Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – CH168

Chapter 168

Only those who had interacted with Bai Tu before truly understood how jealous Lang Qi could get. Most of the time, he didn’t interfere with Bai Tu’s affairs. However, the moment Bai Tu got a little too close to someone… from then on, having a private conversation with Bai Tu would become nearly impossible.

Lang Qi wouldn’t obstruct Bai Tu’s work, but his mere presence always exerted a strange pressure on anyone speaking with Bai Tu.

Over time, everyone learned an unspoken rule when approaching Bai Tu for matters: keep it short and efficient. Say what needed to be said, and leave immediately. Never waste Bai Tu’s time.

That was the norm for discussing regular matters—so when it came to courtship, it was even more critical.

During the two mating seasons of spring and autumn, Lang Qi practically stayed by Bai Tu’s side the entire day, just short of carrying him around in his mouth. Even the most clueless young members of the tribe knew to steer clear of Bai Tu during mating season—otherwise, they’d get beaten up.

But what Yu Ying had just said went beyond simply getting too close—it was outright an attempt to steal Bai Tu.

The beastmen who were facing away from the door actually breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Yu Ying’s words. They all thought the same thing: Luckily, Lang Qi isn’t here right now.

As long as they didn’t say anything, Lang Qi would never find out what had just happened. Realizing this, they suddenly felt a great sense of responsibility weighing on them.

However, the beastmen facing the door didn’t share that sense of relief—especially Ying Quan and the eagle beastmen standing beside him.

They were doomed. Completely doomed.

Ying Quan wasn’t sure which hurt more—his tongue or his head.

What should I do? Was it still possible to explain that these people had nothing to do with him?

Clearly, it was too late.

Lang Qi had already walked in—accompanied by Lang Ze, who knew nothing of what had just happened, and the eagle beastman that Ying Quan had sent to fetch help.

Ying Quan began praying, hoping that Lang Qi hadn’t heard Yu Ying’s words just now.

Just as he finished his prayer, he heard Lang Ze’s voice loud and clear:

“Of course, Tu’s offspring would be beautiful!”

Lang Ze had overheard someone talking about Bai Tu’s child. And wasn’t Bai Tu’s child the same as his brother’s child? It was just a compliment—so why wasn’t anyone agreeing?

The moment the words left Lang Ze’s mouth, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He looked left and right. There was no wind. Must have been his imagination.

Lang Ze pulled his clothes tighter around him. He decided that when he got back, he’d throw more wood into the fire—it was definitely a cold day today.

Inside the room, everyone froze.

Lang Ze shouldn’t be here.

Those who hadn’t been facing the door turned around—and were instantly stunned.

Not only was Lang Ze here—Lang Qi was here too.

While everyone was still reeling from shock, Lang Qi had already entered the room. His gaze landed on Bai Tu, who was still focused on the merfolk infant.

“The merfolk infant is very beautiful?”

Still caught off guard by Yu Ying’s words, Bai Tu had yet to recover. Before he could say anything, he heard Lang Qi’s voice and was momentarily speechless.

Of all times to come, why did Lang Qi have to show up the exact moment Yu Ying said that?!

Ying Quan closed his eyes.

Just kill me now.

Bai Tu met Lang Qi’s gaze, let out a small cough, and withdrew his hand from the merfolk infant’s head. “They’re alright, I suppose. Just average. Not as cute as wolf cubs.”

Lang Qi’s expression improved slightly.

The others wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads—Bai Tu really knew how to handle this.

However, Yu Ying, unaware of Lang Qi’s identity, saw this as an opportunity to take Bai Tu away and pressed on. “Lord Bai Tu, you’re mistaken. Merfolk infants are the most beautiful and adorable of all.”

The group stared at Yu Ying in shock, their expressions full of disbelief.

She’s still talking? Does she have a death wish?!

Bai Tu hadn’t even had time to warn Yu Ying about Lang Qi’s identity before Lang Qi responded.

“Mm. They’d look even better in a stew.”

Bai Tu: “…”

Yu Ying turned to face the beastman who had interrupted her courtship attempt. Even upon realizing he was a wolf beastman, she showed no fear. Instead, she quickly calculated the difference in their combat abilities.

Merfolk often encountered rivals when courting—it wasn’t a problem. She just had to defeat him.

“You want to compete with me for Lord Bai Tu?” Yu Ying asked. Since they were both pursuing the same person, the solution was simple: they’d fight, and whoever won would claim Bai Tu as their mate.

