LEGEND OF THE GOLDEN TIGRESS

AoTian who had already used to that big wolf didn"t want to stand there for long and carried Xu mama inside the house which was surprisingly neat for being unoccupied for long. Rijun saw Xing rebuking the wolf for scaring Xu mama and saw it whining like a dog and was surprised.

I want a pet wolf too!

Xing introduced Rijun to Pengpeng, "This is my brother, Rijun. He cannot even hold a weapon to save himself and gets lost easily and so you must protect him if need arises", in the Guyu language.

Heavens ,sister! Can"t you say good things about me even to a wolf?

Xing who was worried after the incident with the Fox Demon yesterday that her brother may be scared was relieved to see him curious seeing the wolf almost as tall as him.

Pengpeng tried to sniff Rijun and he started to wriggle in confusion.

"Don"t worry! He is registering your scent as he had accepted you and his pack won"t harm you too", Xing explained and Rijun was happy and even tried to touch his head but got scared by his glare and those line of ig sharp teeth and quit the idea.

AoTian placed Xu mama in the bed and went to the kitchen to fetch water to see many small notes written here and there. He read a couple of it and knew that those notes were made for his daughter by Shengli.

"Do not touch the stove", "The bed is newly made", "Dinner will be provided from the Ming Manor"... There were many notes like that all over the house. AoTian was shocked, "Just because I asked him to not disturb us in this home, he prepared everything beforehand? He even cleaned this house? ", his lips could not help but curl up. He is not bad.. Not bad at all!

Xing and Rijun were playing with the wolf and the wolf lead Xing to his pack and took her near a tree with a small den. Rijun also followed her with curiosity. He was scared to see a large number of wolves but seeing them give way to him, got relieved.

Xing saw a couple of wolf pups that were too little with less hair and even their eyes were closed. They should be not older than two days at most.

" The last time I saw twins in your pack was when you and your brother were born, Pengpeng. Guess your grandsons will be as strong as you and your brother", Xing spoke to the wolf and it wagged it"s tail as if it was proud.

"Grandsons?", Rijun asked surprised and Xing explained how they are very family oriented and take only one partner for life.

Rijun got excited and tried to touch the new born cubs but the mother was angered and let out a growl. Xing told him not to touch the little ones with out their mother"s permission, especially new mothers will be too protective.

Rijun nodded and still wasn"t disheartened and played with some bigger cubs. Xing was amazed to see his love for animals even though he was a city boy. Just then they heard Xu mama"s voice and returned home.

They were asked to take a bath and Xing took a change of clothes and headed for the hot spring nearby her home that she usually uses. While she was soaking in the not so deep hot spring, she could feel she was watched by a pair of eyes and looked back to see that familiar pair of green eyes.

"No one is allowed here! How did you get in?", she asked hugging her knees and tried to expose herself minimally. Those wolves never allow anyone there.

But in Shengli"s eyes her actions only made her look more beguiling as her shoulders and knees were above the water level in the water glittering orange and along with the rising steam in the gentle glow of the evening sun, it made her look like a seductress.

Xing felt exposed by his ogle and wondered why she gave the wolves permission to let him go everywhere she goes.

"Turn away, Prince!", she shouted but he gave a sheepish smile back.

"You! Have you no bearing as a Prince? Is this how you were raised? You act more like a pervert than a Prince!... " she continued on with her ramble but he didn"t even budge.

Seeing that didn"t work Xing started pleading, "Please, Shengli! Turn away until I get dressed... Please...", she acted pitiful but that didn"t work as he didn"t even say a word.

"I"m feeling dizzy staying in the hot water for this long.... I"ll faint..", she tried to reason with him but met with his seductive gaze on her.

"Then get out", he smacked his lips seductively making Xing blush. What is he saying? Doesn"t he know I am naked in here?

"Turn away! You cannot see me like this!", she shouted.

"Like what?", he smirked, "It won"t be the first time, would it? Just get out and get dressed. I came here to see you and I will see you! ", he folded his hands and casually leaned on a tree.

"Shameless!!!", She shouted as her anger raised but Xing didn"t know what she could do.

As everything had failed Xing pouted and rested her chin on her knees and said, "Fine then! I"ll wait here until you stand there and my father will be here soon to rescue me! I won"t stop him when he kills you! ", and then she turned her face to face away from him.

