Beauty and the Beasts

1

As the sashimi slices had light flavors, wine was a perfect complement to the meal. Hence, Bai Qingqing asked Winston to bring over a jar of grape wine.

“It’s so rare that we get a chance to drink it. Now that it’s been kept for a year, it should taste even better.” Bai Qingqing pried the wooden cork on the stone bucket with a wooden fork, but as the fork wasn’t sharp enough, she failed to open it.

“Let me do it.” Parker took the wooden fork from her. Curling his fingers, one could visibly see his fingernails extending, transforming in its half-beast form.

Bai Qingqing was left breathless. He was like a monster.

The leopard’s fingernails easily gripped the wooden cork. When he raised his claws, the wooden cork popped up with a bang. At the same time, the fragrance of wine emanated from within, carrying with it the intense aroma of grapes.

Parker, Winston, and Curtis all froze momentarily.

It smelled even better than last year.

“Can something that’s been stored for a year still be eaten?” It was as though Bluepool’s nose merely acted as an accessory when he was on land, and his sense of smell was inferior to even Bai Qingqing’s. It was only when he edged closer to the stone bucket opening that he detected the smell and appeared shocked.

Bai Qingqing carried over a stack of stone bowls and placed it on the table. She said, “Don’t worry, wine gets better the longer you keep it.”

Everyone was poured a bowl, and the leopard cubs couldn’t sit still anymore and let out two roars. Failing to attract the adults’ attention, they directly jumped onto the table.

Roar! [I want it too!]

The cubs howled as they stood on the table.

Bai Qingqing suddenly thought of the little snakes. At the same time last year, they were slurping down grape wine at the table with them.

Seeing the change in her countenance, Parker waved a hand and shoved his three cubs off the table.

“Pour them a bowl, else they will keep thinking about it.” Bai Qingqing tried her best to squeeze out a smile. She lowered her head and said to her cubs, “Babies, be good. Your paws are dirty, don’t stand on the table.”

Roar! The leopard cubs responded. By now, they knew that Mommy couldn’t understand what they were saying, so they nodded in unison.

Her sons’ obedient reactions heartened Bai Qingqing. She lowered her gaze and stared at the red wine that appeared to be dark red due to being contained in a stone bowl.

The cubs lowered their heads and started licking the wine. Even though they were males, they were still kids, after all. Thus, they were extremely fond of the sweet taste, and after one lick, they were unable to stop.

Bai Qingqing also raised her wine bowl. She was about to take a sip when a pale and large hand stopped her.

After all, it had been stored for a year. Curtis naturally wouldn’t feel completely reassured. As Bai Qingqing’s most powerful male, he naturally ought to sit next to her at the dining table. He seized the wine bowl from her hands.

“I’ll drink it first,” said Curtis. With that, he raised his head and downed the entire bowl of red wine.

Bai Qingqing reached out, wiped off the traces of wine on Curtis’s lips, and asked, “Did you run into the little snakes?”

“No.” Curtis sounded cold as usual.

Although she didn’t have high hopes, Bai Qingqing couldn’t help feeling an emptiness in her heart at his reply.

“Little snakes?” Bluepool’s vision moved back and forth between Curtis and Bai Qingqing. “You two have a nest of baby snakes as well? Did they lose their way?”

Bluepool couldn’t help looking at Curtis with sympathy. But very quickly, he had his doubts. The snake beastman looked completely devoid of emotions, and the upset one was actually Bai Qingqing.

Shouldn’t it be the reverse?

Bai Qingqing was in no mood to reply to him, and the other males naturally ignored him. Bluepool felt awkward all of a sudden.

“Can’t you find them?” Bai Qingqing asked meekly. “We agreed on releasing them after they get a bit older. They can still come back by themselves. Now, with the City of Beastmen in ruins and us moving away… will they be searching for us around the City of Beastmen?”

Curtis picked up a slice of sashimi and chewed it, then said, “The taste is not bad.”