At first, during the al, she had been too busy proving that her spices could make the entire tribe question their past life choices. Then her younger brothers had arrived. Then everyone had started asking questions. Then Feng Yiren had ruined his own plan by exposing the rman incident. There had been so much noise and laughter and panic that she had not paid attention to it. But now that she thought carefully, whenever they roasted at, Mu Qingyi always gave her the best pieces first. When they ate fish, he deboned everything for her and seed satisfied just watching her eat. Even yesterday, when they cooked, he had barely touched his own food until everyone else had eaten.
Lin Huahua’s heart suddenly felt uncomfortable.
How had she only noticed now?
She waited until Lin Weishan stepped away to speak with Ying Zhe, then called softly, "Mu Qingyi."
The deer beastman turned imdiately, as if her voice had a string tied to his heart. "Yes, Huahua?"
Lin Huahua looked at him with a serious little frown. "Did you eat?"
Mu Qingyi paused.
The pause itself already answered her.
Feng Yiren, who had been leaning against a wooden post nearby and pretending not to watch her, turned his red eyes toward them with interest. Hu Baiyu also looked at Mu Qingyi, his lion ears moving forward because he had noticed this before too but had not known whether to say anything.
Mu Qingyi smiled gently. "I ate."
Lin Huahua narrowed her eyes. "How much?"
Mu Qingyi’s smile beca a little helpless. "Enough."
"That is not an answer."
"It is enough for ."
Lin Huahua’s frown deepened. "You barely touch at or fish whenever we eat. Is it because you do not like them?"
Mu Qingyi looked at her for a mont, then let out a soft breath. He did not look upset. In fact, there was a kind of warmth in his eyes because she had noticed, even if she noticed late. "Deer beastn can eat at when we need to, and strong males must be able to survive on many things. But I do not enjoy it the way Feng Yiren or Hu Baiyu does. Fruits, roots, soft leaves, and so grains are easier for ."
Lin Huahua blinked.
Then guilt ca down on her like a heavy fur.
She had been eating roasted at and fish happily, enjoying spices, asking for this and that, while Mu Qingyi, the person who always prepared everything for her, barely ate the things he himself cooked. He did not complain. He did not make a face. He did not even remind her. He simply took care of everyone and quietly stayed hungry or half-full because that was what he was used to.
Lin Huahua’s white rat ears drooped at once. "Why did you not tell ?"
Mu Qingyi walked closer and gently patted her head. His hand was warm, and the touch was so soft that it made her heart feel even worse. "It is not sothing important enough to trouble you over."
"It is important."
He smiled. "Then I will eat later."
"You always say things like that."
"Because it is true."
Lin Huahua looked unconvinced.
Mu Qingyi saw her expression and knew that if he stayed, she would start worrying too much, so he bent slightly and brushed her hair back with his fingers. "Sit here for a while. I will go check how the room preparation is going, and I will eat so fruit if I see any on the way."
Lin Huahua lifted her head quickly. "Really?"
"Yes."
"You promise?"
Mu Qingyi’s smile softened even more. "I promise."
Only then did Lin Huahua nod.
Mu Qingyi stepped away toward the side room path, his deer tail swaying calmly behind him, and Lin Huahua watched him leave with a tight feeling in her chest. She had thought he was only being gentle. Now she realized his gentleness was the kind that often ignored himself. That made her unhappy.
Very unhappy.
She looked around.
Everyone was busy. Bai Ruyue had turned to speak with Xiong Han. Lin Weishan was still near the entrance. Hu Baiyu had been called aside by Ying Zhe, likely to explain more about the rman’s appearance. Feng Yiren was near the post with his arms crossed, but Shui Lang had started talking to him about the spice leaves, which ant the fox’s attention was at least half trapped.
Lin Huahua slowly stood.
No one stopped her imdiately because she only moved a few steps away from the fire, and there were still many people in the area. She walked toward the outer side of the family cave space, where so fruit trees grew near a fence made from sharpened wooden stakes and thick woven vines. The night had deepened fully now, but the area was lit by fire bowls placed along the open ground, and the soft yellow light made the tree leaves look almost golden.
Lin Huahua looked up.
There were fruits hanging from the branches.
Round, pale green fruits with a faint sweet sll.
She rembered seeing Mu Qingyi eat similar fruits before. He had eaten them slowly, looking much more peaceful than when he forced himself to taste at. If she picked so for him, he would definitely eat. And if he refused, she would stuff one in his mouth herself.
She lifted both hands and reached upward.
The fruit remained far above her.
Lin Huahua stood on her toes.
Still too high.
She puffed her cheeks and jumped once.
The fruit did not even tremble.
The tree was too tall.
The branches were too high.
The beast world was unfair again.
Lin Huahua looked around for sothing to climb on, but the nearest stones were uneven, and after the river incident, if anyone saw her trying to climb a dangerous stone to pick fruit, she would probably be carried back inside like a criminal. So she looked up at the branches again and tried to think.
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