Werebeast Gongs CH 119 Spring Has Arrived
These past few days might have been the most peaceful Lei Jin had experienced since coming to this world. Xiya and Moya were about to return, and Mingya now dutifully reported to Chunji’s place every morning after breakfast. Regardless of whether his leg would fully recover, at least he seemed to have moved past that dark period of self-doubt.
Little Grapes had grown two teeth and now gnawed on anything he could get his hands on, his lively antics endearing him to everyone. The weather grew warmer day by day, and even the tiny streams that had dried up in winter now shimmered with shallow puddles in front of every household.
On such a warm spring day, lying on the vast grasslands with his child, basking in the sunlight, was pure bliss.
"Ah-ah-ah…" Grapes nestled warmly against Lei Jin’s arm, tiny fists clenched tightly, his bright emerald eyes eagerly following the birds soaring overhead.
Lei Jin shielded his eyes with one hand and glanced up at the sky, sighing helplessly at his son. "They’re flying too high. Your ol’ dad can’t catch them." In other words, give up now, son.
"Ah-ah-ah…"
"Protest denied. Next time, ask your three dads to chase them for you. Your ol’ dad doesn’t have wings." This was just an unreasonable request.
Who knew you could hold a conversation with a three-month-old baby? Lei Jin, you’re truly a dedicated father.
"Little Grapes, call me 'Dad,' won’t you?" Delusional was the only word to describe this man’s antics.
Grapes sucked on his tiny fist, stubbornly ignoring him.
"Da—d. Grapes, say 'Dad.' Da—d." Lei Jin, ever persistent, lifted his son by the armpits and brought him face-to-face, enunciating each word slowly and clearly.
Grapes smacked his lips and—pfft!—sprayed a mouthful of drool right onto his ol’ dad’s nose.
"You little rascal! You smell like milk!" Lei Jin wiped his face in defeat, then retaliated by planting a noisy kiss on those chubby cheeks.
Grapes squirmed, giggling and dodging his father’s affectionate assault. Despite all his clever tricks, Lei Jin was utterly powerless against this tiny creature who had popped out of his own belly. One look at that innocent little face, and his heart melted.
After much effort, Grapes had finally gained some weight, his complexion rosier now, his body solid and warm in Lei Jin’s arms. Yet he still needed medicine with every meal and regular acupuncture sessions.
How could anyone not dote on such a precious little thing who had suffered so much? Lei Jin thought.
A familiar female from the tribe came by to inform Lei Jin that the werebeasts from the spring hunt had returned early and were already at the village entrance. Mingya was still at Chunji’s for his treatment, while Mura and Zhu Xi had gone to gather spring shoots in the mountains.
Lei Jin carried Grapes back inside and dragged Roger—who had been hunched over the table, scribbling something—out with him. The streets were lively, with many people lounging on stools, soaking up the sun. But the peaceful scene was soon disrupted by the crowd surging toward the village entrance.
Everyone seemed anxious, waiting restlessly. Lei Jin, not wanting to stand out, nudged Roger and whispered, "Weren’t the werebeasts supposed to be back? Why does no one look happy?"
"In past years, a dozen or so always died during the spring hunt. Even if it’s better this time, people are used to worrying. Until they see their loved ones, no one can truly relax," Roger murmured back.
Lei Jin nodded. That made sense.
The crowd at the front began to stir—likely the werebeasts had arrived. Those behind pushed forward, but Lei Jin, afraid someone might bump into Grapes, pulled Roger aside to wait by the roadside.
The first group of werebeasts entered, laden with prey, immediately swarmed by their families. Lei Jin didn’t spot any familiar faces, so he focused on holding Grapes steady while standing on a nearby rock to peer into the distance.
But neither Xiya nor Moya was in sight. Not even An Sen or An Luo.
As the crowd thinned, leaving only a handful of females behind, Lei Jin hopped down, puzzled. "Did they come back in batches? Roger, what’s wrong? You look terrible."
Roger’s lips trembled. He opened his mouth several times but couldn’t utter a sound.
"Roger, don’t scare me like this. Are you feeling unwell? Let me take you home. Can you walk, or should I carry you?" Lei Jin had no idea what had suddenly come over him.
"Lei Jin." Roger closed his eyes in anguish. After twenty years of detached observation, was it finally his turn?
"Yeah?"
"Let’s go check. Maybe they fell behind." Roger’s voice was hollow.
Lei Jin’s heart sank. He’d considered that possibility but quickly shook his head, his gaze firm. "Let’s see them first before jumping to conclusions."
To be honest, Roger’s mind was in turmoil. He desperately needed some reassurance from Lei Jin.
Nearby, some females had already begun weeping softly.
Lei Jin and Roger walked a few hundred meters beyond the village before spotting a group of werebeasts flying toward them. Even in beast form, Lei Jin immediately recognized Xiya and Moya. They, along with two others, were hauling a vine stretcher bearing someone.
As they landed at the village entrance and shifted back to human form, Moya reached out to touch Lei Jin’s face, his expression fatigued but affectionate. "Why come all the way out here? You could’ve waited at home. We’ll be back after distributing the prey."
