The wooden spoon was brought to his lips. Ling Hong was hesitant, but seeing that she showed no signs of being poisoned, he very reluctantly opened his mouth and accepted it.
He swallowed it in one gulp. A fishy, bitter taste immediately exploded across his taste buds. It took all his willpower not to spit it out.
After the first sip came the second, then the third. In no time, the remaining half-bowl of medicinal soup was finished.
Seeing how obediently he listened, a hint of a smile touched An Jin's eyes.
After feeding him the medicine, she got up, took the stone bowl and spoon, and went to the small river outside to wash them.
Ling Hong's condition had improved significantly, but he would still need a few more days of observation and recovery. She would continue gathering herbs and brewing medicine for him during this time. Once his injuries were fully healed, she could take her leave.
The sky was growing dark. An Jin placed the stone bowl on the stone table, thinking to herself, 'Since the original owner of this body was a member of this tribe, she must have her own place to live.'
Searching through the few remaining memories of the body's original owner, An Jin learned that in this mid-sized tribe of 200, there were actually fewer than 20 females. All of them were housed in a large building in the very center of the tribe for protection.
To put it nicely, it was protection. To put it bluntly, it was being kept in a pen.
To be even cruder, they were breeding tools kept in a pen.
Aside from the roughly ten females who already had mates and had been taken to live with them, fewer than ten females remained in the large house.
Dozens of strong male guards surrounded the building. Except during mating season or for escorted outdoor activities, females without a strong mate could not leave the house.
'This won't do.'
'I can't let my freedom be restricted. Once I'm put under that kind of mandatory supervision, it'll be incredibly difficult for me to learn about this world.'
'The chances of me finding a way back to my own world would plummet.'
When An Jin returned after washing the stone bowl, the sky was already very dark. She glanced outside, then looked back into the room at Ling Hong, and a plan suddenly formed in her mind.
The small, skinny female clutched her head. Her messy hair covered one of her eyes. Her weak frame swayed, and she braced herself against the wall with a small hand, looking as if she might collapse at any moment. "My head is so dizzy..."
Hearing her voice, the silver-haired man lifted his eyes and looked over, confused. "Dizzy?"
'Wasn't she just fine a moment ago? She was surprisingly strong when she bit me.'
"When that Snake Beast kidnapped me, I hit my head on a rock while I was fighting back. I think I've... forgotten some things..."
An Jin spouted this nonsense without batting an eye. Her performance was so convincing it was award-worthy, making it impossible to doubt her as she smoothly continued, "I think I forgot where I live... Can you point me in the right direction?"
Given his current condition, taking her home was unrealistic, but he didn't mind just pointing the way.
The man raised his hand—his bones long and elegant, the veins on the back of it clear and distinct. He casually pointed in a direction, and after sparingly offering a few words about turning left and right, he couldn't be bothered with her anymore.
The little female thanked him happily, her messy face showing a hint of charming naivety. She walked out cheerfully, but a short while later, she returned, covered in dust.
"I... I can't find the way..."
An Jin lowered her head, wringing her hands like a child who had done something wrong. "It's so dark now, and I can't find my way. Can I... Can I please stay here for just one night...?"
She spoke with extreme embarrassment, her eyes fixed on the tips of her feet. She looked completely lost and uneasy, as if terrified he would refuse.
The nights in the Beast World were extremely dangerous. Wild beasts could be lurking anywhere. Letting a defenseless female go out alone was indeed risky, especially one so silly she couldn't even find her way home...
Ling Hong had been about to refuse, but this thought gave him pause, and his expression softened.
'Besides, she's the female I went through so much trouble to get back. If she dies, my injuries will have been for nothing.'
"Fine. Just one night."
True to his taciturn nature, Ling Hong said no more. He stopped looking at her and transformed into a sleek, beautiful Silver Wolf. He lay down on a soft pile of hay, tucking his left paw under him and resting his magnificent white head on it before closing his eyes to rest.
The little female lay down on the edge of the soft hay, curling her skinny body into a ball and taking up only a tiny bit of space. The night air was a little chilly, and she instinctively snuggled up against the warm, fluffy Silver Wolf and fell asleep.
The night was as silent as ink. A sudden gust of wind swept through the unshielded window, roaming freely about the room.
The little female turned over in her sleep, curling up even tighter. The tattered animal-skin skirt covering her did little to stop the cold, and she began to shiver.
But Ling Hong slowly opened his eyes. A flicker of something dark and unreadable shone in his beautiful green eyes as he stared intently at the person beside him.
'I haven't been able to sleep at all tonight. It's the first time an outsider has "invaded" my space—and a female, no less?!'
'Even though I have no interest in her, the feeling of someone sleeping beside me is incredibly unsettling. I've been on high alert all night and haven't been able to properly rest at all.'
'Meanwhile, she's just sleeping more and more soundly.'
The environment in the Beast World was harsh, and the temperature difference between day and night was staggering. He saw that the thin, frail female's face was turning a little purple from the cold as she huddled, her breaths turning to white mist...
The Silver Wolf hesitated for a moment. 'She did save me, after all,' he thought. He bent his front paw, scooping her half-frozen body into his embrace, and went back to sleep.