131: Chapter 131: A Tense Atmosphere, Wanwan's Mediation

"You should go back. Hu Ji is probably looking for you."

"Ah, it's fine," Zhou Wanwan waved her hand, speaking nonchalantly. "I can't bear to leave you, a beast, alone here."

Besides, she was pregnant with a cub, and low spirits were not good for her.

"Let me sit alone for a while. I'll be fine, don't worry," Sang Qing shook her head and smiled faintly.

Zhou Wanwan stubbornly tried to stay with her, but she couldn't out-stubborn Sang Qing and eventually left.

Her comical act of looking back every few steps made Sang Qing both want to laugh and cry.

After sending Zhou Wanwan away, Sang Qing sat quietly, lost in thought.

Only the sounds of birds and flowing water remained around her. Oh, and the desolate voice in her heart.

She shouldn't feel wronged because she was already lucky enough as it was.

But she couldn't help feeling sad.

Because she couldn't willfully sever her feelings for Fu Ning, because she couldn't just abandon the affairs of Beast King City, because she had nowhere else to go.

She desperately wanted to escape from here, to escape from all of this.

Sang Qing closed her eyes wearily, her heart in turmoil.

This was also the first time she wanted to abandon everything here and return to her past life.

"System, I want to go home!"

[Host, based on a certain ability acquired after this system's upgrade, while I cannot return you to your past life, I can send you to a parallel world of your past life.]

"Really?"

At the same time, the several males searching for Sang Qing suddenly fell into an endless panic.

It felt as if... as if something was about to be forcibly ripped from their bodies.

A deep sense of powerlessness seeped from their very bones.

[The prerequisite is that you live out your natural lifespan in this world!]

Sang Qing couldn't help but give a bitter smile.

She knew there couldn't be such a good thing.

Forget it, forget it. There's nothing to be sad about.

Time will heal everything.

She'll just make do. It was her own choice in the first place.

The moon rose, and the streets and alleys grew quiet.

Above Beast King City, a dark shadow swept past once, twice, three times.

As if searching for some beast, tirelessly scouring the area.

The beast being searched for, however, was wandering about, missing him, and had already returned home on her own.

The house was brightly lit.

Fu Ning paced anxiously back and forth in the room, his face filled with panic, having bitten his lip until it bled.

The three Little Cubs, having eaten their fill, had fallen asleep in the living room. Fu Ning didn't dare put them back in their room.

He wanted to wait downstairs, to be the first to see his mate return.

The other beasts had also gone out and hadn't returned yet.

Fu Ning bit his finger, his eyes slightly red as if he had already been crying.

He didn't know how Qing Qing could have disappeared. He blamed himself, felt guilty, was heartbroken, and after praying ten thousand times to the beast god, she still hadn't returned.

Xuan Xiao and the others hadn't been able to find her either.

When he heard the familiar sound of footsteps, he abruptly looked up.

"Qing Qing!"

Fu Ning's pupils dilated. He rushed excitedly towards the door, nearly stumbling and falling.

He threw his arms around Sang Qing and began wailing loudly.

He had been scared to death.

"I'm sorry, Qing Qing. It's all my fault. Please don't be angry."

"Wah... If you hadn't come back, I would have gone crazy. I was so scared."

Fu Ning's tears flowed like a spring, truly terrified from the bottom of his heart that she might never return.

If anything happened to her outside, he would never be at peace for the rest of his life.

The corner of Sang Qing's mouth twitched. She broke free from his embrace, smiled at him, but said nothing. After glancing at the soundly sleeping Little Cubs, she headed straight upstairs.

Fu Ning didn't dare hold her too tightly, which gave her the chance to easily slip away.

Fu Ning stared at his empty arms. First, he pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming, then hurriedly followed her. "Qing Qing, you must be hungry. I prepared food for you. Have some, or tell me what you want to eat, I'll make it right away..."

"Bang!" Sang Qing closed the door.

Two worlds were separated.

Fu Ning raised his hand, frozen in that posture.

Why wasn't she angry? Why wasn't she scolding or yelling at him?

"Qing Qing..." Fu Ning wanted to go in, but it was clearly locked from the inside.

