Chapter 54: Ungrateful Heartless Immortal Venerable

Hu Wu was so furious that after blurting it out, he realized he’d accidentally voiced his innermost thoughts.

It was over. Zhou Si was probably going to get mad.

Sure enough, Zhou Si’s expression darkened instantly, his ears turning red as he reached out to smack him.

“Shameless.”

The fox let out a whoosh and darted to the other side of the table in fright.

“B-Because I like you! I like you, so of course I want to kiss you!”

The more he spoke, the more justified he felt, his voice growing louder. “You think about drinking my blood every single day! Why can you drink my blood but I can’t kiss you? That’s not fair.”

“Either you stop drinking my blood, or kiss me!”

Hu Wu was, after all, a fox spirit who had cultivated to sentience. He only half-understood human notions of romance and felt his demand was perfectly reasonable.

Fair trade—nothing could be more logical.

How could he know that for mortals, “liking” someone often meant giving everything without reservation, not this blunt demand?

In any case, Zhou Si still wanted to beat him.

Just then, Ji Huai was startled by the commotion inside the house and hurried in to stand between them. “What’s going on? Why are you fighting again?”

The moment Hu Wu saw Ji Huai, he found his protector and swiftly hid behind him, peeking out with half his head.

“Mr. Ji! Look at him. I even took him up the mountain to hunt spirit beasts today, and he still wants to drink my blood.”

He deliberately thrust his injured wrist in front of Ji Huai. The edge of the bandage was still faintly stained red.

“See? My wound hasn’t even healed yet.”

“Hah.” Zhou Si wasn’t surprised at all. The moment Ji Huai showed up, this fox demon stopped mentioning the kissing nonsense.

Instead, he started acting cute again.

Ji Huai looked at the fox’s bandaged wrist and softened, turning to negotiate with Zhou Si.

“How about… we try the spirit beast meat’s effects tonight instead?”

Zhou Si knew it probably wouldn’t work, but seeing Hu Wu cowering behind Ji Huai like that, he finally turned away with a grim face and left.

Since Zhou Si wasn’t cooperating, Hu Wu didn’t snuggle up to him that night. Instead, he curled up into a warm, fluffy ball in Ji Huai’s room and went back to sleep.

Zhou Si, however, barely slept a wink all night. The dull ache in his dantian from before had now gained a thread of restless heat, all bottled up inside with no outlet.

It was unbearably uncomfortable, leaving him tossing and turning.

The next morning, Matchmaker Auntie—that ever-enthusiastic meddler—showed up bright and early, knocking on the door with a beaming smile as she pressed Ji Huai about his matchmaking plans.

She’d arrived too soon; the sleepy fox Hu Wu hadn’t gotten up yet.

Roused from his slumber, he vaguely heard voices outside. Curiosity piqued, he tiptoed to the window to peek.

Suddenly remembering his telltale ears that he could never quite hide, he rummaged around the room, grabbed a floral cloth, and wrapped his head and ears tightly before cautiously cracking the window open just a sliver.

Outside, the matchmaker was earnestly persuading him. “Young Ji, why won’t you even meet the girls? If you’re worried about your big brother there, he’s got girls interested in him too!”

Ji Huai blinked in surprise, suddenly recalling those muddled words he’d exchanged with Zhou Si about sticking together. He looked a bit dazed.

Even though he knew it didn’t count, he used it as an excuse anyway.

“Auntie, no need. I… I’ve already got someone.”

“You’ve got someone?” The matchmaker’s voice rose in shock. “Both of you? Which family’s girl? I’ve never even seen her!”

Before she finished speaking, the window beside them creaked open, and a head poked out.

Even swathed in that ugly floral headscarf, the face was strikingly beautiful—delicate features, fair skin, red lips. Impossible to miss.

The matchmaker jumped. “Oh my! W-Who’s this girl?”

Girl?

Hu Wu blinked, then realized she meant him.

His eyes lit up with an idea. Pinching his voice into a soft, timid lilt, he produced a girlish tone. “Auntie, I’m Little Hu. Ji Lang and Zhou Lang saved me up on the mountain.”

“So… you’re Mr. Ji’s new bride?” The matchmaker’s eyes widened even more.

