Chapter 249: Half-Open Collar

Chapter 249: Chapter 249: Half-Open Collar

Zhuo Ling stood outside the door, her fingertips digging deep into her palm. But in the end, she couldn’t hold back and stepped inside.

She lowered her gaze to hide the jealousy surging in her eyes. When she looked up again, her expression had returned to its usual gentleness.

"Jin Yi, I came to see you."

She spoke softly, setting down the basket in her hands. Her fingertips brushed lightly over the rim. "This is a beast-hide tunic I sewed myself. You should try it on later to see if it fits."

Before she could finish, her gaze fell on his half-open collar, where hideous scars came into view.

A mist instantly clouded Zhuo Ling’s eyes, and her voice trembled slightly. "You were so badly injured? Why didn’t you tell me?"

She took a step forward, reaching out to touch his wounds, but he subtly moved away.

Jin Yi pulled his collar tight, his expression distant. "There’s no need. The wounds have already healed."

His coldness was like a thorn stabbing viciously into Zhuo Ling’s heart.

She bit her lip, then suddenly looked up to meet his eyes, her voice weak. "Jin Yi... do you hate me now?"

Jin Yi had already started to turn away, but he paused at her words and looked back. "Why would I hate you? You saved me. I’m only grateful to you."

"But now you don’t even want to see me."

Zhuo Ling’s eyes reddened, her tone laced with grievance. "Trying to see you is next to impossible..."

"Zhuo Ling."

He cut her off, his voice low. "You’re already mated. I can’t be seeking you out frequently."

"You can’t seek me out... but you can think about Bai Wanwan whenever you want, is that it?"

The words tumbled out, so sharp they even stunned her.

She was rarely so impulsive.

Jin Yi’s brow furrowed deeply. "I’m not thinking about her."

Tears welled in Zhuo Ling’s eyes. "Your wounds haven’t even fully healed, yet you were worried she’d be too hot and had someone send her blocks of ice. What about me? I’m hot too. Why didn’t you think of me?"

The more she spoke, the more flustered she became.

Bai Wanwan was like a thorn, buried deep in her flesh.

’I have to pull this thorn out and throw it far, far away.’

She didn’t understand what kind of magic Bai Wanwan possessed to make one powerful male after another fall for her.

"I was planning to have some sent to you," Jin Yi said, his tone calm.

He had never been stingy with Zhuo Ling when it came to provisions; he just hadn’t had the chance to give the order before she arrived.

A light flashed in Zhuo Ling’s eyes. "So... in your heart, I’m still more important than her, right?"

Jin Yi’s brow furrowed even more tightly. "Zhuo Ling, what’s between you and me has nothing to do with her."

’Nothing to do with her?’

Zhuo Ling didn’t believe a single word.

But she knew to quit while she was ahead.

As long as Bai Wanwan hadn’t surpassed her in Jin Yi’s heart, she still had a chance.

At this thought, she forcefully suppressed the surging resentment.

She had originally thought Bai Wanwan’s death was certain. During that time, although she had been worried sick about Jin Yi, she had also been secretly delighted.

’How could a weak female possibly survive a beast tide?’

But against all odds, Bai Wanwan had not only returned alive but was also completely unscathed!

Zhuo Ling ground her teeth in hatred.

She had gone to such great lengths, even exposing her own Beast Husband, but it had all been for nothing.

Now, she had to act fast.

’Before Jin Yi develops feelings for Bai Wanwan, I have to make that eyesore of a female disappear completely!’

"Jin Yi..." Her voice suddenly softened, her eyes pleading. "In all this time, I’ve never asked you for anything. Now, I want to ask you for a favor."

Jin Yi watched her with a calm gaze, as if he had already anticipated her intentions. "What is it?"

Zhuo Ling gazed at his handsome, cold profile and spoke slowly. "Bai Wanwan and I became enemies back in the Black Dog Tribe. She’s cruel and ruthless, and I’m honestly afraid she’ll do something to harm me one day. Jin Yi, can you help me... drive her out of the Golden Lion Tribe?"

Her voice was gentle, yet her words backed him into a corner.

For a moment, Jin Yi said nothing, merely watching her quietly.

Zhuo Ling felt a little unnerved. "Jin Yi? Can you help me?"

This time, Jin Yi refused her outright. "I can’t help you with this. Bai Wanwan is the Clan Leader’s honored guest. I have no authority to decide whether she stays or goes."

Zhuo Ling desperately wanted to ask if he had no authority, or if he simply didn’t want to.

But she held back, only softening her tone to say, "You really can’t help me, just this once, for my sake?"

*******

The summer heat of Yan Ji was sweltering. Recently pregnant, Bai Wanwan grew more and more lethargic, unwilling to even lift a finger all day.

Under a crooked tree in the courtyard, Bai Wanwan and Shi Hua sat together, conversing in low voices.

Silver needles flashed in their hands, yarn twisting around their fingers as they quickly knitted a patch of a sweater.

Since they had nothing else to do, she was teaching Shi Hua how to knit sweaters. They would be much warmer during the snow season.

"Let’s knit a few more. That way we won’t be cold when the snow season comes."

She recalled the days she’d spent with Xin Feng in the Cat Clan Tribe, huddled under the blankets to get through the winter.

There were no stoves, no air conditioning, just a few animal hides to ward off the cold.

She hadn’t had much time to prepare back then. This time, she would be fully prepared so she wouldn’t feel the slightest bit of cold.

Her knitting wasn’t particularly exquisite; the stitches were sometimes loose, sometimes tight.

She’d learned it out of boredom during her free time from an older female colleague at her office.

’Besides, you only wear sweaters during the snow season, and they’re worn underneath other clothes. It doesn’t matter if they’re pretty, as long as they’re warm.’

As for those gorgeous ready-made clothes... she glanced at the dazzling outfits in the System Mall and secretly extinguished the thought of buying any.

’Saving up Points to break Zhu Xiu’s Dark Curse is the priority right now.’

’Once Zhu Xiu’s curse is broken, I’ll have Points to spare in the future.’

’When that time comes, I definitely won’t deprive myself or my family anymore. I’ll eat what I want and buy what I want.’

"Wanwan, I heard the females of the Golden Lion Tribe saying that the Harvest Festival is coming up soon,"

Shi Hua suddenly stopped her work, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I hear it’s really lively!"

"Harvest Festival?"

Bai Wanwan’s hand, which was twisting the yarn, paused. She couldn’t find any memories of it.

"Only large and medium-sized tribes usually celebrate the Harvest Festival," Shi Hua said, leaning in closer, her voice filled with longing. "I’ve never been to one in my entire life. It must be so much fun."

Over the past few days, Shi Hua had heard a lot about the Harvest Festival from others and had been counting down the days on her fingers.

Shi Hua grew more and more excited. "On that day, all the females dress up beautifully, and a lot of males publicly court them!"

Bai Wanwan looked down to loop her yarn, the corners of her lips turning up. "Now that you mention it, I’m getting curious to see how fun this Harvest Festival is."

"It’s not just fun, there’s lots of delicious food too."

Shi Hua chattered on endlessly. Bai Wanwan didn’t mind her talkativeness and listened quietly as she continued to knit.

As she knitted, she habitually turned her head to check on the cubs.

"Huh? Where are the cubs?"

The moment Bai Wanwan asked, Shi Hua also fell silent.

"They were right here just a moment ago!"

Bai Wanwan put down her needles and yarn. "I’ll go look inside,"

She stepped over the threshold, and just as she was about to call for the cubs, her gaze suddenly froze on something...