It's Actually Not Easy Wanting to be a Supporting Male Lead Chapter 17 part6

Translated by Eve
Edited by Kara
Although the protagonist shou had suffered quite the attack, eventually, he even began to accept having turned into a beast after transmigrating. So what if his partner would also be a beast? You should know, there was no shortage of strange occurrences in the world. He had even heard about pet owners getting married to their pets and vowing to spend their lives together in his previous, modern world!
The innocent Zhao Xihe, who was getting shot while lying down: "…………………………→_→"
After a moment of silence, Bai very quickly cheered up. Things were already like this. Since he didn’t want to fight it, then he could only accept it. Bai stood up, shook his fluffy, snow-white fur, and headed in Sui Yuan’ direction.
Because of Bai’s status within the pack, the female beasts didn’t—or rather, they didn’t dare to treat the pack’s benefactor like they had Xiao Hei. It could even be said that if Bai hadn’t been in his human form all this time, he would have probably been even more popular with all the female beasts than Sui Yuan.
As Bai approached, the female beasts retreated. They watched helplessly as he walked over to Sui Yuan’s side and claimed the best position. Bai lied down and stuck out his tongue in a very practiced manner, grooming Sui Yuan’s soft and glossy hair, that had already been tidied by the female beasts. His actions seemed rather possessive and territorial.
——After turning into his human form, Bai had always wanted to help Sui Yuan groom his fur out of habit. However, he had always stopped himself at the last moment. So, he was basically getting his wish fulfilled right now….
They didn't know why, but the female beasts, who were just fawning over Sui Yuan, involuntarily felt their backs grow cold. They silently retreated and reduced their presences.
Since he had unexpectedly changed back into a beast, Bai learned how to control his transformation between his two forms. However, who knew if it was because he thought that using his beast form was easier while in the pack, or if it was because of some other unknown reason, but at this time, Bai used his human form a lot less. He would usually stick to Sui Yuan's side when in his beast form. He was so sticky that Sui Yuan began to feel like something wasn't quite right.
Because he had spent some time as a pet before, Sui Yuan was very used to the feeling of being taken care of and doted on in the arms of a human. He just felt that it was to be expected. However, if the person taking care of him had become a beast…Sui Yuan silently turned to look at the female beasts that were eagerly pandering to the male beasts that were wooing them. Sui Yuan suddenly felt like Bai's actions were similar to those of the wooing male beasts….
The male beasts shared their food with the female beasts that they liked in order to show their interest and gain brownie points with them while also showing off their ability to provide for a family. Bai also took care of Sui Yuan's meals by himself. He even eagerly fed him, making Sui Yuan not even need to waste any effort to tear into his prey. Just like how the male beasts didn't like other beasts near their mates, Bai liked to keep Sui Yuan by his side and would unobtrusively keep the other beasts away. The male beasts also liked to groom the female beasts. When their feelings became mutually deep, they would come together and do this and that. Likewise, Bai liked to groom him. Only—or should he say, fortunately—Bai did not show any interest in the other aspect.
Seeing Bai's magnanimous appearance though, Sui Yuan didn't feel right to "assume despicable things about an upright person's thoughts" in thinking that Bai liked him, so he had no choice but to pretend that he didn't see what was going on and ignore it. Only, the gaze that the rest of the pack used to look at them became increasingly strange, increasingly suggestive. Even the female beasts that used to like crowding around him dispersed, like they were being blinded by their actions. Each and every one of them went their own way to find another male beast to fancy.
There were no regulations that said that male and female beasts had to be together. It was just that they only mated in order to reproduce, and that their choice in mates was for the sake of producing the most healthy of pups as well as ensuring that the parental pups would be capable of providing for them. Thus, because of reproduction, very few beasts would be "interested" in those of the same sex. However, since it was not a matter of concern to them, they also would not pay much attention to it either.
Towards this, Sui Yuan pretended that he knew nothing. Meanwhile, Bai was very satisfied. It looked like it was also very useful to unobtrusively keep the gray pup by his side, display PDA, and push away his rivals-in-love even as a beast.
Of course, what Bai didn't know was that the reason none of the beasts disturbed them was because his position and strength were both high up within the pack. If he didn't have those, then he would have certainly ended up like Xiao Hei, beaten half to death by the tough-as-nails female beasts in the fight for mates.
Aside from the protagonist shou's incessant "pursuit" giving him a headache, this winter hadn't been bad. He didn't exercise nor did he ever go hungry, so Sui Yuan ended up plump and strong. From afar, he looked like a big round ball that was very cute. What made Sui Yuan even happier than this was that he had not seen the protagonist gong all winter.
Although the feline protagonist gong was nimble and cunning, he still had no way to silently infiltrate the cave under the pack's discerning eyes. In addition, it was snowing outside, and the weather was bitterly cold. He could not stay outside for long periods of time, which meant that Sui Yuan did not see even a single cat hair all winter. It was so comfortable.
