Chapter 112

Early this morning, Mo Xiao, Yue Ying, and Cang Lan prepared to head back to the North Wing, with Long Yan following them; his main purpose this time was to arrange for people to assist Mo Xiao in settling the previous matter.

Yue Ying mainly handled matters at the Black Market.

Cang Lan's main purpose for this trip back was to continue repairing the house.

When they came to the Tiger Clan, the house was still not repaired.

They were set to return shortly, and if they didn't get it fixed soon, they worried the marriage plans couldn't be put on the agenda as soon as they got back.

So it's best to resolve all these lingering concerns before heading back.

Before parting, Long Yan brought the two dragon cubs to say goodbye to Su Mo.

The two dragon cubs clung to Su Mo's legs, crying with snot and tears streaming.

"Su Mo sis, we don't want to leave you~"

"Su Mo sis, when will you go with us to the Dragon Clan again?"

Su Mo looked at the two little ones with snot and tears streaming down their faces, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of reluctance.

She squatted down, patting their heads: "I'll go whenever I have time!"

"When will you be free?"

Su Mo smiled, took out a few candies from her pocket, and then gave them to the two dragon cubs.

Nan Nan blinked her wet eyes at her: "Su Mo sis, won't you give the Major General a candy?"

Su Mo hesitated, then took out a few candies from her pocket, intending to hand them over.

Then she saw Nan Nan gesture for her to squat down, as if she had a secret to tell her.

Su Mo squatted down out of curiosity, and the little one leaned to her ear, whispering: "Su Mo sis, actually before coming to the Tiger Clan to find you, the Major General was almost going crazy with worry. I've never seen him so anxious. He's a bit slow and not good with words, so could you not dislike him… he's really a very good person."

Su Mo was slightly startled, and instinctively looked toward Long Yan standing not far away.

Unexpectedly, their gazes met—his dark, deep eyes—and she saw him deliberately shift his gaze away as if by accident.

The next second, he couldn't help but look at her again.

He actually didn't want to miss a single second of their eye contact… because each second felt like stolen time, and with so many people in her eyes, the moments that could linger on him were all too brief.

Su Mo slowly rose, gave Long Yan a faint smile, and reached out to hand him what she held.

Long Yan reached out and grasped her hand, then the next second he exerted a little force, pulling her into his embrace.

A fresh pine scent instantly wrapped around her nostrils, and his low, restrained voice sounded in her ear: "Miss Su, until we meet again."

Just like their previous farewell.

Even the duration of the embrace was the same as before; the only difference was that the warmth of his hold was more intense this time.

After seeing them off, Su Mo, Fei Yan, and Xuan Shuang—the three siblings—returned to the courtyard.

Xuan Wei wanted to go up the mountain to gather herbs, and Xuan Shuang suggested that Su Mo join her.

Su Mo had been feeling bored and restless these days, so she agreed.

The Hou Shan of the Tiger Clan was rich in plants, and there were even some species not found in the North Wing.

Su Mo picked some, intending to plant them later in the Spirit Spring Space.

Some of the things she picked were ones Xuan Wei had never harvested before, so at that point she would ask Su Mo about their uses.

Su Mo explained patiently.

Fei Yan had originally been following behind Su Mo, but later Xuan Shuang came to talk to her, so he fell back.

Besides, it's no issue; Xuan Wei the young lady also has some martial ability, and moreover there are Tiger Clan guards stationed at the mountain's base; normally, without orders, no one can come up.

After hearing Su Wei explain the uses of those herbs, Xuan Wei also picked some.

The two of them unknowingly went their separate ways.

Su Mo dug for a while, then turned back to glance at Fei Yan; he was not far behind her, talking with Xuan Shuang.

She carried the animal-skin bag forward, when suddenly the boulder beneath her feet seemed to shift, and she felt her whole body uncontrollably tumbling down the slope?!

Su Mo suddenly widened her eyes.

"Fei..."

"Whoosh—"

After a loud bang, Fei Yan and the others instinctively looked in that direction.

A white light could be faintly seen, speeding down the mountain.

"Wife Master!"

"Miss Su!"

Fei Yan didn't have time to think, he shot forward at lightning speed.

"Xiao Jiu!"

