Beast World: A Fragile Beauty Blessed with Many Children-Chapter 238 - 237: Saved a Person, Gained a Couple Brother?
Wei Ce instinctively turned to look at Si Shuo. He held the one-hundred-square-meter Storage Ring with preservation functions that she had given him. He also knew that every male in their family had one.
Si Shuo pursed her lips into a light smile. "Thank you, Father Wei Jin!"
Hearing her, Wei Ce was a little surprised, but he accepted it without protest.
The soup, simmered with beef bones, shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes, Sichuan peppercorns, and wild scallions, was incredibly rich and fragrant. Xu Chi ladled it into three wide-mouthed earthenware pots to continue simmering on a clay stove.
The long, wide table was laden with ingredients, and a dipping sauce was placed in front of each person.
Of course, they hadn’t forgotten to prepare a portion for Ji Liang and put it in a storage space, so he could take it out and have his own hot pot when he made camp to rest at night.
Xu Chi looked after the two little ones, while Zhi Le and Yin Jiang periodically cleared plates and refilled the meat and vegetables. Meanwhile, Gong You and Xiao Cheng, the two handsome males, sat on Si Shuo’s left and right. Following her gaze, they would pick up meat and vegetables to cook for her in the hot pot.
Si Shuo and the little ones were only responsible for eating their fill. Wei Ce, on the other hand, was stuck in a corner of the table, getting his ear pulled by Wei Jin while receiving a lecture on how to care for a female and raise children.
As soon as Wei Jin left, Si Shuo smiled and explained to Wei Ce in a low voice, "Brother Ce, Xu Chi’s identity is special, and the origin of our family’s Storage Rings is a bit difficult to explain.
After Ji Liang makes a few more trade runs, we’ll come up with a cover story. When we can use the Storage Rings openly, we’ll return this one to your Father.
It’ll also be a good time to prepare some supplies for him to get through the rainy and cold seasons. Hmm, and once I’ve given birth to the cubs, I’ll be able to replicate this Storage Ring!"
The Iron-eating Beast Clan Members were quite picky about their mates. Many of them remained bachelors even at an age where they could be grandfathers, simply because they hadn’t found a female they liked. Furthermore, they were different from other Beastmen. While other clans might have one or two female cubs at a time, their male cubs often came in litters of three to seven or eight, sometimes even more than ten. The Iron-eating Beast Clan, however, only has one or two cubs per birth, regardless of gender.
This low birth rate made them value family bonds all the more. Wei Jin had no biological brothers, only a male cousin, who in turn had just two sons and three grandsons.
For all these years, the father and son had relied on each other. Now that Wei Ce had his own small family, the Storage Ring Wei Jin gave him was also filled with supplies the pair had saved up for years.
That deep father-son bond alone was enough to make Si Shuo feel she should look out for Wei Jin on Wei Ce’s behalf.
Wei Ce nodded vigorously, grinning foolishly. "I’ll listen to you, Shuo!"
By now, the dinner table had been cleared. Zhi Le smiled. "Kitty, what did you think of that Golden Lion Male, Jin Can, and the White Wolf Male, Ao Jun, from today? One gold, one white, both with ferocious Beast Forms, good family backgrounds, strong personal abilities, and good looks. They seem to fit your tastes, don’t they?"
Hearing this, Gong You abruptly looked up and sneered. When they came home, Zhi Le had only mentioned casually that the Golden Lion and White Wolf Clans had brought a female and some gifts to thank them. ’I never expected the thank-you gift to include males with Beast Marks! Did I save someone just to gain myself a Couple Brother?’
It wasn’t just him; the other males were also staring at her silently, waiting for her to speak. Their expressions were just a tad ferocious. Si Shuo felt that if she gave an answer they didn’t like, she might as well ’wash her neck and wait for the blade...’
Si Shuo stroked her belly, pretending not to understand their meaning. She smiled lightly and nodded. "They certainly do meet your requirements for Couple Brothers."
