Light snow was falling from the sky, drifting and swirling, obscuring the view and dampening everyone's eagerness to get home.
Aside from the necessary weapons, everything else was pulled by saber-toothed leopards, greatly reducing the burden on the group. Even so, some veteran hunters still carried their packs, just in case.
They walked along, their steps uneven, some deep and some shallow. Bai Da and the other two stayed close to Shi Cong, making small talk with him even when they didn't have anything to say. Hu Lai, on the other hand, was lost in thought, secretly observing the hunting party's situation.
While keeping an eye on the saber-toothed leopard, Xiang Wan also kept an eye on Shi Cong. He wasn't a talkative person, but he was willing to talk to Bai San and the others, sharing his own experiences with them, which made the young orcs eavesdropping nearby have their eyes light up.
"Ah Cong, so you're saying you've been wandering around alone since you were very young?"
Xiang Wan was caught off guard when Bai Da and Bai Er started calling Shi Cong "A Cong" directly. She thought to herself, "Shi Cong really knows how to swallow his pride to pursue the person he likes."
Orcs worship the strong. The worse their attitude, the stronger they are, and the easier it is for them to win people's hearts.
In terms of physique, Shi Cong is clearly not in the same league as Bai Da and Bai Er. The fact that they can talk to each other only makes people think that he has lowered his status and attitude, either because they have a particularly good relationship or because he wants something from Bai Da and Bai Er.
Bai San assumed Shi Cong was after the youngest child, so his attitude wasn't good; instead, he put on airs. The more respectful Shi Cong's attitude became, the more Bai San felt he had ulterior motives, completely forgetting that he himself was also asking for fitness tips.
Under Xiang Wan's prompting, Bai Da and Bai Er found the interactions between Shi Cong and Bai San increasingly amusing. Even if they were brothers, sacrificing their third brother for their future happiness seemed reasonable. Moreover, if their third brother could win over Shi Cong, a formidable rival, they would not only lose a love rival but also gain a skilled hunter—a win-win situation. Therefore, the two treated Shi Cong with unparalleled familiarity and enthusiasm. Calling him "A-Cong" was the bare minimum.
"Ah Cong, don't worry, as long as we brothers are here, we will never let anyone bully you."
"Acong, all the orcs in our tribe are friendly and hospitable, so don't worry about them. If anyone doesn't like you, I'll beat them up."
"Ah Cong, that's just how the third brother is, don't take it to heart."
"Ah Cong, how did you kill the walrus? That's amazing! Teach us sometime!"
“Ah Cong,…”
“Ah Cong,…”
Throughout the journey, Bai Da and Bai Er's mouths never stopped, and Shi Cong always responded with a smile, sometimes even replying with a word or two, which made the two of them talk even more enthusiastically.
Bai San lagged slightly behind, but whenever Shi Cong's gaze fell on Xiang Wan, he would simply block the way, pretending to be looking at the sky.
The white ox had already noticed this and thought his calf had finally come to his senses and was wary of outsiders. But when he saw Hu Lai clinging to Xiang Wan, his expression darkened. This female, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, had no beastman features, was weak, and couldn't reproduce. If she really became a couple with the youngest son, wouldn't that mean the youngest son would be childless? He had to find a way to get rid of her!
His gaze swept over the crowd behind him, and Old Man Bai's eyes lingered on Shi Cong for a moment. An idea gradually emerged, so he subtly slowed his pace until he was level with Xiang Wan.
Knowing he had something to say, Xiang Wan slowed her pace and gestured for Hu Lai to go first.
Bai Niu coughed lightly, "Youngest brother, what are your plans after we get back?"
Xiang Wan was confused. She had only recently come of age. Did they mean they were going to separate her from her family and live separately?
"Dad, my brothers aren't married yet. Is it really appropriate for me to move out on my own?"
Bai Niu rolled his eyes at her and said irritably, "What are you planning to do with Hu Lai and Shi Cong?"
Huh? When did Dad become so democratic? Usually, he makes the decisions, and the younger ones just need to inform him, right?
"I'll listen to my mother."
Three words instantly silenced everything Bai Niu was about to say.
She already had a plan in mind, but she didn't want Bai Niu to get involved; she was her trump card.
The white ox felt a tightness in his chest. His little calf had grown up and was becoming disobedient. If he'd known it would be like this, why bother discussing it? A good beating would have been much better; simple and brutal is the best approach!
To prevent her repressed father from dragging her into the woods for a lecture, Xiang Wan quickly caught up with Bai Da and the others and joined the chat.
Bai San was indignant. He'd been on guard day and night, and now his youngest brother had willingly walked right into the fray. If Shi Cong succeeded, who knew how he'd laugh at him? He quickened his pace and joined the conversation.
"Brother Shi Cong, you..."
"Ah Cong, that's what everyone calls him."
Shi Cong's eyes crinkled with a smile, much like his casual attitude towards Bai Da and Bai Er.
Xiang Wan was taken aback, realizing that Shi Cong really did have the potential to be a cunning and manipulative man. She glanced at Bai San silently and offered him a moment of silence.
"Ah Cong, what are your plans for the future?"
Just as they reached her, Bai San heard Xiang Wan affectionately call out "A Cong," which infuriated him. He pulled her to his side and interrupted irritably, "Of course you're staying in the Fox Clan, where else can you go?"
Xiang Wan's eyes lit up, as if she was asserting her dominance, not allowing any males to approach or anything like that. This display of affection was so direct.
The eldest and second eldest brothers shared the same idea as Xiang Wan, exchanged a glance, and smiled knowingly.
Shi Cong glanced at Bai San in surprise, thinking to himself, "This guy doesn't usually treat me very well, but his words are full of concern. Could he be a tsundere who says one thing but means another?"
"Hey third brother, you and the youngest brother invited Ah Cong together, but look at your attitude..."
Bai Da loves a good show, especially when it comes to making a fool of Lao San. He just can't resist adding fuel to the fire.
"Big brother is right, third brother. It's not that I'm criticizing you, but your temper is just too much. If you don't change it, you'll have a hard time finding a spouse in the future!"
Bai San glared at the two brothers and said irritably, "That's just my temper. Take it or leave it! Those who like it will like it, and those who don't, I won't bother with."
Those two are deliberately picking on him. If they knew Shi Cong's intentions, let's see if they'd still be laughing.
"Third brother, we're doing this for your own good. If it were anyone else, who would bother with us?"
“That’s right, third brother, if you have any complaints, just say them, and we two brothers will help you out.”
"And me too." Xiang Wan quickly stated her position, "Third Brother, don't worry, we will all help you."
Bai San paused, realizing that he was the only one worrying unnecessarily. The eldest and second eldest were just watching the show, and even the youngest didn't care. Why was he so nervous?
His face darkened, and he turned away immediately.
Seeing this, Bai Da and the other two exchanged glances, wondering what was wrong with the third brother, that he was so easily amused.
Shi Cong coughed lightly and said gently, "You don't need to say that about him. Actually, he's quite good."
Bai Da and the others were speaking up for him, so it wouldn't be good to make things too tense. Shi Cong believed that what he said was quite fair.
Bai Da and the other two's eyes lit up simultaneously: There's hope!
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