"Qing Qing, you haven't eaten all afternoon. Open the door. I'll bring the food in. I promise I won't disturb you."

"Qing Qing, please, open the door."

"I'm very tired and need to rest!" A very calm voice came from inside the room. Fu Ning hesitated, his heart filled with terror.

It shouldn't be like this.

But he didn't dare make another sound.

After a while, the other beasts of the household returned one after another.

Seeing the tightly closed door, Xuan Xiao even went to check the window, but the curtains were drawn, blocking the view.

Xuan Xiao returned downstairs and fixed Fu Ning with a sharp stare. "Are you sure Qing Qing is back?"

They had searched Beast King City for a long time and hadn't seen a single trace of her. It was really strange.

Fu Ning sat dejectedly on a chair, nodding blankly.

"As long as she's back, that's good. Did Qing Qing eat?" Sa Yu felt relieved, his expression improving slightly.

Fu Ning shook his head.

Yes, as long as she was back.

But he seemed to understand that his worst predicament had arrived.

"She didn't eat??" Sa Yu frowned tightly again, looking worriedly upstairs. "I'll take some food to Qing Qing."

"Qing Qing said she's tired and wants to rest," Fu Ning grabbed him, his gaze utterly vacant.

The way Qing Qing looked at him was so calm.

So calm it made his heart race with panic.

Xuan Xiao bit his knuckle, hesitated for a moment, but still chose to knock on the door.

He needed to see her with his own eyes to feel at ease. Besides, Qing Qing had been outside for so long; she must be in a bad mood.

If she didn't get any comfort, the consequences were hard to imagine.

But they received no response.

Herman, on the side, was so anxious he was scratching the wall until Sa Yu kicked him.

Fortunately, Sa Yu could hear even breathing from inside. Qing Qing must have fallen asleep.

A moment later.

The four males of the household sat around the table, each with a face full of unease.

Xuan Xiao had a cold expression, Sa Yu crossed his arms, Herman scratched his head and ears, and Fu Ning looked utterly despairing.

"Sa Yu, take the Little Cubs upstairs to sleep."

Xuan Xiao's mind was blank. He couldn't think of any solution at the moment, and his heart was deeply unsettled.

Sa Yu glanced at the Little Cubs and shook his head. "They're not important!"

Compared to Qing Qing, they were merely things that tied her down, not worth one of his mate's fingers.

But Fu Ning had said Qing Qing hadn't even gone near them.

Herman propped his head up, remembering what the Witch had said during the day.

Then Qing Qing definitely had his cub in her belly.

But now... it seemed the cub couldn't bind Qing Qing.

"We might as well wait until Qing Qing wakes up tomorrow. We can't figure anything out now."

At the very least, they needed to see Qing Qing, to see her expression to judge what she was really thinking.

"I can't sleep. You all go to bed," Xuan Xiao pressed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, his expression dark.

Sa Yu agreed, gritting his back teeth. "Qing Qing must be very angry. I have a feeling."

So what awaited them tomorrow, he didn't dare think about.

He also didn't dare close his eyes.

Fu Ning looked at them, his voice hoarse.

"Tomorrow, I'll make Qing Qing calm down. I won't drag you into this." No matter what it took.

"It's not that simple," Xuan Xiao shook his head, his expression grave. "Do you think Qing Qing will just let things go if you cry a little?

This time, Qing Qing isn't even acknowledging us. It's clearly touched her bottom line."

Since learning to read, Xuan Xiao's cultural level had risen quite a bit.

Fu Ning lowered his eyes, lost in thought.

"Just push all the blame onto me."

There would be a way.

Qing Qing always softened towards him.

"Fu Ning, I've already said, this time isn't that simple," Xuan Xiao said with annoyance, lowering his voice.

Herman turned his head away, a flicker of dark red light flashing in his eyes.

He was the truly innocent one today. He got beaten up, was ignored by his mate... If Qing Qing didn't forgive them, he would go all out and skin Fu Ning alive.

Sa Yu's mind raced with thoughts.

"First thing tomorrow, I'll go ask Wan Wan. I'll ask her if she has any way to make Qing Qing calm down. They're the closest; she must have a way."