Bai Tu quickly stepped in. “There’s been a misunderstanding, Chief Yu Ying. I already have a mate.” He gestured toward Lang Qi. “This is my mate, Lang Qi.”

Honestly, Bai Tu hadn’t expected the merfolk to be this direct. He had been so stunned earlier that he had completely forgotten to clarify the situation.

Lang Qi walked up to Bai Tu, grasped his hand, and noticed it was a bit cold. His gaze shifted toward the merfolk infant beside them, and he said, “Stop touching these things so much.”

Bai Tu sighed helplessly. “Alright, alright, I won’t.”

He was really upset. He didn’t even call them ‘infants’—just ‘these things.’

Merfolk infants were different from other younglings. The infants of the feather and beastman tribes had body temperatures similar to Bai Tu’s, sometimes even higher. They were soft and warm to the touch, making them comfortable to hold in cold weather.

But merfolk were different. Like real fish, they were cold-blooded. Even after shifting into humanoid form, their body temperature remained lower than that of a normal person.

Bai Tu had tested this before using a thermometer.

Sub-beastmen had body temperatures closest to what he was used to in his past life, generally ranging between 36 to 37 degrees Celsius. Depending on their beast form, some variations existed, but even the highest didn’t exceed 38 degrees.

Beastmen and feather tribes, on the other hand, ran hotter, usually between 38 to 40 degrees.

Meanwhile, merfolk infants had an average body temperature of no more than 30 degrees, which fluctuated with the surrounding environment. In winter, they felt noticeably cold to the touch.

Still, no matter how cold they were, Lang Qi really didn’t have to say that. The merfolk were people, just like them.

Just as Bai Tu was about to remind Lang Qi to be more mindful of his words, Yu Ying—who had yet to receive a response—challenged Lang Qi again.

“I challenge you!”

Bai Tu sighed in exasperation.

He had seen these kinds of challenges before in the tribe, but he never expected to be the one caught in the middle this time.

“Chief Yu Ying, Lang Qi really is my mate. We already have a child—”

Lang Qi wrapped an arm around Bai Tu, stopping him from saying more. He glanced at Yu Ying and declared, “Tu is my mate.”

Then, as if to prove his claim, he rubbed his forehead against Bai Tu’s and gestured toward the outside. “Go there.”

Yu Ying immediately drew her weapon. “If I win, Lord Bai Tu will leave with me.”

“Impossible.” Lang Qi crushed that delusion without hesitation.

“Tu will never leave with you. He is my mate. And you won’t win.”

Lang Qi’s words carried two meanings. First, Bai Tu wouldn’t leave with Yu Ying—because he had chosen Lang Qi, and no one could take him away. Second, Yu Ying wouldn’t win—because this was a battle to defend his mate, and it had nothing to do with Bai Tu’s choice.

Bai Tu was free, and no fight—regardless of the outcome—could change that.

Of course, Lang Qi had no intention of losing.

Hearing Lang Qi’s blatant confidence, Yu Ying tightened her grip on her weapon. “I will defeat you.”

Lang Qi nuzzled Bai Tu’s cheek, utterly unfazed. “Wait for me.”

Bai Tu sighed and held Lang Qi back. “What fighting? We still have to discuss our cooperation.”

If they fought now and things got out of hand, how were they supposed to negotiate later?

After speaking, Bai Tu turned to Yu Ying and said, “Chief Yu Ying, Lang Qi is right. I will never leave with you. This is my tribe—my mate and my child are here. I will always stay here.”

Recalling Yu Ying’s earlier claim that food was plentiful in their territory, Bai Tu added, “Even if there were no food here, I still wouldn’t leave Lang Qi.”

Lang Qi held a place in his heart that no one could ever replace. Not Yu Ying, whom he had only met once, nor anyone else—he would never leave Lang Qi’s side.

Hearing Bai Tu’s firm rejection, Yu Ying looked utterly disappointed. She put away her weapon but remained reluctant to give up. “Lord Bai Tu, if you ever want to change mates, I will always be ready to come and take you away. Even after your mate is gone, you can still find me.”

It didn’t matter. The merfolk’s lifespan was several times longer than that of beastmen—she could wait until Lang Qi died.

Bai Tu immediately pressed down on Lang Qi, who was about to lunge at her, and firmly refused again. “No, no, that won’t be necessary. I’ll be buried with him when the time comes.”

