Beauty and the Beasts

After merely resting for a night, Muir’s injury basically didn’t affect his movements now.

Early in the morning, he ran off and captured a plump and sturdy squirrel, before roasting it by the river near a large tree.

Smelling the fragrance, Bai Qingqing snapped out of her dreams back to reality. Wrinkling her nose, she opened her eyes.

“Who’s roasting meat?”

Bai Qingqing crawled outside. It was a very familiar fragrance. Garlic-flavored. Muir!

Ah, she nearly forgot that Muir had moved into the peacock village.

Muir kept an eye on Bai Qingqing’s direction constantly. The instant she came out, he noticed her. He got up and transformed into an eagle, before flying towards her.

Bai Qingqing smoothed her tangled hair, having not combed it for some time. Muir stopped next to her and indicated for her to climb onto him.

She gazed at the ground below and felt a little sheepish as she carefully went over the railings and turned her body to sit on the back of the eagle.

Muir flew steadily, and without much shock or surprise, brought Bai Qingqing to the river.

They had just landed on the ground when Bai Qingqing let out a gasp. Covering her face with her hands, she gazed around at her surroundings.

“I forgot to smudge my face.”

Muir squatted beside the fire and flipped over the roasted meat. There were purple balls laid over a tree leaf next to him.

“I plucked the purple balls. Quick, go and wash your face. I’ll help you apply it later.”

It was only out of habit that Bai Qingqing wished to conceal her true appearance. Now, she didn’t really care anymore. She said, “Actually, it’s okay. I can’t be bothered with them anymore.”

Alva, holding a pine cone full of pine nuts, froze in his steps.

1

Can’t be bothered with them.

Among “them,” he was probably the one who she most couldn’t be bothered with.

Bai Qingqing walked to the river and was using the tasteless weeds to brush her teeth when she heard Muir say behind her, “Then don’t apply it.”

After washing her face, nonetheless, she still went to squat next to Muir and said helplessly after handing a purple ball to him, “I think I’d better still apply it. If I don’t, it’d be more troublesome.”

Muir smiled. As she wished, he helped her apply the birthmark. Bai Qingqing’s gaze swept over Muir’s shoulder and caught sight of Alva.

Alva’s handsome face instantly revealed a vibrant smile as he strode towards them.

“These are the fresh pine nuts I just peeled today. Although your primary source of food isn’t pine nuts, your hair is too frizzy. If you eat pine nuts every day, your hair will definitely be glossy and shiny.”

Bai Qingqing stared at the pine nuts in shock. “So much? Did you smash the nuts this morning? I don’t even smash that many in a day.”

Alva bowed his head in shame, quickly bringing the pine nuts before her.

“You’re a female, so of course you’re slow in peeling it. Us males don’t need to use rocks. Just a pinch, and it would open.”

Only then did Bai Qingqing understood that Bella only made her do that to torture her.

“What peel pine nuts?” Muir stared at them with doubt in his eyes. “Qingqing, why do you have to spend an entire day peeling the pine nuts? Do you like to eat them? In that case, I’ll peel them for you later.”

Bai Qingqing shook her head hurriedly. After a moment’s hesitation, she said a half-truth, “I had nothing better to do, so I helped someone else peel it.”

“No.” Alva suddenly raised his pitch. After glancing at Bai Qingqing and Muir, he said in an ashamed manner, “I made her peel the nuts for a female in the village. Or else…”

“Or else what?” Muir narrowed his eyes, his voice exuding a sense of danger.

Throwing caution to the wind, Alva said, “Or else I would chase her out. I- I was merely scaring her.”

Muir got up right away. Bai Qingqing immediately thought to herself, “Oh no.” But before she could say anything, she only saw a figure flash before her eyes, and Muir had already dashed to Alva.

Although Alva was alert, he was still sent flying out with a punch before he could even catch a clear glimpse of the other party’s actions.

2