Werebeast Gongs CH 143 A Happy Life
On the spring grasslands, the flowers changed every twenty days or so, keeping the fields in constant bloom. After returning from the Sacred Lake, Lei Jin and the others took a short break before the werebeasts busied themselves with planting and hunting. Lei Jin and Roger took over Ivey’s general store, renovated it, and reopened it with new additions to their inventory—soap, tofu, sauces, wind chimes, whale oil, and even bath powder made by Mura and baby strollers and carts crafted by Jia He. The windowsills were lined with candies and pastries, attracting a steady stream of children and keeping the place lively.
This year’s Leopard Tribe market was bustling. Le Ping came with his two sons, Qinghe and his family, and Jing Yue and his entire family also joined in. Hearing that Lei Jin and the others had held their ceremony, they brought piles of gifts. Now that the house was bigger, everyone could fit inside, making for a lively gathering.
"This house is so spacious," Hao Chen remarked. While the others had gone to the market, he stayed behind to rest after the long journey. Lei Jin volunteered to keep him company.
"Papa, if you like it, you should visit more often. Look, I have plenty of rooms." Lei Jin handed him a cup of lotus root starch paste.
"Of course! This is my son’s home, after all." Hao Chen cradled Apple in his arms, smiling warmly.
"Papa, let me take Apple. He’s too heavy." Thanks to the family’s efforts, Apple’s weight had stabilized, though his appetite remained voracious, making it hard to slim him down.
"It’s fine. I love big Apple. This is my first time seeing him—he’s so adorable. I’ve been wanting to visit ever since I heard you had a child last autumn." Hao Chen patted Apple’s back as he slept, then sipped the lukewarm lotus paste. "It’s delicious. Is this made from the lotus roots in the pond?"
"Yeah, Papa. If you like it, take some home. We have seeds too—you can dig a pond like this and grow them yourselves." Lei Jin pulled up a chair beside him.
"No need. The Tiger Tribe isn’t like the Leopard Tribe. We don’t have much water in the mountains." Hao Chen declined with a smile.
"Then just send word whenever you want some. I’ll deliver it to you."
Hao Chen had always known Xiya and the others doted on Lei Jin, but he had worried that having three werebeast mates would be exhausting for him. Seeing them get along so well now, his concerns finally eased. Noticing Maidong and Grapes playing on the swing by the pond, he asked, "Any news from the Sacred Lake?"
Lei Jin chuckled. "It’s been over two months since we got back, and nothing yet." With four kids already, he had no desire for more.
Hao Chen adjusted Apple in his arms. "You’re just different from others. Most come back from the Sacred Lake pregnant, but you? Nothing. But you’re still young—there’s no rush."
"Papa, I already have four," Lei Jin reminded him.
Hao Chen chided, "The more children, the better. Who complains about having too many?"
I do. I’m the one who suffers, Lei Jin thought but kept it to himself, knowing Hao Chen wouldn’t listen. He let the older man ramble on, enjoying the familial warmth despite the nagging.
Qinghe and Le Ping left after the market, while Hao Chen stayed until early summer before returning to the Tiger Tribe.
Apple was two months shy of his first birthday. Other werebeast babies his age were already running, jumping, and talking fluently, but Apple could only roll around and say a handful of words: eat, sleep, daddy, dad, brother, granddad, grandpa—barely enough to count on two hands.
As the weather grew hotter, Grapes, Pomelo, and Orange loved napping under the lotus leaves. Every year, a few peculiar leaves appeared in the pond—flat, enormous, and buoyant, with edges slightly curled. They were over a meter in diameter and could easily support even Lei Jin’s weight.
Watching his brothers swim over, Apple waved his little paws eagerly, calling, "Brother… Brother…"
Pomelo climbed onto a leaf first, shaking his head. "No, no. We can’t carry you." Normally, they could drag him around, but in the water? They didn’t dare risk it—Ol’ Dad’s slaps were no joke.
"Apple wants to go over?" Lei Jin stepped out of the house after a cold shower, wearing only pants.
"Daddy!" Apple stretched out his paws excitedly.
A mischievous glint flashed in Lei Jin’s eyes. Happy to oblige, he picked Apple up and plopped him onto the leaf.
Apple, out of habit, rolled—and tragedy struck.
Splash!
"Ol’ Dad! Youngest Brother fell in!" Orange yelped, watching Lei Jin jump in after him.
"Daddy, Youngest Brother’s in the water!" Grapes called when Lei Jin didn’t immediately fish him out.
"It’s fine." Lei Jin wasn’t worried. Only when Apple started flailing did he casually scoop him up and place him back on the leaf.
Apple coughed up water, barely recovering before Lei Jin—still in the pond—kicked the leaf’s stem. The leaf tilted, sending Apple tumbling back in. After letting him struggle a bit, Lei Jin fished him out, only to toss him back in.