“That’s right~” Hu Wu smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.

“So please don’t come by anymore, okay?”

He couldn’t lose this big treasure that gathered spiritual energy.

The matchmaker looked utterly incredulous. “You picked up such a beauty on the mountain?”

First Ji Huai drags home a burly, super-strong man from the hills, and now a fairy-like girl? What was going on up there? She was tempted to go check it out herself someday.

Undeterred, she pressed on. “W-Well, what about young Zhou Si? Which girl has he got his eye on?”

Hu Wu panicked instantly. That deep-cultivation “gold mine” was his too! No one was taking it.

He cut in sharply, raising his voice.

“H-He’s my husband too!”

“W-What?” The matchmaker’s jaw nearly hit the floor. “You two… sh-sharing one wife?”

Ji Huai’s face flushed beet red as he hurriedly pushed her toward the door.

“Auntie! Y-You go on home now! We’ll talk later!”

The matchmaker left reluctantly, glancing back every step with the expression of someone who’d just devoured the juiciest gossip, muttering under her breath the whole way.

Hu Wu saw nothing wrong with his words. On the contrary, he felt triumphant for chasing off the annoying matchmaker and safeguarding his “spiritual energy source” and “cultivation mine.”

He sauntered out of the room, only to look up and meet a chilling glare.

Zhou Si had appeared at the doorway at some point, staring at him with a face as black as iron.

Hu Wu shrank back. “W-What’s wrong?”

“Hah.” Zhou Si ground out the words through clenched teeth once more. “Shameless.”

Then slam—he shut the door.

Hu Wu: “??”

