The dinner at HuanHuan's abode had, on the surface, been a paragon of tranquility. Peaceful, one might even declare with a touch of dramatic flair. That is, if one were inclined to ignore the palpable tension crackling between HuanHuan and XueLing, the kind that could curdle milk at twenty paces. And, of course, one would also need to overlook ShangYun, HuanHuan's ridiculously energetic mate, who seemed to have made it his personal mission to radiate zealous support for his partner, like a walking, talking, slightly overbearing cheerleader. Meanwhile, BaiDi, SangYe, and XiShi had adopted the strategy of see no evil, hear no evil, opting to simply shovel food into their faces and keep their heads down. Occasionally speaking ......

Post-meal, the group had morphed into a collection of lounging forms, idly chatting about the usual mountain gossip and recent events. Apparently, excavation efforts had yielded a veritable treasure trove of glittering gems. A lively business discussion ensued, and unbelievably, XueLing, for once, was playing the role of the calm, collected elder, his usual brooding intensity dialed down to a manageable hum.

XiShi, meanwhile, enjoyed a pleasant conversation with HuanHuan over the wolf cubs. The furry little tykes had soon succumbed to sleep, their adorable snores filling the space. XiShi, unexpectedly, had felt a pang of longing, a tiny whisper of a desire to have a child of her own. But, as she reminded herself, there was time for such things later, a considerable chunk of the story to get through first.

"Why don't you take in another male?" HuanHuan's question, delivered with the casualness of discussing the weather, landed like a small bomb in the room. XiShi's internal monologue screeched to a halt. Another male? Yes, the thought was decidedly appealing. She pictured it, a vision of masculine strength and devotion, and a small thrill went through her. But―and it was a big but―her eyes flicked towards XueLing. The man was, without a doubt, a titan among men here. Would he accept a rival, a male that paled in comparison to his strength? Or, perhaps more importantly, would she allow herself to take someone lesser? After all, she was not one for accepting second best and given the plot, more males was a given, it was practically written in the stars, or rather, in the pages of the novel.

"Well...I'll think about it!" she declared, attempting to brush it off with a wave of her hand. She was sure, given XueLing's borderline supernatural hearing, that he'd likely picked up every single syllable, and knowing the man, he was probably already sharpening his metaphorical claws.

Oh well, what can I do XiShi thought to herself, while trying to act oblivious.