Shengli chuckled upon hearing this, " Just days and You"ve grown that dependant on your father?", he shook his head and turned away.

He did promise her father not to meet her in her home. Even now he was planning on leaving as soon as he readied everything in her home but that hooded fool had to spoil his mood and he had to break his promise. Good thing his Xing is oblivious to other fools" advancements and takes it as a joke. Otherwise how many rivals can he fight?

Xing saw him turning away and got dressed in a rush with her eyes watching him. Luckily he didn"t try to sneak a peek. Or else her heart that felt like jumping out of her mouth would have actually exploded.

Geez! I really have to find a doctor for this deadly disease! I can"t even find medicines for this disease in the mountains either. Even now I was thinking about finding medicines and that guy came and made my sickness worse! Xing was mumbling in her head.

Xing sighed only after she was dressed properly and looked to see Shengli already looking at her. When did he turn here? Huh! Whatever! What eyes didn"t see, heart does not care!

"Xing! Come here! I missed you!", Shengli called her with outstretched hands and without knowing Xing was running towards him and hugged him around his waist. He wrapped his firmly protective arms around her tightly,

"Mmm! This feels good!", he said kissing her forehead.

" Where were you till now?", Xing spoke softly. She felt like she was in her rightful place being hugged by him and listening to his rhythmic heart beats.

He held her hand and sat on a tree root with her between his knees and hugged her back.

"I was watching you from the library roof. Did you change the meeting spot to the library to have a chance encounter with s.h.i.+hong?", he pulled back realising her hair is still wet and started to dry it with a towel.

"Yes! I want to kill him with my hands", Xing spoke truthfully with her voice calm as if she had made a firm decision.

Shengli"s hands paused for a moment, "So this is how it is going to play out? You willingly standing against him?", he took a deep breath and continued to dry her long, silky golden hair that had a nice aroma.

Xing sensing something odd turned and rested her elbows on his knees, squatting and looked into his eyes that had complicated expressions.

Shengli"s expression changed seeing her curious face and he traced the back of his left index finger through her right cheek and down her neck.

You really are beautiful! No wonder you attract many bees!

Xing who felt "ticklish" almost closed her eyes, when,

" What is this?", his deep voice that was laced with concern was heard as his hands paused at her neck.

Xing touched the place he paused his hands to feel the small scab on her neck. That might have been caused by the dagger when she pressed it on her neck. It was so thin and unnoticeable and it would have been gone in a day. But he had already noticed it.

Xing who had decided to hide it from Shengli as he won"t be pleased knowing she was willing to hurt herself, looked like a cat caught red-handed trying to steal milk.

"Xing..!", he added now his voice clearly had a hint of danger and he held her waist firmly so she won"t be able to run away.

Xing having no way of escape started from the commotion.

"You weren"t wounded during and immediately after the commotion. Come to the point, Xing! It seems like you did it yourself! " he was impatient and his voice held that imposing danger that would suffocate those near him.

Wounded....? Xing touched the scab that can"t even be cla.s.sified as a scratch. Seriously..?

So Seiren is his proxy inside the Heavenly Flowers Palace and that"s why he knows about the commotion.

"Xing!", he shouted making Xing jolt out of her thoughts and she explained everything that happened after the arrival of the Fox Demon. She even skipped the part where she decided to hurt herself and mentioned that mysterious presence that made that Fox Demon kneel before her.

Xing looked at Shengli who looked at her with his eyes burning in rage,

" You offered yourself? Huh? And, If that invisible one didn"t appear then, what plan did you have to escape?", he questioned. He was like a fuming volcano that would erupt at any moment, with knitted brows and gritted teeth.

Xing who felt sad but not guilty and had already been lectured by everyone lost her patience,

" I knew what I was doing, Shengli. I knew! And I am not stupid enough to kill myself. I started a commotion that led to the interference of that Demon and that"s why I had to save my brother. He wouldn"t have survived but I had every means to survive ", she shouted and tried to pry herself from from his grip but it only tightened and she stopped struggling.

Xing looked at Shengli who was clearly angry and just stared back at his eyes that got more and more distant which made her heart sad.

Shengli had various thoughts and mostly he was angry at himself for not being in a position to help her if she gets in such kinds of situations. And this girl of his.. Standing against G.o.ds, humans and demons alike.. What do they want from her that they had given this great of leeway to a mere mortal? The more you give, the more you expect right? What do those G.o.ds want from my Xing to give her this much power?

