Epoch 18

Epoch 18: Food poisoning?

They were talking about random things while walking back to the tribe. The twins tried to ask questions about Tang Tang's past but always got an answer.

"There is nothing worth telling about my childhood. Let's talk about something else."

Xue noticed that the sub-beast was avoiding answering them, so he requested instead. "Can you sing the song that you said that makes you think of me?"

Hou frowned in response.

Tang Tang sang songs for him multiple times, but he never mentioned that one of the songs made the sub-beast think of him.

"Oh! You mean 'Gorgeous'? Okay!"

Tang Tang started singing it. Hou's face got awful the longer he understood the song's words.

"You're gorgeous~"

When Tang Tang finished singing, he asked Xue. "Like it?"

Xue smile. "Yes. Your voice is pleasant to listen to."

"Look at your face, so gorgeous," Tang Tang said then he heard Hou murmur something. That's when he noticed Hou's expression.

"What did you say, Hou?" He made his voice a little softer, as if coaxing a child.

"How about me? Do you have any songs that make you think of me?" Hou repeated.

Without thinking, Tang Tang immediately answered. "Of course!"

"Really?" Hou beamed like a happy puppy wagging its tail.

"Wanna hear it?"

Hou nodded vigorously.

Then, as Hou requested, Tang Tang sang the song that reminded him of the beast.

"I was enchanted to meet you~"

From start to finish, he never looked away from Hou. Looking at the man's changing reaction, he asked. "Do you want to know why this song reminds me of you?"

"Y—yes."

Tang Tang tightened his hold on Hou's hand. "In my previous world, everything was the same every day, dull and lonely. When I arrived in this world, you were the first person I saw, and do you know what I was thinking when I first saw you?"

Hou shakes his head.

"I thought at that time that you were so handsome—the most handsome man I ever met. You make me look forward to staying in this world. That is why I am enchanted to meet you."

When Hou didn't answer, he added. "So, do you like it?"

Hou replied, her eyes watering. "I like it! I like it so much."

Tang Tang smiled and said. "I love listening to songs, but I don't have any talent for making them. For now, let me dedicate those two songs to both of you. In the near future, I promised that I would make a song solely dedicated to the two of you. Will you guys wait for it?"

"I will wait," Xue responds.

"Me too. I will wait no matter how long it takes," Hou happily replied.

The three of them walked back to the tribe in good spirits.

____________

At the tribe entrance, Yan was frantically waiting for Tang Tang.

When she saw them, he immediately rushed to Tang Tang and clasped his hand. "Tang Tang!" Yan's face is pale, and the hands holding him are slightly trembling.

"What happened?" Tang Tang worriedly asked.

"P—pen... M—my brother was poisoned." Yan was so anxious. Pen is his younger brother and the only relative she has. If she loses even Pen, she doesn't know what to do anymore.

"Poisoned!" Hou exclaimed.

When Yan said that Pen was poisoned, Hou worriedly looked at Xue.

Even though their mother is known to be the most talented in making medicine among the clan witches, they both know that there is still no cure for poison.

"Where is he? What happened?" Tang Tang asked. Yan's anxious behavior influenced him.

"He is in the tribe leader's tent." Yan started crying uncontrollably. "T–Tang Tang, help him. Please help him."

All people who were poisoned in the past always end up dead, and when she learned what happened to her brother, she didn't want to accept it just like that. The first person he could think of to ask for help was Tang Tang.

The sub-beast was different from them; he knew a lot of things they didn't know. That's why she is putting all her hope in him.

Tang Tang was worried that Yan would faint from crying. He was trying to support the female when a cold voice sounded.

"Calm down, Yan! Let's go check Pen's situation first."

Yan stopped, as if under the spell of the commanding voice, but the tears were still streaming down her cheeks.

"Yan." Before anyone could react, Xue called. "You know that poison is incurable. Don't expect too much from Tang Tang," he said as if he could hear Yan's thoughts.

"I—I am sorry," Yan said, trying to hold back her sobs.

Tang Tang is trying to comfort Yan while they are hurriedly walking towards the center of the tribe, where the largest tent is located.

In front of the tribe leader's tent, a lot of people were gathering, trying to see what was happening inside.

