Ch 19: My Wolf Husband

Lin Shuishi stared at the wolves with blood-stained mouths, and a sudden realization struck him. Wolves are only friendly within their pack; after all, they are wild animals, and they do eat people.

He had been lucky that the wolf leader, Fuli, had taken him to the treehouse. But the person lying on the ground was clearly not as fortunate. Lin Shuishi knew that he had no authority over these wolves.

But he couldn’t just walk away either. If the two hunting dogs were killed, the next target would be the person lying there, whose fate was uncertain. Lin Shuishi had witnessed how a pack of wolves could tear open the thick belly of a wild ox and devour its heart, liver, and muscles.

He couldn’t bear to imagine what might happen to this person, so he gritted his teeth and slowly approached. The white wolves behind him exchanged glances, seemingly understanding his intention. As Fuli’s mate, they were willing to help.

The white wolves positioned themselves behind Lin Shuishi, lowering their heads and baring their fangs, growling menacingly. The gray and green wolves, which had been fully engaged in the hunt and had become increasingly aggressive, finally noticed that the white wolves were not there to assist them but were ordering them to leave.

Reluctantly, the gray and green wolves licked their lips, instinctively obeying the white wolves. Submitting to the white wolves was ingrained in their blood. They tucked their tails between their legs, lowered their heads, and submissively lay down at the feet of the old white wolves and Lin Shuishi, licking their feet. To the other wolves, Lin Shuishi carried the scent of Fuli and the white wolf pack, marking him as part of their group. After showing their submission, the wolves slunk away into the forest.

Lin Shuishi suppressed the shivers that ran down his spine as the blood-stained gray wolf licked his shoe and then left. He sighed in relief, grateful to the white wolves behind him, but his priority was now the person lying on the ground!

The two hunting dogs were already exhausted, having fought with all their might to protect their master. When they saw Lin Shuishi approaching, they tensed as if to attack, but then they sniffed the air and recognized the scent. It was the same scent as the shirt their master had given them! They wagged their tails and turned to look at the white wolves. Realizing they were no match for these powerful creatures, the dogs lowered their heads, too scared to even make eye contact, and retreated to their master’s side, licking and nudging him before looking back at Lin Shuishi, pleading for help.

These were domesticated dogs, naturally inclined to trust humans. Gaining some courage from this, Lin Shuishi quickly approached to check on the young man lying on the ground. The old wolves remained at a distance, uninterested in the two wolf-like creatures, preferring to rest.

Lin Shuishi turned the young man over and saw that he was young, with a face flushed from the cold and a head injury. He quickly checked for breathing and, finding that the man was still alive, felt some relief. He then examined the man’s arms and legs, which were unbroken. Lin Shuishi called out to him a few times, but there was no response.

After some thought, he began dragging the man toward the hot spring. The white wolves, seeing that the situation was under control, left to rejoin the pack and inform them that the person had been taken care of.

Lin Shuishi used some leaves to give the man a few sips of hot water and then pinched his philtrum hard, finally waking him up.

When Dongsheng woke up, his head was pounding. He saw the misty surroundings, which looked like a fairyland, and in front of him was someone squatting with big, round eyes, fair skin, and a faint birthmark on the forehead, just like the one Shui Ge’er had when they played together as children.

He thought he was dead and was seeing Shui Ge’er’s spirit. With a hoarse voice, he said, “Poor Shui Ge’er, even after death, you can’t return to your homeland. Let me take your soul back, so you can see your parents!”

Lin Shuishi was bewildered. What on earth was he talking about? But hearing the man call him by his original name, he realized they must have known each other. He dug into his memories of the original owner. The one who called him “Brother Dong”—could it be that silly boy from the neighboring house in Rehe Village, the one who always had a runny nose?

With a sigh, Lin Shuishi said, “Hey, you’re not dead, and neither am I. This is Dongshen mountain. How did you end up unconscious her?”

“What?!” Dongsheng shot up, almost bumping into Lin Shuishi’s head.