What had he done to upset him this time…

~~~

The deer from yesterday hadn’t been finished yet, so Zhou Si didn’t head out to hunt again.

Ji Huai was in the yard dealing with the venison, but something felt off.

His home was in a remote spot. Normally, aside from the occasional neighbor dropping by, hardly anyone passed through. But today, shadows flickered beyond the yard gate, footsteps rustling as people craned their necks to peer inside.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before someone knocked on the firewood gate.

“Young Ji, you home? We’re short two stalks of green onion for dinner—got any to trade?”

Auntie Wang from next door poked her head in with a smile, though her eyes darted straight toward the house.

Ji Huai had just sent her off when the son from the Li family showed up at the door, claiming they needed more eggs and wanted to swap. He kept glancing behind Ji Huai too.

“…” Ji Huai realized what was happening. That matchmaker must have spread the shocking news of the “beautiful girl” he’d been hiding, and now it was all over the village.

The curious villagers couldn’t hold back anymore. They came one after another, making up excuses just to get a look.

Hu Wu was obediently tending the fire in front of the stove, his eyes glued to the bubbling pot of meat.

Seeing another visitor arrive, 05 volunteered and stood up. “Want some eggs? I’ll go fetch them.”

When the fox moved to head out, Ji Huai hurriedly held him back. In a fluster, he grabbed the floral cloth again and wrapped those potentially giveaway ears of his tightly once more. Then he gave the fox a proper talking-to.

“05! Remember this. From now on, you absolutely cannot say things like ‘you’re the wife of two men’ anymore. Around here, that sort of talk just isn’t done—it’ll have people gossiping!”

The fox’s eyes went wide. Only then did he realize… he’d said the wrong thing.

He couldn’t help peeking outside. The handful of young men standing beyond the fence had finally spotted him too.

Even with the headscarf covering most of his face, those bright, lively fox eyes and his delicate, pale skin were more than enough to leave people stunned.

The young men from the village stared with eyes like saucers. After taking their eggs, they all blushed and fell silent, hurrying off without a word.

They didn’t go far, though. Instead, they clustered under the old locust tree nearby, whispering excitedly among themselves.

“Good lord, where’d they pick up someone that gorgeous from the mountains?”

“She… she’s actually with both Ji Huai and Zhou Si? That’s Zhou Si we’re talking about—can she even handle him…?”

“Maybe Mr. Ji and Brother Zhou are still fighting over her!”

Not everyone approved, though. Some of the aunties grumbled in dissatisfaction. “Hmph, with looks like that, she’s probably a fox demon!”

“Right? And isn’t that girl awfully tall? Taller than Ji Huai, even? Something’s off about her…”

“No way…”

The more they talked, the wilder the speculation grew—and the more curious onlookers showed up. Eventually, Ji Huai couldn’t take the endless stream of “visitors” or those prying stares anymore. He made 05 finish his breakfast and stay cooped up in the house, forbidding him from stepping out again.

By noon, Zhou Si came in carrying a heaping bowl of meat. The chunks were piled high, the aroma mouthwatering.

The moment 05 laid eyes on that bowl, he knew exactly what was up.

He restated his rule. “I told you, if you want my blood, you have to kiss me first.”

Zhou Si’s mouth twitched. “And then what? After kissing me, you’ll go find Ji Huai for a smooch? In a couple days, will you be puckering up to everyone in the village?”

05 froze, his pretty fox eyes brimming with innocent confusion. “Why would I kiss them?”

Zhou Si let out a cold laugh. “Oh, right—so you’ll kiss Ji Huai instead. After all, you’re his wife.”

05 mulled over Zhou Si’s words for a moment, his head tilting as understanding dawned.

“No, I… I only want to kiss you, because I like you.”

He sprang to his feet in a flash, launching into his usual coquettish display of loyalty—and leaning in to kiss Zhou Si.

“I like you~”

Zhou Si turned his head aside, but the fox still managed to land one on his cheek. With a twitch of his ears, the fox grew bold and aimed for those tightly pressed thin lips next.

“Enough!”

Zhou Si jerked his head away sharply, his brows knitting in fury. He seemed livid at his own split-second hesitation that had let the kiss land.

In a sudden move, he seized 05’s wrist and shoved him ruthlessly onto the bed nearby.

Startled by the abrupt roughness, 05’s eyes flew open wide. Before he could even process it, Zhou Si bent down, looking ready to sink his teeth into the fox’s vulnerable neck once more.

“Ah!” 05 let out a terrified shriek and thrashed desperately. Right then, Ji Huai walked in carrying some tea. Taking in the scene, he rushed forward and pulled the two apart.

“What happened this time?” Ji Huai eyed the shaken fox and Zhou Si’s iron-gray face, rubbing his aching temples.

“He’s trying to bite me again!” 05 darted behind Ji Huai, clutching his sleeve and pointing accusingly at Zhou Si.

Zhou Si offered his explanation. “Meat alone isn’t doing the trick.” Only he knew the agony churning inside him.

“Even if it’s no use, I’m not giving any.” 05 was getting feisty now too. He peeked out from behind Ji Huai. “You’re so ungrateful—and mean to boot. I’m not letting you have my blood!”

Ji Huai watched the pair, feeling truly stuck. He turned to Zhou Si. “05 may be a demon, but his demon power is so weak he’s basically human. His wounds haven’t even fully healed yet. Draining him like this every day is just too cruel.”

