Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 44 Reunion
Honghong violently shook her little head until the stars finally disappeared. She stubbornly climbed back onto her tiny feet before glaring resentfully at the sleeping human. "You actually hit me..." she muttered pitifully. "I’ve been worried about you this whole time, and the first thing you do is punch me."
Still refusing to give up, she flapped her tiny wings again and carefully landed beside Xue Yao’s pillow. This time she decided to be much gentler. Stretching her neck toward Xue Yao’s ear, she spoke as softly as she possibly could.
"Xue Yao..." she whispered slowly, her tiny voice filled with grievance. "I’m back..."
Xue Yao smacked her lips, then she turned over to the other side of the bed. The blanket completely covered her head.
Honghong stared blankly, flabbergasted. She had been ignored...Completely ignored.
Honghong puffed herself into a fluffy yellow ball as her grievance reached its peak. She inhaled deeply until her round little body almost doubled in size before suddenly opening her beak as wide as possible.
"XUE YAO! I’M BACK!"
Before the last word had fully left her beak, a slender hand suddenly shot out from beneath the blanket with frightening precision.
Snap.
Two fingers firmly pinched Honghong’s tiny beak shut.
Without opening her eyes or even lifting her head from the pillow, Xue Yao sleepily mumbled, "...Too noisy..."
Honghong’s eyes widened. "Mmph! Mmph!"
She desperately flapped her tiny wings in protest, but Xue Yao seemed to mistake the struggling bird for a soft pillow. Still fast asleep, she casually pulled Honghong against her chest, hugged her tightly beneath one arm, and rubbed her cheek against the bird’s fluffy feathers before letting out a satisfied sigh.
"So soft..."
Honghong’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"Mmph! Mmph! MMPH!" Unfortunately, all that escaped her tightly pinched beak were muffled sounds.
Standing quietly by the doorway, Lie Lang looked from the peacefully sleeping human to the tiny bird desperately struggling in her embrace.
Xue Yao stirred slightly before slowly opening one eye. For a brief moment, she stared blankly at the fluffy yellow ball trapped in her arms. Her sleepy brain struggled to process what she was looking at.
"...Chicken?" She unconsciously licked her lips, already envisioning how to stew the little bird.
Honghong froze.
"It’s me, Honghong!" She screamed, knowing she might really end up as a vanished drumstick soon.
Xue Yao blinked twice before her eyes suddenly widened. "Honghong!"
She immediately sat upright, nearly tossing the tiny bird into the air before hugging her tightly against her chest. "You’re alive! I thought those wolves had already turned you into bird soup!"
Honghong’s tiny beak trembled. The grievance she had been holding back finally exploded.
"Wahhhhhhh!" Tears burst out of her eyes like a broken dam.
"I almost died!" she cried dramatically. "They tied me up every single day! Every morning they sharpened their knives in front of me! Every afternoon they discussed whether they should roast me or stew me! Yesterday they even rubbed spices all over my body!"
Lie Lang silently looked at the bird, completely speechless. That last part was completely fabricated.
"They even forced me to watch them eat grilled meat!" Honghong continued between sobs. "They wanted me to suffer before eating me! I thought... I thought I would never see you again!"
She buried her little head into Xue Yao’s clothes and cried even louder.
Xue Yao’s eyes immediately turned red. She gently patted Honghong’s head before gritting her teeth. "They are too much!"
"Exactly!" Honghong wailed.
"They’ve gone too far!" Xue Yao said with gritted teeth.
"That’s what I said!"
"I knew this wolf clan had no conscience!" She said, staring at Lie Lang from the corner of her eyes.
Honghong nodded vigorously. "No conscience at all!"
Standing by the door, Lie Lang’s eyelid twitched. The chefs had been terrified of cooking that bird, at no point had they actually seasoned her.
Xue Yao clenched both fists dramatically. "Honghong, don’t worry. Your suffering wasn’t in vain."
Honghong sniffled pitifully. "What about you?"
Xue Yao’s shoulders immediately slumped. "...Don’t even ask."
Honghong froze. "...Was it worse than mine?"
Xue Yao slowly nodded before letting out a long, tragic sigh. "I was imprisoned for three whole days in a dark cell. They gave me no food, I was starving. I had to sleep on a hard stone. They called me ugly. Ugly, Honghong! Those little wolf pups actually called me ugly!"
Honghong gasped. ’As usual, as dramatic and shameless as always. Always looking for ways to look more pitiful than me.’
"They even forced two arrogant wolf maids to scrub me so hard I almost lost a layer of skin. Then they drew strange whiskers on my face!"
Honghong’s eyes widened.
"They also tried to force me to become a breeder." Xue Yao shot a glare at Lie Lang, who had a baffled expression on his face.
Honghong inhaled sharply. "And..."
Xue Yao covered her face dramatically. "...I lost all my dignity."
The two of them stared at each other for several long seconds.
Then... "Wahhhhhhh!"
The pair immediately hugged each other and cried loudly.
"We’ve suffered!"
"We’ve suffered too much!"
Outside the room, several guards exchanged awkward glances.
Inside the room... Lie Lang silently rubbed the space between his brows. He had originally planned to leave after giving his rules.
Now... He simply wanted the noise to stop and leave the place as soon as possible.
Without another word, he turned around and walked toward the door. Just before leaving, his cold voice drifted into the room.
"If you’re finished crying, someone will bring you a meal shortly."
The door quietly closed behind him. The moment his footsteps disappeared...
The crying abruptly stopped.
Xue Yao wiped away the imaginary tears that had never actually fallen.
Honghong blinked. "...He’s gone?"
Xue Yao nodded solemnly. "Yes. I guess. What is he supposed to hear standing there when two girlies are catching up?" She scoffed.
The two of them immediately looked at one another. Then burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
Honghong rolled across the bed while clutching her stomach.
"I almost believed you really lost your dignity!"
Xue Yao puffed out her chest proudly. "What do you mean almost? I did almost lose it, but I quickly regained it. Who do you think I am? I can’t be walked over that easily..."
Honghong nodded seriously. "That’s why you are my master."
"I wonder when the food is coming. I’m famished." Honghong added.
Xue Yao looked at the little bird before smiling mysteriously. "I knew you’d say that. You little glutton."
With a wave of her hand, two dozen beast cores appeared on the bed, piling into a small mountain that shimmered under the light.
Honghong’s beak slowly fell open. "These..."
Xue Yao smiled smugly as she folded her arms. "I harvested them myself."
Honghong’s tiny eyes immediately lit up like stars. Without another word, she threw herself onto the pile of beast cores and happily began devouring them one after another.
Watching the little bird eat with such enthusiasm, Xue Yao couldn’t help smiling.
"Eat more and grow fatter, so you will serve more purpose to your master." Xue Yao said with mischief dancing in her eyes.
