Chapter 577: What’s Wrong With Me?

Qiao Xixi’s newly recovered clarity grew hazy once more under Yun Ji’s relentless offensive.

Parting her lips slightly, she responded to his growing passion. It wasn’t until both their breaths grew ragged that he finally gave her a moment of reprieve.

Finally able to catch her breath, Qiao Xixi regained a sliver of lucidity.

“When did you get here?” she asked.

“Just now.”

Qiao Xixi suddenly recalled Sangze telling her there would be a surprise tonight. She had assumed it would be a gift; she never expected the surprise to be Yun Ji. She nuzzled into his embrace, her joy palpable.

Sensing her closeness, Yun Ji’s usually aloof features softened with deep affection. His fingertips, still carrying the chill of the night, accurately found her burning ears. The touch was as light as falling snow, yet it made her go completely weak in the knees.

He lowered his gaze to look at her. His long eyelashes cast faint shadows, concealing the rare, scorching heat in his eyes. The surging possessiveness and tender devotion in his depths were reserved for her alone.

Her heart raced under his intense stare, and she instinctively shrank deeper into his arms.

“Why didn’t you send word that you were coming back?”

He leaned in, his warm breath brushing against the side of her neck. His voice was hoarse and trembling, completely stripped of its usual detachment. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

With that, he pressed a light kiss to her forehead. His lips trailed down slowly, brushing past her nose, before finally stopping right next to her lips. He wasn’t in a hurry to claim them, merely sharing her ragged breaths.

Gripping the hem of his shirt, Qiao Xixi took the initiative to peck his lips, then quickly darted back.

Yun Ji’s eyes darkened. He grabbed her waist and pulled her flush against him, his grip restrained but impossible to escape. His kiss landed heavier than before, yet it still carried his signature self-control. There was no desperate urgency to cross the line, only a lingering tenderness.

She closed her eyes and let him lead the rhythm of their descent. Her body went as soft as if she had no bones, melting entirely into his embrace.

His fingertips slowly rubbed her back with gentle, earnest strokes. His aloof voice, mixed with his warm breath, fell softly by her ear. “I’ve stepped down from my position. Soon, we’ll be able to stay together forever.”

Qiao Xixi’s nose stung. She raised her arms to loop around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Her soft voice was slightly nasal as she hummed, “Mhm.”

Yun Ji tightened his arms, practically embedding her into his chest. His aloofness was entirely gone, leaving only his heart and eyes full of her. In the dead of night, their breaths intertwined as the amorous atmosphere overflowed. In the moment of absolute union, their profound intimacy could no longer be hidden.

Intermittent moans escaped her lips as Qiao Xixi clung to him like a vine. The moonlight illuminated their pale skin, painting a beautiful picture akin to twin lotus flowers.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed before the noises in the room finally ceased.

Before closing her eyes, Qiao Xixi reached out to feel her wrist. She thought, “Huh? Where is the bracelet I was wearing?”

But she was far too exhausted to investigate further. Turning her head, she fell into a deep slumber.

Yun Ji held her close, the depths of his light-colored eyes filled with satiated contentment. He gazed at her, unwilling to close his eyes for a long, long time.

When Qiao Xixi woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. She reached out to feel the space beside her. When her hand met empty air, her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright.

An entire animal skin blanket was draped over her. Had it not been for the lingering aura she could still feel inside her body, she would have assumed last night was nothing but a steamy dream.

Qiao Xixi got out of bed and got dressed. Just as she was about to leave the room, she noticed a wooden box carved with phoenix motifs sitting on the table. She walked over and opened it. Inside lay a Flower Bell Necklace. Yun Ji’s scent still lingered on the jewelry.

He had prepared a gift, yet he hadn’t given it to her in person.

Opening the door, Qiao Xixi stood in the corridor and looked down at the courtyard. Jin Ling and the others were already up, and all the cubs were present. Yun Ji was the only one missing.

She knew that he must have left before the sun even came up.

“Xixi, you’re awake. Come on down, breakfast is almost ready,” Jin Ling said, looking up and waving at her.

Suppressing her disappointment, Qiao Xixi smiled and headed downstairs.

“What’s good to eat this morning?” she asked.

Jin Ling pointed at a dish of diced meat mixed with fruit on the table. “Try this.”

After freshening up, Qiao Xixi sat at the table. She noticed that the crushed fruit in the bowl looked a bit different from what she had eaten before. She scooped a portion into her bowl and took a bite. The fruit coating the diced meat instantly burst in her mouth. The sweet and sour juices blended perfectly with the roasted meat, resulting in an exceptionally refreshing flavor.

“This is delicious,” Qiao Xixi said. “Father, is this a new dish you came up with?”

“I didn’t make it,” her father replied.

Stunned, Qiao Xixi asked, “Jin Ling, did you make it?”

Seeing how much she liked it, Jin Ling spooned another helping for her. “It was Yun Ji. He made it before he left this morning.”

Qiao Xixi froze. As she chewed the meat, her eyes began to well with tears.

“He was in such a rush, leaving after only a short while,” she said. She lamented that he hadn’t even stayed long enough to see her in the daylight.

“Xueche just took over,” Jin Ling explained softly. “There are still some matters that require Yun Ji’s assistance.”

Qiao Xixi nodded, forcing herself to bury her longing deep in her heart once more.

When Beast City was being built, Qiao Xixi had specifically ordered a standalone building to be constructed in a clearing. The structure contained only a few spacious stone rooms.

In one of these rooms, she had Jin Ling and the others build desks and chairs. Her plan was to teach the female beastmen, in batches, basic knowledge about anatomy and reproduction, as well as simple first-aid techniques for treating external injuries.

One day, Qiao Xixi had just finished teaching a class for the females. The moment she stepped out of the stone room, the world violently spun around her. She staggered, her body pitching toward the ground.

“Xixi!”

Gu Man, who had just come upstairs, immediately rushed forward to catch her.

Qiao Xixi tried desperately to open her eyes, but her vision remained a pitch-black blur. In the blink of an eye, she lost consciousness.

“Xixi!”

In the darkness, Qiao Xixi felt two powerful forces tearing at her stomach, seemingly locked in a fierce battle. The violent turmoil made her incredibly nauseous. Her body violently fluctuated between freezing cold and burning hot. The sheer agony made her want to curse out loud.

Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t open her eyes.

“Qiaoqiao, figure out what’s wrong with your mother’s body!”

“Father, I’ve checked. Mother’s body is fine, but it feels like there’s something extra in there.”

“Huh? Extra what?”

“I’m not entirely sure either.”

Qiao Xixi could hear the voices around her. She wanted to speak up and say she was fine, that it was probably just a bad stomachache, but her body refused to move.

She had no idea how much time passed before the bloodbath in her stomach gradually subsided.

Qiao Xixi slowly opened her eyes, immediately meeting Yun Ji’s reddened eyes.

The moment their gazes locked, both of them froze.

“Xixi, you’re awake.” Yun Ji tightened his grip on her hand.

It took Qiao Xixi a long moment to regain her senses. “Yun Ji… w-why did you come back?”

Yun Ji squeezed her hand a fraction tighter, his voice losing its usual calm composure. “I suddenly felt panicked. I was worried about you, so I rushed back.”

Upon returning and learning that she had suddenly collapsed, an unprecedented terror had gripped his heart. He had stayed by her bedside ever since.

Qiao Xixi twitched her fingers, attempting to sit up, but realized her body was severely weak and limp.

“What happened to me?” she asked.