Chapter 578 - 575: Leniency for Those Who Confess

Chapter 578: Chapter 575: Leniency for Those Who Confess

News of Hua Han’s return spread as if it had wings.

The pretty young females who had once admired him all dolled themselves up. They put on their most vibrant feather skirts and shiniest shell necklaces. Like a flock of showy butterflies, they eagerly gathered near the stone house where Hua Han, Bai Wanwan, and the others lived, craning their necks and chattering in anticipation.

After Hua Han finished speaking with his Father Beast and Mother, he heard the commotion outside. His scalp prickled as a thought struck him: ’I’m screwed. I haven’t told Wanwan about this yet.’

"Hua Han! Hua Han, are you in there?"

"We heard you’re awake! Are you feeling better?"

"Hua Han, do you think my new flower crown is pretty?"

The young females chattered, calling Hua Han’s name, their voices full of unabashed admiration and delight.

One of the bolder ones even gently tossed a bundle of delicate, dew-kissed wildflowers she had just picked through the window, and it landed right at Hua Han’s feet.

The sudden motion made Hua Han freeze. His expression changed in an instant, and he instinctively whipped his head around to look at Bai Wanwan beside him, his eyes filled with clear nervousness and a hint of panic.

He instinctively moved to stand, wanting to explain himself to Bai Wanwan. His lips trembled. "Wanwan, they... I..."

Bai Wanwan had been straightening an animal hide. Hearing the commotion, she lifted her gaze, her eyes calmly sweeping over the young, eager-faced females outside the window before returning to Hua Han’s handsome, anxiety-ridden face.

Her expression was unreadable—neither angry nor amused. She simply watched him in silence, her steady gaze making Hua Han feel more and more insecure, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

’Better to confess now and beg for mercy than wait for her to deal with me later!’

He gritted his teeth. "Just hit me or yell at me!"

Hua Han’s Mother and Father Beast had already gone outside to block the young females who were trying to get into the house.

The sounds of their conversation drifted in from outside. Most of the young females were pestering Hua Yu with questions about Hua Han, desperate to come in and see him.

Inside the house, however, the atmosphere was strangely tense.

"Why don’t you tell me," she said, "why I should hit or yell at you?"

Seeing his guilty expression, Bai Wanwan started to feel a little uncertain herself. ’Could he really have been such a player in the past?’

Steeling himself, Hua Han spoke in a tone full of regret. "It’s my fault... I was young and foolish back then. I didn’t know my boundaries, and I didn’t keep a proper distance from the other females in the tribe..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter as he spoke, and he cautiously peeked at her.

Bai Wanwan watched him with a calm, crystal-clear gaze.

"Oh? Then why don’t you tell me," she said, her voice as devoid of emotion as if she were discussing the weather. "What exactly were these ’indiscreet’ things you did that made those young females... pine for you so much?"

Hua Han’s heart hammered in his chest. He felt like a criminal on trial, about to receive his sentence.

’Lie? I wouldn’t dare. Wanwan is too smart; she’d see right through it.’

"I..." Hua Han’s gaze darted about, the tips of his ears flushing red from guilt. "In the past, when I had nothing better to do around the tribe, if I saw any of the females carrying something heavy or having some small trouble, I would... I’d lend a hand. And sometimes... sometimes, if I saw them wearing a new skirt or new jewelry, I’d... I’d offer a casual compliment..."

When he finished, he flicked a quick glance at Bai Wanwan’s face. Seeing it was still blank, he panicked even more and quickly raised his hand as if taking an oath. "Really! That’s all! There was nothing else, truly. I swear!"

’He knew that even this might be enough for his image in Wanwan’s eyes to plummet.’

’He was kicking himself. If he had known he would one day meet Wanwan and fall for her so hard, he would have kept his distance from every other female since the day he was born.’

After listening to his "confession," Bai Wanwan was silent for several seconds.

Just as Hua Han was so nervous his palms began to sweat, she suddenly let out a soft sigh, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

"That’s it?" she asked. Her tone seemed to hold... a hint of relief?

Hua Han froze for a second, then nodded furiously. "Wanwan, can you forgive me? From now on, I’ll only be good to you. I’ll only praise you."

"Alright," Bai Wanwan finally looked him square in the eye. The layer of ice in her gaze seemed to have thawed, replaced by a look that was part resignation, part amusement. "I thought you’d done something truly terrible."

’So it was all just harmless showing off and sweet-talking, like an adolescent peacock fanning its tail feathers.’

Seeing how passionate those young females were, she had let her imagination run wild, even bracing herself to hear about a much more "colorful" past.

Hua Han keenly picked up on the subtle shift in Bai Wanwan’s tone and expression. ’Wanwan... isn’t angry?’

’His heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally dropped back into his chest with a THUD. He was still shaken, but at least he knew he had... just barely cleared this hurdle, right?’

He seized the opportunity to scoot closer, tentatively wrapping an arm around her waist. "Wanwan..."

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her wonderful scent.

"While you’re lucid, you should spend some more time talking with your Mother and Father Beast."

Hua Han nodded, deeply touched. ’From now on,’ he swore to himself, ’I’ll stay far away from all other females! I won’t even spare them a single glance!’

Just then, it finally grew quiet outside.

Hua Yu breathed a sigh of relief, turned, and came back inside. She looked at Bai Wanwan apologetically. "Wanwan, please don’t take it to heart. Those young females are just a bit spoiled; they don’t mean any harm..."

"It’s alright, Mother. Hua Han already explained everything to me."

Seeing that she wasn’t angry, Hua Yu felt partially relieved, but she was still worried.

’The males around Wanwan were all formidable rivals. Her own son was outstanding, yes, but what if he fell out of favor because of these old stories? What then?’

So, she took Bai Wanwan’s hand and spoke even more gently, putting in a good word for her son. "Wanwan, dear, I’ve never seen my boy care so much about any female before. His heart belongs completely to you."

Bai Wanwan smiled and nodded to show she understood.

"Mother, you two sit for a while and have a nice talk with Hua Han. I’ve been sitting for too long, so I’m going to go for a walk."

"Alright. Don’t overexert yourself."

Hua Yu added, watching her as she left the stone house.

As soon as she was gone, Hua Yu’s expression darkened as she turned to her son. "You naughty boy. Your Mother told you years ago, but you just wouldn’t listen. You’re lucky you found such a magnanimous Wife. If it were any other female, one who would hold your past against you, your life would be miserable."

Hua Han had learned his lesson. "I know, Mother. From now on, I’ll be twice as good to my Wife!"