109: Chapter 109 I tried, she loves me.

Tang Ruan walked back to her room with her head down.

She closed the door and sat on the bed.

She exhaled a long breath.

Her chest felt heavy and painful, as if pressed down by a giant boulder.

"Thump!"

The door was suddenly kicked open.

Tang Ruan was startled.

She saw Hu Niu walking in, carrying a wooden crate half as tall as a person.

"Sister Tang Ruan, this was sent to you personally by the City Lord!"

Whenever a City Lord came, they would always bring some items for Yan Qing.

Although Yan Qing never asked for them, nor did he care.

They would still send them.

Occasionally, some City Lords would send gifts to her separately.

To express their gratitude to the Divine Maiden.

Tang Ruan was in a bad mood and didn't even look at it.

"Just put it there!"

"Oh!" Hu Niu noticed she seemed unhappy. "Sister, what's wrong? Did the Beast King bully you? I'll help you beat him up!"

Tang Ruan was amused.

Hu Niu truly lived up to her name; she was quite fierce and bold.

As if she could discipline Yan Qing?

The fact that she could say that already touched Tang Ruan deeply.

Unlike most Female Beastmen who needed to be supported by many Beast Husbands.

Hu Niu was very independent; she hated Male Beastmen.

Because she was born after her mother was forced by several Rogue Beasts.

Although her mother, out of reluctance, chose not to absorb it and instead gave birth to Hu Niu.

But she didn't want Hu Niu to encounter the same thing.

Therefore, to protect her, she made her pretend to be a Male Beastman since she was a child.

After puberty, she had to live a hidden life.

Fearing she would be targeted by Rogue Beasts who did not fear the Beast God's punishment.

Later, she was still almost forced...

So, in Hu Niu's eyes, even Yan Qing, who had saved her.

As long as it was a male, it couldn't be considered a "good person."

Seeing Tang Ruan lie down to rest, Hu Niu left the room quietly.

She walked out very obediently.

She stood at the door, guarding it like a statue.

No one was allowed to disturb Sister Tang Ruan's sleep!

Tang Ruan thought that as long as she fell asleep, she wouldn't have to think about things between her and Hu Che.

As a result, she dreamt about him all night.

It was all so vivid.

She went to sleep early and woke up at dawn.

She pushed the door open and found Hu Niu leaning against the doorframe, asleep on the floor.

Tang Ruan nudged her awake. "Go back to your room to sleep."

"Okay..."

Hu Niu's room was near Tang Ruan's.

She rubbed her eyes and walked away, still groggy.

Yan Qing did not return to stay.

Hu Niu had really driven him to another room.

Tang Ruan shook her head; she really was an impressive Female Beastman.

She walked back into the room.

Her gaze inadvertently fell on the large wooden crate.

Suddenly, she was drawn to a rose carved on the wooden crate.

She walked over and opened the crate.

It was a crate full of clothes for all four seasons.

As well as various accessories and novel little trinkets.

Tang Ruan liked every single one of them.

It was as if the original owner of the crate knew her preferences very well and had prepared this for a long time.

Whenever they found something suitable for her, they would put it in.

Besides Yan Qing, who could understand her so well?

But Hu Niu said it was sent by a City Lord.

Suddenly, Tang Ruan recognized that some of the items belonged to the Jiao Clan.

Items from the Jiao Clan often had streamlined patterns and were very exquisite.

Items from the Jiao Clan... Could this crate of things be...

Tang Ruan's heavy heart suddenly felt light.

But she dared not be certain, fearing she would be disappointed.

Because not long ago, Hu Che had just "kept his distance" from her.

She took them out one by one to look at them.

Suddenly, a white dress caught her attention.

The dress was made of an unknown material; even in the dim light, it shimmered brilliantly.

That was the dress she had worn in her dreams!

She had even used it to bandage Hu Che's wound!

She couldn't wait to put it on.

It fit surprisingly well.

Beastmen had long lifespans, and in these few years, her figure had hardly changed.

Only someone who had truly held her would know her waist size...

So, these were sent by Hu Che!

