Ch 81: My Wolf Husband

Fuli lowered his head, took a step back, grinning mischievously as he clasped his hands together in a cheeky salute to his little companion.

He didn’t say a word, just suddenly leaned forward, bowing his head close—so close that his delicate face nearly touched Lin Shuishi’s, their noses brushing together, as if he were about to kiss him.

Just beyond the trees was the bustling main road, where the faint creaking of wooden cart wheels could be heard as peddlers passed by. If he were to be pinned down and kissed by this man in such a place…

Lin Shuishi’s heart tightened, and his face instantly flushed a deep red, all the way to the tips of his ears. Embarrassed, he backed away.

He was just about to raise a hand to push the other man away when he saw a flicker in Fuli’s eyes, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Then, as if nothing had happened, Fuli straightened up, casually strolling forward.

“…?” Lin Shuishi froze, only realizing after a moment—he had been teased!

Angry, he let out a sharp “Hey!” before rolling up his sleeves. His eyes swept across the grassy ground, quickly spotting a thin willow branch, which he grabbed before charging forward.

“Stop! You stop right there! What’s so great about being a wolf god? If you have the guts, fight me fair and square!”

Fuli didn’t dare to run too fast, afraid that the little one—who wasn’t the most agile on his feet—might trip and fall. So he continued his leisurely strides, his long legs moving at an unhurried pace. He even had the leisure to glance back, waiting for Lin Shuishi to catch up, before allowing the willow branch to land on him with a series of angry little smacks.

Lin Shuishi gritted his teeth, swinging the branch with all his might, huffing and puffing as he “punished” Fuli. But Fuli’s tough frame barely felt any pain—only a faint tickling sensation where the slender branch grazed his skin.

However, the wolf god’s descendant had grown more cunning with age. He knew that now was not the time to embarrass the little one, so he put on an exaggerated show, baring his teeth and sucking in sharp breaths as if he were truly in pain.

Satisfied, Lin Shuishi tossed aside the branch, planting his hands on his hips in triumph. “Hmph! Now you know how powerful I am! That’ll teach you to respect your husband!”

Fuli couldn’t hold back his laughter. Tilting his head back, he let out a chuckle before finally pulling Lin Shuishi into his arms, pressing him close.

Under the dense shade of the trees, Lin Shuishi was held tightly in Fuli’s embrace, like a small creature being placated by a giant beast. The man nuzzled against him, his thick, dark hair brushing against Lin Shuishi’s face, making his skin tingle.

Fuli had changed a lot recently. He had softened, relaxed, and even taken to teasing him now and then.

And yet, somehow, Lin Shuishi felt happy. His heart was warm, full to the point of overflowing. So, amid the chorus of cicadas and birds in the forest, Lin Shuishi wrapped his arms around Fuli’s broad, strong back, tilting his head up with a goofy smile.

After a long moment, Lin Shuishi finally tried to push Fuli away so they could continue on their way. But before he could break free, Fuli suddenly lifted a leg and sent a swift kick toward a nearby piece of rotting wood, sending it flying straight toward the main road.

A moment later, a clamor of voices erupted from outside the forest—sounds of goods being unloaded, accompanied by loud calls.

“Which hero lent us a hand? Please, come out and let us offer our thanks!”

Lin Shuishi hurriedly pushed away from Fuli, quickly tidying his disheveled hair before stepping forward to return the salute.

The newcomer was a short, stocky man with a friendly face, clearly someone experienced in the ways of the world. But when he saw the towering, imposing Fuli standing beside Lin Shuishi, his heart nearly skipped a beat.

“What a formidable man!” he thought to himself. He had traveled far and wide as a peddler and had seen all sorts of people, yet something about this man unsettled him.

Still, since the stranger had lent a helping hand, and the younger one beside him seemed amiable enough, the peddler stepped forward to express his gratitude.

“My old wooden cart has been falling apart for years. It just hit a rock and was about to collapse completely. If not for that timely piece of wood jamming the axle, my whole load would’ve ended up in the roadside ditch. Thank you, truly!” As he spoke, he reached into his pocket for some silver as a token of appreciation.

Lin Shuishi was surprised. How had Fuli known that the cart was about to break down? And how had he managed to kick that piece of wood so precisely?

But now wasn’t the time to ask. He hurriedly returned the gesture, declining the reward.

The peddler insisted, saying that debts of gratitude must be repaid. Unable to refuse any longer, Lin Shuishi asked, “Are you a traveling merchant?”

He had heard from Old Zheng that whenever his family went to town, they always timed it with the arrival of traveling merchants so they could stock up on whatever they lacked.

And now, he had run into one by chance!

This was perfect—he had been fretting over how to buy supplies in town without attracting attention. Fuli was too conspicuous; he towered over the average townsfolk like a giant among men, and his striking looks made him impossible to ignore. But Fuli stubbornly refused to let Lin Shuishi go alone, so in the end, he had only managed to grab some medicine before heading straight back.

“Indeed, indeed! My partner and I are bringing several carts of goods into the city. After the recent war, people are eager to buy supplies.” The merchant glanced at the silver in his hand, then at the two men who had declined his offer, before putting the money away with a chuckle.

“How about this—why don’t you take a look at my wares? Since the axle needs repairs, we’ve already unloaded everything. I’ve set up a small stall; you’re welcome to browse!”

Lin Shuishi’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly tugged Fuli toward the roadside. “That sounds great! Thank you!”

Before long, passersby noticed the peddler’s makeshift stall, laid out with all sorts of goods—sewing needles, seasonings, soap for laundry, women’s cosmetics, clothing, paper fans, ceramic bowls, iron tools—everything imaginable!

