Chapter 32: About to Give Birth

Chapter 32: Chapter 32: About to Give Birth

Bai Wanwan and Xin Feng returned to the cave. Bai Wanwan’s hands and feet were nearly frozen stiff.

Xin Feng felt her ice-cold fingers, cupped them in his own palms, and rubbed them. "I’ll start a fire for you. You’ll warm up once you’re by the fire."

"Okay. I’ll go get the meat ready."

The two worked together, and the fire was soon blazing. Slices of meat were laid out on the stone slab.

Xin Feng was about to place a freshly cooked piece of meat into her stone bowl, but Bai Wanwan stopped him midway. "You’ve been busy all day, aren’t you hungry? You eat it. I’ll get my own."

"I’m not hungry..."

The words had barely left his mouth when a GROWL echoed through the empty cave.

Bai Wanwan couldn’t help but laugh and shoot him a playful glare. "Hurry up and eat."

Xin Feng’s face turned slightly red. He placed the piece of meat in her bowl anyway before picking up a piece for himself.

"I won’t go up the mountain tomorrow. I’ll go catch river shrimp until I fill a whole jar."

"One jar won’t be enough. Tomorrow, let’s start a fire and smoke-dry all the fish and shrimp. They won’t spoil easily and will last a long time."

Salted and dried fish and shrimp not only kept well but could also be eaten as snacks.

’She was actually quite the foodie. Being trapped in a place like this was a real injustice to her.’

They were both hungry, so they didn’t say much and just focused on their food. The two of them finished off two large cuts of meat before they were finally full.

Xin Feng deftly cleaned everything up and skillfully heated some water.

After eating, Bai Wanwan felt languid and didn’t want to move.

She sat on a stone stool covered in beast skin, leaning back and watching him bustle about.

Xin Feng was truly a thoughtful and considerate male. He brought her hot water to wash up with, then sealed all the drafty gaps around the cave entrance.

Bai Wanwan had already taken off her Beast Skin Skirt and was lying on the stone bed in just her coarse linen clothes. The beast hide blanket on her was cold and heavy, making it impossible to fall asleep.

She glanced at Xin Feng, who was still outside pretending to be busy, and finally just called out to him, "Stop fiddling around. I’m cold. Come here."

After speaking, she patted the edge of the bed, her urgency clear.

’Xin Feng was worried the little female would get cold, but she was still awake...’

He tried to act natural, grunting an "Mm," and only turned toward the stone bed after checking that the fire was completely extinguished.

He took off his beast skin clothing, fumbled his way onto the bed, and lay down somewhat stiffly under the hide blanket.

He wanted to reach out and hold her, but he was worried the little female wouldn’t like it...

’How could Bai Wanwan know what he was thinking? She was just freezing and wanted a warm, comfortable sleep.’

The moment Xin Feng lay down, she unceremoniously burrowed into his arms, wrapping her hands around his lean waist and snuggling up against him completely.

The scorching heat from the male’s body immediately drove the cold from her.

She comfortably closed her eyes, nuzzled her face into his chest, and found a cozy spot before settling down.

Yawning, she quickly drifted off to sleep.

Xin Feng’s whole body went rigid. The little female was nestled in his arms, so small, her steady breaths warming his neck.

His body grew even tenser, and it felt as if a fire had been lit in his heart.

His mouth was a bit dry. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to create a little distance.

But the freshly asleep Bai Wanwan only chased after the heat source, immediately pressing close again.

He didn’t know how long he lay there before he finally managed to calm down.

He felt a draft coming from the beast hide behind her and immediately raised his arm to completely encircle the little female in his embrace.

He lowered his head, pressed his lips to her forehead, and slowly closed his eyes.

That night, Bai Wanwan didn’t feel cold for a second and slept comfortably until dawn.

When she woke up, she felt the spot beside her. Xin Feng was nowhere to be seen.

She yawned and looked outside, but there didn’t seem to be anyone there either.

"Xin Feng?"

Throwing off the beast hide, she quickly wrapped her Beast Skin Skirt around herself and shouted outside again.

Still, no one answered.

