Chapter 181: Shocking News

That day, Wu Jiong went out to meet with chiefs from several neighboring tribes and didn’t return until after dark.

Jian Mo was waiting in the courtyard. “Why so late? What meeting was this? You didn’t mention it before.”

“Planning for the Hunting Festival,” Wu Jiong said.

Jian Mo blinked. “It’s that time of year again already?”

Wu Jiong dipped his head.

Time had flown.

Jian Mo thought back to last year’s festival. He hadn’t been in this world long then, and everything was still strange to him.

Remembering the bustle of that hunt, he perked up. “We’ve got plenty of supplies on hand this year—we can bring more to trade. And we haven’t harvested flourfruit yet; we can swap for some there.”

Last year they’d made a lot of flourfruit cakes—quite tasty—and they’d been so busy this year they hadn’t made a new batch. He’d been craving them.

There were plenty of other things worth trading for too. They weren’t short on goods; they could stock up.

Before he’d finished plotting, Wu Jiong patted his shoulder. “No need to bring anything—the Hunting Festival is being hosted here this year.”

Jian Mo stared. “We’re not going to the Mengshui Tribe? They don’t mind?”

Wu Jiong found those round eyes irresistibly cute and leaned down to kiss him. “They’ve hosted so many times—what’s to mind? Everyone agreed we’ll use our new arena this year. If another tribe builds one, we’ll rotate next year.”

“If nothing special happens, folks won’t build an arena,” Jian Mo said. “It’s exhausting.”

Wu Jiong nodded. “Most likely the festival will keep rotating between us and the Mengshui Tribe.”

Studying his expression, Jian Mo sighed. “Our tribe really has grown.”

“Thanks to you,” Wu Jiong said.

“No, no,” Jian Mo said. “It’s everyone’s effort.”

News that the festival would be at Riverbank this year thrilled everyone.

Qing Kuo organized a crew to scrub the arena spotless. He also had the cubs pull all the weeds sprouting up around the settlement—after summer and fall, the growth had gotten messy.

Watching the cubs huff and puff with such enthusiasm was pretty entertaining.

Jian Mo himself didn’t join the chores; he headed to the back hills to check the honey-bird nests and collect some honey bricks.

He had barely reached the hills and begun his rounds when someone called out in a drawn-out voice: “Brother Jian Mo—!”

He poked his head out of the trees. “I’m here. What’s wrong?”

The voice answered, “We need your help.”

Peering down the slope, he finally made out youths from the Baizhi Tribe running up.

He was close with them and called out at once, “Who’s sick this time?”

Wan Zheng, at the front, shook his head hard. “Not another tribe—our chief.”

Jian Mo jumped. “Your chief? What’s up with Zhaozhi?”

Wan Zheng frowned. “Don’t know. He’s been unwell since we got back. The night before last he even fainted.”

He paused, then added, “He’s lost weight. Seems his stomach’s not right. We asked, and he just said it would pass.”

The Baizhi youths chimed in anxiously:

“You know how stubborn our chief is—if he won’t say, we can’t get anything out of him.”

“Do you have time these few days? Could you come take a look? We’ll carry you.”

“His complexion isn’t good, either. He’s always been fair, but now he looks downright pale.”

“And he refuses to come to you. We can’t force him.”

The Baizhi kids were so carefree and upbeat partly because they had a good chief. They respected Zhaozhi deeply; the thought of him ill clearly rattled them all.

Jian Mo and Zhaozhi were on good terms. He thought a moment and said, “I’ll go with you. I’ll try to make it back before the festival.”

“No problem,” Wan Zheng promised. “There are still several days to go. We’ll fly you back—it’ll be quick.”

“No need—Chirchirp can carry me,” Jian Mo said. “Let me prepare. Sounds like his stomach?”

“Yeah,” Wan Zheng said. “He’s thin already and then thinned suddenly. We think his stomach’s off and he has no appetite. But…it could be something else.”

“I’ll prepare herbs for digestive issues first,” Jian Mo said.

