"Xin'er, wait until this rainy season passes, okay? I'll go find gifts and beast skin clothes then. We'll mate during the Red Moon season. I'll swear to the Beast God, just like Went, that I'll only have you as my female in this life!" Rate's gaze was earnest.
Shu Xin let out a cold snort and turned her head away, remaining silent.
Rate grew anxious. "Xin'er, I'm telling the truth, I won't lie to you this time!"
"How can I believe you?" Shu Xin's eyes were filled with coldness.
Rate's heart sank. Without a second thought, he faced the female and knelt on one knee, pounding his left fist against his chest. He declared with conviction, "I, Rate, swear to the Beast God here and now that I will never deceive Shu Xin about anything again. If I break this vow, may I be punished with no offspring in this life. Let the Beast God bear witness!"
"..."
"How could you..." Shu Xin was suddenly speechless. She hadn't expected him to go this far.
"Xin'er, can you forgive me?" Rate's eyes were filled with passionate love and anticipation.
Shu Xin felt a burning sensation in her chest. She dared not meet his eyes, turning her head away, unsure of where to put her hands and feet.
The beastman stood up from the ground and, without allowing any refusal, pulled her into his embrace, letting her feel his heartbeat.
Shu Xin was pressed against his chest, the heat on her face rising. She whispered, "It's hot, let me go."
A voice came from above her head. "No, unless you agree to mate with me, and you also swear that from now on, unless I die, you cannot find another male!"
Hearing this, she really wanted to roll her eyes. "Are you saying this because you want to die so I can find someone else?"
Rate: "..."
He released her and stared into her eyes, saying word by word, "I misspoke. It's that even if I die, you cannot find anyone else!"
After saying this, a possessive kiss was pressed upon her.
The beastman held her tightly, not allowing her any retreat.
Shu Xin passively endured the kiss. Through it, she felt the strong heartbeat in his chest. The temperature in the cave seemed to rise with the beastman's body heat...
~~~
"You bastard! I'm still bleeding!" Shu Xin angrily snatched the clothes from his hand.
When Rate heard the word 'bleeding,' he had to brake hard. It was a pity he had already thrown away his beast skin skirt.
"Xin'er, let me hold you for a while." If I can't eat, I can at least touch, right?
Shu Xin pushed him away. "No, it's too hot. If you can't control yourself, go to the river. I'm tired."
Rate's eyes accused her. "...!"
"Xin'er, you're too cruel to me."
Shu Xin looked at him coldly. "I haven't even settled the score for you deceiving me yet. Why don't we hash that out now?"
Hearing this, Rate's arrogance deflated by half. He said weakly, "Alright, I'll go take a bath. You sleep first."
"Mhm, come back after you've washed!" She emphasized the words 'after you've washed' with particular weight.
"Mhm, I'll be back as soon as possible!" The beastman hurriedly put on his beast skin skirt and flew away.
He had to quickly find a place to vent his desire. Once Xin'er stopped bleeding, he would definitely...!
The more Rate thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. He just wanted to find a river and take care of himself first.
Shu Xin, in the cave, watched the mobile furnace leave. Only then did she gradually calm down. It was impossible not to be angry, but the beastman's oath had indeed touched her. Currently, she didn't know how to handle this relationship.
The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. She would leave it to time to decide!
...
...
As soon as Rate fell into the river where he usually bathed, he sensed something was wrong. There was a female nearby!
He quickly climbed back up and asked, "Who's here!"
Yi Yi, who was bathing in the river, felt her heart pounding. It was Rate!
Yi Yi remained silent, her body slowly sinking downwards, submerging herself in the water.
Rate only saw a head disappear underwater. Thinking the female was drowning, he didn't care about anything else and immediately went to save her.
Just as he swam to where the female was supposedly drowning, a slippery body suddenly coiled around him, even touching his beast skin skirt. Rate was startled and quickly threw her off!
The female let out a pained cry, "It hurts!" This time, she was truly drowning!
Rate, without any pity, grabbed the female's arm with one hand and hauled her onto the shore. Only after throwing her onto the bank did he see who it was.
"Yi Yi, why are you here?!" As he asked this, his body had already turned away.
Yi Yi looked resentful. The arm he had grabbed had a bruise, and the shove had also sprained her waist. She was in so much pain she couldn't move.
"Rate, you hurt me!" Her complaining words, however, made one's imagination run wild.
Rate took a deep breath and calmly said, "I apologize. I thought a female was drowning, so I was a bit rough."
"Since you're alright, hurry back."
Yi Yi said resentfully, "But you hurt my waist, and I'm in so much pain I can't walk. You should take me back."
Rate frowned, his head aching. If it were any other time, he would have taken her back. But tonight, she was naked. If the tribe saw her like this, he wouldn't be able to explain it even with ten mouths!
"Yi Yi, where is your beast skin skirt? I'll get it for you. Once you put it on, I'll take you back."
"..."
Yi Yi's eyes flickered. She said resentfully, "I wanted to take a bath while no one was around, and you almost scared me into drowning. Go find my clothes for me, and wash them too, as your apology."
Rate didn't catch her subtle intentions. He just said, "If I wash your clothes now, you'll have to wear wet ones back, which will be too uncomfortable. I'll go find your clothes. As for washing them, I'll bring you some eggs from the Ge Ge beast another day as compensation for scaring you today."
Having grown up together, he wasn't as polite to Yi Yi as he was to other females.
Watching the beastman disappear, Yi Yi was somewhat annoyed. Was her body that unsightly?!
She refused to believe that Rate would have no interest in her body!
Soon, Rate found the clothes. The beast skin skirt carried Yi Yi's scent, so it wasn't hard to find.
Originally, Yi Yi had planned to deliberately cling to him when he handed her the clothes. Once there was physical contact, she didn't believe the beastman would throw her off again!
However, all she saw was a piece of clothing falling from the sky, and the beastman had already vanished.
Yi Yi angrily exclaimed, "Rate, where did you go?"
Rate's voice came from a distant treetop. "Yi Yi, hurry and put them on. I'll take you back when you're done."
He was a male, and tonight his desire was already burning. Even without provocation, he could feel aroused all day. Yet now, a naked female was thrown in front of him. If he couldn't touch her, shouldn't he quickly distance himself?
Xin'er might not be able to smell it, but others could. He had finally managed to pacify Xin'er, and he couldn't let her misunderstand because of this!
The beastman leaned against the tree trunk, his back to Yi Yi, his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart. He was practically chanting Amitabha Buddha.
Yi Yi gritted her teeth in anger. She couldn't help but suspect that Rate was impotent!
She had gone this far, yet he didn't hurry to approach her, but instead hid far away. Was she that terrifying? Damn it!
"Rate, my arm hurts. Come help me." She was determined to make him touch her today!