Chapter 7: She Didn't Notice What Happened Last Night

Li Yue frowned at the shock on the beast husbands' faces.

What's wrong? she wondered. Isn't my reward attractive enough?

Three bandages for one drop of blood—that's far more generous than Chi Yu's "five meals for one drop." They should be practically drooling over this.

She blinked, looking at Lanxi in confusion. "You... don't want this reward?"

The moment she spoke, the beast husbands snapped out of their daze.

Si Qi was the first to lower his gaze, concealing the surprise in his eyes. Chi Yu's smile froze momentarily before twisting into a playful smirk. Jin Ye blinked, as if he hadn't registered the sudden shift.

But they quickly understood: Li Yue must not have noticed the bruises on her neck, nor was she aware that Lanxi had choked her.

Since she hadn't noticed, no one was foolish enough to mention it.

Lanxi exhaled in relief and glanced at You Lie. "I wasn't the one who bandaged you."

All eyes turned to You Lie.

His dark crimson eyes shifted, meeting Li Yue's puzzled gaze. He took half a step forward, his voice low. "I was."

Li Yue was even more bewildered. She turned to Lanxi. "Then what did you just admit?"

Lanxi didn't explain, simply lowering his gaze, his purple eyes inscrutable.

She couldn't possibly tell him that she'd confessed earlier out of fear of implicating others, since she'd thought she was about to be held accountable for the strangulation incident, could she?

"Whoever does well deserves a reward," Li Yue said, quickly dismissing the doubt. She looked at You Lie and nodded seriously. "This bandage is indeed excellent. The wound is already scabbed over. Consider this one time. After two more bandages, I'll let you have your drop of blood."

You Lie hummed in acknowledgment, saying nothing more, though his fingertips curled almost imperceptibly.

Seeing Li Yue's earnest expression, Chi Yu, who assumed she wasn't lying, immediately protested, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction. "Why? Three bandages for a drop of blood, but five meals for me to cook? That's completely unfair!"

He knew this challenge might anger Li Yue, as he was questioning her decision.

His words were partly a test, partly a gamble. Since yesterday, she'd seemed different, and he wanted to see what she was up to.

Li Yue paused, then explained, "Because bandages require medicinal herbs. You Lie used hemostatic herbs on me yesterday. These herbs are precious and far harder to obtain than roasted meat. That's why three bandages earn you a drop of blood.

If you want to terminate the contract faster, you can help me bandage too. Once everyone has completed three bandages, I'll give them a drop of blood."

Chi Yu was so shocked he almost lost his composure.

Wasn't she angry?

In the past, if he had dared to question her decision, the whip would have come down in an instant.

He quickly suppressed the surprise in his eyes and pulled out his usual seductive smile. "Alright, you win this time. I'll grill you some meat right now. Don't forget, yesterday counted as one, and this meal will make it two."

"No need," Li Yue waved her hand, the dryness in her throat returning. She coughed twice instinctively. "My throat hurts. I can't eat grilled meat. Some wild berries from the cave will do."

Lanxi, standing nearby, felt his fingertips tighten abruptly at her words.

Throat hurts?

He lowered his gaze, his violet eyes swirling with complex emotions.

This was clearly a lingering effect of him strangling her neck last night. Her throat should be aching, yet she hadn't thrown a hysterical tantrum or whipped anyone as she usually did.

Instead... she had even rewarded You Lie for bandaging her finger?

What exactly is she planning?

Is this a new form of torture?

Pretend to be friendly, wait until we let our guard down, then strike back with something even crueler?

Lanxi couldn't understand, so he stared fixedly at Li Yue's retreating figure, trying to find a flaw in her slender silhouette.

Li Yue, of course, was unaware of their thoughts. She just wanted to finish eating and set out quickly.

She waved her hand. "You should eat too. Once you're done, we'll depart. Don't waste time."

She had to find her Father as soon as possible. These outwardly peaceful, yet inwardly plotting villains were a major threat if left unchecked.

But until she found her Father, she had no choice but to maneuver around them.

As she turned and walked into the depths of the cave, the beast husbands watched her retreating figure, frozen in place.

Only when her long purple hair was visible as she sat down did they finally turn and leave the cave, heading to the nearby stream.

No one spoke; only the gentle murmur of the water filled the air.

They had never known each other before, forced together by Li Yue's Father. Without that damned Beast Mark, they might never have met in their lives.

Now, bound by a shared secret, the atmosphere grew subtly tense.

Si Qi and Lanxi had the closest relationship among them.

Si Qi broke the silence, his silver-white hair rippling in the wind. His voice was calm yet carried undeniable weight as he addressed Lanxi: "I know you hate her, but don't do that again."

Lanxi's shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly. Staring at his blurred reflection in the stream, he murmured, "I know."

Last night, in a moment of impulsiveness, he had almost forgotten that if a female died at the hands of her mate, all contracted males would be buried with her.

She had not only almost killed him, but also nearly dragged everyone else down with her.

"She seems... serious. The contract termination she mentioned might not be a lie," Si Qi said, his voice softening, tinged with uncertainty, yet carrying a faint glimmer of hope.

Lanxi looked up at him, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes.

Yes, he had noticed it too.

She had voluntarily proposed terminating the contract, given Si Qi her blood without hesitation, offered a clear reward for You Lie's bandaging, and even patiently explained herself to Chi Yu's doubts...

Everything about her was completely different from the female who had once taken pleasure in tormenting them.

Maybe... this time, the contract termination will really happen.

The thought ignited a tiny spark of light in a place within Lanxi that had been dormant for a long time.

It was like a pearl buried deep beneath the seabed, finally catching a glimmer of light through the thick layers of mud and sand.

Chi Yu listened from the side, remaining silent. He idly poked at the pebbles on the ground with a twig, his emerald eyes gleaming with calculating light.

Whatever Li Yue's plan, as long as it leads to contract termination, I'd cook ten meals if necessary, let alone five.

Jin Ye took a more pragmatic approach. He patted his stomach and rumbled, "Let's eat first, then travel. We'll see what she's up to."

No one objected.

After eating a few wild fruits from the cave, Li Yue emerged.

The beast husbands had likely finished their meal and were waiting outside.

Checking the sky, where the sun had just crested the mountain, Li Yue asked, "Will you be traveling in beast form?"

Si Qi stepped forward, his silver-white hair shimmering softly in the morning light. "If we use beast form and fly at full speed, we can reach the Eagle Tribe in seven days. If there's no rush, we can walk in human form."