Help! I transmigrated to a Beast World-Chapter 77: The Tour and the Child

"Are you cold?"

Xin Yi looked up from where she had been staring determinedly at the ground.

Sha Chen stood a few feet away, dressed in fitted leather pants and a loose white tunic that somehow made him look even more elegant. His white eyes glowed in the morning sunlight.

She had already endured breakfast with him.

And his harem.

And their hostile glares.

"No," she said flatly. "I am not cold."

"Good." He gestured down the pathway. "Then you will join me for a walk."

"I would rather not."

"It was not a request."

She glared at him. He smiled back. Infuriating.

"Fine," she muttered. "But if you try anything—"

"You will slap me again?" His smile widened. "I am aware. You have made your boundaries very clear, Xin Yi."

[DING! (¬‿¬)]

[Sha Chen seems to ENJOY getting slapped]

[This male is definitely a masochist]

[All the males in this world are weird! ☆]

Xin Yi started walking. He fell into step beside her. Too close. She shifted away. He noticed but said nothing.

~

Breakfast had been a nightmare.

The dining hall, yes, they had an actual DINING HALL with a long table and proper chairs, had been filled with wolves. But Xin Yi had been seated at the head table with Sha Chen and his harem.

Mei Lan had been there, sitting to Sha Chen’s left. She had given Xin Yi a small, sympathetic smile.

Zi Jue had been there too, sitting across from Xin Yi. Glaring. Her cheek still slightly red from yesterday’s slap.

And two other females.

Ling Yu, a wolf with pale blue fur and sharp green eyes. She had looked at Xin Yi like she was examining an insect. Curious but disdainful.

And Xue Mei, white fur, ice-blue eyes, delicate features. She had not even looked at Xin Yi. Just kept her gaze fixed on her plate like Xin Yi did not exist.

All of them wore beautiful silk dresses. All of them had perfect hair. Perfect posture. Perfect everything.

Xin Yi had shown up in the same blue dress from last night, her hair barely brushed, still half-asleep.

Sha Chen had smiled at her the entire meal. Like he found her disheveled appearance charming.

While she had aggressively ignored him and focused on her food.

The food, at least, had been good. Rice porridge with actual seasonings. Fresh fruit. Some kind of meat bun that tasted like heaven.

But the company had been terrible.

[DING! (◕‿◕)]

[Hostile Harem Breakfast: Survived!]

[Xin Yi’s Patience: Tested]

[Sha Chen’s Amusement: Maximum]

[Those other females really do not like Host! ☆]

"Of course they do not like me," Xin Yi had muttered under her breath. "I am new. I am different. And their Alpha will not stop staring at me like I am the most interesting thing in the room."

[DING! (¬‿¬)]

[To be fair, Host IS the most interesting thing in the room]

[Host is a transmigrator!]

[That is pretty special! ☆]

"Special is not the word I would use."

~

Now they were walking through the wolf territory, and Xin Yi was trying very hard not to be impressed.

Trying.

Failing.

The pathways were paved with smooth stone. The buildings were uniform. Clean. Well-maintained. There were actual STREETLIGHTS, torches on posts that were clearly positioned for maximum visibility at night.

Wolves moved through the streets with purpose. Some carried baskets of goods. Some worked on building repairs. Some tended to small garden plots.

Everyone they passed stopped. Bowed.

"Alpha.

"Alpha Sha Chen."

"Alpha, good morning."

And then their eyes would flick to Xin Yi. Curious. Assessing. Some friendly. Most wary.

It made her uncomfortable.

[DING! (⊙_⊙)]

[Everyone is STARING]

[Host is like a celebrity!]

[Uncomfortable celebrity! ☆]

"Why are they all bowing?" she muttered.

"Because I am their Alpha," Sha Chen said simply. "And you are with me. Therefore, you deserve respect."

"I do not want their respect. I want to go back to my room."

"Too late. We are already halfway through the tour." He gestured ahead. "See that building? That is our metalworking facility. We smelt iron. Create tools. Weapons. Even decorative pieces."

Despite herself, Xin Yi looked.

The building was large. Open-sided. She could see the forges burning inside. Hear the clang of hammer on metal.

It was......impressive.

She hated that it was impressive.

"And over there—" He pointed to another building. "—is our textile workshop. We weave fabric. Create dyes. Měi Lán oversees it actually. She has quite the talent for—"

"I do not care," Xin Yi interrupted.

He looked at her. "No?"

"No."

"Hmm." But he was smiling again. "You are a terrible liar, Xin Yi."

"I am not lying."

"Your eyes say otherwise. You keep looking at everything. Taking it all in. Your brain is already thinking ’how do they do this? How can I learn? How can I improve?’" He leaned closer. "You cannot help yourself. You are a builder. A creator. Just like Mama."

She stopped walking. "Stop comparing me to her."

"Why? It is the truth."

"It is creepy."

"Perhaps." He did not look bothered. "But it is also accurate."

She started walking again. Faster now. Trying to put distance between them.

He kept pace easily.

"There is the communal kitchen," he said, pointing. "And the bathhouse, with running hot water, of course. And that building houses our record-keeping. We document everything. Population. Resources."

Sha Chen reached out, his hand moving toward her lower back to guide her around a corner.

She dodged.

Stepped sideways.

Put space between them.

He pulled his hand back. "You truly will not let me touch you?"

"Correct."

"Not even a guiding hand?"

"Especially not a guiding hand."

"Hmm." He tilted his head. "What if you were about to trip?"

"I would trip."

"What if you were about to fall off a cliff?"

"Then I would fall."

"You are very dramatic."

"You are very touchy."

[DING! (≧▽≦)]

[This back-and-forth is HILARIOUS]

[Sha Chen is trying SO HARD]

[Host is having NONE of it! ☆]

They walked past a school, an actual SCHOOL with small wolf children sitting in rows, learning to read and write.

Past a medical facility, with wolves tending to injured or sick tribe members.

Past a library, a LIBRARY with actual books and scrolls and written records.

Xin Yi’s determination to remain unimpressed was crumbling.

This was......this was real civilization.

Not just survival. Not just making do.

Real. Structured. Advanced. Civilization.

"Mama and Papa built most of this," Sha Chen said quietly. "They had twenty-five years. Twenty-five years of teaching. Building. Organizing. When I took over as Alpha years ago, I promised to continue their work. To honor their legacy."

Xin Yi said nothing.

What could she say?

That it was impressive? That would give him satisfaction.

That she hated it? That would be a lie.

So she stayed silent.

They turned another corner.

And suddenly—

"HELLO!"

A small voice. High-pitched. Excited.

Xin Yi looked down.

A little girl stood in front of them. Maybe five years old. Black hair in two small buns. Big black eyes that sparkled with curiosity. She wore a simple but clean dress.

She was.....adorable.

"Are you Uncle Sha Chen’s new wife?!"