“They bullied me.” Ning Bingque flew back into the cave. Seeing Yan Yu’an sitting there, he flapped his wings, wanting him to get a clear look at Shen Yuanzhou and Xie Ji’s crimes.
But perhaps his appearance was too funny, because Yan Yu’an burst out laughing.
At this moment Ning Bingque was black and blue, and when he flapped his wings you could even see feathers falling off.
Ning Bingque was furious. “You’re still laughing! It’s all your fault—saying I wanted to eat fish…” He couldn’t help complaining, but he didn’t dare do anything to Yan Yu’an. He could only sit down on the pile of grass in a huff, glaring at him viciously.
Yan Yu’an knew he was in the wrong and patted Ning Bingque’s wing soothingly. “Little bird, I’m sorry.”
“I’m an eagle, you understand?” Ning Bingque said discontentedly.
At this moment Shen Yuanzhou and Xie Ji also returned to the cave. They glanced at Ning Bingque as if nothing had happened, tacitly not mentioning the beating they’d just given him.
“We’re going to look for God-Slaying Grass.” Shen Yuanzhou cut off Yan Yu’an, who was about to say something.
Xie Ji froze, then shifted his gaze onto Yan Yu’an. “You’re hurt?”
Shen Yuanzhou took Yan Yu’an’s hand. “None of your business.” As he spoke, he glanced at Ning Bingque again. “Whoever finds God-Slaying Grass first gets it.”
Ning Bingque stopped pretending to be pitiful too. His wounds healed at a flying speed, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed through his eyes.
The smell of gunpowder in the air grew thicker.
“I’ll go with you.” Xie Ji suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. He couldn’t help reaching out and taking Yan Yu’an’s other hand.
Yan Yu’an: “…”
What on earth was going on! How had it turned into this again!
He looked left at Shen Yuanzhou, right at Xie Ji, and for a moment didn’t know what to say.
Shen Yuanzhou’s grip on his hand suddenly tightened. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze landing on the hand with which Xie Ji was holding Yan Yu’an.
He really wanted to bite his arm off in one go.
Xie Ji didn’t mind in the slightest. He pulled Yan Yu’an a little closer to his side.
“Who are you going with?” Shen Yuanzhou suddenly spoke. He withdrew his gaze from Xie Ji and turned it onto Yan Yu’an.
Xie Ji was not the least bit afraid either. He said softly: “An’an, I’m injured… I can’t manage on my own.”
Yan Yu’an: “…”
Yan Yu’an felt his head was about to explode. He frowned irritably, then suddenly turned his gaze onto Ning Bingque.
Ning Bingque: “…” Why did he have a bad premonition?
Sure enough, the next second, Yan Yu’an suddenly broke free from their two hands and pointed at Ning Bingque. “I want to go with him.”
Xie Ji and Shen Yuanzhou immediately looked toward Ning Bingque.
Even with Ning Bingque’s good mental state, he couldn’t help trembling. He looked at Yan Yu’an in shock and pointed at himself. “Who did you say! Me?”
Yan Yu’an nodded calmly, frantically apologizing to Ning Bingque in his heart.
Today I’ll make you mushroom soup, make you roast lamb leg, make you something delicious—don’t blame me.
Yan Yu’an prayed frantically in his heart.
“Fine.” Xie Ji gave a cold laugh, his tail smacking onto the ground with a crack. “I’ll follow you two. I saved Ning Bingque—he still hasn’t repaid me.”
Ning Bingque wanted to argue, but he didn’t know what to say. He suddenly connected it to what Yan Yu’an had done to him, and an absurd thought rose from the bottom of his heart.
Could Yan Yu’an… like me?
Seeing Xie Ji say this, Shen Yuanzhou then fixed his gaze on Ning Bingque, and only after a long while slowly spoke: “Sure. One more of me won’t be a problem.”
And so, taking advantage of the remaining daylight, the group of four set off on the road to find God-Slaying Grass.
“Let’s go drink some water over there first.” Xie Ji glanced at the gradually darkening sky. “Let’s rest today and continue on the road early tomorrow.”
“What, can’t keep going after only walking this long?” Ning Bingque gave a mocking laugh. Instinctively he looked toward Yan Yu’an—and when he saw those pitch-black eyes staring at him, he felt his heartbeat skip a beat.
You like me that much, staring at me all this time.
Ning Bingque felt his ears grow a little hot.
Yan Yu’an was staring at the small lake behind Ning Bingque, thinking that he absolutely had to take a bath tonight.
He hadn’t bathed in several days, and his body felt sticky and clammy—utterly uncomfortable.
“It’s getting late, hard to travel.” Shen Yuanzhou spoke up. He now especially couldn’t stand Ning Bingque, who was receiving so much of Yan Yu’an’s attention. “If you want to go on alone, we won’t stop you.”
Ning Bingque gave a cold huff and said nothing.
“Go find food. I’m hungry.” Shen Yuanzhou raised an eyebrow.
…
Damn it. Once I find God-Slaying Grass and suppress that damn thing inside me, I’ll definitely bite you to death.
Ning Bingque went off to find prey in a fury.
“Want to play in the water?” Xie Ji followed Yan Yu’an’s gaze.
Yan Yu’an shook his head slightly and explained: “I want to take a bath. My body’s all sticky, and I feel smelly.”
Hearing this, Xie Ji leaned close to him and sniffed hard, then shook his head. “Not at all. You smell great—like grass.”
Grass scent? Yan Yu’an didn’t take it to heart. He just assumed Xie Ji was comforting him. He reached out, wanting to pat Xie Ji’s head like before, but felt a chill behind him.
He withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened, and only then did he feel that gaze disappear from behind him.
Xie Ji gave a soft huff, his tail lifting slightly. Then he took the initiative to nuzzle Yan Yu’an’s face and said: “I’ll go start the fire.”
“Want to take a bath?” Only after Xie Ji left did Shen Yuanzhou unhurriedly walk over to Yan Yu’an. Seeing him nod, Shen Yuanzhou curved his lips into a smile. “I’ll bring you here to wash tonight.”
He was going to secretly take Yan Yu’an out—he didn’t want anyone else to see.
Yan Yu’an waved his hands repeatedly, wanting to say there was no need, but meeting Shen Yuanzhou’s eyes, he couldn’t get the words out.
He always felt he was constantly indebted to Shen Yuanzhou.
Before long, Ning Bingque dragged a young antelope back.
“Is this little bit enough for anyone?” Xie Ji said coldly. He nimbly skinned it clean, then tore off the tenderest parts and skewered them on branches.
Ning Bingque was furious. What he liked most was young antelope—and now it was spring, with plenty of prey, so he’d hunted his favorite thing. “If you’ve got the ability, go yourself.”
Xie Ji turned the branches to keep the meat from burning. “I’m injured now. No ability.”
“You…” Ning Bingque roared in fury, but it was no use. He saw Shen Yuanzhou calmly tear the other meat apart and skewer it.
Ning Bingque was furious. He looked all around and finally spotted Yan Yu’an’s figure under a tree.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves and spilled onto Yan Yu’an. His skin was so white it seemed to glow, and Ning Bingque couldn’t help sucking in a breath.
Well—I’ll reluctantly allow him to like me.
Ning Bingque thought this.
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