Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains 144
Chapter 144
Ever since all the wild grass around Qi Ze City had been cleared away, various fruit trees had been planted in its place. Red-fruit trees lined both sides of the main roads, laiche fruit trees surrounded the training field, and even beneath the street lamps spaced along the roads, milk fruit trees and similar plants had been added as decoration. Although these fruit trees had not yet fully matured, regular tasks such as weeding, watering, and fertilizing were still indispensable.
Aze followed beside Chen Qi, carrying a large wooden bucket filled with water. Watering all the fruit trees throughout the tribe was no easy task. Although other females usually helped with the work, Chen Qi would come by from time to time to check on the trees. If he found any of them showing signs of withering, he would dig them out and replant new ones. During those times, Aze was always there to help—most often by carrying the water for him.
During the long summer months, except for the rainstorm on the way back from Salt-Water Tribe, it had not rained again. A few days ago, Chen Qi had gone to the Chishui River, and despite the lack of rain, the water level had hardly dropped. The plants across the plains were still lush and thriving, showing no signs of suffering from drought.
In just one morning, they had only managed to take care of half of the fruit trees in Qi Ze City. The two were just about to head back to prepare lunch and planned to continue once the temperature cooled down in the evening, when, as they were passing by the office near the city gate, a sudden loud “bang” erupted from inside.
Aze and Chen Qi exchanged a quick glance before rushing inside. They saw Azhang standing there with a dark expression, and the large wooden table in front of him had a massive hole smashed right through it.
Bo De knew that Azhang had disliked him since they were young. Although he never understood where that hostility came from, now that Azhang had become the chief of his clan, Bo De knew that maintaining good relations with him—no matter what—would be to his own advantage.
He knew that Azhang and Ali had always been close. What was meant to be a simple question unexpectedly made Azhang explode right in front of him. Looking at the large wooden table that had just been smashed apart, Bo De couldn’t help feeling a flicker of fear, though his face darkened with anger and resentment. He couldn’t help recalling how, back then, it had been Azhang who had taken the lead in insisting on staying behind in the tribe—causing him to lose many of his strongest females.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
Seeing the two men standing off against each other inside, Chen Qi froze for a moment. He was just about to ask what had happened when Aze suddenly grabbed his wrist and gave a small shake of his head, signaling him not to speak.
Seeing that, Chen Qi could only swallow the words that had risen to his lips and quietly stand off to the side with Aze.
When Azhang saw the two enter, he reined in his temper slightly. Noticing that a few others, drawn by the commotion, were also approaching to check what was going on, he decided against confronting Bo De any further for the moment. After all, he was now representing all of Qi Ze City, while Bo De stood for the Lion-Wolf Tribe. Though Azhang had no fondness for Bo De, his resentment was directed at the man himself, not his tribe.
Azhang took a deep breath, and once his expression returned to normal, he withdrew his hand. “Sorry, my hand slipped.” He wasn’t addressing Bo De with this remark, but Chen Qi and Aze, who were standing beside him.
“……” Hands slipped enough to smash a large wooden table?
After giving a brief explanation, Azhang said no more and turned to leave the office.
After seeing Azhang leave, Aze cast a brief, cool glance at Bo De and then pulled Chen Qi along as they left. Before exiting, Chen Qi looked back and saw Bo De staring at them with a dark expression, his eyes even tinged with a trace of resentment. Frowning, Chen Qi followed Aze, striding away.
Outside, those who had heard the commotion had originally wanted to come over and see what was happening. By the time Aze and Chen Qi stepped out, the crowd had already dispersed, and Azhang’s whereabouts were unknown.
It was the first time Chen Qi had seen Azhang lose control of his emotions, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit worried. “What’s going on with Azhang? Is everything alright?”
Aze’s grasp slightly tightened around Chen Qi’s wrist and reassured him, “Don’t worry, Uncle Azhang will be fine.”
Chen Qi hesitated for a moment and asked, “Did he have a grudge against that person?”
The man Chen Qi was referring to was naturally Bo De. Aze paused for a moment and said, “He was our former chief.”
“Chief?” Although he occasionally heard others mention bits and pieces about the tribe’s past, seeing how Azang cared about those who had merged into the Lion-Wolf Tribe, he hadn’t expected that he would have such a big conflict with the former chief. What exactly had been said between the two that had made Azhang so furious?
Seeing Chen Qi’s confusion, Aze hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and explained, “He is the man Uncle Ali was supposed to be mates with.”
“……”
After leaving the office, Azhang ran home as fast as he could. Because of Bo De’s arrival, he didn’t want Ali to see him. Using Chen Qi’s name as an excuse, he had Ali help make two sets of clothes. From weaving the fabric, dyeing, cutting, to sewing, everything was done personally by Ali. Even the task of teaching other tribes’ members skills was assigned to someone else. So for these two days, aside from tending the crops in the courtyard morning and evening, Ali barely stepped outside at all.
Of course, he knew about Bo De’s arrival.
To provide some shade, Ali’s courtyard also had a fig tree planted, but it had only been planted in the summer. By now it had just grown to about two meters, still far shorter than Chen Qi’s tree, which was already over ten meters tall and cast a shadow that could cover half a house.
