Leisurely Life in the Beast World - Chapter 104

“Slander! Absolute slander! I never said that! I don’t even remember!”

Xiu Yan felt as if his wolf legs were about to snap under the weight of the accusation.

“Hahaha, Sa Miu’er remembers everything! That year, when I brought him and Sa Duo’er back to the Green Mountain Tribe, little Xiu Yan cried and begged to go with us!” Sa Ka’er chimed in, laughing heartily.

Xiu Yan swore he could hear the sound of his dignity shattering.

“Oh, right! Xiu Yan, do you have a mate yet? Sa Duo’er has always remembered your words and says she wants you to be her mate!”

Sa Ka’er’s good mood soared even higher after learning the Watson Tribe’s method of safely crossing the river. When Sa Miu’er brought up the subject, Sa Ka’er quickly latched on.

Neither Sa Ka’er nor Sa Miu’er gave Ji Nuan—who was seated quietly beside Xiu Yan—a second thought. To them, Ji Nuan was merely a half-beast and a shaman’s apprentice, someone unlikely to bear cubs.

In their eyes, like many shaman apprentices across the Beast Continent, Ji Nuan seemed destined to remain unpaired and dedicate her life to herbology.

Xiu Yan’s wolfish eyes remained calm, his voice steady and emotionless. “Those were words spoken as a cub. They don’t matter now. I’ve long forgotten.”

Sa Ka’er and Sa Miu’er exchanged looks of surprise. Most male beastmen would feel honored to be remembered by a highly sought-after female, especially the daughter of a chief.

Sa Miu’er’s gaze turned colder, the smile on his face sharpening. His golden eyes, usually as warm as sunlight, now locked onto Xiu Yan with an edge.

“You may have forgotten, but my sister hasn’t. She’s been waiting for you to become her mate,” Sa Miu’er pressed, his voice laced with quiet hostility.

Irritation flickered across Xiu Yan’s face. His icy eyes narrowed dangerously, a shadow of anger surfacing on his usually calm expression. The faint smirk curling his lips was laced with menace.

“I said, I don’t remember.”

The tension between the two beastmen grew palpable, their auras clashing like blades drawn for battle.

Ge Xing, grinning as he approached with two roasted meat skewers, paused mid-step, his cheer fading as he noticed the charged atmosphere.

Handing the skewers to a nearby beastman, he sighed and turned toward Sa Ka’er. “Old friend, what’s going on here? Why are these two cubs squabbling?”

Sa Ka’er’s expression was just as displeased. “Little Xiu Yan here promised to be Sa Duo’er’s mate when he was younger, and she’s been waiting ever since. But now he denies it!”

Ge Xing’s expression turned comically awkward. He glanced between Sa Ka’er and Sa Miu’er, both visibly upset, then back at Xiu Yan, who looked equally frustrated and defiant.

“You two must have had your heads knocked around by a snorting beast,” Ge Xing said bluntly, earning a punch to the chest from Sa Ka’er.

“What nonsense are you spouting now, old man?” Sa Ka’er grumbled.

Ge Xing pointed at Sa Miu’er and Ji Nuan. “If I recall correctly, your Sa Duo’er is older than Xiu Yan. Back then, wasn’t she already eight years old?”

Sa Ka’er raised a brow. “So what? Are you saying my Sa Duo’er is too old for him?”

(Uncle, your regional accent is showing!)

Ge Xing rolled his eyes. “Xiu Yan was less than a year old back then. What could he possibly have promised?”

“…” Sa Ka’er fell silent, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to respond.

“…” Sa Miu’er, too, was left speechless.

Meanwhile, Xiu Yan internally celebrated. Finally! Vindication! I was just a baby wolf then—I couldn’t have known what I was saying!

The tension melted into awkward silence. Ji Nuan, quietly listening, nearly burst into laughter when she realized how young Xiu Yan had been during this supposed “promise.”

Suppressing her mirth, she asked, “Uncle Sa Ka’er, has sister Sa Duo’er found a mate yet?”

The question broke the uncomfortable stillness.

Sa Ka’er heaved a sigh. “Sa Duo’er currently has three mates. But she’s always left the spot for her first mate open, saving it for this silver wolf cub.”

Xiu Yan’s brow furrowed, his tone firm. “If I ever take a mate, it will only be her and me. I wouldn’t allow any other males.”

The underlying message was clear: he would never become Sa Duo’er’s mate.

Realizing they had pushed too hard, Sa Ka’er and Sa Miu’er dropped the subject reluctantly.

Changing the topic, Sa Ka’er mentioned, “Earlier, when my tribe was out hunting, we came across some beastmen from the Tumang Tribe. Judging by their state, their losses crossing the river must have been severe.”

Ge Xing snorted coldly. “They lost nearly half their number.”

Sa Ka’er’s expression turned serious. “I learned something from the Mengli Tribe. I planned to tell you during the gathering, but since we’ve run into each other here, it’s better to share now.”

Ge Xing’s eyes darkened. He motioned for Sa Ka’er to follow him to the riverbank, where the sound of flowing water muffled their voices.

The other beastmen watched them go, exchanging curious glances. Whatever Sa Ka’er had shared with Ge Xing left the chief of the Watson visibly unsettled.