Chapter 30

Xiao Xian’s second brother crouched low in the tall grass, his spotted fur blending perfectly with the yellow-green stalks. As a leopard, he could vanish seamlessly into his surroundings, keeping his predatory instincts tightly controlled.

A-Yin, trying to imitate him, crept into the grass but quickly stopped.

What are you doing? Xiao Xian’s brother shot him a look, communicating through his eyes.

A-Yin glanced ahead at their prey, then back at Xiao Xian’s brother, noticing how his spotted coat disappeared into the grass. His own silver-white fur, however, stood out like a beacon. There was no way he could hide here.

I’ll circle around, A-Yin signaled before slowly backing away from the area.

Xiao Xian’s brother didn’t fully understand what A-Yin was up to, but it didn’t bother him. A-Yin was still young, maybe lacking patience. Either way, this place was crawling with antelopes, and even if their lead buck noticed him, he could take it down alone. And if the whole herd charged at him? He could always climb a tree or just run.

But… it wouldn’t come to that. It was just a few antelopes.

His gaze fixed on a small family of three by the river—two adults and a plump doe. That female looked particularly well-fed. The male beside her, though, seemed unusually alert, keeping watch over his family.

Meanwhile, A-Yin had moved far from the grasslands, circling for a long while. Using the rocky terrain to shield himself, he made a wide arc, positioning himself behind the herd about fifty meters away. He advanced slowly, cautious not to alert the antelopes. These animals were clever—they hadn’t chosen to stay hidden in the woods but stood on an open plain, where they could easily spot any danger.

A-Yin scanned the area ahead, noting the uneven terrain with dips and small hills. He decided to stay low, keeping to the lower ground where he could better hide his bright coat.

Fifty meters turned into thirty, then twenty. Slowly, steadily, A-Yin inched closer.

A-Yin froze, his body tense as he scanned the area, searching for his target. His eyes locked onto two small lambs, their horns not yet grown, their ears soft and floppy. Brother will definitely like these, he thought, his ears twitching with excitement.

What if Brother likes touching their soft ears?
But Brother will be happy.
Brother wouldn’t eat them…
It’s different.

A-Yin’s gaze fixed firmly on the two lambs, who were grazing peacefully, unaware of any danger. The adult antelopes stood on alert by the river, but the lambs and their mother had strayed further away, relaxed as they fed on the grass.

Suddenly, Xiao Xian’s second brother sprang from the grass, his speed startling the entire herd. In that same instant, A-Yin dashed forward like a flash of lightning, racing toward his prey.

The air was filled with the panicked bleats of the herd, their hooves thundering across the ground as they fled. Within moments, silence returned.

A-Yin’s speed had given him the upper hand. He pinned one of the lambs beneath his paw, the small creature struggling helplessly. Blood began to seep from its neck, staining the grass. The lamb’s body convulsed, and A-Yin, frowning slightly, ended its suffering with a swift bite.

I forgot how strong I am, he thought, licking the blood clean from the lamb’s neck. Picking up his catch, he sprinted toward the river, where the herd had already scattered in fear.

“You got one? Nice job!” Xiao Xian’s brother had shifted back into his human form, brushing some grass off his clothes.

A-Yin gently laid the lamb down and let out a soft howl.

“That doe was pregnant,” Xiao Xian’s brother remarked as he patted off more grass. “It’s spring, the breeding season. The old ones always say, don’t kill animals that are expecting.”

He grinned, “No wonder that buck nearly rammed into me. Good thing I dodged.”

A-Yin nudged the lamb’s body toward Xiao Xian’s brother.

“Wow, so generous?” The leopard blinked in surprise. “You’re giving this to me? You sure? You caught it, after all.”

A-Yin let out an urgent whine, Not all of it! Just half— He still needed to bring the rest back to his brother.

“Got it, got it,” Xiao Xian’s brother laughed, catching on. “You’re saving some for your mate, huh?” He didn’t wait for A-Yin’s correction and continued with a grin, “Thanks, then! I’ll carry my share on the way back.”

A-Yin nodded, relieved.