Sui Yuan really hoped that the protagonist gong's interest in him would dissipate this winter, and then, he would never see the other again.
The winter that was "full of love" passed by smoothly with all sorts of wooing and reproducing. When quite a few female beasts' stomachs stuck out, looking like inflated balloons, winter officially ended.
Sui Yuan and Bai followed the pack out of the cave they had taken shelter in during the winter and stepped foot on the prairie that was beginning to thaw. The beasts shook out their furs, yawned, and then eagerly went out, wanting to eat a big meal, to once again get a taste of meat. Although this past winter's store of food had not been that bad, the beasts were still more used to the taste of blood and raw flesh. They weren't used to pickled vegetables and dry meat. Once they've eaten it for a long time, they will naturally begin to yearn for fresh food.
Except for the pregnant female beasts, nearly the entire pack went out to hunt. Meanwhile, Bai turned back into his human form and picked up his weapons. After all, he was stronger when fighting in his human form. As for his beast form…he mostly used that to pursue his crush.
The pack that had been conserving its strength all winter were like hurricanes as they wrought havoc on the prairies. It was unlike the past when they would be weak. Their vitality was flourishing, and they would teach a ruthless "lesson" to those muddle-headed animals that passed the winter with much difficulty.
The satiated beasts all emitted resonant, carefree howls which echoed throughout the prairies. The elderly beasts, who had miraculously survived this winter, watched the younger generations, who were full of energy, and felt like their old bodies were once again full of vitality.
Sui Yuan was not influenced by the pack's emotions. He calmly stayed by Bai's side, waiting for the other to cook him some delicious meal. At the same time, he quickly flipped through the plot, confirming what would happen this year.
For the pack, it was necessary to choose a new chief every couple of years. Some younger beasts would become dissatisfied with the current chief's leading style and use their youthful strength to challenge the other for the position. Or, perhaps the presiding chief would be unable to continue leading the pack because of some accident, and they would need to choose a new leader anyway. In any case, this year, there would definitely be a scene of fighting for the chief's position in the pack.
The old chief will get seriously injured while hunting and have no choice but to resign from the position of chief. Meanwhile, the pack will be split into two factions. One faction will support Bai, who had made great contributions to the pack recently, and the other faction will be one that was discontent with Bai's human form and would prefer to follow the pack's best hunter, the strong Hui.
Because the original Hui did not have Sui Yuan's overbearing halo, he and the protagonist shou were only considered "childhood friends" and were not as inseparable as Sui Yuan and Bai were now. Although Bai hadn't cared about being the chief, he also hadn't wanted to let the beasts that trusted him down. Likewise, Hui had not wanted Bai to give up without fighting. Therefore, he suggested the pack's most common method of resolving conflicts: a duel.
Duels within the pack were merciless. Because there was a lack of medical treatment here, Bai naturally hadn't wanted to get injured and had no choice but to use all his strength. Thus, Hui naturally fell under Bai's weapons and lost an eye. It would forever be a mark of his defeat.
Although it was a simple duel, Hui's pride and ego were shattered. He no longer was as close to Bai as he had been in the past. After losing an eye, Hui's eyesight and perception were greatly affected, which meant that he, who used to be an outstanding hunter, became a mere ordinary hunter. He was ruined in one stroke.
There was no room for two tigers on one mountain. Although Bai felt sympathetic and sorry to Hui, there was no way to change things. The two "childhood" friends grew apart. One would become increasingly glorious and lofty with his fame transmitted throughout the prairies while the other would gradually fall. In the end, he would sacrifice himself for the sake of the pack, dying an untimely death.
——If nothing unexpected happened, Sui Yuan will get hurt in their duel and will be able to smoothly complete his mission, leaving this world. As for the love and hate between the protagonist gong and shou, he probably wouldn't get to see it.
…Of course, this was all on the premise that…"nothing unexpected occurred."
Sui Yuan turned to look at Bai, who was earnestly roasting meat. He really doubted that the other would seriously fight and blind him in one eye like he did in the original plot.
After passing this winter, Bai's appearance had already shed its juvenile characteristics, and he had become a handsome youth. He had long, curled eyelashes, gentle eyes, a straight nose, and a smile on his lips. His position in the pack was high, which translated into boldness and self-confidence being infused in his every move. Even in the human world, he would probably have been considered a very conspicuous, handsome man. Probably because people who did their best to show off their good points to attract the person they liked were very charming, Bai, who was currently at this stage, was unconsciously exuding charm.
Sensing Sui Yuan's gaze, Bai turned his head slightly and smiled, rubbing the other's neck, "Don't be so rushed. It will be done soon."
Sui Yuan："………………………………"
——Don't classify me as a glutton! I was just thinking about proper business! Proper business!
