In a small wooden hut at the edge of the tribe, a middle-aged man sat quietly on a low stone, polishing a rough stone bowl with slow and steady movements. His name was Li Zheng, and his face was calm, but his brows were slightly furrowed as if he was lost in thought.

Just then, the door curtain was suddenly pushed aside.

A young female rushed in, her breathing uneven, her eyes shining with excitement. "Father!" she called out, her voice trembling. "Is it true?"

Li Zheng did not immediately look up. He continued polishing the bowl for a moment before asking in a low voice, "What is it?"

The young female stepped closer, almost unable to contain herself. "Is it true that the Fox Beast City Lord has refused to marry Lan Yue?"

Only then did Li Zheng pause. His hand stopped moving, and he slowly lifted his head. After a brief silence, he gave a simple nod. "Mn."

That single sound was enough.

The girl’s eyes lit up instantly, her face filled with joy. "Finally... finally!" she said, almost laughing. "My chance has come!"

Her name was Li Meilin, and at this moment, she looked like she had just received the greatest news in her life.

"It must be that Lan Yue offended him," she continued, muttering to herself with excitement. "Serves her right... how could she not want such a powerful male?"

Her voice grew softer but filled with anticipation. "Now... now it’s my turn."

Li Zheng’s expression darkened immediately. He put down the stone bowl with a dull sound and looked at her sharply. "Meilin."

His voice carried warning. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"You are not allowed to go after him."

Li Meilin froze for a moment, then frowned in confusion. "Father, what are you saying?"

She looked at him as if she could not understand his words at all. "He is the City Lord of the Fox Beast City. He is powerful and has countless people under him. How could he not be good?"

Her tone became slightly impatient. "Lan Yue is the foolish one for refusing him. But I am not like her."

Her eyes were full of determination. "If I get the chance, I will definitely win his favor."

Li Zheng’s face turned even more serious. He stood up slowly and said in a deep voice, "You don’t understand. That man is not simple. He is dangerous."

But Li Meilin only laughed lightly, clearly not taking his words to heart. "Dangerous?" she repeated. "Father, you are thinking too much."

At that moment, another figure walked in from outside.

It was Li Meilin’s mother, Zhao Lianhua.

She had heard part of their conversation and now walked in with a faint smile on her face. She reached out and gently patted Li Meilin’s head. "What are you arguing about so early in the day?"

"Mother!" Li Meilin immediately turned to her, her face bright. "Father is stopping me. He doesn’t want me to go after the Fox City Lord."

Zhao Lianhua raised her brows slightly, then glanced at Li Zheng. "Is that so?"

Before Li Zheng could speak, she chuckled softly. "Why are you stopping her?"

She looked at her daughter with a gentle expression. "If Meilin wants to try, then let her try. A powerful beast husband is not easy to come by."

Her tone was calm but carried a certain practicality. "If she succeeds, her future will be secure. Isn’t that a good thing?"

Li Meilin nodded eagerly. "That’s right, Mother understands me best."

Li Zheng’s face darkened further. "Lianhua," he said in a low voice, "you don’t know what kind of person he is."

But Zhao Lianhua only waved her hand dismissively. "What kind of person could he be? No matter how dangerous he is, once he takes a mate, he will still have to protect her."

She smiled confidently. "Our daughter is not bad. If she becomes his mate, he will naturally listen to her."

Li Meilin’s eyes shone even brighter after hearing this. "Exactly! I will definitely make him favor me."

Without waiting any longer, she turned and ran out of the hut, her steps light and full of excitement. "I’m going out first!"

"Meilin..." Li Zheng called out, but she had already disappeared.

The hut fell quiet.

Zhao Lianhua simply smiled and shook her head slightly, as if she found the situation normal. But Li Zheng stood there with a heavy expression, his brows tightly furrowed.

After a long moment, he let out a deep sigh.

"You don’t understand," he said in a low voice.

Zhao Lianhua looked at him, slightly puzzled. "Understand what?"

Li Zheng’s gaze turned distant. "There is always a reason why the City Lord refused to marry Lan Yue to him."

His voice grew heavier. "That man... is not someone we can provoke."

Zhao Lianhua frowned slightly, but she still did not fully believe him. "You are overthinking."

Li Zheng did not argue further. He simply shook his head and picked up his outer garment.

"I’m leaving," he said. "The City Lord has summoned me."

After speaking, he walked out of the hut without looking back.

Zhao Lianhua watched him leave, then turned her gaze toward the direction where Li Meilin had run off. A faint smile still lingered on her face.

To her, this was a chance. If her daughter could mate with someone powerful, their lives would become much better, and they might even gain a higher status.

She had only one daughter, even though she had more than ten mates. She gave birth at a later age, so now all her hopes were placed on her daughter.

In her younger days, she had been bullied because she couldn’t have any cubs.

But now things were different. She finally had a precious daughter, while others only had sons who would serve females. Her daughter, on the other hand, could make a powerful man serve her.

To Zhao Lianhua, this would be the perfect way to get back at those who once looked down on her.