Xue Yunxue woke up with a sharp ache in her stomach from hunger. The events of the previous night had completely drained her energy. Morning light filtered through the narrow window of the inn, bathing the small room in a soft golden glow. She rubbed her eyes, then instinctively glanced toward the bed.
The man was still lying there, unconscious. His breathing was steady, his expression far calmer than it had been the night before.
Feeling slightly relieved, Xue Yunxue decided to go out to find something to eat and buy a few necessities. She left the inn at a brisk pace, suppressing the growing hunger in her belly.
After buying some simple food and eating as she walked, she couldn't help frowning. The food here was bland and tasteless. She had tried several different food stalls, yet none suited her palate. Perhaps she would need to cook for herself in the future—especially now that memories of her past life had returned. Back then, she had been quite skilled in the kitchen.
Her thoughts drifted back to the man she had rescued the night before. Hesitating for a moment, she eventually added some medicines to her purchases, along with a clean, loose set of men's clothing.
As before, her presence attracted attention. Several pairs of eyes followed her openly, and soft whispers rose around her. Xue Yunxue pretended not to notice, lowering her head and quickening her pace.
What truly shocked her was the price of medicine in this world.
It was outrageously expensive.
She stared at the numbers for a long time, her brows knitting together. Unconsciously, the business instincts she had once buried began to stir. With the medical knowledge she had gained during college in her previous life, opening a medicine shop—or even a small clinic—could be an incredibly profitable opportunity.
The thought lifted her spirits slightly.
While choosing some fresh fruit at a fruit stall, the shopkeeper smiled warmly and asked for her name.
"Xue Yunxue," she answered honestly, without thinking too much about it. She didn't want people to believe she was Hu Shui—the princess who had supposedly returned from death. She had no desire to draw even more attention to herself.
After finishing her shopping, Xue Yunxue quickly returned to the inn, her steps hurried as if trying to escape the gazes and whispers that followed her.
Yet midway through her walk, unease slowly crept into her thoughts.
She suddenly realized she had nearly forgotten the most important question about herself.
This body… who did it originally belong to?
She still wasn't entirely sure whether the body she now occupied belonged to an ordinary beast-human—or to the figure everyone spoke of with fear in their voices: Princess Hu Shui.
If this body truly belonged to that infamous, cruel princess, then she was standing in the middle of a massive problem. But upon further thought, it didn't seem possible. How could the noble body of a royal princess end up dying tragically in the depths of a forbidden forest?
When Xue Yunxue entered the inn room, her gaze was unconsciously drawn to the man still lying in a coma on the bed.
Now that she was calm—and with her spiritual perception enhanced—she could finally see him clearly.
The man was not merely handsome.
He was devastatingly handsome. Especially when sunlight fell across one side of his face, it was like gazing upon a scene from heaven.
Even in such a wretched state—his body covered in wounds, his face pale, his hair disheveled—his looks remained striking, as though blood and bandages could not conceal them. He was the most handsome man Xue Yunxue had ever seen in her entire life.
His nose was straight and well-defined, his brows thick and beautifully shaped, giving him a cold yet commanding presence. His lips were thin and perfectly contoured, exuding a dangerous charm that was difficult to put into words.
Xue Yunxue quickly looked away.
Admiring something beautiful yet dangerous had always been the beginning of misfortune.
She let out a soft sigh and took out the medicines she had just bought. Carefully, she cleaned the dried blood from his body, applied medicine to each wound, and wrapped them one by one with bandages.
Her hands moved quickly yet gently, fully focused on her task.
But just as she was tying the last bandage—
A weak groan sounded.
Xue Yunxue froze.
The man's eyelids slowly opened.
"Y-you're awake?" she asked softly, her voice unconsciously gentle.
The man's eyes—amber-gold in color—locked onto Xue Yunxue's face. His gaze met her clear black eyes, shimmering like dark beads.
In an instant, the weakness in his eyes vanished.
What remained was pure ferocity and vigilance.
His face tightened, his muscles tensed, and despite his injuries, he rose with swift movement. His gaze drilled into Xue Yunxue as though he were staring at something impossible.
As if… he had seen a ghost.
Xue Yunxue flinched at the wolf-man's reaction.
She slowly stepped back, carefully keeping her distance as the man tensed like a savage beast ready to pounce at any moment. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, pure and overwhelming fear gripping her chest.
She clearly remembered the scene from the previous night—how this man had slaughtered a group of beast-men without hesitation or mercy.
The air inside the inn room froze instantly.
"Y-you… are still alive?"
The man's voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief and caution.
"Impossible. I heard you died a year ago." His amber eyes sharpened, full of suspicion. "Did you crawl out of your grave just to take revenge on us?"
Xue Yunxue swallowed.
"Do you… know me?" she asked softly, forcing calm into her voice.
"Kou Hu Shui, aren't you?" the man replied immediately, without lowering his guard in the slightest. "That cruel princess. You're dead. Why are you here?"
"I'm not Hu Shui," Xue Yunxue answered firmly, though her chest trembled. "My name is Xue Yunxue. And I don't know you at all."
The wolf-man sneered coldly.
"What new trick is this?" he said sharply. "Pretending to have forgotten everything so we'll return to you?"
"I'm not lying." Xue Yunxue shook her head, raising her hands slightly to show she meant no harm. "I helped you last night because you were badly injured. I brought you here, treated you, and I don't even know your name."
A brief silence fell between them.
Then—
"Sister Xue."
Moa's gentle voice echoed in her mind.
"I've investigated his identity. This man is named Yun Wu. He is one of your beast husbands."
The words struck her consciousness like lightning. Her head throbbed violently.
In that instant, all the scattered fragments—the villagers' gazes, the stories of the cruel princess, the five beast husbands, and this man's reaction—snapped together into a horrifying picture.
Xue Yunxue fell silent.
Of all the possibilities in this world, why did she have to awaken in the body of a hated, cruel princess?
Before her, Yun Wu continued to stare without blinking. His amber eyes were sharp, filled with old wounds that had never healed—as if hatred, disappointment, and loss had fused into one.
"Sir… please be careful."
Xue Yunxue spoke as calmly as she could, even though her heart was pounding.
"I've just finished treating your wounds. If you move too violently, they may reopen."
Yun Wu's nose twitched slightly, as if he were sniffing the air. A moment later, the corner of his lips lifted in a cold sneer.
"You even… smell like her."
Xue Yunxue's chest tightened.
"Listen, sir," she said quickly, suppressing her fear. "Hu Shui is dead. And I really am Xue Yunxue."
Before she could step back—
Yun Wu lunged.
In a flash, he was right in front of her. His large hand clamped around Xue Yunxue's wrist with terrifying strength, pain stealing the breath from her lungs.
Without hesitation, Yun Wu bit the tip of his own finger.
Dark red blood dripped down and was pressed directly onto Xue Yunxue's pulse point.
Instantly—
A faint light flashed.
A wolf-head symbol appeared on her wrist, glowing briefly before settling like an ancient tattoo—then slowly fading away.
Xue Yunxue reeled.
"Hah." Yun Wu laughed coldly, his voice hard and filled with certainty. "You can't fool me."
His gaze hardened.
"Our souls are bound by marriage. That bond cannot be faked."
He leaned closer, his voice low and piercing.
"So stop your cheap tricks, Hu Shui."