300: Chapter 300 Declaring Sovereignty

Chapter 30: Asserting Ownership

Jin Yi had already restrained his emotions perfectly, yet when his gaze touched her bright and beautiful face, a ripple that was hard to detect still rose in the depths of his eyes.

His voice, however, was as calm as a deep pool: "The Clan Leader asked me to bring these two baskets of potatoes over, and the rest... are also left for you to manage."

"Left for me to manage?" Bai Wanwan's lips twitched.

She had planted these potatoes precisely to help the Golden Lion Tribe survive the famine during the Snow Season.

She couldn't possibly eat all of them herself.

"Hmm."

Jin Yi nodded, half of his face hidden in the shadows, "The Clan Leader said that since these were planted when you were pregnant with the Cubs, they should rightfully belong to you. When they need to be distributed, it is entirely up to your discretion."

Bai Wanwan had not originally intended to keep these potatoes for herself.

She didn't need so many, but remembering the beastmen who had made things difficult for her, she nodded without further hesitation.

"Fine, since the Clan Leader has arranged it this way, I will be the one to distribute them when the time comes."

If the two large baskets of potatoes were piled inside the house, the already crowded Stone House would appear even more cramped.

Just as she was frowning and wondering where to store them, Jin Yi, having noticed what she was troubled about, spoke up: "This Stone House has a cellar. You didn't notice it?"

"A cellar?" Bai Wanwan looked around in surprise, "Where? I really didn't notice it."

"Follow me." Jin Yi turned and walked toward the inner room.

Besides Xin Feng and Jin Yi, there were two other Males helping with the transport in the room, but Zhu Xiu and Yan Lie were nowhere to be seen.

Bai Wanwan followed in Jin Yi's footsteps and casually asked Xin Feng: "Where did Zhu Xiu and Yan Lie go? It's so late, why haven't they come back yet?"

"Yan Chi and his group had a fruitful harvest today," Xin Feng explained gently, "Zhu Xiu and Yan Lie went to carry back a few more pieces of prey."

While they were talking, they arrived at the room where Yan Lie lived.

Jin Yi walked over to the Stone Bed, raised his hand, and effortlessly lifted the stone slab on the bed.

Bai Wanwan leaned in to look, and saw stone steps winding downwards—there really was a cellar!

"The cellar isn't large, but it's more than enough to store food for your family."

Jin Yi said, gesturing for the two Males to carry the potatoes down.

The two Males carried the huge baskets, feeling their way down the steps, one by one, not very skillfully.

"I'll go get a light." Xin Feng turned and left.

Before long, only she and Jin Yi remained at the entrance.

Bai Wanwan curiously peered inside, and Jin Yi, noticing her action, asked in a low voice: "Do you want to go down and take a look?"

She was indeed curious; even if Jin Yi hadn't suggested it, she would have gone down to check it out later anyway.

"Hmm, how big is it down there?"

"Want to know? I'll accompany you down to see."

Jin Yi stepped aside to clear the path, signaling for her to go first.

Bai Wanwan lifted her skirt and carefully stepped onto the stone stairs.

It was pitch black below, and she could only hear the voices of the two Males who had gone down first.

"Young Clan Leader, should we put the whole basket down, or pour them out?"

"Just pour them out and pile them in the corner." Bai Wanwan answered for Jin Yi before he could.

She slowly moved downward, noticing that Jin Yi was following her in.

As the two were descending the stone stairs, suddenly, Bai Wanwan's foot slipped, and her whole body tilted backward.

The expected pain did not arrive; a sturdy arm firmly wrapped around her waist, and with a slight exertion of force, pulled her back.

Bai Wanwan was caught off guard and crashed into Jin Yi's chest; the impact made her chest ache.

"Are you okay?"

The tips of Jin Yi's ears turned red, but his voice remained steady.

"I'm fine."

After her soft reply, Bai Wanwan noticed that the arm around her waist had not let go.

