Werebeast Gongs CH 122 The Tribal Fair
It was just occasional nausea, no other symptoms. It didn't necessarily mean he was pregnant. Lei Jin shook his head, trying to dislodge the thought of being pregnant from his mind. Last time, he could at least be certain the child in his belly was Xiya's or Moya's. But if he really was pregnant this time, he genuinely wasn't sure whose it was.
The whole family was busy in the yard, cutting meat into uniform chunks and marinating them, preparing crispy fried meat to sell at the fair. Lei Jin sat inside holding Grapes, with no intention of helping. The smell of the meat churned his stomach uncomfortably. Getting too close, he was afraid he might vomit on the spot. Of course, no one expected him to help anyway. In this household, he and Roger always received preferential treatment. Hard, tiring, or dirty work seemed to have nothing to do with them. Even before they could think of doing it, the werebeasts in the family had everything prepared.
After the rain, the green bean sprouts under the eaves had grown splendidly. Rows of lush, tender green shoots promised a good harvest. Lei Jin plucked one and put it in Grapes's hand. The baby could play with it happily for half the day.
Grapes was now six months old. Just a little while ago, he still needed cotton cloth support to sit up. But starting this month, he could sit steadily on his own.
Seeing his son's innocent, curious expression as he happily played with the bean sprout, Lei Jin unconsciously wore a doting smile. It wasn't until he became a father himself that he understood there was a softest place in his heart. As for the past, he didn't dwell on it much anymore. Everyone had their own path to walk. Maybe staying here with those three was the path meant for him. As for the woman who abandoned him… he’d just accept he had no parental affinity. One couldn't be too greedy, expecting everything to be perfect.
Moya lifted him and pressed him onto the bed. One hand undid his trousers, the other cradled the back of his neck as he kissed Lei Jin's lips. His lower body slid between Lei Jin's legs, rubbing suggestively and heatedly against him twice. His lips, still glistening faintly with moisture, brushed Lei Jin's ear as he whispered, "He says he misses you."
Lei Jin pinched his cheeks and tugged twice, feigning surprise. "Are you sure you're Moya, not Xiya?" He thought such flirtatious, roguish talk only came from Xiya.
"Can I stay with you tonight?" Moya kissed his eyelashes and asked with a smile.
Lei Jin looked back at him for a moment, then nodded with a smile. But he quickly added, "I'm a bit tired. Tonight, just sleeping, nothing else." He didn't know if there really was a child in his belly. It was better to be cautious for a while.
Moya paused slightly, but readily agreed. He settled beside him, leaning close. He could tell Lei Jin was genuinely refusing this time. Though they were often forceful in bed, they also knew Lei Jin enjoyed the pleasure they gave him then. This was different.
"Moya? Are you asleep?" Lei Jin shifted in Moya's embrace.
"Not yet. Did you have something to say today?" Moya asked softly, lowering his head. He'd sensed Lei Jin seemed a bit off tonight.
"If... I mean if... if the next child is Xiya's or Mingya's..." He couldn't finish the sentence because he didn't even understand what he wanted to say. Grapes had come too suddenly, leaving him no time to think. Back then, his mind was solely focused on how to return to his original world. This time, he could finally think about the child, but he didn't know why he felt compelled to ask Moya's opinion.
"Are you pregnant?" Moya's hand slid under the blanket towards Lei Jin's still-flat stomach.
"I said if." He wasn't even sure himself.
"Either is fine. I'd love them anyway. If that's what you're asking me. Besides, I already have Grapes." Moya tightened his arm around Lei Jin's waist. After a moment of silence, he continued in a low voice, "Papa and my fathers have always been very loving towards me. But I couldn't help wondering before... if I was the superfluous one in the family. Because my existence always reminded Papa of those... unpleasant past events, and it worried my fathers too." These thoughts had always been buried deep inside; he'd never spoken of them to anyone. But he wanted to tell Lei Jin. This would be the first and last time.
"They wouldn't think that way," Lei Jin offered awkwardly, not very skilled at comfort.
"Mm. I have you now. And Grapes. I've let go of all those thoughts." Lei Jin couldn't see Moya's expression in the dark, but he sensed his mood wasn't heavy. That eased his mind a little. "Now, my only focus is making sure you and Grapes live comfortably, and our whole family is happy."
"Have I ever told you... thank you for giving birth to Grapes?"
"No," Lei Jin stated very firmly.
"Really, I haven't?" Though Lei Jin couldn't see, Moya still felt a bit embarrassed. "I always meant to say it, but never found the right chance. Then I'll say it now. Thank you, Lei Jin. Thank you for giving me little Grapes."
"He's my son. What's it to you?" Lei Jin retorted uncomfortably, wrinkling his nose. Maybe it was his age, but such mushy words practically killed him.
"I love you, Lei Jin. That won't change." Moya chuckled softly. Seeing Lei Jin like this, he actually felt more at ease. Sensing a trace of unease in him, Moya repeated it. "It won't change."
"Sleep." Lei Jin adopted an 'end of discussion' expression and buried his head in Moya's chest, closing his eyes. He felt Moya's gaze linger on his face for a while before it finally withdrew.
Listening to Moya's steady heartbeat, his own heart settled into peace. He knew Moya meant it. But from the moment he decided to accept Xiya and Mingya, he could no longer say those words back.
Life had no 'what ifs' and no turning back. Since he'd made his choice, whatever the outcome, he would keep walking forward.
The rainy season arrived, triggering the great migration of animals northward. Mingya carried Lei Jin to the grasslands several times to watch. The vast, surging spectacle was truly magnificent, leaving Lei Jin at a loss for words to describe its grandeur. Since they were out there anyway, they caught a small antelope – the meat was quite tasty. But after witnessing firsthand the speed of the antelope, Lei Jin quickly changed his mind. He planned to train it as a mount. He'd even considered catching a baby elephant, thinking its strength could be useful for plowing fields. However, the mother elephants were far too formidable, chasing him and Mingya back with their tails figuratively between their legs.