But soon, the cave entrance was opened from the outside, letting in a gust of chilly wind.

Bai Wanwan quickly pulled the hide blanket back over herself and watched as Xin Feng hastily closed the entrance. "You went to catch fish?"

"Yeah, I just brought a basinful back. It’s gotten even colder outside, and the wind is strong. You stay in the cave, don’t come out."

Bai Wanwan also noticed the weather was colder than yesterday.

And because her clothes weren’t form-fitting, the wind could still sneak in around her neck even when she was wrapped in a thick beast hide.

There was a covered stone basin of hot water, and next to it, a piece of roasted meat.

Bai Wanwan washed up contentedly and ate everything.

Only then did she walk to the entrance to take a look.

Xin Feng had set up a larger stove outside, with a stone slab on top that was a full meter wide.

The stone slab was covered in fish and shrimp, many of which were already roasted dry.

Bai Wanwan was delighted at the sight. Even though she had just eaten, it felt like her cravings were acting up again.

As if reading her mind, Xin Feng chuckled. "Wait a little longer. They need to roast for a while more."

Bai Wanwan turned her head and saw that the stone basin was already empty.

So she squeezed in beside him. "Go catch some more. I’ll watch the fire."

Xin Feng hesitated for a moment, but wanting to stockpile more food for her, he nodded and gave her his spot. "Alright, you watch it then. I’ll be right back."

When it came to food, Bai Wanwan was especially motivated, working with Xin Feng to roast basin after basin.

By evening, the two rattan baskets she had woven earlier were filled to the brim.

Xin Feng also breathed a sigh of relief. The little female liked to eat these things, so when the snow season arrived, if prey was scarce, they could live on this dried fish and shrimp for a while.

For the next several days, the two worked together in perfect sync, preparing for the rainy and snowy seasons.

Bai Wanwan’s cave was very spacious. Three of its chambers were used to store food and firewood; only the chamber where they rested remained empty.

That morning, Xin Feng moved about as quietly as usual, wanting to use the last bit of time to go up the mountain and gather more firewood.

Just then, a RUSHING sound came from outside.

The downpour was so heavy it woke Bai Wanwan from her sleep.

She rolled over and opened her eyes, her gaze still a little hazy.

"Is it raining?"

Xin Feng wrapped a beast skin around himself. "Lie down for a bit longer. I’ll go take a look."

The moment the cave entrance was opened, a fierce, rain-soaked wind desperately forced its way inside.

It was impossible to even see what was happening outside; the entire tribe was shrouded in mist.

Bai Wanwan followed right behind him, peeking over his shoulder, and was shocked by the intensity of the storm.

"Is the rainy season always like this?"

Xin Feng nodded. "It’s like this for the first few days. Don’t be afraid!"

She really was a little afraid. If rain like this continued, it could easily trigger landslides and mudflows.

And the Cat Clan was located right at the foot of the mountain.

Xin Feng sealed the entrance tightly and turned back to her. "Are you cold? I’ll start a fire for you."

"Let’s just endure it for now. It’s raining, so the firewood in the mountains is useless. We have to be frugal."

Bai Wanwan thought they could just tough it out, that ten-odd days would pass quickly.

Who knew the rain would be endless? The two of them were stuck in the pitch-black cave with no entertainment whatsoever.

One or two days were tolerable, but by the fifth and sixth day, even a passing ant had to be careful, lest it be accidentally crushed by the murderous aura she was emitting.

On top of that, she was pregnant, and her belly was swelling up like a balloon, pressing uncomfortably against her. She couldn’t eat well or sleep well.

Xin Feng took care of her patiently. If she woke up in the middle of the night wanting roasted meat, he would get up and cook it for her.

That night, just as Bai Wanwan lay down, she was kicked hard in the stomach, making her cry out in pain.

"Wanwan, what’s wrong?" Xin Feng immediately dropped the beast hide in his hands and hurried over.

Bai Wanwan tried to answer but was kicked again, doubling the intense pain.

She clutched her belly, gasping for air. "Xin Feng, I think I’m about to give birth!"