Su Mo quickly summoned the system in her mind.

"Host, I'm helping you activate emergency rescue measures! Ten, nine, eight…"

"What time is it, and you're still playing with a countdown! Do you want to watch me get crushed by the boulder…"

Before Su Mo could finish speaking, her body jolted from the extreme speed of descent, and in the next instant she was pulled into a fluffy embrace!

She didn't even have time to think, she tightly clung to whatever was in front of her.

During the rapid descent, Su Mo instinctively clenched her eyes. All she felt was the wind howling in her ears, her cheeks stinging from being scraped.

Afterward, that person seemed to have steadied his inner strength, leaping with her; by the time Su Mo came to her senses, they were already in a cave.

Su Mo blinked open her eyes in a daze, and saw Xuan Qing in white robes, crouched before her.

"Is it you?!"

Xuan Qing's calm gaze swept over her, and he explained in a light tone: "I was the closest to you."

"Thank you."

"No need to be polite; they'll probably come over soon."

Xuan Qing finished speaking, got up and walked toward the cave entrance; Su Mo looked up and saw him.

Su Mo stared at his back and thought, 【What a dead tsundere! He saved someone yet puts on a cold 'I'm just passing by' face.】

Her gaze swept to his scratched arm and the bloodstains on his back, and Su Mo couldn't help but frown.

She got up and walked over, "You're injured; do you want me to help you with it…"

Before she finished, Xuan Qing slowly turned to look at her, his calm, water‑like eyes landing on the ointment in her hand.

He slightly furrowed his brow, as if pondering something.

Su Mo was startled; with his stubborn mind, could he think she was trying to take advantage of him?!

She quickly explained, "Don't misunderstand; I have no other intention! Otherwise, why don't you handle it yourself?!"

She said this while reaching to hand over the medicine, but the person opposite did not take it.

Instead, he moved swiftly to loosen his wide robe.

"…"

Su Mo was numb—what's going on?!

In her daze, she heard him say, "Weren't you going to apply the medicine?"

"Ah, right, right!"

Su Mo examined his wounds, took the outer robe he had tossed aside, and covered half of his body with it.

"That'll do; no need to strip completely… so you won't feel embarrassed. Let me tell you, I'm not looking on purpose; a healer's eyes see no gender, so don't misunderstand!"

"【Cover it up; don't look at what's not meant to be seen! So he won't turn around and start preaching!】"

Xuan Qing: "…There is no hidden three hundred taels of silver here."

"You!" Su Mo snapped, "Fine, think whatever you want."

"Sit down for me!"

Just standing there like that, expecting her to tiptoe and apply the medicine? How immature!

The person in front obediently sat down, yet still pressed, "Miss Su, is this the usual attitude you have toward your lifesaving benefactor?"

"Of course it's for the right person!" Su Mo said while tending his wound, "Someone like Third Young Master should be treated seriously. If I were overly flattering, you might think I'm trying to cozy up to you and then start lecturing me, which wouldn't be good."

A light scoff came from his ear, "Sharp teeth, clever tongue like a reed."

"I think you're still… a hypocritical saint!"

When the words finished, Su Mo felt the air around her grow a few degrees colder.

Fine, I won't argue with him; if he gets enraged and shoves her off the cliff with a palm, that would really be…

When Su Mo finished treating Xuan Qing's wound, Fei Yan happened to come over.

He first sized up Su Mo, then looked at the disheveled Xuan Qing.

Fei Yan's eyes darkened, but after his gaze touched those wounds, his reason instantly returned.

"Thank you, Third Young Master, for stepping in to save me."

Xuan Qing quickly donned his robe and said lightly, "You're welcome."

Then he transformed into a majestic White Tiger, leapt agilely across the sheer cliff, and vanished from sight.

By the time Fei Yan, carrying Su Mo, reunited with sisters Xuan Shuang, they already knew what had just happened.

Xuan Shuang looked at Su Mo and smiled, "Good that nothing happened; let's hurry back."

At dusk, Mo Xiao had just returned to the Tiger Tribe Tribe when he learned of the day's heart‑pounding moment.

Thinking of Xuan Qing, a dark hue involuntarily flickered in Mo Xiao's eyes.

