Chapter 17

Perhaps because Ada and Aman’s sister were present, even though Aman had a lot to say, his gaze kept getting tangled between A-Yin and Zhuo Yan. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, then opened and closed it once more—

Zhuo Yan, holding four stiff fish in his hands, unceremoniously shoved two of them into Aman’s hands and two into Qiao’s, ignoring the “inappropriate” expression on Aman’s face. He explained, “These are fish I caught a while back and have already prepared. Thank you for thinking of me. If it’s convenient, could you please take these to Xiao Xian and Shitou once the blizzard stops? These two are for you.”

“Zhuo Yan, do you have enough to eat?” Qiao asked, concern evident on her face as she held the two fish. “I’ve checked with others; there’s still food in the cave.”

Only then did Aman notice the fish in his hands, and he grimaced, saying, “This is really hard to eat! If you’re already eating this, what do you think we can have?”

“It’s not bad! The fish is quite tasty,” Zhuo Yan replied, shaking his head at Aman’s reaction.

“I’ve had it before; it was really bitter,” Aman insisted, convinced that Zhuo Yan was being stubborn. “You must be eating that because you’re taking care of the white-haired one, and now you have nothing else. Why are you being so polite? We don’t want this! The meat is bitter and full of bones.”

Zhuo Yan’s life was indeed quite difficult.

“Bitter? Did you accidentally break the gallbladder while preparing it? That must be it! Fish intestines have gallbladders, and if they break, it’ll make everything bitter. I cleaned it properly, so when you get back, chop it into pieces and cook it with potatoes—it can be made into soup, stew, or anything,” Zhuo Yan explained earnestly.

“You came to see me, and I don’t have much to offer. This is the only thing I can share that’s worth anything, and I truly appreciate all of you,” he added, his tone sincere. Given the harsh weather, it was no small favor for them to have come over. He genuinely regarded them as good friends and companions, and naturally, he wanted to reciprocate their kindness.

Aman felt the tension but still wanted to return the fish, knowing that Zhuo Yan wouldn’t have enough to eat by himself, especially with the added responsibility of taking care of the white-haired one. However, Qiao stopped him, saying, “We should accept Zhuo Yan’s kindness.”

“But he won’t have enough!” Aman muttered under his breath, still unsure.

Qiao laughed lightly, “If we bring him meat and he refuses it, you’d be angry too, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course! I begged my sister for days to bring me here. If he doesn’t want the meat, it would be so frustrating!” Aman realized Qiao’s point and decided to accept the fish. Even if it was bitter, he wouldn’t waste it. “I’ll eat it all,” he promised.

Zhuo Yan’s face brightened with a smile as he escorted his friends out of the cave, where Aman’s sister and Ada had been waiting just outside.

They didn’t chat much longer. Aman wrapped himself in his furs, grasping the fish tightly in both hands, and climbed onto his sister’s back. Qiao did the same with Ada. Just as Aman settled in, his sister took off like a bolt of lightning, dashing away through the snowstorm, leaving behind only the muffled sound of Aman’s voice in the wind.

“Zhuo Yan—don’t—die—”

It should have been a plea for him not to die, but the word “don’t” got swept away by the wind. Zhuo Yan shouted back, “Got it! Don’t don’t don’t don’t don’t die!” He emphasized the “don’t” multiple times!

For siblings, especially sisters towards their younger brothers, it was often a no-nonsense approach—run first, worry later.

On the other hand, for an engaged couple, Ada showed great patience toward Qiao. At that moment, Qiao had settled comfortably and hadn’t yet moved. Wrapped in furs and clutching the fish tightly, she looked toward Zhuo Yan, her gaze subtly tinged with concern, drifting to the white-haired creature that followed him closely.

Zhuo Yan understood her worry and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Qiao! A-Yin is very obedient and good.”

“Alright then, we’ll see each other when the snow melts,” Qiao replied.

Zhuo Yan responded with enthusiasm, “Sure, see you in spring!”