Then, before Lang Qi really lost his temper, Bai Tu quickly called out, “Quan, you take care of things here. I’m heading back.”

He had to leave—he could barely hold Lang Qi back anymore.

Lang Ze had been watching the whole scene with eager anticipation, thinking he’d get to witness a fight. But hearing the final outcome, he was completely disappointed. His brother had beaten him plenty of times, but he had never properly seen someone else take a beating!

Lang Qi, considering Bai Tu’s presence, ultimately held back. He merely glanced twice at Yu Ying before leaving with Bai Tu.

*

That evening, the tribe noticed that dinner was… different.

The round, plump steamed buns they used to eat had now been reshaped—into fish. A single bite taken from them made it look as though someone had bitten into a real fish.

The variety of actual fish dishes had also significantly increased. Spicy fish, pan-fried fish, stewed fish… Previously, they’d get at most one fish dish per meal, but tonight, there were several.

Meanwhile, near the open space in front of the conference room, a few chefs were looking at each other in confusion.

“Why did Lord Lang Qi have us come here to kill fish?”

Fish could be cleaned anywhere—why here specifically?

One of the beastmen knocking out the fish shrugged. “Who knows?” He then whacked another fish unconscious with a “THUD” before tossing it into a separate basin.

The beastman in charge of gutting the fish picked it up, slit it open, and scooped out its entrails, equally baffled by Lang Qi’s decision.

In the past, all food preparation had been done in a designated processing room behind the kitchen. Although it wasn’t as warm as the kitchen itself, at least they weren’t exposed to the cold wind. The only rule was that they had to keep the floor clean.

If fish accidentally fell to the ground or left behind bloodstains, they had to clean it up immediately—otherwise, after a few days, the smell would be unbearable.

Ever since the tribe started paying attention to food safety, everyone had become much more cautious about hygiene.

Now, though, they had plenty of space and didn’t have to worry about dirtying the ground. If it got messy, they could just wash it with water or wipe it clean with snow.

The only downside? It was freezing.

But when they thought about the extra rewards Lang Qi had promised, they immediately felt like they could endure the cold a little longer.

They would earn in just a few days what they couldn’t make in an entire month.

What was a little cold compared to that?

Not far from them, inside a room, another “THUD” echoed outside, causing Yu Qiao to shiver involuntarily.

She glanced at her sister beside her and whispered, “Sis, how many fish have they killed already?”

After Bai Tu and Lang Qi left, the other beastmen had also gradually dispersed.

Since Bai Tu had instructed them not to wander around the tribe, Ying Quan left as well.

Not long after, someone brought them food.

The meal was incredibly rich and varied, completely different from what they ate in the water.

At that time, Yu Qiao had felt relieved that the beastmen of the Hundred Beasts Tribe didn’t seem angry about Yu Ying’s attempt to take Bai Tu away.

But…

After they had finished eating and were preparing to rest, a group of people suddenly arrived.

These people didn’t come near their rest area.

Instead, they stopped at the open space nearby—And then they began butchering fish.

One fish after another…

At first, Yu Qiao didn’t think much of it. After all, they ate fish in the water too, and she had seen far more fish than this.

But the problem was—these people had been killing fish all afternoon.

Now, the sky was already dark, and they still hadn’t stopped.

Listening to the continuous thudding sounds of fish being knocked unconscious, Yu Qiao couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Was the Hundred Beasts Tribe trying to send them a message by slaughtering so many fish right in front of their dwelling?

In the water, she feared no one. But here? There were just too many of them.

Yu Qiao sighed.

Why did her sister have to set her sights on the one person who was impossible to take away? If it had been anyone else, they wouldn’t be in such a mess.

Bai Tu had expected Lang Qi not to let things go so easily, but surprisingly, Lang Qi behaved himself this time.

After returning home, he really didn’t make any move to settle scores with Yu Ying.

Bai Tu, who had been on edge the whole time, finally relaxed.

When dinnertime came, he figured Lang Qi had been the one handling food matters recently. Since he had nothing urgent to do today, he decided to go with him and see if there was anything good to eat.

“Wanna go to the cafeteria?” Bai Tu asked in a lowered voice.

The infant had just fallen asleep. Based on past experience, they would be able to sleep for several more hours. If they went to eat now, they’d be back just in time to prepare food for the little one when they woke up.

“Let’s go,” Lang Qi responded, a hint of anticipation in his voice.

