Ch 34: My Wolf Husband

As the year-end approached, the weather grew colder, and the breath from one’s mouth quickly turned to frost, settling on their eyebrows and lashes.

But the sunlight was strong, and Lin Shuishi lay on the cart, basking contentedly in the warm rays. The creaking of the cart’s wooden wheels was a constant in his ears, the crisp winter air filled his lungs, and in his arms, he held the little white wolf that had crawled out of the basket to sunbathe.

Man and wolf both squinted in the sunlight, lazily yawning as they soaked up the warmth.

Cheng’an found the sight amusing, but as he watched them, he couldn’t help but yawn himself. However, as a scholar, he felt the need to maintain his composure and didn’t want the cart driver to see him being anything less than proper. So, he straightened his back and sat upright on one side of the cart.

Lin Shuishi squinted as he watched the trees on either side of the road slowly recede. The trees were all covered in frost, sparkling as they reflected the sunlight. At this moment, his heart was filled with contentment and gratitude. Having once faced the stillness of death, he now cherished the simple joy of basking in daylight—a testament to nature’s wondrous grace.

Finally, Lin Shuishi could take in the scenery around him. The last time he traveled this route, riding swiftly into town to fetch a doctor, he had been too rushed to notice anything.

This was a quiet country road, hidden and serene. The ox cart traveled for a long time until it reached the end of the path, where it joined the main road leading to the town. The surrounding trees gave way to snowy fields, and after a short distance on this larger road, the city gate came into view.

This was Lin Shuishi’s first time entering the city; the last time, he had only seen it from a distance. Feeling a bit excited, he quickly grabbed the still-drowsy little wolf and tucked him back into the basket. Slinging the basket over his shoulder, he jumped down from the cart.

For some reason, the soldiers guarding the city gate were more numerous and seemed fiercer than usual. They thoroughly inspected the group, only allowing them to pass after Cheng’an presented a letter from his school.

Lin Shuishi carefully followed the not-so-tall Cheng’an, lowering his voice to ask, “What’s going on? Why is it so strict just to enter the city? Is everything okay?”

Cheng’an was puzzled as well. “It wasn’t like this before; they usually didn’t stop anyone.” However, after glancing at the lively marketplace inside the city, he relaxed. “It seems like nothing’s changed within the city.”

Still, after some thought, he turned back to Lin Shuishi and said, “You go ahead and buy what you need, but don’t get lost. Meet me at the flatbread shop at the main market later.” Cheng’an furrowed his brow. “I’ll visit my teacher’s house and see if he knows anything. If there’s any trouble, I’ll make sure to get you home early.”

Lin Shuishi obediently nodded. Although the inspection at the city gate had made him a bit uneasy, his eyes were still shining with excitement. He had never experienced a bustling market before, never walked through such crowded and noisy streets.

In the past, he would quietly sit in a wheelchair while his mother carefully chose quiet, uncrowded times to take him out for a short stroll, before quickly returning home. Due to years of relying on medication, his immune system was weak, and he would often catch colds.

He adjusted the basket on his back, wearing a bright smile as he listened to the shouts of vendors and the haggling along the road. Watching the little children with their small horns running around and chattering, he grinned and dove into the bustling crowd with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Cheng’an hurried to Qiaoyong Alley, where his teacher resided. Standing at the entrance, he straightened his clothes and respectfully knocked on the door. As it happened, Sun Luqian opened the door.

“Ah, Senior Brother! Just in time, you’re here too. I just got into the city. What’s going on at the city gate?”

Sun Luqian motioned for his junior to lower his voice and ushered him inside. Their teacher was seated in the central hall, reading a historical text. Seeing his beloved student arrive, the teacher put down his book and smiled, inviting Cheng’an to sit beside him.

“Teacher, how have you been feeling lately?” Cheng’an respectfully bowed.

The teacher nodded and gestured for him to enjoy the tea and snacks on the table. “Thanks to your senior brother’s improved prescription and the good medicine you all worked hard to gather, I’m feeling much better. I even ate an extra bowl of rice yesterday.”

Sun Luqian, seeing his teacher in good spirits, was also relieved. “It’s all because of your strong constitution, Teacher, that the medicine worked so well.”

The teacher gave each of them a piece of pastry, then noticed his slightly weary student and asked, “Cheng’an, what’s the matter?”

Sun Luqian, munching on his pastry, interjected, “I bet he got questioned at the city gate.”

