If she tries to slander me, she will only bring trouble upon herself.

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Sang Yingying cursed inwardly, “Damn Cang Qian, since when did she become so meticulous in her thinking! She used to be so silent and cold, like a lifeless beast. Has she changed now?”
Mainly because she didn’t know how to refute Cang Qian’s points, Sang Yingying glanced sideways at the leading Yu Ge, signaling him with her eyes.
But all these small gestures were precisely noticed by Cang Qian!
Yu Ge, who was leading, caught her glance and nodded in understanding.
Then, after a moment’s thought, he said, “The injury on your palm might not necessarily have been caused during the struggle with Yingying. It’s also possible that after stabbing Yingying, you cut yourself to cover it up!”
“I cut myself!”
Cang Qian immediately looked at him and said, “Fine, even if I did it myself, it would have to be with my right hand holding a dagger, the blade slanting across the palm of my left hand in a slicing motion.”
As she spoke, she held an imaginary dagger and demonstrated the action.
After the demonstration, she questioned again, “If I cut myself like that, the wound should be slanted, but my wound is clearly a vertical line. How do you explain that?”
At this moment, Yu Ge frowned deeply and was at a loss for words.
Cang Qian handed the dagger to Banai nearby, asking him to hold it with both hands in a downward stabbing posture.
Then she continued, “The only possible way my hand could be injured with a vertical wound is if someone was holding the dagger like this, trying to stab downward.”
“I must have forcefully grabbed the blade with my bare hand back then, which caused this kind of wound! And the person holding the dagger, trying to stab downward, is none other than Sang Yingying!!”
With Cang Qian’s clear and logical analysis plus the demonstration, the tribespeople began whispering again.
“You’re talking nonsense!”
Sang Yingying immediately flared up anxiously, momentarily forgetting the pristine white lotus image she had maintained so far!
Cang Qian smirked and retorted, “If you say I’m talking nonsense, then you can demonstrate how I supposedly committed the crime!”
“I…”
Sang Yingying panicked instantly; how could she concoct such a detailed demonstration!
After thinking for a moment, she quickly resumed a feeble demeanor and said, “I’m injured now, the wound hurts, and the incident happened so suddenly that I don’t remember many details.”
She then looked towards Dianna, “High Priestess, can we wait until I recover before making a decision? But since my cousin is highly suspicious, you can detain her first.”
At this moment, Banai, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up, “If you say Cang Qian is highly suspicious, your suspicion isn’t any less!”
“You and Cang Qian both accuse each other of trying to kill the cub. Cang Qian has explained the process and demonstrated it, but you can’t demonstrate it. You say it’s because you’re injured and can’t remember the details. That’s understandable, but you’re still suspicious!”

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“So if Cang Qian is to be detained, I think you should be detained too. After all, both of you are suspects. Detaining only one is too unfair!”
Having said that, he looked at the clan chief and the high priestess.
Sang Yingying was secretly gripping Dianna’s hand, silently begging him not to agree to detain her.
But Banai, who had been watching closely, noticed these small movements and furrowed his brows in surprise.
At this, Dianna and Cang Lian exchanged a glance.
Then Cang Lian said, “Banai is right. Both are suspects, so logically they should be detained together, but since both are injured, there is no need to detain them. They should each return home to recuperate.”
“Before this matter is clarified, neither of you may leave the village, nor go out. So you don’t need to attend tomorrow’s Harvest Festival!”
Sang Yingying immediately protested, “Grandfather, Banai will be going out tomorrow for the festival. Who will look after my cousin? You watch over me at home personally, but what about her? That’s not fair.”
Cang Lian thought for a moment and said, “Cang Qian, you can either temporarily come back to stay or stay with Bai Yuan. You choose. In any case, before this matter is resolved, both you and Yingying need supervision.”
“Grandfather, I’ll stay with Sister Bai Yuan.”
Cang Qian didn’t want to go back to the clan chief’s house; she was reluctant to see Sang Yingying.
Sang Yingying acted up again, “Sister Bai Yuan treats you like a lifesaving beast. What if she lets you go? No, I don’t agree.”
Cang Qian deliberately said, “If you don’t trust her, then have your Chen Yu Ge come here to watch over me. He’s on your side; having him watch over me will make you feel secure!”
Sang Yingying instantly panicked, “Yu Ge is several years older than us, like an older brother. What do you mean by ‘on my side’? Cousin, don’t talk nonsense!”
“Enough!”
Cang Lian scolded irritably, “You’re sisters, yet you distrust and accuse each other so openly—don’t you find that shameful?!”
Then he looked at Chen Yu, “You come to the Che family tomorrow to check on them.”
Chen Yu nodded.
Cang Lian continued, “If anyone is uneasy, those not going out tomorrow can come supervise them as well!”
“Besides, we have ten days to get to the bottom of this. The high priestess and I will investigate thoroughly. If there are no other objections, you may all disperse.”
The tribespeople gradually left, and the Che family’s beast servants took Sang Yingying away from the Che household.
After everyone had left, Che Bai Yuan hugged Cang Qian tightly: “Cang Qian, we cannot repay the favor your family has done for us. Rest assured, I will find out the truth of this matter and clear your name!”
Cang Qian smiled and patted Che Bai Yuan on the back, saying, “I’m fine, as long as the cub is safe. As for Sang Yingying trying to slander me, she’ll only bring trouble upon herself!”
Che Bai Yuan wiped away tears and nodded, “You should go rest. The wound is deep; remember to apply some herbal medicine.”
Cang Qian replied with a hum and then left the Che household with Banai.

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…
The two returned to their large wooden house.
Upon entering, Banai immediately picked up Cang Qian and briskly headed to his room.
“Banai, wait a moment.”
Cang Qian struggled a little anxiously, but with one hand injured, her resistance was futile.
Once inside, Banai gently laid her on the bed.
Then he brought a basin of clean water and sat beside her, unwrapping the cloth around her left hand. Using a cloth dampened with water, he carefully cleaned the dried blood around the wound.
When the cleaning was done,
Just as Cang Qian was about to ask if there were herbal medicines at home to apply, Banai cupped her hand and lowered his head, slowly licking the wound.
Cang Qian’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Banai, don’t…”
Banai looked up at her, “Did you know that before our ancient ancestors discovered the use of herbs, the beastfolk used this method to ‘medicate’ wounds?”
With that, he smiled and continued gently licking the wound.
At this moment, Cang Qian bit her lip, her cheeks slightly flushed as she watched him.
She knew this method of “medication,” having seen animals do the same in the real world.
And here, in the beast world, she understood that Banai, as a beastfolk, would have this behavior!
But, oh my!
Why did watching Banai do this make her feel so… longing?!
…
…