Marrying the Soft-hearted Villain

Qing Ruyi posed a barrage of questions, leaving Ruan Qiuqiu nearly overwhelmed.

One question, in particular—"That wolf didn't do anything to you, did he?"—stirred a flurry of indescribable emotions within her, causing her face to flush crimson.

After a moment of hesitation, Ruan Qiuqiu stammered, "Ruyi…Grandmother, are these the only questions you wanted to ask?"

Observing her reaction, Qing Ruyi arched an eyebrow, a knowing look dawning on her face.

She leaned closer to Ruan Qiuqiu, sniffing the air before relaxing slightly. "Good, you haven't consummated the marriage yet."

Ruan Qiuqiu thought, Grandmother Ruyi, must you be so direct?

Now, not only was her face burning, but she also felt utterly flustered.

While she and Mr. Big Gray Wolf hadn't actually done anything, other Yao, upon smelling Yuan Jue's scent on her, would assume otherwise. Qing Ruyi was the first to accurately perceive the true nature of her relationship with Yuan Jue.

Perhaps Ruan Qiuqiu's embarrassment was too apparent, for Qing Ruyi, despite having more questions, seemed to understand everything from her flushed face and evasive eyes.

Instead of pressing further about her relationship with Yuan Jue, Qing Ruyi simply sighed, a veil of sorrow falling upon her wrinkled face.

After a few seconds of silence, as Ruan Qiuqiu's confusion grew, Qing Ruyi finally spoke, her voice heavy with age. "Give him up."

Ruan Qiuqiu's eyes widened in disbelief, struggling to process Qing Ruyi's words.

Ruyi repeated, her tone softer yet firmer, "Give him up."

"You two are not suited for each other."

This time, Ruan Qiuqiu understood perfectly, a sense of absurdity washing over her.

Anger flared within her, her voice turning cold and guarded. Clenching her fists, she demanded, "Why?"

Qing Ruyi had suddenly urged her to leave Mr. Big Gray Wolf and even uttered Yuan Jue's name. Could it be that she truly knew them?

Qing Ruyi sighed, avoiding Ruan Qiuqiu's gaze as she walked forward, leaning on her willow cane.

Her voice, soft and distant, seemed lost in recollection. "Qiuqiu, do you know why humans can be with Yao, but not with Mo?"

Ruan Qiuqiu's confusion deepened.

She knew that humans and Yao coexisted in this world and could even marry, but she had never heard of a human and a Mo being together.

After all, in the minds of all humans and most Yao, even high-ranking Mo were considered eccentric, bloodthirsty, and man-eating.

"Is it because human bodies are too fragile?" Ruan Qiuqiu ventured.

Qing Ruyi shook her head, her gaze distant. "It's because Mo are greedy."

"Mo above the fifth rank are considered high-ranking," Qing Ruyi said with a laugh that held a hint of sorrow. "But the vast majority of Mo will never reach that level. Before reaching the fifth rank, most Mo possess limited intelligence, their instincts to consume and kill far outweighing any capacity for love."

"Even upon reaching the fifth rank, they cannot fully control the demonic energy within them. If they form a bond with a human, they will uncontrollably desire to merge their partner into their very being."

Qing Ruyi's eyes reddened, taking on a frightening appearance.

Ruan Qiuqiu tentatively asked, "Is this why you and Grandfather Mo separated?"

"Yes, but that wasn't the only reason," Qing Ruyi replied, her voice somber. Turning to face Ruan Qiuqiu, she asked, "Qiuqiu, do you know that besides humans, Yao, and Mo, there exists another, very special kind of being in this world?"

Ruan Qiuqiu thought for a moment. "Like Little Cat, a half-Yao?"

Qing Ruyi shook her head. "When a human and a Yao are together, their child may be human, Yao, or half-Yao."

"But half-Yao do not face much discrimination. Aside from being unable to fully transform into human or Yao form, they inherit human intelligence and some of the Yao's strength, with a lifespan of two to three hundred years. While half-Yao are unique, their lives are not particularly difficult."

Qing Ruyi spoke and walked slowly, yet they had unknowingly arrived at the spot for gathering wild vegetables.

Seeing her stop, Ruan Qiuqiu voiced her guess. "Grandmother Ruyi, is this special existence a half-Mo?"

Her words seemed to amuse Qing Ruyi, who suddenly burst into laughter.

Her laughter was abrupt, filled with a strange mix of mirth and sorrow. It was unclear whether she was laughing at Ruan Qiuqiu or herself.

After a while, Qing Ruyi turned back, her eyes gentle. "Silly child, an ordinary human and a Mo cannot have children."

Ruan Qiuqiu was taken aback as Qing Ruyi murmured, "Of course…"

"A half-Mo, half-Yao and a human cannot have children either."

Ruan Qiuqiu caught the unusual phrase, her heart clenching.

A mixture of surprise and a strange sense of inevitability washed over her. Like a sudden thunderclap, the realization struck her, and the words tumbled out, "Half-Yao, half-Mo?"

She gripped her spear tightly, a sharp pain piercing her chest. Her legs, previously unwearied, suddenly felt heavy.

The lingering uncertainty surrounding Yuan Jue's inability to dispel the demonic energy within him seemed to have found an answer. The revelation was swift and unexpected, like a meteorite crashing down upon her heart.

Qing Ruyi's laughter faded. Looking at Ruan Qiuqiu's grave expression, her eyes flickered, as if seeing a reflection of her younger self. "You've guessed it?"