“Yes, Teacher. I brought our family’s Shuishi to town to buy some supplies, but I was surprised by how strict the guards were at the city gate! If there’s something going on, I should take Shuishi back as soon as possible.”

The teacher’s smile faded as he listened. He had once been an official in the capital before being demoted, and his wisdom and insight were respected even by the county magistrate. However, because he refused to demand exorbitant fees for his medical expertise, he had fallen on hard times, with his students secretly pooling money to support him without his knowledge.

Now, with no family to care for, he had resigned himself to spending his remaining years in this small town, valuing only the sincerity of his students.

“These are troubled times. The Barbarian King is stirring up unrest. I’ve heard from the county magistrate that in the south, in Yongzhou, the Barbarian King’s forces have nearly stripped the land bare. The common people can no longer survive there, and many refugees are heading north. Although our county of Dingping is built among the mountains and somewhat remote, it’s not immune to refugees passing through.”

“Ah!” Cheng’an’s expression turned grim. “Doesn’t the court have any countermeasures? The city still seems as peaceful as ever. What is the county magistrate planning?”

Sun Luqian finished the last bit of his pastry and gestured for his junior to sit down. “It’s not that bad yet. Let’s wait and see. You shouldn’t worry about the court’s affairs—you’ve only been studying for a few years! Just take Shuishi back home and stay put. Rehe Village is protected by natural barriers, and it’s self-sufficient and well-hidden. No one will find it. It’s still safe there; wait until the situation stabilizes.”

Cheng’an sighed and stood up to go find Shuishi. As he reached the door, he paused and suddenly realized something, turning back to say, “If Dingping ever faces danger in the future, Teacher and Senior Brother, please come home with me!”

The two seated men chuckled at what they considered his childish words, but they were clearly touched. Sun Luqian waved him off, “Go on, make sure Shuishi finishes shopping and then head back.”

Seeing that they didn’t take his offer seriously, Cheng’an decided not to press the issue. Though the saying goes that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, his teacher and senior brother were not ordinary people. Cheng’an knew he couldn’t fully grasp their thoughts. For now, his priority was to ensure Shuishi’s safety—otherwise, his father would have his hide!

With that, he bid the two farewell and hurried to the town’s main market to find Lin Shuishi. He also planned to buy more food supplies. Once they returned to the village, who knew when they’d be able to come out again? Essentials like salt and rice needed to be stocked up.

The magistrate of Dingping County had a military background and was particularly adept at maintaining public order. So, even though it was close to the New Year and the streets were crowded, the vendors adhered strictly to the rules. Anyone caught trying to take advantage of the chaos faced harsh penalties, from imprisonment to execution. Over the years, this strict enforcement meant that incidents during the New Year season were rare. This was why Cheng’an felt safe letting Lin Shuishi wander the market on his own.

Cheng’an took a shortcut to the end of the market street, where the flatbread shop was located, but Lin Shuishi was nowhere to be found. He figured that Lin Shuishi might not have finished browsing yet, so he continued buying supplies while keeping an eye out for him.

It wasn’t until Cheng’an approached a roasted duck stall and saw a crowd gathered nearby that he spotted Lin Shuishi. There he was, right in the middle, holding his precious “puppy” in his left hand and a string of coins in his right, looking a bit downcast as he apologized to the stall owner.

It turned out that as soon as Lin Shuishi entered the market, he was dazzled by everything around him. The stalls selling pouches and accessories didn’t interest him much; after seeing modern crafts, these seemed less impressive, and he didn’t think they had as many patterns as the sweaters he knitted himself. Besides, as a man, he had no use for such bright and colorful things.

When Lin Shuishi came across a stall selling spices, he took his time, patiently stopping to purchase various items, carefully placing them into his basket. The scent of the spices was so strong that it eventually woke up the little white wolf dozing inside the basket, making it sneeze repeatedly. However, the market was so noisy that Shuishi didn’t notice the sneezing right away.

As Shuishi continued to walk through the market, a group of children began to follow him, giggling and whispering among themselves. This was because the little wolf cub, desperate to breathe some fresh air but too scared to come out in the crowded market, had its front paws hooked over the edge of the basket, with its snout poking out to sniff the air.

From behind Shuishi, one could see a small, thin boy carrying a basket with something alive inside it—only a black, wet snout and two fluffy white paws were visible. The children, having noticed this, started to trail behind him. Sometimes, they would use small sticks to tickle the white paws, only to have the sharp little claws swipe back at them. Other times, they would hang a piece of candy near the snout, letting the dark nose sniff it.