The Tiger Clan has been rife with rumors lately, claiming that Second Miss wants to pick an outstanding Beastman to marry Su Mo and enter the North Wing as a concubine.

Such bluster, perhaps she intends someone else entirely.

Originally he hadn't taken the matter to heart; after all, Wife Master has no interest in that Third Young Master, and that Third Young Master seems to have no such intention either.

But now it seems some people truly cannot be seen through at a glance.

When Mo Xiao found Su Mo, she was sitting in a small pavilion, tossing pebbles into the pond before her, teasing the little fish.

Beside her lay the pills Fei Yan had ground for her; after discovering she disliked liquid medicine, they switched to pills.

But she still didn't want to eat the pills; they all tasted the same.

The bitter taste in her mouth lingered for ages, never easing.

Hearing footsteps, Su Mo instinctively tried to hide the remaining few pills.

But she was too slow; Mo Xiao's quick hand snatched them away.

He looked at Su Mo without much expression and asked, "Wife Master, why do you always eat a few and save a few?"

Every time he made that face, Su Mo couldn't help feeling a bit scared.

She opened her eyes wide and blurted, "Can't I eat them later?"

Mo Xiao knit his brows at her, his tone stern: "Eat them now."

"I won't!"

"【Why should I listen to him? I won't!】"

Su Mo clapped her hands and tried to leave.

Mo Xiao extended a hand to block her, grabbed her waist and placed her back where she stood, lifted a leg, and easily pinned her against the cylinder behind him.

He took out a pill and placed it at the edge of her mouth.

Su Mo frowned at him, "Skipping a few won't affect anything…"

Mo Xiao wouldn't allow a word, "No!"

Su Mo glared at him.

【I knew I couldn't pick this Stinky Snake as my Right Husband—he's fierce and wants to eat people, ah~ If he became my Right Husband, would this young lady still have good days ahead? So this miss will absolutely not choose him!】

Mo Xiao almost bit off a snake's fang, the Wife Master gets temperamental as soon as she takes medicine, really making people angry and helpless.

Just as he was about to softly coax her a few words, his peripheral vision caught a white figure walking this way.

Mo Xiao lightly furrowed his brow, then simply put that Pill into his own mouth.

Then he seized her neck and lowered his head to kiss her.

"Mmm…"

Su Mo's protests and struggles were completely drowned in that lingering kiss.

"Hmm…"

The moment she opened her mouth, he took advantage and succeeded.

He forced her to swallow that Pill, then proceeded to punish her with relentless entanglement for half a day.

Su Mo wanted to bite him in anger, but he pinched her chin, and his kiss grew fiercer until her whole body went limp and leaned against his embrace.

Mo Xiao glanced sideways toward the back of the bamboo grove… that white figure had disappeared.

A satisfied curve rose at the corner of his mouth, and the gloom in his eyes faded away.

Then he scooped her up from his arms and held her as he sat down.

He took out those Pills again and brought them to Su Mo's lips.

He coaxed softly, "Mo'er, do you want to take it yourself, or should I keep feeding you?"

Su Mo resignedly finished the remaining medicine.

Xiao Jiu's unsympathetic laughter echoed in her mind: "Accept your fate, host—you're no match for him……You need to coax him more, or else your days ahead might get a bit stimulating? Tsk tsk……"

Xiao Jiu laughed hysterically, covering her face without mercy.

Su Mo frowned: "I don't want to coax him at all! I really don't want to marry him now! When I return to North Wing, I'll marry those four! I just don't want him!!!"

The hand gripping her waist tightened unconsciously, and a cluster of flame ignited in Mo Xiao's eyes.

In a daze, Su Mo stepped on Mo Xiao's instep, broke free from his hold, and ran off quickly.

Su Mo ran anxiously and swiftly, as if some flood or ferocious beast were chasing her from behind.

She suddenly collided into an embrace, and an unfamiliar yet slightly familiar scent of green bamboo rushed at her from all sides.

Mo Xiao followed behind at a leisurely pace, still holding a square cloth of Su Mo's in his right hand.

His dark gaze swept over the person opposite, landing on the hand resting on Su Mo's waist.

The instant their gazes met in midair, it seemed as if the air froze in an instant, and the surroundings fell silent, as if not a sound could be heard.