Chapter 23: Strange Female - Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - NovelsTime

Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off

Chapter 23: Strange Female

Author: Violet_Melody99
updatedAt: 2025-10-08

CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: STRANGE FEMALE

Su Qinglan almost screamed. Her whole body went stiff as the tiger’s golden eyes locked on her.

But then...just like that the beast blinked once and turned and ran away. What the hell was that? Was the tiger here only to deliver the prey?

She sat frozen, clutching the stone knife in her hand. Her heart thudded in her ears. And then came the voice. That sarcastic, drawling tone she knew too well.

[Host, are you blind? That’s your first beast husband. Hu Yan.]

Su Qinglan’s mind blanked. "Wh—what?!" Her jaw dropped.

[Yes, that tiger. He is Hu Yan. He’s not just a beast. He’s a beastman.]

Her brain short-circuited. An embarrassing laugh slipped out of her throat before she could stop it. "H-haha... wait... what?"

The truth sank in like a heavy stone. She realized she was in the beast world. Here, men could change into beasts. Of course the tiger was Hu Yan. Who else would it be?

Still, she could not connect the two. The quiet man who had left her earlier and the terrifying tiger who had just blocked the cave entrance...it felt impossible.

She covered her face with both hands. "No wonder I nearly died from fright..."

[Honestly, host...] Xuyu’s voice trembled, almost like he was about to cry. [How could you not be scared? A tiger suddenly standing at your door... If it were me, I would have fainted on the spot.]

Su Qinglan let out a shaky laugh. "Exactly! Who wouldn’t? You’re sitting in your house, all peaceful, and then—bam! A tiger shows up at the entrance. What do you expect me to do? Say ’welcome home’?"

"Hu Yan, Hu Yan..." She muttered, half crying, half laughing. "Next time, at least turn into a human before barging in. My poor heart can’t take it."

And it seemed Hu Yan had heard her silent complaint.

Because not long after, footsteps echoed at the cave entrance.

This time, it was not a tiger that walked in. It was Hu Yan himself, in his human form. His long hair was damp, water dripping down his shoulders, clinging to his skin. He must have just bathed in the river to wash off the blood.

Su Qinglan froze.

Hu Yan glanced at her strange expression but said nothing. With calm movements, he dragged the dead beast inside and pointed at it. His deep voice rumbled, steady and simple.

"How do I cut this?"

Only then did she notice the prey was still lying where he had dropped it earlier. She had been too dazed to even realize.

Su Qinglan snapped out of her thoughts, heat rushing to her cheeks.

How was she supposed to explain? A moment ago she had nearly died of fright seeing a giant tiger at her door. And now she was staring like a fool at the man’s well-built body, firm and toned muscles, his chest gleaming with water droplets under the light.

Her mind betrayed her, whispering nonsense. Handsome... too handsome. If he keeps looking like that, I might really... have his baby... No, tiger cubs...

She mentally slapped herself. "Su Qinglan! Control yourself!" she muttered under her breath.

Hu Yan raised a brow. "What did you say?"

She flailed her hands. "N-nothing! I was just... warming up my knife hand!"

He gave her a quiet look but didn’t push.

She straightened her back, trying to act serious, trying to remember her plan. She could not behave like the original owner. She had to build her own reputation here, step by step. Acting shameless would not do her any good.

So she immediately tried to change the atmosphere and pretended to inspect the prey. As she circled the beast, her eyes started shining.

At first glance, it really looked like a pig. A very big pig. Its teeth were sharp, jutting forward in a dangerous way. Its skin was a strange shade of dark pink, almost red in some places.

But all Su Qinglan could think was...meat.

Her mouth watered. Stir-fried pork with ginger. Sweet heavens. Back in the apocalypse, this dish was a dream. Here? She could eat as much of it as she wanted.

She wiped the corner of her lips. Why didn’t I transmigrate here earlier?

Turning to Hu Yan, she said quickly, "Cut the meat into small pieces... no, wait, maybe bigger pieces are fine. And after cutting, clean it in the river and..." She stopped herself and waved her hands. "Actually, no. Don’t bother washing. You can’t wash it properly anyway. Just cut it."

Hu Yan’s brows furrowed. "Wash it?" His voice was slow and doubtful. "Why?"

She blinked. "...Because it’s dirty."

He looked at her like she was the strange one. "It’s meat. You cut it. You eat it."

Her lips twitched. She had no strength to argue, so she shooed him toward the prey. "Fine, fine! Just cut it, then."

Without another word, his hand turned into sharp claws of a tiger. With swift movements, he started chopping. The sound of his claws slicing through flesh echoed in the cave. Soon, neat chunks of meat piled up in a big stone basin.

Su Qinglan, meanwhile, laid out her ingredients with the care of a seasoned cook. Ginger, onions, greens, wild herbs, and of course, the eggs. She was humming again, already picturing the mouthwatering delicious food.

The chopping stopped.

Hu Yan began to push aside the leftover parts....the liver, heart, intestines, and all the organs. He was clearly about to throw them out.

"Wait! Don’t!" Su Qinglan rushed forward. "I’ll cook these."

Hu Yan froze. His golden eyes slid toward her. "These?" he asked flatly. "You want to eat this?"

She smiled too brightly. "Trust me. These taste delicious."

He stared at her like she had a few screws loose. "...You’re not joking?"

Inside, Su Qinglan almost cried. You stupid tiger... You don’t understand now, but just wait. When I turn these into a dish, you’ll be licking the bowl clean. Hmph!

Hu Yan shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Strange female."

Su Qinglan shot him a glare. "Just wait and see!"

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