The Clan Leader stuffed a leg of beef into Ji Nuan’s hands. The heavy meat almost made her stagger, barely managing to hold it in her arms. "It’s already difficult enough for a little female cub like you to take care of that cub. Just take some extra food."
"Yeah, Shan Zaizai, just take it. This bit of food doesn’t mean much to us. Take it home and nourish the little cub," Naima, who’d appeared at the Food Storage Cave at some point, chimed in.
Looking at the genuine sincerity on both Orcs’ faces, devoid of any falsity, Ji Nuan hesitated before eventually shouldering the leg of beef back home.
The water in the stone pot was still warm. Ji Nuan took out the egg custard she’d been keeping warm in the water. The stone bowl was so hot, she had to use a piece of Beast Skin underneath to carry it into the little cave.
The chubby little lion cub was awake. Unable to move due to his injuries, he was listlessly lying on his fat paw in a daze.
Hearing Ji Nuan’s footsteps, the little lion cub lifted his round, fat head. His pitch-black eyes stared at the doorway, his little ears quivering from time to time, making one wonder if he would be bouncing around off the stone bed if not for his injured chubby legs.
Ji Nuan, holding the egg custard, lifted the Beast Skin curtain and found herself looking into a pair of pitch-black round eyes. Her heart softened instantly. "Little cub, are you hungry? Sister made something tasty for you. Can I feed it to you?"
Without waiting for the little lion cub to respond, she scooped a spoonful of egg custard with her crudely made wooden spoon and held it to the little fellow’s mouth.
The little lion cub sniffed, his eyes lighting up. The food this little female made was always delicious. The last Giggle Beast was quite tasty too, just too little of it.
He reluctantly opened his mouth, allowing Ji Nuan to spoon the custard into it, spoonful by spoonful.
The little lion cub’s eyes brightened even more. The custard was tender and smooth with a distinct aroma. Although it didn’t fill him up, the taste was splendid.
He wanted more!
Looking at the empty stone bowl, the little lion cub looked up at Ji Nuan with his glistening eyes and patted his chubby belly with a fat paw.
Ji Nuan laughed softly and patted his nose. "You’re quite a picky eater, aren’t you?"
He hadn’t touched the roast meat Grandma Shaman had brought for him.
But thinking about that pitch-black, half-cooked roast meat, Ji Nuan shuddered. She didn’t want to eat it either.
"Stay put, dear. Sister is boiling the Green Bull Beast leg. In a while, you will be able to eat meat!"
The little lion cub extended his cute little tongue and licked the crumbs from the corner of his mouth. He still wanted to eat that food called custard.
But he was an animal in the eaves, so he’d better not be picky.
The little lion cub nodded reluctantly.
Ji Nuan patted his round little head before picking up the stone bowl and walking out.
"Hey, isn’t this Shan Zaizai? I heard you’ve adopted a disabled cub."
Just as Ji Nuan let down the Beast Skin curtain, she heard this voice that she found distasteful.
Turning her gaze, she saw Manli standing at the entrance of her cave with two Orcs, her face full of malicious glee. "Now that food is so precious, you still have the heart to share with a disabled cub. Ha, ha, ha. Shan Zaizai, I, Manli, am just waiting for the winter to pass and see your remains being carried out of this cave!"
The malevolence on Manli’s face made her look terribly ugly right now.
Ji Nuan shrugged nonchalantly. "I’ll live as long as I can. But you... Manli..."