Xiao Xian’s brother shifted back into his leopard form, effortlessly picking up the lamb. Between muffled growls, he teased, “Let’s move. The scent of blood will attract other predators. And wow, for someone so young, you’re already thinking about taking care of a mate. Impressive!”

A-Yin wanted to say, It’s for Brother, not my mate, but he paused. His blue eyes sparkled at the idea of taking care of someone special. With his tail swaying happily, he trotted after Xiao Xian’s brother, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings as they returned to the village.

Once safely inside the tribe’s territory, they split the lamb in half.

A-Yin, carrying his portion, sped toward home. His brother was waiting for him, though he hadn’t managed to catch a live lamb this time. Next time, I’ll be more careful with my strength…

Night had already fallen by the time A-Yin neared the cave.

Zhuo Yan, alone inside, felt a strange sense of unease. It hadn’t always been like this. When he first arrived here, he’d leave the door wide open, daring any wild animal to come in and finish him off. Waking up the next morning, unscathed, had even left him feeling a little disappointed.

Back then, he hadn’t wanted to stay in this world. Everything felt overwhelming, but he couldn’t bring himself to end it. He was afraid of the pain. And besides, he had been given a second chance at life—it seemed wrong to throw it away. Maybe that’s why, deep down, he had hoped some wild animal would do it for him.

But now… things were different. He had A-Yin. And friends who cared about him.

Pacing around the cave, Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but glance out the door every now and then. As Xiao Xian and the others had left earlier, Xiao Xian had reassured him, saying, “Don’t worry, with my second brother around, nothing will happen.”

But then he scratched his head and added, “Although… my second brother might take A-Yin on some wild adventure. Who knows?”

Zhuo Yan had met Xiao Xian’s second brother before. He might have been young and a little reckless, but he was sharp and capable in a fight. Zhuo Yan trusted him enough to believe that A-Yin would be safe—probably just held up by something.

Sure enough, a familiar howl drifted on the wind. Zhuo Yan rushed to the entrance of the cave, peering into the dark. “A-Yin?”

“Woo!”

This time, the response was clearer, unmistakably A-Yin’s voice. Zhuo Yan smiled, feeling a wave of relief. He watched as A-Yin came into view, something dangling from his jaws.

And the chickens, which had been peacefully resting in their coop, scrambled in terror at the sound of A-Yin’s return, flapping their wings and diving for cover.

A-Yin arrived at the cave entrance, a half-lamb hanging from his mouth.

“Wait… is that a lamb?” Zhuo Yan’s eyes widened in surprise. “You went lamb hunting? Did Xiao Xian’s brother take you there?”

A-Yin dropped the lamb and, with a proud howl, nodded, rubbing affectionately against his brother.

“As long as you’re safe,” Zhuo Yan sighed, eyeing the lamb. “Did you already eat?”

A-Yin shook his head, gesturing toward the lamb with his nose. Zhuo Yan noticed that the lamb wasn’t bitten into—it had been neatly torn in half.

“You shared the lamb?” he asked, petting A-Yin’s head.

A-Yin nodded enthusiastically.

“Well, today you’ve outdone yourself, A-Yin. You’re getting better at hunting.” Zhuo Yan smiled, ruffling A-Yin’s fur. “Come on, let’s eat.”

“Woo, woo! Let’s eat together, Brother!”

Zhuo Yan laughed. “I’ve already had my fill, but I’ll join you for a bit. Food tastes better with company.”

Together, they set about preparing the lamb. The meat was tender and fresh. Zhuo Yan carefully removed the fur—half of which he saved, as even a small pelt could be useful for making a cloth or cushion. As for the meat, separating it from the bones was a task easily done by A-Yin with a swift swipe of his paw, the bones coming apart effortlessly.

Zhuo Yan stood frozen for a moment, then reached out to gently stroke A-Yin’s ears.

“A-Yin, you’re getting more and more impressive.”

A-Yin let out a soft howl, his tail wagging proudly. I’ll take good care of you, Brother, he thought. You’ll grow tall, strong, and healthy.

