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

Seeing the little female pretending to be deaf and stuttering in front of people, he cooperated and said slowly and lovingly:

"The environment in the Central Continent of the Beast World is better than our remote areas. The rainy season and winter are not so long, and the winters are not particularly cold.

All kinds of orcs gather there, and many capable orcs are willing to take root in that region.

They don't live in caves but instead build houses from mud, forming square bricks, which they then stack with wood and straw...

There are many people in a city. To give you an idea, the population of a single family in the city could be as large as your Rune Tribe. Every large household supports at least one Saint Female."

Si Shuo listened carefully and felt that the Central Continent must be a place where civilization had advanced far beyond their remote tribal life.

"But that place is far away, and I've never been there myself," Ji Liang admitted. "I only heard about it from other traveling merchant groups.

If you're interested, Xiao Shuo Shuo, after you find a beast husband, how about we join a large and powerful merchant caravan to visit the Central Continent? If it's truly as magnificent as they say, settling down there could be nice."

Si Shuo pursed her lips and whispered, "I must find one… but are there many?"

Ji Liang replied calmly, "Xiao Shuo Shuo, you're still young. You grew up in a tribe and have never witnessed the cruelty of the outside world.

Natural disasters, beast tides, herds of stray beasts, the ambitions of powerful orcs, conflicts between tribes, and resource wars—each carries terrifying destructive power.

You see the Rune Tribe living in peace now, but that peace was earned through the blood and lives of countless warriors during the spring hunts. And no one knows how long this peace will last.

The Rune Tribe could vanish tomorrow. If that happens, do you think only Zhile and I can protect you?"

Si Shuo's face paled slightly. He was right. Since her rebirth, the farthest she had ventured was the bushland where she gathered wild fruits and a few nearby mountains that were cleared of dangerous beasts.

The stories she heard from other orcs about the dangers of the outside world felt exaggerated and repetitive. She had become numb to their warnings and failed to grasp the true severity of their reality.

Ji Liang took her hand, gently rubbing it between his palms. "But reality isn't all terrifying. You have us.

Look at the situation now. Zhile is away on the spring hunt, and I can't leave with the caravan because of you. You have no male to guard you.

Even if we persuade others through friendship or exchange of interests, when real danger strikes, they will still protect their own females first.

Besides," he added with a playful smile, "what if we're out foraging and suddenly encounter a group of 10 or 20 ferocious stray beasts?"

Si Shuo nodded slowly, as though bracing herself for a challenging decision. "I will do my best to find a strong and reliable male. That way, we can all stay safe."

Ji Liang couldn't help but pull her into his embrace. He buried his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder, inhaling her soft, delicate scent. His voice was low and full of longing:

"Xiao Shuo Shuo, you can always choose me. But promise me… love me most and don't ever forget me."

Si Shuo's body stiffened slightly. His warmth and the steady rise and fall of his chest gave her a rare sense of security. Surprisingly, she didn't feel the rejection or discomfort she had once feared.

Instead, she relaxed against him, resting her head lightly on his shoulder. "No," she murmured softly. "You will always be special."

Ji Liang chuckled against her skin. "Little Shuo Shuo, you're making me want to steal you away right now..."

---

That night, the bonfire party was lively. The entire tribe now knew that Ji Liang had fallen for Si Shuo. Everyone expected that once he returned from his journey, he would become her second beast husband.

The orcs whispered among themselves, confused by his choice.

Ji Liang was powerful, well-connected, and wealthy. He could easily claim a Saint Female as his first mate. So why would he choose Si Shuo, a deaf, frail, and introverted little female cat, as his second beast husband?

But before they could finish gossiping, another piece of shocking news erupted within the tribe:

Yi Mei, a female with low fertility, had taken in a powerful stray beast as her partner!

---

Throughout the night, Ji Liang never left Si Shuo's side. He roasted meat for her, peeled fruits, and tended to her every need. His attentiveness was almost overbearing.

Si Shuo's heart pounded. She let him hold her hand, their fingers entwined. She felt flustered and helpless as he kept feeding her delicious bites.

Tonight marked the fourth day of her cycle. The discomfort had eased, but her body was still warmer than usual, leaving her slightly restless.

Ji Liang stood outside her cave, his voice carrying a mix of longing and frustration:

"Xiao Shuo Shuo, I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. Are you sure you don't want my beast mark?

If you accept it, I will always sense your location and know you're safe, even when I'm far away.

I saw you earlier, during dinner—you touched Zhile's beast mark before eating."

Si Shuo pursed her lips into a teasing smile. "I'm giving you a chance to regret it. What if you meet another female on your journey and decide you like her better?"

Ji Liang let out a low chuckle. "Xiao Shuo Shuo, I've traveled for years and never found anyone I wanted. And you think I'd meet two in one trip? The Beast God would have to be playing tricks on me!"

Then his tone softened with sincerity. "But I'm serious, Si Shuo. If you accept my beast mark, your body will become stronger, and both Zhile and I can travel with more peace of mind.

Zhile's strength already declined after giving you his beast mark. The Spring Hunt is dangerous. His combat power is affected, even if he won't admit it."

Si Shuo's smile faded into a troubled frown. "I know… I shouldn't have let him do it. Back then, I barely understood what the beast mark truly meant. I just wanted to survive my heat and complete my mission."

Ji Liang touched her cheek gently, his voice steady. "Don't regret it. Zhile is the luckiest orc alive. The Beast God himself wouldn't dare take him from you."

---

That night, while she slept, Ji Liang quietly slipped into her cave. He lay beside her, holding her close but resisting the wild urges surging within him. Her warmth, her scent—it was everything he ever wanted.

---

The next day, Ji Liang joined the tribe's hunt, bringing back an impressive haul of golden-headed chickens and black-billed ducks. He clipped their wings and released them into the tribe's ravine, ensuring their eggs would become a steady food source.

"Golden-headed chickens and black-billed ducks lay eggs often," he explained. "In the Central Continent, orcs raise them regularly. Just toss them wild vegetables and fruit scraps. Clip their wings, and they'll lay eggs daily."

Si Shuo smiled warmly, wiping the sweat from his brow with a cloth. She stood on tiptoe to reach him. "Thank you for your hard work, Master Ji Liang."

Ji Liang caught her hand mid-motion and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "It's my honor to run for my own female."

---

As the Dark Crow Caravan prepared to leave the next day, orcs from all around came to trade their goods. Ji Liang, usually lazy and carefree, was busy from dawn until dusk.

Before sunset, he sought Si Shuo out one last time. Her temperature had returned to normal, and the restless heat in her body had finally subsided.

Ji Liang pressed a heavy animal-skin pouch into her hands. "Xiao Shuo Shuo," he said solemnly, "my feelings for you are real.

Don't take these days I've spent by your side as a joke, even if I'll be gone for a while.

This is my dowry. Keep it safe.

If I return alive, I'll stand in line to be your beast husband. But if I break my promise, or if I betray you with another female, then consider this bag of crystals my apology.

I'll never let my little Shuo Shuo suffer a loss."

Si Shuo felt the weight of the pouch in her arms, her heart tightening. She couldn't resist the urge to peek inside.

Her eyes widened—inside were precious crystals of the seventh level, with some reaching as high as levels eight and nine…