The old lion demon rubbed the lion head on his wooden staff for a bit. In a very dignified manner, he waved his hand at the fierce young male lions. “Stop making a fuss. Little cubs, don’t rely on your demonhood to bully and frighten people. Ruan Qiuqiu is going to be leaving our tribe soon. Can’t you guys be nicer to her?”
Ruan Qiuqiu was somewhat surprised that the old lion demon would say that. She watched the chief blink his clever beady eyes and heard him leisurely say, “However, what Yuerao said was reasonable. Qiuqiu, the tribe can’t agree to all of your conditions.”
Ruan Qiuqiu hadn’t been harboring much hope for the chief, and she wasn’t surprised that he would say that. However, when the cold wind blew in from the outside, she felt especially cold. She silently wrapped her old fur around herself tighter. Ruan Qiuqiu’s head was lowered and she stayed silent.
The lion chief looked at the human girl. He had watched her grow up. She was someone that didn’t have a strong sense of existence in the tribe and was on the verge of sacrificing her future for the tribe. She probably wouldn’t have left many days left to live after she married that Big Bad Wolf. His heart softened a bit.
Just as Ruan Qiuqiu was contemplating how to act pitiful in order to get some fallen lion fur from the tribe, she heard the chief say, “There’s not enough herbs and animal skins and fur in the tribe. We can only give you ten pieces of animal skins.”
The old lion demon paused before continuing to say, “We can only give you ten herbs, but we’ll give you five more catties of salt. In addition, we’ll give you ten catties of tuber power, the ones that humans like to eat, as compensation. As for the dried meat, you can take 50 catties with you.”
Ruan Qiuqiu looked up in surprise and saw a trace of sympathy in the old chief’s eyes.
The old lion demon looked at her with pity. There was a rarely heard softness in his voice as he said, “Ruan Qiuqiu, the five wolf demons from the Fire Wolf Tribe are still waiting outside. Since you’ve agreed to marry, then… go back to your cave and pack up your stuff. You can set off to go to the Fire Wolf Tribe in an hour. The tribe will prepare the stuff you requested by then.”
Ruan Qiuqiu: “…”
Why did it sound as if she had an hour left before setting off on the road to death?
Was she the one that didn’t understand the extent of Mr. Big Bad Wolf’s cruelty? Or, was that wolf twisted in a perverse way? Was that why everyone thought her life would be short-lived once she married that evil wolf?
Ruan Qiuqiu seemed to be in a trance as she returned to her cave. After confirming that no human or demon had followed after her, she raised her palm to try to use her water ability. In the past, a trickle of water would have condensed by her fingertips in less than ten seconds. But now, even after a full minute, nothing happened.
Ruan Qiuqiu was unwilling to give up. She kept trying to sense the water element in the surrounding air. One minute, five minutes, ten minutes…
Ruan Qiuqiu’s body felt sore, and her face was deathly pale as she overextended herself trying to sense the water in the air.
Just as her brain felt as if it was going to explode in pain and she had to give up, she finally condense a drop of water by her fingertips.
Ruan Qiuqiu’s nose felt somewhat sour as if she was going to shamefully cry soon. The giant rock in her heart finally dropped.
Although her water ability had gotten weaker, it was wonderful that her mutated water ability still possessed a healing effect.
The author has something to say:
After several years of being married to the evil wolf, Ruan Qiuqiu said to him, “Back when I was about to marry you, I didn’t get along with the other humans and demons because I didn’t know enough about your abnormality.”
Mr. Big Bad Wolf: “…”