Ziqian stared at the sub-beast for a moment, trying to remember his name.
Then an image of a frail sub-beast who had suffered a severe allergic reaction came to mind.
Oh, it's Pen!
He was Yan's younger brother, the sub-beast who had been bullied by Kea and Gio. It was an unforgettable incident, especially since Pen had almost died. It was also the first time Ziqian had felt that someone's life and death depended on him.
But thanks to that, a side quest was triggered that rewarded him with a large number of points. With those points, he was able to buy many useful items from the shop.
The moment their eyes met, Pen immediately looked away and hurriedly joined the other sub-beasts, pretending to be busy, but his movements were awkward and unnatural. He was trying so hard to look casual that it only made his nervousness more obvious.
Ziqian blinked.
What's wrong with him?
He was staring intently, so maybe he wanted to talk to me?
After thinking for a moment, Ziqian decided to go check on the sub-beast.
"I'll be right back," Ziqian said to Xue.
Without waiting for the man's response, he walked toward the group of sub-beasts.
Xue glanced in the direction Ziqian was heading. When he saw that the group gathered there consisted only of sub-beasts, he decided not to follow and just wait for him.
Pen tried his best to act nonchalant. He even tried to strike up a conversation with the other sub-beasts, but they only looked at him in confusion, making him look even more out of place.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed Ziqian approaching.
His body stiffened, and his heart began to beat faster as he instinctively lowered his gaze. For a moment, he even had the urge to run.
Pen hadn't intended to approach Ziqian. He only wanted to see that his savior was all right, even if it was from afar.
After what had happened last night, Pen had been so worried that he couldn't sleep.
The High Priest had already assured him that Ziqian was fine, but Pen still couldn't stop himself from wanting to see it for himself. He just hadn't expected Ziqian to look in his direction and catch him staring.
"Pen."
Pen froze.
Then, slowly, he lifted his head.
The moment he looked up, he was almost blinded by the sight of the beautiful figure smiling warmly at him.
"Ziqian," Pen softly murmured. This was the first time he had seen Ziqian up close.
"How are you?" Ziqian asked.
Pen stared at him, and for a moment, he couldn't find the words to answer.
"...You remember me?"
Ziqian looked surprised by the question. "Of course I do."
Pen's fingers tightened against his clothes.
He hadn't expected that Ziqian would remember him.
There were so many people in the tribe, and Ziqian had been dealing with one problem after another ever since arriving here. Pen couldn't imagine how he could possibly remember someone like him.
Besides, according to his sister Yan, his face had been almost unrecognizable at the time because of the severe rashes and swelling.
But Ziqian remembered him.
"I'm fine now," Pen finally answered.
"That's good." Ziqian studied Pen for a moment before adding, "But you should still be careful. Don't eat anything unfamiliar without asking someone first."
Pen nodded immediately. "Yes."
Ziqian smiled.
That simple smile made Pen's heart skip a beat, and a deep blush quickly spread across his cheeks. For a moment, he could only stare at Ziqian, completely captivated by that gentle smile.
Then he remembered the day he had thought he was going to die.
He remembered the fear and pain, the terrifying feeling that his body was slowly shutting down, and the pained cry of his sister.
Then, in the midst of all that, he had heard a soft and gentle voice calling his name.
That person's warm and reassuring touch had given him strength and hope. He had done everything he could to save him.
Pen had never forgotten that.
Later that day, after asking Yan, Pen learned that the person who had saved him was Ziqian.
And without realizing it, his feet had started carrying him toward Ziqian again and again. He wanted to stay near the person who had saved him.
He wanted to repay Ziqian somehow, to do something for the person who had given him a second chance at life.
But what could a weak sub-beast like him possibly do?
"Ziqian…"
"Hm?"
Pen hesitated. "I was worried about you last night."
Ziqian's expression softened. "A lot happened yesterday," he replied, then reached out and gently patted Pen's head. "I'm fine now, so don't worry."
