Dressed in animal hides, Lu'er sat perfectly straight before the stone table in the center of the room. With his chin slightly raised, he fixed an oppressive gaze on Ruan Fu.
"You—"
He had barely uttered a single word when Chief Nian stepped in front of Ruan Fu, shielding her. "Clan Leader, Ruan Fu has just returned. Let her go back and rest. Otherwise, if something really happens to her, I'm afraid we won't be able to give the Snake Clan an explanation."
Lu'er raised his eyes, scrutinizing Chief Nian. "Chief Nian, you've crossed the line," he said coldly.
Chief Nian's pupils trembled slightly, and his hands, hanging by his sides, clenched tightly into fists. Yet, he didn't retreat in the slightest. He remained firmly in front of Ruan Fu, speaking with a composed and unyielding tone. "Clan Leader, I am only doing this for our tribe."
Lu'er scoffed coldly, his gaze landing on Ruan Fu. He wondered how she could be so capable, managing to seduce Chief Nian into losing his sense of right and wrong in just a few short days. It was just a pity that she was infertile; otherwise, the Rabbit Clan might have risen to even greater heights.
Clearing his throat softly, Lu'er spoke again. "In a moment, let Chief Nian examine your body to see if there are any issues. Don't go out again before your wedding day, lest you cause more trouble."
Ruan Fu nodded nonchalantly. She had already accomplished everything she wanted, anyway. She turned and followed behind Chief Nian, preparing to leave, but Lu'er's deep voice suddenly echoed from behind them.
"Chief Nian, don't forget your status. Know what you should and shouldn't do."
Hearing this, Chief Nian's footsteps faltered. Ruan Fu could clearly feel his spine stiffen, a fleeting look of dismay crossing his face. But soon enough, he resumed his wide strides, leading her out of Lu'er's cave.
Later, inside the cave.
Deep blue fluorite cast eerie, shifting shadows against the stone walls. Ruan Fu sat with her head bowed on the edge of the serpentine stone bed, her pale toes lightly tapping the ground.
Standing to the side, Chief Nian lowered his eyes and carefully examined her body. The skin left exposed by her animal hides was smooth and flawlessly white. Even the previously hideous wound on her arm had completely healed. In just two short days, it would have been impossible for her to recover this quickly, even with the medicine he had personally concocted.
Chief Nian's pupils contracted, his expression shifting slightly. "Where exactly did you go after falling off the cliff?"
"I don't know either," Ruan Fu said slowly, twirling the ends of her hair as she feigned a look of intense concentration. "I think there was a hot spring deep within a shroud of purple mist. I went in for a soak, and my wounds seemed to just vanish."
Purple mist. A hot spring. Healing powers. Chief Nian silently repeated these words in his mind. Suddenly, the hand holding Ruan Fu's wrist tightened. "That is the White Tiger Clan's forbidden ground. Did absolutely nothing else happen while you were there?"
"Nope." As Ruan Fu spoke, she tried to pull her hand back, but Chief Nian forcefully yanked her toward him.
Meeting his scrutinizing red eyes, Ruan Fu blinked, looking the very picture of innocence and naivety.
Chief Nian leaned in close, his gaze locked on her exposed collarbone. He closed his eyes and took a gentle sniff. A heavy, masculine scent washed over him—the unmistakable scent of a White Tiger Clan male.
His fingertips slid across her tender skin before his hand shifted to the back of her neck, gripping it firmly. "You mated with Lei Jie?" It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact.
Ruan Fu looked up at him with clear brown eyes. Then, she gave a firm nod and broke into a sly smile. "You caught me."
Chief Nian froze. He hadn't expected her to confess without the slightest argument, leaving him feeling a mix of anger and joy. Maintaining a facade of restrained calmness, he asked coldly, "Why didn't you keep lying to me? Hmm?"
"Because there's no need." Ruan Fu paused. "I already made myself very clear to you last time. If you—"
Before she could finish, Chief Nian's lips pressed against hers, instantly drowning her in a scorching kiss. In no time at all, she had gone from sitting opposite him to straddling his lap. Chief Nian grasped her fluffy tail—which had popped out in her excitement—with one hand, while the other wrapped tightly around her waist.
He didn't release her until her lips had gone numb, though his broad palm remained firmly on her waist, securely trapping her in his embrace. He looked down at Ruan Fu, who was leaning weakly against his chest from the intense kiss. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, her lips glistened with moisture, and her eyes struggled to hide her desire.
Shamefully unable to control himself, his own animal ears popped out as his Adam's apple bobbed.
Just as Chief Nian prepared to kiss her again, Ruan Fu reached out and blocked his mouth. He shot her a questioning look.
"I have a favor to ask you."
Raising an eyebrow, Chief Nian didn't hesitate to press his lips against her palm. The tingling, electrifying sensation instantly sent goosebumps cascading over her skin. Her breathing grew heavier as broken words spilled from her lips. "Can you... help me find something to mask the Tiger Clan scent on me? I'm afraid..."
Before she could finish, Chief Nian lifted his head. His red eyes clearly reflected her current appearance: fragile yet undeniably cunning. He wasn't surprised in the least that she was using him. The hand pressing against her waist instinctively tightened its grip before he lowered his head, pressing his lips against the crook of her neck.
The damp, soft touch drew an involuntary sound from Ruan Fu's lips. "Mmh..." This was followed by intermittent, breathy whimpers. "What... are you doing..."
Chief Nian chuckled softly. His furry ears continuously brushed against her skin, making her want to curl up into a ball. "I'm helping you mask his scent."
His slender fingertips slipped inside with ease. With his chin slightly raised, his lowered eyes watched her intently, as if unwilling to miss a single shift in her expression. A blush crept across Ruan Fu's cheeks at a visible pace. Her rabbit ears had long since popped out, the insides flushed a faint pink. She had to bite down hard on her lower lip to keep any more sounds from escaping.
Chief Nian seemed like a completely different person. He had been so inexperienced the last time, but now he had learned how to torment her, forcing her to arch her back and beg. With no other outlet for her mounting frustration, she took it out on him with her hands, digging her fingernails into the muscles of his back.
"Do you like me, or..." His voice was hoarse, yet he still asked the question word by word, just like he normally would.
Unable to bear the overwhelming sense of shame, Ruan Fu didn't wait for him to finish. She reached out, pulled him toward her, and used her body to give him the most direct answer possible.
Watching her lose control with ragged breaths brought Chief Nian immense satisfaction. Only in this moment could he clearly feel that Ruan Fu belonged to him—that every part of her was his. In her incredibly tender, tear-misted eyes, all he saw was a reflection of his own feral intensity.
He finally decided to let her off the hook, ending the sweet torment with a final kiss. Ruan Fu's waist trembled as she collapsed weakly against his chest. Moist teardrops clung to the corners of her eyes, and her breathing remained somewhat erratic.
Chief Nian gazed down at her, reaching out to gently caress her cheek and her still-quivering rabbit ears. "Fufu, did you like it?"
Ruan Fu was so exhausted that she didn't even have the energy to glare at him. All she could do was mercilessly criticize him with her words. "It was alright."
"Alright?"
It was as if she had struck a raw nerve. His hands quickly grabbed her waist again, prompting Ruan Fu to frantically pat his hands as she backpedaled. "I liked it! I liked it!"
Her flustered reaction pleased Chief Nian immensely. He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss into her hair. "I liked it too, Fufu. So, do you know my answer now?"