Lei Jin never expected to see Pei Ning again under such circumstances. The werebeast had clearly been dead for many days. His entire body was wrapped in vines and leafy branches, his clothes tattered, flesh mangled and blurred beyond recognition. If Le Yang hadn’t said they’d dug him out from beneath the rubble in a valley, Lei Jin would have refused to believe this was the earnest young werebeast he remembered meeting at Chunji’s home. Pei Ning seemed even younger than Chunji, but he knew how to take care of others and was often run ragged by Chunji’s demands. Yet, Chunji did treat him with a subtle difference; he was the only one Chunji ever took along when gathering herbs.
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“Looks like you knew him. Are there any family members left? Could you notify them? We brought him back from afar.” Feuds were feuds, but the custom across tribes was that the dead must return to their birthplace to find peace.
Lei Jin covered Grapes’s eyes, not wanting the baby to see this scene. He said to Le Yang, “He has no family left. We’ll notify the chief. Thank you for your trouble.”
An Bu was a responsible chief. Upon hearing the news, he found a few men to bring Pei Ning’s body back to his own home. He personally cleaned Pei Ning and changed him into clean clothes.
Only when Pei Ning looked less horrific did Lei Jin dare notify Chunji. He feared Chunji wouldn’t be able to bear seeing Pei Ning’s initial state. During this era, the practice of sky burial—abandoning the body deep in the grasslands—was becoming rare. Earth burial was just beginning. A small valley behind the tribe served as a dedicated burial ground. However, no one expected Chunji to request cremation—a clean sweep with fire. Everyone knew of his relationship with Pei Ning, and since Pei Ning had no close kin, no one objected. On the day of the cremation, Chunji refused all help, carrying Pei Ning out of the tribe himself.
Lei Jin waited at the path entrance that evening with a homemade bark lantern. He waited a long time until darkness fully descended before he saw Chunji return, his steps unsteady, his solitary shadow trailing long behind him.
Seeing Lei Jin, Chunji seemed to habitually try to curl his lips into a smile, but tears suddenly fell. The two sat on the grasslands outside the tribe for a long time. Chunji only said, “When I first arrived at the Leopard Tribe, An Bu was the new chief. He took care of me. I liked him, you know that, Lei Jin. But his heart was always only on Roger. Back then, Pei Ning was still young. He followed me silently every day.”
Lei Jin gave a faint hum of acknowledgment. After that, they were silent. Pei Ning was gone. Nothing said now would change that.
Lei Jin saw Chunji home first. When he reached his own home, Moya opened the door before he could push it. Inside, Xiya was coaxing Grapes to eat soft rice porridge cooked with egg yolk. Mingya, seeing him return, immediately ducked into the kitchen to heat up food.
Having just gone through these events, Lei Jin had little appetite. But feeling his own stomach subtly, he still picked at some wild greens and ate a little. Finally, under everyone’s expectant gaze, he drank a bowl of porridge to settle the matter.
Later, at the fair, he met Tian Qi. Hearing that Chunji had been secluded at home lately, busy making medicine, Lei Jin didn’t visit. He knew Chunji never needed sympathy or empty comfort. While helping Tian Qi pick herbs at the Feather Tribe’s stall, a crowd gathered, their faces filled with respect and admiration for Tian Qi. The Feather Tribe was skilled in gathering herbs and had produced many renowned physicians on the continent. They revered those with exceptional medical skills—something Lei Jin had recently learned from Roger. Judging by this, Tian Qi wasn’t just boasting; he likely had genuine skill.
“Master Tian Qi, do you take disciples?” When Lei Jin snapped back to attention, the conversation had already turned here.
“Yes, yes.” Tian Qi laughed twice. Perhaps Lei Jin was getting used to it; the voice didn’t sound quite so unpleasant anymore.
Tian Qi turned towards Lei Jin.
Lei Jin’s heart thumped twice. He’s not eyeing me, is he? I have no interest in those delicate things.
Tian Qi gave him two disdainful snorts. He took Grapes into his arms and declared, “This is my newly accepted little disciple. I will pass all my medical knowledge on to him.”
The Feather tribespeople stared at the tiny baby in his arms, momentarily stunned.
Lei Jin breathed a sigh of relief, feeling comforted. Grapes’s constitution was destined to be weaker than other females. He sometimes worried about what the child could do when he grew up. Now, this was perfect. Being a physician was highly respected in the tribe.
Grapes, however, showed no such appreciation. He struggled in Tian Qi’s arms, wailing loudly. Though young, Grapes had a good memory. Tian Qi always poked him with needles whenever they met—of course he’d cry! Lei Jin quickly took him back. Seeing the little face scrunched up like a giant steamed bun, he laughed outright, without a shred of fatherly concern.
