Qiao Xixi was lying in bed, coaxing the cubs to sleep, but just as she closed her eyes, a sudden pang struck her heart.
She shot her eyes open, sat up, and clutched her chest.
Just then, a faint noise ca from the courtyard gate. Her whole body tensed. She quickly jumped out of bed, closed the door to the room, and went outside.
She went to the courtyard gate and peered out through a crack. When she saw the familiar figure in the moonlight, she let out a soft breath and opened the gate.
The gate suddenly swung open, and Jin Ling froze for a mont.
"Xixi, why aren’t you asleep yet?"
The mont she saw Jin Ling, all the anxiety in Qiao Xixi’s heart was released. She threw herself into his arms, and as she inhaled the faint, clean scent of bamboo on him, her restless heart finally cald.
"I couldn’t sleep. How did it go? Did you find Tata?"
Jin Ling held her and shook his head. "No. The beastn in the tribe are still searching."
Worry clouded Qiao Xixi’s features. "He was right under our noses."
"Don’t bla yourself. This isn’t your fault."
Jin Ling had just closed the courtyard gate when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps outside. His eyes darkened.
Qiao Xixi heard it too.
"Qiao Xixi, open the gate."
Qiao Xixi frowned. The voice was unfamiliar.
Jin Ling squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Who is it?"
"We need to speak with Qiao Xixi. If you don’t open this gate, don’t bla us for being forceful!"
Qiao Xixi and Jin Ling exchanged a look. She nodded. "Let’s see what they want."
"Mm."
Jin Ling opened the gate, pulling Qiao Xixi behind him protectively.
His gilded-gold eyes swept across the faces of the beastn outside. When he saw Youyue sheltered in Gu Li’s arms, a thick killing intent erupted in his gaze.
Qiu Ling’s arrogant gaze swept over Qiao Xixi. "So you’re the Wandering Beast who made Youyue lose her voice?"
As Qiu Ling sized up Qiao Xixi, Qiao Xixi was studying her as well.
Although traces of age could be seen on her face, she was undeniably a stunningly beautiful female. Feiyan’s eyes and brows bore a slight resemblance to hers, and Qiao Xixi quickly guessed the woman’s identity.
"You an the wicked female who was punished by the Beast God?"
Gu Li said, displeased, "When it cos to being wicked, who can compare to you Wandering Beasts?"
Jin Ling’s gaze shot to Gu Li, the killing intent in his eyes intensifying.
"She is a wicked beast punished by the Beast God."
Youyue pressed her lips together, wishing she could tear Qiao Xixi to shreds, yet her eyes were fixed on Gu Li with a pitiful expression.
The sight made Gu Li’s heart ache. "Qiao Xixi, if you can’t restore Youyue’s voice, we’ll drive you out of the tribe!"
"That’s right! Our tribe doesn’t welco a wicked Wandering Beast like you."
"No! Xixi can’t leave the tribe!"
Supported by a beastman, Feili approached. Earlier, after a crack appeared in the mate bond between him and Qiu Ling, he had been injured and fainted. He had rushed over the mont he awoke.
Feili stepped in front of Qiao Xixi. "I am the Clan Leader of this tribe. No one is driving Xixi away!"
Qiao Xixi looked at Clan Leader Feili’s back, deeply moved. "Clan Leader, what happened to you?"
Feili shook his head weakly. "I’m fine. Xixi, don’t be afraid. I won’t let them bully you."
Seeing Feili rush over to vehently defend Qiao Xixi, Youyue’s expression darkened as she glanced into the shadows.
The figure hiding in the shadows vanished silently into the darkness.
"CRASH!"
A sudden sound of sothing being knocked over ca from the backyard.
The beastn crowded in the front yard looked toward the back curiously. The quicker ones ran straight for it.
"Ah!"
A cry of alarm ca from the backyard.
Qiao Xixi and Jin Ling also hurried to the backyard.
"Tata! They hid Tata in the water barrel!"
Seeing Tata lying limp on the ground, Qiao Xixi rushed forward and picked him up.
"Tata, Tata."
"Don’t you pretend to care!"
Gu Li suddenly lunged forward and snatched Tata away.
Jin Ling stepped in front of Qiao Xixi. "What are you doing?"
Gu Li sneered, "You killed Tata!"
"Tata! My Tata!"
Gu Man, who had rushed over after hearing there was trouble at Qiao Xixi’s, saw Tata clutched in Gu Li’s hands the mont she entered.
She snatched Tata from Gu Li’s grasp and held him tightly in her arms, but she could no longer feel any sign of life.
"Tata, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare your mama, Tata."
Tata’s little hand fell limp. No matter how Gu Man cried out, the little cub could no longer open his clear, wide eyes and respond to her with his soft, adorable self as he once had.
Gu Man trembled all over and collapsed to the ground, sobbing as she yelled, "The witch doctor! Quick, get the witch doctor!"
Qiao Xixi’s face went pale, and her grip on Jin Ling’s hand tightened.
"Gu Man, try to stay calm. I’ll have Qiaoqiao take a look."
"Stop your fake act! It’s obvious you’re the one who killed Tata."
Gu Li looked at Feili. "Clan Leader, you said Youyue was wicked and tried to kill Qiao Xixi’s cubs, but her cubs are still alive and well. Tata, on the other hand, died in her ho. So who is the wicked one here?"
"We left this morning and only ca back after dark. We were both out when Tata disappeared, so how could we have been the ones to harm him?"
Jin Ling would absolutely not allow them to slander Qiao Xixi like this.
Gu Yu sneered, "If it wasn’t you, did Tata crawl in here by himself?"
Youyue leaned against Gu Li’s chest, a victorious smile appearing on her face.
As if sensing it, Qiao Xixi’s gaze suddenly snapped to her.
Youyue froze when her eyes t Qiao Xixi’s, the smile not yet faded from her face. But she had nothing to fear anymore. She opened her mouth and mouthed a phrase.
’Serves you right!’
Qiao Xixi took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her gaze was devoid of any excess emotion.
"Gu Man, Qiaoqiao has a Healing Skill. Let her take a look at Tata."
Qiao Xixi stepped forward but was blocked by Gu Li. "Don’t you dare touch Tata!"
"Qiao Xixi, if you restore Youyue’s voice, we’ll let you leave the tribe. Otherwise, we’ll send you to the female’s cave!"
"I’d like to see who dares!" Jin Ling could barely contain his rage.
Qiao Xixi’s gaze swept quickly over their faces. Just as Jin Ling was about to make a move, she pulled him back.
"Fine. I agree."
Jin Ling looked at Qiao Xixi. "Xixi..."
Qiao Xixi shook her head and looked at Youyue. "I can lift the Beast God’s punishnt from you, but on one condition: you must hand over the beastman who hard Tata!"
Youyue looked at Qiao Xixi with an innocent expression, shaking her head frantically.
Gu Li said angrily, "Qiao Xixi, you’re obviously the one who hard Tata!"
But Qiao Xixi ignored him, turning to Gu Man instead. "I’ll only say this once. I was not the one who hard Tata. You can choose to believe or not."
Gu Man glared at Qiao Xixi with bloodshot eyes. Then, soone in the crowd shouted.
"The witch doctor! The witch doctor is here!"
"Witch Doctor, please, you have to look at Tata," Gu Man pleaded, looking at the witch doctor.
"Calm down, calm down. I’ll take a look now."
The witch doctor stepped forward to examine Tata. After only a mont, he sighed helplessly.
"Sigh... It’s no use. Tata’s no longer breathing."
"No, I don’t believe it! I can heal Tata!"
Qiao Qiao suddenly pushed through the crowd and ran over.
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