Beauty and the Beasts

Mating was a big affair that tended to cause quite a stir in the family. Lately, Curtis and Parker had been dragging food into the house several times a day in preparation for this.

Seeing this behavior, experienced beastmen would know that the female in this family was in heat. Often, young beastmen who didn’t yet have mates would go near to peek, but as they were fearful of the four-striped snake beastman, they didn’t dare come near their house.

Holding a bunch of root vegetables popular among the ape females, Shuu stood tall and straight in the rain like a soldier, facing the stone house where Bai Qingqing lived in.

Parker hadn’t been accepting his challenge these days, so he didn’t have any chance of giving Bai Qingqing presents to please her.

“Coo—” Some bird on the tree shook his wings. Shuu looked up and saw that it was an eagle beastman.

The eagle beastman’s feathers were drenched by the rain, so he looked different from how he usually looked, thus Shuu had no idea who he was. Shuu said in a hostile manner, “Are you Qingqing’s suitor as well? If you’ve just started, I urge you to give up. Her snake beastman mate will not allow other males to get near her.”

The black eagle glanced coldly at him with his round eyes, then remained perched on the tree branch, unconcerned. Twisting his neck, he stuck his head inside his wings and started pecking.

Shuu laughed at himself. Wasn’t he the same? He didn’t even get a chance to see Qingqing.

He walked back to the stone castle, looking dazed and dejected. Before he could enter, an ape male jogged to him and blocked his way.

“The ape king requests to see you,” said the ape beastman.

Upon hearing the words “ape king”, Shuu recalled the scene where he first met Bai Qingqing, and his lips involuntarily curled up. He went with the ape beastman.

Behind the ape king’s stone castle was an exquisite botanic garden. Colorful flowers bloomed everywhere during the hot season, and now that the heavy rainy season was coming, all that one could see was a striking patch of green. After passing through this botanic garden, one would arrive at the gorgeous and exquisite hall of the stone castle.

With his back against the door, the ape king was wiping a round container made out of stone, as he stood in the hall. When he heard the footsteps sound, he said without turning around, “You’re here.”

Shuu bowed his head respectfully and said, “You were looking for me?”

“Is there any progress?”

Shuu vowed solemnly. “I will surely move Qingqing.”

“There’s no need for that anymore,” the ape king said in a seemingly casual tone. “It’s no longer necessary.”

“What?” The alarmed Shuu couldn’t help but step forward. “Why? Back then weren’t you supportive of me pursuing her?”

The ape king turned around, his sparse hair floating on his head, revealing the brownish scalp underneath. “Your older brother has succeeded in making Rosa pregnant. There’s no need for you to pursue Bai Qingqing anymore.”

Shuu’s pupils shrunk slightly. His tightly pursed lips quivered a little, before he said with a cold demeanor, “Whoever I choose to pursue is my business. Even without your support, I will continue.”

The ape king frowned and sighed. “What I worried the most happened, after all.” His tone suddenly grew sharp. “Do you have any idea of what you’re doing? Are you going to betray your family? Do you wish to be divided from them?”

Shuu didn’t show any signs of fear. With a curl of his lips, he said, “The leader of my tribe is not you. Who are you to interfere in our family’s affairs?”

The ape king stared deeply at Shuu with his unfathomable brown eyes.

He stared at Shuu for a long while, before suddenly saying, “Alright. If you like her, go ahead and pursue her. I will neither support, nor object to it.”

Shuu paused in surprise, then gazed dubiously at the ape king.

The ape king walked to the table with a water basin upon it, washed his animal skin, then continued wiping the stone container with his back facing Shuu. “You may go back.”

“Yes.” Shuu turned and left in a slick manner.