After Pampering Her 5 Beast Husbands, the Villainess Struck It Rich

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: How Is This Not Considered a Successful Taming?

Hu Yan’s words made Bai Zhi pause. She recalled an unwritten rule here: every adult Beastman in each household had to participate in the annual collective hunt, and this year’s hunt seemed to be just a day or two away.

The original owner had never cared if they lived or died, as long as they brought in money. Thus, she had never paid any attention to the collective hunt.

At this thought, Bai Zhi suddenly grew worried. ’They might not have enough defensive gear or healing medicine.’

After a moment’s thought, Bai Zhi said, "Hu Yan, I want to go back to that shop we visited before. Why don’t you come with me?"

Yue Junxiao suddenly interjected, "I’ll go with you."

Hearing this, Bai Zhi looked over at him, then shook her head after a moment. "It’s not a good idea for you to be out and about right now. Let’s wait a while longer."

Yue Junxiao couldn’t help but insist, "I can just stay in the car."

Yan Yichen quickly added, "I’ll go too."

Bai Zhi didn’t refuse. "Alright, let’s all go together then."

In the car, Bai Zhi began listing things off as she recalled what she’d bought before. "We’ve already bought healing medicine, Self-defense clothes, and weapons. Just in case, let’s get some more Beast Cores and medicine."

She paused, then added as another thought occurred to her, "Later, I’ll make you all some food that keeps well and doesn’t have a strong smell. You can take it with you on the hunt. The nutrient liquid is convenient, I know, but it tastes awful."

Bai Zhi was the only one talking the entire time, chattering away, but no one interrupted her.

It was the first time they had ever realized this is what it felt like to have a wife.

To have someone plan for them, worry they might get hurt, worry they weren’t eating well... to have someone buy them weapons, medicine, and Beast Cores, and even prepare rations for them.

It wasn’t just Yan Yichen and Yue Junxiao, who had already started to soften toward Bai Zhi; even Hu Yan felt an unfamiliar emotion stir within him.

When they arrived at the shop, Bai Zhi, worried she hadn’t been thorough enough, simply asked the owner for his recommendations.

The owner remembered Bai Zhi well. Based on her previous purchases, he recommended a few additional items to supplement them. Bai Zhi also made a point to buy six Space Rings so it would be easier for them to carry everything.

The entire transaction took only a few minutes. Because Bai Zhi had returned so quickly and spent a considerable amount both times, the owner gave her a ten-percent discount. The total still came out to over two million Star Coins.

Last time, Bai Zhi had picked out everything herself without a thought for the price. This time, instead of things like Beast Cores, the owner recommended Elixirs that could restore spiritual power. Upon asking, Bai Zhi learned that the shop owner knew quite a few powerful individuals.

Many skilled Alchemy Masters and Artifact Refiners supplied him directly, so while his inventory wasn’t vast, every single item was of the highest quality.

Hearing the words "Artifact Refiner," Bai Zhi immediately thought of the companion stone attached to her Crystal Stone. An idea sparked. "Sir," she said, "I have a Crystal Stone with a small companion stone on it. Would it be possible to help get a suitable weapon crafted from it?"

The owner said pensively, "You’re talking about the one that was auctioned on Xing Lang yesterday, aren’t you? So you’re the one who took it home."

Bai Zhi was a bit surprised, but it made sense that a man running such a large business would get news faster than she did. It wasn’t strange that he knew.

The owner asked, "You’re curious how I know, aren’t you?"

Bai Zhi nodded. "I am."

The owner said with a meaningful smile, "Your story from yesterday has pretty much spread throughout the community. Blue Star is a small place; word gets around fast."

Bai Zhi understood the implication in his words and said candidly, "I won a little prize. I never expected it would lead to this opportunity."

Seeing how upfront she was, the owner’s thoughts drifted. Both times she had come in, everything she bought was for the safety and well-being of her Beast Husbands. Not a single item was for herself. She had even worried she wasn’t being thorough enough and asked for his advice. It proved she was genuinely sincere. Otherwise, she could have just bought a few random things and been done with it.

’A person who could be so attentive to each of her Beast Husbands couldn’t be a bad person.’

And so, he smiled. "I can tell you’re a good person. Don’t worry, my lips are sealed. But I’ll have to ask him first before I can tell you if he’ll help you craft it."

Hearing this, Bai Zhi’s face lit up with surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, sir!! Even if he’s unwilling to help in the end, that’s okay. Thank you so much just for being willing to ask for me."

The owner grunted in acknowledgment. "I’ll get back to you one way or another."

The two of them added each other on the Star Network, and then Bai Zhi went outside to rejoin the others. While she had been paying, Hu Yan and Yan Yichen had already carried their purchases to the car.

The items weren’t heavy, but they were bulky with packaging, and there were portions for five people. The two of them were loaded down, barely managing to carry everything out in one trip.

As soon as Bai Zhi got in the car, she saw that the back seat was completely stuffed with their purchases. She hadn’t bought that much last time, so she hadn’t realized how small the car was. They had only bought a few things, and already there was no more room.

’Maybe I should buy a bigger car,’ Bai Zhi mused.

’After all, there are a lot of us. If we go out shopping, there’s no way the car can hold everything.’

But a second later, she dismissed the idea. ’If I’m buying that much, why would I need to carry it myself? The shop will deliver.’

And with that, Bai Zhi lifted her chin slightly and announced with a grin, "Let’s go. We’re buying a house!"

Hu Yan showed Bai Zhi a file he had prepared. "This is a list of properties for sale from the biggest developers on Blue Star. Specific locations, property details, and so on. You can take a quick look."

Hearing this, Bai Zhi looked at Hu Yan in astonishment. "Hu Yan, is there anything you can’t do?!"

’It seems so at odds with his personality,’ she thought. ’He has such a cool and noble air about him, yet he’s so meticulous that I feel looked after in every little way.’

Bai Zhi suddenly couldn’t understand it. ’How could the original owner have brought herself to harm a face like this?’

’Their injuries were only now beginning to look less conspicuous, and that was after so many days of healing.’

’And that was all thanks to the strong constitution of Beastmen and the skill of their Healers. If this were the modern world...’

’...with injuries like that, they would have been scarred for life, to say nothing of recovering in such a short time.’

Hu Yan merely offered a faint, fleeting smile. "My wife, you flatter me."

Bai Zhi shook her head. ’If someone like Hu Yan were in the modern world, he’d be the top-tier secretary to a CEO—the kind who works for two weeks and takes the next two off, all while headhunters are fighting tooth and nail to recruit him!’

Yan Yichen deeply agreed. "You have no idea. If it weren’t for Hu Yan, our family would have starved to death long ago."

’They earned a decent living, but it was no match for a spendthrift wife. Without Hu Yan’s meticulous budgeting, their family would have been in an even more miserable state.’

’But at least now, while she still spent a lot, she wasn’t gambling it all away. That had to count as progress.’

It had to be said, Bai Zhi’s actions lately had been effective. She had managed to completely change their way of thinking.

In the past, Yue Junxiao and the others would have grimly confronted her about squandering money. Now, they could turn a blind eye to her spending sprees and even force themselves to call it progress.

Bai Zhi, oblivious to Yan Yichen’s thoughts, was engrossed in the file Hu Yan had prepared. It was incredibly detailed, listing the pros and cons of every option for easy comparison.

If she had known, she probably would have laughed out loud.

’How could this not be considered a successful training session?’