Chapter 5: Temporary Residence

"Huli'er, be quiet! If you need anything, go find your mother!" Hu Wei barked, stopping Huli'er in her tracks.

Qi Yue noticed Huli'er shooting her a look of pure spite before leaving. *Sigh,* she wondered, how would she try to harm her next? If she had known, she never would have chosen Shi De in the first place. How had she ever managed to provoke such a petty-minded female?

"Qi Yue, is there anything else?" the Clan Chief asked.

"Clan Chief, I have been in a coma for three years. I would like to know if my parents' house is still standing," Qi Yue said, forced to consider how she would survive.

"That house collapsed under the heavy snow the winter before last. Hu Yue has already built a new house on that spot. How about I assign a beastman to take care of you?" Hu Wei suggested after a moment of thought.

Upon hearing this, Qi Yue quickly took the little red bird off her head and asked, "Clan Chief, can you tell what beast species this is? Does it have any special requirements when it transforms?"

"Is this the one that hatched from the egg you laid?" When Hu Wei saw Qi Yue nod, he took a closer look at the little bird. "I have never seen a beastman with this kind of animal form before."

A trace of disappointment crossed Qi Yue's face; even the Clan Chief did not recognize its species. "Clan Chief, I would like to take the opportunity to visit other tribes. I hope I can find its father before it transforms. Is there any vacant house in the tribe that I could borrow for a while? It is spring now, and since it is just the two of us, finding food shouldn't be a problem."

"Very well. Xiong Jia passed away a while ago. His house is still empty, and his daily necessities are still there; they are yours now," Hu Wei decided.

"Grandpa Xiong Jia has passed away?" Qi Yue asked in disbelief. After her own parents died, he was the only old neighbor who had been kind to her. He had always taken good care of her, and she had treated him like her own grandfather.

"Yes, he was killed by a beast that broke into the tribe early this spring," Hu Wei said, his face filled with sorrow. "By the way, the Luojia Festival is in four months. This year, it will be held at the Moqi Tribe in the west. Whoever goes then can take you with them so you can search for the father there."

The Luojia Festival was, in essence, a trading gathering between beastman tribes, usually held after the rainy season ended.

"Thank you, Clan Chief. I will trouble you with the arrangements then," Qi Yue said, stepping forward to express her gratitude.

"It is no trouble. Lang En, Ling'er's brother, will be leading the team this time; I will inform him. You go find him in three months," Hu Wei said before leaving with the three elders.

After the Clan Chief left, Lu Li said indignantly, "I can't believe such a beastman exists! Can one break a vow just because of a disfigurement? You were smart, Qi Yue; otherwise, dissolving the bond wouldn't have been so easy. But what is that red paste all over your face?"

"It's juice from the Crimson Beauty herb. The color will fade on its own in seven days. Sister Yue insisted on wearing this red blotch for several days. I tried to persuade her to use Phoenix Juice, which washes off instantly, but she insisted on this, saying only the darker color would be effective," Ling'er explained with a pout.

"It doesn't matter, Ling'er. Don't you want to see how people react to my disfigurement? You should pay close attention, especially to the attitude of the male beastmen. You will be an adult in a few years, and you must not choose a beastman who judges by appearances alone. Looks are not permanent; injuries, illness, and aging can all change one's appearance. To love is to love the whole person, not just their looks," Qi Yue said, unconcerned with her own appearance, hoping instead that Ling'er would not repeat her mistakes.

"Exactly! Then, Sister Yue, I am going to follow you every day to see the true colors of those males and females. Teacher, give me a few days off, won't you?" Ling'er winked playfully at Lu Li.

"Fine. You usually take care of Qi Yue anyway; help her get reacquainted with the tribe. In truth, it hasn't changed much from three years ago," Lu Li said before walking away.

Qi Yue led Ling'er to the late Grandpa Xiong Jia's house.

"Grandpa Xiong Jia passed away in early spring. It is mid-spring now, only a month or so later. Let's clean up the place," Ling'er said in a somber tone.

The time system on the Beastman Continent was similar to the modern one, with twelve months in a year. However, it was divided into five seasons: Spring, Rain, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Spring corresponded to March through May, the Rainy season to June and July, Summer to August and September, Autumn to October and November, and Winter to December through February. The last two months of winter were also known as the Snow Season. Each month had thirty days, and each day lasted about thirty-six hours. The first day of the Snow Season was designated as the Festival of the Gods—the first day of the year—to thank the Beast God for his blessings and to pray for a bountiful harvest.

"Sigh! Grandpa Xiong Jia must have been lonely living alone. Perhaps returning to the embrace of the Beast God means he can be reunited with his mate. Let's start cleaning," Qi Yue said. She did not feel overly sad; after all, life in this society was harsh, especially for elderly people living alone. When they were too old to hunt, they relied entirely on the tribe's charity. These elderly beastmen had their own dignity, and their lives were not easy.

The two worked together—one fetching water, the other sweeping. Even though it was a single-room house, it took the two females two hours to clean it thoroughly, scrubbing every pot and basin twice.

"Qi Yue, are you in?" a voice called from outside.

Qi Yue and Ling'er stepped out to find Hu Yue and his mate, Bao Xue'er. Hu Yue was currently in his form as a large winged tiger, carrying Bao Xue'er, who was holding a large bundle.

Bao Xue'er climbed down, and Hu Yue shifted back into his human form, placing the bundle on the ground. Hu Yue gave the impression of being very steady; his hair was a shade darker than the Clan Chief's, and while he was not as heavily built, he was younger. Bao Xue'er had long, snow-white hair, light chestnut eyes, and skin slightly paler than Ling'er's; she was about the same height as Qi Yue.

"I'm so sorry, Qi Yue! We took your house. We thought that once you woke up, you would move into Shi De's place, so..." Bao Xue'er looked at Qi Yue with deep regret.

"It's alright. You couldn't have known this would happen. Besides, I'm doing quite well in Grandpa Xiong Jia's house. It's not like I have nowhere to live. Please don't take it to heart," Qi Yue said, stepping forward to take Bao Xue'er's hand.

"Qi Yue, this bundle contains things we cleared out from the original site before we built our house. You might still need them. To show our apology, Hu Yue will be responsible for your meat for the next seven days. Don't refuse! Otherwise, we will feel terrible," Bao Xue'er insisted.

Qi Yue thought for a moment and agreed. "Very well, seven days it is. But only enough for me and my child—five pounds of meat a day will be plenty."

"That won't do! That's too little," Bao Xue'er protested.

"It's just the two of us; we really don't eat that much. Besides, it's getting hotter, and fresh meat will spoil if we can't finish it. It's settled," Qi Yue said, asking Hu Yue to carry the bundle inside for her.

"Hu Yue, go hunting. I'll stay here and see if Qi Yue needs anything else," Bao Xue'er said, shooing him away.

Qi Yue, Lang Ling'er, and Bao Xue'er returned inside. "Everything is tidied up," Qi Yue said. "Now we just need to air out the animal skins."