Rebirth with the Beast_9

Chapter 52 continued....

Dino hopped into the yard, with Su Yi right behind him. Su Yi shut the gate and slid the bolt home.

He looked over Dino’s dripping-wet fur. “Why are you back so late?”

Dino shifted into human form and, walking inside with Su Yi, said, “I ate a bit more before coming back.”

Su Yi had already guessed as much. He carried Little Yilai to the boy’s room and set him on the bed, then grabbed a hide to towel Dino’s hair dry.

While he wiped, Su Yi cocked an ear to the rain outside. In the rainy season it poured most of the time, though there were still breaks now and then.

He went to the window, closed it, stretched, and headed for his own room. Pushing the door open, he saw Xinuo lounging lazily on the bed. Su Yi rarely saw him look so relaxed. He walked over, patted him, and asked, “What’s with you—so out of it?”

Xinuo reached out his long fingers, caught Su Yi’s hand, and kneaded his palm.

His eyes were gentle as water. In the soft firelight, the two-toned pupils glimmered with a bewitching light.

“Su Yi, I’ll probably shed tonight, so don’t be scared.”

What?

Su Yi’s eyes flew wide. Shed? He racked his memory and found nothing about Xinuo shedding, only a hazy recollection of Little Yilai doing it.

“Does shedding hurt?” Su Yi asked.

Xinuo shook his head, sat up, and slipped an arm around him. He breathed in Su Yi’s scent and said, “Before, I always looked for a safe place and did it alone. This is my first time shedding in front of you. Su Yi, shedding is perfectly normal for the winged-snake clan. Do you want to sleep with the kids tonight? I’m worried I’ll disturb your rest.”

Su Yi shook his head. “If it’s normal, why would I leave?”

His biology wasn’t great, but he knew enough about snakes to realize shedding was when they were most vulnerable. Xinuo had never shed in front of Mirel before probably because he didn’t feel safe.

“I’ll keep watch, so don’t worry.” He even struck a Popeye strongman pose. Xinuo didn’t know what that was, but when he saw Su Yi pat his own little bicep, he couldn’t resist turning his head to kiss it.

“But Xinuo, your beast form is so big—won’t it be cramped to shed at home?” Su Yi pictured that huge body and fretted. Their house was large, but a snake wasn’t just big; it was long. He worried the room would be uncomfortable for him.

Hearing the concern, Xinuo undressed as he explained, “When the winged-snake clan sheds, we’re at our weakest. At that time our beast form can shrink itself for concealment, as a form of self-protection.”

When Xinuo took off his clothes, Su Yi’s hands itched to misbehave more than once, but remembering how weak he’d be tonight, he restrained himself.

Xinuo lowered his chin to rest against Su Yi’s forehead, then hugged him from the front. Su Yi was just about to ask if there was anything he needed to watch for when something heavy settled over him. A white snake as thick as his thigh slowly writhed into place and wrapped him tight.

Su Yi felt a little sheepish. Xinuo had shrunk, sure, but he was still long enough to coil around him several times.

As if their hearts were in sync, Xinuo did in fact wind around him loop by loop.

Su Yi wasn’t afraid of snakes; when he’d first seen Xinuo’s beast form he hadn’t recoiled. But as Xinuo circled him, layer after layer, a faint “about to be swallowed by a beast” sensation bubbled up.

While he was spacing out, Xinuo found a comfortable spot on him and, drowsy, began to drift off.

Chapter 53

They chatted a little longer, then Xinuo fell still as if asleep—no more talking, no more movement. Su Yi had wanted to stay up and talk by lamplight, but Xinuo nodded off so quickly, and with himself trussed up and unable to move, he soon fell asleep as well.

In the middle of a deep sleep, Su Yi suddenly felt something squirming on him. Half-awake, he groped at whatever was wrapped around him, intending to push it away. Before he could, the thing coiled around one of his legs and tugged him backward. That jolt woke him fully. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, he sat up.

He hadn’t put out the lamp last night, so the room was still lit when he woke.

Then it hit him—Xinuo was shedding. He hurriedly lifted the hide quilt and, at a glance, flushed scarlet.

He’d gone to bed without undressing—Xinuo had wrapped him up before he got the chance. Somewhere in the night, Xinuo had burrowed up under his shirt.

Because Su Yi had sat up too fast, Xinuo had slipped and fallen inside his clothes. His belly felt stuffed with a big lump. Looking down, he saw his shirt bulging like a pregnant belly. He sighed, lifted the hem, and followed the length of the snake with his eyes—Xinuo was halfway out of his shed, coiled around Su Yi’s left thigh.

