Werebeast Gongs CH 132 The Journey Where They Met
The planned journey had to be delayed because An Bu's old injury relapsed. Everything else could be set aside; after all, human life was paramount. An Bu's injury fluctuated between better and worse, requiring constant care at his side. At night, everyone took turns keeping watch, but most of the time, it was Moya.
"Moya, go out and have dinner. I'll take over here." Lei Jin entered carrying a large bowl of soup and a stack of small flatbreads.
Moya wiped his face and stood up from beside the bed. He took the food from Lei Jin and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet. Xiya will bring me a bowl of food later. I'll eat here with the chief."
Moya nodded. He helped An Bu sit up and placed a long stone beside him to serve as a table.
"What are we having today?" An Bu asked with a smile.
"Bone broth soup and wild vegetable egg flatbread."
Xiya came in carrying two more bowls—one with Lei Jin's soup and another with cold-tossed water celery—and a damp towel draped over his arm.
"It looks delicious," An Bu said, wiping his own hands as Xiya and Moya left, continuing the conversation.
The bone broth, simmered until milky white, was rich and fragrant. It contained whole meatballs, bird eggs, blanched lotus root slices, and greens. The wild vegetable flatbreads were thin. The coarse flour had a slightly bitter taste, but mixed with the wild vegetables, it imparted a unique, natural freshness.
"Try this water celery too. No seasonings, just blanched in hot water with a pinch of salt," Lei Jin said naturally, picking up a bunch for him.
"Crisp and delicious. Your cooking has always been excellent," An Bu never hesitated to express his satisfaction with Lei Jin.
"You have good taste," Lei Jin grinned. He never knew modesty when it came to compliments.
"You and Roger are very different," An Bu glanced towards the door, his tone tinged with some emotion.
"Of course, I cook way better than him," Lei Jin feigned ignorance. These matters weren't for him to interfere with; continuing the topic would only upset An Bu.
An Bu smiled faintly, murmuring softly as if explaining, "I didn't mean anything else."
Lei Jin looked at him and said bluntly, "I can't help you with this. If you can't let go of Roger, then talk it out with him properly." He'd heard from Moya that Mura and Xia Wei had completed their bonding ceremony, Zhu Xi had moved in with them, and now only An Bu remained in that house. The message was clear: they would live separately from now on. He didn't understand what An Bu was still hesitating about.
"Rogee won't forgive me. He's hated me from the very beginning. The first time we were together... he was sick, not... entirely lucid," An Bu set down his food, murmuring softly.
Rape? Seduction while incapacitated? Lei Jin was stunned by this sudden revelation of a past secret. His mind circled around those two words. He'd thought only someone like Rong Chuan could stoop so low. An Bu usually seemed steady, responsible, and honorable—Lei Jin never imagined he could have done such a thing. No wonder Roger hadn't been able to let it go for over twenty years. No wonder Moya said An Bu's very existence reminded Roger of bad memories.
I wonder if the scar on Roger's left hand came from that.
Lei Jin's hand clenched a few times; he really wanted to punch this man. But he knew he didn't have the right. That privilege belonged to Roger and Moya. Besides, seeing An Bu's ashen, desolate expression, he was genuinely afraid one punch might finish him off.
"Forget it. Sort out your own business. I won't interfere. Hurry up and eat before it gets cold. You're still not well," Lei Jin said without looking up, shoving two more small flatbreads at him.
"I shouldn't have told you this," An Bu said, unsure why he had blurted it out. At least Lei Jin wasn't a gossipy kid.
If Lei Jin knew An Bu thought of him as a kid, he'd definitely bristle. Fortunately, he didn't.
Lei Jin didn't reply because he didn't know what to say.
"Can you tell me what your world was like?" An Bu's voice held a note of hope. Roger had never spoken of it, but he wanted to know.
"My world? The biggest difference from this one is... there were women," Lei Jin said, temporarily setting aside the heavy topics. A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. He was the expert on this subject: "Women... they have two extra lumps of flesh on their chests. Holding them, their bodies are soft and smooth, the feel is top-notch."
An Bu looked utterly bewildered. Lei Jin, feeling chummy, patted his shoulder and hopped onto the bed, squatting as if ready to demonstrate in detail.
A few dry coughs sounded from the doorway. Roger stood there, looking at their shoulder-to-shoulder chummy posture with a strange expression. "Are you finished eating? The medicine is ready. They'll bring it in soon." The prescription from Mu Yue included daily decoctions and medicinal baths, which seemed quite effective.
Lei Jin agreed, jumping off the bed. He turned back to An Bu, "Guess we'll have to continue our discussion another day," sounding genuinely disappointed. It was a rare chance to openly reminisce about the taste of women, something he couldn't share with his three jealous mates.
An Bu gave a small smile and said hesitantly, "Actually... we don't have to continue this topic." Instinct told him it was best to stop here.
Lei Jin raised an eyebrow. "How can that be?" He wasn't done yet.
"What are you talking about?" Roger demanded.
"Women," An Bu answered honestly.
Roger whirled to glare at him. Lei Jin, sensing trouble, had already gathered the bowls and utensils and made a swift escape, leaving only a rapidly retreating back.
"He really is clever and straightforward," An Bu praised sincerely.
"You get along well with him?"
"It's hard not to like him. He knows his limits, speaks interestingly, and most importantly, he's always so full of energy..."
"Enough, An Bu! He's your son's mate!" Roger suddenly felt unbearably irritated and didn't want to hear another word.
An Bu frowned at him but obediently fell silent.
Unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere, Roger threw out, "I'll go check the medicine," and hurried away.
"I know he's my son's, not my brother's," An Bu muttered, supporting himself against the rock wall to lie down. He had no more expectations.
Time flew. By the time An Bu's injury had healed enough for long-distance flight, it was already autumn. Though the weather was still hot and muggy, heavy rains had noticeably decreased. In the interim, they had even helped Hao Chen's family harvest a season of rice.
"You've been away so long; what about home?" Lei Jin asked Xiya as they left Hao Chen's place after saying their goodbyes. They were leaving early the next morning, so they could only visit during the quiet afternoon lull.
"We left it in Qi Luo and Jia He's care. The wheat and rice should be harvested by now. They probably planted corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes," Xiya replied, carrying a large bundle of melons, vegetables, food, and some woolen fabric prepared by Hao Chen.
Lei Jin nodded, holding a jar of meat paste.
"By the way, there's something I wanted to discuss with you."
Lei Jin motioned for him to continue.
"I was thinking we could co-parent one of the twins, Pomelo or Orange, with Qi Luo." He and Qi Luo had grown up together; he couldn't just watch him grow old with no one to care for him.
"They haven't found anyone else to co-parent with all these years?" Lei Jin asked, surprised. That seemed excessively patient. A suspicion arose, and he eyed Xiya suspiciously. "Or were you planning to take a wife and have a few kids to share with him?"
"Absolutely not!" Xiya quickly protested, asserting his innocence. Though some females had suggested it, mentioning that now would be suicidal—Lei Jin had only recently admitted he felt something for him.
"Good, if not."
"Wait, what's 'wife'? Does it mean a female?" The immediate crisis past, Xiya's curiosity flared.
"Like, you are the wife," Lei Jin answered calmly.
"That doesn't sound right. You just said 'take a wife and have kids.' The one having the kids is the wife, right?" He'd heard that part clearly.
"If you don't want to, forget it. Don't need you anyway."
"Fine, fine! I'm your wife!" Xiya immediately adopted a fawning tone. As long as it involved Lei Jin, he didn't care. It was just a title. After all, Lei Jin was the one bearing the cubs—he wasn't losing out. He understood that principle.
"Then give one of the twins to his family for co-parenting," Lei Jin finalized the decision. Co-parenting meant the child was still theirs; Qi Luo and Jia He would just help care for them when they were young, and when they grew old, the child would support them in return.
Xiya grinned. Although their family could easily raise the cubs without co-parenting, Qi Luo's family needed it. He understood that, and he knew Lei Jin did too.
"One more time, just once more, okay?" They were about to leave the Tiger Tribe, passing by a shabby, low-fenced courtyard at a corner. Lei Jin stopped upon hearing the familiar voice.
"Are you never satisfied? Last night you said 'once,' and yet you pestered me half the night. Are you really that desperate to be fucked?" The other voice was rough and irritable.
"At most, I won't ask tonight. Just once now?" the familiar voice bargained cautiously.
"Turn around. Take off your pants yourself. Hold onto the door."
A brief silence fell inside. Lei Jin guessed they were undressing.
"Spread wider yourself. How else am I supposed to get in?" This was followed by loud slapping sounds.
"My hands are holding the door!" the familiar voice sounded aggrieved.
"Let's go," Xiya tugged Lei Jin's sleeve, whispering. Lei Jin, however, was listening with rapt interest.
Soon, heavy, guttural panting and moans, punctuated by sharp cries, came from inside.
Lei Jin was about to turn away when he heard a loud crash and a yelp. The flimsy door gave way, and two figures tumbled out.
Rong Chuan lay face down, his buttocks covered in red handprints, with the werebeast's member still lodged inside him.
Lei Jin tried to hold it in, but the scene was just too ludicrous. Finally, he managed to say, "Just pretend we're not here. Carry on," before burying his face in Xiya's chest and laughing heartily, utterly unapologetic.
Xiya patted his back affectionately, helping him catch his breath.
The werebeast glanced at them, effortlessly picked up the tall Rong Chuan, and carried him back inside.
"Rong Chuan, I'm leaving tomorrow," Lei Jin called out, still laughing. Over the years, he and Rong Chuan had accumulated quite a history. While they might never be friends, they probably weren't enemies either.
"Bring Pomelo and Orange back to visit sometime." Lei Jin, not expecting a reply, was already walking away but he turned back upon hearing this and saw Rong Chuan standing by the window.
"Alright," Lei Jin agreed. Before he finished speaking, a thick arm reached out and dragged Rong Chuan away.
Lei Jin rubbed his chin and asked Xiya, "Could someone with my face really be that repulsive?"
Xiya: "..."
The corners of Lei Jin's mouth lifted. He deliberately stirred the pot again, calling out, "Rong Chuan, thanks for your help these past three years!"
BANG! This time, the window slammed shut too.
Lei Jin laughed freely. He knew Rong Chuan probably didn't actually like him. Four years ago, Rong Chuan would hit on any female. Over the past three years, it felt less like genuine affection and more like a desperate search for a permanent companion.
Truthfully, he didn't particularly like Rong Chuan as a person either. But that didn't mean he wished him a life of misery and eternal damnation.
This was fine.
"Let's go," Lei Jin patted Moya's large head, signaling it was time.
On the early autumn morning, the sky was high and the clouds sparse. A breeze blew past, carrying a yellow leaf that landed in Lei Jin's sleeve.
They were about to embark on the journey where the four of them had once met.