Chapter 4 — The Peacock's Vow

"Do not worry; the peacock has always been cold-natured. The two of you just need to take it slow."

Having obtained the conclusion she desired, Bach Am patted my shoulder, her smile appearing all the more sincere. I nodded in response. Shortly after, Bach Am was swept into the embrace of Giang Khoat. However, Giang Khoat’s gaze remained fixed on me, sharp and venomous like a serpent. A wave of trepidation washed over me, and I instinctively retreated behind Du Canh Xuyen. The memories of my past life—of being forced by Giang Khoat to bear child after child, of being toyed with by him and his kin—remained agonizingly vivid. The torment he had inflicted upon me ran deep; the terror of him was carved into the very marrow of my bones. Sensing my fear, Du Canh Xuyen stepped forward, placing his body between me and Giang Khoat’s predatory stare, his own expression darkening with open hostility. Giang Khoat offered a faint, cryptic smile before leading Bach Am away.

As the banquet commenced, the atmosphere grew grand and opulent. Bach Am, cradling her child, sat at the head of the table; she was, without question, the focal point of the evening. Upon noticing my arrival, she waved me over with her free hand, beckoning me to her side. I approached. Though she claimed she merely wanted to catch up, her true intention was clearly to gloat.

"Look at your niece, Sister. Isn't she precious?"

Bach Am held the infant out for me to see. The babe was fair-skinned and delicate—truly adorable. So, it was a girl; it was no wonder they had thrown such an elaborate feast. In the beast-kin world, females were rare. Each new daughter strengthened the prosperity and future of the tribe. Thinking of my own children from my past life, a bitter ache welled up within me. Giang Khoat had never permitted me to grow close to them, demanding instead that I merely function as a vessel for birth after birth. By the time I breathed my last, the children felt nothing for me. It was little wonder that Bach Am clung to her child like a precious treasure today; she likely never saw them otherwise.

"She is indeed lovely," I said, offering a genuine smile.

Bach Am beamed, visibly pleased, before deliberately displaying the various jewels draped across her person. "Sister, how does your husband treat you?"

"He is very good to me," I replied.

"My husband treats me wonderfully as well," she whispered, her face flushing, "especially in the bedroom. He is incredibly vigorous."

I knew well how capable Giang Khoat was in that regard, as were his brothers. Thinking of how Bach Am had once been unable to endure her own solitude in my past life, I had to admit that, in this specific area, they were quite the match. I glanced down at her stomach. "Sister, are you pregnant again?"

Bach Am’s complexion paled for a fleeting second before she stammered, "Yes. It is my own choice. While I am young, I want to bear more children."

I nodded. At that moment, Giang Khoat approached. Seeing his arrival, I turned to leave immediately. I could not tell if it was merely my imagination, but I felt a clammy, pervasive gaze tracking my every movement, making my skin crawl with discomfort.

"What is wrong? Do you like children? We could have one of our own," Du Canh Xuyen asked, noticing my distress and misinterpreting my mood as longing. My face heated up.

"I do like them, but let us save that for the future."

The banquet officially began. Because Du Canh Xuyen was the King of the Skies, many people approached him to curry favor, and we were eventually pulled apart by the throng. It was no different from the social politics of the human world. Just as I was inwardly lamenting the situation, a servant approached me, claiming that the Jiao Long Queen had a private matter to discuss and requested my presence in the rear courtyard. Could it be that she, too, had been reborn? Skepticism gnawed at me, yet I followed the attendant, slipping away from the festivities.

Once I reached the secluded rear courtyard, I was suddenly seized from behind. The scent alone was enough to make me shudder—a presence I would never forget. It was the nightmare of my past life: Giang Khoat. My body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Let me go!" I struggled, but I was powerless against the iron strength of his arms.

"A Lac, why did you not choose me this time?" Giang Khoat hissed, pulling me tighter.

"What are you talking about? I do not understand you. You are my brother-in-law; have some self-respect." I forced myself to remain composed.

Giang Khoat turned me around, his large hands clamping onto my shoulders. His eyes were as sharp and predatory as a hawk’s. "Come back to me. How could a mere peacock tribe member ever truly serve you?"

I fought him with every ounce of strength, my voice thick with unshed tears. "I do not know what you mean. Let go of me!" Seeing him brought back the agonizing memories of being treated like a discarded rag, of my body becoming diseased and wretched from endless cycles of childbirth.

"Stop pretending, A Lac. You belong to me." A dark, swirling obsession clouded his eyes. He leaned down, aiming for my lips. "Living our lives as we once did, surrounded by children—would that not be better?"

I drove my knee into his abdomen with all my might. Giang Khoat groaned in pain and released me, his expression shifting from arrogance to shock. "A Lac, you dare to injure me?"

I stumbled backward, my gaze burning with pure hatred. Suddenly, a familiar, calming presence enveloped me, pulling me into a safe embrace. It was Du Canh Xuyen. The taut wire of terror in my heart finally snapped, and I collapsed weakly into his arms.