25 – Tigers, They Eat People
Aunt Zhang and Zhang Yue went home for dinner. As the sky grew late, the aunties and sisters-in-law at the village entrance also returned home to cook.
The children were still playing with mud at the village entrance. Gu Pingtíng sat under a tree, gazing at the distant scenery. The mountains stretched in overlapping ridges, the winding waters twisted and turned, the mountain village was tranquil and warm, and children laughed and played. This place was very different from the wealth and prosperity of the royal capital.
A gentle breeze stirred the stray hairs on Gu Pingtíng’s forehead. Born into privilege, Gu Pingtíng felt for the first time that this small mountain village was actually quite nice.
Although she had ended up here with no one to rely on, the people in this small mountain village had always been very kind to her. Even a rough man from this village treated her like a treasure.
Thinking of that rough man, Gu Pingtíng snorted—he just loved taking advantage of her! Pah, shameless!
As dusk approached, Gu Pingtíng estimated that Feng Shan should be back from hunting soon, so she got up and headed home.
At a fork in the road, Gu Pingtíng came face-to-face with a large black dog. After staring at each other, both she and the dog froze for a moment!
Gu Pingtíng’s legs went weak at the sight of dogs, and this big black dog was large and dark, looking like it knew how to bite. Without a second thought, Gu Pingtíng turned and ran, screaming in terror!
The big black dog took a few steps back at Gu Pingtíng’s shriek, then seeing her dash away, thought that if it didn’t give chase, it might seem impolite. So, it reluctantly barked and chased after her.
The dog barked as it ran, and Gu Pingtíng was terrified, shouting frantically, “…Ah!! Don’t chase me!… Don’t bite me… Feng Shan! Save me… Wuwu… Feng Shan! Feng Shan!”
In danger, she instinctively called for Feng Shan.
In her panic, she glanced back and saw the big black dog snarling and getting closer and closer, about to bite her! Gu Pingtíng’s heart trembled with fear. Just as she was panicking, she suddenly felt herself bump into someone.
That person was hard, his muscles as solid as a wall. Gu Pingtíng looked up and saw Feng Shan’s sharply defined face, looking down at her with amusement.
Gu Pingtíng hadn’t expected Feng Shan to actually come to her rescue!
The vicious dog was still barking behind her. Gu Pingtíng quickly wrapped her arms around Feng Shan’s neck, scrambling up his body with both hands and feet until her feet left the ground. She clung to him like a kitten, crying loudly, “Don’t bite me… Wuwu… If you want to bite someone, bite Feng Shan!”
Feng Shan chuckled, then shouted at the little black dog, “Go!”
The little black dog immediately stopped barking, turned around, and scampered off.
Even though the dog was gone, Gu Pingtíng was still lost in her fear, clinging tightly to Feng Shan. “Bite Feng Shan… Feng Shan’s tough, he’d be chewy… Don’t bite me, wuwu…”
She wailed, tears rolling down her face in big drops. Hearing such hateful words from someone so adorable, Feng Shan felt both amused and annoyed.
A large hand cupped her bottom, lifting her up a little, while another large hand wiped her tears. He said with a smile, “You really care about your man! Stop crying now, the dog’s gone. Don’t cry anymore.”
Gu Pingtíng sniffled, turned her head to look, and sure enough, the big black dog was gone. She let out a sob, her little face pressed against Feng Shan’s shoulder, and choked out, “That dog has a black heart, picking on me alone—just like you!”
Feng Shan laughed heartily, carrying Gu Pingtíng as he strode home. “Why don’t you admit you’re useless? Scared as a mouse.”
Gu Pingtíng didn’t want to admit she was cowardly. Pouting, she said, “This princess is not cowardly. This princess is just afraid of pain.”
The little woman had no backbone yet still talked tough. Feng Shan didn’t argue with her, carrying her all the way home and placing her on the rattan chair under the corridor.
Feng Shan poured a glass of water for her to drink. Gu Pingting gulped it down, sighing in relief, “What an unlucky day. I finally wanted to go out for a walk, only to be scared by a vicious dog.”
Feng Shan wrung out a damp cloth to wipe her face, carefully dabbing the sweat on her forehead, “What’s there to fear about a dog? If you act fierce, it’ll naturally be afraid.”
Gu Pingting thought for a moment, “Act fierce? I don’t know how.”
She had grown up being pampered and cherished. Though a bit spoiled, she wasn’t unreasonable. The palace servants respected and served her, and she had never truly been fierce to anyone.
