Ch 28: My Wolf Husband

At that moment, Lin Shuishi’s body froze, and his mind went blank, his scalp tingling with fear!

He was so close to those eyes that he could vaguely see his own reflection in them. He felt suffocated!

He blinked in stunned silence, and the small, cool hand that was still pinching Fuli’s nose quietly released its grip and slowly withdrew.

It was as if, as long as he could discreetly withdraw without disturbing Fuli, Fuli wouldn’t realize that he had just been at the mercy of this little creature before him. It was a classic case of covering one’s ears to steal a bell—self-deception at its finest!

At this point, Fuli had just woken up from his severe injuries, his memory still stuck on the moment when he was struck by an arrow and fell unconscious in the wolf’s den. However, after being wiped down with hot water, having his blood circulation revived, and drinking Dr. Sun’s medicine, the poison had partially subsided. When Lin Shuishi was washing his hair, Fuli had already regained consciousness, feeling as though he was enveloped in Lin Shuishi’s presence, as if he were back in the treehouse.

When he opened his eyes, right in front of him was the little female he had personally sent away that day. She was very close, and he could clearly see a tiny mole on her delicate skin, as she blinked at him in a daze.

Fuli was confused—hadn’t he sent her back to the “humans”?

And just now, this little female seemed quite happy pinching his nose, but now she looked very panicked!

Fuli’s heart tightened. Could it be that he hadn’t yet escaped danger? Had those humanoid “things” coated in purple poison found their way here, scaring this little creature? Immediately, Fuli raised his hand, intending to pull Lin Shuishi behind him to protect her.

But as soon as he moved, it startled Lin Shuishi! Lin Shuishi suddenly straightened up and instinctively stepped back.

However, he forgot that he was in the middle of washing Fuli’s hair. With that sudden movement, the basin of hot water slid to the side, about to spill onto the floor.

In an instant, Fuli, who had been lying sideways on the kang bed, sprang up like a nimble and cautious beast.

With one hand, he grabbed Lin Shuishi, who was about to fall, and with the other, he steadied the basin, not spilling a single drop of water. Fuli’s eyes scanned the room defensively, his hair still dripping water that trickled down his shoulders and back, but he seemed completely unaware.

Lin Shuishi, having just been caught red-handed, felt extremely guilty! But seeing Fuli’s sudden movements, he was more concerned about the stitches on Fuli’s shoulder being pulled apart and the water from his hair dripping onto the wound. However, Fuli, clearly used to pain, didn’t seem to care about the injury at all. In fact, the weaker his body was, the more tense and vigilant he became.

Wild beasts often face extinction in such moments—it was a pure rule of nature and a lesson learned through bloodshed.

Fuli’s large hand, capable of snapping a leopard’s neck, gripped Lin Shuishi’s collar tightly, making it hard for him to breathe. So Lin Shuishi used both hands to tap on the large hand, weakly whining, “Let go, Fuli, be gentle!”

Fuli didn’t know why he was here, or why the female he had already sent away was still by his side. But he was acutely aware of his own physical state—he wasn’t sure he could protect this vulnerable creature right now.

After scanning the mud house and finding it secure, Fuli wrinkled his slightly reddened nose, not detecting the scent of those “purple things.”

Instead, the den was filled with the rich yet refreshing scent of the female, and of course, the milky scent of the little cub. Since Fuli could remember, he had lived with the wolf pack, and he knew that even if the last adult wolf in the pack died, they would never place the cubs in danger!

Only then did Fuli relax a bit, releasing Lin Shuishi. After a moment’s thought, he handed the basin of water back to him and, instinctively, shook his head to dry his hair.

Lin Shuishi got splashed in the face with water! But he still didn’t dare say anything! The feeling of being caught red-handed was overwhelming, and he was so embarrassed he wanted to bury his head in the wall! He was also afraid that Fuli might get angry, so he just cursed himself inwardly. Why did I have to be so impulsive? Taking advantage of someone is bound to bring retribution! So what if he splashed water in your face? Just bear with it!

