Chapter 348: Bearing Children

News spread quickly within a small circle—after all, those who needed to know already knew what had happened.

No one thought it was wrong. In fact, to many, this should have happened long ago. The only surprise was why now? And they speculated about what exactly had transpired.

Wu Qingsong wanted Xeila to remove her veil, but she refused.

“My face is for you alone to see.”

That was what she told him.

Although he didn’t quite understand and felt a slight regret—as if a pearl was left hidden in the dust—Wu Qingsong didn’t force the issue.

He gathered Ram, Ling, and Liuli for a private conversation.

No one knew what exactly was discussed, but when they emerged, Wu Qingsong looked a little disheveled, Liuli was confused, Ling remained as calm as ever, and Ram had cried.

Afterward, the four of them traveled together to New Silvermoon City.

Nina and Ram cried their hearts out. Daryl, on the other hand, almost drew his sword against Wu Qingsong.

Of course, that wasn’t much of a threat to Wu Qingsong.

If taking a couple of slashes could help Daryl cool his head, Wu Qingsong wouldn’t have minded. But before Daryl could actually strike, Nina and Ram managed to stop him.

“Meow~ What are they even doing?”

Outside the tent, Liuli nibbled on a piece of carefully roasted wolfkin jerky, looking puzzled as she asked Ling.

“Did Wu do something wrong? Does Ram not like him anymore?”

“You…” Ling sighed softly.

From their perspective, Wu Qingsong had done nothing wrong.

After all, they came from the lowest rungs of society. In their world, it was never an issue for a man with power and wealth to take multiple wives. But Ram was a noble’s daughter, even if it was from a long-destroyed kingdom. And Nina was the princess of the Silvermoon Kingdom.

Even Xeila—when traced back properly—was connected to the fallen Batiz Kingdom. Even if she wasn’t a princess, she was still of noble blood.

That meant their views on marriage and love were entirely different.

But then again, who would want to share their lover with others?

Even if that other person was a close friend or even a sister?

Ling gazed at Liuli, who seemed forever naive and carefree, and for a brief moment, she envied her.

Sometimes, maybe being a little airheaded meant living a happier life.

But for Ling, her true feelings had to remain buried forever. She was neither as breathtakingly beautiful as Xeila, nor as noble as Nina, nor did she possess Ram’s ability to rule a territory. Not to mention, they all came from powerful backgrounds and families.

Even without Wu Qingsong, they would still be outstanding, gifted, and superior to others.

But Ling?

She was just a mixed-blood dog-girl with ordinary looks.

Her fate should have been being sold to a brothel or a tavern.

But because of Wu Qingsong, she had been given power she never dared to dream of. She had received care and affection she never expected. She had gained status and respect beyond anything she could have imagined. She was just a vine clinging to a great tree.

At first glance, she seemed lush and thriving, even growing higher than the tree itself.

But if she left that tree, she would return to nothing.

Without Wu Qingsong, she had nothing.

And he had already given her everything.

What more could she possibly ask for?

“Ling! Come here!”

Liuli’s excited voice suddenly called from another tent. She was thrilled as she waved at Ling.

“Come look at this!”

Inside the tent, a wolfgirl was nursing two newborns—one boy, one girl. They were tiny, no bigger than pups, curled up in their mother’s arms, their eyes still unopened.

“They’re Daryl’s children.”

Liuli was full of admiration.

“How old are they?”

“One month.”

The wolfgirl mother smiled with gentle happiness, respectfully bowing before she answered.

Ling was momentarily surprised, but as she looked at the mother’s demeanor, she understood.

This wolfgirl was a servant, not a wife—which meant these two children weren’t considered legitimate heirs and thus weren’t particularly celebrated.

That explained why no one had bothered informing them.

Had they not come here today, Daryl probably would have mentioned it casually when they met again in spring.

“Ahhh~~”

Liuli sighed in both admiration and slight disappointment.

She had already come to terms with the fact that she and Wu might never have children—but she truly loved kids.

“Let’s ask Wu to take the girl and make her our daughter, okay?”

As soon as they left the tent, she whispered to Ling.

Ling froze.

The idea was ridiculous—but at the same time, it wasn’t a bad solution.

“Let’s wait until after Nina and Xeila’s wedding,” Ling replied.

However, Nina and Xeila’s wedding was ultimately scheduled for summer.

Nagrand was no longer Orgrimmar. Wu Qingsong’s status had changed, and Nina and Xeila couldn’t simply become his concubines—that would be an insult to them and their families.

As the leader of the Icy Sea Clans, Wu Qingsong had to inform all the major clans in advance, give them time to prepare, and allow them to send representatives to witness the ceremony.

Liuli, of course, had no patience to wait several months.

So, after a particularly passionate night, she laid on top of Wu Qingsong and brought up the idea.

Wu Qingsong, however, lacked the half-elf awareness she had assumed. He simply laughed at her impatience. But as she started scratching him with her claws, he finally took the matter seriously. After all—he wasn’t a half-elf.

He was human.

The only human in this world.

And that was a secret only he knew. He had never cared much about having children. But it seemed this was a huge concern for Liuli and possibly for all of his wives.

Was it possible that human genes couldn’t mix with beastkin?

The thought suddenly unsettled him.

Even though he never particularly yearned for fatherhood, he had never disliked children either.

In his personal life goals, he had always planned to have one son and one daughter. And after coming to this world, that goal should have expanded to at least two children per wife. But if that wasn’t possible…

That emptiness in his heart deepened.

For the first time, he truly understood Xeila’s pain and Ling’s self-doubt.