Shu Ning, who was pretending to be unconscious, could barely hold it in.
The corners of her mouth twitched, wanting to curve into a smile.
“Haha…” In the end, she couldn’t suppress it.
Mo Li: ?
Xiao Chong: …
A small smile played on Xuan Mo’s lips.
“Not unconscious anymore?” Mo Li realized.
“Well, you two wouldn’t stop.
It was like you were addicted to fighting,” Shu Ning pouted lightly.
When she saw the bruises on their faces, her brows furrowed.
“Why were you two fighting?”
“Didn’t he hurt you?” Mo Li asked.
“Who?” Shu Ning was confused for a moment, then she understood.
“No.”
“Then what on earth happened?” Mo Li asked.
“It was the Black Bear Clan.”
At the mention of the Black Bear Clan, Xuan Mo’s expression turned grim.
“Yeah, on our way back, we passed through the Black Bear Clan’s territory and got ambushed.”
As Shu Ning spoke, she suddenly thought of something and trailed off.
“What were you doing there?” Mo Li asked.
“We went there to…” Shu Ning hesitated, glancing at Xiao Chong.
“What we were doing there is none of your business,” Xiao Chong suddenly interjected.
“It’s not my business, but you took her with you and failed to protect her.
That makes it my business!” Mo Li said resentfully.
Xiao Chong fell silent and didn’t answer.
Seeing Mo Li’s strong reaction, Shu Ning was taken aback.
“I was the one who insisted on dragging him there.
If you’re going to blame someone, blame me,” Shu Ning said quickly, seeing they were about to start fighting again.
“We were outnumbered.
They did their best to protect me.”
“Their best?
Then how come he’s fine?
Wait, ‘they’?
Who else was there?”
“Xuan Lin was there too.” Shu Ning regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.
‘I feel like I just sold out Xuan Lin,’ she thought.
“Two males can’t even protect one female,” Mo Li sneered.
“Alright, alright, I’m perfectly fine now, aren’t I!” Shu Ning said.
“I’m so hungry.
I haven’t eaten all day.”
As she spoke, the scene fell silent.
“Come to my place.
I have food,” Xuan Mo spoke up.
“Okay!” Shu Ning smiled happily.
Then she suddenly thought of something.
‘Doesn’t Xuan Mo usually refuse to give me food?’
‘Back then, after the original owner tied up Xuan Mo and he ignored her, she went and found Yiyuan.’
Seeing Shu Ning hesitate, Xuan Mo simply lifted her out of Mo Li’s arms.
Shu Ning was shocked!
‘Wasn’t he disgusted by physical contact with me before?
He didn’t even want me to stay in his own cave.’
‘And I haven’t even successfully lost weight yet.’
She looked back at the two men behind her.
An indescribable feeling welled up in her heart.
She looked up at Xuan Mo’s cold, fair, handsome face and suddenly felt her own face grow warm.
“Xuan Mo, why don’t you put me down?
I can walk.”
He didn’t say a word.
“I’m very heavy.”
She was genuinely worried about this, and she couldn’t figure out how someone so lean could carry her.
‘Although his muscles are indeed very firm.’
“You’re not heavy,” Xuan Mo said.
They soon arrived at Xuan Mo’s cave.
After setting her down on the bed to sit, he went to get some meat and fruit.
Shu Ning really wanted to eat the meat, but it was raw.
It was late, and she didn’t have the energy to start a fire, so she just took the fruit.
“I’ll just eat this.”
Xuan Mo didn’t speak, just sat beside her and watched her quietly.
He noticed that the pimples on her face had disappeared, her face had slimmed down, and her skin had become fairer.
It just lacked a healthy color.
“Xuan Mo, have you eaten?” Shu Ning asked, looking at him as she ate her fruit.
“Mhm.”
“Oh, right, Xuan Mo, did Fang Yu and Fang Shi apologize to you?”
Shu Ning suddenly remembered this and wondered if they had kept their promise.
“They did,” Xuan Mo replied.
