Transmigrating to the BeastWorld,I Picked Up an Adorable BeastHusband!-Chapter 41: I am Tolief

Ayres stepped forward, his massive, bare shoulders adding a layer of undeniable physical weight to Tolief’s words.

"The pale one speaks the truth." Ayres rumbled, his voice deep as a mountain tremor. "Among the Bear tribe, we respect the strength of a female’s spirit. If one of my fellow brothers spoke of a leader’s mate with such filth, he wouldn’t just be choked. He would be cast out. Let him go, Weijie. He isn’t worth the blood on your hands."

Weijie’s chest heaved, his muscles rippling under his sun-bronzed skin. He looked back at Hezhi, whose eyes were rolling back in his head.

With a snarl of pure loathing, Weijie opened his hand. Hezhi slumped to the dirt in a heap, gasping and clutching his bruised throat.

Tolief didn’t offer a hand to help. Instead, he adjusted his gaze toward the lower dip of the settlement where the fragrance of Ningning’s cooking was reaching a crescendo.

"I did not come out of my cave to witness a brawl." Tolief murmured, his nostrils flaring as he caught the scent. "I came because I smelled something... illogical. A scent that implies a mastery of herbs and heat that this tribe has never possessed."

He looked at Weijie, a spark of genuine curiosity in his tired eyes. "Your Ningning... she is more than just a healer, isn’t she? She is using fire in a way that suggests a mind of great order. A mind like mine."

Weijie straightened his hide skirt, his possessive aura still swirling around him like a storm. "She is everything this tribe is not." he said shortly, his voice still thick with the need to protect her.

"Clearly." Tolief replied, already starting to walk toward the cooking pits with a stride that was long and graceful. "Let us see if her skill with the hearth is as sharp as your temper, Weijie."

The two of them walked down the slope without speaking further.

Dry grass bent beneath their steps, the distant crackle of firewood growing louder as they approached the cooking grounds.

The smell reached them fully now, no longer scattered by the wind but thick and settled over the clearing like a warm blanket.

It was nothing like the usual boiled fish the tribe survived on.

This scent had layers to it, earthy starch from crushed tubers, sharp green notes from herbs, the mellow richness of fish fat slowly melting into broth.

It lingered in the throat and made the stomach tighten with sudden hunger.

Tolief noticed it first, though he did not show it on his face. His eyes narrowed slightly, not in displeasure but in thought, as if he were trying to take the smell apart piece by piece and understand how it had been built.

When they stepped into the open space, several women stiffened at once.

Two tall males walking in together was enough to make anyone flustered.

Hands that had been moving confidently a moment ago suddenly fumbled.

Someone nearly dropped a spoon into the fire. A few of the younger women quickly wiped their faces and straightened their hair, pretending not to look while very obviously looking.

Even Dana, who had been scowling all evening, subtly adjusted her posture and stood a little straighter, stirring her pot with unnecessary vigor.

But neither man spared them a glance.

Their attention moved past everyone else as if the others weren’t even there.

Straight to Ningning.

Weijie’s gaze sharpened immediately, scanning her from head to toe out of habit, checking for burns, cuts, anything wrong. Seeing her standing safely by the fire, sleeves rolled, face slightly flushed from the heat but otherwise fine, the tightness in his chest eased a fraction.

Tolief’s look was different.

He wasn’t looking at her the way the other males did or with care like Weijie did.

He watched her hands.

The way she handled the leaves.

The order she placed things in the pot.

How she adjusted the fire instead of simply feeding it wood.

He was more interested in her intellect.

Beside her, Xiaoli was visibly flustered the moment she recognized him.

Her ears reddened all the way to the tips, and she nearly added salt twice before catching herself. She kept sneaking glances in his direction, then looking away so fast it was almost painful to watch.

Tolief noticed.

His expression softened just slightly, a small nod of greeting meant only for her.

It was simple.

But it made Xiaoli’s face burn even hotter.

Ningning saw everything at once and understood immediately.

So this is the one she likes.

The thought passed through her calmly, without teasing or surprise.

[At least we now know, who she’s planning on using those bedroom skills you thought her on.]

-_-

[And he’s damn handsome too. This man next to Weijie is Tolief..]

-_-

Ningning expression cracked when she heard the name.

"Tolief? Sounds like a fancy french toilet. I swear these guys have the weirdest names."

[-_-]

[You’re one to talk, Porky..]

-_-

Ningning’s smile immediately died when she heard what Doudou said.

[Tolief here is the tribe’s Einstein. He’s smart and loves to invent. Be sure to buddy up with him, you’ll need him when you need some construction done.]

Ningning glanced at Tolief briefly, he did look like he was well read.

The other men weren’t as calm.

She stood up, check the pot one last time before heading to where Weijie was, with Xiaoli trailing behind her.

"Weijie what are you doing here? I’m not done with cooking yet. You’ll love this one, though there isn’t any meat." Ningning muttered, it wasn’t that late for him to come pick her up.

It just got dark.

"I just came to check on you. Your cooking is all everyone’s talking about."

Ningning glanced at Xiaoli and then at Tolief.

"And who this might be? I’ve never seen him before.."

Weijie glanced at Tolief, then frowned slightly.

Was she interested in Tolief?

He shook his head, maybe she was just curious.

Before he could say anything, Tolief took a step forward.

"I am Tolief. The smartest male in this tribe and I would like to know how you made this food.."