They all hoped to safely get through the snowy season, wishing for calm and peace in the days to come.

Once Qiao said it was time to go, Ada finally got up. His pace wasn’t particularly fast but steady—unlike Aman’s sister, who had dashed off like a blur, causing Aman to lose the ability to even shout “don’t” properly.

Zhuo Yan watched the two figures disappear into the swirling snow, a smile lingering on his face. He turned back and gently patted A-Yin’s head, cheerfully saying, “It’s great! They’re all my friends—Qiao and Aman. Qiao is gentle and thoughtful, while Aman can be tough on the outside but is soft-hearted. They’re both loyal people.”

“And there’s also Xiao Xian and Shitou,” he added.

Zhuo Yan closed the cave door and continued chatting excitedly with A-Yin about his friends. “You should have seen them before.”

A-Yin nodded and nudged his leg affectionately.

Zhuo Yan settled down, noting that the fish head soup in the pot was almost ready. He couldn’t help but feel a bit wistful, reflecting, “They came in such a hurry and left just as quickly. I didn’t even have time to invite them to stay for a meal.” He served himself and A-Yin some food, waiting for it to cool down. Still in a talkative mood, he continued his earlier conversation.

“Shitou usually doesn’t say much, but he’s actually quite observant. Maybe it’s because he has a younger sister, but he takes good care of us younger ones, especially Xiao Xian.”

“Xiao Xian’s family is all brothers,” Zhuo Yan continued. “He’s about your age, but he doesn’t have much of an opinion—his catchphrase is just ‘just.’ But when I give his ears a little scratch, he turns into a little leopard! It’s so adorable.”

A-Yin tilted his head, contemplating the phrase “so adorable.” Did that mean his brother thought the sub-beastman Xiao Xian was cute? Did Zhuo Yan enjoy petting leopard ears?

As Zhuo Yan enthusiastically talked about his friends, he suddenly felt something soft and fluffy in his hands. Looking down, he saw A-Yin nudging his fuzzy head against him, pressing into his embrace. The little creature rubbed his head against Zhuo Yan’s palm, his blue eyes sparkling with warmth and affection.

What a dog-like behavior.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but be charmed, exclaiming, “Okay, okay! Let’s pet A-Yin! Let’s pet, pet, pet~” He thought about how A-Yin had some wolf blood in him, and how that made him not so different from a husky (not really).

A-Yin wagged his tail excitedly, letting out low, playful howls.

The atmosphere in the cave that day was filled with joy. Meanwhile, Aman and Qiao had just delivered fish to Xiao Xian and Shitou. Xiao Xian stared at the frozen fish in confusion, exclaiming, “This fish is really bitter!”

“It’s from Zhuo Yan. Just eat it; don’t waste it,” Aman replied.

When Xiao Xian heard this, he clutched the fish and exclaimed, “Zhuo Yan Ge’s life is so tough! He has to eat this kind of fish!”

“I said the same thing,” Aman replied, shaking his head. “But it’s the thought that counts. Even if it tastes bad, it’s still what he wants to share.” He hesitated, not wanting to say too much since his sister was waiting. As they were about to leave, he suddenly remembered something. “Oh, I need to tell you something! Zhuo Yan and the little white creature are getting along really well, and he even named it A-Yin!”

Aman’s sister let out a low growl, reminding him that it was getting dark and the snowstorm was worsening.

“Alright, I’m coming! I need to go now.” Aman didn’t dare to linger any longer, his voice fading into the howling wind and snow as he hurried away, bouncing off into the distance.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xian, still holding the fish, was left in a daze. “Zhuo Yan Ge and the little white creature are good now?!”

Qiao’s cave was quite close to Shitou’s, so she decided to drop off fish for him. She casually mentioned that Zhuo Yan seemed to be doing alright and that his cave was warm. Shitou remained as quiet as ever, merely nodding in response, but there was a hint of relaxation in his expression.

