The Beast's Beloved: Sickly Beauty with Many Children and blessings

Si Shuo tried hard to stay awake and listened carefully to every word Ji Liang said.

As someone from the modern world, Si Shuo's views on love and marriage differed from those of the orcs. While humans emphasized emotional and spiritual connections, orcs prioritized survival and instincts.

But Si Shuo had to admit—Ji Liang's words softened their heart a little.

They asked weakly, "How do I know if what you're saying is true?"

Ji Liang chuckled. "The beast seal is proof of my sincerity, little Shuo Shuo. I won't touch you, can you let me in? I'll transfer some spiritual energy to you to make you feel better. Forcing yourself to endure this will only harm your body."

"No! I can't open the door for you," Si Shuo bit down hard on the handkerchief, to the point that their gums started bleeding.

Ji Liang sighed softly. "Ah, Xiao Shuo Shuo has seen through me again. Alright, I won't go in. Can I send you spiritual energy through the door instead?"

As he spoke, a warm yet cool stream of energy seeped through the crack of the door and gently enveloped Si Shuo.

They almost moaned in relief, their tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxing.

"Be good. Winter has just passed, and your body is still weak. You won't be able to handle the cold at night. Spread an animal skin by the door and cover yourself with another layer. I'll continue transferring spiritual energy to you."

Just as suddenly, the flow of energy stopped. Si Shuo subconsciously reached out, grasping at empty air. Whimpering softly, they hurried into the inner room, retrieved a stack of animal skins, spread them out, and covered themselves. Then, in a small voice, they whispered, "I-I'm ready to lie down."

Ji Liang hissed in frustration. He really wanted to break into the room.

Did this little female even realize what they had just said to a male?

He had finally managed to lower their guard, yet a mere wooden door kept him from reaching them. His spiritual energy was being transmitted remotely, but most of it was dissipating into the air before it could help.

Still, what little spiritual energy did reach Si Shuo was enough to lower their fever and ease their discomfort.

"Sleep now. I'll stay here until dawn and then leave," Ji Liang murmured, leaning against the door and gazing at the cold moonlight in the sky. His voice was incredibly gentle.

Si Shuo's lips curled slightly. "Thank you, Master Ji Liang."

"If you really want to thank me, then make me a bracelet when you have some free time during the day," Ji Liang shamelessly added.

Si Shuo had never met anyone as audacious as him, but since he had helped them so much, they could only accept his request begrudgingly.

Before long, exhaustion took over. After two days of suffering without proper rest, Si Shuo fell into a deep sleep, their soft snoring filling the quiet night.

---

After a dreamless night, Si Shuo woke up and habitually touched the beast mark on their wrist, wanting to tell Zhile that they were awake and missed him.

As they slowly came to their senses, they realized they had fallen asleep at the entrance of the cave. Remembering what had happened last night, their face turned red, and their body temperature rose slightly.

Glancing at their pitifully low two-digit beast coin balance, Si Shuo knew they couldn't afford to waste money on pre-made meals from the supermarket. Thankfully, they had previously bought a hundred-kilogram bag of rice and another of flour, enough to last them a long time.

Plus, anything they purchased from the supermarket could be temporarily stored in their inventory, so it wouldn't take up space.

Si Shuo scooped some flour, added water, cracked an egg, sprinkled in salt and wild chives, and mixed everything into a batter.

Brushing a thin layer of oil onto a stone pan, they poured in a spoonful of batter and spread it evenly. Once it solidified, they flipped it over and fried it for two to three minutes.

Before long, a stack of fragrant, chewy green onion and egg pancakes piled up, perfectly paired with a thick bowl of millet porridge. It was their favorite breakfast.

They stored the leftovers in their inventory, opened the door, and grabbed some fruit that Zhile had collected. Sitting in the sunlight, they took small bites while enjoying the morning air.

---

Yi Mei peeked out from her cave, waved at Si Shuo, and mouthed, "Si Shuo, did you hear any noise last night?"

Si Shuo's body stiffened. Didn't Ji Liang say he had set up a barrier to block out sound and scent? Then why had someone heard something?

They quickly shook their head.

Yi Mei smacked her forehead. "Oh, I forgot that Si Shuo can't hear me."

Still, she continued mouthing excitedly, "Your sister brought back a stray beast last night. It's Youwei, a level 5 crocodile orc and the leader of the Dark Crow Caravan!"

Si Shuo froze.

Yi Mei kept going, her eyes sparkling with gossip. "Oh my, they were making such a ruckus last night. As expected of stray beasts, their wild and rough nature made my Rongxing even more aggressive than usual..."

Si Shuo was speechless. Was this really something they were supposed to listen to for free?

Yi Mei grinned at Si Shuo's stunned expression. "Good thing you can't hear me, or else you'd be missing Zhile even more!"

Si Shuo glared at her and snorted. How dare she tease them at a time like this...

Yi Mei giggled and nudged Si Shuo before tilting her chin toward something in the distance.

Following her gaze, Si Shuo saw their sister, Bu Meng, directing two stray beasts to carry supplies into Yu Jiao's cave.

At the same time, Ji Liang was strolling lazily toward them. He didn't walk like an orc at all—he had the air of an ancient noble prince taking a casual walk in his garden.

When Ji Liang noticed Si Shuo, he smirked, hissed softly, and flicked out his tongue before tapping his wrist meaningfully.

Si Shuo pursed their lips and looked away, pretending not to see him. Instead, they went into their cave, gathered some materials, and sat with Yi Mei at the entrance, working on their crafts.

They had already made four sets of spring clothes for themselves and two for Zhile.

Besides clothing, they had also crafted various accessories—fluffy headpieces, brooches, bracelets, necklaces, and wristbands.

The other females found it interesting and began making some of their own.

Si Shuo rummaged through their sewing basket, sifting through animal tendons, tusks, and beads, though most of them had a delicate, feminine feel.

Looking at their selection of animal skins, they picked three sturdy and elastic ones—black, red, and gold. Taking them inside, they used an eyebrow razor to carefully strip away the hair before cutting the skin into thin, even strips.

Using two strips per color, they wove them into a three-braid pattern and added a flat buckle for easy adjustment.

The bracelet was simple yet elegant, and its contrasting colors suited Ji Liang's style, giving it a bold and cool aesthetic rather than appearing feminine.

Si Shuo tried it on their own wrist and admired it. The more they looked, the more they liked it.

They also made a light blue, white, and navy one for Zhile, and a white, pink, and blue one for themselves.

---

Later, while selling bracelets in the square, Si Shuo handed one to Ji Liang.

Ji Liang grabbed their hand and smirked. "Little Si Shuo, are you shy? You made this bracelet just for me, didn't you? But you had so many that you even sold some..."

His hands were warm yet cool and dry. Si Shuo had the sudden urge to rub them against their cheek.

They were speechless. Why did he always twist things in his favor?

"So, what do you want?" Si Shuo asked in a low voice, struggling to pull their hand away.

Ji Liang slowly traced their fingers, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Hiss... As a snake beastman, I'm an expert at taking advantage of situations..."