Bai Tu was puzzled. It’s just dinner—why does he sound so excited?

The moment they arrived at the cafeteria and saw almost every table had a fish dish, Bai Tu immediately understood.

Lang Qi had already gone to the serving counter and filled their trays. He took one plate of each type of fish that had appeared tonight.

Besides the fish, he also grabbed other meats, completely filling their entire table with food.

Bai Tu: “…”

I mean, sure, I like fish, but how are the two of us supposed to finish all this?

“Ze is coming later,” Lang Qi said.

No sooner had he spoken than Lang Ze rushed over and sat down. The first thing he said to Lang Qi was:

“Brother, I really thought you were gonna fight today! I was looking forward to watching you beat someone up!”

What a waste of excitement.

Bai Tu glared at the little troublemaker beside him, grinding his teeth. “Do you want to see a fight that badly?”

“Of course—” Lang Ze started, but halfway through, he sensed something was off.

He immediately cut himself off, shook his head vigorously, and corrected himself, “Nope! Not at all! What’s so interesting about fighting?”

That was close—he almost got hit.

Now that’s more like it.

Bai Tu withdrew his gaze, satisfied.

Lang Ze had already started eating.

Lang Qi picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Lang Ze’s bowl.

Lang Ze was shocked.

His brother… just gave him food?

Was he dreaming?

Bai Tu also found it odd—Lang Qi was never this gentle.

Then they heard Lang Qi say, “Fish tastes best when it’s cooked.”

Lang Ze nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Cooked fish is amazing! Fried fish is great too!”

Bai Tu: “…”

Listen again—do you really think he’s talking about food?

Now, he finally understood why Lang Qi had looked forward to coming here so much.

So this was his plan all along.

Good.

Very good.

This was definitely the Lang Qi he knew.

He should have known that today’s incident wouldn’t end so easily.

*

As the three of them ate, Tu Mu came rushing in.

“Tu! How many more fish do we need to kill? Tomorrow’s food is already enough! After we finish these, should we freeze them or process them?”

“…What?” Bai Tu looked from Tu Mu to Lang Qi. “There’s more?”

Lang Qi said nothing.

Tu Mu answered directly, “Qi had everyone go kill fish in the open space in front of the conference room. They’ve already slaughtered hundreds of them. We cooked some tonight, but what should we do with the rest?”

Bai Tu turned to stare at Lang Qi in shock.

He had them kill fish… right next to the merfolk’s dwelling?

Wow.

Just… wow.

Lang Qi averted his gaze, avoiding eye contact.

Fine, he wouldn’t pick a fight.

But he also wouldn’t let Yu Ying keep staring at Bai Tu.

Bai Tu fell silent for a moment, then considered Tu Mu’s report about the numbers.

After thinking it over, he said, “Use the rest to make fish balls. I’ll teach you all how to do it tomorrow.”

There was still plenty of other food in the tribe, and they obviously couldn’t finish all the fish at once.

Besides, tonight had already featured so many different types of fish that everyone who liked fish had already eaten their fill.

If they kept eating the same thing over and over, they’d get sick of it.

Fish balls may be a hassle to make, but they taste great, can be paired with other foods, and are also perfect for hot pot. Freezing them works well too.

“By the way, are they still catching fish over there? Hurry and call them back. Don’t go again tomorrow—the pond must be nearly empty by now, right?” The fish ponds weren’t very large, and the one closest to the tribe was probably already fished out.

“Don’t worry, we only catch the bigger fish,” Tu Mu explained. Catching fish wasn’t done randomly—they took the fully grown ones first while leaving the smaller ones to grow and be harvested later.

Bai Tu nodded. He fully trusted Tu Mu’s way of doing things. Not just with fish—Tu Mu also managed other food supplies. Initially, Bai Tu had worried that with the tribe growing, Tu Mu might be overwhelmed and even asked if he needed help. But Tu Mu had outright refused, saying that he used to be bored to the point of aching all over, and that keeping busy now was much more satisfying. Bai Tu could only admire him for that.

In the end, Bai Tu and Lang Qi only ate one fish between them, while Lang Ze devoured almost all the rest.

Well, not quite all—one spicy fish was left untouched, covered in chili peppers.

“I’m taking this back,” Lang Ze announced.

“Sure, take it,” Bai Tu nodded, not bothering to ask why Lang Ze, who couldn’t handle spicy food, wanted to bring back a spicy fish. Teenagers could be unpredictable like that.