So, when Fuli let go of him, Lin Shuishi slid down to sit in the corner, holding the basin in his arms, his head down, sneaking glances at Fuli. When Fuli looked at him, he quickly averted his eyes, staring at his feet and nervously picking at the wooden basin with his fingers.

Fuli wasn’t very good at speaking human language. In the past, most of their communication had been Lin Shuishi’s awkward, soft mumbling beside him. Even though Lin Shuishi often spoke with a lack of confidence and was quite reserved around Fuli, he still talked quite a bit.

But today, now, both of them were lost in their own thoughts, and the silence lingered.

Lin Shuishi huddled at the base of the wall, not daring to make a sound, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fuli lift a hand to press against his shoulder wound, then nimbly leap off the kang bed, ready to leave.

Lin Shuishi immediately looked up at Fuli, recalling the gruesome scene from that day, his heart pounding with fear. He summoned a bit of courage and, with a shaky voice, demanded, “Where… where are you going?” As soon as Fuli turned to look at him, Lin Shuishi’s fingers tightened their grip on the wooden basin.

Under Lin Shuishi’s somewhat timid but persistent gaze, Fuli turned back, his throat rumbling as he struggled to find the right words. After a few attempts, he stiffly uttered two words, “Return. Mountain.”

His resolute yet somber expression was illuminated by the faint light streaming in through the wooden window, casting his face in half-light, half-shadow. To Lin Shuishi, this made Fuli seem both dangerous and captivating. It was the same face, the same features, but with those slit-pupiled eyes open, a sense of lethal intent emanated, making it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

However, despite this, Lin Shuishi furrowed his brows at Fuli’s words. No way! Fuli’s injuries weren’t fully healed, and he had only just begun taking the detoxifying medicine that Dr. Sun prescribed! Dr. Sun had said it needed to be taken for two months, and by Lin Shuishi’s count, they had only just begun!

Moreover, why was Fuli injured in the first place? Would it be safe for him to return? Lin Shuishi knew nothing about what lay ahead.

He felt ignorant, powerless, and helpless, and it was a difficult feeling to bear.

Lin Shuishi placed the water basin on the ground and stood up, pressing his lips together. The embarrassment from earlier was pushed aside by the surge of emotion that now filled his chest, making him feel choked up.

“You haven’t finished your medicine; you can’t leave. You’re still injured, and there’s poison in your system.” Lin Shuishi didn’t dare meet Fuli’s deep, intense gaze, instead glancing around the clean and warm earthen house that he had tidied up.

This was the only place in the world where he could stay, and it seemed to be the only proof he had of his ability to keep Fuli here and take care of him. Lin Shuishi was both desperate and lacking in confidence.

Fuli didn’t respond, so Lin Shuishi continued, “This is my home—my nest, you could say. Others can’t come here easily, so you’re safe here, and I can take care of you.”

To support his argument, Lin Shuishi ran to grab the herbs Dr. Sun had prescribed and held them up to Fuli, practically shoving them in his face. “You have to finish all of this before you can leave.”

Fuli turned back around and looked down at the little creature stubbornly holding up a bunch of herbs. His face was flushed, his lips pressed together in a mix of stubbornness and hurt, and there was a hint of helplessness too. It seemed that if Fuli didn’t agree, Lin Shuishi might burst into tears.

Fuli breathed heavily, the natural healing process causing him to run a slight fever, making his head fuzzy and his thoughts muddled.

And so, the fierce beast from Dongshan was momentarily halted by this small, fragile creature, standing there quietly, caught between hesitation and bewilderment.

Meanwhile, at the doorway, two small heads were peeking in. The little white wolf boldly stared inside, while the black horse, feeling sneaky and a bit guilty, peeked in more cautiously.

As soon as the little wolf saw that Fuli was awake, it darted into the house, leaping into Fuli’s arms and doing everything it could to cuddle up and show affection! Starting today, the wolf was going to stand tall—no more letting that stupid horse outside bully it! Its protector was back!

Seeing Fuli silently holding the little wolf, Lin Shuishi lowered his hand, his arm aching from holding the herbs up for so long. He hung his head and dejectedly made his way to the side room, clearing the way for Fuli to leave.