Mura, carrying a large package of dried fruit, walked over with a few other females. Spotting Lei Jin and little Grapes, they crowded around, chatting and laughing. As they walked along, Mura asked in surprise, “Lei Jin, how do you know people in every tribe?” At the Tiger Tribe, a female named Jing Ping had pulled them into a tent for food. At the Wolf Tribe, someone named Qinghe had given them a jar of oil. The Merfolks were also very friendly towards Lei Jin. Even the Bear Tribe’s chief, whose tribe was at odds with the Leopards, had approached him for a chat with a kindly expression.
Lei Jin chuckled modestly, but inwardly, he was quite pleased. This way, he had a place to stay in any tribe he visited. He truly thrived wherever he went. Though he genuinely didn’t know why the Merfolks were inexplicably so nice to him, giving him things proactively. He suspected Lan Qi might have instructed it. It was much later that he learned that each merfolk possessed a life-core pearl meant to be given to their mate. Back then, Lan Qi, seeing that Berg’s pearl was with Moya, had angrily given his own pearl to Lei Jin—of course it was also because he saw Lei Jin truly couldn’t withstand the sea’s turbulence. One function of the life-core pearl was to allow other races to move freely in the sea like merfolks. Sensing the aura of their king on Lei Jin, the merfolks’ friendly attitude was natural.
The weather during the fair remained changeable, overcast and sunny by turns. Now, a light drizzle began to fall. Lei Jin quickly shielded Grapes in his arms and ran back with Mura and the others to the fried pork stall. Thanks to the cool weather, the piping hot, crispy meat sold exceptionally well. Marinated to perfection, crispy on the outside and tender inside, the little thatched shed was packed daily. One pot couldn’t keep up. Eventually, they borrowed Qi Luo’s family pot just to manage.
Lei Jin jingled a large jar filled with assorted gemstones, a greedy grin on his face. He wasn’t like many girls who adored shiny things, but in this world, this meant money! Being wealthy again felt wonderful.
At noon, Tian Qi passed by carrying a large bundle of herbs. Lei Jin skewered a few pieces of fried meat for him to take back and share with Chunji. As Tian Qi took the meat, he grabbed Lei Jin’s wrist, felt his pulse, smacked his lips, and said in a tone that could only be described as excited, “Over two months along now, huh? How peculiar. Twins! Haven’t seen twins in many years.”
Lei Jin raised an eyebrow slightly. He’d mentally prepared himself, so the confirmation wasn’t a shock. But twins? Did the heavens have it out for him? Or was it that his belly had extra space? To cram in two at once! Last time, little Grapes alone nearly exhausted him. This time, two—did the heavens want him dead?
For others, it might be double the joy. For Lei Jin, it was double the torment.
He turned and glared fiercely at the three still busy working. If it weren’t for them, he wouldn’t be pregnant again! Not rejecting it didn’t mean he was thrilled. Few normal men liked giving birth themselves. Jing Yue was about to hold his bonding ceremony soon, and Jing Ping had invited him to visit the Tiger Tribe. This was the perfect chance to get away for a while. Let the three brothers stay home and love each other. He could also go see Berg and Bubbles.
So, on the last day of the fair, as Xiya and the others were busy moving everything back home, they discovered a serious problem. Lei Jin had taken Grapes to the Tiger Tribe. He’d left a viciously threatening note forbidding them to follow: Come one, kill one. Come two, chop the pair!
The journey took over half a month. By the time they reached the Tiger Tribe, Lei Jin’s belly wasn’t showing much, but his morning sickness was vicious. He vomited everything he ate; nothing stayed down. Even fresh, fine milk fruit couldn’t stop it. Consequently, the news of his pregnancy became common knowledge; there was no hiding it. Fortunately, Hao Chen was an experienced and devoted papa, caring for Lei Jin with genuine, motherly affection as if he were his own child. He inquired everywhere for remedies. It was late spring, turning to summer, and tribal food was plentiful. Hao Chen cooked meals with diverse flavors daily, secretly delighted whenever Lei Jin ate a little more of a particular dish. He attended to every detail with meticulous care. Lei Jin was looked after perfectly in every way.
After staying at the Tiger Tribe for about a month, Grapes was crawling quite adeptly. Lei Jin, entering his fourth month of pregnancy, finally stopped vomiting. His appetite, however, began to surge. Perhaps due to carrying twins, his belly was already very noticeable. None of the clothes he’d brought fit anymore. Hao Chen had to bring out his own clothes from his time being pregnant, wash them thoroughly, and sun them repeatedly for Lei Jin to wear.