Lang Ze instantly cheered up.

Lang Qi ignored him and helped Bai Tu put on his coat.

Whether in the dining hall or at home, there were heated brick beds, so just a light sweater was enough indoors. But outside, where it was freezing, a coat was necessary. Wearing too little would leave you shivering. Not only a coat but also a cloak to block the wind—otherwise, the icy wind would cut right through. Bai Tu was already wrapped up like a ball by Lang Qi, and when he saw Lang Qi still trying to give him his own coat, he quickly shook his head. “I’m not cold anymore. You should wear it.”

Lang Qi regretfully withdrew his hand.

Bai Tu: “…?” It’s just a coat—what’s there to be regretful about?

Lang Ze had already run off with his fish, but Bai Tu and Lang Qi weren’t in a hurry. After bundling up, they slowly made their way outside. Before they even stepped out of the dining hall, they saw Ying Quan approaching with several merfolk.

Bai Tu: “…”

Ying Quan was stunned. He had specifically chosen a time when most people had finished eating! How was Bai Tu still here? And not just Bai Tu—Lang Qi was with him too.

Bai Tu felt a little helpless. He suspected that Lang Qi had guessed the merfolk would arrive at this time. Raising his hand, he pointed to a food counter that still had plenty left, signaling to Ying Quan: “Try over there.” Despite the small incident that had happened earlier in the afternoon, guests were still guests. Bai Tu wanted to cooperate with the merfolk, so he wouldn’t treat them poorly.

Yu Ying, standing beside Ying Quan, looked at Bai Tu with reddened eyes, as if terribly wronged, hesitating to speak.

Bai Tu, familiar with young merfolk, immediately guessed that Yu Ying was about to cry. Without hesitation, he said, “The little ones are hungry at home. We’re heading back now. Chief Yu Ying, enjoy your meal. Goodbye, everyone!” With that, he grabbed Lang Qi and left.

Lang Qi, seeing that Bai Tu hadn’t shown the slightest bit of sympathy throughout, was finally satisfied.

Once they were out of the dining hall and the lingering gazes behind him faded, Bai Tu slowed his pace and sighed. “I wonder if we’ll be able to work together.”

Honestly, he was quite tempted by that stretch of ocean. Beastmen and feathered tribes had trouble moving in water, whereas the merfolk were completely at ease in it. If they could cooperate, tasks like setting up protective nets and fish farming would go far more smoothly than if they had to figure everything out themselves.

But Bai Tu was also exhausted by Yu Ying’s attitude. The other party still didn’t seem to have given up. Bai Tu had already said everything he could—he really didn’t know what else to do.

Should Lang Qi really fight the other party? As soon as the thought crossed Bai Tu’s mind, he shook his head. No, that wouldn’t do. There had been more than a few cases in the tribe where people got injured fighting over a mate. Besides, the merfolk were an unfamiliar race—Bai Tu wasn’t sure what complications might arise, even if Lang Qi ultimately won.

As he walked, Bai Tu thought it over before finally grabbing Lang Qi’s hand. “How about we see if anyone is willing to marry Chief Yu Ying?” The merfolk chief, whether in appearance or strength, was superior to most people in their tribe. Surely, finding a partner wouldn’t be that difficult? If Yu Ying could take an interest in one of the single beastmen in the tribe, that would be ideal.

“Why bother with her?” Lang Qi didn’t want Bai Tu wasting time on Yu Ying.

“Alright, let’s not worry about it.” Meddling in others’ relationships wasn’t a good idea anyway, so Bai Tu quickly dropped the thought.

They returned home before it got too late, and the young ones were still asleep. Bai Tu changed his clothes and checked the food in the kitchen—there was still a small handful of spinach left.

Vegetables were scarce in winter. Bai Tu had planted some frost-resistant greens near the kitchen and by the windowsill, but since there wasn’t a fire burning all day, most had frozen to death. Only the spinach was growing decently. Since there wasn’t much of it, Bai Tu was careful not to pick it all at once. He usually plucked the outermost leaves first, waiting for the second layer to grow before harvesting again. This way, the spinach could keep growing for longer.

Bai Tu decided to make vegetable porridge for them. He wasn’t sure if it was because the house was warm or if their diet had included too much meat lately, but the little ones seemed to be showing signs of heatiness. That was why he hadn’t brought back any food for them from the dining hall tonight.