Xiya, now free, took Grapes and bounced him in his arms, grinning. "He’s chubbier. Our little chubby son."
Seeing them unharmed, Lei Jin finally relaxed. Though he hadn’t shown it earlier, he’d been terrified.
"Chief, what happened to you?" Lei Jin now noticed An Bu lying on the stretcher.
An Bu’s gaze had been fixed on Roger, who was talking to An Sen and An Luo. Only when Lei Jin spoke did he snap out of it, his face flushing slightly. He cleared his throat. "Ah, Lei Jin. You came too?"
So not only did he not hear my question, he didn’t even notice me standing right here? Lei Jin thought, exasperated.
But he kept his tone polite—after all, this was Moya’s father. "Yeah, Roger and I came together. Are you badly hurt?"
"Nothing serious. Just a wing injury. Couldn’t fly back on my own."
"That’s good, that’s good." Lei Jin rubbed his nose, at a loss for what else to say. Should he yell, "Stop staring! Roger hasn’t even glanced your way!"?
By the time they returned to the village, Zhu Xi and Mura had heard the news and rushed over. The injured werebeasts—only about a dozen, all conscious and seemingly not gravely hurt—were sent home first.
But An Bu, as chief, had no such luck. He had to oversee the fair distribution of the hunted prey in the square before the temple.
Since An Bu’s family hadn’t been home in a while, and given the rare occasion of everyone surviving the spring hunt, they decided to have a reunion dinner at Roger’s place that night.
Lei Jin took charge of cooking, with Mura assisting. The menu included fragrant smoked fish stir-fried with scallions, glazed braised pork in soy sauce, crucian carp and tofu soup, and a simple stir-fry of tender spring shoots. Paired with a basket of steaming flatbreads fresh off the stove, the spread wasn’t elaborate but was more than enough to feed everyone—with leftovers to spare.
It wasn’t until bath time that Lei Jin discovered Xiya and Moya weren’t as unscathed as they’d appeared. Both bore injuries, though none were serious, so he didn’t press further.
"How was the journey?" Lei Jin lounged lazily on the bed after his bath.
"Started smoothly, following our plan. But on the way back, near the Wolf Tribe, Yu Qi ambushed us with some of his people, trying to steal our prey. Didn’t succeed, but we had some wounded," Moya replied, gently patting Grapes, who was drowsing in his arms.
"How shameless." Lei Jin muttered. When pushed to desperation, people would do anything. He understood—but when it involved his own family, sympathy went out the window.
They couldn't let this slide. Yu Qi had hosted them once, so Lei Jin wouldn’t seek his life, but the matter couldn’t end here. Yu Qi seemed to love being chief very much, maybe it was time for a change. His eyes darkened briefly before he lowered his lashes, masking his thoughts.
Moya, busy kissing Grapes’ chubby cheeks, missed the look. He sighed. "We did lose one person. You might know him—Pei Ning, the one who often visited Chunji."
"Him?" Lei Jin was stunned. He did know Pei Ning—one of the two werebeasts frequently seen with Chunji, and the one Chunji seemed to treat differently.
"What happened? During the hunt or the fight with the Wolf Tribe?" Did Chunji know yet?
"Neither. We were about to leave the valley with our prey when Pei Ning spotted something and climbed a sheer cliff alone. Rocks broke loose and he fell with them. We searched for hours but only found his pouch. With more stones falling and the exit half-blocked, we had to retreat. No chance he survived."
Losing someone they knew left no one unaffected. Lei Jin felt all the more grateful that Xiya and the others had returned safely.
"Little Brother, while your Second Brother and I were away, you certainly didn’t hold back, did you?" Xiya gritted his teeth, dragging Mingya by the collar into the outer room while Moya and Lei Jin talked.
"Mingya doesn’t understand." Clueless as ever.
Xiya, frustrated by his obliviousness, pinned him against the wall and smirked. "Don’t tell me you didn’t devour Lei Jin from head to toe these past weeks." The moment he’d seen Lei Jin, he’d noticed—the scent of someone thoroughly loved lingered on him. And the state of their bedroom only confirmed it.
Mingya, recalling Lei Jin’s pliant body beneath him, flushed crimson. Rubbing his head, he grinned shyly yet triumphantly, sparking a surge of jealousy in Xiya, who now desperately wanted to storm back in and claim Lei Jin in the most primal way possible.
But he could only fantasize. Lei Jin had already laid down the law: Tonight, everyone rests. And disobeying was not an option.
Lei Jin visited Chunji several times but was turned away each time. In the end, he entrusted some of the hunted game to Tian Qi, who came daily to treat Mingya’s leg, to deliver to Chunji.
As the days grew warmer, especially after a few spring showers, hints of green began to dot the grasslands. And unless it was his imagination, the frequency with which those three dragged him into bed seemed to have increased with the rising temperatures—often with the added thrill of shifting into beast form.
Were it not for his vigilance, Lei Jin might already be carrying another child. But prevention was only temporary. Gazing at the sky, he adopted a deeply troubled expression.
Is spring mating season for leopards or something?