Chapter 47: Forty-Seven

A large, fragrant piece of deer leg meat wrapped around a piece of deer liver… how to describe it? It had a charred flavor, a meaty flavor, in short, it was delicious!!!

Li Yuanxi couldn’t wait to take a big bite. The fragrant juices burst from the venison in her mouth. She nodded in satisfaction at Wei Shu, giving her a thumbs-up. “Mm, this deer meat is so tender and fresh, and the flavor has really soaked in.”

Wei Shu picked up a slice of the cut meat and imitated Li Yuanxi, wrapping it around a piece of liver. The savory, fragrant taste, mingled with the fresh mint and the grainy texture of the liver, was a pleasant surprise. It really was delicious.

The flickering, bright firelight illuminated the whole cave. The savory scent of venison lingered in the cave for a while before drifting out.

The neatly trimmed liver pieces were placed on a woven coconut leaf mat. They ate, sharing piece after piece. Occasionally, Wei Shu would pick up a cup and feed Li Yuanxi, who was busy devouring the meat, some lemon water.

The deer blood Li Yuanxi had brought back had already congealed into blood tofu. She took out a bottle and cooked it into a soup with some gracilaria. Wei Shu really couldn’t stomach the bloody-looking blood tofu soup.

Her eyes kept avoiding the red-and-black soup in front of her. When Li Yuanxi was half full, she picked up her bowl of blood tofu soup and ate it in big gulps. Her face contorted as she finished.

Wei Shu, seeing Li Yuanxi’s strange expression, became even more repelled by the soup. It smelled gamey. She really couldn’t drink it.

Li Yuanxi suppressed the urge to gag, forcing it down. She should have known better than to add the gracilaria. It made the soup even more pungent than it already was.

Li Yuanxi exhaled heavily and quickly grabbed a piece of venison from the table. The soft, lingering texture in her mouth finally faded, replaced by the delicious meat.

Seeing her like this, Wei Shu silently pushed her already-pushed-away bowl even further, hoping it would just disappear.

“Give it to me. I’ll eat it.” Li Yuanxi got up, took Wei Shu’s bowl, closed her eyes, and gulped it down. The heavy gamey taste almost made her gag.

After finishing both bowls of blood tofu soup, Li Yuanxi was deflated. She curled up on her stool, her expression wooden, staring blankly at the still-steaming venison.

“Have some water.” Wei Shu scratched Li Yuanxi’s chin, picked up the cup of hot water, and fed it to her hand by hand. Li Yuanxi opened her mouth weakly and took a sip. Looking into Wei Shu’s eyes, she thought, It feels good to be cared for.

Feeling a little pampered, she felt a bit more vulnerable, no longer the same big, tough Alpha she used to be. Even if she had never really been tough.

That night, after her bath, Li Yuanxi sat by the fire. Her hair steamed in the heat, looking like she had cultivated demonic arts.

Wei Shu couldn’t bear to watch. She picked up a towel and rubbed her hair vigorously. Li Yuanxi lowered her head, spread her arms, and hugged Wei Shu, pressing her head against Wei Shu’s abdomen, smelling the faint scent of roses.

Li Yuanxi closed her eyes and yawned. Hugging Wei Shu’s waist, she fell asleep.

Wei Shu finished drying her hair. It had been a while. She patted Li Yuanxi’s head, signaling her to let go.

Li Yuanxi pouted and yawned again, looking at Wei Shu drowsily. “Shu Shu, I’m so sleepy.”

“If you’re sleepy, go to bed.” Wei Shu touched her ear, took the hand of the person who couldn’t even open her eyes, and led her back to the bed, settling her in.

Wei Shu checked the firewood in the fire was enough, moved the wooden door to the side of the cave entrance, and propped it up with two sticks. She then took a pen and journal from the shelf to record the day’s events.

Under the firelight, Wei Shu’s long eyelashes blinked, her gentle and beautiful back casting a hazy silhouette. Li Yuanxi didn’t know when she had turned on her side, looking at the woman by the fire.

This notebook was a work journal from her suitcase. A thick notebook with only four or five pages used. Wei Shu had carefully saved those five pages by placing a blank sheet between them.

She recorded things she and Li Yuanxi often did. She thought that if they never made it back, then just in case someone someday came to this island, she hoped her parents would see this notebook and have something to remember her by.

Li Yuanxi’s hazel eyes were as bright and gentle as the stars in the sky. Wei Shu felt someone staring at her and looked up to meet Li Yuanxi’s sparkling gaze. She smiled brightly, making Li Yuanxi’s heart flutter.

Wei Shu didn’t write for long and finished quickly. She put away the notebook and pen. As she lifted her leg to step over Li Yuanxi, she was caught by her, who hugged her calf.

She looked down at the person who wouldn’t let go of her leg. Li Yuanxi grinned at her, a bit silly, a bit dazed. Wei Shu raised an eyebrow, her gaze falling on the restless hand on her calf.

“Paws, off.” Wei Shu’s voice was calm and firm, leaving no room for negotiation, commanding as a queen. Li Yuanxi pouted slightly, unwilling. Wei Shu lifted her leg and kicked her, and she finally let go.

Li Yuanxi lay on the bed, resigned to her fate, radiating an aura of “My wife won’t let me touch her. I’m so emo.”