If he hadn’t visited the Starstore Tribe, he wouldn’t even have known how to approach stomach complaints. Now he had several formulas—but not the ready-made ingredients, so he’d have to prepare.

They agreed to leave the next day. That night, he told Wu Jiong.

“I’ll go with you,” Wu Jiong said.

Jian Mo draped himself over his back to see his face. “Aren’t you presiding over the festival? I can go alone—the Fei-jiu will look after me, and Chirchirp’s reliable.”

“It’s fine,” Wu Jiong said. “De Jiang can stand in.”

Seeing he had a plan, Jian Mo didn’t argue.

The next day they packed up and headed to the Baizhi Tribe.

When they arrived, Zhaozhi looked surprised. “Doctor Jian Mo? What brings you here?”

Jian Mo jerked his chin toward the youths behind him. “Wan Zheng and the others said you weren’t feeling well.”

Zhaozhi followed his gaze.

Wan Zheng nodded, anxious. “Chief, you’ve gotten so thin and you’re not eating. Let Brother Jian Mo take a look. He learned new things at the Starstore Tribe—he’s even better now.”

Zhaozhi’s expression turned odd. “No need. I just—”

He frowned slightly. “Forget it, it’s nothing serious. You all step out. I’ll speak to Doctor Jian Mo alone.”

Jian Mo glanced at Wu Jiong; Wu Jiong nodded and left with the others.

When they were alone, Zhaozhi said, “I’ve been a little unwell. Probably underdeveloped from delayed maturation. When it’s cold I get some lower-abdominal discomfort. It’s nothing.”

Jian Mo blinked. “Same as me?”

Zhaozhi nodded. “When I was little, everyone assumed I was a full beastman. We didn’t take certain things into account and left a hidden issue.”

Jian Mo was still in his own secondary development; he, too, sometimes felt unwell when it got cold. He nodded in understanding. “Could be hormones—sometimes it just acts up.”

“Exactly,” Zhaozhi said. “The kids meant well, running all this way to fetch you.”

“They respect you,” Jian Mo said with a smile. “Since I’m here, why not let me examine you? I learned quite a lot at Starstore.”

“Do I need to beastify anything I can?” Zhaozhi asked.

It took a second for Jian Mo to realize what he meant; he waved his hands quickly. “No. I had the beastmen take beast form because they’re larger, which makes it easier to examine. For a sub-beastman, human form is fine.”

Zhaozhi nodded.

“Find a place to sit,” Jian Mo said, looking around. “I’ll grab my stethoscope.”

Zhaozhi sat on a rock.

Jian Mo fetched the stethoscope, warmed it and his hands, then carefully auscultated.

He’d made real progress lately and had a better ear for internal sounds. He listened for a long time—then wondered if he’d misheard. Why did Zhaozhi sound…strange?

Zhaozhi saw his expression at once. “What is it?”

“Let me double-check,” Jian Mo said.

Zhaozhi fell silent.

After a while, Jian Mo put the stethoscope away and asked, tentative, “If I’m not mistaken…you seem to be…pregnant?”

Shock flashed across Zhaozhi’s face.

Seeing that, Jian Mo felt awkward. “Maybe my skills are lacking—let me listen again.”

He did a thorough recheck. From the organ sounds to the pulse, everything pointed to the same conclusion: Zhaozhi was indeed pregnant.

Apparently he hadn’t misheard.

Jian Mo looked at him, mouth opening, and asked softly, “There’s a chance, isn’t there?”

Zhaozhi steadied and nodded. “Just the once.”

“Then it’s likely real,” Jian Mo said.

Zhaozhi’s brow knit.

Jian Mo didn’t pry into privacy. “If you’re carrying, you’ll need to nourish yourself or your body will suffer. Eat more each day—ideally more meat; some fish is fine, plus nuts, tubers, and wild greens. Try to cover all the food groups.”

He added, “Of course, only what you can keep down. If something makes you vomit, skip it.”

Zhaozhi’s brow stayed furrowed.

Thinking he didn’t want the child, Jian Mo hesitated. “If you don’t want to keep it… I learned several relatively safe prescriptions to end a pregnancy.”

