Marrying the Soft-hearted Villain

A low growl rumbled from Mr. Wolf's throat, a blatant threat and warning colder than the night wind, making even Qing Ruyi, with her fifth-tier strength, feel a chill.

The willow branches she controlled, some of which were still wrapped around the willow plank Ruan Qiqiu sat on, snapped upon hearing the demonic growl.

Grandmother Ruyi, with her excellent night vision, saw Yuan Jue before Ruan Qiqiu could react. Clad in crimson robes, he charged towards her like a phantom.

—The wolf pup was barefoot, his face and wrists bearing scars from demonic blood surges, remnants of his demonic transformation. His crimson eyes were half-closed, revealing sharp canine teeth. Black hair cascaded down, and blood dripped from his large hands. He seemed to have completely lost his reason.

Qing Ruyi's heart tightened. Based on her experience, this was a manifestation of mid-stage demonic transformation. At this point, reason was almost entirely gone, replaced by a craving for flesh and blood.

Seeing Yuan Jue arrive before them in the blink of an eye, Grandmother Ruyi didn't hesitate. She quickly shielded Ruan Qiqiu's sight with soft willow branches. "Don't look, it's dangerous!"

"Not dan—" Ruan Qiqiu wanted to retort that it wasn't dangerous, but as soon as Grandmother Ruyi finished speaking, she felt a gust of cold wind whistling past her ear—swift, sharp, and savage.

The flames on the torch flickered and finally died out. In the cold night, the last glimmer of light vanished.

With her eyes gently covered by Grandmother Ruyi's willow branches, Ruan Qiqiu couldn't see anything. She only felt the cold wind mingled with the wolf's warm, moist breath, brushing against her ear like a lick of fire.

Ruan Qiqiu instinctively recoiled. Before she could utter "Husband," she felt a weight around her waist, as if something was tightly gripping her. An irresistible force lifted her from the willow plank.

Her feet landed on the soft snow. Her hands frantically touched something furry. Ruan Qiqiu tugged at it and recognized the familiar coarse fur of a certain wolf's tail. A muffled groan, seemingly from enduring pain, came from above.

"Husband?" Ruan Qiqiu raised her hand to pull away the willow branches covering her eyes. Her cold fingertips unexpectedly touched something smooth.

Ruan Qiqiu "???"

She moved her fingertips, gliding across the wolf's handsome face, touching his high nose bridge, and then his warm lips…

Wait, was she touching Yuan Jue's face?

Why didn't the wolf say anything??

Before Ruan Qiqiu could recover, she felt a weight in the crook of her neck. Yuan Jue's slightly heavy panting fell on her neck, ending in an ambiguous, husky "Awoo~"

Ruan Qiqiu "…"

Ruan Qiqiu "……???"

Mr. Big Bad Wolf's "Awoo" completely stunned her. Her mind went blank, and she stood frozen, mechanically trying to lift the willow branches.

While she was in a daze, the half-conscious Yuan Jue, believing he had given his little wife a very domineering command in a low, magnetic voice, said, "Stay behind me, don't move."

He was no longer clear-headed and didn't even realize that his current state was so dire that he couldn't communicate normally.

But he sensed that she had been out of the cave for far too long, later than ever before. Even in the throes of his painful demonic transformation, Yuan Jue, in his self-perceived 'lucidity,' came out to search for her.

He even mistook Grandmother Ruyi for a terrifying enemy who was bullying his little wife when he smelled the demonic energy on her.

Grandmother Ruyi, who had witnessed the entire process of the disheveled wolf pup, barely maintaining his half-demon form, 'rescuing' Ruan Qiqiu from her, "…"

She was speechless.

Seeing Yuan Jue shielding Ruan Qiqiu, even attempting to attack her with his demonic energy despite barely being able to stand, Grandmother Ruyi felt a mix of emotions.

While warding off the weak but still dangerous demonic energy, she quickly assessed Yuan Jue.

Soon, Grandmother Ruyi made her judgment—

If her Master hadn't joined forces with another sixth-tier demonic creature to attack Yuan Jue during the beast tide, she might not be his match.

Even now, in his mid-stage demonic transformation and unconscious state, his power remained formidable.

However, if the fight continued, she would be fine, but this wolf pup might be in danger.

Yuan Jue's current reactions were purely instinctive, driven by his desire to protect Ruan Qiqiu. Every second, his body endured immense pressure and pain. If he stopped, he would likely be unable to move.

