An Jin knocked hesitantly on the door. "Mi Yin, are you in there?"
’No response. Strange. Did he go out to hunt? But with his lazy nature, he doesn’t seem like the type to go hunting in this heat.’
An Jin stood at the door for a long time, lost in thought, unsure if she should call out again.
After a good while.
She heard the scraping sound of a snake’s tail.
Then, a faint "mm" came from inside the room.
Confusion rose in An Jin’s heart. "Why didn’t you answer earlier?"
"I was sleeping. Didn’t hear you."
She could tell he was in a bad mood, and his reply was dismissive. So she just nodded, feeling a little unhappy herself. "Alright then. I won’t bother you. You just get some rest..."
Her light footsteps sounded from outside the door, then grew more and more distant.
In the darkness of the room, the python coiled in the corner lifted its head. Its crimson serpentine eyes flashed. Realizing the female was walking away, it felt a powerful surge of panic.
It suddenly arched the upper half of its body and shot toward the door, wanting to coil around the female and drag her back. But just as its head was about to touch the door...
...it jerked back as if shocked.
"HISS~"
’He’d wanted Jin’er to notice he was upset—he hadn’t even left to eat for two days—but her attention was still completely on that Wolf Beast.’
’Just as he thought. No one ever cares about a Wandering Beast.’
’She probably only accepted him because of the mate mark. In her heart, he wasn’t nearly that important...’
At this thought, Mi Yin grew even more dejected. The great black-and-red python, over ten meters long, slowly coiled itself into a tight, flat spiral, lying motionless in the corner.
To his surprise, however, the female’s footsteps returned not long after, accompanied by the rich aroma of food.
A knock sounded on the wooden door, followed by the female’s gentle, concerned voice. "It’s evening now. I noticed you haven’t eaten at all today, so I brought you some chicken soup. Would you like some?"
The python tucked its head deeper into its coils, its body tightening as it replied in a muffled, sulky tone, "Don’t mind me. I’m not hungry."
An Jin was speechless.
’He’s acting just like a sulking child.’
She rubbed her temples. She realized the snake was genuinely sulking with her. She never thought the fierce and aloof Mi Yin could be so childish when he was angry.
’She had no experience placating anyone.’
She placed the steaming chicken soup by the door and waited for a long time, but he still wouldn’t open it. An Jin’s patience was wearing thin, but she still spoke in a placating tone. "Don’t be angry anymore. Just eat first. I’ll agree to anything you want as compensation, alright?"
"..."
Only when the footsteps outside had faded away again did the wooden door creak open a tiny crack.
The tip of a snake’s tail snaked out, coiled tightly around the bowl of chicken soup, and dragged it inside. Then, the tail quickly shut the door...
’Can’t let the soup Jin’er made herself go to waste.’
When An Jin returned with a plate of roasted meat, she saw from a distance that the large bowl of chicken soup by the door was already gone.
’He really is like a cub. His silent treatment crumbled so quickly.’
She couldn’t help but smile. She crouched down to place the roasted meat by the door, but before she could even knock, the door clicked open.
A dark figure flashed before her eyes, and she was pulled into a cool, firm embrace by a man’s powerful arms. The wooden door then slammed shut with a BANG, plunging her into complete darkness.
Mi Yin leaned down, his thin lips brushing against her ear as he murmured, his slender fingers landing on her waist and trailing downward. "You said you would compensate me."
"..."
An Jin looked up, speechless. The light was too dim; she could only make out the man’s blurry silhouette. His deep, scorching red eyes were fixed on her, so intense it felt as though she could drown in their beautiful depths.
"Can’t you show a little self-control?" It wasn’t that An Jin didn’t want to be with him, but the mere thought of a Snake Beast’s stamina made her legs go weak.
’Sooner or later, he’s going to wring me dry.’
"You’re my mate. Of course I’d come to you," Mi Yin said, his voice a mixture of aggrievement and barely contained desire.
The sensation was utterly addicting; having it once only made him crave it again.
Besides, it wasn’t that he was that desperate. He truly hadn’t touched her in a long time. An Jin’s mind was completely focused on the tribe, and the time she spent with him was next to none.
And for Mi Yin, the overly peaceful life in the tribe was just too dull.
He was usually lonely and bored. Other than sleeping, his only pastime was pestering her for some excitement.
An Jin couldn’t resist Mi Yin’s passionate advances and ultimately gave in. He pinned her against the wall, their passion taking them to every corner of the room.
He usually preferred to be quiet and, out of consideration for her feelings, was always restrained and gentle. This time, however, he completely let loose, his actions exceptionally fierce, as if he were venting his jealousy.