The little white wolf, unimpressed by the candy, ignored it with haughty disdain. It wasn’t until Lin Shuishi stopped at a stall selling rice that things took a turn. He crouched down to inspect the rice closely. The grains were small, many were worm-eaten, and it was only partially husked, meaning more work would be needed to turn it into usable rice.

As Lin Shuishi stood in front of the stall, pondering how to process the rice when he got home, he was inadvertently pushed by the crowd into a narrow space between the rice stall and another vendor. And as luck would have it, that other vendor was selling roasted duck…

The little white wolf, having been accustomed to cooked food since it was weaned, had a particular fondness for good eats. The smell of the freshly roasted duck was irresistible. It stretched its neck as far as it could, sniffing the air hungrily, drooling so much that the edge of the basket was soaked.

Staring longingly at the ducks hanging from the hooks in the stall, the little wolf, acting all sneaky, extended its paw and managed to snag one, trying to pull it into the basket. By the time the stall owner noticed, the duck was already halfway inside, with only a leg sticking out!

The stall owner, furious, accused Lin Shuishi of stealing his duck. But when he opened the basket and saw the little “puppy” at the bottom, its face covered in grease yet still looking remarkably fine, he let out a sigh and relented. He even offered to let Lin Shuishi keep the duck if he would give him the dog, promising that the little fellow could eat duck every day from then on!

Lin Shuishi was at a loss, both amused and exasperated. There was no way he could give the little creature away—he was still counting on it! So, he had no choice but to awkwardly pull out some money, stammering apologies as he paid for the duck. He even bought a freshly roasted one, wrapped in lotus leaves, though he wasn’t sure who he’d give it to.

As the crowd around him giggled, Cheng’an squeezed through, pulling the blushing Shuishi, who was now trying to cover the basket, out of the crowd. With a playful flick on Lin Shuishi’s forehead, Cheng’an scolded, “I told you, coming to the county town with a puppy on your back—aren’t you tired?”

Lin Shuishi scratched his head, grinning with his eyes squinting in a smile, obediently standing beside Cheng’an. Cheng’an sighed; he finally understood the difficulty of being an elder brother—unable to scold and unable to control! So, he simply led Lin Shuishi out of the bustling market. “Did you get everything?”

Lin Shuishi nodded, “Yes, I got everything. The lighter stuff is in the basket, and the heavier rice, flour, or cookware, I arranged with the shop owner to deliver to the ox cart at the city gate. I’ll pay them when we get there.”

Cheng’an nodded in approval. “Then let’s go.” The street was actually quite short, and after passing through the crowded part, they arrived at the rice cake shop, a century-old establishment. The aroma of baked rice and flour, mixed with the scent of oil, filled the air even from the doorway. The Zheng family had a fondness for this treat, and since it was nearing the end of the year, they didn’t mind spending a bit more money. The two of them bought a good amount of rice cakes before heading back to the city gate.

Without delay, Cheng’an collected their belongings and instructed the driver to hurry out of the city, aiming to get home while there was still daylight.

However, they left the city later than expected. Before noon, refugees had already begun gathering at the city gate, hoping to find a way to survive. The county magistrate had wisely stationed soldiers at the gate, setting up a tent to distribute porridge, though it was thin and barely enough to keep the refugees from starving to death.

The surrounding towns and villages were taking similar measures. The magistrate dared not give out too much rice for fear that word would spread, leading to an overwhelming influx of refugees, which could spell disaster for the city. As a soldier himself, he valued the survival of his people above all, knowing that the lives of the county’s residents were what truly mattered.

Cheng’an frowned and urged the driver to speed up. With few people around at the moment, they needed to move quickly before the situation worsened.

Lin Shuishi, meanwhile, was stunned as he looked at the refugees, barely clothed and huddled by the city walls. He finally understood what it meant for the roads to be filled with the bones of the dead and the starving.

The soldiers’ stern indifference, along with Cheng’an’s haste to get home without acknowledging the refugees, revealed a darker side of this world to him.

The fact that he had woken up in the wolves’ den in the Dongshan Mountain was a stroke of luck.

As Lin Shuishi’s cart moved forward, the refugees didn’t dare attack under the watchful eyes of the city guards. But one emaciated woman threw herself in front of the cart, unafraid of being run over, bowing repeatedly to the people on the cart. Her son, leaning against the city wall, was on the brink of death from starvation.

