Chapter 10

Impossible!

Could their king truly care about that vile female, Ye Baizhi?

She was the one whom the Beast Emperor of the Imperial City had rejected and exiled!

The infamous outcast of the Central Region!

To make matters worse, it was said that during her adulthood ceremony, when she underwent the fertility test, the testing stone didn’t react at all.

Moreover, their king had once suffered injuries during a fierce battle against a mighty demon beast, making it difficult for any female to bear his offspring.

But what if…?

What if a highly fertile female could carry his heir? That would mean a future prince!

But surely not Ye Baizhi!

She was a lowly Rabbit Tribe female—how could she be the one?

Xue Lei’s mind reeled with horror. Their king—an ethereal, noble being, untouchable by the mundane world—was actually paying attention to her?

Oh no, oh no…

They truly wanted to weep.

Xue Youchen withdrew his warning gaze, lowering his eyes to review the information in his hands.

Xue Youchen finally had a name—Ye Baizhi.

The former fiancée of the Beast Emperor of the Central Region? A reviled female, accused of harming her kind? An outcast?

All of these labels had been placed upon her. Yet she didn’t seem like the kind of person who would commit such acts.

His mind drifted back to that night, recalling the details vividly. Her dark hair cascaded behind her ears like silk, and her delicate shoulders trembled ever so slightly. Her eyes, clear as water, reflected the sky’s autumn depths. Even when she pleaded with him, her voice had been soft and delicate. Later, when she had endured more, her gaze—half-lidded, half-focused—seemed like a shimmering lake, fluid and captivating, ensnaring him without mercy.

The thought alone made Xue Youchen’s fingertips feel warm.

“Leave,” he ordered.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

With his command, Xue Feng and Xue Lei finally let out a breath, bowing respectfully before retreating. Despite their quiet obedience, unease weighed heavily in their hearts—but they dared not speak of it.

…

Meanwhile, Ye Baizhi remained unaware of all this. She had been busy digging up shepherd’s purse.

Seeing her confidence, Qiu Shi and the others followed suit, gathering the greens themselves.

“You guys truly believe this is safe to eat?” Ye Baizhi asked.

Everyone nodded. “Of course! You risked your life tasting the radish, and after all this time, you’re still fine. That proves the radish is safe to eat.”

“So if you say this is edible too, then it must be.”

“So, all it needs is boiling water and a quick blanching to be safe.”

After gathering enough shepherd’s purse, Ye Baizhi noticed some mushrooms nearby and started collecting them as well. The moment the others saw her digging up mushrooms, their faces turned pale.

They frantically waved their hands. “Baizhi, you absolutely cannot eat those! They’re poisonous—they could kill you!”

“Yes! We’re not lying. A Rabbit Tribe elder once ate them and died on the spot. Since then, these have been strictly forbidden—no one touches them, no one goes near them.”

Their panic was clear, as was their concern. In their growing unease, they even hesitated to hold the shepherd’s purse they had gathered, as if suddenly doubting its safety. Only the radishes felt safe—because Ye Baizhi had eaten them and suffered no harm.

Seeing their worry, Ye Baizhi felt a warmth in her heart. Patiently, she explained, “These ones are actually not poisonous.”

“The bright purple ones with vivid coloring are toxic and must be avoided. But these—grayish ones growing on clean grass—are completely safe to eat.”

She carefully outlined how to distinguish between edible and inedible mushrooms, giving them a detailed explanation.

“Of course, I know it’s hard for you to believe right away.”

“So tonight, I’ll make mushroom soup. You can see for yourselves if I’m still fine tomorrow.”

Everyone felt a pang of guilt—they shouldn’t let Ye Baizhi risk her life to test food. But despite their warnings, she refused to back down.

And they, for now, wouldn’t dare to eat them themselves. All they could do was watch as Ye Baizhi continued harvesting mushrooms.

By mid-afternoon, the sky was darkening, and they decided to head back.
Of course, Ye Baizhi and Ye Chuan returned with a full haul.

When they arrived home, Ye Lu had yet to return.

