Beauty and the Beasts

“Bai Qingqing,” Bluepool called out her name. This was met by a cold glance from Curtis, making him shift backward in reflex.

Bai Qingqing smiled at him and said, “Thank you, I owe this to you. How are the merfolk?”

Bluepool’s fishtail slapped against the grass underneath, and he said in a gloomy tone, “I don’t dare to go back anymore. You mustn’t go back on your word—you have to be responsible for me.”

“Ssss~”

Curtis flicked out his tongue and looked towards Bai Qingqing, his voice rising a pitch. “Responsible?”

Bai Qingqing twirled her ten fingers together and murmured, “Mm, ah… yeah.”

A murderous intent appeared in his eyes.

Although Bai Qingqing felt extremely guilty, she couldn’t go back on her word, especially now that Curtis was here.

“Bluepool, I’ll help you pursue a female you fancy.”

The merman on the grassland widened his deep blue eyes in hurt. He pointed a finger at her and furiously said, “You deceived me again!”

“Other than this one time, since when have I ever deceived you? Then again, you’ve accused me of that so many times, and I bore the accusation all this while. If I don’t deceive you once, I can’t take it lying down.”

Bai Qingqing said matter-of-factly. Initially, she had found it fun to tease him. However, upon seeing his expression—having suffered a loss yet being unable to have his grievance be redressed—she felt bad about it.

“I will surely help you find bliss.” Bai Qingqing solemnly swore. “Actually, the females on land are great. Although they’re not as pretty as Jean, they only have a few mates, so you’ll get to be by her side every day.”

Bluepool rather looked forward to accompanying his mate every single day, but he had seen the females on land, and he had absolutely no interest in that type at all.

“Can’t be uglier than you.”

Bluepool raised his only request. “Or else I will pester you relentlessly.”

“Ssss—” Curtis flicked out his tongue dangerously.

Bluepool instantly shut up and shifted his fishtail sideways.

Upon seeing that she was fine, Parker sat by the side and licked his own wounds. Earlier on, Bai Qingqing’s vision was still blurry, and only now did she finally notice his injuries.

Only upon asking for the reason did she find out that he even went to ambush the ape king, and after that was chased by a group of merfolk to the shore. He couldn’t bear to stay too far away from the shore, so he had climbed up a tree. That group of merfolk had fled in unison when Curtis arrived.

“You really disregarded your life, to even dare to trifle with a formidable character like the ape king.”

Feeling a lingering fear, Bai Qingqing walked to his side to check on his wounds. The sight of his flesh underneath his torn skin made her feel awful.

“If I had taken care of Jean on the shore, you wouldn’t have been put in danger.”

There wasn’t a tinge of remorse in Parker’s tone, making Bai Qingqing feel both touched and angry.

“It’s more important to stay alive! Your rate of success was too low.”

Parker let out a chuckle. He pulled Bai Qingqing’s hand and said, “Let’s go to the peacock village to pick up our babies. They haven’t eaten for half a day, they must be hungry to the point of tears.”

“You didn’t find them a female leopard?”

“How could I have the time to?”

Back then, he really wanted to just hide his kids in the cave. In fact, if Alva hadn’t stopped him from doing so, that was exactly what he would do.

Bai Qingqing was so furious that she punched him with her cotton-like fist.

“Babies?”

Curtis asked in a low voice.

With the sunlight looming overhead, his slim and long shadow was cast next to Bai Qingqing, making her feel nervous.

She nodded and said, “Yes, I gave birth to a litter of leopard cubs. They’re already half a month old now.”

The shadow continued to move forward until it stood taller than Bai Qingqing’s shadow.

Curtis reached out and pulled her into his embrace as he said, “That’s great. Bring me to take a look.”

Bai Qingqing felt herself relax as she raised her head to look at him. “Mm.”