After it was over, Ruan Fu was completely drained of energy. She collapsed limply into Chief Nian's arms, allowing him to carry her back to her cave. Fearing that she would feel cold, Chief Nian lit a fire inside. The warm firelight shone on her face, its flickering glow masking the emotions hidden in her eyes. He brought over a set of his own clothes and handed them to her.
"Put these on first."
Ruan Fu nodded and obediently slipped into the clothes. She didn't shy away from Chief Nian during the entire process, allowing him to clearly see the handprints left on her fair, tender skin. The sight instantly dragged him back to the memories of just moments ago. His throat tightened, and only then did he belatedly remember Ruan Fu's marriage contract. Even though it was perfectly normal for females to mate with multiple partners, Chief Nian still felt a sense of shame in this moment.
He sat across from her. After hesitating for a long time, he slowly spoke. "A fu, just now..."
"Shaman Clan, there's no need to worry. I won't tell anyone, and I also ask Shaman Clan to keep it a secret for me." She curled her lips and spoke slowly. Her face, now devoid of lust, appeared exceptionally calm, carrying a faint sense of detachment. Realizing this, Chief Nian found it hard to control his turbulent heart.
He leaned in and grasped Ruan Fu's slightly cold hand. "Don't call me Shaman Clan. Call me Chief Nian, okay?"
Ruan Fu paused for a moment. With a soft smile, her voice was gentle. "Chief Nian."
In that instant, Chief Nian was utterly unable to resist the urge to get closer. He pulled Ruan Fu into his arms, hugging her tightly to feel her presence. For some reason, even though she was resting so obediently and meekly in his embrace, he still felt a sense of unreality. It was as if she had never truly belonged to him.
Ruan Fu felt a bit of pain from his tight grip. She reached out and pushed against his chest. "Chief Nian, I should go back. I still have to go beast hunting with my sister tomorrow."
He thought, "Beast hunting?"
Chief Nian slowly released her. His red eyes had regained their rationality as he looked at her. "So you still want to go? A fu, I can actually protect you. I can..."
"Chief Nian." Ruan Fu called his name gently, yet the words she spoke were chillingly indifferent. "I made it very clear to you last time. I have my own thoughts and my own decisions. Even if it's for my own good, I hope you won't interfere.
"Besides, I merely comforted you out of gratitude. This doesn't mean there is any sense of belonging between us. Aside from this, you are you, and I am me."
She spoke calmly and rationally, mercilessly drawing an uncrossable chasm between them. Chief Nian felt his blood boil. He couldn't accept that the Ruan Fu who had just belonged to him a moment ago was now using such an icy tone to draw a clear line. Unless nothing had happened just now. He grabbed her hand as she tried to pull away. "But A fu, I am not willing to accept this. After so many years of loneliness, you are the only female I have. I don't want you to distance yourself from me so clearly."
Chief Nian sat with his head tilted up. For the first time, their positions were reversed, and Ruan Fu held the upper hand. She looked at the plea in his eyes. She believed it was genuine, but she wondered how long this momentary sincerity could last. What Ruan Fu wanted was a longer, farther future. She lowered her head and cupped his face in her hands, her fingertips tracing every detail of his features, gentle and earnest. At the moment Chief Nian let down his guard and comfortably rested his face entirely in her palms, Ruan Fu smiled.
"Chief Nian, even if I have no fertility and am the lowest class of female, I will still have other Beast Husbands. Can you accept that?"
Chief Nian froze. In the second he spaced out, Ruan Fu withdrew her hands and turned around. However, just as she was about to leave the cave, she stopped in her tracks, glanced back at him once, and then walked away without looking back. Watching her silhouette disappear outside, Chief Nian lowered his head. Her words had undoubtedly pierced through the dark corners of his heart. He had never treated her as being the same as other females; he had always felt that Ruan Fu, as a barren female without fertility, had no right to choose. Therefore, she could perhaps belong solely to him, and even destroy her marriage contract with the Snake Clan. This was simply because he believed that no other male on the Tianbei Continent would accept a barren female, but he was different. But the reality was that Ruan Fu was unwilling. She had never considered herself any different from other females. Chief Nian couldn't help but smile bitterly. He realized he had miscalculated from the very beginning.
***
After leaving Chief Nian's cave, Ruan Fu let out a long sigh of relief. If she hadn't seen through his underlying selfishness, she would have been very willing to let him become her first Beast Husband. Unfortunately, he possessed too many typical male traits, which greatly detracted from his good looks. Unless he could completely eradicate all of those male characteristics, she wouldn't be entirely opposed to accepting him.
As Ruan Fu thought this, she didn't notice when a snake had appeared by her feet. The snake coiled around her leg, climbing upward, and swiftly reached her chest. In the next second, its thick tail wrapped around her neck before instantly transforming into a man's broad, thick hand. A pair of slitted, dark blue snake eyes and a resolute, handsome face appeared right in front of her without any concealment. The person who had arrived was not An Rui.
Forced to tilt her head back, Ruan Fu didn't show the slightest hint of panic as she curled her lips. "An Bei, why are you here?"
An Bei raised an eyebrow, but the grip of his hand didn't loosen in the slightest. His tone was as icy as ever. "You're not surprised?"
She thought, "Surprised?"
Ruan Fu shook her head, her expression composed. "It's not like you didn't know An Rui was here last night. Why would I be surprised?"
Hearing her mention An Rui's name, An Bei's hand tightened involuntarily, and his gaze grew even colder. "If I remember correctly, I warned you last time. Why did you do it again?"
Just as she thought, he was here to interrogate her. Remaining neither servile nor overbearing, Ruan Fu enunciated every word. "He came looking for me. What does that have to do with me? If you're so unwilling for us to meet, An Bei, you should just tie him up so he can never come out again. What's the point of losing your temper at a weak female like me?" She paused, and her small hand suddenly grabbed An Bei's wrist. "Or perhaps this is just an excuse, An Bei, and you actually missed me." She articulated every word with exceptional clarity. Despite her pure and innocent face, she exuded a soul-stirring charm.
An Bei was momentarily dazed, but he quickly let go. He stood up straight, looking down at her from a commanding height with a faint look of disgust as he coldly spat out a few words.
"How cheap."
Ruan Fu smiled indifferently. She stood up and walked to the bed on her own. Just as she grabbed the hem of her clothes to take them off, An Bei caught her wrist. She tilted her head slightly. "Are you going to help me, An Bei?"
An Bei didn't answer. He leaned in slightly, bringing his face close to her ear. Narrowing his eyes, he took a deep sniff. "Such a strong scent of a male. What did you just go do?"
Ruan Fu lowered her eyes, and her soft, sweet voice rang by his ear. "Me? I went to mate."