Beauty and the Beasts

Is Curtis Their Stepfather?

“No need.” Before Parker could reply, Curtis spoke. “This type of food is mixed with water and can’t fill their stomachs. Feed them meat later.”

Bai Qingqing pondered his words for a moment, and feeling that what he said made sense, she nodded and said, “Oh, okay.”

After she finished speaking, Bai Qingqing accidentally saw Curtis’s gaze when he was staring at the baby snakes. In those calm eyes of his, there wasn’t a trace of fatherly love—it was as though he was staring at strangers. She silently wondered: Surely he didn’t hold back food from the baby snakes?

As this thought came to her mind, she shook her head. No way, it’s not like Curtis is their stepfather.

The baby snakes finished up the entire pot. Finally, when they were left with nothing to eat, they even went to bite their brothers who smelled of steamed eggs.

Winston washed the pot and boiled some warm water for them to take a bath, and it was only then that they stopped fighting among themselves.

After breakfast, Winston quietly took care of the mess. Bai Qingqing would occasionally take notice of him. No idea if it was her illusion, but she felt that Winston looked kind of depressed. Although he had an impressive aura, if one didn’t pay special attention, he would totally go unnoticed.

Curtis looked towards Winston following Bai Qingqing’s gaze and said coldly, “You may leave now.”

Winston’s body quivered, and his head remained lowered and he didn’t move.

Bai Qingqing didn’t know what to do. To chase Winston away like this seemed unkind, but to get him to stay… Winston wasn’t her mate either, so he couldn’t very well stay with them forever.

Curtis stared intently at Winston, who turned his head towards the animal skin by the corner of the wall which he slept on, and finally spoke, “Can I bring those away with me?”

“Mm mm mm.” Bai Qingqing nodded her head vigorously. “Of course you can.”

Only then did Winston look towards Bai Qingqing and revealed a smile at her, adding gentleness to his ferocious and rough face. “Thanks.”

Meeting Winston’s silver eyes that seemed to be concealing or suppressing certain emotions, Bai Qingqing felt her eyes sting for some reason. She gazed at him in silence.

Winston left after rolling up the animal skin. He did so swiftly, with no hint of reluctance.

After the sun rose high up in the skies, the snow and ice started to melt. They say it’s not cold when it’s snowing, but it’s cold when the snow’s melting—this was true indeed. The wind brought with it moist and cold air, blowing fiercely upon them, and they felt as piercing as knives.

“Curtis, look, these are the snowmen we built.” Bai Qingqing pulled Curtis and pointed at the row of snowmen at the door.

The snowmen had started melting. The animal skin was kept away the night the snowmen was built, so they didn’t look as nice as they did on the first day.

Noticing the number of snowmen, Curtis pointed at the corner most snowman with his brows furrowed and asked, “Who is that?”

“Winston,” Bai Qingqing replied. “He’s even the one who sculpted your tail.”

Curtis’s brows furrowed even harder now.

When beastmen passed by their house, they would take a detour to the riverside, and as they walked they would look out for Curtis’s movement. Only when they safely got past did they speedily run away.

Bai Qingqing couldn’t help recalling the scene of Curtis eating the wolf pups. Even until now, the recollection of that scene made her shudder.

Probably no beastman would dare to come near their house now. But this didn’t bother Bai Qingqing much, for she didn’t have many female friends, and much less would she play with males randomly. In fact, she quite enjoyed the peace of having no one disturbing them.

Putting things in this perspective, life was pretty boring—the only people she could play with were Parker and Curtis. Other than that, babies seemed to be the only interesting pastime left. Was she left with nothing to do but give birth to babies and play with them?

Bai Qingqing was horrified by such a thought.

“Curtis, didn’t you say you were going to feed our baby snakes meat? Hurry and get them the meat. They haven’t eaten anything proper since they broke out of their shells. They must be hungry,” Bai Qingqing said as she pulled Curtis’s hand.