Arc 3: A city where 4 clans reside in peace.

To think she'd jump the guns into dating the very creep she promised to beat up for QingQing...

The Chinese girl was prepared to have ‘a talk’ with her older sister when she returned. But RICE? Didn’t she say it was too expensive? Ash had brought in a sack of likely 20 kilos! 

Where did she even get the price? Was it Muhr?

She had heard he was a royal soldier. He also happened to like her. So if Ash used her name...

Is that it? Is that why she made him tag along? Another scam? Really now, jiejie?

Before she could ask, Caden- who was previously out hunting, inquired in an edgy voice, “That eagle... He the male you await?” 

The air around him was as if fluctuating with murderous current. 

Why is he angry? 

Late into the nights and early in the morning, he kisses her. While she suffered mini heart attacks everytime he cuddled close, the one who's scent he calls pleasant is her. In common sense, wouldn't make him her date at least. Whatever her sister does, should it be any of his business? 

It hasn't been long since he threatened to mate her, but it seemed like they've met before... Because of my relationship with her, could he have developed a brother complex?

“SHE came to ME asking aid-” Ignorant of the teen’s wonders, Muhr curtly threw back, “Nice to see inert snakes bother...” 

Murderous sparks were already blazing between them. It's not like QingQing was bothered by their lack of attention, but shouldn't they be fighting over her? While she, the one in the sidelines, was sweating from the silent veil of tension in the air, how her jiejie was so nonchalantly unpacking right in the middle of this was beyond her.

"Quit it, tactless morons. You have 2 faint-hearted females close by." 

At least, Zayn seemed to be thinking straight. His gaze fell on the bag of rice, him hardly stopping himself from tripping over as he exclaimed, “How the- You guys brought that much rice?! Even my mother (the leopard queen) didn’t eat that much her entire life combined!” 

Or not. 

I mean, is rice ‘that’ expensive? 

Z: “Tell me how you got it. You have yours, I’ll trade a share for my female.”

A: “No need. They owe me the next harvest.” 

Zayn was momentarily stunned to silence. Finding no way to defeat her in the race of rice, he targeted the dead tiger. 

Z: “What’s that? You want us to eat an outsider male’s kill? Never-” 

“Oi kid, can you stop yelling? It’s her kill,” dropped Muhr, causing a stunned silence to envelope the yard. 

Ash didn’t notice, in other words care to notice, as she babbled on the day’s events.

"When they insisted I take a reward I asked for the year's grain production. They expressed grief for half the harvest this year has been ruined by this tiger and offered to have the next year's delivered to my house. Bai, I knew you crave it for a long time, I’m sorry I wasn’t able-” 

Ash had to fight for her footing when QingQing pounced on her with a build nearly 10 inch taller. 

“To kill a wild tiger of that size! Why do you take these risks on my behalf? We could’ve sent the boys! ...Stupid jiejie.”

Ash spoke smiling, “I do me. As long as I have the ability, I'll continue to. How about you focus on how we’ll cook it, hmm? I know a special method to cook rice in stone pots from my homeland. Or we can steam some in bamboos wrapped with reeds- Chinese special.” 

Pouting with amix of worrisome gratitude, QingQing thought about it. She was capable of the second method. If only to pay back for Ash's huge contribute, the least she could do was arrange this elaborate recipe.

Q: “Lemme this one. You did enough.” 

A: “Go with Caden and bring some dope shoots then. Zayn can curve a curry out of the meat.” 

Q: “Mm~ curry! I want cumins and cinnamons and garlic and I want it buttery. Zayn, Let jiejie chose the seasons and make it extra spicy, kay?” 

Seasons? As in hot and cold seasons? Who in the world can choose that? What does it matter with food anyways? 

As people of this world didn't have names for herbs and mainly used them for medical purposes, they couldn't recognize what QingQing just named. At times like this, the males could only wonder. 

Do ape females have some special kind of language?

By the time the bamboo shoots arrived- skinning, cutting, cooking of the meat was about done. The turmeric and cumin Ash picked up from the sheep-village helped with the curry. 

Hearing noise fron outside, Ash raised her gaze to the door. QingQing was entering first, giggling like a fool. Her body, convulsing fron the held in laughter, was barely holding onto the wooden planks that made their fence. Ash was about to ask what happened, when Caden came in, a long pole of bamboo flatly laid between his neck and shoulder blade, a bunch of smaller- cleanly cut bamboo poles and bags of reed hung all over it. 

Looked spooked for only a moment, Ash too burst out laughing, QingQing joining along. 

A: “Gosh, he looks just like a peddler!” 

Q: “That’s what I thought! He looks hilarious! Ah, my belly hurts.”

Rather than insulted, seeing both females laughing at him to the point of shedding tears gave Caden an odd sense of warmth and pride. He had always known of his mindset different from others. Yet he got a feeling that he was turning weirder the more he spent time around them.

After the curry was done, Ash laid out 5 bowls on the straw mat QingQing personally crafted and made a statement. "Muhr helped a lot today. I want him to have a share.” 

Just when Zayn was about to forbid him in their territory, Caden suddenly said: “Sit him by the tree shade.” 

