Beauty and the Beasts

Cortis hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’ll go into hibernation during the winter season.”

 Hibernation during winter was the main reason snake beastmen’s mates had a high mortality rate. He learned from the legacy that at least half of snake beastmen’s females died during the winter season.

 Perhaps letting that leopard stay by Xiao Bai’s side was the right decision.

 That was what Bai Qingqing thought too. She asked with uncertainty, “Then, do you find the water here cold? I’d like you to go into the water to help me retrieve something.”

 Cortis sunk his tail into the water and curled it around a fish basket. With a splash sound, he raised it out of the water.

 “This?”

 “Right! This was what I was talking about.” Bai Qingqing happily grabbed the fish basket, then pointed in another direction and said, “There are four more. One there, one there, and two over there.”

 Cortis needn’t even enter the water and only had to curl those baskets up with his tail. However, there was one basket that had been flattened.

 “Why is it damaged?” Bai Qingqing said, feeling it was a pity.

 Cortis was a little sheepish. Yesterday when he came, he seemed to have crushed something. Was this the thing he accidentally crushed?

 “Don’t cry, Xiao Bai. I’ll help you make another one,” Cortis said.

 “Never mind. This fish basket is great at catching fish, so I think four is enough.” Bai Qingqing shook the undamaged fish baskets, all of which seemed to be filled with fishes. By her rough approximation, it was at least double yesterday’s quantity.

 After returning to the house, she poured out the fish and found that it was indeed more than double what she caught yesterday. What delighted her the most was seeing that several of her favorite lobsters were amongst the catch this time.

 There were several small fishes with incomplete bodies, bitten by god-knows-what. Perhaps if they were to leave this basket in the water, fishes would be able to survive in it.

 “Just let me do it today.” Parker took the fish from Bai Qingqing. “I’ve already mastered it. Qingqing, just go and sit on the grass. I’ll call you when the food is ready.”

 “Alright,” Bai Qingqing said. After Parker went out the door, she started preparing the firewood.

 Although she frequently sat around and waited to eat at home, she wasn’t used to sitting around and letting Parker—who was neither kith nor kin to her—serve her here.

 Cortis quietly scooped a bowl of rice into the stone bowl, then went to the river, bringing along the bamboo with him.

 Shortly after, the fragrance of bamboo rice and stewed fish wafted through the air.

 Cortis skilfully held up the bamboo with two rods and, after poking away the cover on the bamboo, brought it to Bai Qingqing. “Here, Xiao Bai.”

 Seeing this, Parker hurriedly handed a pair of chopsticks to her and said, “Qingqing, the fish is cooked. Eat it.”

 Bai Qingqing took the chopsticks first and instantly felt a coldness emanating from Cortis. She quickly took the bamboo rice from him. “I like to eat rice together with fish.”

 The beastmen probably didn’t eat this way. Bai Qingqing was afraid they wouldn’t believe her, so she picked up a small fish from the pot, placed it on the bamboo rice, then started eating with relish.

 As the fish and rice entered her mouth, Bai Qingqing was so touched she felt like crying. This was the first decent meal she had had since she transmigrated here. Finally!

 Parker curiously stared at her for a while, then asked, “Does it really taste good this way?”

 “It’s delicious! Do you want to try? Rice tastes the best when eaten with accompanying dishes.” Bai Qingqing then looked towards Cortis, her tone subconsciously becoming more gentle. “Do you want to try as well?”

 “No!” Parker instantly refused. No way would he touch food cooked by that snake. Moreover, he couldn’t bear to eat it, for rice was too hard to come by.

 Cortis also turned his head away, answering Bai Qingqing’s question with his actions.

 Bai Qingqing felt that they were missing out. Shaking her head, she said, “Such delicacies. It’s a pity neither of you wishes to try.”