"Yueyue, this is the Uncle I told you about."
Shu Yue called out obediently, "Hello Uncle, I am Shu Yue."
"Haha, good... Shu Yue?" Balen found the name somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before!
"What's wrong, is Yueyue's name not nice?" the beastman asked strangely.
Balen shook his head, "No, it's just that the name sounds a bit familiar, like I've heard it before."
Shu Yue didn't pay much attention. It was common for people to have the same name, so it wasn't strange for someone on the Beastman Continent to be named this.
It wasn't until he saw Leite flying over that Balen slapped his forehead. "I remember now, Leite's female is called Shu Xin. That's why it sounded so familiar. Your names are just different at the end."
What? Shu Xin?!!
Just hearing the name made Shu Yue's breath catch. At this moment, Leite had landed, and she quickly looked at the female behind him…
…!
Their eyes met, and both saw shock and disbelief in each other's eyes. "Shu Xin!" The exclamation was filled with surprise and joy.
…
Shu Xin stared blankly, her lips moving, but she couldn't utter Shu Yue's name.
Looking at the familiar, beautiful face before her, Shu Xin felt a sense of daze. By the time she reacted, she was already being held tightly.
Shu Yue hugged her and cried, "Shu Xin, how could you be here? Did you commit suicide too? What will your parents do if you're gone…" Her cries were mixed with the joy of a reunion with a loved one, and something more complex.
When the three beastmen were stunned by the sudden scene, they wondered what was going on. The two females knew each other?!
Leite and Went exchanged glances, then looked away in confusion, one crying uncontrollably, the other with a vacant expression.
After a long while, Shu Xin finally found her voice. "Shu… let go of me first."
Hearing the familiar, clear female voice, Shu Yue's body stiffened. She slowly released her arms and stood awkwardly to the side.
Shu Xin suppressed the surging emotions in her heart and spoke with a hint of distance, "We all thought you were dead."
Shu Yue pulled at the corner of her mouth bitterly. "Yes, I didn't manage to die."
The strange development between the two left Leite completely bewildered. Went, however, felt a jolt in his heart and looked at Shu Xin with a hint of wariness.
Shu Xin appraised her current state with a cool gaze, thinking that she had transmigrated into a decent form. Then, she said self-mockingly, "I didn't manage to die either."
Hearing this, Leite's eyelids twitched. What was going on? Why were the two females discussing whether they were alive or dead!
Shu Yue, however, reacted intensely, shouting, "What happened to you? Why did you…?! You had no reason!"
Shu Xin turned her eyes away, not looking at her. "It has nothing to do with you."
"..." Shu Yue felt a deep ache in her heart, her tears seeming to flow endlessly. She wiped them away, but more kept coming.
Went was extremely heartbroken and quickly walked over to wipe away her tears. "Yueyue, who is she?"
"She's my sister, my own sister." It was all her fault that Shu Xin had become like this…
Shu Xin showed no reaction to the word "sister," as if it had nothing to do with her.
However, Leite, who knew her well, sensed the subtle shifts in her emotions and became even more puzzled. There must be something going on here!
The commotion attracted some tribesmen to watch. Balen's intimidating gaze drove the others away, and then he said, "Since you both know each other, let's go into the cave and talk."
"Leite, grill the meat outside. Went and the others just returned, they must be hungry."
Speaking of hunger, Shu Yue's stomach let out an untimely rumble. The sound wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear it…
"..."
Shu Yue was so embarrassed that she forgot to cry. She lowered her head, staring at her feet, and comforted herself, *No one can hear, no one can hear…*
Balen laughed heartily, "Leite, why aren't you preparing? Look, Shu Yue is starving."
"..." So awkward!
Went squeezed her hand, then let go. "I'll help too. Yueyue is pregnant, she can't be hungry."
"..." Balen and Leite were stunned.
Shu Xin also looked over abruptly. Pregnant?!
Shu Yue said sheepishly, "This is what the witch doctor of the Uda tribe said. I'm not sure myself…" Although she felt she was indeed pregnant, otherwise, she couldn't explain her increased appetite recently.
Shu Xin, without a word, took her hand and placed two fingers on her pulse. Shu Yue dared not move, feeling a little nervous.
After about a minute, Shu Xin said, "You are indeed pregnant."
Then, she said to her emotionlessly, "Pregnant women are most susceptible to emotional fluctuations. If you want the child to be born healthy, cry less in the future."
Shu Yue: "..." Could she interpret this as concern?
She nodded obediently, "Okay, sister, I understand~"
"..." Shu Xin turned away stiffly, as if trying to avoid something.
Shu Yue caught her movement and blinked her eyes~
Balen and Leite also recovered. The former patted Went's shoulder with great relief, "Well done!"
"Hurry up and get started, don't let the pregnant female go hungry!"
Went responded and quickly started a fire to grill fish.
Leite's movements were a bit slower. He looked at Went with the intention of beating him up, saying with great jealousy, "You brat, you're going to be a father so soon!"
Went chuckled and said mockingly, "Brother, you're not young either. It's time you had a cub."
Hearing this, Leite's face twisted for a moment. Was he not wanting one?! Had he not been trying to have a cub every day?
Why did this cub run to him!
He was quite happy initially, but seeing the smile of an expectant father on someone's face, Leite just wanted to punch him. *Let's see you show off again!*
Outside the cave, the two brothers bickered. Inside the cave, the two sisters seemed to be on mute, neither speaking.
Balen had nothing to say to the females, so he joined them outside to grill meat.
Three fires, one person watching each. One grilling fish, one simmering fish soup, and the last one grilling meat.
While grilling, Balen asked Went about his time at the Uda tribe. He learned that the reason they were returning now was due to the divination by the Uda tribe's witch doctor.
Leite said, "Uncle He should be leading his tribesmen to our Warrior tribe."
Went explained, "Father is worried about too many casualties among the Uda tribesmen during their migration. The rainy season is coming soon."
They had lived peacefully in the Uda tribe for two months, and it took another half a month to return to the Warrior tribe. In another half a month, it would be the rainy season.
The rainy season would last for a full month. After the rainy season, the Red Moon season, which is autumn, would begin.
According to the legends of the Beastman Continent, it was the slaughter and blood during the beast tide that dyed the moon red, thus giving rise to the Red Moon season. The blood and flesh nourished the earth, leading to a bountiful harvest.
The Red Moon season was the favorite season for both herbivorous and carnivorous beastmen, with abundant food and cool weather. It was the most peaceful season of the year.
Balen understood his brother's actions. "Your father's decision is correct. As a qualified chieftain, he must prioritize the lives of his tribesmen."