Zhuo Yan set to work, removing the organs from the lamb and placing them in a large bucket. These would need washing, but the lamb meat itself? No need. In this primitive world, Zhuo Yan had learned to adapt. There was no salt in his home, and he couldn’t keep relying on his friends for it—salt was precious. Instead, he got by consuming some of the blood from grass-eating animals. It wasn’t pleasant, but roasting the meat with a bit of blood still in it was a tolerable compromise.

The organs, however, needed a good wash, especially the intestines. In the past, the strong smells would’ve put him off, but now things were different. With wild garlic and spring onions, Zhuo Yan had learned how to turn these once-unappetizing bits into something edible. He planned to cook them the next morning.

As Zhuo Yan busied himself lighting the fire, A-Yin didn’t just sit around. He was right behind his brother, fetching firewood and passing it to him, all while listening to Zhuo Yan talk about his day.

“Aman, Shitou, and Xiaoxian helped me build a proper stove today. It’ll be easier to cook from now on—there are two cooking holes! And we made a chicken coop too. Did you notice it when you got back?”

A-Yin flicked his ears. Chicken? What chicken?

Zhuo Yan chuckled, finding A-Yin’s confusion adorable. A-Yin had walked right by it without even noticing, his mind focused on bringing the lamb back to Zhuo Yan.

“It’s just down there,” Zhuo Yan pointed. “The rooster’s in the cave right now. It seems a bit feisty, but the hen was really spooked. We let her out for a bit, and by the afternoon, she was looking much better.”

Earlier that day, the hen had tried wandering off to the grassy area below the hill, probably hoping to escape. But surrounded by strange land and unfamiliar faces, she’d been too scared to stray far and eventually found her way back to the cave.

Zhuo Yan was quite pleased. Good, no trouble there.

A-Yin, hearing this, trotted off to check on the hen. He found her tucked away in a small hollow filled with dry straw. Brother is so kind to you. You better not try to run off.

The hen trembled where she sat, and A-Yin gave her a final glance before bounding back to Zhuo Yan.

That half a lamb weighed over thirty pounds, and Zhuo Yan knew A-Yin could handle it. He stripped off the fatty parts, which he would render into lamb fat the next morning. As for the remaining meat, about twenty pounds, he let A-Yin feast on most of it, setting aside ten pounds to roast over the fire.

The lamb sizzled as the juices dripped onto the flames, filling the air with the rich aroma of roasted meat.

It was fresh, without the usual gamey flavor, tender and savory. Zhuo Yan couldn’t resist taking a bite. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, transported back to his old life where he craved cumin and chili for his lamb skewers. This meat, though, was better than anything he’d ever tasted from tourist spots.

“I’m going to get some garlic shoots,” Zhuo Yan said, getting up to harvest a few stalks from the small patch he’d planted just days ago. A-Yin, always at his side, immediately followed.

“Let’s add a little of this,” Zhuo Yan suggested.

He quickly rinsed the garlic shoots and rolled some lamb into them before popping it into his mouth. The burst of flavor was so good, it left him speechless. If only he had salt—cumin and chili could wait.

Zhuo Yan made a lamb-and-garlic wrap for A-Yin, too. A-Yin gobbled it up in one bite, accidentally licking Zhuo Yan’s fingers in the process. Zhuo Yan laughed. “Tastes good, right?”

“Howwwooo!” A-Yin agreed eagerly, nodding as he chewed.

One brother spoke of garlic-wrapped lamb, the other simply let out happy howls. In the end, only A-Yin truly knew what he was thinking.

Under the starry sky, they continued to roast and eat, the lamb fat dripping from their chins. After dinner, Zhuo Yan cleaned up the stove, and together they went down to the river to wash up before heading back to the cave for sleep.

A-Yin slept at the foot of the stone bed. Half-asleep, Zhuo Yan absentmindedly reached out to pat A-Yin’s belly, feeling the slight bulge from his full meal.

“Back then, you never had enough to eat. But now…” Zhuo Yan grinned, feeling content.

A-Yin, in turn, reached out a paw to mimic his brother, trying to feel his belly too. Zhuo Yan puffed out his stomach playfully. “I’m full too!”

During the long winters, they’d rarely had enough to eat. Most of the time, they only felt full after downing bowls of fish soup. But now, with real food in their bellies, Zhuo Yan felt a deep sense of happiness. Eating well was truly one of life’s greatest pleasures.

