Chapter 114: Developing an Extravagant Hope

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Developing an Extravagant Hope

"Don’t go?" Bai Wanwan raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. She leaned in close to her. "Something’s not right with you."

Shi Hua covered her face and turned away. "Sister, don’t look at me like that."

"Alright, alright, I won’t look. Thank you for helping me take care of those naughty cubs these past few days. I made some food. Come on, let’s eat together."

She had intentionally made a bit more, intending to eat with Shi Hua.

’Her two Beast Husbands were clearly acting strange, and she didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire.’

Shi Hua wiped her eyes and slowly shuffled over.

"What’s this?" she asked, staring at the reddish broth in the stone basin.

Bai Wanwan had intentionally used a little more hot pot base than last time, but it was still just a tiny, thumb-sized amount.

A Beastman might find it a little spicy, but not so much that it was completely unbearable.

She picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks and held it to Shi Hua’s lips. "Open up."

Without a second thought, Shi Hua obediently opened her mouth and took the beef.

The sharp spiciness made her eyes widen instantly, and she started hissing, drawing in sharp breaths.

"Is it that spicy?"

She turned, ladled some water from the stone vat, and handed it to Shi Hua. "Drink this. It’ll help with the heat."

Shi Hua snatched the stone bowl and tilted her head back, drinking nonstop.

Seeing how sensitive she was to the spice, Bai Wanwan didn’t feed her anymore and sat down to eat herself.

After a few sips of cool water eased the spiciness, Shi Hua smacked her lips, savoring the aftertaste. Then, tempted, she swallowed hard twice.

"If you can’t handle spicy food, you can have the roasted sweet potatoes and potatoes."

"I... I want to try again."

Shi Hua sat down, her eyes fixed on the red broth in the stone basin. She took the chopsticks Bai Wanwan offered and tried to copy her, fishing for food in the bowl, but she couldn’t manage to grab anything after several tries.

"You hold them like this..."

She showed Shi Hua how, then placed some shrimp paste, meatballs, and fatty beef rolls into her bowl.

This had cost her a good number of Points. She could skimp on snacks, but she didn’t hold back on this feast.

The aroma wafted out. Shi Hua swallowed dryly, brought the bowl to her mouth, and used her chopsticks to shovel the food in.

Bai Wanwan was also eating with great relish, noticing that Shi Hua didn’t stop her chopsticks even as she hissed from the spice.

"This is delicious! Sister, what is this food? I’ve never eaten anything so good."

With such delicious food, all the gloom in her heart from moments before vanished completely.

"This is called hot pot. If you like it, I’ll bring some over the next time I make it."

Shi Hua nodded eagerly. ’Sister Wanwan is so good to me,’ she thought. ’She’s even willing to share such wonderful food with me.’

"Happy now that you’ve eaten? So, can you tell me what happened earlier?" Bai Wanwan asked.

’There was juicy gossip right in front of her. She’d only gotten a glimpse, and if she didn’t find out what was going on, she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.’

Shi Hua’s hand, holding the stone bowl, froze.

"Is it that difficult for you to talk about?" Bai Wanwan studied her expression. "Alright, fine. I love a good bit of gossip, but if you don’t want to talk about it, then forget it."

Shi Hua only understood the last part: "if you don’t want to... then forget it."

She quickly waved her chopsticks. "It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, I just don’t know how to say it."

Bai Wanwan fished out a piece of fatty beef, popped it into her mouth, and chewed thoughtfully.

"Just start wherever you want. I’ve got all the time in the world. No rush."

Shi Hua bit her chopsticks, her eyes darting around.

"That male from just now... his name is Mu Feng..."

At this, she trailed off.

"Mhm, go on. Why did he come looking for you?"

Bai Wanwan popped a piece of lotus root into her mouth.

"He came to find me... to say he wants to become partners with me."

Bai Wanwan’s hand, which was adding more food to the pot, paused. Then she continued fishing for ingredients. "You don’t like him?"

"I... I do like him."

As she said this, her voice became so quiet it was almost inaudible.

"Then what was that all about just now? He was angry, and you were hiding and crying?"

"He lost his Mother and Father Beast when he was young... I just told him he should follow the Clan Leader’s arrangement and become partners with another female, and he got angry and left."

The room fell silent. Bai Wanwan stopped fishing for food and just stared at her, completely speechless.

"You like him, yet you tell him to go become partners with another female? What were you thinking?"

’Those two are obviously in love. How could Shi Hua say something so disheartening and upsetting? Anyone would be angry.’

"I... I have very low fertility. If he hadn’t been protecting me, I would have been sent to the Female Cave long ago. I can’t bear cubs, so becoming his partner would only bring him harm."

On the Beast World Continent, procreation was more important than anything else.

’It’s rare to find a male who doesn’t care about a female’s fertility. If that’s not true love, what is?’

’This little female Shi Hua is actually quite lucky. I saw that male earlier. He’s decent-looking, has a backbone, isn’t swayed by social pressure, and is willing to fight for what he wants.’

For that reason alone, Bai Wanwan felt like helping him.

Besides, Shi Hua was the first good friend she had made since transmigrating to the Beast World.

"Is that all? If you could have cubs, would you be willing to become his partner?"

Bai Wanwan’s words made the female across from her give a bitter smile.

"If I could have cubs, of course I’d be willing. But I can’t..."

"I say you can, so you can. Do you trust me?"

Bai Wanwan smiled and winked at her. Shi Hua’s heart skipped a beat. ’Sister Wanwan is so beautiful!’

"I... I can really have cubs?"

"Mhm. The next time you see him, tell him you can have cubs and that he should get ready to become your partner."

This was something Shi Hua had never even dared to dream of before.

"But what if I’m lying to him and I can’t give him cubs?"

"He knew your fertility was low and still wanted to be your partner. That proves he truly likes you. He doesn’t care whether you can have cubs or not. Besides, didn’t I just say? With me here, you definitely can."

"Really?"

Shi Hua’s eyes grew incredibly bright, her expression one of utter disbelief.

"Really. Now eat. The food’s getting cold."

Bai Wanwan was already half-full. She turned her head and began to communicate with her system.

"Hua Sheng, I remember the system has Fertility Pills, right?"

"Correct. Does the host wish to redeem one? The standard Fertility Pill increases the chance of pregnancy and only costs two hundred Points to redeem. There is also a version that guarantees pregnancy, which costs two thousand Points. Which one does the host wish to redeem?"

Bai Wanwan looked at her remaining balance on the system panel and felt a sharp pang of reluctance.

’A little spending here, a little spending there... over thirty thousand Points is still not enough.’

’Since I already promised, if the two-hundred-Point pill doesn’t work, it’ll just be a waste of Points.’

’Two thousand Points... It really hurts.’

She looked up at Shi Hua and saw the pure joy on her face.

’She remembered how Shi Hua had protected her own cubs and had taken such good care of them when she was unable to.’

’Those two thousand Points... I’ll spend them!’

"On the day you and he become partners, I’ll give you a gift. You just wait to hold your own cubs!"

If any other Beastman had said this, Shi Hua wouldn’t have believed them.

Even the Clan Witch had said she could forget about having her own cubs in this lifetime. She had long given up any thought of becoming a partner to someone.

But these words came from Sister Wanwan. She was so capable that even aggressive females like Mu Shan and Mu Zhi didn’t dare to provoke her.

It made her believe, unconsciously, and allowed a sliver of extravagant hope to grow.

Just then, a loud CRASH came from outside the door, immediately drawing their attention...