Chapter 31: What Is Your True Intention?

She casually nibbled on two wild fruits for breakfast, treating it as a weight-loss measure.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully losing five pounds."

The system's voice suddenly echoed in her mind.

Su Xiyue was slightly stunned. Once she processed what the system had said, the corners of her mouth curled upward.

Five pounds lighter? That was not bad at all.

She had been busy non-stop from yesterday until now, eating very little, so it would be a wonder if she hadn't lost weight.

She looked down at the layers of fat around her waist, her immensely wide hips, and legs thicker than an elephant's... Her arms were also incredibly thick, too thick to even describe. In short, she looked like a mobile mountain.

Losing five pounds on her current frame was barely noticeable. She probably needed to lose at least fifty pounds before it would be apparent.

Without saying a word, she turned and carried the mushrooms and herbs she had picked yesterday to the riverbank to wash them, planning to dry them for later use. Fresh mushrooms and herbs were difficult to store, so they had to be processed as soon as possible.

She carried two woven baskets to the river—one filled with various mushrooms and the other with assorted herbs. Each type of herb was bundled with vines to keep them from getting mixed up.

By the time Su Xiyue reached the river, many females were already there washing animal skins, while others were washing their faces or preening themselves by the water.

She immediately spotted Mi Yao not far away, crouching by the riverbank to comb her hair, a pink wildflower tucked behind her ear, swaying in the breeze. Although a bit rustic, it held a unique charm.

Lang Ya sat on a large rock nearby, holding a bone knife and wiping it repeatedly with a palm-sized piece of animal hide. Yet, his eyes drifted toward Mi Yao from time to time, a pleased smile tugging at his lips. Mi Yao, though busy grooming herself, would also glance back at Lang Ya, appearing shy and bashful with a rosy flush on her face.

The two were exchanging glances, and it was clear something was going on between them.

Su Xiyue tsked, wondering if Mia would go mad if she found out the two were carrying on a secret affair. She shook her head; she couldn't be bothered with other people's business. She withdrew her gaze and walked downstream to wash her harvest.

Several females washing skins nearby glanced at her and curled their lips in disdain. But then, their eyes fell on the baskets in her hands, and they were momentarily stunned. They had seen these things yesterday and knew they were called "baskets" for carrying items. According to the hunters who returned yesterday, Su Xiyue was the one who had woven them. Though they found it hard to believe that Su Xiyue could weave something so exquisite, all the beastmen said so, so it had to be true. These baskets were incredibly convenient; they all wanted one and wondered if Su Xiyue would be willing to teach them how to weave.

The females exchanged glances, set down their half-washed skins, and walked over. As they approached, they saw the various types of mushrooms in the basket. The other basket was filled entirely with grass, leaving them baffled. Picking poisonous mushrooms was one thing, but to pull up so much grass as well? Had she lost her mind?

Su Xiyue naturally sensed the females approaching. She glanced at them and asked calmly, "Is there something you need?"

The females looked at each other. Finally, one who appeared bolder spoke up, "Su Xiyue, do you really intend to eat these mushrooms in your basket?"

They had heard since last night that Su Xiyue had picked a lot of mushrooms and insisted they were non-poisonous, and that even the Chief had gone along with the nonsense and allowed her to bring them back to the tribe.

Su Xiyue looked at her. She recognized this female as Shu Lan—fair-featured, diligent, and capable, with a good reputation. She had six beast-husbands and several cubs.

Su Xiyue nodded slightly. "Of course. Why else would I have picked them?"

Seeing the shock on the faces of Shu Lan and the other females, as if they were looking at a lunatic, she smiled faintly. She didn't mind and simply explained, "I know it is commonly believed that mushrooms are poisonous. Yes, some indeed are, and those should certainly not be touched. But not all mushrooms are poisonous. These I have picked are safe to eat."

Silence fell. Shu Lan and the others stared at each other in disbelief. Some mushrooms weren't poisonous? They had never heard of such a thing. In their understanding, all mushrooms were toxic. How could there be safe ones? And if some were safe, how did Su Xiyue know which was which?

Just then, a mocking voice rang out. "Ha! Su Xiyue, stop trying to deceive everyone. If these mushrooms weren't poisonous, then all mushrooms in the beast world would be safe. Why would everyone avoid them like the plague?"

Su Xiyue frowned and looked toward the source of the sound. It was Mia. She hadn't even noticed when Mia arrived at the river.

Mia walked over, her eyes full of jealousy as she sneered, "Su Xiyue, I know you want to change everyone's opinion of you, but you can't joke with people's lives. These mushrooms are clearly poisonous, yet you lie and say they aren't. What are your intentions?"

Picking a fight early in the morning—this Mia was truly annoying, like a fly in a latrine.

Su Xiyue’s expression turned cold. She looked at Mia and said frostily, "Whether these are poisonous or not, I know what I'm doing. There is no need for you to be an alarmist here."

Stung by the rebuttal, Mia’s face twisted further. "Su Xiyue, you're spouting nonsense! These are clearly poisonous, yet you claim they aren't. I think you're deliberately trying to get everyone killed!"

Su Xiyue was incensed. Her expression remained icy, and she couldn't be bothered to waste more breath on Mia, choosing to ignore her entirely. She turned to Shu Lan and the other females and beastmen by the river, saying gently, "These mushrooms are truly not poisonous. If you don't believe me, you can take some to the witch doctor to be checked and see for yourselves."

They had returned late yesterday, so the mushrooms hadn't been checked by the witch doctor yet; it was natural that everyone was skeptical.

The females and beastmen present looked at each other. Seeing her frank demeanor and clear gaze—and knowing she had awakened the wood-type ability, just like the tribe's witch doctor—they felt a flicker of belief.

However, since this concerned their lives, a few females took some mushrooms from the basket and left. Clearly, they were going to have the witch doctor verify whether the mushrooms were truly safe.

Su Xiyue didn't mind; she knew the mushrooms were harmless.

Seeing her unfazed by the threat of inspection, Mia burned with anger. She was about to make another biting remark when she caught sight of Lang Ya nearby. Seeing him standing there watching the show without coming over to support her, her face darkened. She didn't think much of it, assuming he was still angry because she hadn't let him touch her the night before.

She curled her lip in mockery. He was getting bold, daring to give her the cold shoulder. It seemed he hadn't been disciplined enough. She decided she would not let Lang Ya touch her for an entire month, until he couldn't take it anymore and came begging to her.

Mia glared at Su Xiyue, snorted, and turned to leave. As she passed Mi Yao, she felt that her sister seemed different today, though she couldn't quite put her finger on why. She only felt that the way her sister looked at her was somewhat guilty.

She paused and squinted at Mi Yao, her gaze sharp. She had never really paid attention to this sister, but she realized now that Mi Yao was actually quite pretty. She had started grooming herself, and the pink flower in her hair added a touch of color and a certain charm.

Mia was instantly displeased. She had no fondness for any beautiful female in the tribe, not even her own sister.