Chapter 237: Goodbye Xi Tao

Mo Lie swept over the kneeling Luo Ji: "You also stand down."

He cradled Lin Manzhi in one arm, wearing a thick fur cloak, both hands gloved, his whole body wrapped so that only a delicate little face was exposed.

She lowered her head to look at Luo Ji, exhaled a puff of white vapor, and asked, "Is Xi Tao here? I've come to find her."

Mo Lie lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting a shadow, and his deep, inscrutable blue eyes showed an unhidden fondness.

"Here! I'm here!" Luo Ji hadn't reacted at first, but when he heard Lin Manzhi's words he snapped to attention, feeling a sense of pressing against a treasure.

He quickly got up, turned and left; when he looked back at his lord, he protected Lin Manzhi as they walked into the house, his figure tall and strong, his posture elegant.

Until the lord's figure vanished, in the quiet air, after waiting a while, the Beastfolk who had just left and were standing not far away took a deep breath and whispered to the Beastfolk beside them:

"Hey, did you all just see that??"

"Huh?"

"The lord is really kind to the female in his arms; when she speaks, his aura changes, and it seems she's the female sitting beside the lord's throne…"

"Right! She must be our lord's Wife Master, the female who has bonded with the lord."

"What? Really? Binding pheromones with a female—doesn't the lord usually not bond with a female?!"

"It must be true… haven't you heard about the desert incident?"

"Your reminder makes me recall—could it be? She might be the legendary female who changed the whole desert?"

"Definitely, if it's her, she's a perfect match for our lord."

No wonder their Young Master's Spirit Core healed; still we don't know whose luck turned.

……

After Lin Manzhi and Mo Lie entered the house, it was empty.

The Beastfolk in the house fled with Luo Ji out of fear; with no one leading, Mo Lie, following his scent, guided her toward the back courtyard.

Just as they stepped into the courtyard, two three‑meter‑tall yellow‑brown sand rats emerged, making Lin Manzhi's eyes light up.

On the back of one sand rat sat a heavily‑clothed Xi Tao: "Ah! It's really you, Lin Manzhi…"

Xi Tao, seeing Lin Manzhi, shouted with surprise, but when she noticed Mo Lie beside her, she fell silent like a smoldering ember, as quiet as a small animal hiding from a beast in a cave.

The sand rat stopped moving, staying in place; even though it knew the Beastfolk opposite wouldn't harm them, Cihe's limbs still shuffled anxiously as if facing a predator.

Until Lin Manzhi waved toward them not far away:

"Xi Tao, long time no see."

Her voice bore no haughty distance, still as crisp and sweet as before in the tribe, expression serene, unchanged.

The two sand rats instantly felt the pressure on them lessen, and then Cichuan reverted to human form, gently lifting Xi Tao from Cihe's back and placing her carefully on the ground.

Lin Manzhi stood at the corner of the house doorway, watching Xi Tao walk from the courtyard toward her; the happy friends took a few steps outward together.

"Lin Manzhi, where did you go after you never returned from Kuangsha City? Did you know what big incident happened there?" Xi Tao asked while walking.

She knew Mo Lie was the Young Master of Ansen City, so his becoming lord wasn't that shocking; rather, hearing about Kuangsha City from the tribe's merchant caravan shocked her greatly.

A cold wind blew as she stepped out; Lin Manzhi pulled tighter into her thick fur, looked up at the heavy black clouds gathering, foreseeing rain or snow soon.

Seeing the cold little female, Mo Lie felt his heart soften.

He turned, signaling his guards behind him to bring the heating stove and thick blankets from the carriage, arranging the hall to be warm so Lin Manzhi wouldn't freeze.

A group of cold‑unfazed, thin‑clothed, robust guards immediately bustled in and out.

Lin Manzhi, shivering, sniffed, reached out to pull the approaching Xi Tao, laughing, "So cold, let's hurry inside to talk."

Xi Tao followed Lin Manzhi inside, feeling as comfortable as before, couldn't stop talking, continuing as they walked:

"Did you know! In the tribe, the Beast God of the land turned over, and then a great river suddenly appeared not far outside! I heard Yang Suo say that at Kuangsha City there is a female priestess Beast God, and the Beast God gave her a reward! I was stunned, really want to see this female…"

Xi Tao, eyes wide, turned to ask Lin Manzhi: "Were you in Kuangsha City then? Did you ever see that legendary female? I heard she's the lord's Wife Master."

Hearing herself spoken of by others, Lin Manzhi: "……"

That makes it a bit awkward, to tell acquaintances that the female is me…

Lin Manzhi pulled Xi Tao into the house, released her hand from the thick plush gloves, her nose tip reddened from cold, her black eyes on snow‑white skin looking even more beautiful.

She smiled, scanning her long‑unseen friend, and said, "So the Rosanya tribe also doesn't lack the moon? Great."

"Yes! And the lake in the tribe's center returned, so we no longer lack water," Xi Tao said happily.

Mo Lie, seeing Lin Manzhi enter, brushed his fingertip against her cheek; the chill made him barely frown, he took her hand and whispered, "Come, sit by the stove."

Lin Manzhi nodded, and being led by Mo Lie, sat on a seat beside the roaring stove; facing the firelight, the cold left her instantly.

Huff, finally revived; outside is truly very cold.

She raised both palms toward the stove, annoyed that the thick plush gloves interfered with her warming, and reached to take off her gloves.

Mo Lie pulled out a chair beside her, his gaze on Lin Manzhi's hands, naturally lifting his hand to help remove her gloves.

Her hand caught by Mo Lie, Lin Manzhi looked up, saw Xi Tao still at the doorway draft, and patted the adjacent chair, saying, "You come sit here quickly."

Xi Tao glanced at Mo Lie standing by Lin Manzhi, hesitated, and stopped.

Mo Lie is the lord of Ansen City, sitting under the other's watchful eye; she feels completely uneasy.

Honestly, there's no way to hint as before that I ignore the lord.

Xi Tao swallowed dryly, and the two Beast Husbands behind her grew even more nervous, spreading their arms to guard her sides, looking afraid she might lose balance and fall.