Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Chapter 09: Who Said Pretty Means Nice?

The others nearby stared.

Realizing what had happened, the youth looked around in horror. The weight of their stares made him want to dig a hole and bury himself alive. He clutched his tail tight against his back and bolted, ears burning red all the way.

From behind, a mature beast man snorted coldly.

"Tsk! Blinded, the fool. He doesn’t know the true character of Su Qinglan. Bewitched by her abilities, that’s all. So what if she looks clean and pretty now? She’s still the arrogant female who bullied others, stole food, and even beat the cubs."

His mutter was not loud, but everyone heard it clearly.

The older beast’s mutter didn’t stay alone for long.

"Hah, that little pup... just stepped into adulthood and already wagging his tail at females," one beast said with a chuckle as he adjusted the hide on his fellow beatman’s arm.

Another snorted, rolling his eyes but keeping his hands steady as he wiped blood from an injured warrior’s brow. "Meanwhile, the rest of us are still single. Tch, it stings a little."

A third beast sighed, shaking his head while pressing herbs into a wound. "Years of fighting, years of service, and what do we get? Not even a warm hand to hold. Then this brat, barely grown, is out there blushing and stammering. Life is so unfair."

Their low grumbles turned into a round of chuckles.

"Shameless, that one."

"Mm, maybe, but at least he’s got guts. You’d never catch me chasing after a female that strong."

"Ha! You’re just scared she’d crush you with one slap."

For a little while, their chatter made the depressed atmosphere feel lighter. Like things were normal again.

Su Qinglan finally stumbled her way back into her cave. Each step felt heavier than the last, her body screamed at her to stop moving.

She realized with a dull ache that she hadn’t eaten anything since waking up. But right now, she wasn’t in the condition to cook, hunt, or even chew anything hard. Her head pounded with every heartbeat.

So, with a long sigh, she half-heartedly tidied the bed, brushed off everything on it, and collapsed face-first onto the crude surface. She didn’t care about anything else. She just needed rest. Sleep to restore her energy.

By the time she opened her eyes again, the shadows in the cave had stretched long and thin. It was already late noon, the sun hanging low in the sky, almost ready to dip. She stretched her arms lazily above her head, yawned wide enough to make her jaw ache, and felt a bit of relief, the exhaustion from earlier had faded.

Then her stomach betrayed her with a loud, angry growl.

"...Right. Hungry," she muttered to herself, patting her belly.

Just as she was thinking of dragging herself to find food, a shout echoed from outside the cave.

"Female, Su Qinglan!"

She blinked, startled, and walked out. Standing there was one of the beastmen who had been beside Han Jue earlier when she saved him.

In his hands was a massive slab of raw meat and a bundle of fruits wrapped neatly in a broad leaf. His expression was awkward, but he managed to blurt out, "Thank you for saving Han Jue. This is... a gift."

Before she could even open her mouth, he dropped the items to the ground and bolted, sprinting away as if wolves were chasing him.

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