“Tickles,” Zhuo Yan laughed, pulling away from A-Yin’s fuzzy paw. “Time to sleep.”

A-Yin was just as content. His brother’s belly was round and full, just like his own. From now on, he would hunt diligently and bring back all sorts of good meat to feed his brother.

Later that night, the rooster stirred. It took a single step out, flapping its injured wing, when A-Yin leapt toward it in a flash. The rooster, sensing danger, let out a sharp squawk. A-Yin instinctively raised his claws but stopped just before making contact, remembering the lamb from earlier.

The rooster froze, its heart pounding, convinced its end had come. Yet, to its surprise, the large, furry paw released its grip. Still trembling, the rooster realized it was alive.

A-Yin gave the bird one last glance before retreating back to the bed. Zhuo Yan, who had been half-awake from the commotion, mumbled, “Did you calm down?”

“Howwwooo~” A-Yin softly confirmed, All calm now. Go back to sleep, Brother. He licked Zhuo Yan’s cheek gently.

Zhuo Yan, too tired to scold A-Yin for the lick, smiled and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Zhuo Yan found the rooster looking rather deflated, as if it had lost weight overnight. “Fine, you can go stretch your legs,” he sighed, letting it out of the coop. “If another beastman catches you, that’ll be your fate.”

Not everyone would be as kind as him—they might just kill it for dinner.

Zhuo Yan went to check on the hen next. Surprisingly, she seemed more energetic today. He opened the coop for her too, pointing to the grassy slope. “Go on, your usual spot. Find yourself some bugs.”

It seemed like their little family was adjusting just fine.

The hen flapped its wings and, though it couldn’t fly high, managed to leap into the air and glide less than half a meter before landing. Clucking away, it went off down the slope in search of bugs.

Meanwhile, A-Yin trotted up with a water bucket clenched in his jaws, looking for his brother.

“Is it heavy?” Zhuo Yan asked.

A-Yin responded with a playful growl, “Awooo~”

Not heavy at all!

Zhuo Yan often treated A-Yin like a tiny kitten, even though a wild cheetah’s bite force exceeded 150 kilograms, and a leopard’s was even stronger. In the world of beastmen, this strength was even more unimaginable—so carrying a simple bucket of water was nothing for A-Yin.

Right then, Xiao Xian, hurrying over to find Zhuo Yan, overheard the conversation and couldn’t help but laugh, “Zhuo Yan-ge, I can carry a bucket of water easily, so of course A-Yin can do it no problem!”

“You really treat A-Yin like a baby.”

Instinctively, Zhuo Yan replied, “Well, A-Yin isn’t fully grown yet.” In his mind, he still saw the A-Yin from last winter—a skinny, fragile little thing he’d been afraid to hold too tightly, lest he break a bone. A-Yin had been all bones and fluff back then, always sticking close, craving affection, so Zhuo Yan sometimes forgot he wasn’t a kitten.

Now, though…

Had A-Yin gotten… bigger? Or maybe it was just his fur fluffing out?

A-Yin nudged Zhuo Yan’s leg with his head, as if to say, You’re right, but trust me, the water isn’t heavy. Zhuo Yan chuckled and patted him. “Alright, from now on, fetching water is your job.”

A-Yin’s tail wagged excitedly, “Awoo~ Awoo~” Sounds good to me!

Zhuo Yan: … How could I not treat him like a baby? He’s just too much like a big cat or a puppy. So adorable.

“Morning, Xiao Xian. How come you’re here so early?” Zhuo Yan asked, noticing Xiao Xian’s older brother, a large leopard, standing behind him. He gave the leopard a nod in greeting.

Xiao Xian quickly explained, “Last night, my brother came home late with half a lamb. He said A-Yin caught it and shared some with him. I thought you might be worried about A-Yin, so I came early to let you know. Oh, and my brother’s here to take A-Yin on patrol.”

“Right, brother?” Xiao Xian asked eagerly.

