Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Checkmate, Sister Mei

Su Qinglan narrowed her eyes at the tall, fox-faced woman.

That sharp tone, that biting sneer, where did all this hostility even come from? She had just come out for a morning walk, not to pick a fight.

But the way her words dripped with venom, as if merely breathing the same air was offensive... It wasn’t a coincidence.

Su Qinglan frowned. Wait... Sister Mei?

She dug through the messy pile of the original owner’s memories. They were like a chest full of tangled weeds, but the more she pulled, the clearer the shape became.

Ah. So that was it.

This "Sister Mei" wasn’t just any tribe female. She was her half-sister. Same mother, but different father.

And of course...what a coincidence, her father wasn’t anyone impressive. Just an ordinary three-striped beastman. Decent enough, but not strong like her father, who was a tribe leader.

Su Qinglan’s lips twitched. Oh, she got it now. No wonder this woman was practically frothing at the mouth every time she looked at her.

Since childhood, Xu Meiyan had been jealous of the original owner. Not because she was starving or mistreated—no, she had food, she had shelter. She wasn’t living in misery.

She was just furious that Su Qinglan, this "ugly toad" in her eyes, had so many good things simply because her father was the tribe leader.

Food hand-delivered by father and brother. Warm fur blankets. Extra cuts of meat. Attention and affection, she believed, should’ve belonged to her.

Su Qinglan’s eyebrow twitched. Wait, so all this grudge, all this lifelong hate, is because... She wanted my father and brother to dote on her instead?

Inside, Su Qinglan rolled her eyes so hard they almost spun out of her skull.

"What kind of logic is that?" she muttered under her breath.

Honestly. If you wanted love from your father, then go find your own father. Why covet someone else’s, just because he’s powerful? Wasn’t that basically trying to cling shamelessly to the thickest thigh in the tribe?

And let’s not even talk about their mother. The woman had other mates too. If Xu Meiyan really wanted affection so badly, why not direct her jealousy elsewhere? Why only target Su Qinglan?

Answer: because Qinglan’s father was the tribe leader.

Su Qinglan clicked her tongue. "Tsk. So that’s it. The green-eyed fox bitch is just mad she lost at the starting line."

Her gaze flicked back to Mei, who was still smirking like she’d already won something, her brown hair shimmering under the sunlight. The jealousy in her eyes had only grown sharper when they landed on Su Qinglan’s bright orange locks.

Su Qinglan’s lips curved faintly. She folded her arms and looked at Xu Meiyan with a calm smile.

But inside, she sneered.

This woman really thinks I’m the same Su Qinglan she used to bully?

Well, too bad. The old Su Qinglan was gone. That timid, spoiled fool who could be manipulated and played at her will. And Xu Meiyan had no idea.

Su Qinglan’s eyes narrowed slightly as she realized another thing: Half of the tribe hated me because of her stupid tricks. Whispering lies, twisting stories, pushing me into fights... and then standing aside like she was innocent.

Well then. If she wants a fight...

"When did I force you to do anything? Su Qinglan, don’t lie!" Xu Meiyan roared at her. She was just a simple bully who didn’t know how to react when the victim talked back. Still a noob in front of Su Qinglan, who had played countless games like this.

"Sister Mei, why are you saying this? Were you not the one who also told me to use love fruit on Hu Yan? You said he would love me," Su Qinglan continued.

Everyone’s eyes widened at this news, and Su Qinglan’s lips curled.

She knew everyone had been discussing this behind her back. And now, she needed to clear her name and Xu Meiyan had simply served herself on a platter.

How could Su Qinglan not use this opportunity?

Xu Meiyan’s eyes flashed. "Don’t twist things! You forced Hu Yan to become your mate! Everyone knows you clung to him, he never wanted you!"

Su Qinglan’s face didn’t change. But her eyes? They turned cold.

She turned slowly and smiled at the quiet white lotus standing nearby, the one pretending to be invisible.

"Bai Lianhua," she said smoothly. "You’ve been very quiet. Weren’t you the one who told me Hu Yan would protect me if I just claimed him? That it would make him stay with me forever?"

Bai Lianhua froze. "I...I didn’t mean..."

Su Qinglan said with a sad expression, "No need to explain. I remember everything now. The two of you... you were the ones who told me to claim Hu Yan. Said I’d look weak otherwise and be despised by other females."

Xu Meiyan’s face turned pale. "That’s not..."