Ch 50: My Wolf Husband

The two of them washed away the last traces of dust from the gorge in the warm spring water. Lin Shuishi gazed at the azure sky and the glowing mist, determined to bury the memory of that cold, dark valley deep within him.

As the evening light began to fade, Fuli rose from the upstream of the wolf spring, the warm water cascading down his muscular, sun-kissed back before rejoining the misty spring. He walked, unclothed, toward the small figure hidden behind a rock wall, noticing how Lin Shuishi’s face was flushed as he remained in the water, comfortably drowsy.

Fuli dove back into the pool, swimming to Lin Shuishi’s feet. He saw the two delicate feet balancing alternately on one leg, trying to avoid the hot spots at the bottom of the pool—adorable. Feeling a warmth inside him, Fuli didn’t act rashly but instead gently lifted Lin Shuishi out of the water from below.

Lin Shuishi, still in a daze, didn’t notice Fuli approaching due to the loud noise from the nearby geyser. Suddenly feeling himself being lifted out of the water, he panicked and instinctively clamped his legs together, only to realize that he was now straddling Fuli’s broad shoulders!

Being so high up, Lin Shuishi instinctively grabbed Fuli’s head for balance, his irritation causing him to pinch the man’s soft ears.

“You scared me! Put me down, I’m not dressed.”

Fuli remained silent, simply gripping Lin Shuishi’s calves with his large hands as he waded towards the shore where their clothes were.

After a bit of effort, they finally got dressed, though Fuli’s ears were red from the pinching, and Lin Shuishi wasn’t about to let him off the hook, knowing how docile his beast became when satisfied.

They returned to the wolf den before nightfall, encountering several patrols along the way, a clear sign that the wolf king had indeed tightened security.

As soon as they reached the mountain ridge, Lin Shuishi hurried to their den. He sighed in relief when he saw that his little gray wolves were still nestled in the basket on the soft wool, all huddled together, sleeping soundly.

The pups’ bellies rose and fell gently as they occasionally twitched their soft, pink paws in their dreams. Lin Shuishi found them irresistibly cute and lay by the basket with his chin resting on his hands, feet kicking the air as he happily watched the little pups.

Seeing his companion like this, Fuli approached and picked up the basket of pups, carrying it to a female wolf in the pack who was responsible for caring for the young. Although she hadn’t had pups of her own, such females would naturally produce milk during this season to feed the pack’s young while the others were out hunting.

Lin Shuishi, seemingly in a daze, followed Fuli to the narrow den of the female wolf. It wasn’t until he saw the pups being placed on the ground and eagerly crawling toward the source of milk that he finally snapped out of it.

The nursing female wolf noticed that Lin Shuishi hadn’t left and was still quietly squatting beside her. With a look of understanding, she shifted her body and lifted her hind leg, exposing her belly to Lin Shuishi.

It was as if she was saying, “Do you want some? Go ahead!”

Lin Shuishi was confused, thinking he was supposed to help with something. He turned to look at Fuli for guidance. Fuli, standing outside the den with a slight smile, crossed his arms and said, “She’s asking if you want to drink.”

Lin Shuishi’s face turned black with embarrassment, and he quickly shook his head and waved his hands at the female wolf. “No, no, no, I don’t want any! Thank you, thank you.”

With that, Lin Shuishi regretfully watched the fluffy little gray wolf pups. He truly lacked experience in caring for unweaned pups, and most importantly, he didn’t have any milk.

Fuli sighed at the pitiful expression of his little mate and, with a click of his tongue, bent down, picked up Lin Shuishi, and carried him out of the den. Lin Shuishi didn’t resist; he just hung limply over the man’s shoulder, still pouting as he looked back at the happily drinking “puppies.”

Back in their own den, Fuli immediately pounced on Lin Shuishi, but Lin Shuishi was still thinking about the pups and didn’t fully cooperate. When Fuli started pulling at his clothes, Lin Shuishi protested, “Hey, I told you, not today! It’s all chafed, and you’re still going at it!”

But Fuli, emanating heat, grinned as he whispered with a low, teasing tone, “Just a little taste.”

…

Recently, Little White Wolf had come to deeply understand the frustrations of growing up.

Lin Shuishi could no longer easily lift him, and these past few days, he hadn’t been leaving the den much. Mother Wolf King had given birth to another litter and was busy nursing every day. Even the other young wolves in the pack were under strict supervision due to the increased security and weren’t allowed to roam freely.

This left Little White Wolf sitting alone on the mountain ridge, lamenting his lonely freedom.

Sometimes, he even felt that he was now a big wolf, ready to embrace exploration and adventure. So, on one dark and windy night, not even five months old, Little White Wolf made the bold decision to “run away from home.”

The wolf pack’s guards didn’t pay much attention to the sneaky little thing. After all, who hadn’t gone through a rebellious phase? As long as they patrolled properly, there wouldn’t be any major issues.

The Wolf King didn’t interfere either. At this age, when young wolves believe they can do anything, it’s essential to let them learn to distinguish between friends and foes, to assess strength and weakness. Nature itself will select and eliminate.

However, the little wolf’s luck wasn’t great. On its first adventure, it encountered the first torrential rain of the spring season.

The wolf set out on a night with a bright full moon, but by the next day, the weather on Dongshan had suddenly changed. Strong winds blew everywhere, almost breaking the trees. Dark clouds gathered ominously overhead, swirling and rolling as if a giant beast was roaring in the sky.