His brother gave a noncommittal grunt, a typical response, which Xiao Xian was used to. He turned back to Zhuo Yan, who glanced at A-Yin. A-Yin happily rubbed against him and growled softly, eager to go. Zhuo Yan smiled, patting his head. “Go ahead, just be careful.”

Still full from last night’s feast, A-Yin gave a cheerful bark and bounded over to join the leopard. Together, the two cats ran up the slope and disappeared into the forest. Xiao Xian watched them vanish, then said, “I bet my brother’s already planning to hunt again.”

“Hunting is good. Don’t you like it when he brings back fresh meat?” Zhuo Yan asked.

Xiao Xian hesitated, then admitted, “I do! It’s great when he catches something. But he’s always running off, not staying home or listening to our parents.”

Zhuo Yan chuckled, understanding the sentiment. “Your brother just has that kind of spirit, always wanting to roam. You’re the same—you love coming out to play and help with things. It’d be boring if you stayed cooped up in the cave all day.”

Xiao Xian tilted his head, “Yeah, you’re right, Zhuo Yan-ge. Maybe I just get mad when he says things to annoy me.”

Zhuo Yan smiled. It was easy to tell that Xiao Xian and his brother were close, just teasing each other like siblings do. To change the subject, he said, “I’m going to render some lamb fat today and clean up the organs from yesterday. Want to help me roast them?”

Xiao Xian made a face. “The insides always smell so strong and gross—” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing Zhuo Yan was a great cook. “Actually, yeah! I’ll help!”

As they got to work, Xiao Xian curiously asked, “Zhuo Yan-ge, what’s rendering lamb fat?”

“It’s like what I used to do with pork fat. Remember the crispy pancakes? That was pork fat. This time, it’ll be lamb fat, and we can use it to fry food, making it tastier.”

Xiao Xian’s eyes lit up. “I want to learn that!”

Soon after, as they finished cleaning, they bumped into Aman and Shitou, who brought some good news: Qiao and Ada were having their bonding ceremony tomorrow evening.

Xiao Xian was immediately excited, “What did Ada catch for the feast?”

Aman laughed, “I heard Ada’s chasing a herd of horned deer.”

“Well, today we’re installing a door at Qiao’s cave,” Zhuo Yan said, referring to the wooden door he’d been crafting for days.

“Yeah, that’s why we came to find you,” Shitou added.

Xiao Xian chimed in, “But Zhuo Yan-ge’s cooking lamb fat and roasting the organs first!”

There was still time before the ceremony, so Zhuo Yan invited Aman and Shitou to join them for the meal. On the way, Aman was curious, “Where did the lamb come from?”

Before Zhuo Yan could answer, Xiao Xian quickly filled them in on A-Yin’s hunt.

“Wow, A-Yin’s really impressive!” Aman said, amazed.

Shitou nodded in agreement.

Aman turned to Zhuo Yan and added, “I was always afraid you and A-Yin would starve. But now I can see that’s not the case. A-Yin’s really strong—you’ll be fine from now on.”

Zhuo Yan opened his mouth to correct her misunderstanding but then gave up. It was too hard to explain. “Yeah, the lamb’s pretty good.”

Giving up on explanations, they gathered around the fire to roast the organs.

These were all old rumors around the tribe, and Shitou couldn’t understand why his mom still believed them.

He went on to mention the wooden buckets and doors Zhuo Yan had made, as well as the fish they ate during the snowy season, all thanks to Zhuo Yan discovering the use of gallbladders. Shitou’s mom nodded, saying that was all quite good—maybe Zhuo Yan had changed. But when Shitou brought up Zhuo Yan’s new stove, she dismissed it, saying, “Why bother with something so complicated just to cook food?”

“My mom doesn’t like wasting time cooking. She’d rather, you know, mate with my dad—”

Cough, cough, cough. Zhuo Yan choked, thoroughly startled. Every time such an open conversation came up, he felt like a conservative ancient man, while Shitou, Aman, and Xiao Xian seemed perfectly comfortable discussing sex, like modern-day people.

…Though, perhaps there were still conservative people even today. People like him.

Everyone glanced at Zhuo Yan in confusion. Aman asked, “Zhuo Yan, why do you get so embarrassed every time we talk about mating? It’s completely normal. There’s no need to be shy. How else do you make babies? Wait… do you not know how?”

