Chapter 348: I Want to Be Your Mate

Chapter 348: Chapter 348: I Want to Be Your Mate

"Yin Ze, you’re back?"

Yin Mei greeted her younger brother.

Bai Wanwan saw him too and smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"Yeah. I’m going to take care of the kill. Don’t you two wander off too far."

With that, he walked past them toward the back of the stone house without saying a word to Bai Wanwan.

Yin Mei took Bai Wanwan’s hand, her eyes full of apology. "Yin Ze has been like this since he was little. He’s not deliberately targeting you."

"It’s okay, I don’t mind."

’He saved my life, which is more than enough. Am I really in a position to be picky about his attitude?’

"This is the Peacock Tribe. We don’t get many outside Beastmen, so they might stare a bit when they see us. Don’t be scared."

Yin Mei was used to being looked at, but she was afraid Wanwan wouldn’t be, so she gave her a heads-up.

As the sun set, they strolled along the small paths of the tribe.

A gentle evening breeze blew, carrying the scent of wildflowers through the air.

Both females were graceful and strikingly beautiful, so as soon as they reached a place where Beastmen gathered, they attracted the attention of quite a few males.

Some eagerly approached to strike up a conversation, offering fresh kills. Others quietly sized up Bai Wanwan, who was following silently behind, their eyes filled with curiosity and probing glances.

"Yin Mei, who’s she?"

A female who was relatively familiar with Yin Mei couldn’t help but ask upon seeing the lively scene.

"Her name is Bai Wanwan. She’s a young female Yin Ze rescued from the mountains a few days ago."

"Wow! Yin Ze just casually picked up such a beautiful young female?"

The Beastmen of the Peacock Tribe were all very enthusiastic.

The females pulled Yin Mei aside and crowded around Bai Wanwan, looking her over nonstop.

"Little female, have you found a mate yet?"

"Which tribe are you from? Have you had your fertility tested?"

Their "enthusiasm" was a bit much for Bai Wanwan to handle. She just laughed and gave some vague, noncommittal answers.

After a full circuit, Bai Wanwan’s face was stiff from smiling. She felt like she could chat with just about anyone.

It was like she’d suddenly become a social superstar.

Yin Mei was thrilled to see her fitting into tribe life so well.

"Once you’ve recovered a bit more, I’ll take you to pick fruit on the low mountains with the other females of the tribe."

"Okay."

The two of them chatted as they walked home.

Bai Wanwan couldn’t shake the feeling that Yin Mei was staring at her from time to time.

"Wanwan, you really can’t remember anything about your past?"

"No, I can’t remember a thing."

Bai Wanwan felt a headache coming on. She had a faint feeling that she had lived in the Beast World for some time before.

Because when it came to certain things, she would make subconscious judgments.

But when she tried to recall the details, her mind was a complete blank.

Meanwhile, Yin Mei was thinking, ’When I was cleaning her up before, I saw she didn’t have any markings on her body. She must be a newly adult female.’

’With such a good figure, I hope she isn’t a barren female like me.’

Just as the two returned home, they found Yin Ze had already prepared food.

Bai Wanwan found the raw meat hard to stomach. Noticing this, Yin Mei asked, "Wanwan, are you not feeling well?"

"I... I’m not used to eating raw food. Do you have a Fire Stone? I’d like to start a fire and cook for myself."

"We do." Yin Ze said, handing her the Fire Stone.

After taking it, Bai Wanwan went outside to find some dry branches and leaves.

She finally had her first cooked meal.

She stayed at Yin Mei’s house for a few days. Yin Ze rarely spoke, and the two of them always kept a clear distance from each other.

Yin Mei’s home, however, was very lively. Every day, Beastmen came and went. Some brought fresh meat, others brought soft furs, and some even offered to help repair the house.

"You don’t have to come every day. I don’t have that much work that needs doing here."

Yin Mei’s cheeks were bright red as she said this, and she didn’t even dare to look directly at the male in front of her.

The male, however, stared intently at Yin Mei, his eyes filled with admiration and affection.

But perhaps because Bai Wanwan was nearby, Yin Mei always shooed him out before he could say much more.

"Sister Yin Mei, do you like that male?"

Bai Wanwan’s question made Yin Mei’s cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red. "N-No."

Bai Wanwan put an arm around her shoulder. "Sister Yin Mei, are you worried about something?"

Yin Mei looked up at her, but before she could say anything, the door was pushed open and Yin Ze walked in.

He saw the things piled up in the house.

Without a word, he gathered everything up and put it all outside the door.

After that, Bai Wanwan started to notice a pattern.

Whenever Yin Ze returned from hunting, if there was another male in the house...

...he would coldly drive them away, regardless of whether they were there to curry favor or to genuinely help.

Although Yin Mei maintained a polite distance from all the males, she seemed to really like the one from before.

Kong Lai had a resolute gaze. Every time he was driven out by Yin Ze, he was always the last to leave, his eyes always following Yin Mei.

As an observer, Bai Wanwan was shipping the couple hard and was getting a little anxious on their behalf.

Chewing on some jerky, she thought, ’They’re so obviously into each other. Why are they being so awkward? Why don’t they just get together?’

Before she could come up with an answer, Kong Lai approached her.

"Female Bai Wanwan, there’s something I’d like to ask you." He looked somewhat vexed.

Because Yin Mei liked him, Bai Wanwan had a bit more patience for the male before her.

"Okay, go ahead and ask. If I know the answer, I’ll definitely tell you."

He mustered up his courage. "I want to know... does Female Yin Mei hate me?"

"Hate you?"

Bai Wanwan was stunned. Yin Mei’s feelings were so obvious—the secret delight and affection were plain to see in her eyes. How could this male not have noticed?

"Yes. If she hates me, I’ll stay far away from her from now on. I won’t do anything to annoy her again."

Bai Wanwan gave a helpless smile. "If you want to know, why don’t you just ask her directly?"

Kong Lai pressed his lips together. "I’m afraid that if I open my mouth, I’ll really have no chance at all."

"Well, you need to think this through. If you don’t say anything, you’ll never have a chance. If you really like her, you should tell her what you’re thinking. The two of you should talk it out properly. If I act as a go-between, I might mess things up and affect you both."

Kong Lai really took her words to heart. The next day, he returned from his hunt early, dressed neatly, and even brought some of the fruits that Yin Mei liked most.

"Yin Mei, the mountain fruits are ripe. Have a taste."

Yin Mei looked at the affection in his eyes, and her heart seemed to flutter, but she knew she couldn’t drag him down.

"Kong Lai, I really can’t accept your things. Please go back!"

This time, Kong Lai didn’t leave. He remembered what Bai Wanwan had said.

Slowly, he summoned his courage. "Yin Mei, I like you. I want to become your mate. Will you have me?"

Yin Mei’s face flushed bright red, but the joy on her face was quickly replaced by deep disappointment.

"I don’t like you. You should go."

Kong Lai stood there for a long time. "You really don’t like me?"

Yin Mei’s eyes were red, and she didn’t dare to look at him. "Yes, so... don’t come here anymore."

"Alright."

His voice was strained. He finally forced himself to turn and walk out of the stone house, one step at a time.

Bai Wanwan, who had been pretending to be busy gathering firewood outside, saw Kong Lai come out. She wanted to greet him but saw him walk away, completely dejected.

A long time later, the sound of Yin Mei’s suppressed, pained sobs came from inside the house.