Chapter 86
Bai Tu didn’t doubt Hei Xiao’s words.
There was no reason to. He thought of the young man who occasionally appeared in his dreams recently—someone slightly older than Hei Xiao, with a striking resemblance to him.
The man was always accompanied by a small, miniature rabbit. Bai Tu couldn’t help but think of his own beast form.
Hei Xiao had never seen Bai Tu’s beast form, and aside from Bai Tu himself, only Lang Qi knew its size.
Clearly, Hei Xiao had pieced everything together before coming here. But none of this changed the reality that the original soul in this body had suffered an accident. Bai Tu was merely someone who had been pulled into the body of another person with the same name.
The more Bai Tu thought about it, the harder it was to find the right words.
Should he tell Hei Xiao, Your brother is dead, and the person standing in front of you is some random wandering soul? If he said that, he’d probably be roasting over a fire by tomorrow.
Hei Xiao watched the subtle changes in Bai Tu’s expression, growing increasingly uneasy.
Bai Tu’s silence took him by surprise. Hei Xiao had considered the possibility of Bai Tu outright calling him a liar or demanding answers about the past.
He had even dared to hope that Bai Tu might call him big brother. But none of these things happened. Bai Tu remained silent, and with every passing second, Hei Xiao’s heart sank further.
The silence in the room was suffocating, as though even the air had stopped moving.
“Tu, what’s this about a brother?” A voice broke the tense atmosphere.
Lang Ze poked his head through the door, his curiosity piqued. He’d overheard the word brother while outside. Could it be that Bai Tu had finally recognized his outstanding qualities and decided to make him his brother?
Snapping out of his thoughts, Bai Tu replied, “We were just discussing something. Go and prepare the food; we’ll be there shortly.”
“Oh… okay.” Lang Ze’s excitement deflated immediately when he realized the conversation wasn’t about what he had hoped for.
Hei Xiao listened to the exchange and couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
Bai Tu and Lang Ze weren’t far apart in age, but Lang Ze still had the temperament of a child, spoiled and carefree. Bai Tu, on the other hand, had to shoulder the heavy responsibilities of a tribe.
Hei Xiao raised his hand as if to pat Bai Tu on the head but hesitated, worried he might be rejected, and let his hand fall instead.
Settling for a different approach, he said softly, “Tu, it’s okay if you don’t want to acknowledge me as your brother. But please don’t reject the Black Hawk Tribe’s help. Can you promise me that?”
Bai Tu’s reaction had been so subdued that Hei Xiao couldn’t discern what he was thinking.
The idea of Bai Tu refusing to acknowledge him was painful, but the possibility of cutting ties entirely was even more terrifying. As long as they maintained some connection, Hei Xiao believed he could continue to care for him.
“It’s not that I don’t…” Bai Tu shook his head.
The genuine joy he felt couldn’t be hidden. From the moment he first met Hei Xiao, there had been an inexplicable sense of warmth and familiarity. His feelings didn’t lie. If the original soul were still here, Bai Tu was certain he would have been ecstatic.
But Bai Tu’s happiness was tinged with hesitation. After all, Hei Xiao’s real brother was the body’s original owner, not him. For some reason, this thought made his heart ache.
Bai Tu looked up at Hei Xiao and saw the faint redness in his eyes.
He couldn’t bring himself to say the words he’d been turning over in his mind. Instead, he redirected the conversation with a slight smile, “I’m just a bit surprised. Give me some time.”
Hei Xiao’s eyes lit up instantly, like a parched traveler stumbling upon a spring in a dried-up riverbed. Overwhelmed with joy, he lifted his arms to hug Bai Tu. Just as he was about to express how happy he was, a voice from the doorway interrupted.
“What are you doing?”
Bai Tu turned his head to see Lang Qi standing at the entrance, his expression unreadable but clearly leaning toward displeasure.
Bai Tu: “…”
Seeing Lang Qi’s expression start to shift toward the stormy look he’d had that other day, Bai Tu quickly stepped out of Hei Xiao’s embrace and moved to calm him down. “He’s my brother. My biological brother,” he explained, making it clear that this wasn’t something Lang Qi should feel jealous about.
Bai Tu understood that Lang Qi’s feelings for him were like those of a child with a prized toy—they didn’t want anyone else to touch it.
