families. Over time, the gap in status among the Beast Husbands in a single household became increasingly obvious.’

As for the other two, one worked as a farmhand for others and happened to have the day off. The other ran errands for people and had come along to see what all the fuss was about.

Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but speak up for them. "Dear, just look at Xiao Yuan’s craftsmanship! You can tell at a glance he’s clever with his hands and a quick study! And Xiao Bo is a hard worker, and Xiao Kai is really sharp..."

Si Shuo smiled, pulling him toward the courtyard and gesturing for the three males to follow. "Ji Liang said you ran out before you had breakfast?"

Xiao Cheng swung his arm. "I was in a hurry. Now I’m so hungry my stomach is practically touching my spine!"

At this, he glanced over his shoulder at the three males, pressing his lips together without another word.

"Why don’t you all eat first while I talk." Of course Si Shuo knew what he was thinking, so she invited the men to have a meal.

There was a long, wide stone table in the courtyard. Hearing Xiao Cheng’s return, Xu Chi had already set out some more dishes.

There was a thick rice porridge, dried meat tossed with seasonal vegetables, multigrain flatbread, and a platter of fruit.

"We already ate at home," Xiao Yuan said, remaining standing. He kept his gaze lowered, not daring to look around.

The other two stood with him, but the fragrant aroma of the food made their stomachs RUMBLE loudly, giving them away.

Xiao Cheng laughed. "Come on, brothers, let’s eat first. You can’t work properly on an empty stomach.

Don’t worry, we’re not running a charity here. I guarantee the work you’ll be doing will be more than worth the price of this meal!"

’Anyway, since getting his Storage Ring, he had stockpiled plenty of fruit, as well as the meat, hides, and bones of Fierce Beasts from their journey. He could certainly afford to treat them to one meal. The worst-case scenario was that he just wouldn’t bring anyone home next time.’

Si Shuo also chimed in to persuade them. "He’s right. I’m planning to set up a small workshop here at home to produce paper for writing Beast Text.

Later, I’ll need you to find different types of trees for me so I can see what kind of paper each one produces. It will all be strenuous work that requires a lot of running around.

How about I pay you each fifty Level 6 Crystal Stones a month?

Once we start selling the paper and making a profit, I’ll give you a raise.

And for your convenience, we’ll provide two meals a day."

On the Beast World Continent, a day was eighteen Beast Hours long, equivalent to thirty-six standard hours. With such long days, Beastmen ate between two and four meals, depending on their family’s circumstances.

The three males were stunned when they heard the offer.

The benefits for a Beast Soldier were famously good, but they were also responsible for the safety of the entire city. Five hundred Level 6 Crystal Stones sounded like a lot, but Beast Soldiers were extremely active and had massive appetites. Food alone could easily cost them eighty to a hundred Level 6 Crystal Stones.

Even Beast Soldiers weren’t provided with meals, a standard practice for employers across Guangshou City. Factoring in the two meals a day, their pay was effectively sixty Level 6 Crystal Stones a month. Only the most envied long-term laborers, hired by the great families, could hope for such generous terms!