Wei Shu lay calmly on the bed, pulling the blanket that Li Yuanxi was lying on. She closed her eyes, not wanting to pay any attention to the emo person.

She was thinking about what to do tomorrow when she felt a restless hand crawling around the bed. It would get close to her arm before pretending to move away secretly, just never making direct contact.

[I want to see what you’re up to.] Wei Shu remained still, but her ears were sharp, listening for Li Yuanxi’s movements.

Li Yuanxi extended two fingers, walking them on the bed like two little legs, making noises on purpose as if to get Wei Shu to pay attention to her.

But Wei Shu ignored her, pulling the blanket over her neck. Li Yuanxi had no choice but to turn on her side, persistently testing the waters beneath the blanket. Her fingers navigated the darkness, crossing mountains and blankets to finally reach a spot radiating warmth.

Li Yuanxi licked her lips. Her mouth felt dry, and her body felt hot. Her two fingers found their destination and rested on the back of Wei Shu’s hand, not moving.

The faint, pure, clear scent of agarwood began to stir, tinged with restless desire and sudden, unexpected arousal.

Wei Shu’s beautiful nose gave a gentle sniff. She turned her head to look at Li Yuanxi, whose eyelashes were fluttering and face was flushed, eyes closed. “Do you smell something?” Her crisp voice was like a clear spring striking a stone, so pleasant to hear.

“What?” Li Yuanxi’s dark lashes flew open in panic. She stared blankly at Wei Shu, who was propped up on an elbow, looking at her.

Wei Shu rubbed her forehead, a bit annoyed. “Your pheromones are leaking. Tone it down.”

“Huh?” Li Yuanxi tilted her head, still not understanding. Wei Shu took a deep breath and explained patiently. She knew Li Yuanxi had never experienced a bonding heat, so she didn’t even realize her pheromones were leaking.

Suddenly, it hit her. Li Yuanxi had never had a bonding heat. Could this sudden pheromone surge be her long-overdue one? At this thought, Wei Shu’s face went pale. She wasn’t ready to have any kind of physical relationship with Li Yuanxi.

Most importantly, she really couldn’t stand the idea of spending her first heat here.

Li Yuanxi noticed the change in Wei Shu’s expression. She tentatively sniffed the air, but she didn’t smell anything except smoke and meat.

“Are you hungry?” Li Yuanxi asked hesitantly. Wei Shu pursed her lips, looking at the confused Li Yuanxi, and shook her head.

“Your pheromones are leaking out,” Wei Shu repeated. “Huh? I don’t smell anything.” Li Yuanxi finally understood and sat up quickly, sniffing around, but still finding nothing.

Seeing Li Yuanxi sniffing the air like a little puppy, Wei Shu was exasperated. “Don’t move. Turn around. Let me see your pheromone gland.”

Hearing that Wei Shu wanted to see her gland, Li Yuanxi flinched. She remembered the previous times. Each one had been more painful than the last.

Seeing her frightened expression, Wei Shu recalled her own past actions and felt a bit awkward.

Wei Shu cleared her throat. “Ahem. I won’t look. How else will I know if it’s your bonding heat?”

“Oh, okay. Then go easy on me.” Li Yuanxi quickly turned around, letting Wei Shu examine her. Why couldn’t she smell herself?

Wei Shu pulled down Li Yuanxi’s collar and looked at the gland on her nape. It was slightly raised but not fully swollen.

Maybe it was the gland’s first time releasing a large amount of pheromones, and unused to it, it hadn’t fully connected with her body.

Wei Shu frowned at the gland. She wasn’t sure what was affecting it, preventing it from activating properly.

There was only one way to make Li Yuanxi’s gland fully open: inject her pheromones. This would both alleviate the heat and help her.

The question was whether Li Yuanxi would agree to be temporarily marked by her. Wei Shu lowered her eyes, thinking. She looked again at the oblivious Li Yuanxi, who was picking at the blanket.

“Your pheromone gland still hasn’t fully opened. It needs artificial stimulation. In other words, I need to temporarily mark you. Do you agree?” Wei Shu explained the solution.

She knew not every Alpha would agree to be temporarily marked. She knew Li Yuanxi usually didn’t care about such things, but she needed a definitive answer.

“You’re going to bite me again!” Hearing this, Li Yuanxi wilted. Shu Shu’s technique wasn’t great, and she was a little scared.

“You don’t want to?” Wei Shu pinched Li Yuanxi’s chin, squinting. The thought of Li Yuanxi refusing hadn’t even crossed her mind.

She wanted her person, inside and out, to belong solely to her. That was just how possessive she was.

“Ah! It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that you bite too hard.” Li Yuanxi wriggled, looking at Wei Shu.

“Don’t worry. I’m fully conscious this time, and you can respond to my pheromones. It won’t be like before.” Wei Shu coaxed her like a child.

Li Yuanxi didn’t quite believe her. Her eyes darted around, avoiding her gaze. She pulled her chin out of Wei Shu’s hand, curled up, and tried to get away from the biting Wei Shu.

“I’ll… think about it.” She finished hurriedly, turned around, and buried herself under the blanket, falling silent.

Wei Shu lay down, looking at the person hiding in the blanket. She felt like their roles had somehow been reversed.