Ch 51: My Wolf Husband

So, on the mountain ridge of the wolf den after the rain, with the spring breeze gently blowing and the morning glow in the sky, a rare scene unfolded. A group of mother wolves, all tending to their pups, gathered in a circle, chatting quietly among themselves, watching the unusual sight on the ridge.

In the center of the circle stood a small black bear cub, with only a slight patch of white fur on its chest. The cub looked around in confusion, its little paws hanging down, standing upright amidst the wolf pack.

Next to the bear cub sat a dirty little wolf, obediently seated but clearly feeling guilty, occasionally glancing nervously at Fuli and Lin Shuishi, who stood behind the wolf pack.

Lin Shuishi, however, was completely charmed by the clueless bear cub, stomping his feet in delight. He kept tugging on Fuli’s arm, exclaiming, “Hahaha, Fuli, look at it! It’s so clumsy and goofy, hahaha, pitch black!”

Then, with his hands on his hips, he laughed again.

Fuli looked at his excited partner with some confusion. It’s just a bear cub that hasn’t even been weaned yet—what’s so special?

But this little bear was clearly well-fed by its mother. Even though it had just woken up from hibernation, it was plump and chubby, all round and full of meat.

After being separated from its mother and siblings, the little bear had been hiding from the male bear while trying to find its mother. Who would have thought it would run into a little wolf, and surprisingly, they got along well? So, the bear cub ended up being brought back to the wolf den, quite by accident.

Surrounded by so many tall white wolves, the bear cub didn’t seem panicked. It was too young to know fear, and its mother hadn’t yet taught it that white wolves were even more dangerous than male bears.

So, the little bear stood there, a bit nervous but mostly clueless about the situation.

The white wolf pack’s den was an ancient place, guarded strictly, not allowing other species to enter. But today was different—first, because the little white wolf had brought the cub back itself, and second, because the bear cub was just a milk-scented baby with no threat whatsoever.

Fuli immediately recognized it as a lost young animal that had somehow been brought back by the little cub. This place was no ordinary location! Even if the mother bear knew her cub was on the ridge, she wouldn’t dare come looking for it, no matter how brave she was.

So, Fuli stepped forward, and the mother wolves made way for him. Lin Shuishi watched as Fuli grabbed the scruffs of the two little creatures—one in each hand—and in just a few swift steps, carried them down the mountain to the river on the edge of the distant grassland. There, he tossed the two muddy creatures into the water and gave them a thorough wash.

When the little wolf emerged from the water, it was clean and white. But when the bear cub emerged, it was still pitch black!

In the end, the white wolves allowed the lost little bear to temporarily stay near the outskirts of the wolf den, where it could be protected without hindering the mother bear from finding her cub.

Whenever Lin Shuishi had some free time, he would make a batch of flatbreads and eagerly hop down the mountain to feed the black bear baby. The little bear loved the sweet, fragrant flatbreads so much that whenever it heard Lin Shuishi’s footsteps, no matter where it was or what it was doing, it would drop everything and come running immediately.

Once, the bear cub was busy eating moth larvae in a crevice when it heard Lin Shuishi approaching. It tried to pull its head out in a hurry, but it got stuck.

That day, Lin Shuishi laughed so hard his stomach hurt as he watched the little bear struggle to free itself, its backside sticking out as it pulled with all its might. Unable to help, he was relieved when the patrolling wolf king happened to pass by and, with a few swift swipes, widened the crevice. The bear cub finally freed itself, letting out little “ah ah” noises as it pressed its paws against the rock and pushed backward. It lost its balance, plopped down on its rear, and rolled quite a distance before coming to a stop.

After being rescued, the bear cub stumbled its way to Lin Shuishi, burying its fluffy head in his lap and nuzzling for a long time to calm down before devouring a whole basket of flatbreads.

The wolf king eyed the clumsy bear, then glanced at his own mischievous pup, thinking, “Well, like wolf, like companion!”

Look at his brother, the mountain’s beast king! And then look at his foolish son’s companion, the one who got its head stuck in a crevice…

Sigh, it’s not even worth mentioning. Better head back to the den and check on my mate—she’s due to give birth any day now!

But Lin Shuishi was very fond of these two “little fools.” He even asked Fuli to help look for the mother bear while patrolling. Bears usually raise their cubs for about two years before they part ways; leaving too early means the cub won’t learn the necessary survival skills. Every species has its own way of passing down knowledge—no one else can do it for them.

After feeding the two little ones, Lin Shuishi took advantage of the early hour and headed down into the forest with a basket on his back. He had a lot of tasks to do.

After the spring rains, everything in the mountains came back to life, with wild vegetables and mushrooms growing like crazy!

Especially in a forested area by the river at the foot of the mountain—it was moist and sunny, making it a perfect spot for wild vegetables to thrive. Not only did Lin Shuishi come to gather food, but deer, pikas, and other animals also gathered here to enjoy the first tender greens of spring.

Having grown up in the city, Lin Shuishi didn’t know many wild vegetables; he only recognized a few types, knowledge left over from Shui Ge’er’s meager farming memories. The forest was lush, with various green plants sprouting from the dried leaves in clusters, but he only harvested what he knew, like water celery and spiny shoot tips, so his haul was modest.

It wasn’t until he and a pika spotted the same clump of tender water celery that Lin Shuishi stepped aside with a smile, letting the round-eared creature have it. The pika hesitated for a moment before nibbling off the stem and dragging its prize back to its burrow.