Yet, many hesitated to approach. The reason? A towering, intimidating man with piercing golden eyes stood by the cart, looking almost fearsome under the sunlight.

Lin Shuishi, however, paid no mind. He was thoroughly engrossed in his shopping. It was funny—before seeing the items, he hadn’t thought he needed much. But now that everything was laid out before him, he felt like he lacked everything!

He even found a few door hinges. “Who knows,” he thought, “maybe one day I’ll need to install a door!”

Grinning widely, he turned back and flashed a thumbs-up at Fuli. That kick of his had been incredible!

Fuli arched a brow. Somehow, he felt as though he had been praised in the strangest way.

Crossing his arms, he watched as his little companion busily moved from one item to the next, working with the same diligence as when gathering dry goods under the pines of Dongshan.

Of course, he had no idea what half of these things were for.

Lin Shuishi only gave him one simple instruction: “Carry them!”

By the time they finished, they had amassed two large sacks of supplies. As they prepared to leave, Lin Shuishi hesitated, then cleared his throat and asked the peddler, “Do you happen to have clothes for small children?”

The merchant blinked. “How small?”

“Uh… not born yet,” Lin Shuishi admitted awkwardly. He wasn’t even sure what kind of baby he’d have—would it have two legs or four?

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Fuli’s body shifted, his form rapidly changing. When he emerged from the trees, he had transformed into a massive white wolf, his powerful limbs propelling him forward, his silver-white fur flowing like clouds in the wind.

A true beast among men.

In the mountains, a woodcutter was chopping firewood in his yard, while his youngest son, leaning against the fence, watched the birds at play. Suddenly, the child pointed at the clear blue sky, his eyes widening in astonishment.

“Dad, Dad! Look! There’s a big white dog in the sky! I want it to come down and catch birds with me!”

Hearing this, the woodcutter wiped his sweat and looked up at the vast blue sky. “What big white dog? Whose dog can fly in the sky? Alright, enough playing around. Go tell your mother to start dinner!”

With a pout, the child ran back into the house, unhappy. A short while later, wisps of smoke began to rise from the chimney of the small home.

The child wasn’t wrong—there really was a “big white dog” in the sky. However, that “big white dog” had no time to play with him. It was currently carrying two heavy sacks on its back, along with Lin Shuishi, who was happily lying on the giant wolf’s back, humming a tune.

Seated atop the massive beast, Lin Shuishi was wrapped in the warmth of its thick fur, feeling utterly at ease as they made their carefree journey back to the wolf’s den. Once they arrived, he carefully unpacked the two large sacks, placing everything in order. Then, he reached into a brocade pouch tied at his waist, counting the remaining gold coins inside. The payment that Mr. Sun had given him for crafting the bed-mounted crossbow was still mostly untouched.

Gold and silver were of little use in the mountains. To the various creatures of Dongshan, human wealth and struggles amounted to nothing more than a pretty rock.

Fuli had been running the whole way back, and his fur was covered in dust. After making sure Lin Shuishi was settled in their warm and safe den, he immediately went off to bathe.

Lin Shuishi ignored the vague invitation from the giant wolf. He had to think about his stomach—he couldn’t afford to be reckless! Who knew what kind of trouble bathing together might lead to? That man had a record of mischief and was absolutely not to be trusted.

Since he still had energy, Lin Shuishi decided to give the den a thorough cleaning. He wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to move around freely—after all, this was his first time experiencing pregnancy as a man.

No experience. No reference…

The furs spread across the ground weren’t easy to clean, so he pulled them all out to sun-dry. The cabinets and shelves now had doors! He immediately set about nailing the hinges onto the wooden planks, leaving the final assembly for Fuli once he returned.

The ground of the wolf den was warm, making it a comfortable place to sleep. However, summer would bring mosquitoes, so he took the lightweight fabric he had bought and cut it into mosquito netting. Using bone nails, he secured it to the walls, creating a fully enclosed canopy over the sleeping area.

The blue fabric was incredibly light, and as the wind blew through the cave, the curtains billowed and swayed beautifully.

Before long, Fuli returned to the den in his human form, listening to Lin Shuishi’s instructions as he moved things around and helped decorate their home. When all was done, the place finally looked more like a proper home.

After finishing up, Lin Shuishi sat behind the bed curtain, finally mustering the courage to take out a piece of soft fabric. He wasn’t sure what it was made of, but the texture seemed perfect for making inner garments for a child.

The little one growing inside him would need clothes.

However, as he sat there, he felt a moment of awkward confusion. Even Fuli had no real ideas—having been raised by wolves, he naturally assumed, What’s there to think about? It’s a wolf, of course! What else would a mother wolf give birth to but wolf pups?

So… what kind of clothes should he make? Human ones? Wolf ones? Or… something in between?

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The next day, Fuli returned to the den carrying a large chunk of honeycomb, only to find Lin Shuishi crouched on the ground, fabric in hand, butt sticking up in the air as he worked diligently.

Lowering his gaze, Fuli noticed that the ground was scattered with fabric scraps, and several small garments were already laid out before him.

Their designs were… unique.

Some had wolf heads with human bodies. Some had human heads with wolf bodies. Others were split evenly—half-human on one side, half-wolf on the other…

Remembering how that tiny glowing orb had struggled as if constipated before finally squeezing out a tiny tail, Lin Shuishi sat up decisively, scissors in hand, and cut a round little hole into the backside of every single outfit.

Fuli didn’t understand much about clothing construction. However, seeing the sheer number of tiny garments spread before him, he nodded approvingly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.