Yin Jiang’s lips curled. ’The little female sure is smooth. She’s taken a fancy to them herself but is trying to pin it on us?’ "Oh? In that case, let’s follow the rules. They don’t have to compete with Wei Ce, but they’ll have to get past me, at the very least, right?"
His outwardly displayed cultivation was Level 13, but he was actually already at Level 14. Jin Can and Ao Jun were no match for him at all!
Si Shuo frowned slightly, and the males’ hearts skipped a beat. Xiao Cheng even said sourly, "I don’t recall you ever looking so pained on my behalf, sister."
The sheer volume of their jealousy could have flooded the entire house. She couldn’t hold back any longer and collapsed into Gong You’s arms, roaring with laughter. "Back then, weren’t you all in favor of me taking on more Beast Husbands to help share the risks? Why are you so against it now?"
Realizing that the little female was just teasing them, the males let out a collective, heavy sigh of relief. Zhi Le and Wei Ce, in particular, looked at Si Shuo with a mixture of love and exasperation. ’As expected of a female Cat Beast. That mischievous streak of hers has our hearts completely in her grasp!’
"So, you didn’t agree to it, darling?" Gong You’s breath hitched, his dark green eyes shining brightly.
Si Shuo smiled and nodded. "I already said that Wei Ce would be the last one. No matter how wonderful other males might be, they won’t be joining our family."
"There are tons of outstanding males on the Beast World Continent. Am I supposed to collect them all? A person has to know when to be content. I can barely handle the seven of you; I can’t possibly take on any more!"
"You’re so mischievous!" Xu Chi couldn’t resist leaning over and flicking her forehead with a smile.
Si Shuo pursed her lips, smiling faintly. "And here I thought you would all support me accepting them."
"So that’s why you sent us away, Shuo?" Wei Ce asked, the realization dawning on him.
"Mhm, that was part of the reason. I also wanted all of you to face your true feelings. Our family is already doing great. Any problems we might face can’t be solved just by adding another Beast Husband or two.
It’s rare to see you all be so open with your emotions. This is how it should be. If you don’t like something, you should express it," Si Shuo said, sitting up straight with a sincere smile.
Yin Jiang and Xiao Cheng had joined later on, and Wei Ce was the very last. They didn’t have much experience in this regard and hadn’t truly felt the helpless anxiety of wanting to protect their little female but feeling that their strength was insufficient.
The others, however, had followed Si Shuo all the way from the Southern Continent.
Gong You stroked her head and said with a smile, "That won’t happen again. Before, we were helpless. No one wants to push their own little female into another male’s arms.
Besides, you said you wouldn’t take any more Beast Husbands, darling, which is why we had such a strong reaction this time."
Si Shuo leaned against his shoulder, nuzzling him. Suddenly, she thought of the Female Saint Conference and told them about her intention to attend.
"Shuo, if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. My clansmen all say that finding a Female Saint is a matter of fate. If a potential one is so afraid of the Winged Dragon Clan that she’s unwilling to form a couple with them, then we’re better off without a mate like that anyway," Wei Ce was the first to state his position.
"Shuo’er, the Winged Dragon Clan holds a grudge against Xiao Cheng and me," Yin Jiang added, also disagreeing. "If you go to the Female Saint Conference, you’ll definitely draw their unwanted attention."
Si Shuo chuckled. "The Winged Dragon Clan has endless tricks up their sleeves. If we just keep avoiding them, it will only make them more brazen and reckless. They’ll think we’re afraid.
I’m going. But the Female Saint Conference doesn’t start for another ten days or so, does it? I’ve been cooped up at home resting throughout my pregnancy. This is a perfect chance to go to the valley to rest, and have Gong You use the Time Law on me when he has time.
I’ll give birth to the cubs ahead of schedule, recover my strength, and then I’ll go!"
The Time Law simply created a discrepancy between the time one experienced and the time in the outside world. They had studied it and confirmed that this temporal difference had no negative effects on the body.
However, they were being extremely cautious. Gong You mostly had ample time at night, but that was also when all of Guangshou City fell silent, and the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Power could attract unwanted attention.