When Lin Shuishi picked up a stick and resumed his search, the pika returned. It stood at a distance, watching him cautiously, licking its tiny paws and wiping its face. Finally, seeing that Lin Shuishi posed no real threat, it scurried closer.

After that, Lin Shuishi followed the pika as it led him to many wild vegetables he didn’t recognize. The little creature would proudly carry a small bundle of plants in its mouth, show them off to Lin Shuishi, and then dash back to its nest in the rocky hillside.

Pikas are experts at collecting high-quality wild vegetables. They carefully select and gather plants during the spring when vegetation is most nutritious, then carry them back to their burrows to dry and store for the winter. Unlike many other animals, pikas don’t hibernate—they rely on their bountiful stores to survive the cold season, much like humans.

The little pika tirelessly darted back and forth between the mountainside and the forest, and thanks to its “guidance,” Lin Shuishi found an abundance of juicy wild greens. He even discovered some wild onions and garlic sprouts along the forest’s edge! A quick taste revealed their familiar, sharp flavor, and he was thrilled.

Lin Shuishi carefully dug them up, roots and all, planning to plant them in the garden behind the wolf den, hoping they would take root, grow, and produce seeds!

The vibrant afternoon sun began to wane, and the land gradually cooled. Winter’s chill hadn’t fully left, and frost still formed at night.

Lin Shuishi wiped the light sweat from his brow, hoisted the heavy basket onto his back, and started walking out of the forest.

On the vast grassland beyond, scattered herds of deer and cattle continued grazing on the lush green grass. Many had new calves, who frolicked under the protection of their herds, innocent and carefree. When they grew hungry, they would nuzzle up to their mothers, who were still grazing, and eagerly suckle the rich milk.

The orange-red sunlight bathed the earth, and the blue sky met the endless grasslands at the horizon, blending seamlessly together.

Against the light, the sun hung between the earth and sky, casting rays that illuminated the tiny particles drifting through the air—perhaps seeds floating on the breeze or winter fur shed by the animals.

Through this glowing haze, Fuli appeared, his tall figure breaking through the shimmering curtain as he made his way from the distant mountains. His strong silhouette, bathed in the sunlight, moved closer step by step until he stood before Lin Shuishi.

He relaxed his expression and smiled at the slightly sweaty youth. Lin Shuishi’s heart raced—he truly loved this man. Even after spending every day together, he couldn’t control the surge of affection and desire he felt. Each morning when he opened his eyes and saw Fuli’s ruggedly handsome face, he felt an overwhelming sense of happiness.

He was willing to spend his days in this remote wilderness, by his beast’s side, from the prime of their youth to their twilight years.

Lin Shuishi had already set down the basket and leaped into Fuli’s arms. Fuli embraced his partner, nuzzling his little nose and planting several warm kisses. Then, he bent down, picked up the basket with one arm, and with Lin Shuishi still in his embrace, began the journey back to their den.

Fuli wasn’t like Lin Shuishi, who could express his feelings through tender and moving words of love. But he had a broad chest and a warm, strong body…

In the mountains, time seemed to stand still, and before they knew it, another full moon night had arrived. Lin Shuishi looked up at the bright silver moon hanging in the night sky, feeling a wave of unease.

He had come to understand the patterns of Fuli’s bodily changes, which often occurred when his emotions were extremely heightened or during the full moon. Lin Shuishi tried to comprehend the reasons behind these transformations. Could it be that the magnetic fields between the earth and the moon triggered the release of certain substances in Fuli’s body? Or was it the moonlight itself that affected their kind?

Lin Shuishi didn’t know the answer and could only hope that Fuli would endure the night without losing his sanity and transforming into his beast form.

As Fuli’s emotions had become more stable and the effects of “maturity” had taken hold, he had grown more composed during this time. Whereas in the past, he might have completely transformed into a giant wolf, now he could, with his partner’s soothing presence, display only partial beastly traits and still get through the night.

Perhaps one day, he might even be able to transform at will.

However, Fuli was still somewhat restless today. Not wanting to be confined in the den, he retracted his claws and, with Lin Shuishi on his back, freely leapt through the mountains and forests, which brought him a sense of exhilaration.

Lin Shuishi also enjoyed this experience. Lying on the man’s back, he felt a deep sense of peace, combined with the thrill of rushing through the air at high speed. The cool breeze brushed his cheeks, the stars guided their way, and in an instant, the rugged mountains turned into smooth plains.

This was something he had always longed for—to have strong legs that could carry him across the vast mountains.

As Fuli ran, he eventually let out a joyful howl toward the moon, prompting the wolves of Dongshan to join in, their voices echoing through the mountains and valleys, ancient and majestic.

Lin Shuishi gently patted Fuli’s shoulder and back in a calming gesture, but he soon noticed that Fuli’s spine was beginning to protrude, and he heard the “crackling” sound of bones shifting. Before he could react, he suddenly found his field of vision expanding, the ground growing farther and farther away.

Looking down, he realized that the form beneath him was no longer human. The fur surrounding him was soft and thick, glowing with a silvery sheen under the moonlight. The giant beast leaped powerfully and gracefully, covering vast distances with ease, as if it could clear an entire forest in a single bound.

Lin Shuishi feared that Fuli might be losing control of his mind, so he quickly wrapped his arms around the giant wolf’s neck and called out, “Fuli, are you alright? Fuli!”

The giant wolf immediately halted its steps and turned to look at Lin Shuishi.

Lin Shuishi saw that the golden fur extending from the wolf’s eyes to its ears gleamed brightly, exuding a majestic aura. Its sharp, beastly fangs were fearsome, but those familiar dark-golden eyes looked back at him with tenderness and love.