He must have found out about Hu Mo and didn't know how to face her, which was why he acted like that!

Tang Ruan lay back down, feeling happy.

She planned to find Hu Che the next day and ask him clearly.

As a result, because she was too happy, she fell asleep in bliss...

When she woke up.

She learned that he had gone out early in the morning.

She took a bunch of his favorite grapes from her space and placed them on the stone table in the garden.

He would definitely pass by here when he returned.

Tang Ruan waited while eating.

Suddenly, she heard someone talking—

"Have you heard? Hu Che is going to form a contract with the Merfolk Princess!"

Tang Ruan almost choked to death on the grape that had slipped down her throat.

She stubbornly used her willpower to swallow it.

The ones speaking were the two City Lords who had come to see Yan Qing yesterday.

They probably thought there was no one in the garden, so they were chatting behind the flower bushes.

"Who did you hear that from?"

Tang Ruan pricked up her ears.

"Every Beastman in Red Fox City knows.

If it weren't for the Merfolk Princess liking Hu Che, would the Jiao Clan give the Red Fox Tribe such great convenience?

Not only letting them sail on the sea and trade with the Beastmen living on the islands.

But also letting them take Jiao Clan items to trade with the Beast Kingdom."

"That's true..." This Beastman seemed to start agreeing with his point. "In my memory, the Jiao Clan is very arrogant and looks down on us completely.

Anyone who dares to approach the sea gets eaten by the sea beasts they control!"

"I heard that people from the Jiao Clan have long been taking Beast Husbands from the Fox Tribe.

Back then, the Merfolk Princess actually liked Hu Che's older brother, but then his older brother went missing.

That's why she chose Hu Che instead."

"Then how would the Fox Tribe live in the sea?"

"Not sure."

"What do the Jiao Clan people look like?"

"Haven't seen them."

"I heard the Jiao Clan guards the Beast God Mountain—"

"Oh! These things aren't important!" The speaking Beastman suddenly raised his volume, looked left and right, then lowered his voice. "Don't you understand yet? The Merfolk Princess! She is the future leader of the Jiao Clan!

If Hu Che follows her and gains favor, his sphere of influence might become larger than the Beast King's!"

Compared to the land, the endless sea was simply too vast.

Although they hadn't been there, they had seen it from the mountains.

"Beast God! No wonder Hu Che acts like he doesn't care about anything.

And doesn't even look at the Female Beastmen of the Beast Kingdom."

The grapes were sweet.

But the sweetness in Tang Ruan's mouth suddenly vanished.

She seemed to understand why Hu Che had kept his distance from her while sending her gifts.

He liked her—perhaps a little.

But how could that compare to the power granted by the Jiao Clan?

Moreover, all fairy tales told her that merfolk should be very, very beautiful...

Tang Ruan felt she was being far too sentimental.

To actually think he would be unable to forget her.

After those two Beastmen left.

Tang Ruan also stood up and left.

Hu Che, returning from outside, saw Tang Ruan's back as she left the garden...

He was just about to chase after her.

"City Lord!"

Suddenly, a Male Beastman blocked his path and bowed to Hu Che.

Hu Che recognized him as one of Yan Qing's men.

He frowned. "Something?"

"The Beast King wants to see you."

Hu Che sneered.

"Coming at a really good time."

His gaze fell on the stone table in the garden.

---

Beast King Palace.

Hu Che took half a blue seashell from his space.

The seashell shimmered with flowing light, forming a mysterious pattern.

"The thing you wanted."

Hu Che handed the Jiao Clan's pass to Yan Qing.

Yan Qing raised his hand, and the pass flew automatically into his hand.

"It's only valid for the near future, go as soon as possible." Hu Che added.

"Okay."

The two had no further exchange.

Hu Che turned around, ready to walk out of the Beast King Palace.

Yan Qing suddenly called out to him, "Hu Che! Don't forget what you promised me.

Unless Tang Ruan asks for it herself... otherwise, I will not agree to you becoming her Beast Husband!"

Hu Che stopped, turned his face.

And revealed a confident smile. "Don't worry! I have tried, she loves me."