Chapter 227: It’s Xin Feng

Chapter 227: Chapter 227: It’s Xin Feng

As their skin touched, a strange, tingling sensation spread from the point of contact, making his entire body go rigid.

He quickly looked down, his gaze falling upon her fair, beautiful hands.

A stark contrast to his own tan legs, her hands were so pale, so small...

A rush of heat shot to his head. He quickly grabbed her soft hand and moved it aside.

Pushing off with his legs, he shot up from the ground and moved away, out of her reach.

The morning light streamed through the cave entrance, tracing the delicate contours of her face.

Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent, and her lips held an alluring, rosy hue, like the most delicate irises in spring.

Jin Yi found the heat coiling in his gut growing even more intense. He averted his gaze and walked toward the mouth of the cave.

The cold wind blowing in from outside dispelled some of the heat coursing through him.

The feeling was too foreign to him, bringing with it a sense of instability he couldn’t control.

It made him subconsciously want to resist, to pull away.

Bai Wanwan was already half-awake, and when Jin Yi moved her hand, her consciousness began to surface completely.

She sat up slowly, yawning and squinting at the male standing in the mouth of the cave.

"What’s it like outside?" Having just woken up, her voice was even softer than usual.

Jin Yi heard the movement but didn’t turn to look at her. "It seems safe nearby. No beasts in sight."

"Should we eat something and then head out?"

"Not yet. I’m going to scout the area first."

He didn’t even turn to look at her as he said it.

Bai Wanwan had been about to offer him some jerky for the road, but Jin Yi was already striding away.

She and Jin Yi had been together day and night, facing hardship after hardship for days.

She might not know the male all that well, but she could definitely sense a change in his attitude.

’Is he avoiding me?’

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. ’Did I do something to upset him?’

’Did I toss and turn too much? Or grind my teeth?’

’That can’t be it...’

’She had several Beast Husbands, and none of them had ever mentioned anything like that.’

Shaking her head, she put a stop to her wild thoughts. ’Anyway, I’ll just do my best and try not to be a bother.’

Only after putting some distance between himself and the cave did Jin Yi slow his pace.

He was, in fact, avoiding Bai Wanwan. It was a subconscious act, and he wasn’t even sure why he was doing it.

They had spent the entire night in the cave without any beasts appearing, so it was relatively safe.

But it wasn’t completely safe, either. He had to scout the area and get back as quickly as possible.

*******

After getting up and washing her face, Bai Wanwan changed her clothes and sat in a corner to eat.

Just as she finished eating and was about to check the cave entrance for Jin Yi’s return...

...she suddenly heard the CRACK of a dry twig snapping.

Unsure if it was Jin Yi, she cautiously drew her machete, pressing her body against the wall as she fixed her gaze on the mouth of the cave.

Soon, a tall, backlit figure appeared.

When she saw the person’s face, Bai Wanwan’s pupils contracted violently.

The machete in her hand fell to the ground with a CLANG.

"Xin Feng!"

Her voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor.

He was much thinner, and the animal hides he wore were stained with dried blood.

Even more alarming were the scars of various sizes scattered across his exposed skin. Some had scabbed over, while others were still a raw, angry red.

Bai Wanwan’s eyes instantly reddened, and it felt as if something was caught in her throat.

She started to run to Xin Feng, but he was faster.

He closed the distance in a few great strides and swept her into his arms.

"Wanwan, I finally found you!"

’His little female was alive. She was really alive.’

His haggard eyes were bloodshot as he clung to her like a drowning man to a lifeline, holding her so tightly it was as if he wanted to merge her into his very bones.

Bai Wanwan hugged him back just as fiercely.

Xin Feng’s scent completely enveloped her. The mix of blood, dirt, and his own crisp, cool scent made her nose tingle.

His heartbeat thudded against her, strong and powerful.

It was as if only through this embrace could they confirm the other was real, that they were both still alive.

"Have you been out looking for me all this time?" Bai Wanwan’s voice was muffled against his chest.

"Yeah. After I found Shi Hua that day, I went home and realized you were gone..."

At the mention of that day, a lingering fear surfaced in Xin Feng’s eyes.

That night, he had traveled through the beast tide and been grievously wounded. But he knew he couldn’t die. He had to find Wanwan and make sure she was safe.

"Is Shi Hua okay? Was the baby born safely? What about the wolf cub and the snakelet? You’re here, so what about them?"

Bai Wanwan asked a series of questions.

"Shi Hua delivered the baby safely. With him and Mu Feng there, the children will be fine."

’At the time, when he realized Wanwan was gone, he hadn’t been able to spare a single thought for the children.’

’If he could go back in time and had to choose between the children and Wanwan...’

’...he would still choose Wanwan without a moment’s hesitation.’

’He didn’t want to worry Wanwan, so this was the only way to reassure her.’

Bai Wanwan believed him. Hearing that everything at home was fine, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.

She tilted her head up to look at him. After all these days, his jawline was even more defined. He was much more haggard, yet he was still so handsome it was hard to look away.

Xin Feng felt a little awkward under her stare.

He knew his female liked things to be clean, and his current state was anything but.

He looked away. "Wanwan, I’m a mess. Don’t stare at me."

Bai Wanwan raised her hands and cupped his face. "You’re handsome no matter what. Besides, you got these wounds and this blood on you because of me. How could I possibly mind?"

Xin Feng’s gaze returned to her. ’The little female has gotten a bit thinner, too, but she’s as beautiful as ever.’

He grasped her delicate, soft hand. "Right, why are you here by yourself? Where’s Yan Lie?"

At the mention of Yan Lie, the light in Bai Wanwan’s eyes faded.

Xin Feng frowned. He didn’t want to imagine the worst.

’Besides, if something had really happened to Yan Lie, how could Wanwan have possibly survived the beast tide unscathed?’

"Yan Lie... to save me... when we were escaping, he knocked away a Mutant Beast and couldn’t make the jump across the chasm. He fell into the canyon."

Bai Wanwan’s voice was choked with emotion. She pressed her lips together firmly. "But I believe Yan Lie will be okay. He’ll come back for me!"

Seeing the dimness in her eyes, Xin Feng tightened his grip on her hand and went along with what she said. "You’re right. Yan Lie is a Yellow Rank Male. He won’t lose his life that easily. He’ll definitely survive and find a way back to you."

Xin Feng’s words solidified her belief that Yan Lie was still alive.

With that thought, she pushed aside her negative feelings and said to Xin Feng, "You can let go for a second."

For once, however, Xin Feng went against her wishes. "Let me hold you a little longer."

Yan Lie was usually the one who clung to her like this. If it weren’t for all the untreated wounds on Xin Feng’s body, she would have let him hold her as long as he wanted.

"Let go for now. After I’ve treated your wounds, you can hold me for as long as you want."

Xin Feng’s arms remained wrapped tightly around her slender waist. "They’re just minor wounds. They don’t need to be treated."

’His most precious treasure was already in his arms; he just wanted to hold her properly.’

Bai Wanwan’s heart melted completely, and she let him hold her for a while longer.

But a moment later, the expression on her face changed drastically.