“I’m not dead! I’m alive!” He pinched his own face. The two hunting dogs, seeing their master awake, wagged their tails and cuddled up to him. Dongsheng suddenly realized, “So… are you Shui Ge’er? Not a spirit? How have you survived all this time?”

Lin Shuishi thought for a moment and decided not to mention Fuli or the wolves. “I wandered around on my own and happened to find an abandoned treehouse. That’s how I’ve stayed alive.”

Dongsheng didn’t think too much of it. He assumed his timid and weak little brother wouldn’t lie, so he was amazed at Shui Ge’er’s luck. Then he explained why his father had led a group up the mountain to search for Shui Ge’er.

It turned out that their group had been carefully and cautiously climbing Dongshen when suddenly, the hunting dogs signaled danger. While they were looking around, a massive brown bear, about two meters tall, emerged from a tree hollow. The bear was grumpy from being disturbed during its hibernation. Fortunately, they were all experienced hunters and knew how to evade it.

They managed to escape to a forested ridge, finally shaking off the bear. But their commotion had attracted the wolves in the mountains. Seeing they were surrounded, Dongsheng gritted his teeth and led the hunting dogs to lure the wolves away, ignoring his father’s desperate calls. He thought he was doomed this time, yet somehow he survived and, by sheer luck, found Shui Ge’er alive! Truly, it was a blessing from the ancestors and the wolf god!

Dongsheng had rolled down the mountain and passed out, but as a hardy farmer, he wasn’t seriously hurt. Apart from a head wound, he was fine. After marveling at the hot spring’s fairyland-like environment, he buried the dog that had died in the confrontation, feeling deeply saddened.

After everything was settled, Dongsheng looked back at Shui Ge’er standing on the ridge. He felt that this little brother was nothing like he was when they were kids—braver and more decisive now. But Dongsheng just chalked it up to the fact that Shui Ge’er had grown up.

He wiped his runny nose, chilled by the cold. “Shui Ge’er, come home with me to my father’s place. They’re all waiting for you!”

Now it was Lin Shuishi’s turn to be stunned. “Huh?”

“Huh, what? Don’t worry, we won’t let you go back to your uncle’s hellhole. We’re going back to Rehe.”

Lin Shuishi had never really thought about leaving the treehouse or leaving this mountain. If that day were to come, he thought it would be years down the line. Since he had crossed over to this world, he hadn’t known much about how people lived, but he had adapted to surviving among wild animals.

Now they were talking about going down the mountain. Yes, he was human, so of course, he would have to leave the mountain eventually. But an inexplicable turmoil stirred within him. He knew that Fuli couldn’t leave the mountain; his strangeness, his wild nature, meant he didn’t belong in the human world.

But if he stayed, as thin and weak as he was, he might not survive long in the mountains. And he hadn’t seen Fuli in quite a while.

Maybe Fuli was tired of the burden that Lin Shuishi had become.

Seeing Shui Ge’er stay silent, Dongsheng thought he was reverting to his old indecisive self. So he said, “Shui Ge’er, let’s go. My father and the others don’t know I’m still alive. I need to get back and let them know!”

Lin Shuishi took a few deep breaths. “I… I still have things in the treehouse. I can’t just leave right away.”

Dongsheng responded readily, “That’s easy. I’ll help you get them!”

“No! My place isn’t safe for others. The wild animals are used to me, so they won’t attack. But if you go, it might be different.”

Hearing this, Dongsheng scratched his head. “Then go back and pack your things. I’ll go find my father and the others. Let’s meet here again at dawn tomorrow, and I’ll bring everyone to take you back!”

With that, Dongsheng didn’t wait for Shui Ge’er’s hesitation. He quickly set off with his dogs to reunite with Zheng Laohan and the others.

“Hey, wait, you—!” But before Lin Shuishi could finish speaking, Dongsheng had already run off. His mission for coming up the mountain was complete—Shui Ge’er was alive and well. Now, his only worry was for his lame father.

Unable to see the figure of anyone else, Lin Shuishi had no choice but to return to the wolf spring, carrying a basket of freshly tanned but still damp hides, his thoughts in turmoil as he headed back to the treehouse.