It had been Zhaozhi’s group who first noticed something off with Ji Xun last time.

“Your health comes first,” Jian Mo said seriously. “Think it over.”

“I know. Thank you,” Zhaozhi exhaled. “I just hadn’t…thought that far.”

Jian Mo figured Wan Zheng and the others hadn’t either—otherwise they wouldn’t have run so far to fetch him. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep this confidential.”

“It’s not really about secrecy,” Zhaozhi said, shaking his head. “It’s complicated. Let me think.”

He rubbed his forehead with long fingers—clearly a headache.

“I’ll stay here two days,” Jian Mo said gently. “Find me after you’ve decided.”

Zhaozhi rallied a little. “Sorry to trouble you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Jian Mo packed up and went with the Baizhi youths to their temporary quarters.

Wu Jiong soon came by. “Chief Zhaozhi’s alright?”

“For now,” Jian Mo said. “Later…we’ll see. We’ll spend a couple days here.”

“Alright,” Wu Jiong said. “We can still make it back in time. If needed, I’ll return first and you stay to manage the chief’s condition.”

Jian Mo nodded. “Feels like so much has happened this past year.”

“What’s with the sudden sentimentality?” Wu Jiong rubbed his hair.

“I can’t say yet,” Jian Mo replied. “Give it a couple days—you’ll see.”

In fact, it didn’t take two days.

That very afternoon, Qi Ming, chief of the Rainrise Tribe, came to propose a formal union with Zhaozhi.

When Jian Mo heard, his mouth dropped open.

So the two chiefs really had gotten together.

No—“together” wasn’t quite right. They’d truly slept together.

If Jian Mo was stunned, the Baizhi Tribe was downright explosive.

They never imagined their chief would be pregnant—and with the neighboring Rainrise chief’s child.

When Qi Ming arrived with his people, the Baizhi immediately started a shouting match.

They were yelling so loudly that Jian Mo and the others heard every word.

“If you don’t want to move to Rainrise,” Qi Ming said earnestly to Zhaozhi, “I can come live in Baizhi.”

“It hasn’t come to that,” Zhaozhi said, rubbing his temples. “Let me think.”

“I hope you’ll give me a chance,” Qi Ming said sincerely.

“We’ll see,” Zhaozhi answered coolly.

Qi Ming had brought gifts; he stated his intentions and then left.

The Baizhi refused to accept anything and huffed as they threw the goods back.

Later, Zhaozhi found Jian Mo. “I want to keep the child. Doctor Jian Mo—what should I do?”

Jian Mo didn’t ask further, only said solemnly, “Your health is a bit weak. We’ll have to build you up. Since you’re pregnant, avoid medicines where possible—we’ll treat with food. I’ll write you a diet plan.”

“Sorry for the trouble,” Zhaozhi said.

“Not at all,” Jian Mo replied.

Since the Baizhi couldn’t read, Jian Mo drew the meal plan instead—pictures they could follow.

That took some time.

That night, he whispered to Wu Jiong in awe, “Didn’t think they’d actually be together. Your people-reading is sharp.”

“Eyes don’t lie,” Wu Jiong said.

Jian Mo’s interest was piqued. “So do you think they’ll become mates?”

“No idea,” Wu Jiong said. “They’re both chiefs—that complicates things. Instead of betting on that, how about we bet on the baby’s beast form?”

A cub’s beast form usually followed whichever side’s genes were dominant. Jian Mo couldn’t guess. “They both seem strong. Qi Ming’s a bit black-bellied, too—always smiling, but careful and calculating.”

“My guess is it’ll follow Zhaozhi,” Wu Jiong said.

“Reason?”

“Instinct,” Wu Jiong said, slipping an arm around him. “Wanna make it a wager?”

“Deal,” Jian Mo said. “What’s the stake?”

Wu Jiong whispered in his ear.

Jian Mo flushed scarlet, but his eyes sparkled. “You’re on. No backing out.”

“I never back out,” Wu Jiong said, eyes smiling.