Pen's eyes widened. He hadn't expected the gesture, but strangely, he didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he felt a little disappointed when Ziqian took his hand away.
"Okay," Pen whispered.
Ziqian smiled. "There are a lot of things to do, so I'll go first."
Pen nodded and hurriedly added, "I'll help too."
"Good. I'll see you later."
Ziqian turned and walked back toward Xue.
Pen remained standing there for a moment, watching him leave. His hand slowly rose to the top of his head, where Ziqian had touched him.
A small smile appeared on his face as warmth spread through his chest at the lingering memory of Ziqian's touch.
Ziqian remembered him.
For Pen, that alone was enough to make his entire day brighter.
Ziqian returned to Xue.
The man didn't ask what he and Pen had talked about, but Ziqian felt that it was only proper to be transparent with his partner.
The thought made him blush.
Yes, Xue and Huo were his partners now, and they would soon become his husbands. Wasn't it normal to be open with them about everything?
Transparency was the key to a good marriage. At least, that was what the books said.
Ziqian wasn't entirely sure.
This might not be his first relationship, but when it came to love, he was still inexperienced and a total newbie. His first and only relationship on Earth had been filled with painful memories, leaving him with little idea of what a healthy relationship was supposed to look like.
As they walked, Ziqian told Xue what he and Pen had talked about.
Xue merely nodded.
There was no need for Ziqian to tell him anything. Given the distance between them, Xue had heard their entire conversation clearly. As a beastman with heightened senses, he only needed to focus his hearing, and he could pick up sounds from as far as 120 meters away.
Of course, not every beastman possessed such keen senses. Only exceptional and powerful beasts like Xue could hear from such a distance.
Xue remained cold and expressionless as he listened, but when Ziqian told him why he had chosen to tell him, his expression visibly softened, and a rare smile appeared on his lips.
Everyone who met them on the way and saw their young patriarch felt they were dreaming.
~
Ziqian wanted to help with the preparation for the feast, but everyone refused to let him do any hard work. They only allowed him to watch and supervise, stepping in to correct any mistakes they made while cooking.
Since Ziqian had already taught them how to prepare many of the dishes before, the females wanted to use this opportunity to hone their cooking skills. At the same time, they didn't want Ziqian to tire himself out.
With so many people helping, Ziqian didn't need to lift a finger. All he had to do was supervise and point out anything that needed to be corrected.
And before the scheduled time, every dish had already been prepared.
At the same time, the center of the tribe had become bustling with activity and now covered in colorful decorations. The wooden pools surrounding the entrance of the tribe and the branches of the tree where the giant gong was suspended were filled with vibrant flowers.
According to Lia, even though it was not Eulogia, a prayer to the Beast God still needs to be offered with the utmost sincerity.
That was why, even though Ziqian thought the preparations had gone a little overboard, he didn't stop them.
This time around, everyone who had gone out earlier had returned, including the warrior beasts who had gone hunting for monsters.
Along with the prey they had hunted, they also brought back several large achene flowers. Since the field where they bloomed was located near the nest of several three-horned monsters, Bei had led the warriors himself to ensure everyone's safety.
Their return immediately drew cheers from the tribe, especially from the cubs. The little ones ran excitedly around the enormous flowers, but their excitement wasn't only because the flowers were pretty. By now, everyone knew that the seeds at the center of these flowers were delicious.
Some of the cubs even tried to sneak closer, staring eagerly at the seeds as though they were already thinking about how many they could get their hands on.
The adults couldn't help but laugh at their antics.
Meanwhile, Xue instructed several burly warriors to carry large stone tables into the center of the tribe. Soon, the females followed, bringing over large pots and bowls filled with the various dishes they had prepared, filling the tables one after another.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasted meat, fried dishes, and freshly prepared vegetables.
As the last batch of food was placed, everything was now ready for the feast.