He stared at the odd liquid secreted during shedding, dotted here and there on his body, and his mind promptly went somewhere it shouldn’t.

He cupped Xinuo’s head and gave it a kiss. After that he lay back down clutching the snake, face hot and heart thumping for no good reason.

“Liking someone is terrifying. Seeing you like this and I still feel a flutter—what am I supposed to do?”

Xinuo of course didn’t answer, just slept on, looking deliciously lazy.

Su Yi tossed and turned for the rest of the night, unable to sleep, fingers constantly itching to tease Xinuo. To avoid disturbing the shedding any further, he decided to get up and cook to burn off his excess energy. He had no idea how long he puttered in the kitchen; by the time he was worn out, he realized he’d made a ton of food again. He kept only breakfast out and stored the rest in his space. When he carried breakfast back to the main room, he saw Little Yilai’s door cracked open and a small head poking through.

Little Yilai blinked drowsily at him for a long moment, then asked in a soft, sticky voice, “Mother-father? Is it morning?”

Su Yi set the food down, squatted, and pinched the little tail behind him. “Not yet. Did I wake you?”

Little Yilai shook his head, twined his tail around Su Yi’s wrist, and lazily rested his head on Su Yi’s hand. “No. I smelled something tasty and woke up.”

The sight made Su Yi chuckle—what a little glutton. He fed him a bird egg, then sent him back to bed. After lingering with the kids for a bit, he felt dawn creeping up outside, stretched, and headed back to catch a little more sleep.

As he pushed his bedroom door open, he found Xinuo standing there in a robe.

Huh? Was the shedding done? Su Yi rubbed his eyes; somehow Xinuo looked extra wickedly handsome this morning.

Xinuo took his hand and drew him inside. Su Yi couldn’t shake the sense that post-shed Xinuo was… different.

“Xinuo, y-you’re okay?” He let himself be led in; the door closed behind them and Xinuo gently steered him to the bed. Su Yi sat, wide-eyed with curiosity, waiting for an answer.

Xinuo crouched, his long, well-boned hands covering Su Yi’s. Su Yi looked at those hands, a good two sizes larger than his own—not only bigger, but whiter, longer-fingered.

Xinuo’s voice was deep—maybe not beautiful, but carrying a strange, compelling draw. Maybe it was “beauty in the eyes of a lover,” but to Su Yi it sounded explosively good.

“Su Yi.”

“Mm,” Su Yi answered, still looking at him.

He thought Xinuo would say more, but instead Xinuo smiled—a fleeting, devastating curve that left Captain Su dizzy. So that’s what’s different, he thought. He got even better-looking after shedding.

“Su Yi.”

Still calm, Xinuo pressed down slowly with the hands covering his, with a kind of determination that felt like it would carve itself into bone, and Su Yi suddenly felt a little shy.

“What?” he snapped, and kicked Xinuo lightly in the chest. On anyone else it would’ve read as pure swagger, but coming from Su Yi—aimed at a towering, gorgeous beastman—it somehow turned wickedly alluring.

Xinuo’s mismatched eyes slid to Su Yi’s leg, and he remembered himself in beast form coiled tight around that thigh. Half-bewitched, he reached out to touch. As his hand slid slowly upward, Su Yi too remembered certain images.

He tried to pull away. Out of Su Yi’s sight, Xinuo’s gaze darkened; he suddenly flipped Su Yi onto the bed and leaned down over him.

What followed was a bout of stormy passion. Afterward, they lay twined together for a while before Su Yi gritted his teeth and got up to bathe.

Xinuo went to the river to fetch water and heated it for his mate. It wasn’t cold yet; he could’ve just jumped in the river. But life was different now. Before, they’d made do because there was no choice. Now their lives were better, and drawing some hot water was no trouble at all—Xinuo didn’t find it the least bit bothersome.

By the time Su Yi was bathing, day had fully broken. It was still raining, but just lightly—pitter-patter—and Su Yi’s mood was sweet.

They’d later sealed off all the fencing around the back yard. Xinuo thought Su Yi could bathe there in future—he didn’t want anyone seeing him, so he fully enclosed the back wall and even built a little lean-to like Su Yi had suggested. On a rainy day like this, bathing under the shed was perfect. The tub was one Su Yi had taken from his space; he planned to make a bigger one in a couple of days so Xinuo could soak in hot water come winter.

Author’s Note:

Eating candy and listening to love songs is the only way to write something this syrupy sweet.
I’ll be back Saturday night to read your comments!!

Chapter 54

Back in his old life, Su Yi had been the type to keep himself fed and forget the rest—eating out a lot or just slapping together instant noodles. But ever since he came to this world, he felt he’d turned into a virtuous, well-rounded “three-good man.”

