Chapter 40
The chestnuts were encased in brown, spiky husks. With a slight movement, several fell to the ground.
One landed near Shi Nuo’s feet, and he picked it up. The spiky husk, already split open, pricked his fingers, revealing two large chestnuts inside.
“We need to shake them down,” Long Xu said, gently pushing Shi Nuo back towards the door, closing it halfway.
Shi Nuo stood inside, peeking out.
Long Xu picked up the tree and shook it vigorously. The spiky husks and chestnuts rained down like hail.
When the commotion subsided, the ground was covered in chestnuts, a sight that filled Shi Nuo with an inexplicable joy.
He hurried to the storage room, found a pair of gloves, put them on, grabbed a bucket, and squatted down outside the door, gathering the chestnuts.
Long Xu, despite its massive size, had nimble fingers. Seeing Shi Nuo struggle to open the husks, it reached down, picked one up, and gently squeezed it between two fingers, cracking it open, but the force also cracked the two chestnuts inside.
After adjusting its grip, it opened another husk, leaving the chestnuts intact.
Shi Nuo watched as Long Xu dropped the chestnuts into his bucket, then remembered that chestnuts needed to be scored before cooking to prevent them from exploding. And scoring them beforehand also made them easier to peel.
“Long Xu, could you also open the chestnuts?” he asked, looking up at the mecha, a smile in his eyes.
“Affirmative,” the deep, emotionless mechanical voice replied.
Shi Nuo removed the chestnuts from the husks. Their smooth surfaces were difficult to score with a knife, so he left that task to Long Xu.
This was effortless for the mecha, and despite the small size of the chestnuts and husks, its movements were swift and precise.
Shi Nuo glanced at the data Long Xu had displayed earlier. There were over three hundred husks, each containing two chestnuts, over six hundred in total.
With no fresh fruit available in the winter, these would be a welcome treat.
He was delighted. When they arrived at the forest and saw the bare trees, he had thought there wouldn’t be much to harvest, but Long Xu had surprised him with the chestnut tree.
Next time, he would ask Long Xu to show him the tree and simply pick the chestnuts himself, instead of uprooting the whole tree.
“Should we dry them?” he wasn’t sure and asked Long Xu for advice.
It was past one in the afternoon, the sun high in the sky.
Long Xu had finished scoring all the chestnuts. Its database contained extensive information on weapons and combat, but it also had a comprehensive encyclopedia of plants.
After a quick search, it looked at Shi Nuo. “Affirmative. A well-ventilated area is sufficient. The wind and dust outside are ideal. Spread them out by the living room window. The dust won’t be a problem.”
Shi Nuo thought Long Xu was very intelligent. He had been planning to dry them outside in the sun, but with so many chestnuts, he would have to bring them back inside before evening, which would be a hassle. Drying them indoors was much more convenient.
He carried the chestnuts back to the house in buckets and spread them out in a corner of the living room near the window.
Seeing the tree still standing by the front door, he thought for a moment, then looked up at Long Xu. “Should we plant it? Maybe it will survive.”
Transplanting such a large tree was difficult, especially without any special nutrients, but it was worth a try.
Long Xu quickly dug a hole about two hundred meters from the house and planted the tree.
The living room was spacious, a suitable place for drying things, as long as he stayed away from the rug.
If Hugh woke up and saw a mess near his favorite resting spot, he might be displeased.
Fresh, raw chestnuts were crisp and slightly sweet. Shi Nuo ate several while working. After bringing all the chestnuts inside, he excitedly carried half a bucket to the kitchen.
He had never cooked chestnuts before and decided boiling them would be the easiest and safest method.
He washed the chestnuts thoroughly and put them in a pot of water. As they cooked, a rich, sweet aroma filled the air, making him even happier.
He peeled a hot chestnut, its soft, sweet flesh a comforting treat. He ate several in quick succession.
The consequence of this indulgence was that he skipped both lunch and dinner, only eating a couple of small fruits later in the evening when his stomach finally felt less full.
The setting sun painted the sky in shades of red and gold, a peaceful and tranquil scene.
The vast plain stretched endlessly, the distant mountains rising and falling.
Apart from the lone house, there were no other signs of human habitation, the late autumn landscape bleak and desolate, the once vibrant sea of green now withered and brown.
Shi Nuo looked away from the window and drew the curtains, shutting out the outside world.
Living alone again, the contrast between the warm, comfortable interior and the desolate landscape outside felt like a strange dream. Fortunately, he had Long Xu for company.
After showering, he checked the bedroom door, making sure it was locked, then went inside.
He had already stored Long Xu in its spatial storage device. The doors and windows were locked, ensuring his safety.
Hugh Elvis lay on the rug, in a deep sleep.
Shi Nuo didn’t turn on the projector. He dimmed the lights and lay down on the edge of the rug.
The soft, dim light fell on them, the room quiet.
Shi Nuo stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought, until the man beside him, as if drawn by his scent, reached out in his sleep and wrapped a strong arm around his waist.
The cold lotus fragrance filled the air, and Shi Nuo instinctively released his own pheromones in response.
The man, like a large dog, nuzzled his head against Shi Nuo’s shoulder and neck, seeking a comfortable position before settling down.
His touch seemed to calm the Alpha’s restless pheromones.
Shi Nuo stopped actively releasing his pheromones and, turning over, faced Hugh.