In the dim light, through the thin beast skin, she could clearly feel his scorching body temperature.

Bai Wanwan suddenly raised her eyes to look at him, the corners of her lips curling into a smile, "How long does the Young Clan Leader intend to keep holding me?"

Jin Yi acted as if he had just woken from a dream, withdrawing his hand as if electrocuted.

The warmth and softness in his arms suddenly departed, and he clenched his fists.

Before he could speak, a beam of firelight illuminated the cellar from above, also lighting up the subtle expressions on both their faces.

Xin Feng walked over holding a torch; in the light, Jin Yi turned his face away, while Bai Wanwan watched him with great interest.

Last time, when she had been affected by a poisonous flower, she knew that she and Jin Yi had had intimate contact.

But she had assumed Jin Yi had no interest in her, and had originally intended to play dumb and let the matter pass.

But just now... he seemed reluctant to let go?

Having experienced three Beast Husbands, how could she fail to see his true feelings?

This was somewhat different from her previous speculation and understanding.

Xin Feng walked down from above holding the torch, keenly sensing that the atmosphere between the two was somewhat unusual.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Bai Wanwan withdrew her gaze and smiled at Xin Feng, "Nothing."

After speaking, she turned to examine this space of about six or seven square meters.

The potatoes had been poured into the corner, rolling everywhere.

Jin Yi's gaze followed her movements, landing on her slender back.

He kept warning himself that Bai Wanwan already had three Beast Husbands and would eventually leave the Tribe, so there was absolutely no possibility between them.

Yet his gaze always uncontrollably followed her figure.

Then let it be this way; indulge just once.

Anyway... they would all leave in the end.

The narrow cellar felt even more crowded due to the presence of the five beastmen.

Moreover, the cellar was narrow and had nothing else in it.

She suddenly lost interest, "I've seen enough, let's go up."

As the two Males carrying the empty baskets passed by, Bai Wanwan stepped aside to make way, but she remained standing in place.

Xin Feng held the torch, his gaze shifting from her to Jin Yi, as if he understood something.

"Wan Wan, I'll go up first to light the way for you."

"Okay."

Xin Feng walked up slowly, but didn't hear any movement following him.

He did not look back, nor did he ask; he quietly left the cellar.

In the dimness, Bai Wanwan and Jin Yi stood facing each other.

"Is the Young Clan Leader not going up?" Her brows and eyes were filled with smiles, looking exceptionally bright in the weak light.

Jin Yi's eyes flickered, "You go first."

Instead of leaving, Bai Wanwan took two steps forward, closing in on him: "Does the Young Clan Leader have nothing to say to me?"

At this moment, an unprecedented impulse surged in Jin Yi's chest: tell her, let her know of the feelings he had suppressed for so long.

Bai Wanwan took another step closer, almost pressing against him.

She lifted her face, her breath mingling with his: "Not saying a word—is there nothing to say?"

Jin Yi's pupils contracted, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Just at that instant, a sound came from above ground.

"Why are you standing here? Where is Wan Wan?" Zhu Xiu's deep voice penetrated the cellar.

"She is below." Xin Feng replied calmly.

"Oh?"

Zhu Xiu's figure appeared at the entrance, his vertical pupils flashing in the darkness, "The Young Clan Leader is also here?"

Jin Yi snapped back to reality, forcibly shifting his gaze away from Bai Wanwan.

He replied in a deep voice: "Yes, the Clan Leader asked me to bring some potatoes over."

Bai Wanwan knew this was not a good time to ask questions; she gave him a meaningful look, then turned and walked up the steps.

Grasping the hand Zhu Xiu extended, she felt him exert a slight force, and she left the stone steps.

Even after leaving the cellar, Zhu Xiu did not let go of her hand.

He looked straight at Jin Yi, his voice carrying a clear sense of asserting ownership: "Sorry to trouble the Young Clan Leader for coming all this way personally..."

Let me recommend my friend's book to everyone; those who are running out of things to read can go check it out.