The Beast's Beloved: Sickly Beauty with Many Children and blessings

Zhi Le smiled and waved his hand, leaning closer to them and whispering, "It's really not easy to hunt the tusked piglets by brute force. You have to kill them first before you can get them.

But if we use some methods, it may be easier to achieve. So, I just ask you—are you willing to do it?"

Cui Tai and Ke Biao exchanged glances and nodded vigorously.

"Of course! If a level 3 orc like you dares to do it, why should we be afraid?"

"Yeah! If we don't agree, you'll either find someone else to join you or go it alone. We grew up together as brothers, and we can't just sit back and watch you take the risk alone."

Zhi Le felt warmth in his heart and patted their shoulders. "Thank you. Later, I'll have to trouble your other family members to help take care of the piglets."

Si Shuo was sitting nearby and naturally overheard their conversation. She was moved but also worried. She couldn't help but rub her head against Zhi Le's arm.

Zhi Le turned around and patted her head. When she looked up, he smiled and asked, "Are you hungry? It'll be ready in a little while."

Si Shuo pointed at her chest with a playful grin. "Just smelling the barbecue makes me feel full!"

Zhi Le's heart ached slightly. He didn't know how much hardship the little female had endured in the past. She must have relied on sheer willpower just to survive. Had she ever truly eaten her fill?

"I'll make sure your belly is full later," he said, pinching her cheek. "And I'll round out that face of yours. Right now, you could dig a hole with those sharp little bones."

Si Shuo bared her teeth at him and growled, "Stop bullying a cat!"

The meat was soon roasted to perfection, tender and fragrant at eight-tenths done. Zhi Le gave Si Shuo a generous portion.

Si Shuo blinked at the seven or eight pounds of meat in front of her but didn't complain. Holding the meat close, she turned away from everyone's gaze and focused on eating.

Zhi Le ignored her but reminded her, "If you need more, just ask me."

The freshly grilled meat was rich and savory, with only the slightest hint of gaminess. She took a big bite, feeling as satisfied as if she were enjoying a high-end steak.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she secretly tore off a piece and stored it in her space. She had collected and washed many large leaves in her space, which were perfect for wrapping food. Later, when she got hungry, she could simply take it out and eat it.

Despite the large portion, she only ate about half a pound before feeling full. She discreetly stored another two and a half pounds in her space and handed the rest back to Zhi Le.

Zhi Le didn't eat it. Instead, he wrapped it in leaves. "I'll cut some for you to make soup in the morning, and you can take the rest with you when you go gathering."

Si Shuo pointed at him and asked, "What about you?"

Zhi Le's own portion was over ten pounds, yet he finished it all in one sitting!

Si Shuo realized that the appetite of modern humans couldn't be used to judge orcs. Zhi Le actually ate relatively little compared to some orcs, who could devour an entire lamb in one meal.

"I'll be hunting early in the morning, so I'll just chew on some dried meat. Besides, I won't feel hungry while hunting. Just take care of yourself."

Si Shuo pursed her lips. She wanted to get up early and make something for him to eat, but she didn't know how to start a fire, nor did she have any sense of time here. She felt powerless and could only improve little by little.

Later, Zhi Le escorted her back to the cave before heading out again. When he returned, he was carrying two wooden barrels filled with water, covered with leaf lids. The barrels were made from thick tree trunks, hollowed out and polished smooth.

He also had a string of bamboo tubes slung across his back.

Si Shuo loved bamboo tubes—they were convenient for storing water and food.

As the night deepened, the air turned cold. After washing up, she hung thick fur at the entrance of her sleeping chamber to block the wind, adding another layer of animal hides along the walls for extra warmth.

The room was dim, and soon, the world outside grew silent. However, faint sounds echoed from the caves nearby—deep and shallow noises, coming from all directions.

Si Shuo curled up like a gecko, wishing she could stick to the wall.

Zhi Le lay still for a while before shifting closer to her. He hugged her tightly from behind, burying his face in the curve of her neck.

"Don't be afraid, little cat," he murmured. "Let's become a couple. I'll give you the mark of the beast. I hope you'll get stronger so I won't have to worry about you gathering tomorrow."

Si Shuo, who had been stiff with nerves, suddenly felt a sense of helplessness and sorrow.

To her, such a thing should be the result of deep love. She could tell that Zhi Le genuinely liked her.

The original owner's body was too frail. Even though Si Shuo had been strengthened by the system, it didn't change the fact that she was still skin and bones.

Si Shuo had faced countless life-and-death situations. Each time, she thought she wouldn't survive until the next day, yet she always managed to hold on.

She never wasted time on meaningless struggles. Since they were bound to be together anyway, she might as well teach this young man properly—so that she wouldn't suffer too much.

She turned around, gently traced his face with her fingers, kissed his chin, brushed the corner of his lips, and listened as his originally steady breathing turned ragged. Then, she whispered softly into his ear:

"Brother Zhi Le… please be gentle. Si Shuo is afraid of pain..."

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### The Next Morning

After a night of passion, Si Shuo was still buried under the quilt when Zhi Le pulled her out.

She didn't open her eyes and clung to his waist, acting spoiled.

Who could resist a soft, clingy cat?

Zhi Le couldn't help but kiss her, gently stroking the delicate skin at her waist. His voice was deep and coaxing, "If you don't want to go out, just rest at home. I've made some broth in the pot, so drink it later."

Si Shuo was in high spirits. Last night, her disguise had slipped because of her distraction. As a result, her hearing impairment had been cured. Additionally, after becoming mates, Zhi Le gained access to share her space.

The space had now doubled in size to two cubic meters—one exclusively for Si Shuo and the other for shared use.

This setup ensured Si Shuo retained some privacy while also providing Zhi Le with an additional means of survival.

At the moment, the shared space contained the leftover barbecue from last night. Zhi Le reheated it while preparing the meat soup.

"I have to go," Si Shuo said. "I handed in everything I collected before. From now on, I only need to give half to the tribe, and the rest is ours!

Besides, I can secretly stash some away. I don't necessarily have to give half—I just need enough motivation to keep working."

Zhi Le sighed and hugged her tightly. "I suddenly don't want to go hunting anymore."

Si Shuo smiled. "Then don't go. Didn't they say newly bonded males can rest for three days?"

Zhi Le chuckled, biting her lightly. "I have to work harder now. Otherwise, come spring, you'll have to watch others eat meat while I go out hunting."

After some affectionate banter, Zhi Le finally left. Before he went, Si Shuo secretly placed a few level 6 crystal cores into the shared space—for emergencies.