Shengli looked at Xing who was looking at him with sadness and he cannot bear to see her like that. He held her close with one arm pressing the back of her head and rested his chin on her head gently.

"Xing! Stay like this for a while, please!", he said in a begging tone.

Xing could feel his hands holding her slightly trembling,

"You angry?", she asked and he shook his head saying "no".

"I have this protection spell on me from that tiger G.o.d, you know? He put that on me after that day you accidentally harmed me. I cannot die until that spell is on me, is what he said. He offered me that spell so I asked for a favour in return for accepting it.... Your protection",she paused and Shengli"s grip loosened as he was listening, "What is she saying? To accept a spell to protect yourself, you asked for a favour and that G.o.d gave it to you? Who are you? And my protection? ", he thought.

"Continue", he said curious.

"As long as I am alive, no G.o.d, human, demon or beast can kill you. We are bound for life this lifetime. You might have realised it before, haven"t you?", she asked with her head still buried in his chest.

"I was hurt in the leg once and a tiger which pa.s.sed through didn"t even try to get close to me and we both stayed in the same cave for a night. I could even swear the tiger was hungry too and was scared he"d take me as dinner! ", he said. By now his heart was settled a bit. She spoke this much for a person she met days ago and hurt her to a G.o.d? Why?

" Hmm! ", she chuckled, " He would have been scared of you to touch you! "

" What do you mean by bound for life? ", Shengli asked as he was still hugging her to hide the tears in his eyes.

"Simple! I live, you live! But that only entails your life. You may still lose your limbs or end up in a coma, so you"ll have to be careful, okay?", she spoke calmly and softly.

"What if my life ends first, taken by the G.o.d of death? What then?" he asked.

Xing didn"t answer. "It"s simple, I"ll just follow you, my Prince! What will I do here alone? "

"Xing!", he called and loosened his grip on her. She looked at him with her face sparkling and spoke,

"If that Fox Demon had marked you, I would have thrown that dagger right through her eye and none of them could even hurt our hair once we are out of Heavenly Flowers Palace. It was because it was my brother, I had to think logically. And I know I would feel bad if you risk your life for another person but I won"t hold it against you", she spoke honestly and her eyes were twinkling.

Shengli held her tight in a bone crunching hug, "I won"t hold anything against you, my moon! As I said, you can do anything you want as long as you are safe. Also I would have been more worried if you"d let your brother taken! ", he kissed her hair. He meant it, if she ever loses the value for human lives that should be the thing to worry about. As long as she tries to protect others while being safe herself, anything is fine. Someone with unknown powers like her should have principles or they might end up as ravaging monsters.

Xing then showed Shengli the b.u.mp in her head made by her brother and he chuckled making Xing pout. Shengli then coaxed her and blowed on it and gently rubbed it and only then Xing was happy. Shengli then tied her dried hair into her usual braids.

As they were playing, Pengpeng brought the tired Rijun there.

"Mingxia! Why are you this late? Father is waiting for you", he said panting .

Pengpeng informed her that Rijun was found lost in the opposite direction and Xing thanked Pengpeng for bringing him back.

Rijun noticed Shengli, "Bees! Bees ! Everywhere!", he snorted. "At least this one cooks well!", he mumbled.

Xing then told Shengli about the things that happened in the tea shop with General Kin and he listened as if he didn"t see everything hiding from the window.

"I still don"t understand why he gave me the hairpin though", Xing went into deep thoughts.

"May be.. Did he..", before she arrived at any conclusion like the possibility that he might have found out her as a girl, Shengli interjected,

"He should have given it to you because he might have thought that you"d have a girl you like"

"Whoa! So men do that?", Xing asked a bit skeptical. Who would be shameless enough to give an engagement hairpin gifted by their friend to their lover?

"Yes! Most men are shameless! Not me though!", he harrumphed, "I"ll give you an exquisite engagement hairpin specially made for you from the money I earned", Shengli said with all honesty and smiled when Xing had accepted his answer.

Rijun who was watching this just rolled his eyes. Seriously! This dude! Deceiving my poor oblivious sister! He should be thankful I liked his porridge!

Xing asked Shengli to join them but he told them to keep meeting him a secret and left.

Xing and Rijun returned back to her home to see her father waiting for them.