Grandmother Ruyi could only pretend to be hit and 'flee' into the forest. As she did, she shouted to Ruan Qiqiu, who finally managed to pull away the willow branches, "Qiuqiu, quickly calm down your little wolf pup! Grandma will be back in ten minutes!"

Ruan Qiqiu, who couldn't see anything in the pitch darkness, "……???"

Everything happened so suddenly that she hadn't yet grasped the situation.

Why was Mr. Big Bad Wolf here? Was he unable to control his demonic energy? Or was he… worried about her?

This thought flashed through her mind, sending a wave of warmth from her ears. Ruan Qiqiu didn't have time to think. She channeled her spiritual energy, walking forward step by step, trying to locate a big bad wolf named 'Yuan Jue' with her power.

She reached out in the darkness and soon touched something furry.

Judging by the feel, it seemed to be the red robe she had made for Yuan Jue.

Her spiritual energy also detected the 'wolf pup's' fluctuations. Ruan Qiqiu breathed a sigh of relief and softly called out, "…Husband?"

The wolf standing before her twitched his pointed ears at the sound of his little wife's voice, but he didn't turn around. He only said in a low, domineering voice,

"Awooo~ (Don't fuss, I'm on guard.)"

Ruan Qiqiu "…………?"

She tugged at Yuan Jue's sleeve. Thinking that the 'wolf pup' might have come out because he was worried about her, her heart beat faster and faster. Tentatively, she said, "Husband, that was Grandmother Ruyi I mentioned to you. Although she's half-demon, she won't hurt us."

Ruan Qiqiu had originally planned to explain everything to Yuan Jue after returning to the cave, including Grandmother Ruyi's relationship with Grandpa Mo, her Master, and Grandmother Ruyi's plan to take her to the Winter Bear Tribe tomorrow.

She hadn't expected Yuan Jue to suddenly appear here. Unsure how to explain everything in a short time, she chose a concise explanation.

After she finished speaking, her eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness, and she could vaguely make out the swaying figure of Mr. Wolf in front of her.

After hearing her words, he seemed to gradually calm down, ceasing his growls, and slowly lowering his bloodstained hands.

He turned slightly, revealing his narrow eyes, which were particularly striking in the night. His pupils glowed with a terrifying crimson, seemingly devoid of any light.

Yuan Jue slightly raised his hand, staring straight ahead. His handsome face, marred with scars, looked even more frightening in the dim light.

But for some reason, Ruan Qiqiu understood what the wolf pup wanted to do. Aided by her spiritual energy, she took two steps forward, stood beside him, and smiled. "I'm fine."

The wolf's aura softened, and his demonic energy gradually receded.

He raised his hand, seemingly intending to rub her face with his fingertips. But as he approached, for some reason, his large hand stirred the cold wind and only brushed her hair with the back of his hand before dropping it as usual.

In the wolf's mind, he had simply said, as he always did, "Mm."

But to Ruan Qiqiu, his "Mm" sounded like Mr. Big Bad Wolf twitching his ears and letting out a small "Awoo."

Ruan Qiqiu "…"

Despite knowing that Mr. Big Bad Wolf wasn't in the best condition, Ruan Qiqiu didn't waste time on embarrassment. However, her face flushed, and she nervously held his arm.

The wolf struggled. "Awoo… (Dirty.)"

Ruan Qiqiu held on again. "Does it hurt?"

The wolf struggled again, but with less force. "Awooo… (It doesn't hurt.)"

Ruan Qiqiu switched sides, holding his other arm, and asked with concern, "Is it better if I hold this side?"

The wolf "…………"

As a powerful wolf, he didn't need to compete with his weak human wife on such trivial matters. If Ruan Qiqiu insisted on supporting him, he would reluctantly agree.

There was no dangerous aura in the surrounding air, suggesting that he had driven away the demonic creature.

He wasn't unsteady; he was just a little tired, just a little.

With Qiuqiu supporting him, he would close his eyes and rest for two seconds.

Just two seconds.

A sudden weight landed on Ruan Qiqiu's shoulder as the much heavier wolf leaned on her.

His damp hair, wet with snow and blood, brushed against her cheek, tickling her.

"Husband?"

Ruan Qiqiu called softly, "Are you still awake?"

The cool night wind blew, but Yuan Jue only left heavy breaths beside her ear. After a few seconds, the wolf let out a soft groan, seemingly in response to her call.

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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