The roof was covered with some branches and wild grass to block the direct sunlight. This way, the branches and grass could also be dried in the sun and later used directly for firewood.
As soon as Azhang entered the house, he saw Ali sitting not far from the doorway, with two bundles of raw wool at his feet. His hands moved deftly as he wove the fabric, his expression unusually focused. The breeze blowing in from the door gently lifted a few strands of his bangs, taking away some of the heat.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
Perhaps having heard the movement, Ali looked up and saw Azhang, offering a gentle smile. “Why are you back at this time? Have things at the tribe been arranged?” Lately, too many people had come into Qi Ze City, and as the tribe’s chief, Azhang naturally had to keep track of everything. Although he usually returned home for the three daily meals, it was clearly not yet the usual lunchtime.
Seeing Ali sitting not far away, smiling warmly at him, Azhang felt the restlessness in his heart since earlier melt away, as if soothed by a pair of gentle, warm hands. He stepped forward a few paces, pulled Ali into his embrace, buried his head in the hollow of Ali’s neck, and nuzzled lightly.
Ali laughed and gently tapped his head. “How old are you now, and you’re still acting so spoiled?”
“Will you stay with me forever?” Azhang asked in a muffled, gruff voice.
Ali froze for a moment, then seemed to realize something and asked cautiously, “What did Bo De say to you?”
Azhang’s body stiffened for a moment, and he tightened his hold on Ali, enough to make him slightly uncomfortable. However, he didn’t push him away. Instead, he gently turned his head, looking at his slightly disheveled hair, and said, “Azhang, we are already mates.”
Among the beastmen, mates remain together for life—once bonded, they stay loyal to each other unless one of them dies.
“Bo De is single now.”
“Azhang!” Ali suddenly barked sharply. Startled by the sudden anger, Azhang looked up and saw Ali staring at him with a cold expression, his heart skipping a beat.
Ali took a deep breath. “What was between Bo De and me was something from decades ago. I don’t know what made you think I’d ever be with him again, but let me make one thing clear: whether you’re female or male, you are my mate now. That means — now and in the future — you can only be my mate. Since you chose me, even if a stronger male were to show up and try to take you away, I would never let go.”
Azhang stared at him, motionless.
Ali reached out and cupped his face, his gaze steady as he made Azhang look directly at him. “Of course, if my leg hadn’t been injured back then, I might have become mates with Bo De. But now, I’m actually grateful that I hurt my leg saving you — otherwise, how would I have ever known there was a fool who’d quietly stayed by my side for decades?”
Ali let out a soft laugh and went on, “You can’t deny my feelings now just because of what happened in the past. If you still feel uneasy, then I can go tell the entire tribe right now — that you, Azhang, are my mate, and mine alone. No one can take you away from me. And of course, I promise you this — I will never leave your side of my own accord.”
Hearing the firmness in Ali’s voice, the corners of Azhang’s eyes turned slightly red — as if the dust that had settled in his heart for decades was suddenly wiped clean.
Crossing to Live in the Wilderness Plains (CLWP) is translated by Betwixted Translations. The site you’re reading this chapter on stole our translation.
“…I’m sorry,” he murmured.
Ali smiled and gently kissed the corner of his eye. “How old are you now, still acting like a child about to cry?” Though his words carried a hint of teasing reproach, his expression was filled with nothing but tender affection.
At the corner outside the courtyard wall, Ashu didn’t dare make any big movements for fear of alerting the people inside. He gently patted the hand covering his mouth, signaling the other person to let go.
Axu shot him a warning glare and pulled him away in the opposite direction. Only after they had walked far enough that the people inside the house wouldn’t notice them did he finally let go.
Ashu’s face flushed slightly from struggling. “Brother… they… they’re both females, right?”
Ashu had been assigned today to help tend the vegetables in the garden. After finishing the meeting, Axu wanted to speak with him about what had been discussed, but as soon as he reached the edge of the garden, he saw Azhang storming home, his face dark and urgent. Since Axu lived in Qi Ze City and Azhang was the tribe leader, he worried something serious had happened and intended to ask if there was anything he could help with. However, he hadn’t even entered the courtyard when he overheard this conversation.
Seeing Axu standing dazed at the door of Azhang’s house, Ashu was about to call out to him, but his own brother immediately pulled him aside and covered his mouth. Thus, Ashu also overheard the shocking conversation.
Axu tapped him lightly on the head as a warning. “Forget everything you just heard. Don’t tell anyone.” He had never heard of female-to-female relationships among the beastmen in all his life, and he knew that such a thing could never be recognized by the Beast God. Since the people involved were keeping it secret, he certainly didn’t want to spread it just because he had overheard it by accident.
“I understand.” Although Ashu was young, he knew what was appropriate to say and what wasn’t.
The two brothers exchanged a glance. Ashu felt inexplicably awkward, rubbed his nose, and decided to just go back to continue his work.
Words from the Translation Crew
Miiya: Silly Azhang 🙂
Translator: Miiya
Editor: MushroomKnight73
Proofreader: Yume
Editor stepping into the realm of MTL translating, starting with CLWP. Support this translation with a Ko-fi. Three Ko-fis will add an extra chapter from the stockpile to the next weekly release.