“Since he doesn’t want to, let’s drop it for today.”

Zhou Si was at a loss for words.

Ji Huai had started out pretending to be neutral, but now he was clearly taking the fox’s side.

Worse still, that fox had just professed his “like” for Zhou Si and tried to kiss him—only to hide smugly behind Ji Huai the moment he spoke up in his defense.

Face dark, Zhou Si stormed out first. Ji Huai sighed and trailed after him.

In the yard, Zhou Si halted abruptly and whirled around.

“You said before we should team up and make a life together.”

He glanced sideways. “Have you changed your mind?”

“Defending a lying demon like that, word for word. Ji Huai, you’re too easy to fool.”

He even mustered a mocking sneer. “If you really have a thing for this fox demon, you might as well heed the aunties and go look at some proper girls. At least that way, you’d stay alive.”

Ji Huai blinked. “??”

The sudden onslaught left him dumbfounded. He’d always seen Zhou Si as quiet and taciturn; he hadn’t realized just how cutting the man could be.

Ji Huai pressed his lips together but said nothing in the end. He simply turned and headed back inside.

In the room, 05 had polished off every last bit of that heaping bowl of meat. He licked his lips in satisfaction.

That night, naturally, the fox snuggled up to the more accommodating Ji Huai to sleep.

But early the next morning—mere moments after Ji Huai headed out to tend his chores—Zhou Si shoved open the bedroom door.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his face looked even more worn than the day before. Clearly, he hadn’t slept a wink.

He stared at the fox on the bed, belly-up and sprawled with all four paws in the air, fast asleep. Zhou Si nearly laughed from sheer exasperation.

He’d spent the night in torment, unable to close his eyes, while this one slumbered like a baby.

Then again… 05 always seemed more at ease in his fox form when bunking with Ji Huai, curling up in the corner like that.

But when he slept beside Zhou Si, he was usually in human shape.

Zhou Si shook his head sharply, wondering why such a trivial detail had even crossed his mind.

The fox wasn’t fully awake yet when Zhou Si unceremoniously scooped him up by the scruff.

“Awo?”

Zhou Si was blunt. “We’re going hunting in the mountains.”

Still groggy, 05 found himself tucked into a backbasket lined with soft cloth. Hearing they were headed to the mountains eased his mind—this way, he wouldn’t have to walk. His head lolled to one side, and he dozed off again amid the basket’s gentle swaying.

After an age of rocking, 05 finally roused a bit. Then he remembered what really mattered.

Wait—he had to fight for his own cultivation!

He poked his head out of the basket, eyeing Zhou Si’s broad back. Sticking his muzzle out too, he spoke in human tongue. “Actually… it’s not like I won’t give you my blood.”

Zhou Si didn’t break stride.

Hu Wu blinked his eyes. Suddenly, he shifted lightly back into human form from the basket on Zhou Si’s back. He stretched out his arms and clambered onto Zhou Si’s back, his breath brushing against Zhou Si’s ear.

“It’s just… a little kiss, that’s all.”

Zhou Si’s expression changed in an instant. He clamped a hand over Hu Wu’s mouth and shoved him down into the grass.

“Idiot. Shut up.”

There were other hunters in the mountains, and Zhou Si’s hearing was exceptionally sharp. He knew someone was approaching at just that moment.

With Hu Wu’s ears still poking up from his head, there was no time to hide. Zhou Si could only press down harder in that position, pinning Hu Wu’s entire head tightly against his own chest. He used his broad clothes and his body to shield the fox completely.

The grass rustled and swayed. Sure enough, a figure pushed through the branches and stepped out.

The newcomer had a rugged face covered in a thick beard. He reeked of wild beasts and sweat. It was none other than Liu Da, the infamous old bachelor hunter from the village.

He had already heard back in the village that Zhou Si and Ji Huai had picked up a girl as beautiful as a heavenly fairy somewhere. It had filled him with sour jealousy from the start.

He spent all his time prowling the mountains—how had he never stumbled on luck like that? He never stopped to consider how unkempt and filthy he was, naturally repelling any woman who laid eyes on him.

Now, at a single glance, he saw that Zhou Si was indeed holding someone in his arms.

A surge of rage rushed to Liu Da’s head. His teeth ground together with a creak.

It was real! And he’d brought the “girl” all the way out to these deep woods? So eager they were about to get down to it right here in the grass?

He let out a sarcastic laugh. “Well, well, Brother Zhou. Quite the leisurely mood you’ve got there. Out here in these wild mountains, who’s the sweetheart in your arms? You sure you can keep her safe? Don’t let some beast snatch her away—then you’d have no one to cry to.”

Zhou Si’s face darkened. “None of your damn business.”

“Get lost. Don’t disturb me.”

Liu Da had hit a brick wall. His own face twisted in fury, but he didn’t dare clash head-on with Zhou Si. He could only mutter curses under his breath as he stalked off.

Only then did Zhou Si finally release Hu Wu.

The fox lifted his head and gasped for air. His entire face was flushed red, and he stared up at Zhou Si in a daze.

Zhou Si froze for a moment as realization dawned.

Hu Wu’s face had been pressed right against his chest the whole time.

Even though he was a man and shouldn’t mind, Zhou Si still felt a spark of irritation. His ears turned red as he hurriedly fastened his clothes.

With an exasperated tug, he hauled the stinking fox to his feet.

“Let’s go.”