024. If I drink it, must I form a blood pact with him?

After Shi Yong and his companions walked away, dejected, the smile on Jin Ye’s face never wavered. He turned and strode toward the roasting rack, selecting a piece of beast loin that shimmered with oil.

He had specifically set aside the most tender part, carefully tearing it into bite-sized pieces. He then pinched a tiny amount of salt from a leather pouch, sprinkled it evenly over the meat, and walked back to Li Yue, handing the roasted meat to her.

"Eat quickly. I just tore it up; it’s not too hot anymore."

Li Yue was indeed hungry. She took the meat and bit into it. The texture was fresh, tender, and juicy, and the savory salt perfectly neutralized the gamey flavor of the beast meat. It tasted excellent.

As she chewed, she nodded. "Delicious, thank you, Jin Ye."

Hearing the praise, Jin Ye’s icy blue eyes lit up, and his smile widened even further.

He gestured toward a giant piece of poultry on a nearby rack. The bird was larger than an ostrich; its feathers had just been plucked, and fat was dripping down through the cuts in the meat.

"That is meat from a Colored-Feather Fowl. It’s even more tender than the beast meat. Do you want to try some? I’ll go tear a piece off for you."

Li Yue looked in the direction he pointed. She found it hard to imagine that a bird of that size could be tender, but she nodded out of curiosity. "All right, I’ll try a little."

Jin Ye immediately responded, his steps light as he wove through the beastmen surrounding the grill. In a few quick motions, he tore a piece of the fattest, most tender meat from the bird’s leg and quickly shredded it into small pieces.

Watching Jin Ye strut around Li Yue like a peacock displaying its feathers, his tail practically wagging, the expressions of the other beast-husbands became subtle. If they had known the little female was this compliant, they would have realized that getting her some roasted meat was no trouble at all.

You Lie watched the way Li Yue’s eyes curved into crescents as she ate the meat Jin Ye gave her, and a sense of stifling frustration welled up inside him. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke: "Are you thirsty? There is water over there; I will go get some for you."

Li Yue was chewing the fowl meat. Upon hearing this, she glanced at the clay pot on a stone table a few steps away. It wasn't far.

Not wanting to constantly trouble these future villains, she hurriedly shook her head. "No need, I’ll go get it myself. It isn't far anyway."

You Lie’s hand, which had been reaching out, froze in mid-air. The light in his dark red eyes dimmed, and his fingers clenched involuntarily.

She accepted the roasted meat Jin Ye offered her, but when he offered to get her water, she insisted on doing it herself? Did she loathe him that much? Was her detachment by the creek earlier not enough, that she had to draw a line even over such a trivial matter?

Li Yue did not notice the change in You Lie’s emotions. Just as she stood up, Si Qi gently pressed her shoulder. "Stay seated, I’ll go get it for you."

As he spoke, he walked to the stone table and drew water into a clay pot he had brought along. He gave it a shake to ensure the temperature wasn't too hot before handing it to Li Yue. "Be careful, the water has been boiled; it’s a bit warm."

Li Yue took the clay pot and thanked him. Just as she was about to drink, another clay pot appeared before her.

Qing Ze had walked over at some point, holding a pot with a smile as gentle as the evening sunset.

"Female Li Yue, this is juice pressed from honey-pulp berries. Would you like to try some? These berries are very sweet; the females in the tribe love them. It’s chilled, which is great for cutting through the greasiness and quenching thirst."

A sweet, fresh fruity fragrance wafted over, accompanied by a hint of coolness—entirely different from the sour, astringent wild fruits common in the beast world.

Li Yue’s eyes brightened instantly. *Is this fruit juice?* In this resource-scarce beast world, she could actually have something this refined?

She subconsciously swallowed, her fingertips curling slightly. But then, she reconsidered: in the beast world, males offering food to females usually carried the implication of courtship.

She quickly averted her gaze and shook her head gently, her tone polite yet firm. "Thank you for your kindness, but there is no need. My beast-husbands will prepare it for me, so I won't trouble you."