Lately, with all the cooking, even his so-so skills had improved by leaps and bounds.

Not only that—his handiwork had become top-tier too.

Soaking in the hot bath, he tallied up the next few days: once the rain stopped, he needed to sun-dry some red chiles for seasoning; go out with Xinuo to check the traps outside the valley; gather more plantable seeds; make a few new toys for Little Yilai…

Adding it up, he realized he still had a mountain of things to do.

“What are you thinking about?” Xinuo came into the back yard, walked to the tub, and ran a hand through Su Yi’s wet hair. Su Yi’s hair wasn’t long—he’d secretly trimmed it himself.

Su Yi caught the mischievous hand. “Hold on, let me bring a stool.”

He pulled a stool from his space and set it by the tub for Xinuo to sit.

“I’ll wash your hair. Yours is really beautiful.”

“Washing Xinuo’s hair” was really just an excuse for Su Yi to get his hands on him—an old trick. Back in high school he’d use the same line to touch a girl’s pretty hair: “There’s something in it—let me help.”

Of course Xinuo didn’t refuse the service; he sat obediently. Su Yi ran his fingers through that frost-silver hair with a sigh of admiration.

Back in his housing complex there’d been a delinquent kid who’d dyed his hair white. Su Yi had dragged him off to dye it back, then, at the parents’ request, given the boy a sound thrashing—ever since, the kid ran like he’d seen a ghost whenever Su Yi appeared.

Funny how a hair color he’d once hated could look completely different on someone else.

Because Xinuo’s skin was so pale, with white hair and light lashes, he looked like a figure in an uncolored ink painting. If he didn’t also have that beautiful face, Su Yi might have written him off as some try-hard “alt” kid.

Once he finished washing, Su Yi stretched his arms around Xinuo’s neck, angling for a kiss.

Xinuo glanced back at him, eyes smoldering on Su Yi’s lips. He was just turning to kiss him when a clamor rose outside.

He instantly pulled back and started to stand, but Su Yi caught him.

Standing, Su Yi looped his arms around his neck, rose on tiptoe, and bit his thin lips twice. “It’s probably Dilson and the others. Don’t worry about them—let me kiss you.”

Xinuo nearly laughed aloud. Sometimes Su Yi was really bold—bold enough to make Xinuo feel he wasn’t domineering enough. To reassert his position as head of the household, he decided he ought to “discipline” Su Yi properly. With that thought, he scooped Su Yi up and took control.

Outside their door, Mino was tugging at a flustered Dilson. “Don’t rush—they probably aren’t up yet.”

Staring at the closed door, Dilson couldn’t help shouting, “Xinuo! Su Yi! Open up! Come out and see what we brought you!”

At last the door opened a crack and Dino poked his little head out, still looking half-asleep.

Rubbing his eyes, he asked, “Uncle, do you need something?”

Mino quickly tugged Dilson and handed the small bundle in his arms to Dino. “Dilson found this outside. I thought it was cute and wanted to ask if Su Yi wants to keep it.”

At the sight of the little critter, Dino perked right up. By the time Su Yi, satisfied and hand-in-hand with Xinuo, wandered out from the back yard, Mino and Dilson had already left. Only Dino remained in the front yard, cuddling something like a squirrel. Up close, it really did look a bit like one, though its tail was short and stubby. Its body was a round ball with four short legs—adorably funny.

“Mother-father, Uncle Mino gave this to you,” Dino said, lifting it for him to see.

Su Yi waved him off—he wasn’t some pure-hearted maiden. Cute and dopey as the thing was, he wasn’t that interested.

“Give it back to Uncle Mino. I don’t like keeping pets. I already raise two kids as my ‘pets’—where would I find the energy for this little guy?”

“Oh,” Dino murmured, a bit crestfallen. He turned to carry the “squirrel” out, but Su Yi stopped him.

“Do you like it, little Dino?” Su Yi squatted and patted his head.

Dino glanced at him and gave a small nod.

“How about this, then? It’ll be yours to raise from now on—take good care of it.” Dino let out a small whoop of joy and ran to his room with the animal.

Meanwhile, Tang Yu had also risen early.

Jers hadn’t come back all night. When he returned in the morning, he had five or six carcasses slung over his back.

What did five or six carcasses mean?

Think about how big the game ran in this world—and then the combined weight of five or six of them. Jers, calm as ever, dropped them onto the ground. The thud jolted Tang Yu awake.

Blinking at his surroundings, Tang Yu stared blankly for a while before remembering this was Jers’s room. It held nothing but a stone bed and a few hides.

Rubbing his eyes, he stepped outside and saw Jers with his back to him, staring at the haul.

