Chapter 51: The Beast God Manifests

She wanted to warn Su Lie, but considering that Mu Qing was the nursemaid of this body—though she had not treated the original owner kindly—there was no need to completely eliminate her. It would be better if Mu Qing left the Wolf Tribe to live elsewhere. Once she was gone, her own ears could find peace.

However, if that happened, her father would likely become even angrier.

Su Xiyue sighed softly, feeling conflicted and uncertain whether or not to give a warning. Yet she did not linger; she was about to return when Bai Qi approached, his eyes gentle as he softly asked, “Are you alright?”

Seeing her troubled expression earlier, and knowing that although Mu Qing had not been kind to her, she was still her nursemaid, Bai Qi guessed she must be feeling upset and wanted to offer some comfort.

She looked up at Bai Qi, meeting his warm gaze. Had she not known that his favor level toward her was zero, she might have thought he liked her.

She smiled faintly. “I’m fine.”

She already knew the truth—she had secretly alerted Su Lie, which was why he investigated, so she naturally wouldn’t be upset or plead for Mu Qing’s sake.

Seeing her composed demeanor, Bai Qi breathed a sigh of relief. “Good to hear.”

Su Xiyue looked at him, her heart stirring slightly, though her face remained calm. She smiled and said, “Thank you.”

No matter his intentions, he had come to comfort her, and she ought to express her gratitude.

“No need to be so formal. After all, you are my partner,” Bai Qi said, his eyes warm and his expression sincere.

Her smile deepened. “You’re right.”

Regardless of whether Bai Qi liked her, they were partners—legitimate husband and wife. Being overly formal would only seem distant.

This also subtly proved Bai Qi’s change of heart toward her. If it were the original owner, Bai Qi would never have spoken like this; he would have avoided her entirely.

Bai Qi noticed the smile on her face and felt a flicker of something within him. Whether it was an illusion or the darkness of night, he sensed her mouth had grown smaller, her protruding teeth less noticeable—indeed, she looked far better than before.

He smiled faintly and spoke gently, “Let me see you home.”

Su Xiyue was surprised; she hadn’t expected him to offer to escort her.

Her eyes curved into a smile, her mood bright, and she did not refuse. “Alright.”

Such a good chance to nurture feelings with the third male lead—she’d be a fool to say no.

They left with the crowd, soon vanishing into the night.

Among the tribe’s beastmen and females, everyone was astonished to see them walking together. Su Xiyue’s reputation had been so foul that, despite recent changes and awakening her powers, she could not completely overturn the ingrained impression.

Lazy, greedy, ugly, malicious, and extremely infatuated—she was the absolute worst of the tribe’s worst.

Had her father not been the chief, she would have been driven out long ago.

Everyone also knew how much Bai Qi had disliked Su Xiyue before; he only cared for her out of responsibility.

Now seeing them side by side—the handsome male and the female who wasn’t too unattractive—they looked less mismatched.

Especially Su Xiyue, who no longer had the disgusting fat around her waist, her buck teeth were less obvious, and her mouth seemed smaller, making her far more pleasant to look at.

Still, overall, she was noticeably plumper than the other females.

Su Xiyue was unaware of these thoughts among the beastmen, and even if she knew, she wouldn’t care.

Nightling watched their departing figures with furrowed brows and deep eyes, lost in thought. Then he withdrew his gaze and turned away.

Mo Lin, Qing Zhu, and Xuan Ming also noticed Su Xiyue and Bai Qi leaving together and wore expressions of surprise, but said nothing and returned to their own caves to rest.

Meanwhile, Su Xiyue and Bai Qi walked side by side on the way back, the hazy night casting a mysterious glow around their silhouettes.

Bai Qi was a refined and gentle male, his speech and mannerisms exuding a calm and unhurried air—completely unlike the beastmen she had met before.

“Bai Qi, did you dislike me very much before?” she asked suddenly, glancing sideways at the man beside her.

Though she already knew the answer, she wanted to hear it from him personally.

Bai Qi was slightly taken aback, not expecting such a direct question.

After a moment of silence, he slowly replied, “Yes, I did dislike you. Your behavior was unbearable. But…”

“But now you don’t dislike me anymore, right?” she interrupted with a bright smile.

Bai Qi nodded, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. “You’ve changed a lot recently; it’s quite impressive.”

He paused, then continued, “I’m curious—how did you suddenly come to know so much? First you awakened your powers, then you wove baskets, identified poisonous mushrooms, and now you can cook exquisite dishes and have become much kinder. It’s like you’re a completely different person from before.”

He stopped walking, looking at her seriously, as if seeking an answer.

She met his inquisitive gaze, her eyes flickering as she paused.

After some thought, she concocted a story: “The awakening of my powers was pure accident. Even I don’t fully understand it. But for three days afterward, I had many strange dreams. Everything I’ve learned was taught to me by an old man with a white beard in my dreams.”

“An old man with a white beard?” Bai Qi frowned, confusion evident on his face.

She nodded solemnly. “Yes. That old man said he was the Beast God. Seeing my power awaken, he believed I had potential and didn’t want me to go astray. So he sent me dreams to teach me these things, so I could lead the tribe’s beastmen to a better life.”

She lied without blushing, her face calm but her heart racing, fearing Bai Qi wouldn’t believe her.

Fortunately, in this world, the Beast God was deeply revered, and belief in such tales was strong. Her story did not seem out of place.

Upon hearing this, Bai Qi’s expression showed no doubt; his gaze toward her shifted, filled with curiosity and appraisal. “So the great Beast God personally sent you dreams to teach you?”

Su Xiyue suppressed a smile and nodded earnestly. “Absolutely.”

As if fearing he might still doubt, she added, “If you don’t believe me, you can go check.”

Her wood-element powers came from the post-apocalyptic world, having nothing to do with the Beast God. Her tale was pure fabrication, but it suited fooling Bai Qi.

She wasn’t afraid he would investigate—where would he even go? To the post-apocalyptic world? Impossible.

Bai Qi had no real intention of checking, and faced with her calm eyes, he believed her to some extent.

After all, no one could suddenly know so much without reason.

The original Su Xiyue had been lazy, greedy, and wicked, knowing nothing at all. This was impossible.

The only explanation was that the Beast God had manifested, granting her knowledge.

Thinking this, his heart eased.

“In that case, you are truly blessed…”

He smiled faintly and did not press the matter further.

Su Xiyue breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Thanks to the Beast God story, it was easier to explain.

Looking at Bai Qi, she smiled and tentatively asked, “Bai Qi, do you… like the person I am now?”