She decided not to sleep any longer and sat up to practice her supernatural abilities.
When she finally opened her eyes, the sky was just beginning to brighten with dawn.
After a whole night of cultivation, her abilities had improved significantly. It wouldn't be long before she could advance to the second tier.
Su Xiyue stretched lazily, feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
She ate all the grilled fish she had left from yesterday.
But even then, she was only half full.
Her gaze fell on the piece of roasted meat Bai Qi had given her last night. Unable to resist, she tore off a small piece to eat.
The meat had hardened overnight and was tough to chew.
Still, it had been salted, so at least it had some flavor.
After two bites, she stopped—mostly because it was so difficult to chew.
She planned to go into the forest later to gather some fruit.
No matter how much fruit she ate, it wouldn't make her gain weight; if anything, it would help her lose some.
It would also aid digestion and keep her bowels regular.
She then roasted the three pieces of raw meat she had left from yesterday. If she didn't cook them soon, they'd spoil for sure.
She thought about when she could find a stone pot to bring back. Having one would make eating much easier—not just limited to roasting.
The three pieces of meat cooked quickly, smelling delicious—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside—and much softer than the meat roasted the night before.
Unfortunately, there was no salt in the cave, and other seasonings were even scarcer.
The other hunters had some, but only in limited amounts.
Su Xiyue couldn't resist trying a small piece but stopped after a bit, reminding herself to focus on losing weight.
She wrapped the remaining meat in broad leaves and set it aside as lunch for the day.
Just as she was about to get up, a voice suddenly echoed in her mind from the system:
[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully lost weight. You've dropped two jin, health +2, appearance +1, charm +1. Your favorability rating has also changed. Would you like to view it?]
Su Xiyue's eyes lit up with joy. After starving all night, she hadn't expected to lose two jin.
Though two jin wasn't much compared to all the excess fat she carried, any progress was good progress.
She quickly checked the system data:
Host: Su Xiyue
Age: 16
Charm: 11
Appearance: 21
Health: 62
Weight: Severely overweight, affecting mobility.
Skill: Wood-type supernatural ability (Level 1)
Relationship targets and favorability:
Ye Ling: -90 (Disgusted)
Mo Lin: -80 (Disgusted)
Qing Zhu: -85 (Disgusted)
Bai Qi: -75 (Disgusted)
Xuan Ming: -60 (Disgusted)
She scanned the data quickly. Only Xuan Ming's favorability had changed—it was -80 last night and had risen to -60 overnight.
A full 20-point increase.
A small smile tugged at her lips, and she felt her mood lift.
Xuan Ming had come to the cave last night and must have noticed the changes inside—and in her.
Who would like a scruffy, messy woman?
Being clean and fresh always left a better impression.
She closed the system panel and took all the unwashed animal skins piled at the cave entrance last night to the river to wash.
It was still early, but many beasts and females were already busy by the river—washing skins, washing their faces and hands, or fetching water.
Some females were even grooming and dressing by the water's edge.
There was laughter and chatter everywhere; the atmosphere was lively.
When they saw her, many cast curious looks and whispered among themselves.
"Isn't that Su Xiyue? She's up so early?"
"Look at all those animal skins she's carrying—does she really intend to wash them?"
"She's the laziest female in the wolf tribe. Does anyone really believe she'd wash skins herself? Probably just putting on a show."
"Haha, yeah, she's the laziest female in our wolf tribe. Expecting her to wash skins is like waiting for the sun to rise in the west."
"Exactly. I bet she's just going to throw them away and ask Ye Ling and the others for new ones."
…
Though their voices were low, every word floated clearly into Su Xiyue's ears.
She rolled her eyes silently and ignored them.
The original owner had ruined her reputation long ago. Trying to fix it overnight was impossible.
She found a quiet spot and began washing the animal skins seriously.
All of these skins had been taken by the original owner from five hunters and her father—they were top quality.
But the original owner had never washed them, just tossing them aside dirty and unused.
None were ever laid out to dry, and some had even begun to mold and sprout bugs. They were almost unbearable to look at.
Su Xiyue felt the original owner was wasting a precious resource—these skins would be her future clothes and blankets.
They could even be used to make shoes; there was no way she'd let them go to waste.
She washed what she could; those that were too far gone she reluctantly threw away.
Fortunately, most were still usable; only a few that were completely ruined were discarded.
The females and beasts by the river, seeing Su Xiyue genuinely washing the skins, looked on in shock.
Soon, whispers started again.
"Oh my god, Su Xiyue is actually washing those skins? And such a big pile too—am I dreaming?"
"When did she become so diligent? Has the sun really risen in the west?"
"Did you notice she's changed? She doesn't look quite so ugly anymore."
"Yeah, it's different. She looks less messy, and the pimples and sores on her face have gone down a bit—though overall, she's still not pretty."
...…
Those voices reached Su Xiyue's ears, filling her with helplessness.
The original owner's reputation was too deeply ingrained in everyone's minds. Changing how people saw her was clearly no easy task.
She ignored the gossip and focused on washing the animal skins.
Without soap or detergent, it was impossible to get them truly clean. She had to scrub hard until her palms turned red.
The skins were thick, filthy, and reeked — a real challenge to clean.
By the time she finished washing every single one, an hour had already passed.
Her waist and back ached painfully, her hands were numb with soreness, and she was drenched in sweat.
She washed her face and stretched her limbs, feeling a little better.
Just as she was about to carry the clean skins back, a female approached her, wearing a mocking, half-smile.
"Su Xiyue, have you suddenly changed? You actually know how to do something useful now?"
Su Xiyue looked at the girl. She was pretty and probably no older than seventeen or eighteen. Her eyes held a mix of pride and disdain, clearly looking down on her.
Searching her memories from the original owner, Su Xiyue recalled this girl's name was Mi Yao, Mia's younger sister. Like her sister, Mi Yao despised the original owner.
The reason was simple: Mi Yao also liked Ye Ling, and she had confessed her feelings to him — only to be flatly rejected.
The rejection had hit Mi Yao hard, leaving her heartbroken. Since then, she hated the original owner, who was Ye Ling's female.
Even though everyone knew Ye Ling disliked and even detested the original owner, Mi Yao still couldn't stand her.
And now, that hatred was obvious every time she looked at her — eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.
Su Xiyue withdrew her gaze and said coldly, "None of your business."
Without another word, she picked up the clean skins and walked away.
Watching her retreating back, Mi Yao ground her teeth in anger and cursed silently, "Pah! Who does she think she is, acting all high and mighty?"
Her sister Mia was the most beautiful female in the tribe, with seven hunters—all top-notch warriors in the clan.
Mi Yao had five hunters herself, but neither their strength nor their looks matched her sister's.
She also had fewer hunters than Mia.
Mi Yao believed she was pretty enough herself and had always wanted to surpass her sister.
Ye Ling was the strongest, fiercest, and most handsome male in the tribe—there wasn't a single female who didn't like him.
Mi Yao thought that if she could win Ye Ling's heart, it would surely make her sister green with envy.
So she confessed to him, only to be mercilessly rejected.