Sui Yuan's proper business was naturally on how he would be able to succeed in his "self-mutilation." He tried to train with Bai, looking for the other's weakness or gap. However, Bai's skills with his weapons became increasingly skilled instead. He could operate them very easily. After all, he didn't want to hurt Sui Yuan even a little bit, so he needed to be able to control his weapons at critical points in time.
After his attempts yielded no results, Sui Yuan couldn't help but feel discouraged. He appeared weary and weak, making Bai feel quite worried and anxious.
"What's wrong? You've been downcast recently. Did something happen?" Bai scratched under Sui Yuan's chin, holding his head up to meet with his eyes. However, he couldn't find the answer in those gloomy azure eyes.
Bai sighed and kissed Sui Yuan's eyelids. He then carried him in his arms, stroking his fur.
Bai felt like his gray pup—no, he should call him his future partner—was becoming increasingly human-like. He unexpectedly had his own little worries that he would hide from him, unwilling to tell him at all. Bai should have felt pleasantly surprised at this, but he actually would have preferred if his partner was like the other beasts, who only ate and slept—their only worry was with regards to food, so their lives were pure and simple. At the very least, if the gray pup was like that, he wouldn't ever have revealed such a deeply worried expression.
While holding Sui Yuan in his arms and stroking his fur for half the day, Bai pondered for a moment before suggesting that they go wash at the river. This was because he discovered that Sui Yuan preferred cleanliness more than the other beasts and especially liked to take baths. Although this world didn't have any hot springs that would disperse one's weariness and make one feel good, one would still feel much happier after playing around by the water for awhile.
Sui Yuan naturally did not comment, which was taken as him expressing his approval. He then headed over to the river with Bai by his side.
The river water was a bit frigid in early spring, but that didn't pose much of an issue for animals. Sui Yuan and Bai walked over to the riverside. However, before they entered, they heard a strange splash that one just wouldn't miss even if they tried.
The man and beast turned to look towards the center of the river. They saw a sturdy man break through the water's surface, wipe off the droplets of water from his face, and then stick his fingers into his hair, combing his slightly long bangs back.
He was not the same kind of handsome as Bai. This man was handsome in an overbearing way. His features were deep, defined, and compelling. His firm muscles looked like they were glistening from the reflection of the sun's rays off of the water on them; they were defined and bulging. His jade eyes were full of a wild nature as he stared straight at the two people on the shore—the dumbfounded protagonist shou…and Sui Yuan, who had a complicated expression on. The man curbed his lips into a rather evil smile.
——If one had to use a dogblood phrase to describe this, then the phrase used would be "a devilishly charming smile." OTZ
"Who—who…are you?" Bai was really dumbfounded. This was his first time encountering another human after coming to this world. It completely toppled his new views that had just been constructed.
What happened to "only animals," ne?! You wait until I've already decided to have a beast be my partner and have even actively courted this beast to suddenly spring up a human for me? Isn't this way too unfair, ah?!
Bai, who still didn't know about natural types and variant types, once again deeply perceived the universe's malice.
As for Sui Yuan, he averted his gaze, rather distressed. He spat in contempt for this fellow who had disappeared during the summer only to come back again.
——Hi protagonist gong, goodbye protagonist gong!
"…Who?" The man, or rather, the protagonist gong slowly opened his mouth.
Obviously, he had been watching Bai's actions for a long time now and learned a bit of his language. Only, probably because he wasn't yet accustomed to imitating Bai's pronunciation, the protagonist gong's speech was very slow. However, his deep, pleasant-sounding voice speaking in this absent-minded, sluggish way carried a charm that could confuse people. People who heard him speak couldn't help but feel intoxicated.
After ruminating over Bai's question for a while, the protagonist gong smiled, "Lei... I, am, Lei."
The beasts' names were very simple and crude. For example, in Sui Yuan's pack, they were named by the colour of their fur and their age. Meanwhile, while the protagonist gong's name, "Lei," sounded rather aggressive, he was named this because he was born during a rainstorm, and there had been thunder.
Hearing the protagonist gong's reply, Bai couldn't help but feel a bit excited. He had never thought that there would unexpectedly be a being that he could communicate with and who could understand his words—or even just another human. It was probably because of this excitement that Bai hadn't noticed that the other person spoke his language a bit strangely, or maybe it was because Bai didn't want to overthink matters. Instead, he accepted it all.
In Sui Yuan's words, this was probably a plot hole. In order to accomplish its goal, the story purposely pulled down its characters' IQs. In short, in any case, the protagonist gong and shou easily got acquainted…several years earlier than in the original plot too….
Sui Yuan couldn't bear to look at this completely collapsed plot. He heaved a long sigh inwardly, raising a paw to cover his face.
——Although he was already used to this kind of development, he still couldn't help but feel sad for the plots that were repeatedly destroyed….【lights candle】
5237："Hehe, whose fault is that?!"
Sui Yuan："It's that damned halo's fault, so Zhao Xihe and my Creator are to blame. →_→"
5237："……Where did your sense of shame go? QAQ"
Sui Yuan："…………………………"