He busied himself by the stove, dawdling for quite a while, and only when he heard no sound from the main room did he slowly put down the bowl he had wiped several times. Fuli must have left by now, he thought.

Lin Shuishi had gotten used to this—whenever everything around him grew quiet, it meant that Fuli had left. He was always so cautious and mysterious, and Lin Shuishi could never track him down. Once he was gone, he was truly gone, leaving Lin Shuishi to wonder and speculate.

Suddenly, Lin Shuishi remembered the sweater he had knitted! He hadn’t given it to Fuli yet, and Fuli was always wandering the mountains with just a piece of animal skin draped over him. If his wounds got scraped or dirtied, they wouldn’t heal well! The sweater would be perfect for him.

So, Lin Shuishi hurried back inside, hoping to catch up with Fuli and give him the sweater. But as soon as he opened the door and stepped into the room, he froze.

On the still-warm kang bed, that troublesome “wild beast” was still there! Fuli’s broad, muscular body was lying in the same spot, his intense eyes now closed as he quietly rested. The little wolf cub was nestled against his arm, comfortably resting its head on it, looking utterly content.

Lin Shuishi stood at the doorway, wide-eyed and speechless, unable to say a word. He just turned back to the side room by the stove, took out some lamb, lamb fat, dried potatoes, and mushrooms, and eagerly started preparing a meal.

As for the sweater? Well, no rush. The wound shouldn’t be covered up; it needs air to heal faster…

At the small house on the slope where Lin Shuishi lived, smoke slowly drifted from the chimney, blending with the evening cooking smoke rising from every household in Rehe Village.

Down the slope, the Zheng family was also preparing dinner, but Old Man Zheng and his eldest son had gone to town to deliver some sample goods and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. The second brother and his wife had gone to visit her family. Only Dongsheng was home; he had taken a break from hunting today and had just returned from delivering timber to his father, just in time for dinner.

Mother Zheng was carefully feeding the younger children, and as she fed them, she said to Dongsheng, “Third son, we’re out of water at home. After dinner, go to the river and fetch a bucketful so we’ll have enough to cook breakfast for your father and brothers tomorrow.” Dongsheng nodded; he often went into the mountains and was stronger than his brothers, so he didn’t mind handling the heavier chores.

As Dongsheng carried the yoke with the buckets of water back home, he looked up and noticed smoke coming from Lin Shuishi’s chimney on the slope. He thought to himself, He must be cooking dinner too. He’s probably running low on water, and Shui Ge’er is so small—he can’t even carry half a bucket!

It wasn’t that he had any other thoughts. His father had already told him that Shui Ge’er had no intention of coming to their family, so Dongsheng had stopped thinking about it. He had once been willing to marry Shui Ge’er simply because he was the one who had brought Shui Ge’er down from the mountains, and he wanted to avoid any gossip. So he thought it best to settle things by marrying him. Life in the countryside was tough, and people didn’t think much about love; it was more about whether they could get along and make a life together.

Now that everything was clear, he simply treated Shui Ge’er as a younger brother to be cherished. After all, his scholarly fourth brother wasn’t nearly as sweet-natured or endearing as Lin Shuishi.

Taking advantage of the remaining daylight, Dongsheng filled two buckets of water from the river and carefully made his way up the slope to bring the water to Lin Shuishi.

However, as soon as he stepped into Lin Shuishi’s courtyard, Fuli, who had been resting in the house, suddenly opened his eyes and quickly rolled to his feet. The little wolf cub, which had been comfortably resting its head on Fuli’s arm, was caught off guard and tumbled over, letting out a disgruntled whine.

Despite his injuries, Fuli swiftly leaped out of the house, crouching defensively beside the granary near the courtyard gate.

He concealed his presence, blending seamlessly into the environment like a shadow. Even Dongsheng, one of the best hunters around, had no idea that Fuli was lurking nearby!

Lin Shuishi was in the middle of stewing meat, having thoughtfully added chestnuts since he knew Fuli liked them. But then he noticed Fuli slipping out the door and quickly disappearing into the granary.

Seeing Fuli being so cautious made Lin Shuishi nervous as well. He grabbed the little white wolf at his feet, holding it close to his chest, and hid behind the door, peeking out with half his face, anxiously watching what was happening outside.