Bai Tu picked up the spinach and the rice he planned to use today. Just as he was about to lift the lid of the water jar to scoop some water, Lang Qi walked in.

“I’ll do it,” Lang Qi said, taking over the task. He washed the vegetables, rinsed the rice, lit the fire, and started cooking in one seamless flow. In the end, all Bai Tu had to do was add a little salt.

Just porridge wouldn’t be enough. Bai Tu took out some pre-made soup dumplings and placed them in the steamer nearby.

Soup dumplings had become one of his favorite foods lately. He would prepare the meat filling, leave it outside overnight to freeze, and wrap the dumplings the next day. After shaping them into small buns about the size of a cub’s fist, he left them in the courtyard to freeze solid. Once hardened, they could be stored in the natural icebox outside. When he wanted to eat them, he just had to steam them. They were a bit troublesome to make, but the taste was worth it. The only problem was a certain creature named Lang Ze—whether making or eating them, one had to be wary of him.

Lang Ze had a habit of eating soup dumplings too aggressively, sometimes even injuring himself or others in the process.

After steaming a few trays, Bai Tu glanced outside and asked Lang Qi, “Are you sure Lang Ze ate enough tonight?” If he hadn’t, things could get messy.

Lang Qi gave a response they both understood: “There was a leftover fish.”

Lang Ze had actually left food uneaten—even if it was the spicy fish he didn’t like, it still meant one thing: he was truly full.

Bai Tu felt relieved. But he had relaxed too soon.

The moment the soup dumplings were ready, Lang Ze appeared in the courtyard as if he had a sixth sense. He arrived just as the fire was turned off. Sniffing the air, he said, “Brother! Tu! What delicious food did you make this time?” and started walking toward the kitchen.

Bai Tu: “…”

Bai Tu: “You are not allowed in the kitchen.”

Lang Ze stopped in his tracks, clinging to the doorframe. “Dumplings!”

Bai Tu corrected him, “Soup dumplings. You can have some after the cubs eat.”

Lang Ze deflated. “Fine…” The cubs would take forever to finish eating.

Now reassured, Bai Tu carried the food inside while Lang Qi followed behind with the porridge. On his way out, he locked the kitchen door.

“I wouldn’t steal food!” Lang Ze protested.

“Hm,” Lang Qi responded without a hint of belief.

Grumbling, Lang Ze went to complain to Bai Tu.

Bai Tu reassured him, “Don’t worry, I know you wouldn’t steal food.”

Lang Ze instantly perked up. “Exactly!” He shot a glare at his brother. But as he stepped out of the room, he suddenly realized—if Bai Tu trusted him, why hadn’t they unlocked the door?

Inside, Bai Tu was feeding the cubs.

Since soup dumplings had broth inside, adults could eat them whole, but cubs couldn’t manage that. Their feeding method was to use a straw made from straw stalks to let the cubs sip out the broth first, then feed them the dumpling itself.

There were enough soup dumplings for both the cubs and the adults. Bai Tu ate while feeding the little ones. By the time the cubs had finished, he had already eaten quite a few himself.

“Go let Ze in now,” he said. At this temperature, they didn’t have to worry about him burning himself or making a mess.

Lang Ze finally got to eat the soup dumplings he had been anxiously waiting for. As he ate, he chattered to Bai Tu.

“Tu, did you know? All merfolk are female!”

“What?” Bai Tu froze. What did he mean by “all merfolk are female”? Did they only have one gender? Were they asexual reproducers? Or hermaphrodites?

Realizing that his wording was wrong, Lang Ze quickly shook his head. “No, I mean that originally, merfolk were all female. They transform beastmen into male merfolk, and that’s how they have merfolk children.”

Lang Ze looked at Bai Tu and said, “Yu Ying wants to turn you into a male merfolk.”

Bai Tu was shocked. Was that even possible?

“I heard that merfolk live for a very long time,” Lang Ze continued. “They can live for centuries, and the beastmen they take with them also gain long lifespans.”

Bai Tu recalled what Lang Qian had told him before—some shamans rumored that merfolk could extend lifespans. Was this how they did it? Did transforming into a merfolk grant longevity?

Lang Qi’s expression darkened. “Where did you hear that?”

Lang Ze quickly swallowed his last dumpling, jumped up, and bolted. “I can’t say!”

“Don’t tell anyone about this,” Bai Tu instructed.

“I know!” Lang Ze shouted as he ran off.