Shitou added sympathetically, “Maybe he doesn’t. His mom probably never taught him.” He looked at Zhuo Yan with pity and started to explain in more detail.

Flustered, Zhuo Yan clamped a hand over Shitou’s mouth, face turning red. “I just think… that some things, like our parents’ nighttime activities, don’t need to be shared so openly.”

Shitou pulled Zhuo Yan’s hand away and, with complete seriousness, said, “I’m not sharing it everywhere. You guys are my friends.”

“Yes, but—” Zhuo Yan’s mind raced, desperate to steer the conversation away from the topic. An idea struck him, and he feigned sadness. “A-Yin isn’t even fully grown yet, and… and with the way he is, he can’t shift into a human form. We might never be able to… um, mate. Ever.”

Xiao Xian’s face immediately fell, sympathy flooding his eyes. “Oh no, Zhuo Yan-ge, that’s so sad.”

It’s not that tragic! Zhuo Yan shouted internally, but on the outside, he wore a sorrowful expression, hoping to end the conversation.

Even Shitou looked guilty, realizing he’d touched on a sensitive subject.

Aman, though, after thinking for a while, offered, “Maybe… when A-Yin grows up, you could still, you know, even in his beast form? Though, it might be uncomfortable for you—leopards are pretty big.”

Oh my god! Zhuo Yan’s brain short-circuited. “I… I don’t think that’s possible, Aman. Do you want me to die?”

“It’s not me who wants it—it’s your A-Yin… But fine, fine, I won’t bring it up again,” Aman said quickly, seeing how distraught Zhuo Yan was.

The others looked equally remorseful, guilt plain on their faces. From then on, no one mentioned it again, though the two older beastmen, aside from Xiao Xian, couldn’t help but feel that Zhuo Yan had lost out on one of life’s great pleasures as a beastman.

Xiao Xian, meanwhile, was too focused on the delicious smell filling the air. Since he hadn’t reached mating age, he wasn’t as interested in the conversation and was more drawn to the scent of food.

“Zhuo Yan-ge, this smells amazing!” Xiao Xian exclaimed.

Zhuo Yan had grilled the organs until they were tender and taught Xiao Xian how to wrap them in green onion leaves before eating. Xiao Xian took a bite—the meat’s aroma hit him first, rich even without salt, followed by the sharp bite of the onion. The slight spiciness blended perfectly with the savory meat.

“So tasty!” Xiao Xian cried out, delighted.

The lamb intestines were crispy on the outside, their golden-brown edges sizzling in the oil, paired with fresh green onions for an extra burst of flavor. The textures were diverse, yet none of it felt too greasy.

There wasn’t much organ meat, so the group only ate until they were about three-quarters full. Meanwhile, the lamb fat had finished rendering, and Zhuo Yan carefully poured the liquid into a container, setting it aside to cool.

Once everything was tidied up, Aman and Shitou brought out the wooden door Zhuo Yan had made. They noticed that it had intricate carvings on it—though they didn’t understand what the symbols meant, the design looked beautiful, clearly Zhuo Yan’s handiwork.

After cleaning up, Zhuo Yan shut his cave door, and the four of them carried the wooden door together, making their way through the tribe. Along the way, they attracted curious looks from other beastmen.

One of them called out, “Hey Zhuo Yan, what are you guys carrying?”

“It’s a gift for Qiao’s bonding ceremony. The four of us made it—it’s a wooden door,” Zhuo Yan explained.

Another beastman looked puzzled. “A wooden door? Like the board at the entrance to your cave?”

“…” Zhuo Yan wasn’t sure how to explain that it wasn’t just a plank, even though, admittedly, it kind of looked like one.

Aman jumped in, “It’s not just a plank. Once we install it, it’ll actually move.”

“Move?”

“Really?”

“A moving wooden door?!”

“Zhuo Yan made wood that moves?”

Zhuo Yan: What?! This is getting more ridiculous by the second.

By the time they reached Qiao’s new cave, their little group had grown to over ten curious beastmen, all eager to see the “moving” door.

Zhuo Yan: … This is getting out of hand.