Everyone's gaze shifted to their group upon their arrival. Then they started to whisper to one another. The other sub-beasts were even pointing at Tang Tang and leaving scornful remarks.

"What are you doing here?" Gio asked as he sneered. "It is your fault that Pen was poisoned, and you have the guts to come here," he added.

A loud voice can be heard next to Tang Tang even before he has a chance to process what Gio just said.

"What have you just said? How can it be Tang Tang's fault?" Qiu shouted as she went in front of Tang Tang.

Several sub-beasts came forward as well to shield Gio from Qiu.

Tei also came forward and spoke calmly. "Tang Tang always reminds us not to taste any unknown plants without him checking. That's why Tang Tang is not at fault for what happened to Pen."

"If he didn't ask us to bring unknown plants, Pen would not be poisoned." Kea butted in.

Qiu raised an eyebrow and angrily said, "The two of you are beautiful but have no brains! Can you even understand what Tei said?"

The two sides started to quarrel.

All the females are protecting Tang Tang, while some of the sub-beasts are supporting Gio.

The beasts wanted to stop them but were afraid to intervene in the fight between the females and sub-beasts.

Because of the heated argument between the two groups, Lia and Bei came out of the tent. "You know that I have a patient inside, and you are all making noise here."

Qiu hurriedly narrated to Lia what caused the commotion. This made the clan witch angry. But before he could choose sides and join the argument, he heard Tang Tang say, "Lia, can I see Pen?"

Lia agreed without a second thought. He is actually waiting for Tang Tang. He already tried everything he knew to help Pen, but nothing worked. Tang Tang is his last hope to save the young sub-beast. "Let's go inside."

Gio scoffed but didn't talk anymore. He couldn't act too arrogant in front of the clan witch and tribe leader. Even Xue had been glaring at him earlier.

Inside, Tang Tang saw a petite young boy laying on a layer of fur. His whole body was flushed red and had visible rashes. He is sweating profusely, and mixed with his tears, he looks really pitiful.

Pen struggles to breathe, but in an attempt to relieve the pain that occasionally makes him throw up, he pressed his stomach.

Seeing his brother's appearance, Yan held back his tears and immediately ran beside him, showing a strong front to reassure him that everything would be fine.

Lia explained to Tang Tang what happened based on the stories of the other people in Pen's group.

The group was tasked with picking potatoes today when Kea found a new plant and decided to bring it back to the tribe, but Pen tried eating the plant, seeing it as a chance to gain recognition from the tribe.

"N—no! My brother is not that kind of person," Yan said angrily when he heard what the clan witch told Tang Tang.

"Then, how can you explain why Pen is in that state now?" Gio sarcastically asked.

Pen tried to talk, but no voice came out.

"Yan, let me check Pen first," Tang Tang said before it ended up in another argument.

"As if he knew everything," someone said from the crowd. Lia looked in that person's direction and angrily said, "If you know nothing, leave!"

With a sigh, Tang Tang turned his back on them. After switching places with Yan, he took Pen's temperature and then his pulse. He also asked Pen to open his mouth, but because his lips were swollen, he could not open it properly. Tang Tang was still a freshman nursing student before he transmigrated, but he can clearly see that this is not food poisoning.

"The plant that Pen ate—do you still have it?" he asked in the crowd of onlookers.

No one answered. That's why Tang Tang added, "It will help Pen if I can check the plant."

When Yan heard this, he stood up and said, "I will get it for you. Tei, Qiu, come with me."

The trio was about to go out when a chubby female came out of the crowd. "I have some here."

Tin handed Yan a bunch of pea-shaped fruit that she immediately gave to Tang Tang.

Tang Tang checked the fruit while waiting for Ude's confirmation. The color and shape are like peas, but inside are several white beans.

[No poison was found!]

Ude's confirmation makes Tang Tang certain that Pen was not poisoned. In front of everyone, he put a bean in his mouth.

"TANG TANG!" Hou and Xue both call in shocked.

Everyone had a surprise reaction after seeing the bold action of the sub-beast.

"Don't worry. This plant is not poisonous," Tang Tang said nonchalantly, but he was actually looking in the encyclopedia to know what kind of fruit it is.

Until...

[Gume Fruit – Soybeans]

'SOYBEANS!'

'He is not poisoned, Pen is allergic to it!'