Chapter 36: Chapter 36: A Perfectly Normal Reaction, No Need to Be Shy

Feng Xuan refused flatly, earning him two jealous glares that screamed, ’You don’t know how good you have it.’

He paid them no mind, thinking, ’Those two must be blind to fall for an annoying female like Yu An.’

Yu An paid no mind to his reluctance, simply grabbing him and dragging him out. Strangely, neither Mo Yan nor Han Li tried to stop them.

’It’s better to let Feng Xuan have the opportunity than to let the other guy benefit. At least, judging by Feng Xuan’s attitude, they won’t be gaining a new competitor for now.’

And so, a perfect outcome where everyone was happy—except for Feng Xuan—was achieved.

Feng Xuan was incredibly reluctant; he would have rather roughed it outside for a night than enter the cave with Yu An.

"Yu An," he said, warily covering his chest, "I won’t let you touch me!"

The corner of Yu An’s mouth twitched. "You think I want to sleep with you?" she asked, exasperated. "It’s because your wounds haven’t healed. I need to change your bandages and make sure they don’t split open in the middle of the night."

"Now hurry inside. I want to get some rest after I change your bandages."

’So that’s all it was—just a change of bandages.’

A little embarrassed, Feng Xuan sheepishly lowered his hand and followed Yu An into the cave.

The bed inside the cave was something Yu An had taken out of her dimensional space. Don’t ask how she got it. The short answer is that after the apocalypse, she became a scavenger who took whatever she could—if it wasn’t nailed down, useful or not, it went into her space.

And look, it was coming in handy now. A proper mattress was obviously much more comfortable than a hard stone slab.

Yu An took out some gauze and medicinal salve, then pointed to the bed. "Get on. Clothes off."

Feng Xuan hadn’t expected her to be so blunt; she spoke without a trace of shyness. He, on the other hand, had to take a moment to mentally prepare himself before slowly climbing onto the bed.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took off his clothes, one piece at a time.

His chest was broad and solid, his abdomen tight and firm. The lines of his arms were sleek and powerful, with veins faintly visible, radiating strength.

Yu An took a moment to appreciate the view before offering a gentle reminder. "Your pants, too."

Feng Xuan’s face flushed red as he quickly yanked his pants off.

"Don’t you go staring," he stammered, red to the tips of his ears. "I’m not just some easy male."

Yu An shot him a look. "What you have, other males have too. Relax, they’re all pretty much the same. It’s nothing special to look at."

Her words, however, had the opposite effect. Feng Xuan was suddenly displeased. A moment ago, he’d wanted to find a thin blanket to cover himself; now, he didn’t bother, just lying there brazenly...

He was bold enough to show it all, but Yu An couldn’t bring herself to look.

But it was impossible to avoid looking while applying the salve. "Well, now," Yu An said, her tone purely appreciative, "not bad at all."

Feng Xuan gritted his teeth and kept his eyes shut, saying nothing. He just pretended he was dead for the moment.

With his eyes closed, his other senses became heightened—especially his sense of touch.

Her slender fingers touched his skin. The ointment was cool, but Feng Xuan felt his body burn as if licked by flames.

Yu An’s movements were gentle as she worked her way down his body. Feng Xuan fought to suppress the fluttering in his chest, barely restraining a certain... indescribable urge.

’It’s just for the medicine,’ he told himself. ’And the one doing it is Yu An—that vicious, ugly female who ruined my innocence.’

’How could I... how could I get so worked up over a little touch...?’

Feng Xuan’s eyes flew open. He wanted to find something to cover himself, but the moment he looked, he saw the focused expression on Yu An’s face as she looked at him from the side.

Her expression was free of any distracting thoughts, as if he weren’t a male at all, but simply an injured patient in need of treatment.

The red birthmark on her face seemed to unfurl, and in Feng Xuan’s eyes, it was like watching a red Fusang Flower bloom.

When a male of the Tiger Clan finds a female he likes, he picks the most beautiful red Fusang Flower for her. If she accepts it, they can become mates.

Legend said that the more beautiful the Fusang Flower, the happier the couple would be.

Feng Xuan had always thought it was just a silly rumor. ’An unhappy couple won’t find happiness, even with the most beautiful Fusang Flower,’ he believed.

