Free Web NovelChapter 366: Chapter 366: Did You Miss Me?
Kunlin really should have left by now, but...
"Soon."
Qiao Xixi nodded. "Then you should eat. I won’t bother you."
Seeing her about to leave, Kunlin couldn’t help but speak up.
"Qiao Xixi."
Qiao Xixi looked back in confusion. "Is there something else?"
Kunlin’s icy gaze darkened as he seemed to be steeling himself. Just when Qiao Xixi thought he wouldn’t speak, he looked at her and asked, "Will you still see Yaya in the future?"
Qiao Xixi opened her mouth, and something suddenly flashed through her mind.
"Did Yaya inherit your beast form? Is she also a Black Phoenix?"
Kunlin nodded. "Yes."
Qiao Xixi was stunned. ’Oh my god, Yaya is the female lead!’
She had thought Yaya’s name sounded familiar before, but she couldn’t place it at the time.
’I can’t believe she’s the female lead.’
Qiao Xixi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
"Yes, why wouldn’t I? But if she sees me as her mother’s killer... then that’s another story."
’I never thought Huang Ying would be the female lead’s birth mother. What a twist of fate.’
’The female lead won’t hate me for killing Huang Ying, will she? And by extension, hate my cubs too?’
At this thought, Qiao Xixi frowned.
"I will explain what happened with Huang Ying to the City Lord."
The moment Kunlin finished speaking, a tall, slender figure appeared behind Qiao Xixi.
His crimson snake eyes swept a chilling glance over Kunlin, filled with grim scrutiny.
"Go back and tell your City Lord that if he wants revenge, the Black Panther Tribe will be ready for him."
With that, Sunxiao wrapped his arm around Qiao Xixi’s waist and led her away, as if staking his claim.
Kunlin watched the two of them nestled together, an inexplicable feeling of frustration welling up inside him.
Qiao Xixi clearly felt the coldness radiating from Sunxiao. She wasn’t afraid, though. She smiled and hugged his strong, powerful waist, leaning all her weight against him as if she were boneless.
"Are you hungry? I brought you guys something good to eat."
Sunxiao didn’t look at her, but the hand dragging her along didn’t relax its grip one bit.
"That food... the first portion didn’t end up in our hands."
Qiao Xixi was at a loss for words. ’Can I really tell him it’s because I ran into Kunlin as soon as I got here and just gave it to him?’
’Of course not. When this big snake gets jealous, he could really *devour* me!’
"What nonsense are you talking about? How could what I brought for you be the same as anyone else’s?"
The icy snake-man glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Different?"
Qiao Xixi huffed. She straightened up from his embrace and walked over to Bu Xi. She took out a package that was clearly twice the size of the one she’d given Kunlin, then walked back to Sunxiao’s side.
"There. This one’s for you."
Sunxiao noticed the difference in the size of the leaf-wrapped packages, and the chill deep in his snake eyes finally thawed a little.
Seeing his whole aura change, Qiao Xixi secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Following silently behind them, Bu Xi was utterly confused. ’Wasn’t that the largest portion the Clan Leader packed specifically for me?’
’He’d clearly heard her say so when she was packing it...’
Most of the males in the tribe ate raw meat. Only when at home would they eat some barbecue with their female mate.
When Qiao Xixi and the others arrived, the males were all holding their allocated portions of meat and eating them in big mouthfuls.
"The Clan Leader is here."
It was unclear who said it, but everyone looked up in Qiao Xixi’s direction.
"I brought some cooked fish beast for everyone. There’s a portion for each of you, so please, come have a taste."
The males were surprised to hear this. The Clan Leader had personally made food for them? They had never received such treatment before.
Seeing Qiao Xixi from a distance, Feiyan also hurried over.
"Xixi."
Qiao Xixi took out a few leaf packages and handed them to them. "These are yours. They’re still warm, go on and eat."
As they took the still-warm leaf packages, Jin Ling and the others felt an indescribable comfort spread through their hearts.
A male who had received a leaf package eagerly opened it, and a fragrant aroma immediately wafted to his nose.
"This smells amazing! What is this, roasted fish beast and...?"
"There’s fried fish beast, cooked in oil, and the round things are fish beast balls."
Fish beast balls. It was the first time the males had ever heard of them. They picked one up and put it in their mouths, and the springy texture was a novel sensation.
A single bite filled their mouths with umami, a flavor they had never tasted before.
"This is delicious."
"The Clan Leader is amazing, to be able to make such delicious food."
"If you like it, you can try making it when you get back. Bu Xi knows how. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask him."
Bu Xi was an extremely patient and gentle-tempered male. Hearing Qiao Xixi say this, he smiled and said, "Anyone who wants to learn can come find me. I’ll teach you."
"That’s great! I want to learn how to make it for my female mate."
"I don’t have a female mate. I’ll learn so I can make it for myself."
The males chattered back and forth, one after another, and the atmosphere grew lively. The casual conversation swept away their exhaustion.
"Xixi, let’s go inside."
Sunxiao’s long arm once again wrapped around Qiao Xixi, leading her upstairs. He didn’t like her spending so much time among so many unfamiliar males.
"Mm."
Qiao Xixi followed them upstairs.
Feiyan eagerly opened his leaf package, and unable to resist the aroma of the roasted fish beast, he began to devour it.
Jin Ling and Xijing followed them and sat down as well. But just as Xijing reached Qiao Xixi’s side, the spots to her left and right were snatched up by Jin Ling and Sunxiao.
Sunxiao and Jin Ling opened their leaf packages but weren’t in a hurry to eat. Instead, with their gazes lowered, they patiently started picking the bones from the fish beast meat.
By the time Feiyan noticed what the two were doing, he had already finished all the fish beast meat in his package.
He stared at their actions for a moment, stunned. His expression clearly said, ’You guys are so damn fussy.’
"Xixi, this is delicious! I’m going to grab another." With that, he was gone in a flash.
Xijing slowly opened his leaf package, picked up his chopsticks, and lifted a fish ball precisely to Qiao Xixi’s lips.
"Xixi, you must be tired after cooking so much. Here, you eat."
The moment Qiao Xixi opened her mouth, she felt two gazes lock onto her. It was as if this single bite would determine the winner of some damn competition between the males.
Qiao Xixi silently closed her mouth, grabbed Xijing’s hand, and with a twist, brought the fish ball back to his own lips.
"I’m not tired. I ate a huge portion before I came over. This is all for you guys, so none of you are allowed to give me any. Hurry up and try them. The cubs pounded these fish balls by hand, you know!"
Xijing’s lips curled into a faint smile, and he ate the fish ball from her hand.
"Delicious. It has Xixi’s scent."
Qiao Xixi: ...
The two males beside her paused their movements in unison. Two portions of fish beast meat, meticulously deboned, were pushed in front of her.
’A damned dilemma. Choosing either one would be the death of me!’
Just as a headache began to throb in Qiao Xixi’s temples, two tall figures walked in.
"Langqi, Sangze, where have you two been?"
Sangze, who had looked perfectly calm just a second before, suddenly flashed a wicked grin.
"Little female, your voice is so enchanting when you say my name. Is it because you missed me?"
The moment the words were out, his face instantly turned beet-red.