Gazing at Ruan Qiuqiu's stunned face, she bent down and began to dig through the snow with her stone axe, searching for edible vegetables. In a calm voice, she confirmed Ruan Qiuqiu's unspoken fear. "Yes, both I and your Big Gray Wolf husband are half-Yao, half-Mo."

With her suspicions confirmed, Ruan Qiuqiu was speechless, standing frozen in the snow.

Mr. Big Gray Wolf's unusual behavior had hinted at his true nature all along:

• The clearly bitten-off limb;

• The sudden appearance of demonic energy;

• His ability to instantly kill Lu Ziran despite being gravely injured;

• His peculiar constitution that attracted Mo and the "curse" that branded him a monster…

All of these signs pointed to the fact that he was not an ordinary wolf Yao.

However, Ruan Qiuqiu had always held onto the hope that he would gradually recover, subconsciously ignoring all the anomalies.

Seeing her stunned and surprised expression, a pang of sympathy flashed through Qing Ruyi's eyes. She dug out a wild vegetable with her stone axe and said as calmly as possible, "Half-Yao, half-Mo almost never live to adulthood."

"As they approach adulthood, even those who have lived as Yao will suffer torment as the demonic part of them awakens. They gradually lose their sanity, ultimately transforming into terrifying monsters."

Thinking of the wolf at home absorbing spiritual energy and his wounds slowly healing, Ruan Qiuqiu instinctively refuted her, her voice laced with an unnoticed panic. "No, that won't happen."

Her wolf was getting better.

How could he lose his mind and become a monster?

And how could he…

Have less than ten years to live?

He was clearly getting better.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Ruan Qiuqiu bit her lip hard, the cold weather suddenly feeling more biting than ever.

Soft snowflakes drifted down, the sky showing signs of clearing. Even the howling wind seemed to be dying down.

Even Grandmother Ruyi, standing before her with a gentle smile, seemed kind and benevolent.

She stood in a place she had only dreamed of, a place filled with leafy greens, yet she felt no joy.

Her stomach was warm, the taste of roasted meat lingering on her tongue, but when Ruan Qiuqiu tried to smile at Qing Ruyi and ask, "Grandmother Ruyi, are you joking? This joke isn't funny at all," her usually upturned lips refused to cooperate, drooping downwards.

Her vision blurred. Ruan Qiuqiu shook her head and, abandoning her usual tidiness, wiped her eyes with her fur sleeve.

After a brief moment of panic, she composed herself.

Qing Ruyi, seeing her distress, straightened up and gently patted her shoulder. "Qiuqiu, you are a rare and talented human. Your spiritual energy is special. You've already reached the late stage of the first rank before adulthood. You are an exceptional child."

"If you are willing, I admire you greatly, and I can teach you. Once you become powerful, you can have any man or male Yao you desire. The world is vast, and even now, you have many other choices."

Qing Ruyi sighed. "Yuan Jue was once a leader, a genius, but what of it now? He should have entered the demonization phase by now. You should know this better than I."

"For a half-Yao, half-Mo entering the demonization phase, every second is agonizing, a pain so unbearable they would rather die."

Ruan Qiuqiu looked up at her, anger flashing in her eyes. "Grandmother Ruyi, if I remember correctly, you and Grandfather Mo were the same. Would you have asked Grandfather Mo to leave you?"

"You said that almost all half-Yao, half-Mo don't survive to adulthood. But you…"

Before Ruan Qiuqiu could finish, Qing Ruyi interrupted, "Yes, I reached adulthood."

Qing Ruyi wasn't surprised by the question. Her expression remained calm. "But what you see now is merely a facade."

Qing Ruyi smiled. "Do you want to see my true form?"

Ruan Qiuqiu was stunned as Qing Ruyi's fingertip glowed, reaching towards her forehead.

The world around Ruan Qiuqiu twisted, a cold wind rushing past her ears. She instinctively raised a hand to shield herself.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself on a small hillside.

On the shady side of the hill was a large cave. Willow trees surrounded the cave, dappled sunlight filtering through their branches. It appeared to be midsummer.

Ruan Qiuqiu took a couple of steps forward, but her feet met no resistance, her hand passing through the willow branches.

She quickly realized that this was Grandmother Ruyi's memory.

Floating in mid-air, she followed the row of willow trees and saw a young man slowly approaching, carrying a thin roe deer on his back.

His attire was strange. Despite the summer heat, he wore thick fur clothing. His face was pale.

Ruan Qiuqiu watched him draw closer until she recognized his familiar face.

It was Grandfather Mo!

Surprise flickered in her eyes as she noticed that Grandfather Mo's hair was already streaked with gray.

Mo Bugui continued to approach, blood dripping from the roe deer he carried.

Perhaps drawn by the scent of blood, a terrifying roar echoed from the cave.

Hungry, savage, and violent.

Despite the ferocity, Ruan Qiuqiu recognized the voice as Grandmother Ruyi's.

Grandfather Mo, seemingly unafraid, calmly walked towards the cave.

Ruan Qiuqiu followed behind him, slowly approaching the cave.

A pungent stench wafted towards them. When she finally saw the "person" inside the cave, Ruan Qiuqiu shuddered in disbelief.

Before her eyes, a nearly half-decayed monster, covered in grotesque black scales, was the usually gentle and beautiful Grandmother Ruyi.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her sanity seemingly slipping away. Deep black lines ran down her cheeks.

Ruan Qiuqiu's eyes widened as the monstrous figure lunged at Grandfather Mo, tearing into the roe deer he had brought.

As if unsatisfied, Grandfather Mo lifted his fur clothing, revealing a scarred and bitten arm, and offered it to her. "Eat."

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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