Over the past few days, the little horse had nearly fully recovered and sometimes wandered off, disappearing from sight. Once, he even saw the horse’s mother nearby, suggesting that the foal no longer needed his care.

Back in the treehouse, Lin Shuishi busied himself with packing, looking at the items he had accumulated over time. It felt as though everything should be taken with him, yet at the same time, as if nothing really belonged to him. Even the knitted sweater wasn’t his size.

The forest was eerily silent. He lit the fire pit and sat, staring at the bright full moon outside, spending the entire night in silence.

No one came to send him off, and no one came to ask him to stay.

The next day, before dawn, Dongsheng was already waiting for Lin Shuishi in the valley by the hot spring, but he was alone. The day before, when he returned to find old man Zheng and the others, he learned they had gone looking for him. Eventually, thanks to the tracking dogs, the group managed to reunite in the complex mountain terrain.

Dongsheng recounted his encounter with Lin Shuishi, and the older men were initially skeptical. But knowing that Dongsheng was not one to lie, they were convinced Lin Shuishi was indeed alive and, fortunately, had been found. They were immensely relieved, attributing it to the protection of Lin Shuishi’s father’s spirit in the afterlife.

They had planned to come and fetch Lin Shuishi together, but the older men had exhausted themselves trying to track down Dongsheng, with some even suffering frostbite. Going would only slow them down, given the unpredictable mountain conditions. So, old man Zheng decided that the most familiar and physically capable of his sons, Dongsheng, should go alone, taking only one dog, to minimize the noise and ensure a quick return.

Additionally, if something did happen, having a dog would help track him down again. Otherwise, they risked losing both Lin Shuishi and another son.

Thus, Dongsheng, with only one hunting dog, quietly made his way to the valley, waiting for Lin Shuishi to descend from the ridge. He could see him approaching and prepared to assist with carrying anything.

But after waiting for some time, he finally saw Lin Shuishi, who had brought nothing and was quietly coming down by himself.

He hurried to meet him. “Shui Ge’er, why didn’t you bring anything? Where did you leave it? I’ll go get it.”

Lin Shuishi shook his head. “There’s nothing worth taking. I went back and realized it’s not worth it.”

He had arrived alone and would leave the same way.

Dongsheng didn’t ask any more questions and simply led the way, guiding Lin Shuishi over the mountain.

Before the sun had risen, the two, along with the dog, quietly moved through the shadowy valley. “Are you tired, Shui Ge’er? There’s a river up ahead. After crossing it and walking through a forest, we should be able to see my father and the others.”

Lin Shuishi had dark circles under his eyes and looked tired, but he softly replied, “I’m not tired, it’s fine. Let’s not keep everyone waiting for me.”

Just as he finished speaking, the hunting dog at Dongsheng’s feet suddenly barked loudly, trembling with fear. Before the two could react, a massive beast leaped out of the forest, so large that it was difficult to see clearly in the dim light.

Dongsheng, relying on his instincts as a hunter, quickly turned to grab Lin Shuishi and run, but the beast’s target was clearly Lin Shuishi. When Dongsheng reached out, the beast let out a thunderous roar that shook their ears. The sound was neither wolf nor tiger, but something in between.

With a single swipe, the beast sent Dongsheng flying. Although agile, he was still human, and the blow knocked him unconscious. The hunting dog, too frightened to make a sound, cowered in the snow, abandoning any thought of helping its master.

Seeing the danger, Lin Shuishi tried to run, but after only a few steps, he slipped and rolled down a snow-covered slope onto a frozen river. As he fell, he caught a glimpse of a huge white shadow behind him. Before he could get up, the beast let out an angry roar and pinned him face down on the ice with a massive paw! Cracks immediately appeared on the ice.

The beast’s hot breath was now on the back of Lin Shuishi’s neck, and he could feel its sharp teeth and tongue.

This familiar feeling made his heart skip a beat, and he tried to struggle free, but the beast was too powerful, holding him down with ease.

Just as Lin Shuishi was about to speak, the ice, unable to support the beast’s weight, suddenly gave way beneath its paw.

Lin Shuishi plunged into the icy waters of the frozen river.