Ming Xi had never met anyone so ordinary yet so confident, her eyes deep and veiled with a hint of coldness.
Then, Lu Yan found herself seemingly singled out by the god of misfortune. She stumbled thrice in three steps and fell heavily five steps later. By the time she returned to her dwelling, her entire face was bruised and swollen, startling Nan An.
"Did Qiao Ci hit you again?" he asked, stepping forward to examine her injuries. He found no broken bones; the wounds looked more like those from a fall, not serious.
"Hmph, who knows? I've been incredibly unlucky today. Qiao Ci was that eccentric saintess before; perhaps she's behind this, playing tricks on me." Lu Yan wasn't foolish enough to tell him she had tried to seduce the new handsome man. Thus, she blamed all her misfortunes on Qiao Ci.
"You're overthinking it. Qiao Ci isn't like that, and you..." Nan An looked at the frail, defenseless Lu Yan before continuing, "You're too weak. She wouldn't bother with you. If she wanted to target you, she could have killed you the moment I was defeated."
His explanation, however, only made Lu Yan explode. "What do you mean? That I'm not even worthy of her attention? Nan An, how can you talk about your girlfriend like that? You don't love me; you love Qiao Ci!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? She was a saintess before, allowing deities to descend. She was meant to serve the deities for her entire life. If the deities hear your blasphemous words, they will unleash punishment like that day."
Nan An's expression turned serious. He felt Lu Yan was nothing like her previous obedient and sensible self. She was like a hedgehog ready to explode at the slightest touch, which agitated him greatly.
"Fine, fine! One mention of Qiao Ci, another of the saintess. You only have eyes for her now. Nan An, you scoundrel, I'll never speak to you again, sob sob..." Lu Yan's humiliation from Ming Xi completely erupted at Nan An. After her outburst, she turned and ran off.
Two of them were so stubborn. If they couldn't give her absolute favoritism, she'd rather have nothing!
If this place doesn't want me, other places will!
The Tiger Tribe is her bane, especially Qiao Ci! Otherwise, why would she keep getting hurt and wronged?
It's better to leave early and cut her losses!
After all, she was the Daughter of Destiny; she could thrive anywhere!
When she was doing wonderfully, she'd make them kneel and weep with regret, both Nan An and that new stiff-necked guy!
Due to his leg injury, Nan An rarely ventured out.
Seeing her run off crying, he felt his words might have been too harsh. Yet, looking at his slowly recovering leg, he ultimately did not chase after her.
*
After Lu Yan left, Ming Xi looked at the dazed little tiger with a knowing glint in his eyes.
The little tiger understood instantly. He wanted to see Qiao Ci, and he needed this tool tiger as a catalyst. Thus, it ran toward where Qiao Ci was.
It actually wanted to go too!
Although the host often scared it and locked it in the dark, it had a gut feeling that she wouldn't truly harm it.
But this Ming Xi would really kill it. Sob, it really wanted to return to the host's feet, rub against her skirt hem, turn over on its belly, and beg for comfort...
"Little Spoon, where are you going? Slow down."
Qiao Ci was discussing matters with the tribal members when a pleasant voice, accompanied by a curtain blown by the wind, entered the house.
Outside the door, the little tiger watched its short, chubby limbs move swiftly. Then it looked at Ming Xi, who was following easily with his long legs, and the visible, glistening sweat on his forehead. It rolled its eyes speechlessly.
You can fit more in a sack!
Qiao Ci dismissed the other beastmen from the tribe and looked at Ming Xi, puzzled. "What is this?"
Ming Xi looked fondly at the little tiger circling Qiao Ci and said with a smile, "It probably misses you; it kept running this way."
Qiao Ci knew there was a lot of exaggeration in his words, but she didn't expose him.
"Are there any deficiencies in the dwellings?" Qiao Ci was always thoughtful and caring towards her cub.
"No, everything is fine. Are you… living here? This place is decorated so beautifully; it's spacious and bright, fresh and elegant, understatedly luxurious." Ming Xi observed the surroundings, using the most beautiful words he could think of to praise it.
Qiao Ci followed his gaze and looked around, puzzled.
The spaciousness and brightness could be debatable, as the space was indeed quite large and well-lit.
But this little mud hut, how did he see freshness, elegance, and understated luxury in it?
Of course, as a qualified lover, Qiao Ci wouldn't expose his improper choice of words to his face. She simply nodded along with his words, "Ming Xi speaks truly. So, do you like it here?"
"I do," Ming Xi nodded eagerly, his obedient demeanor infecting Qiao Ci with a sense of joy.
"If you like it, then this place is yours to live in." Qiao Ci prepared to make room for him.
Whatever her cub liked, she was willing to fulfill as much as possible, let alone just a place to sleep.
"Ah?" Ming Xi didn't react. He just praised her dwelling, and now he was offered residency?
Qiao Ci repeated with a chuckle, "I said, if you like it, you can move in."
"Then what about you? Will you live here too?" Ming Xi's eyes sparkled, with a hint of shyness.
Listen to this, what lewd words were these!
Qiao Ci complained inwardly but replied outwardly, "If you wish, it's not impossible."
Who wouldn't like furry ears and a swishing tail?
Sleeping together would surely be interesting, right?
Ming Xi understood her hint and blushed crimson. She seemed to possess a strange ability to make all his defenses collapse and crumble effortlessly, leaving him utterly defeated.
Yet, at the same time, he loved this feeling and didn't want to resist it at all. He only wanted to immerse himself in it, to be eternally renewed and never-ending.
He liked all the unexpected moments she gave him.
From the first moment he saw her, a tremor from his soul made him involuntarily want to approach her.
A god had found joy, descended to the mortal world, and was no longer detached.
As a male, he naturally wouldn't barge in; he wasn't just any beast.
His ear tips flushed red as he glanced at her and said softly, "I'm leaving now."
After receiving Qiao Ci's acknowledgment, he turned and left in a rather flustered manner.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to grab the little tiger, which was flailing its limbs.
Little Spoon stubbornly extended a front paw towards Qiao Ci, making a final, desperate struggle.
In fact, the little tiger had been frantically sending distress signals to Qiao Ci since it first entered:
Save me! Save me!! Save me!!!
But Qiao Ci was too busy chatting with the handsome man to even look at it.
She didn't know what kind of restriction Ming Xi had placed on it, but it couldn't speak its pleas.
In any case, Little Spoon made all sorts of distress signals, but they were all completely ignored by Qiao Ci.
Until Ming Xi picked it up and took it away, Qiao Ci showed no reaction.
Little Spoon cried sadly. It seemed it could only resign itself to being a tool tiger!