“Where did you go yesterday?” Tang Yu walked over and asked.

Jers acted as if he hadn’t heard, still looking at the game.

Curiosity piqued, Tang Yu followed his gaze—and spotted something rare among the carcasses: a Silver Moon beast, pure white from head to toe. Beyond its beautiful pelt, it was known for appearing only at night—hence the pretty name. A snow-white animal out at night would normally be easy pickings for beastmen or predators.

So why was it rare? Because, in addition to being blindingly fast, the Silver Moon beast was viciously aggressive. And rumor had it the meat was delicious.

Rifling Xiluo’s memories, Tang Yu guessed that’s what it was. But Silver Moon beasts were famously hard to hunt. Anyone who managed it would present one to their beloved; females who received one usually agreed to pair up, because only a truly brave, formidable beastman could bring one down.

Jers glanced at Tang Yu, picked up the Silver Moon beast, and started off.

“Where are you going?” Tang Yu had a bellyful of questions after not seeing him last night. Now that he was finally back, Tang Yu hadn’t even gotten to ask about the houses before the man was on the move again.

Chapter 55

“Wow! A Silver Moon beast?” Ian had gone out early. Now, backpack on, he was heading home when he saw Jers in the distance carrying one.

“Jers, did you go out just to get that?” Ian asked as he reached him. Spotting Tang Yu behind Jers, he even smiled at him.

“Mm. Planning to give it to Dilson,” Jers replied, still cool and even. It was his pairing gift for Dilson and Mino. Tang Yu snapped out of it and muttered, “Su Yi? Su Yi?”

Images of Su Yi riddled with bullets flashed through his mind, along with the moment he’d helped lift the jade pendant… So it was because of that pendant?

Tang Yu wasn’t stupid. Hearing Su Yi’s name, he instantly linked it to the jade. If he were the only one who’d traveled, fine. But if Su Yi had too, what connection did the Tang family’s young master have to him? The only point of contact was that, before he lost consciousness, he seemed to have touched Su Yi’s pendant.

Leaving Mino’s place, he shot Jers a complicated look and turned toward another house in the distance—bigger and grander than Mino’s. Whoever built it had poured a lot of heart into it.

Jers watched him go, his ink-dark eyes flickering. At the mention of Su Yi, something about Tang Yu had changed. Maybe it was his imagination, but Jers suddenly felt Tang Yu wasn’t as simple as he looked. When he’d heard “Su Yi,” he’d slipped—just for an instant—but then quickly smoothed his expression and acted as if nothing had happened.

Su Yi was brushing his teeth with salt. He’d used garlic in breakfast, and Little Yilai hated the smell. To avoid being disliked by his son, he brushed with salt and rinsed with mint-infused water.

He’d just finished and was about to head back inside when a knock sounded. He paused—beastmen here didn’t knock; they usually shouted before entering. For a second he wondered if he was hearing things.

When he ambled over and opened the door, a strange female stood there.

Their valley was encircled by sheer cliffs with no entrances or exits—how had this female appeared?

As Su Yi sized him up, the “female” was also looking Su Yi over.

He was a bit shorter than Su Yi and two shades paler. He wasn’t as pretty as Su Yi, but he had very lively eyes that curved into crescent moons when he smiled. Most striking of all were the twin deep-red tear moles at the corners of his eyes.

The corner of the “female’s” mouth tipped up in a slightly wicked grin. “Captain Su, I wonder if you still remember the Tang family of Jingbei?”

Su Yi felt thunderstruck. The Tang family—which one could that be?

Of course—the very Tang family he’d been trying every which way to bring down back when he was on the operations team.

His gaze went cold. Without a word, he seized the other’s arm, yanked, spun, and pinned him to the floor—all in one breath.

Before Tang Yu could react, Su Yi had him firmly immobilized.

As Tang Yu struggled in pain, Su Yi slickly pulled a dagger from his space and pressed it to his throat. His voice dropped low, eyes icy to the extreme.

“Talk. Who are you?”

The speed of it startled Tang Yu—he hadn’t expected such a swift response.

“Captain Su, don’t get excited—it’s a misunderstanding.”

Chapter 56

Su Yi didn’t budge, blade still at Tang Yu’s neck.

“I’ll ask you again. Who are you?”

“I’m Tang Yu.” He lifted his hands helplessly, putting on an innocent face.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then suddenly eased up, tucking the knife back at his waist.

Once he calmed down, he realized how foolish he’d been. When he was shot, he distinctly remembered the Tang family’s eldest young master waving at him smugly. In those circumstances, there was no way the man could have died. And this “female” had announced his name right off the bat—exactly the sort of thing the crafty, suspicious Tang family scion would never do.