Lin Shuishi’s heart was pounding, but then he saw a hand push open the gate, followed by a water bucket and part of a carrying pole. His heart sank—it must be someone from the Zheng family bringing water! He quickly called out to Fuli.

But he was a moment too late. Fuli had already sprung from the granary, lunging at Dongsheng just as he was about to call out for Shui Ge’er!

Dongsheng was completely unprepared for the attack! He was instantly pinned to the ground by Fuli, the sturdy wooden bucket crashing to the ground and shattering on impact. A powerful iron grip clamped around Dongsheng’s neck, making it impossible for him to fight back. All it would take was a little more pressure, and his fate would be the same as the shattered water bucket.

Dongsheng’s face turned red as blood rushed to his head, his artery constricted by the iron grip. In the dim light, he could only make out the vague silhouette of an incredibly strong and tall figure. The eyes that glared down at him in the fading light of the sunset were like those of a wolf in the mountains—fierce, cold, and murderous.

Who is this? Is this even a person? Shui Ge’er is in serious danger!

But just then, Lin Shuishi burst out of the house, shouting, “Fuli, stop! He’s not a bad person, he’s a neighbor! He’s here to bring water!”

At that moment, Fuli, who had Dongsheng pinned, furrowed his nose and recognized the man—it was the same “human” from Dongshan! He had allowed this person to take the female away back then, and now he realized their nests were right next to each other?

In wolf pack dynamics, those who lived near the den were usually close. And in the white wolf pack, only the wolf king had the privilege and courage to be near Fuli.

Fuli frowned and released his grip, but he was still reluctant to have any contact with “humans.” He turned and swiftly disappeared into the woods behind the house.

Lin Shuishi hurriedly helped the coughing and gasping Dongsheng to his feet, his attention torn between his injured neighbor and the dark, foreboding forest. He was deeply worried about whether Fuli’s wounds had reopened from such a sudden and intense movement.

Dongsheng was terrified, his voice hoarse and trembling as he anxiously stammered, “Shui Ge’er, who was that! He… he…!”

Seeing that Dongsheng wasn’t seriously hurt and his color was returning, Lin Shuishi quickly explained, “That’s my benefactor. He saved me in the mountains. Don’t worry, he’s just used to hunting alone in the mountains and is always on guard against wild animals, so he’s… just cautious.” He struggled to continue his explanation.

But Dongsheng, still gasping for breath, pointed shakily toward the forest, “He… Sun… cough, cough… Is that the person Dr. Sun treated? With a body like that?”

At the mention of Dr. Sun, Lin Shuishi’s eyes lit up! Perfect, he could keep spinning the story!

“Yes, it’s all thanks to Dr. Sun’s medicine. After he woke up, he’s been like this—so strong he can’t even control himself. Please don’t blame him, Brother Dongsheng.” Saying this, Lin Shuishi quickly moved closer, obediently patting Dongsheng’s back to help him catch his breath.

As Dongsheng gradually calmed down, still shaken, he waved his hand dismissively, “If it’s because of the medicine, I can’t blame him.” He then stood up, “But you’d better be careful, don’t let him hurt you. He’s terrifying!”

Lin Shuishi nodded repeatedly. Dongsheng still looked worried, but there wasn’t much he could do. It was getting dark, and it wasn’t good to linger at Shui Ge’er’s place. He gathered up the broken water bucket, which seemed to have taken the brunt of the disaster for him, rubbed his neck, took the medicine Lin Shuishi had given him for bruises, and headed back down the hill.

As he walked, he kept thinking, What kind of medicine is that? Maybe I should try some? It’s so powerful! But then he remembered how terribly injured that benefactor had been and gave up on the idea. Forget about strength—staying alive is what matters! I haven’t even married yet…

After seeing Dongsheng off, Lin Shuishi let out a sigh of relief, but he couldn’t help glancing back at the forest, still feeling uneasy. So he went back inside, grabbed a torch, and with a heavy heart, climbed up into the forest to look for Fuli.