The effects of the drug had altered Lang Qi’s temperament significantly, making him far more volatile than before. Bai Tu knew he had to tread carefully, as Lang Qi’s mood could impact everyone’s safety.
Hearing the words biological brother, Hei Xiao’s mood improved even further.
For a moment, he even found Lang Qi slightly less irritating. But that moment didn’t last long, as Lang Qi furrowed his brow and gave Hei Xiao a long, assessing look before turning his attention back to Bai Tu. “The cubs need to be fed.”
Hei Xiao’s eyes narrowed slightly at this.
He knew Bai Tu had been helping care for two wolf cubs and that he had grown fond of them.
What Hei Xiao hadn’t realized was that Lang Qi had been laying the groundwork for something all along. Clever, Hei Xiao thought grimly. No wonder Lang Qi is the wolf tribe’s leader. The kid’s cunning nature probably grew straight out of his older brother’s shadow.
Bai Tu: “…” He couldn’t help but feel this scene was oddly familiar.
Still, it was indeed time to feed the cubs. Apologetically, Bai Tu turned to Hei Xiao. “Let’s talk more tonight. I’ll head out to eat first.”
Hei Xiao reined in his irritation, glancing at Bai Tu with a calm expression.
He wanted to call out Lang Qi’s manipulations but decided against it—he didn’t want to make things awkward for Bai Tu.
Instead, he nodded. “Alright. I’m feeling a bit hungry myself.”
Hei Xiao decided that any advice about Bai Tu’s choice of partner could wait for another day.
For now, he didn’t want to disrupt the current dynamic.
Bai Tu’s calm exterior didn’t fool him; he could sense the underlying joy in his demeanor. As long as his presence brought Bai Tu happiness, Hei Xiao was content. There would be plenty of time to address Lang Qi’s unsuitability as a mate later.
Hearing Hei Xiao’s response, Bai Tu let out a small sigh of relief and smiled. “I made something new today that you haven’t tried before. You have to taste it later.”
The tribe had prepared an especially abundant feast to welcome their guests from the Black Hawk Tribe. Partly because of their cooperative partnership—Bai Tu had always treated his allies well, as evidenced by the wolf tribe’s treatment—and partly because the eagle tribe had endured a long journey to get here. Whether they flew or walked, they needed to replenish their energy.
When the three of them stepped out, the food hadn’t been fully served yet, so Bai Tu went to check on the cubs first.
Lang Qi cast one last look at Hei Xiao before going to fetch food for the cubs. Without letting Bai Tu lift a finger, Lang Qi personally tied bibs around the cubs’ necks, settled them on Bai Tu’s lap, and handed over their food.
As soon as the cubs got close to Bai Tu, they began circling around him excitedly. After sniffing him a couple of times, they caught the scent of someone else on him and immediately began scrambling to climb on him. The black-furred cub pawed at Bai Tu’s hand, rubbing against it affectionately, while the gray-furred cub climbed onto his shoulder and tried to rub the unfamiliar scent off his back.
For the first time in days, Lang Qi didn’t stop the cubs from getting close to Bai Tu. To him, it didn’t matter if Hei Xiao was Bai Tu’s biological brother or not. The scent of an adult beastman on Bai Tu’s body annoyed him to no end, making him want to whisk Bai Tu away to his own den—a place filled only with his scent, with no cubs or intruders. Lang Qi frowned slightly, realizing he should prepare such a place soon.
Bai Tu, oblivious to Lang Qi’s thoughts, checked the temperature of the food. Once it was just right, he picked up the cub perched on his shoulder and the one licking his hand clean and placed them both on his lap. Then, he began feeding them one bite at a time.
Lang Qi suddenly reached out, taking the bowl from Bai Tu. “I’ll do it.”
“Sure,” Bai Tu replied without hesitation, handing the bowl over. Lang Qi had been feeding the cubs quite often lately, so Bai Tu didn’t see the harm in letting him continue.
Hei Xiao, watching the interactions between the two of them and the cubs, couldn’t help but frown. The dynamic between Bai Tu and Lang Qi didn’t look like it was influenced by the drug at all. At least in the Black Eagle Tribe, such intimacy was typically only seen between mates—and even then, most mates wouldn’t go to such lengths. For most beastmen, ensuring the cubs’ survival was enough. Only those who deeply loved both their mate and the cubs would behave like this.