Only with Feng Shan had she truly gotten angry twice, but that foolish man always found her fierceness adorable, never frightening.
Gu Pingting thought for a moment, wrinkling her nose and straightening her face. She placed her hands on her hips and said to Feng Shan, “Is this fierce enough? Do you think the dog would be scared of me?”
To appear more imposing, she deliberately lowered her voice, but she was so soft and tender. Her attempt at fierceness looked adorably fierce.
Feng Shan stared intently at her, “Not fierce at all. It looks very cute.”
Gu Pingting lowered her hands from her hips and leaned back softly into the rattan chair, “Ah, forget it. It’s not my fault I was born cute and delicate.”
As she said this, her eyes curved with pride and self-satisfaction. Feng Shan laughed, “Gu Pingting, what’s your zodiac sign?”
Gu Pingting didn’t know why Feng Shan suddenly asked this and replied truthfully, “I was born in the Year of the Dog.”
Feng Shan’s smile deepened as he reached out and tapped Gu Pingting’s nose, “Indeed, a little puppy.”
Gu Pingting was displeased upon hearing this, “Why are you insulting me for no reason? Do you look down on those born in the Year of the Dog? Let me tell you, I can bite!”
As she spoke, Gu Pingting raised her hands like paws and pounced on Feng Shan, “Grrr, I’ll bite you to death!”
With a playful growl, she pounced, adorably fierce and carrying a faint fragrance. That puppy-like energy struck Feng Shan right in the heart! His eyes darkened as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist, pressing her entire body against the rattan chair.
He suddenly stood up, so tall and imposing that Gu Pingting was completely enveloped and trapped by him. She looked up at him, his sharp eyes deep and unfathomable, filled with an aggressive intensity.
His gaze was full of aggression, as if it had turned into an invisible rope, tightly binding Gu Pingting.
His powerful aura radiated unrestrained, and Gu Pingting grew afraid, instinctively shrinking back into the rattan chair.
But there was nowhere to retreat—she was entirely under his control.
Feng Shan said in a low voice, “Gu Pingting, do you know what my zodiac sign is?”
Feng Shan was eight years older than her, but Gu Pingting couldn’t calculate the zodiac sign. She shook her head and whispered, “I don’t know.”
Her timid tone only fueled Feng Shan’s desire to dominate.
Feng Shan’s breathing grew heavier as he reached out and pinched her chin, bringing her small mouth close to his. He said maliciously, “I was born in the Year of the Tiger. Tigers eat people.”
Feng Shan held her chin firmly. Gu Pingting wanted to escape but couldn’t. As he leaned in to kiss her, she cried out urgently, “Feng Shan, if you dare take liberties with me again, I’ll really, really, really never speak to you again!”
She spoke with sudden seriousness. Feng Shan paused, lowering his gaze to look at Gu Pingting.
Feng Shan understood that many things couldn’t be rushed. Winning a woman’s heart was like fighting a battle on the battlefield—if your soldiers are too strong, they’ll be destroyed; if the wood is too rigid, it will break.
He understood all these principles.
But whenever he saw that little woman Gu Pingting now, his mind was filled with nothing but beastly thoughts!
All that talk about taking it slow, about waiting a little longer—Feng Shan couldn’t do any of it!
Feng Shan thought that with Gu Pingting, he could probably only take things slow… in bed!
Feng Shan let out a heavy breath and said fiercely, “All these days, you won’t let me kiss you or hold you. I’ve endured it again and again—do you think I’m made of dough? That you can poke me flat and knead me round as you please? I don’t care anymore. You have to think of a way to satisfy my craving right now, or I’ll pin you down here and suck your little mouth until it’s swollen!”
Gu Pingting’s face grew hot as she silently cursed, This stupid man! His words are so crude!
But Feng Shan’s domineering presence was too overwhelming. In the end, Gu Pingting only dared to complain inwardly. After thinking seriously for a moment, she whispered, “How about… I slap you twice, okay?”
Feng Shan clicked his tongue.
Hearing his dissatisfaction, Gu Pingting assumed he was unwilling and was about to offer another condition when she heard Feng Shan say seriously, “Two slaps are too few. How about a few more, okay?”
Gu Pingting: …
Really, Feng Shan was a pervert!
Gu Pingting slapped Feng Shan several times fiercely. Feng Shan was very satisfied, stroking his hardened cheek and grinning as he went to cook.
Gu Pingting rubbed her own warm little hands and sighed. She truly couldn’t understand this rough man Feng Shan.
Why could he find pleasure in pain?