As they were about to leave, Qiao couldn’t hold back anymore and said, “Zhuo Yan’s cave now has a little white creature.”

“Ah?!” Shitou, usually quiet and reserved, looked utterly shocked by this revelation.

Qiao continued, “The little white creature is now named A-Yin, a name Zhuo Yan chose. He seems to really like A-Yin. I’m heading back now, and once the snow stops and the sun comes out, we’ll go find Zhuo Yan.”

Still clutching the fish, Shitou stood there in a daze, overwhelmed by the news.

During the long winter, everyone had been cooped up in their caves for quite some time. In this quiet atmosphere, even those who typically wouldn’t inquire about others’ business found themselves asking questions about the outside world and the happenings in the nearby caves. “What did Qiao/Aman say when they came by earlier?” became a common topic of conversation.

Xiao Xian was the most lively among them; he quickly rushed over to his mother, saying, “Mom, this fish was sent to me by Zhuo Yan!”

His two older brothers chimed in teasingly, “Aren’t you the one who’s always scared of this? It’s bitter to eat,” and “Why don’t you trade your meat for the bitter fish?”

Xiao Xian’s father lightly smacked the heads of his two sons, reprimanding, “Don’t bully your younger brother like that.”

“Hmph, I’ll eat the bitter fish too!” Xiao Xian retorted, ready to defend himself. However, his mind was preoccupied with something else entirely. “Mom, Dad, there’s a little white creature in Zhuo Yan’s cave! He’s still alive!”

Actually, Xiao Xian’s beast father had overheard what Aman said earlier. Even though the snowstorm was fierce at the cave entrance, beast people had excellent hearing. When Xiao Xian’s mother first heard the news, she was surprised, exclaiming, “Ah?” But once she processed the information, she nodded thoughtfully and said, “It’s actually quite good. That child is very pitiful. I’ve seen his mother, and his beast father doesn’t take care of him…”

Before starting to cook, Xiao Xian, feeling stubborn after a quarrel with his older brothers, declared that he wanted to eat fish today. Unable to refuse him, his mother agreed. In truth, they had eaten too much meat lately, so she thought it might be nice to cook some fish to change things up, and she let Xiao Xian take on the task.

Xiao Xian followed Zhuo Yan’s example in preparing the meal. He melted snow for water, scraped the skin off the mud beans, and tossed in some taro to stew together. Even before the pot began to boil, a different, appetizing aroma began to waft through the cave.

His two beast brothers, who had previously been lethargic and bored, perked up and gathered around the pot with newfound enthusiasm.

“It smells kind of good,” one of them commented.

“Maybe it just smells nice, but it’ll probably taste bitter,” the other brother replied skeptically.

Xiao Xian stirred the soup with a spoon, glancing up at his brothers. “You don’t know, Zhuo Yan can make anything taste great. This fish must be different from the bitter fish we usually have!”

He had considered visiting Zhuo Yan’s cave before, but both of his brothers had been unwilling to carry him there, and his parents had also forbidden him to go out, fearing for his safety. Now, however, Xiao Xian wanted to show off the fish from Zhuo Yan, fully aware of how clever and talented Zhuo Yan was.

“You’ll understand once you take a bite. Zhuo Yan is different from before.”

“Yeah, yeah, now your beastman friend is fond of beasts!”

Xiao Xian fumed, thinking, These big brothers are such troublemakers!

“If you keep saying that, I won’t share the fish with you,” he retorted, his ears turning furry again in frustration.

Their beast father gave his two sons a light smack on the head. It was clear they loved Xiao Xian deeply, yet they always managed to tease him until he almost cried. The two brothers exchanged a glance as they noticed Xiao Xian’s eyes welling up and his ears fluffing up in anger.

“Alright, alright, please, little brother, let us have a bite!”

“I won’t mention your beastman friend anymore.”

Xiao Xian remained unmoved by their pleas.

“When the snowstorm calms down, I can carry you to that beastman’s house to play.”

