Chapter 99: Ch93 - Pineapple Flavored Beastman Gong (11)

Pineapple Flavored Beastman Gong (11)

Translated by Hua Li ^_~

Three days ago.

After Meng Hui took the Longevity Fruit and Meng Hao led the tribe warriors to the Treefolk Forest, Gou Liang found Ga’er and the old priest and asked about the original owner’s engagement with Meng Hui in front of Meng Hui.

“Is what Meng Hao said true?” he asked the old priest with a skeptical and uneasy expression, looking at him.

Anyone could see his resistance to this marriage, except for the clueless Meng Hui. When the words were spoken, there was a moment of uncertainty between the old priest and Ga’er about how to explain the situation to Gou Liang. Meng Hui, not understanding their hesitation, hastily interjected, “Xiaoxi, now that I’m fully recovered and capable of taking care of you, protecting you, we can still proceed with our bond as planned after your coming-of-age ceremony.”

With that, he scratched his head and chuckled foolishly.

Gou Liang: Ugh, painful to the ears.

Gou Liang frowned, still koolking at the old priest with a hint of extravagant hope.

The old priest, who was well aware of the situation, motioned to Gou Liang to calm down with a shake of his head. He then addressed Meng Hui, saying, “Meng Hui, I’m afraid this matter is… not appropriate.”

Meng Hui expressed his surprise and anxiety, “How can it be inappropriate? I’m fully recovered now and capable of hunting. Priest, I can certainly—”

“It’s not about your capability,” the old priest interrupted. He then turned to Gou Liang and continued, “Xiaoxi, you and Meng Hui were… engaged once. However, due to subsequent injuries to both of you, the engagement was canceled.”

“What?”

“Is that true?”

Meng Hui and Gou Liang exclaimed simultaneously. While Gou Liang felt relief, Meng Hui was anxious. He questioned, “When was it canceled? Why wasn’t I informed? Priest, I’m no longer incapacitated! I can protect Xiaoxi. Uncle Ga’er, please believe me…” His eyes teared up with anxiety, and the old priest tried to console him.

“Meng Hui, please allow me to explain fully,” the old priest implored.

“Master Priest…”

Recognizing the old priest’s intentions, Ga’er prayed with teary eyes, hoping that the matter could remain hidden.

However, the old priest shook his head at him and said, “Lang Xi is about to become an adult; he deserves to know the truth.” After a brief pause, he added, “Ga’er, he’s no longer a cub who needs you to guide him every step of the way. Do you understand?”

Ga’er covered his mouth and silently wept.

Gou Liang frowned, looking anxious as he glanced at Ga’er, and anxiously asked, “Old Priest, what are you guys talking about?”

The old priest sighed and, after a moment of hesitation, explained to Gou Liang what had happened at the Silver Moon Festival. Gou Liang was shocked and refused to believe it. Then, the old priest produced a Pregnancy Stone to confirm the truth. Gou Liang fell silent for a long time, accepting the reality. But afterward, he retreated to his room and refused to see anyone, not even Ga’er.

Meng Hui refused to leave and kept repeating outside his door, “Xiaoxi, don’t be sad. I’ll talk to the old priest and the tribe leader. Our engagement has always been valid, and no matter what, I’ll marry you…”

Gou Liang, in agony, finally opened the door.

Meng Hui called out to him happily, but Gou Liang said, “Meng Hui, there’s something I want to make clear to you.”

“What is it?” Meng Hui still looked bewildered.

Gou Liang, knowing that beating around the bush with this kid would only make him suffer, got straight to the point and said, “I don’t like you, and even without this situation, I wouldn’t bond with you.”

“What… What should we do then?” Meng Hui was getting anxious.

Gou Liang smiled, “Meng Hui, thank you for being considerate of me. Actually, I can feel that you don’t like me either. If we force ourselves together, it wouldn’t be good for either of us.”

“How could I not like you? Xiaoxi, you’re my favorite person besides my brother and the old priest. You’re the one I’m closest to…”

Gou Liang shook his head, “It’s not the same.”

“Then let me ask you, would you be upset if I wanted to bond with someone else? Would you oppose it?”

“Huh?”

****

Meng Hui pondered for a while and said, “As long as that person treats you well, takes good care of you, and ensures you don’t suffer, I certainly wouldn’t object. But… Xiaoxi, no matter who that person is, I will always take care of you and make sure you’re well-fed and well-clothed, not bullied by anyone.”

