Chapter 109: Promise

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Promise

When Bai Wanwan woke up, she rolled over and murmured, "Zhu Xiu?"

She reached out but felt only emptiness.

That finally woke her completely. Clutching the blanket, she sat up and immediately spotted Zhu Xiu in his human form, busy at the stove.

The savory aroma of fish soup drifted over.

Bai Wanwan stretched lazily, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

She threw off the blanket, tiptoed behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Making fish soup so early in the morning? Are you feeling better?"

As she spoke, she tilted her head to look at Zhu Xiu’s face.

His incomparably handsome face was no longer deathly pale; it looked perfectly normal.

Even the look in his eyes was a fraction softer than before.

He grasped her fingers with one hand. "Don’t mess around. Go sit down, and I’ll get you some soup."

Instead of obeying, Bai Wanwan kept her arms around his waist and slipped in front of him, nuzzling against his chest. "Let me hug you a little longer."

Zhu Xiu put down what he was holding and easily lifted her. "My mating season is almost here. If you keep teasing me, I’ll get you pregnant with a litter of cubs right now."

Bai Wanwan laughed and surrendered. "Well, there’s no need to be in such a rush. I’ll go wash up first, then have the soup."

Zhu Xiu loosened his arms, and Bai Wanwan slid to the floor, slipping away like an eel.

The smile on Zhu Xiu’s face slowly faded.

’Before this, he really had wanted Wanwan to give him a litter of snake hatchlings.’

’Seeing that both Xin Feng and Chou Rong had their own cubs, Zhu Xiu was filled with envy. He desperately wanted to have a litter of his own with Wanwan.’

’But he hadn’t expected that the Energy Stone couldn’t completely suppress the Dark Curse; on the contrary, it exacerbated the frequency of his episodes.’

’The only benefit was the increase in his Talent Power.’

’Perhaps he needed more Energy Stones to stabilize the Dark Curse.’

’In his current state, he couldn’t even take proper care of Wanwan. If they had a litter of cubs, he would be even less capable of being a good Father Beast.’

Bai Wanwan quickly washed up, braided her long, jet-black hair into two loose plaits, and even tucked two small flowers into them.

When she finished getting ready and turned to look at Zhu Xiu, she found him still standing there in the same position.

She walked up to him quizzically, waving a hand in front of his face. "What are you thinking about? You’re completely lost in thought."

Zhu Xiu reached out, gently pulled her soft hand down, and held it. "Come have your fish soup."

Bai Wanwan let him lead her to a seat on the stone stool.

He placed the bowl of fish soup, now at the perfect temperature, in front of her.

She took it and had a sip.

It was savory and delicious; she couldn’t help but take another large gulp.

"Wanwan, I’m taking you back to the tribe later."

Bai Wanwan, who was in the middle of drinking her soup, nearly choked.

Only after swallowing did she raise her eyes to look at him. "Why are you sending me back? I want to stay and be with you."

’Though a part of her was conflicted and hesitant, she just had to remember that this poor soul had grown up lacking love and affection.’

’That thought alone was enough to pull her back from the brink of hesitation.’

’She would stay by his side, unwavering.’

"Life in the wild is difficult. The cubs are still little, and they need you."

Bai Wanwan sized him up. "But haven’t you recovered? Can’t you come back to the tribe with me?"

Zhu Xiu shook his head. "My condition is still unstable. I’ll take you back today and stay at the tribe for a couple of days. The next time I come see you will be after I’ve stabilized again."

"Then how long is this condition of yours going to last?"

’It can’t go on like this forever, right?’

’If this was going to be permanent, she’d have to hurry up, have several more litters, earn a lot more Points, and use those Points to get rid of the Dark Curse for him.’

Zhu Xiu didn’t know how long it would last, either. He still needed to find out where he could find more Energy Stones.

After finishing the rest of her fish soup, Bai Wanwan sat down on his lap.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him seriously in the eyes. "Zhu Xiu, I want to have a litter of snake cubs for you."

Bai Wanwan had no idea what a powerful effect those words had on a male.

Almost instantly, the faint red in Zhu Xiu’s eyes deepened to crimson, so intense it looked as if it might bleed.

The hand on her waist clearly tightened its grip.

A smile touched Bai Wanwan’s lips as she leaned close to his ear. "How about we make them right now?"

With a slight tug, Zhu Xiu pulled Bai Wanwan onto him, his arms wrapping around her tightly, as if trying to envelop her completely.

His kiss followed.

The kiss was fierce and urgent, as if he wanted to devour her whole.

A tingling sensation prickled Bai Wanwan’s scalp, and she couldn’t help but shudder.

She reached out to pull at his Beast Skin Skirt, but Zhu Xiu grabbed her wrist.

Bai Wanwan opened her eyes, looking at him in confusion.

His crimson eyes were thick with desire, yet he still didn’t let go of her wrist.

He only kissed her harder, deeper.

Just as she was about to be kissed into breathlessness, he finally let her go.

Panting, Bai Wanwan looked at him, her expression baffled and questioning.

’He was holding her hand, stopping her from going any further, yet he was kissing her so fiercely.’

’His behavior was a complete contradiction.’

Zhu Xiu raised his hand and wiped her bright red lips. "It’s getting late. I’ll take you back to the tribe."

Zhu Xiu pulled her to her feet.

"Wait..."

Bai Wanwan pulled him to a stop, taking two steps to stand before him and look up into his eyes.

"What was that all about just now? Isn’t there something you want to say to me?"

’She had been so proactive, yet he had resisted.’

Zhu Xiu sighed. "Wanwan, I’m under the Dark Curse. I could have an episode at any moment and hurt someone."

She looked up at him. "You’re lucid now, right?"

Zhu Xiu hummed in agreement. "I’d heard that Energy Stones could resist the backlash of the Dark Curse, which is why I was laying low in Wandering Beast City. But lately... as you’ve seen, my condition is becoming more and more unstable. In this state, I can’t take good care of you, let alone our cubs."

Bai Wanwan opened her mouth, wanting to say that she and Xin Feng would be there.

’But Xin Feng wasn’t a patsy. He had already helped Chou Rong care for his cubs once; they couldn’t just expect him to do it every single time.’

’Besides, Xin Feng’s own second litter of cubs needed his care now, too.’

’When it came to raising the cubs, she could only play a supporting role at best.’

’There were just so many cubs, and each one was so tough and boisterous. Once they got a little bigger, forget five—she would have a hard time even with just one.’

’Without Zhu Xiu by her side, she really wouldn’t be able to raise another litter of cubs properly.’

Seeing her frown, Zhu Xiu guessed she understood.

"Let’s go. I’ll take you back."

This time, Bai Wanwan didn’t say anything more, obediently letting his long tail coil around her.

From her position on his back, she stared at his enormous beast form.

She gently stroked his tail. "I’ll wait for you to get better. How about I give you two litters of cubs then, okay?"

Zhu Xiu’s slithering paused for a moment, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "Okay."

’He wanted to be with Wanwan forever and raise their cubs together.’

’Therefore, he would definitely find a way to break the Dark Curse on him.’

"Then you have to come back and stay with me for a couple of days every now and then."

"Okay. I’ll bring you back fish and shrimp."

"And a Snow Beast, too. I really like roasted Snow Beast Meat."

The two of them murmured to each other all the way down the mountain. Just as they entered the tribe, they heard a commotion.