Jing Yue had completed his bonding ceremony and taken his new mate to the Tiger Tribe’s so-called Sacred Spring—probably similar to the Leopard tribe’s Sacred Lake, essentially a place for undisturbed mating. Speaking of Jing Yue’s mate, it was an acquaintance: Mu Yue, the Tiger Tribe physician who had treated Lei Jin’s injuries. According to Jing Ping, they’d initially been at odds, arguing whenever they met, but somehow ended up fancying each other through the quarrels.
“Told them not to come, and they actually listened! How obedient!” Lei Jin grew angrier the more he thought about it. Over a month, and not one of them had shown up! Although he already had Grapes, he was still largely clueless about pregnancy and childbirth. Thankfully, Hao Chen was often there to guide him. But as his belly swelled day by day, struggling to turn over at night, let alone sleep properly, his frustration mounted. Yet, there was no one to vent it on; he could only stew in his own resentment.
Today, Berg brought Bubbles to visit Lei Jin again. Bubbles could now walk on land and say simple words. He remained as affectionate towards Lei Jin as ever. When Lei Jin returned from the forbidden land, Roger had mentioned that Bubbles cried hard when taken away by Berg because he couldn’t see Lei Jin.
Bubbles seemed to adore Grapes. It was no wonder. Grapes, with his soft black hair and clear green eyes, was gradually revealing the handsome features inherited from both his fathers. He looked every bit the picture of an innocent, adorable little baby. The moment Bubbles spotted Grapes scuttling sideways like a crab around the yard, he wobbled over eagerly. He’d just opened his mouth to call “little brother” when Grapes, blinking his big eyes, pounced with both little hands, scratching off a large patch of tender scales from Bubbles’s tail fin. The pain sent Bubbles tumbling to the ground, tears welling in his large, dark blue eyes. To make matters worse, Grapes, playing the victim, started wailing loudly—far louder than Bubbles—without shedding a single tear. Lei Jin’s guilt surged. Any thought of jokingly suggesting a childhood betrothal died in his throat. After all, Bubbles was like half a son to him. He couldn’t doom the boy’s life like that. Where Grapes got such ferocious bad temper was a mystery; both he and Moya had decent dispositions.
Talk about lack of self-awareness—look no further than this one.
Lei Jin, hampered by his condition, couldn’t move quickly. Berg hurried over, picking Grapes up first and coaxing, “Be good, Grapes. Did Brother Bubbles scare you?”
Lei Jin facepalmed, torn between laughter and tears. “Never mind him! Check if Bubbles is hurt!” How could Grapes strike so fast? He hadn’t even had a chance to stop it!
“Bubbles is the older brother. He’s fine. Right, Bubbles?” Berg held Grapes while helping Bubbles up.
“Bubbles, come here.” Lei Jin sat up on the recliner and opened his arms.
“Dada!” Bubbles called out in his baby voice, throwing himself forward. This was the result of Lei Jin’s recent coaching—Bubbles could now call him “Dada”. Of course, he called Berg “Dad”.
As for Lan Qi, Lei Jin had asked once. Berg just looked impatient and retorted, “Why bring him up?” But the tone lacked its former harshness. So, perhaps, maybe, Lan Qi still had a sliver of hope.
“Lei Jin, chicken soup.” Jing Ping emerged from the kitchen right on schedule, carrying a steaming bowl. During this visit, Lei Jin discovered Jing Ping had indeed invented a foot-operated rice-pounding tool, much more convenient than the old method. The only issue was instability while pounding. Lei Jin shared some ideas, and Jing Ping had been busy in the west wing room these days improving it.
Lei Jin frowned imperceptibly. Drinking a bowl of chicken soup every day—even the tastiest food grew tiresome after over half a month. But Uncle Hao Chen insisted relentlessly, especially after learning he was carrying twins. He seemed even more nervous than Lei Jin, practically wanting him to drink two bowls daily.
“You must drink it. Papa got up early to stew this. He skimmed the oil off layer by layer with a spoon, worried you’d find it greasy. He specifically told me to watch you finish it before he left.” Jing Ping grinned, a bit gleeful at Lei Jin’s predicament. It was understandable; Jing Ping himself was sick of the smell just from being around it, let alone drinking it.
Berg stood nearby holding Grapes, smiling silently, clearly enjoying the show with no intention of intervening.
This little thing can’t stump me. It’s just a bowl of soup. Lei Jin raised his hand, then lowered it helplessly. He really couldn’t stomach it. But under so many watchful eyes, he closed his eyes and gulped it down.
As he swallowed, holding his breath, his gaze inadvertently fell on someone entering the gate.
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The resentment bottled up for weeks finally found a target. Lei Jin flung the bowl at him and snapped furiously, “What are you doing here?” Roger had said the children were his alone. He could raise them himself if need be.
The moods of the pregnant are always unpredictable.
The newcomer’s eyes widened in shock upon seeing Lei Jin’s pronounced belly.
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