Ye Baizhi immediately began preparing dinner. She planned to make a shepherd’s purse and mushroom stew. There was still some wild chicken broth left from last night, which she would add to make the dish even more flavorful. As for the radishes, if her mother managed to bring back some wild meat, they could make a radish and meat stew. If only they had steamed buns or rice—it would truly feel like a proper meal with a staple food. Fortunately, they had gathered plenty of ingredients. A large pot of food would at least help fill their stomachs.

By evening, Ye Lu finally returned.

“Look! I brought back some wild meat and bird eggs,” she announced.

“I found these eggs in a tree. We’ve come across them before but never thought to take them. This time, I specifically collected some.”

She carefully wrapped the bird eggs in animal hide, afraid they might break.

Ye Baizhi’s face lit up with joy. “Mother, we can crack some eggs into the soup tonight.”

Ye Lu didn’t quite understand, but she trusted her daughter’s instincts—after all, everything Ye Baizhi made tasted amazing. The thought of dinner had kept her energized throughout the day.

Ye Chuan, equally excited, told Ye Lu about all the food they had gathered—especially the radishes, shepherd’s purse, and mushrooms—all discovered by his sister.

Hearing this, Ye Lu immediately looked at Ye Baizhi with concern. Once she confirmed that her daughter was fine, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s alright. If my daughter says it’s safe to eat, then it must be. Yesterday’s fish meatballs and boiled eggs were truly delicious.”

“Even your uncle was praising you today.”

Mentioning her daughter filled Ye Lu with pride, and a radiant smile spread across her face.

Ye Baizhi took a look at the wild beast her mother had brought back—it was a wild boar. Her eyes lit up. They could make radish and pork rib stew. The fatty parts could be roasted to extract oil. With that, they’d finally have oil for cooking—no longer needing to boil everything. They could stir-fry food instead.

If only they had soybeans, she could make her own soy paste and soy sauce.

This wild boar weighed over 300 jin—plenty of ribs and meat to cook, as well as pig trotters, blood, and liver, all excellent ingredients for various dishes. The pig skin could even be used to make gelatinous frozen meat.

Of course, such frozen meat wouldn’t last in warmer climates. And the Beast World lacked refrigerators. But in the north, winter temperatures allowed food to be stored as frozen reserves. So, properly handling the pig skin and hanging it up would let them make frozen meat when winter came.

Ye Baizhi explained how to prepare everything, and Ye Lu and Ye Chuan eagerly joined in to help. The entire family, seeing the abundance of food, felt energized.

During dinner, the radish and pork rib stew was a delight.

“This braised radish tastes amazing, and the ribs are so flavorful when stewed.”

“We never knew these ingredients could be food—let alone mushrooms.”

At first, Ye Lu and Ye Chuan rushed to taste the mushroom, shepherd’s purse, and egg soup—wanting to check if it was safe before letting Ye Baizhi eat it.

Seeing their worry touched her deeply. “Mother, Brother, stop fighting over it—I already tried it. It’s perfectly fine. Let’s just enjoy our meal.”

Ye Lu and Ye Chuan exchanged slightly embarrassed looks.

“Daughter, I actually trust you when you say food is safe.”

“I trust my sister too.”

Yet no matter how much they believed her, their concern for Baizhi always came first—afraid something might go wrong.

Ye Baizhi smiled—how could she possibly blame them?

Her mother and brother were willing to risk their lives to protect her and believed in her without hesitation. That kind of familial love warmed her heart. It made her cherish this place even more.

“Mother, Brother, sit down and eat.”

“Yes, yes—let’s eat.”

As Ye Lu and Ye Chuan took a few sips of the soup, they were immediately struck by its rich, savory flavor—a comforting warmth spread through their bodies.

“This is delicious—truly delicious!”

They barely had time for conversation, too busy devouring their meal. In the past, food was merely a necessity for them—something to fill their stomachs, a daily routine required to survive. But ever since tasting Ye Baizhi’s cooking, they had come to realize that food could be something to look forward to.

Each day, they eagerly anticipated the next, excited to sit down to another flavorful meal. That anticipation brought them joy.