Other than that, they could only wait for Qing Qing to wake up and see the situation.

Xuan Xiao nodded.

"Then I'll go pick flowers, go to the Market, and trade for beautiful gifts for Qing Qing," Herman raised his hand.

Early morning.

Hearing the faint sounds of movement from inside the room, the four males guarding outside the door exchanged glances, stood up straight, dark circles under their eyes.

Sang Qing looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was fair and clear, obviously she had rested well last night.

After washing up, she tidied the room, picked up the dirty clothes, and opened the door.

Whoa!

Four beasts standing in a neat row startled her.

Sang Qing took half a step back, gave them a puzzled glance, and noticing the dark circles under their eyes, she smiled calmly. "What's wrong? Didn't any of you sleep last night?"

Her attitude was so gentle?

Xuan Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then quickly put on a smile. "We slept! We slept!"

He saw the clothes she had changed out of in her hands and tried to take them, but she dodged.

"..."

He knew something was off.

Sa Yu also found it very strange. Qing Qing actually wasn't angry?

But looking at Xuan Xiao, he quickly pretended not to know anything.

"Qing Qing, are you hungry? Let's go downstairs to eat!"

She must be starving.

"Don't worry about me. You eat first. I'll make my own," Sang Qing still smiled gently.

But from this gentleness, Sa Yu detected a hint of distance.

Watching Sang Qing wash her own clothes and cook her own food, the four beasts were all stunned into a daze, the kind where their souls seemed to have left their bodies.

What was going on?

What was wrong with Qing Qing?

But she would answer when they spoke, just somewhat evasively. She wouldn't tell them what happened yesterday and no longer hugged or kissed them.

"..."

Looking at her gentle smile, they couldn't guess her thoughts at all.

After playing with the three Little Cubs for a while, Sang Qing started busying herself with her own work, not showing the slightest sign of unhappiness.

It was exactly the same as before.

"Go attend to whatever you need to. I'm fine. You don't need to watch over me," Sang Qing said softly to them without looking up.

She had already decided that after giving birth to this litter, she would separate from all of them.

So, she no longer wanted to restrain or discipline any of them.

Maybe it wasn't very fair to them, but she just wanted to prioritize her own feelings.

As for their care and help towards her, she would repay them with shell crystals.

"..." They didn't dare move.

They simply didn't dare move.

But even if they stood there for half a day, they didn't receive another spare glance.

But after two days, Xuan Xiao understood.

Because Qing Qing no longer treated them as mates.

Her tone when giving tasks to the Guard Beastman was exactly the same as the one she used when facing them now.

She was treating them entirely as subordinates.

No, this isn't right.

It shouldn't be like this.

Finally, after several days of this unbearable atmosphere, the males at home couldn't sit still any longer. They found a time to corner her in the room, intending to have a proper talk with her.

Sang Qing came out after her bath and paused, seeing the four males sitting in the room and the Little Cub crawling chaotically on the bed.

Sa Yu wanted to step forward to dry her hair but was, unsurprisingly, refused.

"Qing Qing, don't be like this!"

Sa Yu's heart was almost shattered, his tone on the verge of breaking.

"What's wrong?" Sang Qing asked with a calm smile as she dried her hair.

"Qing Qing, this isn't fun, stop playing!" Sa Yu pleaded with a terrified look in his eyes, his attitude humble.

He really couldn't take it anymore.

Xuan Xiao stood up, walked to her side, held her shoulders with both hands, and looked at her with utmost sincerity. "Qing Qing, I know you're angry, but please vent it out on us.

Now that you're living at home, I feel like you and we are not from the same world. You've changed so much, I'm truly terrified.

You were the one who said you wouldn't hide anything from me.

Tell me, whatever you want to do, I'm willing, but please don't treat us like this anymore."

She wouldn't let them take care of her, wouldn't let them follow her, and wouldn't sleep together. It seemed she was deliberately avoiding all the things mates should do.

Just the calm look she gave him every day was enough to make his heart feel like it was being cut by a knife.

How did it come to this?

Sang Qing hesitated for a moment, about to organize her words, when she saw Fu Ning kneel directly in front of her.