After ten days of this, Apple still hadn’t learned to walk—but miraculously, he had learned to swim, and quite swiftly at that. Eventually, the moment Lei Jin kicked him in, Apple would paddle frantically for shore, knowing that if his ol’ dad caught him, he’d be thrown right back. Xiya and the others ached for their son but couldn’t argue—Apple needed a push, and they lacked the heart to do it themselves.
As long as he moved, progress was possible. If he could swim, walking couldn’t be far off. With a mix of food bribes and tough love, poor Apple finally learned to walk just before his first birthday.
Lei Jin basked in his triumph—one less worry.
Now, if only Roger and An Bu could reconcile, the family would truly be complete.
"What’s on your mind?" Xiya climbed into bed after his bath, pulling back the covers.
Lei Jin swatted his wandering hands away, propping a pillow behind his back and stretching his legs against the wall. "What’s going on with Roger and An Bu?"
Xiya stole the pillow, settling his head on Lei Jin’s lap instead. "Why bring this up now?" Papa had never relented, and the family could only watch helplessly—some things couldn’t be forced.
Lei Jin adjusted his legs for comfort. "Seeing them at the store every day is painful." There was clearly still love between them, and An Bu was single now. Why couldn’t they just get back together?
Xiya frowned, recalling, "I remember bits from childhood. Papa and Uncle An Bu were happy together back then. Then suddenly, they split. Uncle An Bu had his ceremony with Uncle Zhu Xi. The day Moya was born, I was the one who fetched An Bu. He held Papa and cried. After Moya was born, he rarely visited. That’s all I know."
Lei Jin mused, "Weird. Moya was theirs, so why did having a child drive them apart?"
"What are you planning?" Xiya looked up, sensing Lei Jin’s restlessness—he’d been itching to meddle in everything lately.
"Any way to get them back together? Would your dads mind?"
Xiya laced their fingers together. "Dad and Dad An Luo adore Papa. If Papa’s happy, they’ll agree. They never objected back then." Then, shifting tone, he added, "But don’t use your “Apple tactics”. If things go south, there’s no fixing it. The fact that Papa and Uncle An Bu can share a meal now is progress." Before, Papa would never stay long anywhere Uncle An Bu showed up.
Lei Jin patted his head smugly. "I know what I’m doing. Trust me."
Xiya glanced at Apple who was a whole size smaller now snoozing in his crib and thought, Yeah, right. He got up, dimmed the room’s glowstones, and dragged Lei Jin down, pinning him with a nip to the chin. "We’ll discuss this after Moya’s hunting party returns. Now, sleep with me."
"Be gentle…"
"En, I know…"
The full moon cast silvery light through the window, the night alive with their mingled breaths.
At the store, when a customer came for tofu, Roger went to assist while Lei Jin whispered to An Bu, "Why not just go for it? Roger’s too stubborn—this’ll take forever."
An Bu smiled gently, nudging him away. "Don’t be mischievous." The past had taught him patience. After all these years, just being near Roger was enough.
"I’m not your son." So don't treat me like a child.
"But you’re my son’s mate," An Bu countered lightly with a smile.
Roger handed over the tofu in exchange for a pheasant. The customer eyed Lei Jin and An Bu. "Lei Jin and Chief have a very good relationship."
Recently, they’d been huddled together often, whispering who knows what—though Roger definitely wasn’t curious.
Two weeks later, Moya’s hunting party returned safely, bringing another joy—Chunji declared An Bu fully healed. Lei Jin proposed a celebration. Xiya and the others cooked up a feast—cold dishes, hot dishes, meats, vegetables—all laid out by the pond, where lotus blossoms perfumed the air.
"Such a rare reunion calls for drinks," An Sen declared, gazing at the full table—his brothers, his mate, his grown children with families of their own.
Lei Jin had been prepared. Hearing this he pulled a jug from under the table.
The others also nodded in agreement, and Lei Jin poured. Roger sniffed, frowning. "Not fruit wine—liquor?"
"Fruit wine’s bland. If we’re drinking, let’s do it right. I traded hard for this from Ivey." Ivey rarely drank himself and most of his stock ended up being bartered away by Lei Jin.
The kids had honey water. Grapes sat on Mingya’s lap, while Pomelo, Orange, and Apple ate in beast form from dishes on the floor as it was most comfortable.
Laughter and chatter stretched late into the night. By the time they disbanded, the moon hung high. Roger, having drunk the most, was slumped over the table, nearly asleep.
An Sen and the others cleared the table while Lei Jin took the kids to bathe. An Bu nudged Roger. "Let’s get you to bed. You’ll catch cold."
Roger lifted his head blearily, blinking at An Bu. "…Bu?"
The old nickname froze An Bu in place. Across the room, An Sen paused, glancing at An Luo before smiling at An Bu. "Roger's drunk. We'll just stay here tonight. Take him to your room."
"Brother An Sen…"
"Brother An Bu, Moya’s grown." So many years had passed—it was time to resolve things.
An Bu nodded and scooped Roger into his arms.