In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. During this time, they had been traveling on the water, but they lived quite comfortably.
When the rain was light, they would go ashore to hunt. They would process the prey on the spot before bringing it back. Of course, they also caught fish and shrimp, making life very convenient.
Everyone felt that it didn't seem like they were on a journey, but more like they were out enjoying the scenery.
Si Lu had been increasingly drowsy, spending most of her time eating, drinking, and sleeping. Her belly had also gotten a bit larger.
Naturally, they were getting closer to the sea.
Today, the weather was nice. After a long period of rain, the sun had finally come out, and everyone was eager to stretch their bodies.
"This is unbearable! I haven't had a good workout in half a month. I need to go fight something," the tiger said before leaping off the bamboo house and turning into his tiger form, charging ahead.
It wasn't just him—Hei Yao and Cheng Mo also left the bamboo house to hunt.
Bai Di went out to gather herbs as well, but none of them ventured too far.
It was unclear if they did it on purpose, but when Si Lu woke up, only Nansi was beside her, which made her feel a bit awkward.
Mainly because his gaze was too intense, and she wasn't used to it.
"Where is everyone? Why is it so quiet?" Si Lu looked around the bamboo house, which suddenly felt much emptier without the usual bustle.
Unknowingly, she had already grown accustomed to the lively atmosphere and the family life they shared.
Now that she opened her eyes and didn't see them, she felt a bit uncomfortable.
"They've been cooped up for a while, so they went out to hunt and stretch their legs. Don't worry, they're not far from here. They asked me to stay behind and look after you," Nansi said, gazing at Si Lu with deep affection.
Neither of them was foolish; they both knew why the others had done this.
They were giving them space to become mates.
After all this time, they had accepted Nansi. He was respectful, patient, and considerate in caring for Si Lu.
Moreover, his strength was formidable, and he was exactly the type Si Lu liked. They knew they couldn't stop this—it was bound to happen.
Having another male beastman in their group to take care of Si Lu was a good thing, especially since they were getting closer to the sea. Forming a mate bond soon would prevent any unnecessary complications later on.
They were all male beastmen, so they understood the struggle and emotions involved.
Now that they had accepted Nansi, and since Si Lu clearly liked him, they decided to help things along.
"LuLu, don't worry. I will protect you with my life," Nansi said, his eyes burning with passion as he looked at Si Lu.
He knew this was an opportunity the others had given him, and it was up to him to seize it. His heart raced with anxiety, excitement, and anticipation.
This was the first time they had truly been alone.
"I know. I believe in you," Si Lu replied, looking at Nansi.
She thought about what Cheng Mo had said earlier, asking when she planned to accept Nansi. It seemed clear now that the others had orchestrated this to give them space to become mates.
Si Lu wasn't naive—she knew exactly what was going on.
Over the past few days, she had thought about it but hadn't had the energy to pursue it further. But now, with the not-so-subtle hints, it came back to her mind.
Seeing Nansi's cautious and nervous demeanor made her heart ache a little.
Since she liked him and wanted him as her mate, there was no point in dragging this out any longer. It wasn't fair to Nansi, who had been living in constant uncertainty.
Now seemed like a perfect opportunity.
Over the past month, she could see that Nansi had been working hard to integrate into their family and had been nothing but gentle and considerate toward her.
"Nansi, do you want to be my mate? Will you be my beast husband?" Si Lu asked, looking at him seriously.
After all, this wasn't a trivial matter, so she wanted to make sure he was truly willing.
"Of course, I want to! I've wanted to be your beast husband for a long time. But I wasn't sure if I was qualified, if I was worthy."
"I've always been so careful and nervous, afraid that you might not like me, that you only liked my rabbit form and not me as a beastman."
"Even though you've said before that rabbits are cute and no one could dislike them, I don't care about anyone else. The only person I care about is you. Do you like me? Would you accept me as your beast husband?" Nansi asked eagerly, his eyes filled with nervous anticipation.
Indeed, what mattered most to him was Si Lu's feelings. Although she had told him she liked rabbits and found them cute, over the past half month, he had become increasingly anxious.
He was terrified that he didn't have the right to stand by her side.
Now, hearing her question made his heart race as if it would leap out of his chest. He was so excited, so happy.
"LuLu, do you really want to be my mate?" Nansi asked, his hand gripping Si Lu's with a mix of nervousness and hope.
Was his dream finally coming true?
Was this really happening, or was he just imagining it?
"Silly, of course I do. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have asked you. I'm sorry for making you wait so long," Si Lu said with a tender expression as she raised her hand to gently touch his head.
Mmm, his pink hair was so beautiful and soft—it felt so nice to touch.
She really liked it.
"This is wonderful, LuLu! Don't apologize. As long as you accept me as your mate, it's an honor for me. I'd be willing to wait as long as it takes."
"And it's all been worth it," Nansi said as he hugged her tightly, overwhelmed with emotion. Tears welled up in his eyes.
He had finally been accepted!
He no longer had to live in constant fear of rejection.
This was amazing!
He had finally made it!
"You're such a fool!" Si Lu said as she pulled away slightly, her heart aching even more when she saw the tears in his eyes.
Why was this rabbit so silly?
"How could I not like you? From the moment I saw your rabbit form, I already liked you. And when you took your human form, you were even more handsome," Si Lu said reassuringly as she wiped away his tears.
"Rabbits are so cute—how could anyone not like them? And Nansi is even cuter and more handsome," she added.
"Really?" Nansi's face lit up with a smile, his handsome features becoming even more dazzling.
"LuLu, can I kiss you?" Nansi asked nervously, lowering his head slightly in embarrassment.
His pale face was tinged with a blush, making him look even more shy and adorable.