He said it earnestly, and Gou Liang tapped his head, deciding, “Forget it, you wouldn’t understand even if I told you.”

“Xiaoxi…”

Meng Hui was left standing there, puzzled.

It wasn’t until this moment, watching Gou Liang throw himself into Meng Hao’s arms and be kissed by Meng Hao, that he suddenly understood. Gou Liang wasn’t joking; the person he wanted to bond with was his brother.

*

Meng Hao knew that Meng Hui was waiting outside the door but was reluctant to let go.

He kept pressing his lips to Gou Liang’s, and the incredibly soft touch made him afraid to exert too much force, fearing he might inadvertently hurt his tender lips.

With one hand, he held Gou Liang’s waist tightly, and with the other, he cradled his cheek, gently caressing his face with his thumb as he clumsily kissed him. It wasn’t until he saw the light gradually returning to Gou Liang’s eyes, accompanied by a dazzling warmth, that he stopped the comforting touches. He pressed his face against Gou Liang’s, whispered softly, “Don’t cry… I won’t let you cry anymore from now on.”

Gou Liang blinked his eyes.

The heartache in his eyes was so evident that it brought a bittersweet taste to his newfound soul power.

But Gou Liang felt no regret whatsoever. The feeling of attraction, no matter how many times he had experienced it, still made him feel like a giddy young deer in the presence of the man before him.

He clung tightly to Meng Hao’s neck, jumped onto him, and hugged his waist. He wanted to laugh but held it back and asked uncertainly, “Will we always be together? Will you… bond with me?”

“Mm.”

He nodded, and Gou Liang immediately smiled.

Meng Hao looked into his curved eyes, deep dimples, and finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

—He’s smiling; his eyes aren’t suited for tears.

Turning back into his beast form, Meng Hao carried Gou Liang and gently placed him on the bed, using his tail to form a protective circle around him, placing it over his heart. He said, “Sleep for a while and then we’ll eat.”

Seeing his slender figure, Meng Hao silently vowed never to let him lose a single hair or a pound of weight in the future.

Not knowing that he was planning to raise him chubby, Gou Liang held his head and rubbed it against his head. He said, “It’s like a dream. What if I wake up, and you’re not here with me?”

Meng Hao used his tail to encircle Gou Liang’s waist and returned it to its original position, not comforting his sentimentality. He just said, “Sleep.”

Gou Liang pouted, slightly dissatisfied, and tugged at a tuft of fur. He threatened softly, “If you don’t talk, I’ll pull some more.” Hearing Meng Hao’s low growl in response, Gou Liang giggled for a while, then settled down, hugging Meng Hao, and quickly fell asleep.

It wasn’t until he had been asleep for a long time that Meng Hao returned to his human form, carefully adjusting him into a comfortable position, and then left the room.

Of course, his big blind spot went to look for his precious little brother.

Gou Liang, on one hand, closely followed the latest developments and, on the other hand, secretly pondered how he could pass off this “third party” who was in the way to a cute guy in the future.

“Brother.”

Meng Hui saw him, blushing even before he spoke. This made Meng Hao, who had prepared a lengthy opening speech, unsure of where to start explaining.

“Hui, Lang Xi and I…”

Before he could think of words, “Brother, I didn’t peep, I just… accidentally saw it, it wasn’t intentional,” Meng Hui said, raising his hands, embarrassed.

He’d been taught since childhood that it was disgraceful to sneak a peek at a male and his mate being intimate.

Stumbling upon his brother and the little female kissing… was just too embarrassing.

Meng Hao was momentarily stunned, looking at Meng Hui’s complexion, and tentatively asked, “You saw everything. Do you have any thoughts about it?”

Meng Hui spoke without thinking, “So, it turns out that Xiaoxi likes Brother. He mentioned a couple of days ago that he wanted to bond with someone else, and I was really worried he’d been fooled by those people from before.”

He exaggeratedly exhaled a breath and commented, “Those guys, whoever looks good, they just go after. They’re not genuinely good to Xiaoxi. If Xiaoxi… definitely, they’d bully him and make fun of him. Plus, they’re so weak, if Xiaoxi is with them, during the White Moon Season he will be starved… But if its Brother, that puts my mind at ease.”

Meng Hao: “…”

Silently pausing for a moment, Meng Hao asked, “He’s your unbonded mate, and he wants to bond with someone else, and you’re okay with that?”

