Chapter 38 Fall Hunting Season

Aunt Qiao is satisfied that Hu'er agreed with her. "I would tell you why it is good and bad to have more mates. Old females will never tell you about it as they would just want you to have as many as the tribe can give you."

"Yes, please. It will be great to know about it, Aunt Qiao." She really wants to make the rope while listening but it would be rude of her if she did it. Aunt Qiao is doing this for her own sake and she's also gaining more information from her. There is no disadvantage to listening attentively to whatever Aunt Qiao will say.

Aunt Qiao claps her hand signaling that she would begin, "Let me start with how good it is to have many mates. First, more mates mean more beastmen would live longer. With that, you will be able to help the tribe's problem of lacking females. Then once you mated them they would provide for you, serve you, and protect you for all your life. If there is more work, emergency, or tribe events there will be more people who can be with you. The more mates you have the more convenient it is for you to live. You wouldn't feel any fear anymore."

"Fear?" This caught her full attention.

"We are in the middle of the forest. Wild animals would come more often than you ever think."

"There is a lot?"

"Yes, a lot. There are patrols on the tribe but there are more outside the tribe. The station is in the vicinity of the tribe. They are the ones who protect us and kill all the wild animals that will get near our tribe. It's also the reason why we don't see wild animals in the tribe. Every day, the patrols have killed not less than five wild animals. That's also the reason why we could borrow food from the tribe and never lack food." Aunt Qiao suddenly stood up and took a big bowl of salted meat. She gave it to Hu'er. She didn't decline and ate it in relish.

Aunt Qiao added, "Mating a patrol is also beneficial to you as they have more meat than normal workers. I have two patrols that I mated, so I never lack meat. If ever you need some, you can tell me or ask your Daddy to tell my mate. The only worrying thing about mating a patrol is you would be constantly worried that they might die." She wanted to recommend her unmated son but didn't do it.

Instead, she just continued about the danger she might get into, "There are still those times, like the first day of Fall, when the patrols couldn't control and kill the wild animals immediately. If it's not because of that, I wouldn't take in more mates. I'm living at the end of the tribe after all. And I heard you will be living here too. Oh, don't get me wrong. My mates are good to me, I didn't regret choosing them as a mate." Hu'er smiled and nodded at her.

"About the bad side of having a mate…. How can I say this in a way you would understand…?" She stopped speaking and think how to explain it to Hu'er.

To help Aunt Qiao, she instead asked, "Do the beastmen fight?"

"Ah, yes, fight. They do become jealous and fight among themselves from time to time but never really make too many scenes. They will just beat each other then it's done. They'll be friends again. Once they do that it is better not to interfere. If you unconsciously choose a side the fight will only worsen. It's tiring too." Aunt Qiao wanted to say that it's tiring to have a lot of beastmen because they have too much energy, and the nightlife is strenuous. But She's still aware not to be so direct like that. She can just tell it to her once she got her first mate.

"Okay. I'll remember that." It is already what Hu'er expected. Hu'er already experienced such a thing and she also heard some rumors that females in the back courtyard will always kill and scheme against each other. If they only fight and everything is good afterward, then it will be fine for her. It will be hard for her to trust a mate who will kill her other mate. She wouldn't be able to sleep. It's kind of ironic for her to think like that. 'I indirectly kill hundreds and maybe thousands of people yet I'm afraid that I will mate a murderer.'

Because Hu'er is deep in thought. She didn't hear Aunt Qiao anymore. Aunt Qiao still thinks that Hu'er is listening. She stopped speaking when a noise from outside was too loud. Even Hu'er snapped out and look at the open window.

"They are already here. Let me bring you down. Your Daddies will be able to look for you now." Aunt Qiao carried her down with the ropes she made, floral cleanser, and the basket of salted meat Hu'er's eating. It was just in time as the door suddenly opened. Her Dada is standing outside with Aunt Qiao's mate who opened the door. Aunt Qiao's mate took all the things she was carrying.

"Thank you for taking care of Hu'er." Jiu Hu took her. "Thank you, Aunt Qiao."

"Thank you, Aunt Qiao." Hu'er grinned at her and waved her hand. And signaled her mate to give the things to Jiu Hu.

"It's my pleasure. Just bring Hu'er here whenever you need someone to look for her. I don't have anything to do anyway." They got a deal and Jiu Hu brought Hu'er home.

Aunt Qiao sighed, "Let's go to the plantation later." Her mate followed her home.

Aunt Qiao has a reason why she asked that to Hu'er. When she went out to get the floral cleaner some old females are talking about Hu'er. They decided to teach her early. Once Hu'er becomes six she will be taught immediately. They are even talking about how many she will be mating. Most of them laughed at Hu'er and said she will definitely have fewer beastmen because of her protective Daddies. That her Daddies might have touched her private parts after her second birthday because there is no female in their family. They are spreading bad words about Hu'er. She wanted to let beastmen see that she took Hu'er and talked to her. Then, discreetly rebut all the rumors by gossiping with her mates outside. Hu'er is her future daughter-in-law she wants to protect her.