Seeing her desperate state, Lin Shuishi couldn’t bear it. Imagining if it were his own mother, she would undoubtedly do the same to protect him. So, while no one was looking, he quickly handed her a bag of rice cakes before turning away, urging the cart to move faster.

Cheng’an sighed but didn’t scold Lin Shuishi. Instead, he became even more vigilant of their surroundings.

But as the ox cart left the sight of the city guards and was about to enter the forest path leading home, an unexpected situation occurred.

The son of the woman who had been constantly bowing in gratitude earlier, who had seemed on the verge of death, was now striding confidently, eyes gleaming with a predatory light, as he and several others caught up with the ox cart, surrounding Lin Shuishi and the others with knives and clubs, clearly intending to attack.

“Leave no one alive, so the city guards won’t find out,” Lin Shuishi heard one of them say, and his heart sank. The driver shouted for Lin Shuishi and the others to jump from the cart and hide in the forest while he tried to escape. The group of robbers immediately rushed forward.

Cheng’an pulled Lin Shuishi to run, but soon several stones were hurled at them, hitting them hard. This was clearly a tactic the robbers often used to chase down their victims. Cheng’an, who was still young and not very strong, was hit on the head and fainted.

Lin Shuishi couldn’t abandon Cheng’an, so he drew a kitchen knife from the basket and guarded Cheng’an, slashing at an approaching robber and wounding him. But the rest of the robbers, armed with knives and clubs, were determined to beat Lin Shuishi to death.

At that moment, the little wolf in the basket leaped out, no longer playful and mischievous, but showing the fierce and ruthless nature of a direct descendant of the wolf king. It bristled its fur, bared its sharp teeth, and stood protectively in front of Lin Shuishi, letting out a chilling howl that echoed across the wilderness.

The robbers hesitated at the sound of the howl, but the leader quickly ordered, “Quick, kill it first!”

The little white wolf, however, was incredibly agile. It immediately pounced on one man’s head, clawing out his eyes before sinking its teeth into his throat with the deadly precision of a hunting wolf. The others, ignoring their screaming companion, took advantage of the opening to rush at Lin Shuishi.

Lin Shuishi’s body trembled, but he gritted his teeth, gripping the kitchen knife tightly, determined to take at least one of them down with him.

One of the robbers, with yellowed teeth, charged at Lin Shuishi. In desperate fear, Lin Shuishi shut his eyes and swung the knife with all his strength.

But instead of striking flesh, he heard a bloodcurdling scream from the other side, followed by silence. Lin Shuishi opened his eyes and exhaled in relief, his body instinctively relaxing, a sense of safety washing over him.

A towering figure stood before him, solid and imposing. With his powerful right arm, he lifted the robber by the throat, hoisting him high off the ground. Lin Shuishi heard a sickening crack, and the yellow-toothed robber went limp, his limbs dangling uselessly, before being flung far away by Fuli.

The remaining robbers, seeing this, immediately fled. They had carefully planned this ambush, knowing there were only three people in the ox cart—two of whom were either elderly or young, and the third being a seemingly weak ger with a barely noticeable birthmark. Their intention was to kill, loot, and leave no witnesses—a practice they were well-accustomed to.

But who could have predicted that such a fierce figure would appear out of nowhere? They watched in terror as this massive, intimidating man silently leaped out of the forest. His strange appearance, with eyes that glowed a reddish-gold and an aura brimming with murderous intent, was terrifying enough. In just one swift move, he had snapped the neck of one of their comrades.

Fuli, consumed by rage, immediately pounced on the remaining men. In just a few moves, they were left bloody and battered. However, he didn’t kill them outright—he seemed intent on tearing off their limbs, torturing them to death. Wolves typically kill with a single blow, respecting life even as they hunt, offering this final mercy to their prey.

But Fuli had broken this rule. He tilted his head slightly, baring his chillingly sharp teeth, his eyes blood-red, overtaken by a violent and beastly nature.

Even the little wolf nearby was frightened by this side of Fuli. Its mouth still stained with blood, it retreated, ears flattened in submission, and whimpered as it moved closer to Lin Shuishi for protection.

This was a side of Fuli that Lin Shuishi had never seen before—wild and ferocious, a beast reveling in bloodshed and death.

But despite his hesitation, Lin Shuishi tightened his grip, summoning the courage to softly call out to him from behind.

“Fuli… Fuli.”

“Let’s… let’s go home.”