Ever since he learned that she was the one who had cleared his name, his opinion of her had changed.
He realized she was no longer pestering him relentlessly like before.
Instead, she had stood up to her own clansmen for his sake and saved him from the Sacrificial Altar.
A trace of tenderness appeared in Xuan Mo’s eyes at this thought.
“Okay, I’m full,” Shu Ning said.
“Xuan Mo, I should be heading back.”
“I’ll take you back.”
“No need, I can get back by myself.”
‘I don’t actually need an escort, I can just use Instant Teleportation.’
Xuan Mo paid her no mind, picked her up, and started walking toward her cave.
「On the way—」
“Xuan Mo, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Before, I treated you so badly and hurt you.
Why didn’t you leave after you recovered your strength?”
“You want to know?”
“Yes, yes, yes!”
“Guess.”
“I can’t guess!
Just tell me.
I promise I won’t tell anyone else, and I won’t get mad.”
Xuan Mo didn’t answer her.
When they arrived at Shu Ning’s cave, he set her down.
“Rest early,” Xuan Mo said, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
He left as soon as he finished speaking.
“Okay, you too.”
Shu Ning slowly lay down on her bed, recalling the day’s events.
‘This morning, I became partners with Xiao Chong.’
‘This was the first time I’ve partnered with someone in this world under my “own” identity.’
‘Perhaps, he is my one true Beast Husband.’
‘The other five Beast Husbands were all acquired by the original owner.
I’m just here to complete the mission.’
‘I just don’t know what will happen after the mission is complete.’
‘Will I develop feelings for them?
If I just leave like that, what will happen to them?’
‘Will the original owner wake up?’
“007, 007, after I complete the mission, do I go back to my own world, or do I stay here?
If I complete the mission and leave, will the original owner wake up?”
‘If I can leave, can I take him with me?’
“Since you are here, you should make the best of it.
Don’t overthink things.
Only by completing the mission will you earn the right to choose.”
“So secretive all the time.”
Shu Ning didn’t ask any more questions.
Suddenly, she remembered something.
‘I need to use up the rest of my Instant Teleportation charges.’
‘And what about the salt?
I’ll think about it tomorrow.
I’m really too tired today.’
「The next morning—」
Just as Shu Ning opened her door, she saw Xiao Chong’s back as he stood outside her cave.
For a fleeting moment, she thought it was Xuan Lin.
After all, he was the one who usually appeared in front of her cave.
They both had silver hair and were similar in height and build.
It was just that Xiao Chong’s hair was a shade darker, his skin a bit tanner, and he had a scar below his right cheek.
In her opinion, though, it didn’t detract from his stunning looks at all.
In fact, it gave him a roguishly handsome vibe.
“You’re awake?” Xiao Chong turned around upon hearing the door open.
“Mhm.”
“Breakfast.” As Xiao Chong spoke, he handed her the meat and fruit wrapped in leaves.
Shu Ning froze.
“Okay, thanks.” She paused after taking the food.
She wanted to eat meat, but not raw meat.
“Xiao Chong, have you ever had roasted meat?” Shu Ning asked, blinking her eyes.
“Roasted meat?
What’s that?” Xiao Chong looked at her, confused.
“It’s meat cooked with fire.
It’s delicious.”
‘And I just happen to have salt now.’
“I want to eat some, could you help me?”
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to do it herself, it was just inconvenient.
“How do you do it?” Xiao Chong’s heart softened at the sight of her pleading look.
“First, find some firewood.”
Xiao Chong did as she said…
“Then, sharpen a stick.”
…
“Like this.
Spin it.
Spin it hard and fast.”
“Yes, just like that.”
Xiao Chong was fast and strong enough that it didn’t take long for him to succeed.
Xiao Chong was stunned as he watched the fire spring to life under his hands.
He looked at Shu Ning in disbelief.
“I saw it all in a dream,” Shu Ning quickly explained.
Then, she skewered the meat and started roasting it…
She then secretly took some salt from her storage space and sprinkled it on.
“Here, try some.”