“If it’s someone else, of course, I’d have to think it over carefully. I can’t really let Xiaoxi go hungry or suffer, right? The High Priest also said that once Xiaoxi bonds with someone, except for the priest and the tribe leader, other males giving him gifts will make Xiaoxi’s mate unhappy, and they will treat Xiaoxi worse.”

Some of the females in the tribe who couldn’t bear children and hadn’t given birth to cubs lived very miserable lives.

Fearful of Gou Liang following in the footsteps of these unfortunate females, Meng Hui had been seriously troubled for several days and even sought advice from the old priest. However, he still hadn’t come up with a solution.

But now!

His big brother was the most powerful warrior in the tribe, even before coming of age, he had killed a Black Crocodile Beast. There was absolutely no possibility of Gou Liang going hungry or being bullied by other males when he was bonded with his big brother.

Meng Hao, after careful consideration of his expression and detecting no signs of forced cheerfulness, concluded, “You were so good to Lang Xi before, wasn’t it because you liked him?”

“Of course,” Meng Hui said without hesitation.

Meng Hao’s spine tensed for a moment.

Meng Hui went on, “Brother, you also have feelings for Xiao Xi, don’t you? When I was a child, you used to advise me not to take Xiaoxi’s belongings but to treat him well, protect him, and not let other orcs mistreat him…”

As Meng Hui spoke, Meng Hao listened with a somewhat bewildered expression.

Actually, his childhood memories were already quite vague. He still remembered some of the good times they had together when they were young. What he remembered even more clearly was how he was rejected, how he was driven away. However, he was quite certain that his kindness towards Gou Liang in the past was entirely different from now. It wasn’t driven by a natural sense of responsibility or emotional dependency. It was a genuine appreciation and unconditional affection for his mate.

When did he begin to have the idea of monopolizing him?

Perhaps it was when he smiled and pounced on him, displaying complete trust, or perhaps it was when he unhesitatingly stood in front of him to protect him, or maybe it was on some clear morning, when he woke up in his arms, laughing wildly and mischievously on top of his head.

Meng Hao was lost in thought. It wasn’t until he caught a sentence from Meng Hui’s rambling that he snapped back to reality.

Meng Hui said, “Brother, rest assured. From now on, I’ll also help take care of Xiaoxi.”

“No, there’s no need.”

Meng Hao said calmly, “I can handle it myself.”

Seeing that Meng Hui still wanted to speak, Meng Hao’s ice-blue eyes stared at him without a trace of warmth. At this moment, he clearly felt that he was facing a male who had once been engaged to Gou Liang, not his little brother. Realizing this, Meng Hao smiled and asked, “Hui, do you not believe that I can take care of him?”

Meng Hui’s hair stood on end for an inexplicable reason, sensing a hint of danger. He hurriedly denied any such thoughts.

Although Gou Liang couldn’t see Meng Hao’s expression while hiding his head in the fur, he was laughing to himself inside.

【Ding, target favorability updated, current favorability: +91!】

Gou Liang couldn’t help but say, “Brother, you did well!”

When Meng Hao returned, Gou Liang still had a faint smile on his lips. He seemed to have dreamt of something pleasant. Meng Hao gently brushed the dimples at the corner of Gou Liang’s mouth. Thinking of Meng Hui’s bewildered expression, he couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle.

He bent down to kiss Gou Liang’s dimple and then his lips. Meng Hao smiled faintly and suddenly said, “Fortunately.”

It was unclear whether he was thankful that Meng Hui hadn’t caught on or relieved that his younger brother hadn’t devoured all his emotional intelligence.

【Ding, mission progress bar advanced, current mission progress: 0.01%!】

—

Soon, several major tribes got wind of the fact that the Wolf Tribe had received a gift from the Treefolk Tribe.

The story of the Winged Wolves and the Treefolk had always been circulating among the priests, so they had no reason to doubt the old priest’s answer. What they were more concerned about at this moment was whether there was any exotic beast meat left near the Treefolk Forest!

However, when they arrived, they found that the carcasses of the exotic beasts had already spoiled in the scorching heat, and other beasts, attracted by the stench, were fighting for the leftovers. Not only did they make very few gains, but they also suffered heavy losses when they were chased by the beast horde. This only fueled their jealousy towards the Wolf Tribe’s good fortune.