Ash snapped a glance at him, surprised. She felt complicated in times like this, when the cold guy was oddly indulgent and doting, even to her. She had noticed his gaze follow her around since a while and it made her insides squirmish. She was making a mental note to talk to QingQing about this, when suddenly he leaned in, right behing her ear and spoke in a low whisper, “She likes my scale, Snow is warming up to me.”

Snow? Not Xiao Bai? Is it because the novel turned English? Or did I make a mistake by using it first? 

The name Xiao Bai meant little snow. While Xiao is just a term of endearment, Bai was calling QingQing by her surname, also referring to her skin that is as fair as snow. Though Ash fondly calls her that, it was a nickname originally given by Caden in the novel. 

Him staring blankly or getting so close to my comfort was to gush to me about Bai accepting his gift? 

Ash reminded herself, he was a snake. 

Ah... he’s a bit different after all. I must’ve misjudged his- 

From the corner of her eye, Ash caught QingQing trying to cut a cooked bamboo pole still piping hot.

“Watch it!” she rushed to QingQing without answering Caden, “Let it cool down first! It’s closed, rice won’t be cold even if the pole is." She couldn't believe a 16 year old lacked that much common sense. "If you’re so impatient, cut it into half before steaming it. Give me that snake scale. I’ll show you how.” 

But instead of lending hers, QingQing pointed at Ash’s neck, 

“You and I have a matching pair. Why don't you use that?” 

Remembering how close Caden had leaned in just now, Ash spun around, only to meet his lazy grin. 

C: “It's shinier. Don't lose again, en?” 

Shinier? Than what? Wait... Does he mean the comment I made while stealing his tail-scale for Muhr? 

Why does he remember that? No. More importantly, what's with Bai's reaction? It almost like he's consulted her before gifting it to me too. Her own stupefied scowl mixed mismatchedly with QingQing's pretty smile. 

We really need to talk.

"Disgusted of your own hunt? I understand. Happens to the frail of hearts."

Still deep in thought, when Ash sat down under the tree shade next to Muhr, she noticed she had brought only the rice bowl for herself.

"Hey, dude! I'm not frail hearted. I just forgot, kay?" 

Excusing herself, she was on her way to get them when she saw a glimpse of QingQing holding a piece of meat before Caden’s mouth with her chopsticks.

She’s feeding him? Something doesn’t feel right.

She wasn’t jealous whatsoever, only QingQing wasn't the type to feed someone. Especially if it was a snake she was still quite terrified of. 

Speaking of types, Muhr wasn't the type to talk that provocatively- it was better suited expression from Zayn. Heck, Muhr was a person who'd rather not talk at all. So why did...

Could he have been trying to comfort me?

If she thought on it, it sure would be sad to snatch such a great kill but not be able to eat it because she felt disgusted after skinning and cleaning it herself. It can easily happen to the-

Happens to the best of us? Is that what he was trying to say? In that manner! No wonder people finds him mean! His social skills are shi-

Stepping into the kitchen, she found a bowl of curry way lighter shaded that what she had handed to Muhr. 

The only pale portion would be Caden’s spiceless portion. Then the one he’s about to eat- 

Ash knew how much that cold body would suffer from the heat produced by the peppers. The amount she added today, he might even die! 

Her body moved on its own.

Before she knew it, she was kneeling before Caden, her fingers inside his ice cool mouth as she forcefully brought the meat out and tossed it away. 

Fu**! The curry’s all over his tongue! 

Because she was very close to Caden, she could see his seemingly bloodless face rapidly turn red and his expression change. 

How many times did I ask these people not to give the snake spice? Why in the world did he accept? Just cause Bai asked? Why does the author make the males suffer for a female who doesn’t even like them back properly?! 

Afraid of the consequences, Ash moved fast, putting her knees around the lap of the full human Caden, cupping his face as she violently pushed her tongue inside. Please make this work. Please make this work.

His thin-long tongue was twisting inside like a stabbed sepent. His whole body had tensed up. 

He’s started to feel the burn. Ugh, what do I do? If I rub my tongue on the folds of his mouth will the spice transfer to me? Her mother had once taught her that sucking on the hand that burns after mashing chillies helps transfer it to one’s mouth. As the mouth is more tolerant to spice, it cools down much easily. But she never said what to do if a cold blooded snake’s mouth takes on the fire!

After a few dreadful minutes, Ash felt his tongue finally stop twisting and start to rub against hers as the soft-blubbery fishlike inner walls of his mouth constricted and expanded along with the little flesh. Phew, it’s helping. Shall I follow the instructions to end and reaaly suck?

She noticed one of his hand make its way to her face, tilting it sideways as if searching for better angle. What she didn’t notice was his eyes, intently staring at her focused face, turning dark with an unknown infatuation. When seconds passed, yet his actions didn’t slow down, Ash felt amiss again. So she pulled back and looked around. 

Everyone was staring at her dumbstruck. Surprised I shoved myself at him all of a sudden? Suits you, idiots. How dare of you to feed a snake dry chilli spice. Be grateful I stopped him from destroying our precious feast by rolling and twisting his huge body all over the- aren’t your expressions a bit too exaggerated? 

Only then did she notice her position. His touch didn’t feel akin to someone seeking refuge from pain anymore. It‘s was rather salicious and humane. 

What? How? 

Then there was something slime-like resting against her stomach. 

Oh, Damn!