Xiao Xian’s furry ears perked up at this, and he asked excitedly, “Really, big brother?!”

“Wow, big brother, you’re really promising that? But my back is only for carrying my partner!”

“I mean it,” he affirmed, smiling.

The atmosphere lightened as the brothers tried to sweeten the deal, and Xiao Xian felt the warmth of their bond, even amid their playful banter.

Xiao Xian was absolutely overjoyed. That day, he generously shared a lot of meat from the pot of fish soup with his big brother—more than he gave to his parents. However, the moment Xiao Xian took his first sip of the fish soup and savored the first bite of meat, he regretted giving so much to his brother.

Because—

“The meat isn’t bitter at all! It’s so delicious and fragrant!”

After a long stretch of eating roasted meat, this pot of fish soup was simply the most delightful thing he could imagine. Even though they had plenty of meat in the cave, Xiao Xian initially wanted to share some with his beastman friend. His parents hesitated a bit, but since Xiao Xian had been saving his meat and mostly eating mud beans, they eventually relented and encouraged him not to hold back.

Now, as the family enjoyed the fish soup together, Xiao Xian’s mother remarked, “Your friend Zhuo Yan really appreciates your kindness. He’s a good companion.”

Xiao Xian beamed with happiness, snuggling close to his mother. His fluffy ears were now twitching with excitement as he nodded eagerly, “Exactly! Zhuo Yan is so smart!”

But then he hesitated, thinking, If only his eyesight were better, how could he possibly like a white-furred beastman?

The white-furred beastman seemed so weak and couldn’t hunt, and being paired with him might lead to hunger.

Most importantly, they couldn’t have cubs together. Xiao Xian remembered how much Zhuo Yan adored cubs; the last time he saw Shitou’s little sister, Zhuo Yan’s eyes sparkled with delight.

Sigh.

In Shitou’s cave, they also cooked fish that day. Shitou’s little sister was gathered around the fire, the mouthwatering aroma of the fish soup making the young beastman eagerly sniff the air, gazing longingly at the pot. However, their mother held her back, gently rubbing the cub’s ears and reminding her to wait, warning her to be careful not to let the flames singe her tail.

Their father asked, “What did Qiao bring you today? Did she say anything else?”

“Zhuo Yan and the white-furred beastman are getting along,” Shitou replied, his voice heavy with concern for Zhuo Yan. He murmured to himself, “But they probably haven’t officially paired up yet. Zhuo Yan isn’t even an adult…”

There’s still time, right? he thought, but then again, Zhuo Yan seemed to like that white-furred beastman a lot.

It was truly troubling.

Zhuo Yan had no idea that his gossip and romantic entanglements had already taken root in the hearts and minds of everyone around him, becoming a stubborn point of discussion.

At this moment, Zhuo Yan and A-Yin had just finished clearing the snow from the entrance of the cave. They worked up a good sweat and took a moment to rest, surrounded by the delicious aroma of their first roasted meat in half a month!

Sister Qiao and Aman had brought him various types of meat. Zhuo Yan couldn’t distinguish one from another; some were fatty, others lean, all about the size of his fist. He had gathered over a dozen chunks of meat, and he knew that these scattered pieces were what his four good friends had managed to collect for him.

How could he not be touched?

Tears streamed down Zhuo Yan’s face while saliva pooled in his mouth.

On the stone slab, the fattier pieces of meat sizzled as the grease rendered out, making a delightful popping sound. They turned golden brown and crispy on both sides. Zhuo Yan swallowed hard again, placing the first slice into A-Yin’s bowl.

A-Yin raised a paw and nudged the plate with his nose, signaling that his brother should eat first.

“Just a moment—gurgle, I have one too.” Zhuo Yan, feeling a bit sheepish, swallowed again and put the second piece into his own bowl, looking over at A-Yin. “Go ahead, eat up, but be careful, it’s hot!”

It smells so good!!!