But now, he suddenly found himself trying to remember when the Fusang Flowers bloomed.

"Hey, could you try to control yourself a bit? This is pretty awkward for me, too."

Yu An’s exasperated voice cut in. "You have Heavenly Level Spiritual Power, don’t you? Is your self-control really this bad?"

’The youngest Clan Leader of the Tiger Clan, a male with Heavenly Level Spiritual Power, a domineering personality, tall, long-legged, and handsome... With a character setup like this, he’d be the overbearing CEO in a romance novel. So where is that legendary self-control he’s so proud of?’

Feng Xuan snapped back to reality. When he realized what he’d been thinking, and then glanced down at his own uncooperative body part, his entire face turned a visible shade of crimson, spreading from the tips of his ears down to his collarbones.

"I... I..."

"No need to explain," Yu An said, trying to be understanding. "And no need to be embarrassed. It’s a completely normal reaction for a male. At least it proves there’s nothing wrong with you physically."

’Good,’ she thought. ’That proves I didn’t scare him into... you know... that night.’

"Shameless!"

After a long moment, Feng Xuan finally managed to squeeze out one word. Luckily, she had finished applying the salve. He quickly pulled the blanket up, shielding himself from her scorching gaze.

But before he could even sigh in relief, Yu An lifted the blanket and slid in beside him.

Feng Xuan’s brow furrowed. "Yu An, use another blanket!"

Ignoring him, Yu An burrowed into his arms and let out a contented sigh. "It’s much warmer in your embrace."

"The exiled land is so cold. You need to keep me warm."

’Yep, the old "I’m cold" excuse,’ she thought. ’The move doesn’t have to be elegant or original, as long as it works.’

Sensing his reluctance, Yu An looked up at him, her eyes filled with a fragile, pitiable expression. "I’m afraid of the cold. It’s so cold I can’t sleep... You’re so warm..."

As she put on her damsel-in-distress act, she wrapped her arms around his waist and took the chance to give his abs a few good squeezes.

Her cheek rested against his chest. She seemed so small next to him, nestled tightly in his arms.

Feng Xuan agonized for a moment before conceding. "Just for tonight."

Yu An gave a small nod, her forehead bumping against his firm pectoral muscle. Feng Xuan felt his heart begin to race.

"By the way," she murmured, "I’m having a little trouble falling asleep."

Hearing her words, Feng Xuan’s mind began to wander. He felt like she was hinting at something.

’In the dead of night, a man and a woman, alone and unable to sleep... It can only mean one thing...’

"Tell me about Xiao Yu’s Beast Father. Since you came looking for Zaizai, he’s bound to show up too."

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. All his amorous thoughts vanished in an instant.

Feng Xuan’s voice was laced with displeasure. "Bringing up another male while you’re lying in my arms... Yu An, you’re really something else!"

He was uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. It felt like tiny needles were pricking his heart as a sour feeling—jealousy—began to spread.

’Of course, I’m not jealous. I just feel this is a grave insult!’

"Come on, tell me. I’m curious."

The Merfolk Clan had always been mysterious. They rarely left their home in the Treasure Pearl Sea, so the Beastmen knew very little about them.

Feng Xuan was so angry his chest ached, but he couldn’t withstand Yu An’s relentless pestering. "He’s the Clan Leader of the Merfolk Clan," he finally grumbled. "His looks, build, and spiritual power are all decent. A little worse than mine, of course..."

’I’m just listening to a story,’ Yu An told herself, ’and getting to know the "enemy."’ That merman, just like Feng Xuan—anyone who tried to take Zaizai from her was an enemy!

"Clan Leader Lan, I’ve long heard of your great name."

Just as he stepped into the bounds of the exiled land, Lan Yin was met by the City Lord of Han Ling City—the Snow Wolf Beastman, Han Fengyun.

Lan Yin only wanted to find Zaizai as quickly as possible. He was in no mood for pleasantries and tried to walk around him.

Han Fengyun didn’t block his path, simply saying in a slow, deliberate tone, "Clan Leader Lan, you’re here for your cub, I presume."

"I would advise you against it. That criminal female has three males with Heavenly Level Spiritual Power by her side. Even my own son, the heir to Han Ling City, refuses to come home, determined to stay and protect her."

"She will never let you take the cub. You should give up that hope right now."