Chapter 21: Controlled Restraint
As Hua Linye looked at Su Muyao now, his eyes were filled with a lingering tenderness. He was attentive and caring as they ate, as if looking after his Wife Master was the most joyous thing in the world. In that moment, he had completely forgotten he had ever wanted to leave her.
Su Muyao took the piece of chicken he offered, still wrapped in the lotus leaf, and took a bite. The flavor instantly filled her mouth.
“Delicious.”
Food made with purely natural ingredients was simply exquisite, carrying with it a faint fragrance from the lotus leaf. The texture of the wild pheasant was also superb.
Su Muyao’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, looking as if they were filled with sunshine—so clear and warm, with a delicate, crystalline beauty.
Hua Linye focused even more on carving the chicken, cutting it into neat, easy-to-eat pieces for her.
After a few bites, Su Muyao looked at him. “You should eat, too!”
“It’s fine, I’m not hungry. Wife Master should eat first.” Seeing how much she was enjoying it, Hua Linye worried that two chickens wouldn’t be enough for her, so he decided to wait. If she was still hungry, he would go hunt for more. Her happiness was more satisfying than eating himself.
Little did he know, Su Muyao couldn’t possibly eat that much.
“Let’s eat together. I can’t eat a lot. If you don’t eat, it will go to waste.” They had roasted two whole chickens, after all.
As Hua Linye looked down at Su Muyao, he noticed a tiny crumb of chicken stuck to the rosy corner of her mouth.
Sensing his gaze, Su Muyao looked up, her eyes meeting his shimmering, soul-stealing fox eyes. They were deep and languid, like a vortex that threatened to pull her in and swallow her whole.
“What is it? Is there something on my face?” Su Muyao touched her cheek, feeling nothing. Then she ran her tongue lightly over her lips, still finding nothing.
Unbeknownst to her, that simple action caused Hua Linye’s eyes to darken. His Adam’s apple bobbed, a ripple of sensuality in the movement. “It’s nothing. Don’t move.”
His voice was low and raspy, carrying an alluring charm as he leaned closer…
He reached out with his exquisite, jade-like fingers and gently wiped the crumb from the corner of her mouth. The pad of his finger brushed against her lip, sending a jolt of酥麻 (sū má) — a tingling numbness — through her. The sensation shot from her lips straight to her heart like an electric current.
Su Muyao’s heart skipped a beat.
The delicate touch on his fingertip also caused the color in Hua Linye’s foxy eyes to deepen, his gaze becoming hazy, as if intoxicated. His throat moved again, his voice strained. “There, it’s gone.” He seemed reluctant to pull his hand away.
He wondered if it was because she had soothed his berserk spiritual sea, but now, he found it difficult to remain calm around her.
Su Muyao steadied herself, reminding her heart that he was only being kind to her because of the fire poison. Deep down, they all still despised her.
With that thought, the ripples that had just disturbed the calm lake of her heart instantly vanished.
“You should eat, too. Only eating twice a day isn’t enough to keep your strength up.” Especially when they had to hunt. Skipping lunch must be tough. Once their living conditions improved, she would have to ensure they all had three nutritious meals a day.
A complex expression crossed Hua Linye’s face. He said in a low, raspy voice, “Actually, I have plenty of strength. I’m very capable.”
Su Muyao blinked, not understanding what he meant. The tips of Hua Linye’s ears turned faintly red, and he didn’t know how to explain.
She insisted he eat, and only then did Hua Linye finally start on the chicken.
“Well, is it good?” Su Muyao’s smile was pure, with a sweet and docile quality that made one want to reach out and… ruffle her hair fiercely. Realizing the feral thought, Hua Linye quickly suppressed it. He felt like he wasn’t himself anymore.
“Mm, it’s delicious. It’s the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten.” He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but it tasted incredibly sweet and wonderful.
Su Muyao smiled. “I’m glad you like it. Next time you’re out hunting and you catch a pheasant, you can cook it this way. It’s very simple. You can roast other game, too.”
Hua Linye shook his head. “That won’t do. Any beast we hunt must be brought back for Wife Master first.” This was a principle ingrained in them from childhood. Every male beastman had to learn the virtues of being a good husband.
Su Muyao knew she couldn’t change their way of thinking overnight.
After they finished eating, Hua Linye took a clean cloth, dipped it in water, and began to meticulously wipe each of her fingers clean. He was incredibly thorough and gentle.
Su Muyao felt a little awkward. “Um, I can just wash my hands by the river.”
Hua Linye’s movements paused. “Alright.”
After Su Muyao had washed her hands, he took out another clean cloth and carefully dried them for her. She had to admit, all the rules of the beastman world were truly favorable to females. It was as if caring for their Wife Master was an instinct carved into their very bones.
Once everything was cleaned up, Su Muyao began to dig for medicinal herbs. Hua Linye wanted to help, but she politely refused. “You don’t know which herbs are poisonous, so it’s better if you don’t touch them. I know which ones to pick and how to pick them. I’ll just gather what I need for now.”
Hearing this, Hua Linye could only stand guard beside her.
By the time she had finished gathering the herbs, the sky was growing dark, and they prepared to head home. Hua Linye transformed into his fox form and carefully curled his tail around Su Muyao, lifting her onto his back.
After walking for a while, he noticed Su Muyao sitting stiffly, not touching him at all.
His voice was a low rumble. “Wife Master can hold on to me tightly! Otherwise, I have to control my speed so you don’t fall. We might get back a little late.”
Hearing this, Su Muyao finally reached out and wrapped her arms around him. The moment she did, she sighed internally. This fox fur was just too comfortable. It was soft and carried a faint, refreshing scent. From the original owner’s memories, she knew the beastmen were all extremely clean, and each had their own unique, light fragrance.
I really want to touch his ears and tails, she thought. She had a weakness for fluffy things. But remembering how much they all detested her, she held back.
Unbeknownst to her, the instant she hugged him, Hua Linye nearly stumbled. For some reason, he could feel every inch of her body against his. A scorching heat surged from within him, and a deep sense of craving washed over him. But he had to restrain himself, so much so that his body began to tremble.
His foxy eyes took on a thin, bewitching crimson hue, looking intoxicatingly beautiful. He longed to press closer to her, and so his speed increased, faster and faster.
Su Muyao, of course, didn’t notice this. Fearing she would fall, she could only hold on to him tighter. The sensation of her body rubbing against his sent a flush of red through Hua Linye’s entire being, though it was fortunately hidden beneath his fiery fur.
…
By the time they arrived home, Wen Nanxi and Xiao Jihan had already returned with their kills.
But the moment Wen Nanxi saw Su Muyao clinging tightly to Hua Linye, a strange, heavy feeling settled in his heart. Especially when he saw the look in Hua Linye’s eyes—it was the look of a beast about to go into heat.
Wen Nanxi’s gaze darkened. He rushed forward, his movements incredibly fast yet appearing perfectly natural as he lifted Su Muyao off Hua Linye’s back.
“Wife Master, you’re back!”
Feeling the cool touch of Wen Nanxi’s body, Su Muyao felt a wave of comfort. She had felt like she was about to be scorched by Hua Linye’s intense heat just a moment ago.
“Were you tired?” Wen Nanxi gently tidied her hair, looking worried. But his eyes held a hint of forbearance and restraint.
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