The dim light illuminated the man’s handsome profile. He watched him for a long time, then couldn’t resist snuggling closer, burying his face against Hugh’s chest, his arm wrapped around his waist.
As he moved closer, the sleeping man instinctively adjusted his position, holding him close.
Shi Nuo didn’t speak, simply breathing softly, content to stay in the Alpha’s embrace.
On the thirty-fifth day of Hugh’s hibernation, the first snow fell.
A thin layer of snow covered the ground, then heavier snowflakes began to fall.
Shi Nuo stood at the doorway, watching the snow. Feeling tired, he squatted down, scooped up a handful of snow, and packed it into a ball.
The snow fell more heavily, the sky darkening under the thick, gray clouds, the atmosphere oppressive.
The land was covered in a blanket of white, a pristine, untouched landscape.
Shi Nuo had made a dozen snowballs. The door behind him was half-open, and he felt the winter chill on his exposed hand and face, but the warmth from inside the house enveloped his back.
The wind picked up.
The snowflakes swirled and danced, the wind growing stronger, howling across the plain.
Shi Nuo, his face covered in snow, quickly retreated inside, no longer wanting to play.
He closed the door, the sound of the wind growing louder, a mournful howl that showed no signs of abating, unsettling, especially when he was alone.
He activated the intelligent system with his voice, and after the doors and windows were securely locked, he turned up the soundproofing, muffling the howling wind.
Silence returned.
He wiped the snowflakes from his face. It was only the first snow, and it was already this heavy. He wondered what the deep winter would bring.
Fortunately, he had the house, warm and comfortable, its sturdy walls shielding him from the harsh elements.
With plenty of food and energy, he had nothing to worry about.
He glanced at the holographic projector, then hesitated and, instead of turning it on, went to the bedroom.
He gently opened the door. The bedroom lights were off, the curtains drawn, the room dim.
The cold, clean scent of lotus blossoms filled the air, a pleasant fragrance with its subtle hint of moisture.
The bedroom was also warm, a different kind of warmth than the one generated by the temperature control system.
The blanket covering the man on the rug had been kicked aside.
Shi Nuo knelt down beside him and touched his forehead. It was burning hot, his body also radiating heat, but his skin tone and complexion were normal, not flushed or feverish.
Worried, he opened the monitoring panel and checked Hugh’s vital signs. His body temperature and other readings were elevated but still within the normal range Long Xu had set.
He hesitated, then decided not to cover Hugh with the blanket.
He was absorbing the beast heart’s energy and was probably feeling hot. The bedroom was already warmer than the rest of the house, so he wouldn’t catch a cold even without a blanket.
He had tried to give Hugh water before, worried about dehydration, but he hadn’t been able to.
Long Xu’s monitoring data indicated that Hugh’s body was being nourished by the beast heart’s energy and wouldn’t dehydrate.
He checked on Hugh every day. Apart from being slightly thinner, his skin tone and elasticity were normal, and he showed no signs of illness.
Not only was he not sick, but he even had morning erections.
Sometimes, before Shi Nuo even woke up, he would be held tightly in the Alpha’s embrace, a situation that always embarrassed him, but Hugh’s continued virility, even in his sleep, was reassuring.
Sometimes, Hugh’s movements in his sleep were so pronounced that Shi Nuo thought he was awake, his cheeks and ears burning with embarrassment, yet a flicker of hope would rise within him, and after Hugh settled down, he would whisper his name.
Disappointment had become a familiar companion.
But there was still hope. Hugh had said that if he wasn’t awake by the fourth month of winter, Long Xu would wake him. It was now the first month of winter.
He just had to wait a little longer.
Shi Nuo turned on the holographic projector in the bedroom, stacked two pillows together, and lay down on the edge of the rug, his head resting on the pillows, the stuffed carrot toy clutched in his arms, and started watching a movie.
By four o’clock in the afternoon, it was already dark outside, the snow still falling, the wind howling.
After dinner, the contrast between the warmth inside and the harsh winter outside made him feel drowsy.
After showering, he brought a basin of hot water and a towel to the rug and gently wiped Hugh’s face and body.
They hadn’t anticipated the hibernation, so they hadn’t thought to buy a body cleansing device during their last trip to the black market.
Initially, Shi Nuo had been embarrassed, but after thirty days, his movements had become more practiced and efficient. He washed Hugh’s face and neck, then used a fresh towel to wipe his body.
He still didn’t dare touch the Alpha too casually. The man’s strong, muscular physique was both beautiful and intimidating, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long, powerful limbs radiating strength even after weeks of inactivity.
Hugh hadn’t asked him to do this, and he had noticed that the water, after he washed the towels, was clean, no dirt or grime. It seemed that in his hibernating state, Hugh’s bodily functions had slowed down, even his sweat glands inactive, his skin remaining clean.
Except in the mornings…
So, while wiping his body, Shi Nuo avoided certain areas, careful not to touch them. As long as he was clean, that was enough.
He used a fresh towel for Hugh’s feet, making the most of the hot water.
He touched Hugh’s chest and forehead; they were no longer burning hot. He covered him with the blanket.
Carrying the basin to the bathroom, he washed the towels, his mind wandering.
He was grateful that every morning, after Hugh’s…activity subsided, a quick check under the blanket revealed no…mess, sparing him the awkward task of cleaning the Alpha.