He had considered riding the horse into the dark forest, thinking it would give him some sense of security, but the little horse was too clever for that! It had seen the menacing figure of Fuli enter the forest and was too scared to go in. The wolf cub was too small and mischievous; if Lin Shuishi brought it along, he might end up chasing after the cub instead of finding Fuli! So Lin Shuishi had no choice but to venture into the forest alone, using the torchlight and the gradually brightening moonlight to guide his way.

The forest behind his house wasn’t large to begin with. Shui Ge’er’s father had deliberately left it there to raise some chickens and ducks, along with planting some bamboo and vegetables. However, it had been neglected for the past ten years, becoming overgrown and untidy.

This forest was nothing like the dangerous woods of Dongshan. There were no fierce beasts, hardly any birds—overall, it was quite safe. The most he had to worry about was tripping over some broken branches!

However, Lin Shuishi was just a normal, somewhat delicate young man, and in the darkness of the night, he was practically blind, stumbling around aimlessly.

But Fuli was different.

He was a natural-born predator under the full moon, a hunter of the night.

Fuli’s slit pupils had fully dilated, allowing even the faintest light to be refracted into his eyes. The rustling leaves, resting birds—all were clear in his sight. Of course, this included the small figure wandering hesitantly through the dark forest.

That little creature was calling his name in a hushed voice. Fuli lay still in the tree, listening. He liked hearing this person call for him like that. It made him feel like he was also a “person,” no longer a being caught between all things, difficult to define.

But as Lin Shuishi approached the tree, Fuli wrinkled his nose; the scent of another “person” clung to the little creature’s body. It made him uncomfortable, agitated, and in the end, his sharp beastly fangs grazed his lips as he let out a low growl.

Earlier, Lin Shuishi had tripped over a tree root and taken a real tumble! Now, he was carefully walking under the trees, calling for Fuli in a low voice, trying not to disturb anyone in Rehe Village. He knew that if Fuli was nearby, no matter how softly he called, Fuli would hear him.

After searching for a while with no sign of movement in the forest, Lin Shuishi was peering between the trees when suddenly something leapt down from above! He didn’t realize what it was until he was pinned against a tree trunk, feeling the sharp fangs press against the back of his neck—only then did he confirm it was Fuli.

Fuli, breathing heavily behind him, pressed Lin Shuishi’s neck with his teeth, covering him with his own scent, driven by an uncontrollable male possessiveness.

Lin Shuishi had been treated like this once before, but feeling those teeth—capable of snapping a wild animal’s neck—against his own neck still made him a bit fearful. Fuli bit down harder, a low, threatening growl rumbling from his throat.

Lin Shuishi’s grip on the torch tightened. Summoning his courage, he finally complained, “You… you don’t have to keep biting my neck! It hurts!”

After a moment, Fuli stepped back, still holding Lin Shuishi by the waist, and with a powerful leap, they traversed the forest that had taken Lin Shuishi so long to explore. In just a few strides, they were back inside the house.

As soon as they landed, Lin Shuishi caught a whiff of something from the kitchen and cried out, “Oh no, it’s burnt!”

He rushed over to the stove, quickly lifting the pot lid and using a wooden spatula to stir the burnt lamb and chestnuts. Tonight’s dinner didn’t seem like it was going to be very tasty.

Later that night, after Lin Shuishi had changed Fuli’s bandages and carefully wrapped his wounds, he sat by the stove, cheeks puffed out, looking dejected as he ate the burnt meal. Fuli, however, calmly tore into a piece of raw lamb, chewing it without a care.

Lin Shuishi glanced over and felt a surge of frustration. Who’s to blame for the burnt food? And here he is, enjoying himself!

In a moment of defiance, Lin Shuishi grabbed a burnt chestnut and shoved it into Fuli’s mouth, his sharp fangs still exposed. Hmph, let him taste the bitterness too!

Fuli was taken aback, and so was Lin Shuishi as he realized what he had done. They both froze, and then Lin Shuishi’s face turned bright red.

It seemed that Lin Shuishi had gotten a little too bold lately, perhaps letting success go to his head! He decided he needed to work on controlling himself better—after all, one social disaster like the one at noon was more than enough… really.

—

Thandar: *sigh two closeted guys in heat 😩