Gu Mengmeng’s heart stirred. Those fruits…
It was that fruit tree kicked down by Snake, right? He had asked his snake beasts to pick all the fruits on that tree for her. Unfortunately, she had been unable to finish the fruits and asked for them to be buried.
She had just tried it on a whim and never expected them to really sprout.
Wabei looked rather awkward and avoided Gu Mengmeng’s eyes. He put on a nonchalant face and said, “He said you liked trees, especially that precious one. Now that it has sprouted, I came over to inform you of that. After all, if you are happy, he… will also be happy.
Gu Mengmeng smiled. “Yeah, I know. Thank you Wabei.”
Wabei lifted his head. “I put in so much effort just to pass this message to you, of course you should thank me. But… are you going to give me just a verbal word of thanks?”
Gu Mengmeng was stunned. “Aiyo? So you have already thought of a way for me to repay you before coming over… speak. What do I have that the great Wabei wants?”
Looking rather stiff, Wabei said carefully, “The Beast Deity is your father… can you ask him about that person… how is he now?”
Ah, right.
The people of the Beast World believed that they would return to the embrace of the Beast Deity after death.
She said her father was the Beast Deity, so…
Gu Mengmeng smiled. “Alright, I will try.”
With that, Gu Mengmeng stood up and turned back to her cave.
Wabei never expected Gu Mengmeng to agree so readily and was taken aback for a moment. He thought Gu Mengmeng would be performing a Heaven Opening rite, to communicate with the Beast Deity. Why had she turned back towards the cave?
“Eh? What are you doing!”
Gu Mengmeng didn’t even turn around. “I am going to sleep!”
Wabei was nonplussed. He thought about it… perhaps the Heaven Opening rite was a strenuous activity and she needed to sleep to replenish her energy first?
He had never opened the heavens so he did not know.
As a result, the magnificent and great Wabei behaved like an abandoned dog, obediently squatting underneath a shady spot outside Gu Mengmeng’s cave. He drew circles in the dirt with a branch to pass time waiting for her to wake up.
Stroking his own chin, Wabei gave a foolish grin.
So painful, nearly as strong as he was…
Meanwhile, Gu Mengmeng had called Lea and Elvis to her side. “I am going to find my father to talk about life. I don’t know how long I will be asleep. You two go about your own matters, there is no need to guard over me. The great Wabei is squatting outside the cave and most people are so scared of him they will shiver as they pass.”
Elvis placed Gu Mengmeng on the bed and covered her carefully with a blanket. In a gentle and doting voice, he said, “Don’t worry, you just have a good sleep. Lea and I will handle all matters concerning the tribe.”
Gu Mengmeng nodded and slowly closed her eyes.
Apart from that time when she bid farewell to Snake, Gu Mengmeng had never made the first move to contact the Beast Deity. Firstly, it was because she was angry he refused to help save her son. Secondly, she blamed him for Snake’s death.
But it had been a long time, and Gu Mengmeng had started to let those grievances go.
The Beast Deity. Such a high and mighty external force. It was better to maintain good relations with him.
And so, Gu Mengmeng held onto a positive and amiable attitude as she drifted off to sleep.
Covered in a white fog, one could not tell where one was. Gu Mengmeng smiled. “It is father alright. You knew I am looking for you and you let me in.”
An ethereal being walked out of the fog. He did not look old but bore a benevolent face. Rubbing Gu Mengmeng’s little head, he said, “There are no overnight grudges between father and daughter. The runaway daughter wishes to return home, how could I not open the door?”
