Chapter 20

A wave of intense dizziness hit her, and Cheng Youyou couldn’t stay upright—she was about to collapse. In her panic, a hand, cold to the bone, firmly caught her arm. She looked up and met a pair of gray-blue eyes, deep and shadowed.

Zi Wu was staring at her with a complicated expression. With his help, Cheng Youyou stood up from the ground. Once she was steady, Zi Wu quickly withdrew his hand, clearly unwilling to linger even a second longer. His disgust was obvious.

Cheng Youyou curled her lip indifferently. If he was so repulsed, he shouldn’t have helped her at all.

Zi Wu looked at her, conflicted. She’d clearly lost weight in the past few days. He thought he might have failed his father’s trust. He couldn’t understand it—Cheng Youyou used to be ugly, lazy, cruel, and foolish, but her behavior had only ever targeted her beast-husbands. Whatever she did to them was a matter between mates. The rest of the tribe had no right to interfere, at most gossiping behind her back. But now things were different. She had dared to harm a rare female of the tribe—and one who was pregnant.

“You all know why we’ve gathered here today,” Ji Xuan said.

Silence fell.

However, countless hateful and hostile gazes were directed toward Cheng Youyou on the platform. Faced with those dagger-like stares, her heart skipped a beat.

Had the original host done something outrageous again—and now the tribe had found out?

“Expel Cheng Youyou from the tribe! A vicious female like her doesn’t deserve our protection!”

“Yes! Drive her out!”

The beastfolk roared in outrage, demanding her exile—especially Lu Xi’s beast-husbands, whose eyes were bloodshot and brimming with murderous intent. If not for others holding them back, they would’ve transformed and torn her apart on the spot.

How could anyone feel safe with a cruel female like Cheng Youyou in the tribe? Imagine risking your life in the forest to hunt for your mate, only to return and find her on the brink of death—who wouldn’t go mad?

Cheng Youyou felt the weight of their killing intent, and her heart sank. Had something happened to Lu Xi? But she remembered clearly—Lu Xi’s bleeding had stopped. This didn’t make sense.

No—she had to check on Lu Xi.

Just as she turned, a hand gripped her tightly, locking her in place. She followed the hand to its owner—a handsome face devoid of emotion, but eyes flickering with something unreadable.

“How is Lu Xi now?”

Zi Wu frowned at the mention of Lu Xi’s name. He couldn’t understand how Cheng Youyou could act so concerned after causing such harm.

But Cheng Youyou ignored the hateful stares behind her and Zi Wu’s disgust. She looked up at Ji Xuan, who towered over her, her eyes full of worry and urgency.

Ji Xuan’s dark eyes flickered. Then his deep voice rang in her ear—though phrased as a question, his tone was flat, making it sound like a statement.

“You’re worried about Lu Xi? Aren’t you the one who hurt her?”

“Hahaha…” Cheng Youyou burst into laughter, tears sparkling at the corners of her eyes. Her crisp, hearty laughter echoed from the platform to every corner of the square, reaching every beastfolk’s ears.

Silence fell. Everyone frowned, watching Cheng Youyou laugh so hard she couldn’t straighten up.

Then whispers spread.

“Has she gone mad?”

“Mad? No way. She’s just pretending to be pitiful so she won’t get kicked out.”

“Exactly. She’s just playing dumb to escape punishment.”

Their hatred for her deepened.

Zuo Wa, hidden among the crowd, watched as the growing disgust and anger toward Cheng Youyou intensified. She smiled smugly. That eyesore was finally about to disappear—no longer standing between her and Mu Feng or Mu Yu.

As the laughter faded, Cheng Youyou wiped her tears and stood tall. She looked calmly at Ji Xuan. “You say I harmed Lu Xi? Where’s the proof?”

A beastfolk below the platform shouted before Ji Xuan could respond. “Who else could be so vicious?”

Cheng Youyou squinted and recognized him—Wu Li, one of Lu Xi’s beast-husbands, a tiger in beast form. His eyes were blood-red, his killing intent palpable. His muscular body pulsed with rage.

Cheng Youyou met his gaze without fear, her voice steady and cold. “Proof?”

“You want proof?” Wu Li snarled, throwing a bunch of plants at her feet.

She looked down at the dried herbs without a word.

“This is the proof! Lu Xi nearly died after eating what you gave her!”

“Yes, I saw Cheng Youyou holding these at the river that day.”

“Right! I remember now—Wukai had these herbs with him when he came from Cheng Youyou’s cave with Lu Xi.”

“Hmph… What do you have to say now?”

Cheng Youyou calmly raised her eyes, not panicked as they expected. She looked at the crowd below. “Yes, I picked these herbs. And yes, I gave them to Lu Xi…”

“But I can guarantee they’re harmless to beastfolk.”

“Guarantee? Based on what?”

She ignored their doubts and didn’t look back at Ji Xuan or Zi Wu. She knew how much her beast-husbands hated the original host—they wanted her gone. She also knew self-defense was the weakest strategy. But right now, it was her only option.

“I can guarantee it because my father taught me everything about these herbs.”

“And because I’ve personally tested them. I’ve eaten them myself. And I can do it again.”

With that, she picked up the herbs at her feet and gently brushed off the dust. She looked down at the cleaned herbs in her hand. In this world, no one could be relied on. Her father had held a respected position in the tribe. For his daughter, he had abused his authority. He arranged contracts with top-tier beast-husbands, hoping they would protect her and ensure a peaceful life. However, protection gained through forced contracts was shallow and unreliable.

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