This was actually just an excuse she had come up with on the spot to refuse him. She hadn't expected the villainous leaders to actually juice fruit for her; she only said it to make Qing Ze retreat.

However, these words fell on the ears of her beast-husbands like a pebble cast into a pond, instantly stirring up ripples. She wanted to drink fruit juice? And she had refused another male's kindness while expressing that she wanted *them* to get it for her?

Constrained by Qing Ze’s presence, they didn't show it. After all, to the husbands of the beast world, preparing food for a female was a matter of course. Expressing surprise over this would inevitably alert an outsider to the delicate nature of their relationship.

Jin Ye was the first to chime in, lifting his chin slightly. "You heard her, right? We will get her the fruit juice. You should take your juice and leave."

As he spoke, he moved half a step forward, shielding Li Yue behind him to prevent Qing Ze from getting any closer.

Qing Ze, however, did not leave. He had seen it clearly: the light in Li Yue’s eyes when she looked at the juice could not be hidden. She clearly wanted to drink it; she was just intentionally refusing him.

Qing Ze looked at the docile, quiet little female, and the more he looked, the more he liked her. Although she intended to reject him, he didn't want to give up.

He held the clay pot forward, his tone even gentler. "I don't mean anything else by it; I just thought that since you’ve been eating roasted meat, this would be perfect to cut the greasiness. I’ll leave this pot with you. I don't want anything in return; just accept it."

Without waiting for Li Yue to refuse again, he gently placed the clay pot on the stone beside her, turned, and walked away without another word, leaving only a resolute silhouette behind.

Li Yue looked at the clay pot on the stone, the sweet scent of honey-pulp berries lingering in her nose, and felt conflicted. If she didn't accept it, the fragrance was too alluring; but if she did, would Qing Ze think she was interested in him?

She stood there struggling for a while, finally turning away and refusing to look at the pot again.

The beast-husbands saw her hesitation. Si Qi was the first to rise; he reached out, picked up the jar of honey-pulp berry juice, and placed it gently in front of her. His tone was soft. "He said it was just a gift to help with the greasiness, no other intentions. If you want to drink it, then drink it; don't feel burdened."

Li Yue stared at the clay pot, her fingertips brushing against the rim. She still asked, worriedly, "If I drink it, I don't have to form a bond with him, right?"

Chi Yu, standing nearby, spoke calmly. "Of course not. If one had to form a bond just by drinking a pot of juice, there wouldn't be so many males unable to find a mate."

These words completely dispelled Li Yue’s concerns. She held the clay pot and sniffed it again—the sweet, fresh fruit scent was even stronger, carrying a hint of coolness that instantly dispelled the greasiness of the meat.

She took a sip. The sweet, smooth taste of the honey-pulp berries spread across her tongue. There was no bitterness or acidity at all; it was better than any wild fruit she had ever tasted. She couldn't help but drink several more mouthfuls, and before long, she had finished half the pot.

When she set the pot down, Li Yue noticed that all the beast-husbands were staring at her with different expressions. Thinking they might want a taste, she held up the pot. "Do you want to try some?"

Most males in the beast world preferred meat and had no interest in wild fruits or juice, but at Li Yue's question, Jin Ye leaned forward immediately, his icy blue eyes full of anticipation. "I want to try!"

Li Yue didn't think much of it and handed him the pot.

As Jin Ye took it, his fingertips accidentally brushed against her palm. He recoiled quickly and lightly, then gripped the pot tightly.

He stared at the spot on the rim where Li Yue had just been drinking and, without hesitation, leaned over and took a large gulp.

The sweetness of the juice seemed to be mixed with the faint, delicate fragrance that lingered on Li Yue’s skin, making it even more alluring than the juice alone.

The more Jin Ye drank, the better it tasted. Before long, he had finished the rest of the juice. He licked his lips, still wanting more, his ear-tips turning a faint shade of red.