After Giving Birth, All My Beast Ex-Husbands Suddenly Want Me Back

Chapter 176: Durian-grabbing battle

Yinny tilted his little head, staring at Shushu. "When did little brother Shushu come back?"

Didi finally let out a breath of relief. "Shushu’s back at last."

Linny sprawled nearby, curiosity written all over his face. "Where did he actually hide yesterday?"

Momo leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "I’m going to secretly ask him how he hid so well."

Mimi flicked her tiny tail. "Why is Shushu still sleeping?"

Nina let out a soft laugh. Of course he was—he must have played all night.

From what Yanai had told her about finding Shushu, she was almost certain now—the child truly possessed a rare concealment ability.

Nina turned inward, asking, "Little Bun, can the signal-blocking issue be solved?"

[Host, later have Shushu use his ability again. Once we analyze the data, we should be able to fix it.]

"Alright."

Everyone had woken up late that day. By the time breakfast was finished, Shushu was only just beginning to stir.

After he finished his milk, Nina carried him to an area they had specially cleared.

"Shushu," she said gently, "show me how you hid your scent and tracks yesterday."

Shushu immediately activated his ability. Nina had him walk a short distance, then called over members of the wolf and cat clans, known for their keen sense of smell.

Aron and Ming examined the ground carefully, astonishment spreading across their faces.

"There’s nothing," they said, shaking their heads. "Not a trace of scent. Not even footprints."

Shushu’s concealment was extraordinary—perfect for escape, and potentially lethal in the right moment.

Nina nodded, looking at him with a faint smile. As expected of my sixth child... his abilities suit him perfectly.

Little Bun seized the opportunity to collect data.

[Host, once we finish analyzing this, we’ll upgrade the tracker. It shouldn’t take long.]

"Good," Nina replied.

Though the search for Shushu had caused quite a stir, discovering this ability was ultimately a blessing. With time, she could teach him how to use it properly.

After his demonstration, the other little ones crowded around him, peppering him with questions about the night before. Shushu proudly told them about his hiding place, earning a chorus of admiration.

He really was good at hiding.

Once Ridan and the others finished packing, Nina and her group continued their journey.

That night, after Nina had finally coaxed all the little ones to sleep, Mino tugged lightly at her sleeve, his handsome face flushed red.

"Nina... shall we step outside for a while?"

Tonight, it was his turn to be with her.

Nina glanced at him, then followed him out without a word.

Inside, Odian lowered his gaze, quietly watching over the sleeping children, saying nothing.

Sal felt a faint pang of jealousy—but it didn’t matter. The day after tomorrow would be his turn.

Meanwhile, Kith sat working on a new pair of shoes for Nina. Yet his thoughts were clearly elsewhere—every now and then, he accidentally pricked his finger with the bone needle.

Aviel and the others looked on with a mix of envy and irritation before drifting off on their own.

Meanwhile, Dian and Jiro quietly clenched their fists—both determined to find a way to win Nina’s affection sooner rather than later.

Mino led Nina to a secluded spot nearby.

She noticed the ground had been carefully layered with soft animal pelts.

She cleared her throat lightly. "Mino... what is this...?"

Surely... it wasn’t what she was thinking?

Instead of answering, Mino swept her up into his arms, carried her over, and gently laid her down on the furs—then leaned over her, caging her beneath him.

"Nina..."

His voice dropped low as he called her name, before capturing her lips in a lingering kiss.

Between breaths, Nina whispered, slightly flustered, "Mino... are you sure about this? Here?"

Out in the open like this... she had never tried it before.

There was a flicker of hesitation.

Mino’s breathing deepened. "Don’t worry. This place is well hidden—shielded on all sides. No one will see us."

"But..." Nina still hesitated, her voice softer now. "I’ve never... done this before."

A flash of delight crossed Mino’s eyes, though he masked it with a faintly plaintive look. "Nina, there is a first time for everything. The journey ahead is long... you can’t possibly keep avoiding us the whole way, can you?"

Nina fell silent, mulling it over.

He wasn’t wrong. There was still a long road ahead to Sea-Blue City, and it wouldn’t be fair to keep denying them. Besides... the men in her life were not exactly lacking in enthusiasm.

Mino’s gaze burned with intensity. "You’ll get used to it."

After a brief pause, Nina slipped her arms around his neck. "Then... don’t keep me out too late."

"Alright."

He brushed against her ear, voice low and warm. "I’ve thought of a few new ways... we can try them tonight."

Before she could respond, he pulled her fully into his embrace.

And slowly, inevitably, Nina found herself yielding to his rhythm.

What was meant to be "not too late"... stretched far longer than intended.

***

By morning, Nina woke up back in the cave.

She shifted slightly, rubbing her sore waist, unsure when—or even how—she had been brought back.

She couldn’t help but wonder: We’re not exactly infrequent... so why does each of them still act like starved wolves every time...?

"Nina, you’re awake. I’ve already prepared everything for you to wash up."

Mino stood nearby, a deeply satisfied smile lingering on his face.

Nina shot him a mildly reproachful glance.

Chuckling, he scooped her up again and carried her toward the washing area.

After breakfast, Ridan and the others stayed behind, cleaning up the dishes and tidying the cooking area.

Viann and the others had just returned from outside. The moment they arrived, they went straight to report to Aviel.

"My king, we’ve searched the entire nearby area. There’s no durian."

"Still none?"

Aviel’s brows knit tightly.

The durians near the stone house had long been wiped out by the ghost wolves. After that, they had searched far and wide—yet found nothing. And now, even along the road, there was still no sign of them.

Without durians... how was he supposed to earn Nina’s forgiveness?

He had been racking his brain for a solution, but nothing seemed to work—until he recalled what Kith had once done.

Back then, Kith must have made some grave mistake to kneel on durians, begging for Nina’s forgiveness.

Even though Kith hadn’t yet become one of her mates at the time, he had at least secured his place as her guardian beast afterward. That meant the method had some effect.

So Aviel decided to follow suit.

"Keep searching," he ordered. "You must find durians—and the more, the better. Stay alert for them along the way."

"Yes!"

The dragon clansmen responded in unison.

At the same time, in other corners of the cave, similar conversations were taking place.

***

Two days later, at last, good news arrived.

"My king, we found a durian grove to the east," Viann reported excitedly. "There are a lot of durians there."

Just mentioning them made his mouth water.

But then a thought struck him—these durians were going to be knelt on.

...Suddenly, he didn’t feel quite so eager to eat them.

"Good," Aviel said immediately. "We’ll go pick them at once. Bring back every single one."

He needed more than Kith had used—only then would his sincerity truly show.

Viann led him to the grove. But the moment they arrived, they spotted familiar figures already there—

Yanai, Finch, and Lex.

The instant their eyes met, sparks seemed to fly.

Heh. So they’d all had the same idea.

Aviel turned sharply to his men. "Move! Pick them fast—we can’t let them snatch everything first!"

Viann and the others sprang into action without hesitation.

Across the grove, the other males also barked orders, sending their subordinates scrambling to harvest the fruit.

And just like that—a full-blown durian-grabbing battle began.