While they were struggling in the Treefolk Forest, the Wolf Tribe organized all available hands to process the exotic beast meat as quickly as possible.

Females boiled water, extracted red salt fruit juice, and males skinned and prepared the meat, boiling and drying it. Even the bones of the beasts, which had no storage function and were casually discarded, were preserved under the advice of Gou Liang and Meng Hao. According to the authoritative certification of the old priest, the bone soup was very nourishing for females and cubs, which was beneficial during the White Moon Season. This boosted their morale even more.

The entire tribe was mobilized and worked tirelessly for a full fifteen days before they managed to properly preserve all the exotic beast meat.

Every member of the Wolf Tribe had smiles on their faces. After discussing with the Wolf Warriors and the old priest, Wolf Chief decided to reorganize the tribe’s labor distribution.

The Red Moon Season still had a long way to go, and hunting and gathering could not be halted. However, more combat forces had to be allocated to protect the tribe and the gathering teams, especially given the increasing threat from the Lightning Tribe.

Wolf Chief personally led one-quarter of the male Beastfolk to guard the tribe, while one-half was tasked with protecting the females during gathering and assisting in collection. The remaining one-quarter, under the leadership of an experienced warrior, followed the original hunting plan, alternating with the team guarding the tribe every thirty days.

Meng Hui was among them.

Following the challenging White Moon Season, Meng Hao’s remarkable combat skills and sheer strength propelled him back to the top rank among the young orcs. This development brought great surprise and delight to Lang Xiong and the others.

However, these accomplishments had little to do with Gou Liang.

During this period, Gou Liang and Meng Hao found themselves skillfully engaged in a unique activity: egg stealing in a secluded corner of Sacred Mountain.

While Meng Hao had made substantial contributions to the tribe, for the safety of the hunting and gathering teams, he couldn’t join the tribe’s warriors in their activities. Lang Xiong believed that Meng Hao’s skills surpassed the requirements of the tribe he was stationed with, so he granted his request to hunt independently with Gou Liang.

After recovering from his ordeal, he no longer needed to spend all his energy searching for the Purple Flower Red Moon. This allowed Meng Hao greater freedom in planning their hunts.

Their first destination was to collect various exotic beast eggs.

In the world’s food preservation ranking, first place belonged to exotic beast meat marinated in red salt fruit juice, and second place went to exotic beast eggs.

No matter how large they were, exotic beast eggs were difficult to satisfy the appetites of Beastfolk. However, they were one of the main sources of food for females and cubs during the White Moon Season. Previously, they had never appeared in Meng Hao’s White Moon Season food storage recipe, but now he had a mate.

Thinking about this, Meng Hao’s tail wagged almost to the point of creating a blur.

“Why are you staring at me foolishly? Come and help me taste the flavor.”

Gou Liang looked at him, beckoning and smiling.

The big white wolf stretched its neck over, unafraid of being burnt, and took a bite. Then he nodded.

Actually, there was no need to confirm. Numerous beasts had been attracted to the area by the scent of food, but none dared to approach. Even when they saw Meng Hao’s white form and became infuriated, they only dared to howl in the vicinity.

The reason? They were afraid of the scent of the Tree of Longevity.

Each aspect of the Longevity Tree exudes its distinct Longevity Tree essence, with the roots being particularly potent in this regard. The Tree People’s ability to repel alien beasts isn’t a result of having a once-in-millions-of-years hair-combing riot, but rather, it’s attributed to the fragrance of the Longevity Tree. This unique scent, when detected by the orcs, elicits a refreshing sensation.

The three leaves presented by the Treefolk chief had already dried up, but Meng Hao wasn’t someone willing to endure setbacks.

Upon discovering the remarkable properties of the Longevity Tree through the old priest, he seized the opportunity during the turmoil and discreetly acquired a piece of the tree’s root, even though he was in a rather undignified condition at the time.

When Gou Liang witnessed him revealing this object for the first time, he was utterly astounded, almost dropping to the ground in disbelief.

“…I don’t remember who told me that you shouldn’t leave precious items lying around; otherwise, you’re either stupid or a fool.”

Meng Hao said so.

Gou Liang turned his head silently – it definitely wasn’t me =v=

Thank you for your wishes during my exams. My exams are still ongoing but majority is over. So okay, I think I will manage. ヾ(≧ ▽ ≦)ゝ