Seeing how devastated the young female was, Shengqing felt like he could just die.
He said, full of remorse, “I’m sorry.
I… I’m truly sorry.”
To help Su Yu relax, he backed away even further, repeatedly promising her, “Don’t worry, I will never hurt you again.
If I do, you can kill me.”
“Please, stop crying.
I know you don’t want to see me right now.
I’ll go outside, but I’ll stay with you.”
After saying this, knowing Su Yu didn’t want to see him, Shengqing turned and left the cave.
He transformed into a giant python and coiled himself at the entrance, giving her a chance to be alone and calm down.
He didn’t dare go too far.
From their time together, he knew Su Yu was very clever and had never given up on returning to her tribe.
He feared that after such a scare, something might happen to Su Yu, or that she might try to run away.
Wild Beasts in the spring forest were at their most ferocious.
If Su Yu entered the forest alone and something happened to her…
Shengqing thrashed his python tail in agitation and anguish.
Suppressing his anxiety and heartache, he waited silently outside the cave, keeping watch over her.
Inside the cave, Su Yu cried until she finally sobbed herself to sleep.
Her mind screamed at her to run out, confront the suddenly mild-mannered Shengqing, and leave him for good.
But her body told her she couldn’t.
She was exhausted and needed to rest.
Besides, she was already prone to sleepiness in her early pregnancy.
The crying spell exhausted her completely, and she had no choice but to drift off to a tear-soaked sleep.
Shengqing had been listening intently for any sounds from the cave.
When Su Yu’s crying suddenly stopped, he grew anxious and restless.
‘Why is it quiet?’
Just then, the other voice in his head spoke nonchalantly, “She didn’t pass out, did she?
She’s so fragile, after all.
It’d be perfectly normal for her body to give out after crying that hard.”
A cold glint flashed in Shengqing’s eyes.
“Shut up!
She wouldn’t be crying if you hadn’t bullied her!”
The cold voice in his head scoffed.
“And that’s only because you’re useless.”
“You see a female you desire, and all you dare to do is cautiously protect her instead of claiming her as your own.”
“What happens if she really runs away and rejects you?”
“I was helping you, you know.”
Shengqing’s expression turned grim.
“I don’t need your help.”
“I’ll handle things with Yu Yu my own way.
Yujing, I want you to stay out of it.”
Yujing was the name he had given to this other self.
He had named him after his former tribe—the one wiped out by Stray Beasts.
Yujing clicked his tongue.
The memory of the young female trembling in fear beneath him left a strange, unpleasant feeling in his gut.
“Fine.”
“So, are you going to go in and comfort her?
Don’t let her actually cry herself unconscious.”
Shengqing grunted in assent, shifted back into his human form, and called into the cave, “Yu Yu?”
No sound came from the cave.
Shengqing’s expression faltered, and he rushed inside.
He only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Su Yu lying on the bed, fast asleep but still hiccuping with unconscious sobs.
‘Looks like she’s okay.’
Shengqing’s heart ached as he looked at her.
Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, her eyelashes matted with tears.
He reached out and carefully used his Healing Ability, covering Su Yu’s eyes with his hand so that she would feel better when she woke up.
Yujing clicked his tongue.
“So high-maintenance.”
‘So difficult to care for.
Only this idiot would bother.’
He’d completely forgotten that he was also Shengqing.
With that insult, he had managed to curse himself, too.
Shengqing didn’t respond.
After soothing the swelling around Su Yu’s eyes, he went to the cave entrance, grabbed the prey Yujing had thrown there earlier, and took it to the river to clean.
He carved off the most tender cut of meat and brought it back to roast.
‘She used so much energy today.
She’ll definitely be hungry when she wakes up.’
…
Su Yu didn’t know how long she had slept.
When she finally woke up, she was completely disoriented.
She sat up instinctively and ran a nervous hand over herself.
Her Beast Skin Skirt was intact, and her lower back wasn’t sore.
Su Yu felt a mix of surprise and complex emotions.
‘Shengqing…
he actually didn’t do anything to me in my sleep…’
Shengqing had been sitting by the fire, keeping an eye on Su Yu.
When he saw her wake up and immediately check her Beast Skin Skirt, a bitter feeling churned in his stomach.
Once he was sure Su Yu had calmed down, Shengqing spoke.
“You’re awake?
Are you hungry, Yu Yu?
I roasted some meat for you.”
At the sound of his voice, Su Yu’s body instinctively tensed.
Her delicate, fair face was etched with caution as she stared warily in his direction.
As if he didn’t notice her vigilance, Shengqing handed her the warm water she drank every day.
His voice was gentle.
“Have some water.
Your lips are dry.”
Su Yu didn’t immediately reach for it.
Instead, she just “looked” at him, her gaze a mixture of suspicion and confusion.
‘It’s like… the gentle, attentive Shengqing is back.’
Su Yu asked hesitantly, “Shengqing, are you okay now?
Is your mating period… over?”
Shengqing gave a noncommittal grunt, not pulling his hand back.
“I’ve managed to get through it for now.”
He said guiltily, “I’m sorry, Yu Yu.
I scared you.”
He didn’t dare tell Su Yu that there was another person inside him.
He was afraid she would see him as a monster.
He was also terrified of seeing disgust in her eyes.
After living with her these past few days, he could feel that Su Yu, this young female, was genuinely good.
She was nothing like other spoiled females.
Aside from being a bit delicate and difficult to care for, she was even more considerate than his own Amu had been during his childhood.
He truly, genuinely wanted to take her as his mate.
But he knew… that was impossible now.
Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile.
“It’s okay.
You didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Come and eat first.” Shengqing didn’t want to dwell on the topic.
He helped Su Yu drink some water, just like usual, then took her hand and led her to the bonfire to sit down.
The moment he took Su Yu’s hand, Shengqing clearly felt her flinch.
Her body was rigid, not relaxed and natural like it used to be.
She was rejecting his touch.
Bitterness welled in Shengqing’s heart, but he acted as if he hadn’t noticed, continuing to lead Su Yu and settling her onto the stone stool she usually sat on.
‘This might be the last time I get to hold her hand.’
He carefully cut the roasted meat for her and served it with sweet fruit.
Su Yu was starving.
She didn’t refuse and immediately dug in.
‘I need to eat my fill.
Over the next two days, I’ll plan my route back to the Liaoshui Tribe.’
‘Even if Shengqing is better now and no longer affected by his mating period, I don’t dare stay with him.’
‘What if his beastly nature erupts again one day and he attacks me?’
‘I have to get back to the Liaoshui Tribe as soon as I can.’
‘I believe Shi Wei is already on his way to find me.
I’m sure we’ll meet on the road.’
Shengqing didn’t eat.
He simply watched her, his sapphire eyes full of gentle sorrow.
When she was about finished, he spoke softly, “Yu Yu, tomorrow I’ll prepare some food for the journey, and I’ll take you back to the Liaoshui Tribe.”
‘I’m afraid that the next time my mating period hits, Yujing will come out and hurt her again.’
‘For her safety, I have to send her back to her tribe.’
Su Yu froze.
She slowly lowered the wooden chopsticks Shengqing had carved for her.
Looking at him with a complicated expression, she asked, half-doubting, “You’re really willing to take me back?”
Shengqing gave a bitter smile and said evasively, “Yes.
During my mating period, I can’t control myself.
I become… someone else.”
“Yu Yu, I don’t want to hurt you.”