Fu Ning had lost a lot of weight these past few days, his cheeks slightly sunken, his eyes dull and lifeless. Yet his voice was loud, carrying a tone of desperate, straining exertion.

"Qing Qing, it's all my fault alone. If you're angry, I'll bear it. If you want to hit or scold me, I won't resist at all.

But please don't treat them like this anymore.

It's my fault alone, don't involve them.

Just tell me, whatever punishment you want for me, I'll accept it. Even if... it's making me stay away from you, I'm willing."

Tears fell like rain onto the floor, but they could no longer pierce her heart as they once did.

Sang Qing lowered her head and smiled, a heavy yet light smile, carrying an indescribable feeling.

"It's my fault, wrong from the very beginning."

"Don't ask anymore, I have nothing to say.

You'll naturally know once I give birth to this litter in my belly."

She had already asked the system to scan her; the cubs in her belly belonged precisely to Xuan Xiao, Fu Ning, and Herman.

This way, she felt she owed them nothing more.

All the males instantly felt a chill run through their bodies, their skin tightening.

Sa Yu quickly grabbed her hand, his eyes filled with panic. "No, Qing Qing, you said you would never leave me."

It couldn't be what he was thinking.

Sang Qing winced in pain, her expression changing slightly. Sa Yu quickly loosened his grip a little but still didn't let go.

"You'll know when the time comes."

Beyond that, she wouldn't answer any more questions.

Xuan Xiao had guessed a bit, while Fu Ning and Herman looked utterly bewildered.

"Qing Qing..." Xuan Xiao tilted his head, his gaze gradually deepening.

Sang Qing responded with a faint smile. "Go out, I need to rest."

But from that day on, Sang Qing was confined to the house by them.

She could still make arrangements and issue tasks externally, and they would diligently complete them, but she could no longer step half a foot outside the door.

Sang Qing didn't mind. She knew they could guess some of it and had long been mentally prepared.

She didn't think she was just joking either.

She continued living as usual, cultivating, studying, and managing everything in Beast King City.

The difference was that her bedroom door could no longer be closed. Even at night when sleeping, the whole family crowded into one room.

The intensity of Hot Season was waning; the Rainy Season was approaching, and Sang Qing's belly grew larger day by day.

Her body had become much fuller, the curve of her belly increasingly obvious. Her entire being looked fair and tender, completely unaffected.

Xuan Xiao and the others still took excellent care of her, with fresh food and fruits in constant demand every day.

She had gained weight, but they had lost a significant amount.

Zhou Wanwan had visited her many times during this period. Upon learning they were playing some kind of grand separation play, her expression became extremely strange.

With Sang Qing confined, the burden on Zhou Wanwan naturally increased. But her own belly was no smaller than Sang Qing's, so Sang Qing didn't dare assign her too many tasks, fearing it would affect her pregnancy.

The first heavy rain of Rainy Season arrived as scheduled.

The continuous gloomy rain mirrored the current mood of Xuan Xiao and the other males.

Watching Sang Qing's belly grow larger and larger, the unease in their hearts spread boundlessly.

They had begged, cried, and made a fuss, to no avail at all. At most, it made her look at them a few more times or say a few more words.

She had withdrawn all her affection for them, wrapping herself into a cocoon.

During this time, Chi Yu learned to write letters and had a beastman deliver a letter to her.

Sang Qing didn't mention this matter, and naturally, the other males didn't dare to either. It would be pointless to bring it up.

She replied to the letters as usual, and Chi Yu didn't become suspicious.

The Rainy Season didn't mean rain for all thirty-two hours of the day. It rained intermittently—sometimes during the day, sometimes at night.

For Sang Qing, the only benefit of the Rainy Season was that the flowers she planted on the rooftop received ample irrigation and were growing splendidly.

Taking advantage of a break in the rain, Sang Qing took the three Little Cubs to the rooftop for some fresh air.

Glancing at the sparsely green-covered Inner City, more beastmen were moving about now.

After watching for a while, Sang Qing turned and lay down on the rocking chair, watching the three little ones play on the mat.

The Little Cubs were almost over six months old, barely able to sit, but their suppressed temperaments were gradually emerging.