Lang Qi stood up, ready to chase after him, but Bai Tu had already guessed the source of the information. He patted Lang Qi’s hand and said, “It’s fine. We’re not after that kind of thing anyway, so why bother?”

This time, they didn’t even need to warn Lang Ze—if he was only willing to tell them this much, he’d say even less to others.

“Not after it?” Lang Qi looked at him and remained still for a long time.

“Of course not.” Bai Tu was confused. Seeing that Lang Qi wasn’t moving, he waved a hand in front of him. “What’s wrong?”

Lang Qi asked, “You don’t want to live longer?”

“Just let things happen naturally,” Bai Tu said casually. “We live as long as we’re meant to. A long life doesn’t guarantee happiness, and a short life doesn’t mean suffering.”

He didn’t care about lifespan. If extending his life meant giving up his family and partner, he’d rather not. Besides, becoming someone else’s mate and transforming into a different species? That was out of the question. 

They were still young—old age was far away. Why worry about such things now? The idea of living several times longer than an ordinary beastman sounded tempting at first, but thinking about it more… it seemed painful. Watching his mate, his children, and his friends leave one by one… Bai Tu shook his head. He preferred things the way they were.

Lang Qi didn’t say anything. Instead, he leaned in and gently nuzzled Bai Tu’s head. “Tu.”

“Hm?” Bai Tu responded, already thinking that he needed to remind Lang Ze again—this kind of secret must never be leaked. They weren’t tempted, but others might be. If someone started having dangerous thoughts like the people from the West River Tribe… Bai Tu never underestimated the merfolk. 

Any species that could survive in the treacherous waters wasn’t to be taken lightly. If someone approached them with ulterior motives, they would only be sending themselves to their deaths. For safety’s sake, this information had to stay secret.

Noticing Bai Tu was lost in thought, Lang Qi wrapped an arm around him and called again, “Tu.”

“I’m here,” Bai Tu answered.

“I’m happy,” Lang Qi whispered in his ear.

Bai Tu hadn’t expected all of this to lead to that, but he was used to Lang Qi’s shifting moods by now. “Good. Being happy is great. Being happy every day is even better.”

Lang Qi lowered his head and kissed him. “I want to send the cubs away.”

The cubs were still awake.

Bai Tu: “…?”

He had been happy for all of a few seconds before Lang Qi started spouting nonsense again.

“Ya has nothing to do tomorrow,” Lang Qi added.

Bai Tu firmly said, “No.”

Just because Lang Ya had no work tomorrow didn’t mean they should send the cubs over. He could always find something else to do, and if nothing else, he could go out and have fun. There was no reason to dump the cubs on him just because he was free.

To make Lang Qi drop the idea, Bai Tu brought up an old topic. “Wasn’t it you who insisted on having cubs back then?”

At the time, Lang Qi had clung to him endlessly. It was only later that Bai Tu realized—this guy had probably been obsessed with the idea of cubs during that period.

Lang Qi was at a loss for words. He let out a helpless sigh.

Now, he regretted it. Deeply.

When he was in that state, he hadn’t considered how much cubs would interfere with their time together.

Once they’re asleep, things will be fine, Lang Qi thought. Just like the past few days—once the cubs were asleep…

Bai Tu had no idea what Lang Qi was thinking. He returned to the room to play with the cubs.

The cubs slept in the bedroom, but they played in the living room.

The setup was similar to the bedroom, except that instead of bedding on the heated brick platform, there were toys the cubs liked.

From wooden toys to fabric dolls to ceramic figurines—Bai Tu had made all sorts of things. Not just for their own cubs, but for all the cubs in the tribe.

Their home had five cubs, and with Bai Tu occasionally making new toys on a whim, they had amassed a huge collection.

But the cubs weren’t actually attached to the toys. What they really liked was having their dad play with them. Every so often, they’d grab a new toy and excitedly bring it to Bai Tu.

Lang Qi watched from the side. There were three hourglasses nearby—the largest ran for about four hours, while the two smaller ones measured thirty minutes and one hour. The cubs were usually allowed to play for an hour.

Lang Qi waited and waited. The largest hourglass had emptied, but the cubs were still full of energy.

Meanwhile, Bai Tu—who had been busy all day—was already yawning nonstop.

Seeing that Bai Tu was getting sleepy, Lang Qi didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the cubs and said, “Time for bed.”

