When Su Qinglan woke up, the first thing she noticed was the silence. The cave was unusually quiet.
She blinked a few times, trying to adjust her sleepy eyes to the faint morning light streaming in through the entrance. Her body still felt warm from the heat that was glued to her all night, and then, checking on him, her hand reached to the side...only to touch cold, empty stone.
Her eyes fluttered open wider.
She turned to the other side, reaching out again, but that spot too was empty. The beast hide was still crumpled beside her, but the warmth was gone. Hu Yan was gone.
Su Qinglan sat up in an instant, sleep vanishing completely from her eyes. Her heart gave a sharp jolt as she whispered softly, "Hu Yan...?"
No answer. Only the faint echo of her own voice came back.
She turned her head quickly toward the far side of the cave where Xuan Long usually rested, but that space was empty too.
Her breath hitched. "What... where did they go?"
A hundred uneasy thoughts filled her mind all at once. She pushed away the beast hide and got up, her bare feet brushing against the cool cave floor. Her heart was pounding faster and faster as she looked around again, just to be sure she wasn’t imagining things.
No, they were really gone. Both of them.
She hurried to the entrance, brushing her hair out of her face as she ran out into the open air. The morning breeze hit her skin, cool and fresh, carrying the scent of wet grass and distant trees.
The sun had only just risen, painting the forest in a golden hue. But there was no sign of either Hu Yan or Xuan Long.
Her heart began to twist with worry.
"Why would they both leave so early?" she murmured to herself, scanning the area. "Did something happen?"
The thought struck her hard and cold. She remembered how possessive Hu Yan could be and how proud Xuan Long was. This was the first time the two of them would meet each other properly. What if... what if they started fighting?
Her stomach dropped.
"No, no, no," she whispered anxiously, clutching the edge of her dress. "They wouldn’t... right?"
But deep inside, she wasn’t so sure.
She knew Hu Yan could be impulsive when it came to her. And Xuan Long...though calm most of the time, was the kind who didn’t back down easily if challenged.
And if they really misunderstood each other...
Su Qinglan’s face paled at the thought.
She mumbled, biting her lip nervously. "Oh no, what if Xuan Long thinks Hu Yan is some reckless, irresponsible beastman?"
That was the last thing she wanted. Hu Yan had always been composed and gentle, while Xuan Long was fiery and passionate. Two completely opposite personalities, and she had left them alone together!
And Su Qinglan’s heart couldn’t bear that.
When Su Qinglan finally ran out of the cave, her heart was still beating fast. But instead, what she saw made her stop dead in her tracks.
Both Hu Yan and Xuan Long were crouched quietly beside a small fire. The smoke rose lazily into the morning air, carrying a delicious smell of roasted meat.
Hu Yan was holding a long stick, turning the meat carefully over the fire, his tail swaying lazily behind him. Xuan Long sat across from him, his expression calm, serious even, as he watched every move closely.
Su Qinglan blinked.
What... was she seeing right now?
She stood frozen for a full ten seconds before she whispered under her breath, "They... are not roasting meat?"
It didn’t look like they were fighting at all. In fact, the scene looked too peaceful...almost suspiciously peaceful.
Hu Yan noticed her first. His eyes lit up instantly. "Lan Lan! You’re awake!" he called out with a big grin, waving at her enthusiastically. "Come, come! Eat something!"
Xuan Long turned his head slightly at her voice. His face was calm, almost unreadable, but his eyes softened a little. He said nothing, just gave her a quiet nod of acknowledgment.
Su Qinglan stood there for another second, still not sure if she was dreaming. But seeing the food and the warm fire, she finally walked toward them slowly and sat down.
"What... are you two doing?" she asked carefully, glancing between them like she was sitting between a sleeping tiger and a coiled snake.
Hu Yan smiled brightly. "You must not have eaten anything since yesterday. Here, eat this," he said, tearing off a piece of the roasted meat. He blew on it gently, then leaned forward and fed her with that gentle look in his eyes.
Su Qinglan blinked again, her cheeks turning slightly pink. She opened her mouth and took a bite. The meat was surprisingly good...crispy outside, juicy inside.
Before she could even swallow it, Xuan Long reached over, holding another piece. "Try this one," he said calmly, blowing on it just like Hu Yan had done. "I made this."
Su Qinglan looked at him in disbelief. Wait... the same Xuan Long who told her to eat raw meat?
She hesitated, but he looked so serious she couldn’t refuse. She took a small bite, and her eyes widened.
It was... good. Really good.
She chewed slowly, staring at him like he had just performed a miracle. So, the cold-blooded snake can actually cook?
She swallowed the bite and looked at the two of them again. They both looked perfectly calm, sitting across from each other as if nothing had happened.
So was she freaking out for nothing? Only she knew how many thoughts had crossed her mind in just a few minutes when she found both of them missing.
She couldn’t help thinking, Did they already talk everything out while I was asleep? Or... are they just pretending?
She didn’t know what to ask first, so she just focused on the food instead.
But then, as she glanced at Xuan Long again, something caught her eye. She squinted a little.
Wait... was that a scratch on his cheek? Who has the guts to scratch on his jade-like face...