Chapter 36: Want to Eat? Get to Work!

Yeling shifted back into his human form, watching as she handed Bai Qi a plate brimming with stir-fried pork intestines. Bai Qi was eating with such evident delight that, perhaps due to the power of suggestion, Yeling found the aroma even more intoxicating.

He couldn't help but swallow hard, his gaze uncontrollably drawn to the small portion remaining in the stone pot. A flicker of inner conflict crossed his silver eyes. He wanted to eat, yet his pride held him back.

Su Xiyue noticed his gaze and found it amusing. If he wanted to eat, he should just eat—no one would mock him, so why the hesitation? She deliberately picked up a piece of intestine, popped it into her mouth, and chewed with exaggerated satisfaction, letting out a soft, appreciative smack of her lips.

Yeling: "..."

His face darkened further. With a look of disdain, he averted his eyes, refusing to watch her. *This wretched, fat woman is definitely doing this on purpose.*

Mo Lin, Qing Zhu, and Xuan Ming all found their eyes drifting involuntarily toward the stir-fried intestines in the stone pot and the plate Su Xiyue had just picked up. It smelled so good; it must taste delicious.

Su Xiyue took in their reactions, amusement dancing in her heart. She curled her lips into a faint, teasing smile and said, "There's still some left in the pot. Would you three like to try some?"

At these words, all three stiffened. They exchanged glances, clearly tempted, but their pride remained an obstacle; they didn't know how to ask. Qing Zhu, in particular, was cold and aloof, valuing his dignity above all else—even if he were starving, he would never ask for food. Xuan Ming was accustomed to solitude and wouldn't be the type to beg. Mo Lin wanted to taste it, but seeing the others remain silent, he feared that speaking up would make him appear gluttonous. With that thought, he suppressed his desire.

Watching them struggle between appetite and vanity, Su Xiyue felt a twitch at the corner of her mouth. She had figured it out: these beast-husbands were all more prideful than the last.

She hid her amusement behind a mask of indifference and said coolly, "Since none of you want any, I'll give the rest to Bai Qi. He made me wooden buckets and basins last night and helped me build the stove today; he’s worked hard, so consider this a reward."

With that, she emptied the remaining stir-fried intestines from the stone pot onto the plate in front of Bai Qi. The plate, which had just been cleared, was instantly heaped high again, forming a small mountain of food.

Looking at the overflowing plate, Bai Qi’s beautiful fox-like eyes lit up with surprise and pure joy. Although his stomach was already full—even a bit tight—it didn't matter. He could save what he couldn't finish for tonight. Such delicious food was always worth having.

He looked up at Su Xiyue and said happily, "Thank you."

Su Xiyue smiled, waving it off. "Don't be so polite. You helped me; this is what you deserve." Sensing he might be too full to finish it all, she added, "If you can't finish it, you can take it back and save it for tonight. It’s no trouble at all."

Bai Qi felt even happier, finding her remarkably thoughtful. His gaze toward her softened; he decided this ugly female wasn't as repulsive as he had thought.

*Ding! Congratulations to the host: Bai Qi’s favorability +10. Current favorability: 0. You have reached the 'neutral' stage. Reward: Teeth Correction. Would you like to proceed with the correction now?*

The system’s voice echoed in her mind. Su Xiyue raised an eyebrow, genuinely pleased—she hadn't expected to hit zero so quickly. She chose to decline for now. With so many beast-men around, her buck teeth disappearing suddenly would surely invite suspicion. She would wait until everyone had dispersed and she was alone to undergo the correction.

Bai Qi stood up, thanked Su Xiyue again, and walked away with his stone plate, not forgetting to take the chopsticks with him. As he left, he deliberately strolled past Yeling.

Watching that massive plate of intestines pass by, Yeling felt a momentary impulse to snatch it. But realizing how embarrassing that would be, he ultimately refrained. Glancing at Bai Qi’s smug expression, his face darkened even further. *This fox is exceptionally annoying; he is absolutely doing this on purpose.*

Mo Lin, Qing Zhu, and Xuan Ming watched Bai Qi leave with his bounty, envy flashing in their eyes. Qing Zhu, despite his cold and aloof nature, was no different from most beast-men when it came to food—he had no resistance to it. The aroma of the intestines kept drifting into his nose, teasing his appetite. Now, watching Bai Qi’s triumphant exit, he felt a deep sense of regret. If he had just spoken up, could he have had a share? Mo Lin and Xuan Ming didn't say anything, but their expressions betrayed similar remorse.

Su Xiyue caught their reactions and felt a smirk tugging at her lips. She looked at the three of them and said with a bright, mischievous smile, "It's all gone now, but if you want to eat, I can make something else. I happen to have some innards in my cave that I prepped yesterday; they taste just as good as the intestines. Do you want some?"

If it weren't for the sake of farming favorability, she wouldn't even bother.

The three men turned their eyes to her, stunned. *She can make something else?*

*This ugly—no, Su Xiyue—when did she become so kind? Could she be up to something devious?*

Seeing the blend of anticipation and suspicion in their eyes, Su Xiyue inwardly rolled her eyes and muttered, *Damn men. Suspect me? I don't even want to cook for you now.*

She huffed, feigning displeasure. "I'm not cooking for you for free; you'll have to work for it. I need a set of table and chairs for my cave—the table to hold things, the chairs to sit on. You need to find some wooden posts and a wide, flat piece of wood—or a stone slab—as a top, with supports at the bottom. I'll draw the design for you. How about it?"

*Want to eat? You'll have to earn it.*

The three men looked at each other, confusion written on their faces. They had no idea what "tables and chairs" were, but judging by her description, they understood the utility. It was clearly a useful thing. They could imagine that with such furniture, eating or doing other tasks would be much more convenient. Furthermore, it seemed that if they helped build them, they would get good food in return. With that realization, they stopped doubting.

Mo Lin was the first to nod. "Fine. We'll go get them for you now."

Xuan Ming didn't speak, but he nodded in agreement. Qing Zhu gave a light huff, which served as his assent.

Seeing them agree, Su Xiyue found a stick and crouched on a patch of bare, soft earth, sketching out the design and dimensions of the table and chairs. Mo Lin, Qing Zhu, and Xuan Ming gathered around to watch. The other beast-men and females nearby also drew close, curious to see what these "tables and chairs" were. If they were truly useful, they wouldn't mind making some for their own caves. Even Yeling wandered over, piqued by curiosity.

Su Xiyue ignored the crowd and pointed at the simple, crude drawing on the ground. "This is a table and a chair. Just build them according to this design. The dimensions are here, too—the height must be precise. Don't make them too high or too low, or it won't be comfortable to sit."

She had originally thought that without tools or nails, she couldn't build furniture. It wasn't until Bai Qi carved the wooden buckets and basins that she remembered: beast-men possessed sharp claws. Tools weren't needed when they could just carve with their claws. As long as they shaped it to her specifications, it would work. She did, however, worry about Mo Lin; with his python form, he lacked claws, which might make the task difficult.