Whether it was snatching toys, biting thighs, or slapping faces, they could cry eight hundred times a day over various minor incidents.

For now, they were well-behaved. With Sa Yu playing with them, each one was obedient.

Sang Qing touched her belly. It seemed this litter would be born in the Cold Season.

Fu Ning walked over to Sang Qing with a plate of cut fruit and carefully crouched down. "Qing Qing, try the Milk Fruit I just traded for at the Market. It's very sweet."

Nowadays, they could barely speak much to her in a day. Fu Ning's impatient nature was suppressed again and again, ultimately making him seem unlike his former self. In secret, he cried several times a day, much like the Little Cubs.

Sang Qing didn't stand on ceremony and took the fruit. "Thank you!"

Still like this!!

Fu Ning immediately burst into tears, covering his chest in sorrow as he left.

Sang Qing glanced at his retreating back and took a bite of the fruit.

Sweet? Not at all.

The wind drifted by, bringing scattered droplets of water.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sa Yu saw her indifferent demeanor and subconsciously clenched his fist.

He was equally heartbroken.

He had originally thought his mate might treat him a bit differently, but this time she seemed resolute, treating everyone equally with polite detachment.

In the past, such interactions were warm, but now... they were heart-wrenching.

Zhou Wanwan had recently been endlessly pestered by Sang Qing's mates.

They seemed determined to pester her, constantly hovering around her all day, even making her own mate quite jealous.

She knew they wanted to find a solution to the conflict from her.

But what could she do?

However, during this time, she accidentally let slip and told them that Sang Qing planned to separate from them after giving birth to the cubs.

Upon hearing this news, their faces instantly turned deathly pale, completely bloodless.

Zhou Wanwan felt immensely guilty again, silently cursing herself for her loose tongue.

Helpless, Zhou Wanwan went to find Sang Qing, intending to explain.

After listening, Sang Qing heaved a heavy sigh.

"You really know how to create trouble for me."

She still had two months before giving birth. She could imagine their agonizing state of mind.

Originally, she had planned to leave afterward, but now it would probably be difficult.

A blunt knife cutting flesh is the most painful.

She didn't want it to be like this.

Zhou Wanwan hung her head dejectedly, tugging at Sang Qing's sleeve, and spoke pitifully, "I didn't mean to.

But sister, are you really going to do this? They actually already know they were wrong."

Regarding Xuan Xiao and the others' various attempts at reconciliation, she had clearly seen them all.

Compared to ordinary males, they had really tried every possible method.

Sigh, although sympathizing with men leads to great misfortune, she still couldn't help but speak up for them.

Sang Qing remained silent for a moment, gently stroking her belly. "It's not their fault. It was my own lack of resolve from the start."

If she had disregarded Fu Ning's life or death from the beginning and refused the Pair Bonding, perhaps things wouldn't have gotten to this point.

"But if you really leave, they... probably won't have a will to live." Zhou Wanwan observed her expression and spoke cautiously.

Based on her understanding of her mates over this long time, tsk, their lives were almost entirely in Sang Qing's hands.

Her every action affected them.

Sang Qing smiled, stood up, and walked around the room, her gaze calm. "No, they will live well, with the cubs here."

Otherwise, she wouldn't have made this decision so easily.

Zhou Wanwan scratched her temple. "But there's still so much life left to live. Can you bear to let them..."

She found the latter half of the sentence difficult to utter.

But it was the reality.

They were still very young. Sang Qing had just reached adulthood, and her mates were only a few years older than her.

Given their current warrior ranks, barring accidents, they could easily live to seventy or eighty.

That meant they would spend three-fifths of their lives mired in endless emptiness and torment.

Just thinking about it made her heart ache.

If they had committed unforgivable mistakes, it would be one thing, but they hadn't... sigh!

It's just that her opinion didn't count, because when her own mates annoyed her, she directly gave them a good beating.

Sang Qing leaned against the window, watching the drifting drizzle, her thoughts somewhat tangled. "Do you think I haven't wavered?"

The heart is made of flesh, after all.

"Then... then just forgive them!" Zhou Wanwan became excited, waving her hands, a bright smile spreading across her face.

Finally, the storm was about to pass and clear skies were returning, right?