Ch 54: My Wolf Husband

Before dawn, Lin Shuishi had already disguised Fuli.

The tall Fuli was dressed in a hunter’s outfit, which was essentially rough cloth clothes with a fur belt to indicate his status. A heavy bow was slung across his broad back, and Lin Shuishi even crudely crafted a few wooden arrows to place in a leather quiver as a prop.

Even Fuli’s unusual eyes were slightly concealed by a straw hat, making them less noticeable unless he looked up.

Lin Shuishi inspected him from head to toe and nodded in satisfaction. Although Fuli was uncomfortable in the unfamiliar fabric, he endured it well.

Lin Shuishi himself put on a fur cap to cover his short hair and then gathered all their belongings—a modest five taels of broken silver.

He then strapped on a sturdy wicker basket, confidently declaring that they were going to the town to see what was happening and spend all their money in the process!

As they reached the foot of Dongshan, Lin Shuishi noticed the wild deer and sheep running through the forest and had an idea.

“Fuli, let’s catch one to bring along. We can sell it in town, which will not only get us some silver but also solidify our cover as hunters.”

Fuli nodded, put Lin Shuishi down, and prepared to pounce on a strong buck not far away. But Lin Shuishi quickly called out, “Hey! Don’t bite it to death; that’s too obvious. Use the bow and arrows!”

Fuli looked at the arrows in the quiver at his waist, then at the deer, and didn’t move. It was then that Lin Shuishi realized Fuli might not know how to use a bow!

“You might want to…” Before he could finish his sentence, Fuli’s eyes darkened, and he pulled out a not-so-sharp wooden arrow. His muscular arms extended as he took a stance to throw it.

Lin Shuishi heard a sharp “whoosh,” and the wooden arrow flew from Fuli’s hand with a powerful force, straight towards the buck’s vital point in its neck.

The arrow, driven by an intense energy, pierced through the buck’s neck and embedded itself deeply into a nearby tree before coming to a stop.

Lin Shuishi watched the fat buck collapse, blood flowing from its wound, and swallowed the rest of his words. This man didn’t need to be taught how to hunt; the recent tenderness between them had almost made him forget that Fuli was such a fierce and ruthless beast by nature!

Hunting was imprinted in his genes, an instinct and natural ability, even with something as crude as a split wooden arrow.

Fuli didn’t think there was anything unusual about it. He had followed his little mate’s command and used this awkward method of hunting. So, with one hand holding the still-bleeding deer and the other arm wrapped around Lin Shuishi, Fuli effortlessly sprinted down the mountain without slowing.

Lin Shuishi didn’t return to Rehe Village. The people of the Zheng family and several villagers had witnessed Fuli’s beast transformation and his savage and violent act of tearing apart the bear. Lin Shuishi didn’t know how to explain such a scene, so he decided it was better not to see them. Instead, he occasionally sent some food and mountain produce to let them know he was still alive and well, and left it at that.

So the two headed directly towards the county town. Fuli took a route through dense forests, so they didn’t encounter many people along the way. It wasn’t until they reached the city gates that they emerged from the wilderness.

The refugees who had surrounded the city earlier were long gone, and the porridge distribution shelters at the gate had been converted into checkpoints. Lin Shuishi was slightly surprised by the sight.

“Huh? The refugees have all left, but the guard seems to be even stricter now.” As Lin Shuishi felt a bit uneasy, a caravan escorted by several strong bodyguards, carrying a large amount of goods, approached the city.

At that moment, Fuli made a swift leap, discreetly following the caravan towards the city gate. The caravan seemed to be local, familiar with the city guards, or perhaps they had some connections, as they were easily allowed through.

Fuli and Lin Shuishi followed behind them without drawing much attention. The soldiers noticed Lin Shuishi, a soft-looking, smiling young man, and then glanced at the large man next to him carrying a deer and a bow.

“Where are you from, and what brings you to the city?” one of the guards asked.

Lin Shuishi smiled politely at the guard. “We’re hunters from the mountains. We got lucky yesterday and caught a deer, so we’ve come to the town to sell it and exchange it for some rice.”

With that, Lin Shuishi pulled a few dates from his basket and handed them to the lead guard. “These are wild fruits from the mountains. Please, have a taste!”

The guard, who had already been impressed by Fuli’s imposing stature, was further convinced by the sight of Lin Shuishi’s well-mannered behavior. Seeing that they were a family, the guard assumed they weren’t dangerous and allowed them to pass.

“Once you’ve finished your business, head back quickly. It’s not safe these days,” the guard advised before waving them through.

Lin Shuishi wanted to ask for more details about the unrest but noticed a line of people waiting to enter the city. Reluctantly, he allowed Fuli to lead him inside.

This was Lin Shuishi’s second time visiting Dingping County, but the scene before him was very different.

Last time, it had been right before the New Year’s festival. Although there were some refugees outside the city, the bustling life inside the town remained unaffected. Now, the once-crowded main street was noticeably quieter, with only a few stalls selling essential spring planting seeds.

Fuli observed the few vendors and, without waiting for instructions from Lin Shuishi, bent down to pick up a stone, drew a circle on the ground, and threw the deer inside, signaling it was for sale.

Lin Shuishi blinked in surprise, deeply impressed by Fuli’s proactive approach. He couldn’t help but grin and give Fuli a thumbs-up with a playful smile.

Fuli remained on high alert amidst the crowd, his senses keenly attuned to their surroundings, muscles tense. But seeing his little mate’s playful gesture brought a smile to his face, and he allowed himself to relax slightly while still keeping Lin Shuishi securely within his protective embrace.

The neighboring vendors, noticing such a robust hunter and the sight of the plump, sturdy deer on the ground, couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement. “Wow!” they thought. “This is quite a catch! A deer of this quality is rare. And just the antlers on that stag alone are worth some silver!” They began to whisper among themselves.

