Chapter 25: With Keen Interest Part 2

Who knew how many times this had happened now. Every single time, it was face-first…

Snow Wolf loomed over the fallen girl, snorting disdainfully. Still think you can ride on a wolf’s back? That’ll teach you.

Snow Wolf was still gloating when Ji Yingran failed to get up from the fall. Instead, she just sat there, hugging her knees, head bowed low in a picture of misery and grievance.

Snow Wolf eyed the all-too-familiar scene…

This was just like before, when the wolf wouldn’t get her a backpack for the climb.

Whenever things didn’t go her way, she pulled this stunt. Such an immature Two-Legged Beast.

Not qualified.

Snow Wolf wanted nothing to do with her. She turned to leave, but her tail was caught in Ji Yingran’s grip. She couldn’t go anywhere.

Of course, even while playing pitiful, she never forgot to hold onto the wolf’s tail—just in case the wolf slipped away.

It hadn’t mattered back in the mountain cave, but out here, Ji Yingran was on high alert, terrified that one slip of attention would mean the wolf was gone.

Unable to leave, Snow Wolf plopped her haunches down right in front of the girl—but with her back turned, refusing to acknowledge her.

While hugging her knees and feigning misery, Ji Yingran sneaked a glance at the wolf with her peripheral vision.

All she got was the back of an utterly merciless wolf head. Ji Yingran tsked inwardly. This trick wasn’t working anymore. The wolf had gotten wise and knew she was faking it.

But Ji Yingran wasn’t giving up. Today, she was dead set on getting a piggyback ride. Playing pitiful wasn’t enough? Time to add some sniffling sobs.

No sooner said than done. Ji Yingran started crying softly, her shoulders shaking.

With her back to the girl, Snow Wolf’s ears twitched back and forth. She listened carefully, sensing something off. She didn’t turn her body, but she twisted her head around to look.

Ji Yingran gazed at her with reddened eyes.

Snow Wolf’s ears flattened back immediately.

She whipped her head forward again and began circling the girl. But with her tail still gripped tight, she couldn’t complete a full loop—instead, she ended up wrapping the girl up in it.

Snow Wolf finally stopped right in front of Ji Yingran. She leaned in close, peering intently to figure out if the crying was real or fake.

Ji Yingran suddenly cranked up the volume. The close-up wolf jumped back in alarm, her head jerking away.

Something was fishy. It felt fake… Snow Wolf tentatively extended a paw and patted the girl. In response, the crying got even louder.

Snow Wolf’s paw froze. She yanked it back, tucking it away, and stared at the girl in panic.

Was it real? Crying that loud? This Two-Legged Beast cried at the drop of a hat. So fragile. Never a moment’s peace for a wolf.

Snow Wolf lowered her head and nudged the girl with it.

This was an invitation to pet her. The meaning was clear: Here, pet me. Just stop crying.

Ji Yingran didn’t.

Snow Wolf glanced at her twice, hesitated for a few seconds, then finally lay down flat in front of the girl and went still.

Ji Yingran peeked up. Quick as a flash, she scrambled onto the wolf’s back. Once up, she clung on for dear life, terrified of another toss-off.

But this time, Snow Wolf didn’t shake her.

The wolf stood and started walking forward.

Ji Yingran grinned.

Snow Wolf snorted coldly. Laugh all you want, you shameless Human. Mission accomplished, and you flip like that? You were just crying a second ago.

“You’re the best, Wolfie. The absolute best,” Ji Yingran whispered in her ear.

Snow Wolf snorted again.

“Is it tiring to carry me?” Ji Yingran asked, though she knew it wasn’t. Even with her on board, Snow Wolf’s steps remained light and effortless—no sign of bearing any load.

Ji Yingran’s featherweight was utterly negligible to her.

“Thanks for the hard work, Wolfie,” she added. The wolf might not be tired, but the emotional support had to be on point.

“Our Wolfie is just so amazing. Carrying a person and still light as a swallow. I’m so, so lucky to have such a Head Wolf leading the way.”

Snow Wolf’s tail flicked up behind her.

Ji Yingran had been lying flat on the wolf’s back, but now that she was sure she wouldn’t get tossed, she sat up straight.

The sensation was utterly novel.

Ji Yingran had never even ridden a horse, and now here she was, astride a wolf. How could it not be?

Novel and badass.

She spread her arms wide, wanting to savor it fully.

The wolf’s body suddenly swayed, startling her. Ji Yingran grabbed on tight, flattening herself down to steady herself.

After a moment, feeling the wolf stabilized, Ji Yingran sat up again and spread her arms.

Then the wolf swayed once more.

“You’re doing that on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Wu!”

“Okay, okay, don’t get mad.”

“Hmph.”

Across the endless snow mountain, a girl rode a wolf, strolling through the icy wilderness, leaving a trail of footprints behind.

The scene looked like something straight out of a fictional anime.

Riding on Snow Wolf’s back made it effortless for Ji Yingran to reach the hot spring. No more panting and wheezing like last time—she arrived calm and composed.

Should’ve made her carry me then, too.

Ji Yingran hopped off the wolf’s back and turned her gaze to the nearby oval-shaped natural hot spring, steam rising gently from it.

A large patch of vegetation grew not too far from the spring. The distance was just right—not too close, where the heat would kill them, nor too far, where the cold would prevent survival.