Back home, An Sen saw their disheveled state and heard of their "glorious" exploit. He laughed until he nearly choked, saying, "Thank goodness you didn't catch one! Otherwise, the tribe would have been attacked by the herd. They are fiercely protective of their young."
After talking with Moya and with no sign of a swelling belly, Lei Jin remained cautious but didn't alter his plans drastically. He went about his original schedule: learned some carpentry skills from Jia He to craft a tumbler toy and a rattle drum for Grapes; joined groups of females and werebeasts foraging deep in the mountains for seasonal wild greens. After several trips, the harvest was quite substantial. At the very least, he found common vegetables like leeks, celery, cilantro, and spinach. He carefully transplanted them into his vegetable garden.
Every day, carrying Grapes, he would stroll around his plot, admiring the fruits of his labor. The seedlings had looked a bit droopy when first planted, but after a few rains, they perked up, gradually standing tall and turning vibrant green.
The tribe's annual fair arrived on schedule. It was held on the vast grasslands not far from the Leopard Tribe. The site was spacious. Tribes that had arrived early were busy setting up animal skin tents. Jing Ping, Jing Yue, and their father Kun Ge arrived. Their papa, Hao Chen, was said to be ill and couldn't make it. However, he sent Jing Ping with a set of newly made clothes and two jars of honey-brewed fruit wine. The crow had returned with Jing Ping's group.
As soon as it entered, it flapped around Lei Jin seeking praise for its efforts, only to be shooed away with a piece of meat. Even after eating its fill, it flew over to Mingya to complain tearfully, "I worked so hard to deliver the message! And I get shunned! Shunned!"
Mingya patiently coaxed it for most of the evening to no avail. Lei Jin, unable to sleep due to the noise and feeling irritable, grabbed it by the wings and tossed it far out the window. The next day, it was back, as spinelessly affectionate with Lei Jin as ever, earning everyone's profound disdain.
These fairs lasted a month each time: spring in Leopard territory, summer in Bear territory, autumn in Wolf territory, and winter in Tiger territory. The Merfolk and Feather tribes weren't particularly enthusiastic, but they never missed one. Each tribe occupied a corner of the fairground. Lei Jin's group had the home advantage. They'd already set up a simple thatched shed, quite conspicuous among the sea of tents. A large wok for frying oil sat in the center, surrounded by shelves holding basins of marinated meat. Tables and stools were borrowed and scattered casually within the shed.
On the morning the fair opened, Xiya and the others managed the stall. Lei Jin, carrying Grapes, pulled Roger along to wander around. When he encountered unfamiliar things, Roger could explain. Though the weather wasn't great, the crowds were large. The vast space prevented it from feeling crowded. Walking through, they saw that animal skins, various foods, and clothing were common offerings from every tribe. The distinctive items were: Leopard Tribe's coarse pottery; Tiger Tribe's various bone implements – tools and ornaments, all finely polished; Feather Tribe's medicinal herbs (their location in the far north also meant their hunted pelts were exceptionally fine and warm); Merfolk Tribe's goods were all novel and surprising to the land-dwelling werebeasts. Comparatively, the Wolf Tribe's products seemed weaker, but they had mysteriously brought a new type of oil this year. Much fresher than animal fat, it was immensely popular. Others might not know, but Lei Jin recognized it instantly – peanut oil! They'd actually managed to produce it after he mentioned it once back in Wolf territory. And Qinghe was among those selling the oil. This was the opportunity Lei Jin had been waiting for.
Everything else was understandable, but what truly astonished Lei Jin was the Bear Tribe. Their prized offerings were bronze and iron implements! Though the variety was small – bronze items were limited to knives of various lengths, and iron items were just a few simple hoes and iron plates – the fact that they could smelt bronze and iron was impressive enough.
However, not only were the prices exorbitant, but upon hearing they were from the Leopard Tribe, the Bear tribespeople made no secret of their refusal: they wouldn't sell anything to anyone from the Wolf or Leopard tribes. The feud from fighting ran deep. Just then, a black-haired, brown-eyed werebeast emerged from the largest tent in the Wolf Tribe area. He walked straight up to Lei Jin and called out, "Papa!"
A vein pulsed visibly on Lei Jin's forehead. Being called 'papa' by a middle-aged werebeast made him want to commit murder.
The people nearby respectfully addressed the man: "Chief."
The man seemed to realize his mistake. He scrutinized Lei Jin again, then murmured with disappointment, "Actually, upon closer inspection, the resemblance isn't really there. It's just these dark eyes... they're too similar."
Lei Jin really wanted to roar, 'Go to our place! Dark eyes are everywhere! Are you going to grab everyone and call them mom?!' But he quickly guessed the likely reason. Back when Tian Qi met him outside the forbidden land, he'd mentioned a black-haired, dark-eyed female who left this world forty years ago. If he guessed correctly, this man was probably the child left behind.
Lei Jin kissed Grapes in his arms. The little rascal, now sporting four milk teeth, was gnawing vigorously on the softwood tumbler in his grasp.
Lei Jin and Roger were invited inside the tent for a conversation. The man introduced himself as Le Yang. Before they left, Le Yang sold them two small bronze knives and a small iron hoe at an extremely low price. He also invited them to visit the Bear Tribe sometime, seeming sincere, not just making polite conversation.
However, just a few steps outside the tent, Le Yang chased after them and asked, "A werebeast from the Leopard tribe died during the spring hunt this year. Did you know him?"