A kindly, round-faced vendor with a gentle expression cautiously approached the friendly-looking Lin Shuishi and asked, “Are you hunters from far away? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

Fuli, with the brim of his straw hat lowered, didn’t pay much attention to the harmless-looking vendor. Lin Shuishi, seeing an opportunity to gather some information, began chatting with the vendor. “Oh, we live up in the mountains and make a living by hunting. Now that spring is here, we finally managed to catch a stag and thought we’d come to the county to exchange it for some silver.”

Hearing this, the vendor, realizing that they were an unworldly young couple from the mountains, felt the need to offer some advice. “Oh, my! Your man is quite the strong and imposing figure. That’s good, but…”

Lin Shuishi asked, “But what?”

“Sigh! Things haven’t been very peaceful lately,” the vendor said, glancing around before lowering his voice. “I’ve heard that the barbarian tribes from beyond the border are preparing to invade. Those people are known to eat human flesh and drink blood! Just the other day, a batch of men was conscripted. The world is in turmoil. We, the four vendors here, can’t afford to let our fresh goods rot on our hands. You should sell your goods quickly and head back to the mountains.”

Lin Shuishi wanted to ask more, but the vendor waved him off, urging him to sell quickly and leave. If the recruiters saw his man with such a physique, they wouldn’t hesitate to draft him into the frontline!

Pondering over the vendor’s words for a while, Lin Shuishi was suddenly interrupted by another vendor, an old lady selling fresh pears. She laughed as she pointed at them. “Hey there, little husband! What are you standing around for? Start selling your goods already!”

Lin Shuishi was caught off guard and exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Fuli. “!”

One was socially awkward, and the other couldn’t even speak full sentences…

Seeing Fuli’s somewhat perplexed expression, Lin Shuishi couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter. His eyes curved into crescent shapes, and the small dimples on his cheeks became more pronounced. Even the faint pregnancy mark on his forehead seemed to glisten under the sunlight.

Fuli, gently touching his partner’s cheek, leaned down to kiss him, but Lin Shuishi quickly dodged. He then playfully smacked Fuli on the arm and, slightly blushing, nervously glanced around.

The old lady was still covering her mouth, laughing!

Lin Shuishi cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment, and said to her, “It’s fine, no need to shout. We only have this one deer. Anyone interested will see it and know.”

As Lin Shuishi continued chatting and gathering information about the area, he suddenly felt Fuli shift behind him, turning to look toward the far end of the street. Soon after, a commotion erupted from that direction!

“Get out of the way! Move! Hey, move aside!” A soldier’s panicked voice rang out, followed by the sight of a group of large yellow horses charging straight toward the crowd. The horses seemed spooked, running wildly down the street. The most alarming part was that one of the horses had a person tangled in the stirrup, barely holding onto the saddle. If he lost his grip, he would surely be dragged to his death.

In an instant, the horse reached the market stalls, rearing up and kicking over the old lady’s pear stand, sending pears rolling everywhere. The horse was about to trample the terrified, frozen old lady!

Just as Lin Shuishi was about to shout, Fuli darted forward with lightning speed. He leaped to the side of the panicked horse, grabbed the person tangled in the stirrup with one hand, and clamped down on the horse’s spine with the other. There was a loud thud as the horse, foaming at the mouth, was forced to the ground by Fuli, unable to move.

The nearby vendors, who had been scared out of their wits, finally snapped out of it. But when they saw Fuli’s exposed muscular frame and the aura of danger around him, they were frightened all over again, hesitating to approach. They couldn’t believe they had dared to speak to this man earlier!

Lin Shuishi quickly ran over and helped the gasping old lady to a safer spot.

By this time, the group chasing the horse had caught up. Seeing such an intimidating man pinning down their lieutenant general by the back, they instinctively reached for their swords in fear. Fuli’s eyes darkened, and his muscles tensed as he prepared to confront them.

But the man in Fuli’s grasp managed to weakly raise his hand and wave it in a rhythmic pattern, signaling to halt an unnecessary fight.

The soldiers sheathed their swords, and one cautiously stepped forward, saying, “Brave man, please, could you release our general?”

Lin Shuishi quickly stepped forward, intending to help the man, who looked weak in the legs, but Fuli blocked him, not allowing him to approach. Instead, Fuli swung his arm, tossing the man onto the chair where the old lady had been sitting earlier, before returning to Lin Shuishi’s side. He continued to stand protectively in front of his companion, facing off against the soldiers.

The rescued general hadn’t yet caught his breath to speak, so Lin Shuishi peeked out from behind Fuli’s broad back, nervously explaining, “Your horse got spooked and was about to trample someone, so my husband stopped it.” But as he spoke, Lin Shuishi grew more indignant, and despite being hidden behind Fuli, he wasn’t afraid and even bared his teeth in a soft but defiant manner. “He also saved your general, and now you’re drawing swords? Hmph! No good deed goes unpunished!”

The horse had bolted so quickly that the soldiers hadn’t fully grasped what had happened. But upon hearing Lin Shuishi’s explanation, they understood the situation. However, given the tense situation at the border, they couldn’t afford to let their guard down—what if these people were enemy spies?

Meanwhile, the man who had been slumped on the chair was now supported by a few personal guards and had regained some composure. Everyone looked at him, including the tense Lin Shuishi. The seemingly frail “general” took a while to catch his breath. In this highly charged atmosphere, he struggled to speak, managing to say, “Brave… man, very courageous! Have you considered joining the army?”

The other officers, now at ease, couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated. They thought to themselves that perhaps their general had become a bit obsessed with recruiting soldiers lately…