Lan Cang held back with great difficulty, but in the end, he let her be. He suppressed his desire, spending the entire night peppering her with light kisses and slow tastes, never going too far.
Sang Luo gently caressed the crisscrossing scars on the man's back. 'He has something on his mind.'
Just as dawn broke, Lan Cang called her to eat from the kitchen. He had made meat wontons with thin skins and generous fillings, and buns stuffed with meat and vegetables. 'A man who keeps a cookbook by his bedside is not to be underestimated!'
She, who could normally sleep in until noon, was instantly energized by the enticing aroma.
The Star Beast Meat was tender, smooth, and delicious, and very filling. Sang Luo, who could normally down an entire basket of soup dumplings without issue, was so full from just two small buns that she hiccuped. A warm, energetic feeling spread through her body.
"Lan Cang, it's getting late. We should get going," someone called from outside the courtyard.
Lan Cang answered, quickly cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, and got ready to head out.
Ever since his severe injury three years ago, he had rarely associated with the other Beastmen of the tribe. He had voluntarily given up his position as captain and stopped participating in coordinated hunts. However, Beastmen were better suited to group combat, which guaranteed their safety and enabled them to capture higher-quality prey. Now that he had a little female at home to provide for, fighting alone as he had during those listless years was no longer an option.
"I'll probably be gone for several days this time. Take care of yourself at home. If you don't feel like cooking, there's food in the fridge you can just heat up. If anything happens, go find Dosei next door. I've helped his family before, and they're kind folks." He hugged her, planted a firm kiss on her cheek, and then reluctantly left.
Sang Luo stood at the door, touching her cheek. 'This man is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Once you get to know him, he's surprisingly clingy.'
The males went out to hunt and provide for their families, while the females would usually go in groups to nearby safe zones to gather fruits and vegetables. It helped supplement their household income and gave them something to do besides playing poker and raising cubs.
Lan Cang walked over to the group outside the courtyard and spoke to a tall, thin Beastman with green hair. "Luoluo just arrived in the tribe and isn't familiar with things yet. Have Ayia take her out for a walk. She's not in good health, so make sure she's looked after."
"Lan Cang, are... are you really going to form a partnership with that weak little female from the outside? I heard from Tu Zhu and his group that she's mute and disfigured. With a body that frail, forget about having cubs—it's a question of whether she'll even live long..."
For the past half-month, Tu Zhu and his cronies had been laughing at him behind his back. Kemu faltered, craning his neck to peer into the courtyard, but Lan Cang stepped in front of him, blocking his view. "Nosy."
Kemu didn't dare say any more, but he grumbled to himself. 'What kind of little female put a spell on our boss? Is she such a treasure that he won't even let us take a peek?'
"As long as Lan Cang likes her, that's all that matters. She's not your partner, so what are you worrying about?" Pamir, a quick-witted member of the group, pulled Kemu away. He patted his chest and grinned. "Don't worry, the little female won't be wronged in our tribe. You all wait here. Duoji and the others mentioned they were going to the East Neighbor Forest to pick fruit this morning. I'll have her bring the new female along."
"Li Man has a bad temper, so not many females like to hang out with her. She's always at home complaining she's bored. I could go ask her, too. If there are a few more of them playing together, they can all get to know one another," You Lu added with a laugh.
With that, a few of the Beastmen shifted into their animal forms and hurried home to pass on the message.
The females usually spent their time thinking about which powerful, handsome new male had shown up and whether they had a chance to win him over. Beyond that, they paid little mind to anything else.
However, they had also heard that the tribe had taken in several females from the outside about half a month ago. One of them, an injured mute, had been taken away by Lan Cang.
Even though Lan Cang's cultivation level had dropped, he could still hold his own in a fight against stronger opponents. Plenty of females still harbored crushes on him. The Si Wu's daughter, Manla, had been absolutely furious at the news, and word of it had spread throughout the entire tribe!
Duoji nudged the distracted Ayia, teasing, "Didn't you used to like Lan Cang, too? I originally thought you'd have a chance after he was injured. I never expected someone else to snatch him up. Looks like you're fated to never have him."
"...If he were actually interested in me, we would have already formed a partnership. He doesn't like me. Not then, not now, not ever. And it's not like I can't find other males."
Females were all proud. Chasing a male was embarrassing enough; no one was going to waste their entire life pining for a single, unavailable man.
Still, a trace of resentment lingered in her heart. She changed into a pretty, coarse linen skirt and headed for the door. "Let's go. I want to see for myself what this little female from another tribe actually looks like."