Chapter 12

The freshly gathered herbs were washed clean in water and placed into a stone pot to boil. The originally refreshing scent of the plants turned bitter under the flames of the campfire. For beastfolk with sensitive noses, it was pure torture. Even Cheng Youyou couldn’t help but wear a mask of suffering from the pungent bitterness. Staring at the bubbling brown liquid in the pot, her entire being screamed rejection. But for the sake of her own survival, she had to pinch her nose and drink the medicinal soup.

Just as she finished mentally preparing herself, a coquettish voice shattered her hard-won courage. She turned helplessly toward the familiar figure.

Seriously, did Lu Xi have nothing better to do all day? Why did she keep showing up here?

“You’re so desperate you’re eating grass now, but you haven’t lost a single pound.”

Cheng Youyou’s mouth twitched. She turned away, ignoring Lu Xi’s jab. Still wearing the expression of a martyr, she stared at the bitter herbal soup.

But Lu Xi, acting out of character, stepped into the cave and stared oddly at the stone pot. “What is this weird stuff? Can you even eat it?”

Cheng Youyou didn’t answer, just stared back at Lu Xi, who couldn’t take her eyes off the pot.

Lu Xi had always been at odds with the original host and had never set foot in this cave, let alone spoken in such a civil tone.

Watching Lu Xi secretly swallow her saliva, Cheng Youyou suddenly understood. These beastfolk lived on roasted meat and rarely consumed vegetables or vitamins. But vitamins were exactly what pregnant females needed most. She stirred the pot with a smooth branch carved by a bone knife, and the bitter scent grew stronger.

Seeing Lu Xi’s increasingly obvious reaction, Cheng Youyou couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. This greedy little cat version of Lu Xi was far more endearing than her usual bullying self.

“Ahem.” Lu Xi coughed awkwardly. “You’re so pitiful, eating grass. I’ll reward you with some real food.”

“But you have to trade that weird stuff for it!”

Without waiting for Cheng Youyou’s reply, she dashed out of the cave—her nimble movements hardly resembling those of a pregnant female.

Moments later, Lu Xi returned with a prime cut of roasted meat, likely from the thigh. It was top-quality: a large slab of pure meat with no sinew. She placed the meat on the stone platform and turned to take the pot.

“Wait!”

Lu Xi turned, her delicate features twisted in anger. “What? I’m trading this great meat for your weird soup, and you’re still not willing?”

Cheng Youyou’s gaze fell on Lu Xi’s rounded belly. Her eyes flickered, and she sighed. “It’s not that I’m unwilling. It’s just that this is medicinal. You’re pregnant, and some of the herbs aren’t suitable for you.”

“You know how to treat illnesses?” Lu Xi’s voice rose in disbelief.

Cheng Youyou fell silent. How was she supposed to explain? She couldn’t exactly say she’d swapped souls and wasn’t the original person anymore.

After a pause, Lu Xi sneered, “So what if you can treat illnesses? If I had a shaman father, I’d be way better than a useless thing like you.”

Cheng Youyou froze, her eyes lighting up. Right! She could just say her herbal knowledge came from her missing father. No one could verify it anyway—a flawless excuse.

Cheng Youyou smiled and looked at Lu Xi with renewed confidence. “I’ll brew a version you can drink.”

Now that Lu Xi had handed her the perfect excuse, she looked much more pleasant.

“You’d better hurry. If you’re too slow, I won’t trade with you. Starve, for all I care!” Lu Xi tossed her a dry remark and walked out, where Wu Kai quickly greeted her.

Cheng Youyou glanced at the two beastfolk, then turned back. She pinched her nose and downed the bitter soup in one gulp. Her face twisted in agony. Her already unattractive features contorted even further, becoming truly indescribable. She quickly drank several gulps of water to wash away the bitterness, barely surviving the ordeal.

Looking at the pile of green herbs beside her, she was glad she’d gathered plenty. She selected the herbs unsuitable for pregnant women, washed them thoroughly, and placed them in the pot.

Lu Xi only needed vitamins, so the herbs didn’t need to be boiled for a long time—just a quick simmer was sufficient. The pale green soup began to bubble, filling the cave with a fresh herbal aroma.

Lu Xi didn’t wait for a call. She walked in on her own, eyes locked on the pot. Before the soup had cooled, she reached out to grab the pot and drink it all.

“Wait!”

Lu Xi froze, frowning in displeasure. “What now?”

“Uh, could you pour it into a beast-hide pouch first? I’m not used to others using my stuff.”

Lu Xi thought she’d misheard and stared at Cheng Youyou.

Seeing her serious expression, Lu Xi’s mouth twitched. Her gaze landed on Cheng Youyou’s blotchy face. This ugly thing was picky about her? Was her brain fried? She hadn’t even complained about Cheng Youyou—how generous of her.

Cheng Youyou ignored Lu Xi’s expression and quickly poured the soup into a beast-hide pouch. She even packed the leftover herbs and stuffed them into Lu Xi’s arms.

“These should be enough for two more brews. I’ll give them to you.”

Lu Xi rolled her eyes, speechless. Then she pointed. “Where’d you get that thing?”

Following her finger, Cheng Youyou looked at the stone pot by the fire pit. “It’s simple. Just polished river stones.”

“Hmph. Of course, it’s simple. Even a useless thing like you can make it.”

Cheng Youyou raised her brows. Lu Xi really was something—taking food and throwing insults. Forget it. She’d let it slide this once. That meat was a generous offering.

After sending off Lu Xi, the living Buddha, the medicine began to take effect. Her eyelids grew heavy, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, Mu Feng, who had been secretly following her, used his elite skills to hide his presence completely. He had heard everything in the cave. Once her breathing became steady, he stepped out from the shadows.

The cave was thick with the bitter scent of herbs.

Cheng Youyou lay on the stone bed, her large body taking up most of the space. She looked both ridiculous and a little pitiful.

He had noticed her discomfort long ago—but what did that have to do with him? If she died, he and Mu Feng would finally be free.

But when his gaze fell on her hideous face, his heart gave a faint tremble, like a feather brushing past—barely noticeable, but impossible to ignore.