He hadn't left!
Then she was his!
He grinned.
He had done nothing all night in the mountains, just found a cave and lay there, wondering if Xue Niang had left and what he would do if she had. He had truly wanted to rush down the mountain then, but he had forced himself to endure.
He didn't want to force her; he was willing to give her a chance.
Now, the chance had been given, this was her choice, she chose to stay.
"You, how did you get injured!"
Xue Niang's originally cold face turned to shock when she saw the wound on his arm. It was bloody, the clothes torn, the flesh ripped open, looking even more serious than the one on his abdomen last time.
What had he encountered?
Xiao Shan ignored it, stepped forward, and hugged her tightly, with such force that Xue Niang could barely breathe.
"Xue Niang, Xue Niang..."
"You're crazy!" Xue Niang struggled, but he held her fast. His injured right arm was raised above her head, and she feared the blood would drip down.
Xiao Shan chuckled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. The stubble on his chin had just begun to show, and his eyes were dark and bright.
Was he foolish, not feeling the pain?
"It's nothing, I ran into a little wolf cub. Its mouth was small, and the bite didn't hurt."
Xiao Shan was nonchalant. Seeing the little wolf cub reminded him of when he first met Xue Niang. He had been distracted and got bitten.
Xiao Shan leaned down, resting his head on her shoulder, inhaling the faint lotus fragrance from her fair neck, feeling utterly at ease, not feeling any pain at all.
His hot breath sprayed behind her ear, and Xue Niang's body stiffened, feeling as if the skin there was burning.
Xiao Shan let out a low chuckle and finally released her.
"I'm going to wash up."
After tidying himself up, Xiao Shan was clean and refreshed, his steps light, his spirits high, showing no sign of the fatigue from watching for prey all night.
His wound had also been bandaged. Xue Niang saw that only his arm was injured, and the rest of him was fine. She then resumed her indifferent demeanor.
Several pheasants, rabbits, and a roe deer were thrown in the yard. She didn't see any large game.
Where was the wolf cub? Had he not caught it?
"I saw a peddler just now. Did anything happen? Did you sleep well last night?"
"Hmph!" Xue Niang snorted through her nose.
Not just a peddler, but a girl too!
Xiao Shan looked at her disheveled hair. Although it was cut unevenly, at least its color was no longer dry and yellow, but smooth and lustrous.
He took out a silver hairpin he had kept in his pocket. He had intended to give it to her last time, but so many things had happened. Now, he finally took it out.
The silver hairpin was of a very ordinary style, with only a plum blossom welded at one end.
"Take this for now. I'll buy you a better one when I earn some money."
His palm was open, and the silver hairpin looked small and delicate. Xue Niang hesitated before taking it.
"No need, one is enough."
She lowered her head, her fingers tracing the handle of the hairpin. How much silver had this cost? His hunting earnings were being spent on her without reservation. Didn't he still need to build a house? These unnecessary things, couldn't he not buy them?
"Don't spend money carelessly."
"How is this spending money carelessly?" Xiao Shan was in a very good mood, and he liked her more the more he looked at her. "When you're feeling better, I'll take you to the market to pick one out."
"Alright, I'll go to the restaurant first to sell the game. I'll be back before noon, and I'll buy some meat buns. Wait for me."
"Wait..."
Xue Niang called out to him. After thinking for a moment, she said, "A girl came looking for you just now."
"A girl? Who?" Xiao Shan frowned, his expression puzzled. In the entire Donglin County, the only girl he knew was Qu Linglong, whom Xue Niang also knew. Who else could it be?
"How would I know? She had a long braid and only said she would come back to find you."
Xue Niang looked at Xiao Shan, but saw him frown in thought for a moment. He didn't say anything, just gave a "hmm" and went to sort the game on the ground.
Xue Niang was displeased and said in a stiff tone, "The room is full of mice. I can't sleep well at night. When you get back, get rid of the mice for me."
"Okay, I'll be back."
Xiao Shan shouldered the game, a smile on his lips. He cast a gentle glance at her and then strode away.
"Blockhead!" Xue Niang cursed.
He was back. For some reason, her tense nerves relaxed a little. She hadn't slept well yesterday and now felt a bit sleepy. Xue Niang returned to her room to rest.
After sleeping for who knows how long, she was awakened by the sound of a dog barking.
Her body instinctively shivered.
"Xue Niang—"
Outside, Xiao Shan was calling her.
Xue Niang endured her fear and got up. She went out of the room and saw Xiao Shan had returned. He was holding a small black dog, constantly issuing commands or praise.
The little black dog jumped and leaped, wagging its tail and circling around Xiao Shan.
It was a wolfhound, completely black, without a single mixed hair. He had spotted it at the market at first glance. This dog was intelligent. With training, it would surely be capable of guarding the house and protecting its master. When he went hunting in the future, Xue Niang would be safer alone at home.
"Little Tiger, see? That's your mistress! Go, say hello!"
Xue Niang stood rigidly at the doorway. Hearing Xiao Shan's words, she instinctively felt something was wrong. Before she could run, the black dog had already pounced on her like the wind.
"Ah—"
Xue Niang let out a sharp scream, her whole body leaning back, and she fell to the ground.
"Xue Niang!"
Xiao Shan rushed over, scolded the little black dog away, and picked up Xue Niang. He found that Xue Niang was trembling violently, her whole body shaking like a sieve, her eyes tightly shut, her delicate lips devoid of any color.
"Xue Niang, open your eyes. It's me. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid."
Xiao Shan realized something was wrong. He carried her back to the room. Xue Niang's teeth were chattering, and she couldn't make a sound. She clutched Xiao Shan's front tightly and then began to wriggle desperately.
Xiao Shan wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her completely.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. It's just a little dog."
Xue Niang shook her head desperately, whimpering.
"Eating, eating people..."
"They don't eat people," Xiao Shan patted her gently to comfort her.
"They eat! They eat people!" Xue Niang screamed, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock, anger, fear, and madness.
"They eat people! While people are still alive, they tear them apart, tear them apart... blood everywhere, they made me watch, they were laughing... demons, demons!"
"She's in so much pain, she's screaming, her intestines are out."
"She's only got bones left."
"I'm not scared, not scared, not scared..."
Xue Niang's tears streamed down her face.
Xiao Shan's teeth were grinding with hatred! Damned beasts! Soulless scum! He would not let them go!
"Don't be afraid, Xue Niang is a brave girl. Don't be afraid of those beasts!"
Such a fragile girl, having gone through all this, and not gone mad, how strong must she be.
Even if he had experienced dozens of battles, large and small, with severed limbs and flying flesh and blood, it was probably not as shocking as the scene of dogs eating people.
And they were eating living people.
Having witnessed all of this from beginning to end, how terrified must Xue Niang have been at that moment.
Xue Niang... Xue Niang...
Just when he thought his heart couldn't ache any more, there was something that made him ache even more.
My heart is breaking into pieces.