In no time, lightning tore through the clouds, illuminating half the sky, followed by the deafening sound of thunder. Dongshan revealed its unpredictable and violent side, hidden beneath its gentle exterior.

The little white wolf was born in winter and had never experienced the rainy season…

It curled up, seeking shelter in a hollow of a dead tree, while the torrential rain poured down, the relentless “pitter-patter” sounding like the sky was falling.

As it huddled deeper into the tree for safety, it suddenly bumped into something soft and warm. Both creatures immediately turned around, assuming defensive postures.

So, amidst the pouring rain outside, a wolf and a bear cub, both young and inexperienced, faced each other in silence, each guarding their end of the hollow tree.

The rain continued, and as the standoff stretched on, both little creatures began to feel the pangs of hunger. The bear cub’s nose twitched, and it turned its attention to a tree root, where it started digging with its paws, unearthing some tree grubs—a delicacy in the forest.

In the soft sounds of chewing, the two cubs found a truce and an understanding.

Meanwhile, in a dry den lined with soft animal pelts, Lin Shuishi leaned against his strong companion, listening to the gradually softening sound of the rain outside. He yawned, feeling drowsy. His thoughts were hazy but hopeful: the spring rain had come, and the seeds he planted would surely sprout. The mountains would flourish, offering plenty of things to harvest after the rain, and maybe he could even go fishing in the river!

With these pleasant thoughts, Lin Shuishi drifted back to sleep. Fuli, seeing his once-chatty partner now quiet, adjusted his position and pulled Lin Shuishi closer.

But Lin Shuishi’s visions were already being realized by the little wolf.

The wolf and the bear cub, after waiting out the rain for a whole day, finally saw the downpour subside. The rain no longer fell so heavily that it blurred the line between sky and earth.

The lost bear cub hadn’t found its mother but had gained a “playmate.” So, an unusual duo emerged: the little bear, emboldened, led the white wolf out into the rain. They made their way to a river, where they began to hunt.

The little bear imitated its mother, diving into the river to search for fish and clams. The white wolf, naturally good at swimming, followed suit, diving in and, more often than not, coming up with something in its mouth.

The heavy rain had driven the fish and shrimp toward the surface, making it easy for the two inexperienced cubs to feast to their hearts’ content.

But then, the little white wolf suddenly perked up its ears and let out a low growl, backing away from the riverbank. The black bear cub, slower to react, continued gnawing on the fresh fish, savoring the fatty belly.

The little wolf saw what was happening and quickly bit the bear cub. The bear, confused, turned its head and saw a massive adult bear closing in on them.

The bear cub immediately dropped the fish it was holding and turned to run. The white wolf, seeing its ally fleeing without even attempting to fight, also lost its courage and followed suit, swimming across the river and racing through the rain. But the enraged male bear didn’t give up; it wanted to kill the female bear’s cubs so that it could have a chance to sire its offspring.

The mother bear and her cubs had already been separated during the chase, and now the cub was in grave danger, unlikely to survive on its own. The male bear roared and pursued them through the rain, drawing closer with every step.

In the face of this relentless pursuit, the little wolf was suddenly stirred by the pride and fierce nature of its bloodline! It stopped in its tracks, stood its ground, and its blue eyes darkened in color. Though its fur was soaked and matted against its body, this did nothing to diminish the ferocity in its veins! The little wolf lifted its head and let out a long howl towards the gray, overcast sky.

The howl cut through the heavy rain, echoing across the land and prompting a chorus of responses from the pack. The male bear, cautious, paused and listened to the howls surrounding it. The bear’s eyes filled with suspicion as it sized up the young wolf. Despite its youth, the wolf stood firm, exuding a fierce determination and authority.

In the end, the male bear retreated, abandoning its pursuit of the bear cub. Surrounded by the howls of the wolves, it withdrew back into the forest.

The little wolf had won. With its young voice, it had issued its first command as a future king, and the pack had responded. From that moment on, a new white wolf was recognized as a future leader, even though it was still very young.

In the den, Fuli listened intently to the sounds of the mountains. Finally, he relaxed, contentedly holding his companion as they slept. During this first spring rain, the small figure in his arms seemed especially sleepy.

The next day, Dongshan was bathed in sunlight, and the sky was a clear, brilliant blue.

Lin Shuishi stretched, yawning as he realized he had a full day ahead of him. Holding his basket, he stood on the mountain ridge and looked out in amazement.

In just two days and one night, the entire Dongshan had come to life after the cleansing spring rain! The mountains were blanketed in a sudden burst of green, and the grasslands were dotted with patches of wildflowers, their colors forming waves in the breeze. The air was filled with the fresh, sweet scent of rain-kissed vegetation.

Lin Shuishi felt a deep sense of peace and contentment.

But just as he was soaking in the serenity, he caught sight of something moving quickly toward him—a clump of mud! Lin Shuishi jumped aside, and the “mud clump” shook itself vigorously, revealing a glimpse of its original appearance.

It was none other than the little white wolf that had run away! Knowing it was in for a scolding, the wolf tried to win over Lin Shuishi, who always doted on it.

Lin Shuishi watched as the dirty little creature, wagging its tail and squinting its eyes, approached him. Then, it quickly turned and fetched a large fish from the nearby bushes, presenting it to him as a gift.

Just as Lin Shuishi was about to comment, the little wolf, thinking its bribe had worked and everything was settled, turned its head and called out behind a crooked tree.

A chubby, pitch-black bear cub timidly peeked out from behind the tree, its black bead-like eyes blinking innocently as it stared at Lin Shuishi.

“?” “!”