That sweet spot allowed them to thrive.

But now, the whole patch had withered, turned a uniform withered yellow, battered by wind and snow until only bare branches remained.

Ji Yingran walked over, squatted down, and touched one. The branches were damp and thorny.

Not the best firewood, but in this situation, anything flammable was a win. No room to be picky.

Amid the withered scrub stood one particularly eye-catching fir tree, about six feet tall. Like the rest, it had long since died and dried out.

This spot barely supported their growth, but the harsh weather made survival impossible in the end. Withering was just a matter of time—which explained why the endless snow mountains were so barren.

The fir would make better firewood than the scrub, but there was only the one, and it wasn’t thick. Despite its height, the trunk was spindly. Chopped down, it’d probably only last for two meals.

Of course, the real issue was Snow Wolf’s appetite. Eight dishes per meal? That’d burn through firewood fast…

“Wolf, this fir tree is perfect for fuel. Let’s take it back,” Ji Yingran said.

Snow Wolf glanced at the tree but didn’t budge. No interest in helping—she was busy basking in the sun.

Ji Yingran shook her head and didn’t push. Just one dead tree; she could handle it herself without much effort.

In fact, it was even easier than expected. A single kick sent the fir crashing down with a splintering crack, breaking into sections.

The noise drew the attention of the sunbathing wolf, but she quickly lost interest and looked away.

Ji Yingran squatted to inspect the broken fir, frowning. “Why is the middle hollow?”

Dead for years, the trunk had rotted hollow inside. Easy to collect, sure, but it wouldn’t burn long.

She’d figured it for two meals assuming solid wood. Now? Maybe one—and even that was optimistic…

Ji Yingran shook her head in disappointment and scanned the area for more firs.

The open expanse was barren white as far as the eye could see, all the way to the next peak. Any trees would’ve been visible. This one by the spring was a fluke.

Fine, fine. If the fir wasn’t enough, the withered scrub would have to do. Make it work.

Ji Yingran unslung her backpack and rummaged inside, pulling out a bundle of climbing rope.

It was one of her snow mountain gear items, meant for emergencies. It hadn’t come in handy for climbing, but now it did—for bundling firewood.

She gathered the fir sections onto the rope first, then collected armfuls of the thorny scrub. The scrub was low-growing and prickly, but her thick gloves protected her hands.

After a good hustle, she had three bundles tied up. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the snow, panting.

As for that wolf? Rolling blissfully in the snow.

The brief clear skies darkened. Heavy clouds pressed low overhead as wind and snow began to pick up.

If Ji Yingran had been traveling alone, such a sudden shift in the weather would surely have filled her with panic and fear. She would have immediately sought out a place to hide.

But now… Ji Yingran glanced at the wolf ahead of her and then back at the hot spring behind. She felt utterly at ease.

Even a massive blizzard wouldn’t frighten her. She had the wolf for backup, and if things got truly dire, she could always jump into the hot spring. Either way, she wouldn’t die. It was perfectly safe.

With the blizzard drawing near, Ji Yingran felt no anxiety whatsoever. She stuffed more firewood into the three bundles, packing them as tightly as she could.

Once these three bundles were dried out, they should burn for quite some time. There was no need to worry about fuel just yet.

Later, she would find a way to trick the wolf into dragging them back. Ji Yingran certainly couldn’t manage it herself.

After securing the firewood, she still didn’t hurry back to shelter. Gathering all these things had left her covered in dirt and sweat, her clothes sticky and uncomfortable against her skin. She needed to soak in the hot spring.

Ji Yingran had planned ahead, bringing quick-dry undergarments along with towels and her toothbrush—everything she needed. After washing up, she would slip into clean clothes and feel refreshed. Just thinking about it made her smile.

“Wolf.” Ji Yingran waved toward the wolf in the distance.

The wolf, who had been rolling playfully in the snow, turned her head to glance at the human. But she showed no sign of coming over.

“Come here,” Ji Yingran coaxed, waving again.

Snow Wolf merely watched, refusing to budge.

Ji Yingran gritted her teeth inwardly. She was just like a cat—turning her head when called but never actually coming closer, no matter what.

Unable to coax her over, Ji Yingran raised her voice. “Wolfie, I’m going to soak in the hot spring for a bit. Just wait for me here—don’t wander off.”

But that didn’t reassure her. This was a rebellious wolf; the more Ji Yingran told her not to wander, the more likely she was to do exactly that.

Ji Yingran’s eyes twinkled as she switched tactics. “The Head Wolf wouldn’t wander off. Only wolves who can’t cut it as Head Wolf go running around irresponsibly. You’re the Head Wolf, right, Wolfie?”

With that, she ignored the wolf. No doubt, those words would work on her.

After all, this was a wolf obsessed with being the Head Wolf.

Ji Yingran pulled off her gloves and tossed them aside, then began to undress.

She had only gotten halfway when footsteps crunched softly behind her. Ji Yingran turned to look.

The wolf—who had stubbornly refused to come anywhere near from her spot far out in the snow—was now standing right behind her, mere inches away. She stared at the human without blinking.

Her gaze was filled with curiosity… and keen interest.

Ji Yingran: ?

For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the wolf had come over specifically to watch her undress.