Is their relationship really as temporary as Bai Tu claims?
Hei Xiao fell into deep thought. By the time he snapped out of it, the two had already finished feeding the cubs. Lang Qi, without being prompted, went to wash the bowls, while Bai Tu expertly wiped the cubs’ mouths. Their division of labor was seamless, resembling that of a couple who had been living together for years.
As Hei Xiao puzzled over this, Lang Ze and Hei Yan entered, each carrying a plate of food. Lang Ze, beaming with excitement, announced, “Time to eat!” Today featured some of his favorite dishes, and after waiting so long, he was finally about to dig in.
Bai Tu put the now-sleepy, well-fed cubs on their bed, then went to his usual seat. Lang Qi naturally sat down to Bai Tu’s right, while Hei Xiao hesitated for a moment before taking the seat to Bai Tu’s left. Lang Ze noticed his usual spot was taken, so he plopped down next to Lang Qi, while Hei Yan settled beside Hei Xiao.
There were no complicated seating customs here, nor were there strict rules about table arrangements. Once everyone was seated, Bai Tu encouraged them to start eating. He then slid a dish toward Hei Xiao. “Try this one.”
The new dish Bai Tu had mentioned was a stir-fry with mixed grains. He had taken leftover wheat and corn kernels, ground them into flour, and steamed them into flatbreads. The stir-fry included meat, vegetables that everyone could agree on, a bit of chili, and walnuts in place of peanuts. Once the stir-fry was done, it was wrapped in the flatbread.
Since wheat was scarce, Bai Tu had only made this dish once before. This time, he had prepared it specifically for Hei Xiao.
The eagle tribe’s diet wasn’t too different from that of the wolves and rabbits, and new types of food were rare. Previously, Bai Tu had shared some corn seeds with the Black Eagle Tribe, but their corn wouldn’t mature for a while. Judging by the timeline, they would likely harvest it as fresh corn before the temperature dropped too much.
Hei Xiao had tasted corn porridge before, but the flatbread was a first for him. The texture, combined with the meat and vegetables, was entirely new and pleasantly surprising. The slightly sweet flavor lingered, leaving him wanting more.
For Bai Tu, a perfect meal included vegetables, meat, and a bit of bread or grain. After finishing his two wraps, he picked up a towel to wipe his hands, only to notice two more flatbreads had appeared on his plate—one from Lang Qi on his right, and the other from Hei Xiao on his left.
The two men exchanged glances, then looked away simultaneously.
Bai Tu stared at the extra flatbreads in his plate, feeling a mix of amusement and mild distress. Each flatbread was about the size of his palm. Eating two had already filled him up, and finishing the extra two might leave him uncomfortably full.
Even after living here for quite some time, Bai Tu’s appetite was still smaller than the others’.
“I can’t eat anymore,” Bai Tu said, unwilling to waste their kind gestures but unable to stomach the extra food. He especially didn’t want to turn down Hei Xiao, who had been cautious and tentative ever since he arrived. The sight tugged at Bai Tu’s heartstrings, but no amount of sentiment could help him eat more.
“Then don’t eat it,” Hei Xiao said, taking back his flatbread and placing it in Hei Yan’s bowl.
Without hesitation, Hei Yan picked it up and began eating. For them, two flatbreads were barely a snack—not even enough to make a dent in their hunger.
Lang Qi glanced at Hei Xiao, noted the move, and silently took his flatbread and dropped it into Lang Ze’s bowl.
Lang Ze, who had been engrossed in his meal, froze mid-bite. He slowly lifted his head, stunned. Did the sky just fall? My brother… actually gave me food?!
Lang Qi didn’t say a word, casually taking Bai Tu’s plate and swapping it with a clean one.
Bai Tu: “…” He had only wanted to serve some food—there was no need to go this far.
The only two who noticed Lang Qi’s actions were Hei Xiao and Bai Tu. Hei Xiao cast a glance at Lang Ze, who was still gaping in disbelief, and sighed inwardly. All the brains in the wolf tribe must have gone to Lang Qi.
Thank you for the new chapter!!!