Chapter 176: I Like Everything About You

Chapter 176: Chapter 176: I Like Everything About You

To confirm her sense of smell wasn’t mistaken, Bai Wanwan leaned closer to Zhu Xiu, her nose twitching as she took a careful sniff.

Sure enough, the pungent smell of blood hit her.

Zhu Xiu noticed her movement and reached out to grasp her wrist. "Don’t worry, it’s not my blood."

"Not yours?" Bai Wanwan looked up, her eyes filled with suspicion.

"No," Zhu Xiu nodded, his tone calm. "A male was following me. I taught him a little lesson."

Bai Wanwan raised an eyebrow. "We just got to the Golden Lion Tribe, and someone is already following us?"

"He probably caught my trail and followed to see what was going on."

Zhu Xiu explained it casually, but he knew the truth. ’That male has been tailing us since this afternoon. It was probably Jin Cang Clan Leader who sent him to watch me.’

However, he didn’t plan on telling Bai Wanwan any of this, lest he worry her.

Zhu Xiu had his own plans.

’The rainy season is coming, and the environment in the Golden Lion Tribe is relatively comfortable. At least Wanwan can live here peacefully.’

’And her status as a Holy Female will attract conflict no matter where she goes. Rather than hiding everywhere, it’s better to stay here for now and see how things play out.’

He hoped the man was following him out of caution, not malice.

Zhu Xiu took Bai Wanwan’s hand. "Come on, it’s getting late. Let’s go home."

Bai Wanwan nodded and called back to Yan Lie, "Yan Lie, let’s go."

Yan Lie quickly shifted into his human form and hurried to her side.

On the way there, Bai Wanwan had been so focused on finding Zhu Xiu that she had tuned out the suggestive sounds coming from both sides of the street.

But now, those sounds seemed a hundred times louder, reaching her ears with startling clarity.

She could feel Zhu Xiu’s hand tighten around hers, while Yan Lie drew closer and closer, his breathing growing heavier.

As they passed a low wall, the deep gasps of a male came from behind it. Bai Wanwan felt her cheeks flush, her mouth suddenly dry.

She couldn’t help but glance up at Zhu Xiu, only to find him staring right back at her.

On her other side, Yan Lie grabbed her hand and began gently tickling her palm.

"Uh... I’m hungry. Let’s hurry home."

Bai Wanwan quickly pulled her hands away and shook off the two males, walking ahead of them.

’The atmosphere just now felt like both of them were about to devour me.’

Even after walking ahead, she could still feel the scorching gazes of the two males fixed on her back.

Zhu Xiu clenched his now-empty hand. Without a glance at Yan Lie beside him, he followed her at an unhurried pace.

Yan Lie’s mind was filled with images of Wanwan beneath him, intimately entangled with him.

His face was bright red, and his heart pounded faster.

Seeing Zhu Xiu go after her, he snapped back to his senses and quickly followed.

Bai Wanwan pushed open the door and strode inside.

Hearing the commotion, Xin Feng came out from inside.

Noticing her strange expression, he couldn’t help but ask, "Did you not find Zhu Xiu, or did something happen?"

Bai Wanwan went forward, grabbed his hand, and pulled him toward his room. "I’m tired. I’m going to rest in your room."

’If Zhu Xiu catches me, I’ll never be able to keep my promise to Xin Feng.’ So she decided to act first and deal with the consequences later.

After entering the room, Bai Wanwan quickly lay down and said in a hushed voice, "When Zhu Xiu gets back, just tell him I was tired and fell asleep."

A gentle smile curved Xin Feng’s lips. "Alright. I’ll go get you some water."

Just as Xin Feng left the room and was filling a stone basin with hot water, Zhu Xiu and Yan Lie entered one after the other.

Zhu Xiu glanced at him but didn’t even bother to ask a question. His gaze shifted to Xin Feng’s room, and he strode toward it.

Bai Wanwan’s eyes were half-closed with sleepiness. Hearing footsteps, she didn’t open them. "Did you tell him?"

Sensing "Xin Feng" sit down on the edge of the stone bed, Bai Wanwan turned on her side and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Today, for..."

Before she could finish, she finally noticed the scent was wrong. Zhu Xiu’s aura was much colder.

Her eyes snapped open, and Bai Wanwan’s clear gaze met Zhu Xiu’s, which held a look that was not quite a smile.

"Hiding from me on purpose? And you hid in Xin Feng’s den?" He was so exasperated he almost laughed.

Bai Wanwan immediately let go, quickly shut her eyes to feign sleepiness, and said in a lazy tone, "Mmm... what did you want to say? I’m so tired. Let’s talk tomorrow after I wake up."

After saying that, she rolled over and deliberately made her breathing a little heavier.

Zhu Xiu didn’t say anything more. He just sat there for a moment before suddenly reaching out to pick her up.

Bai Wanwan had no choice but to pretend to wake up again. "What’s wrong? Don’t mess around, I’m tired."

Zhu Xiu scoffed, leaning over and looking down at her. "I’ve seen what you look like when you’re really tired..."

’Is my acting that bad?’

’Should I keep pretending or not?’

’Forget it, I’ll drop the act...’

She opened her eyes and grinned at him.

Zhu Xiu moved to pick her up again, but Bai Wanwan quickly grabbed his hand. "I really am a little tired. I don’t want to move from this spot."

Zhu Xiu’s eyes, gleaming with a faint red light, swept over her face. He said nothing, but the pressure was immense.

"The real reason?"

Bai Wanwan could see he was a little angry, so without a second thought, she leaned in and gave him a kiss.

The gloom in Zhu Xiu’s expression didn’t completely vanish, but it was clearly a little softer than before.

"Don’t think you can get away with that. Tell me the reason."

"Okay, okay. I wasn’t trying to trick you. I was just afraid you’d think I was playing favorites."

Hearing the words "playing favorites," Zhu Xiu’s eyes narrowed, a distinct chill appearing in them.

"When you were out, I promised Xin Feng I would sleep in his room tonight. I don’t want to break my promise."

She draped her arms around his neck. "I’ve kept all my promises to you, too, right? I don’t want to disappoint any of you."

The turbulent emotions in Zhu Xiu’s heart were somewhat soothed. "So you weren’t hiding from me on purpose?"

Bai Wanwan gave him a brilliant smile. "Why would I hide from you on purpose? I can’t get enough of you."

’Sweet talk never fails.’

Sure enough, the corners of the perpetually cold-eyed male’s eyes lifted ever so slightly.

Bai Wanwan struck while the iron was hot, kissing his eyes. "You should smile more. I love seeing you smile."

The young female squirmed in his arms, and the desire he had just suppressed flared up again.

He had to pull her hands from around his neck. "As long as you put me first and don’t intentionally deceive me, I’ll learn to smile for you."

Zhu Xiu had been alone for too long. He rarely showed emotion and didn’t even know how to smile.

Hearing him say that, Bai Wanwan’s heart ached. She cupped his face. "You don’t have to learn. Smile if you want to, and don’t if you don’t. I like you, so I’ll like everything about you."

Zhu Xiu took her words to heart, a fragmented light glittering in his eyes.

"Hmm? What’s wrong..."

She sensed something was off about his gaze, but she had barely started her question before Zhu Xiu grabbed the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss.

Her words had been like a spark, instantly igniting a fire that spread throughout Zhu Xiu’s body.

Bai Wanwan did her best to meet his demands, until a faint, numb pain spread across her lips...