A gray wolf cub, who had been happily playing with his dad, suddenly found himself lifted into the air. He turned around and tried to bite Lang Qi, but with his scruff held, he couldn’t reach. All he could do was kick his little legs in protest.

Lang Qi wasn’t bothered in the slightest. He placed the gray cub into a bamboo basket, then grabbed the other cubs one by one and put them in as well.

The smallest, a white wolf cub, had just been cuddled in Bai Tu’s arms. Now suddenly being placed in the basket, he let out a couple of pitiful whimpers.

The black wolf cub silently watched his father, then turned to comfort his little brother.

Lang Sui and Lang Ying, the two older cubs, immediately shifted into human form once inside the basket.

They knew they might not be able to win in a fight, but in human form, they were bigger—and that meant they could at least see outside the basket.

Lang Qi glanced at them. Without blinking, he simply picked them up with one hand.

After successfully transporting all five cubs to the bedroom, Lang Qi returned to the living room.

Bai Tu had already fallen asleep, lying on the edge of the heated kang bed.

Lang Qi stepped lightly, carefully picking Bai Tu up and carrying him to the bedroom. He glanced at the cubs, who were still playing around. As soon as they saw their dad was asleep, they immediately quieted down.

Satisfied, Lang Qi grabbed a damp towel and gently wiped Bai Tu’s face. Then, he unbuttoned his sweater and changed him into comfortable sleepwear.

Bai Tu, exhausted, remained asleep the entire time.

After tucking Bai Tu in, Lang Qi gave him a light kiss on the forehead.

Meanwhile, Lang Sui and Lang Ying stood inside the playpen, holding hands. On their heads, they balanced the other three cubs. All five were anxiously stomping their feet.

They wanted a kiss too!

Ignoring their silent demands, Lang Qi used a damp towel to wipe their faces and feet before stuffing them all under the blanket. “Sleep.” With that, he blew out the bedroom candle.

The cubs were stunned.

Lights off meant bedtime, but—there was no goodnight kiss from Dad today!

Just as they were about to throw a tantrum, they were suddenly lifted up again. Each cub got a quick, perfunctory kiss on the head. “Sleep!”

But—it wasn’t their favorite Dad! It was their other parent, the one they only sort of liked!

They wanted to protest, but the pull of sleep was stronger. One by one, they drifted off.

At home, Lang Sui and Lang Ying always slept in their beast forms. Soon, all five cubs curled up into a furry heap, fast asleep.

On the other side of the room, Lang Qi lifted the blanket and pulled his mate into his arms. In the end, he couldn’t resist tightening his hold, bringing Bai Tu even closer.

Bai Tu’s words from earlier kept replaying in his mind. Lang Qi could barely contain his excitement. He wanted nothing more than to grab Bai Tu and show him off to the world.

This is my mate. My mate forever.

*

The Next Day

Following Bai Tu’s instructions, they didn’t go back to the merfolk’s territory to slaughter fish. The merfolk also pretended as if the whole incident had never happened, both sides silently choosing to ignore the topic.

The only exception was Yu Ying.

Every time she saw Bai Tu, she looked like she wanted to say something but always held back. It was the kind of expression that would make anyone feel guilty.

But Bai Tu stayed firm—he refused to soften. No comforting, no asking, no unnecessary conversations. He only discussed the cooperative aquaculture project. Any unrelated topics were ignored as if he hadn’t heard them.

Two days later, Yu Ying gave up pretending. She returned to being the composed merfolk leader he had first met. However, she now insisted on discussing the project only with Bai Tu.

Bai Tu quickly realized that their negotiation sessions were dragging on unnecessarily. Even minor, unimportant details were stretched into long discussions.

Not wanting personal matters to affect the cooperation, Bai Tu simply brought Lang Qi along.

Sure enough, as soon as Yu Ying saw Lang Qi, she became much more efficient. Issues that had taken half a day to debate were suddenly settled in two sentences. By noon, nearly everything was finalized. The only thing left was to decide when to start the aquaculture project in the afternoon.

That afternoon, when Yu Ying saw Lang Qi appearing beside Bai Tu once again, her mouth twitched. “Can you not bring him?”

Just seeing him made her teeth ache—she wanted to bite something.

“No,” Lang Qi said, holding a grudge. “I’m Bai Tu’s mate.”

Yu Ying: “…”

She had already heard this line so many times!

Yes, yes, he was Bai Tu’s mate—so what?

It wasn’t that special!

So frustrating!