My Little Pink Crocodile - Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Why Did You Change Back?

The rain had cleared, and sunlight spilled through the clouds, making the dew-covered leaves glisten like crystal. The long-awaited chirp of cicadas echoed through the wild forest, carrying the freshness of the rain and radiating vitality.

A lazy tiger roar had just begun to sound when a fair, clean hand smacked the top of its head, causing its sleepiness to vanish instantly.

Jiang Yu stood with her hands on her hips, her exquisite face clouded with displeasure. She frowned and said, “What’s with the barking?! Don’t wake up my wife!”

The “barking” tiger felt the “King” character on its forehead wrinkle in distress. Its round eyes widened, looking utterly aggrieved. It opened its mouth to protest silently, only to be slapped again by the quick-handed Jiang Yu. After that, it became completely honest.

“I told you not to shout. If she wakes up, I’ll have to coax her.”

As Jiang Yu spoke, she looked at Qi Yan, who was being carried on the tiger’s back. Seeing no sign of her waking up, she finally felt relieved.

Qi Yan’s leg was covered in herbal paste, but she was in a half-dreaming, half-awake state due to the discomfort. She only felt truly at ease when Jiang Yu held her to sleep. It wasn’t until the middle of the night that her fever had finally begun to subside.

This morning, seeing the rain had stopped, Jiang Yu decided to find a “mount” so they could leave faster without waking Qi Yan. After reviewing the wild beasts in the area, she decided this well-fed, sturdy tiger was the only one fit for the task. She walked up to the groggy, newly-awakened tiger and nodded seriously, as if entrusting it with a grand mission.

“You’ll do.”

Jiang Yu’s strength was nothing to scoff at. The tiger’s body shuddered from her pat. It looked in terror at the smiling, beautiful girl before it; the aura of pressure she radiated made this half-sentient beast feel an immense weight.

The tiger followed Jiang Yu, carrying the sleeping Qi Yan, watching the girl struggle with which direction to take.

“It’s this way, right? Seems like it…” Her voice grew smaller and less confident as she spoke.

In Jiang Yu’s hand was a leaf the size of a palm, featuring a simple map drawn with charcoal—something she had spent the night squeezing a fox to draw for her. However, despite the clear drawing, to a directional klutz, it was still just a bunch of indecipherable scribbles on a blank slate.

Perhaps Jiang Yu’s constant muttering was too much, or the cicadas were too loud; the person on the tiger’s back frowned slightly, murmuring in her sleep. Hearing the movement, Jiang Yu immediately turned around and signaled the tiger. The tiger understood perfectly and crouched down, allowing Jiang Yu to lift the waking Qi Yan off its back.

Qi Yan murmured “Jiang Yu” in her sleep. Jiang Yu placed her under a tree, propping her up to sit, and soothed her softly. “I’m here. Jiang Yu is here.”

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patterns on them. The image of them embracing made the noisy cicadas sound like a symphony played just for them. Their bodies were both tinged with the bitter-fresh scent of herbs, which provided a calming effect.

Qi Yan opened her eyes and was immediately stung by the glare. She frowned to adjust for a moment before slowly opening them again, only to hear Jiang Yu’s voice trying to soothe her back to sleep. It made her want to laugh, but she found herself craving the warmth of Jiang Yu’s embrace.

Her throat felt itchy, causing her to cough a few times. Jiang Yu immediately grew tense and reached out to touch her forehead. “Hasn’t the fever broken?”

Qi Yan took her hand down, and on a sudden impulse, she interlaced her fingers with the girl’s, holding on tightly. The firm grip made her feel incredibly secure.

“Jiang Yu, I’m fine.” She whispered the name, the words rolling off her tongue with a special significance.

A gentle smile appeared on her still-pale face, giving her elegant features a breathtaking beauty. Jiang Yu liked what she saw more and more, and blurted out a compliment: “Wife, you’re so beautiful.”

Qi Yan froze for a second. Upon recovering, she lowered her eyes and chuckled softly. She looked up again at the beautiful young girl who looked so out of place in these surroundings. Accompanied by the warm breeze, her heart stirred as she spoke.

“Yes. I am your wife.”

Jiang Yu’s eyes lit up instantly. She laughed brightly and vibrantly, her energy infecting those around her. She said happily, “Come home with me.”

Come home with me; I can take care of you.

“Okay.”

Qi Yan smiled in response. Watching the girl excitedly ramble about their future together, the tenderness in Qi Yan’s eyes deepened, like a ripple spreading across a deep, still lake. In every sentence Jiang Yu spoke, Qi Yan was there. It felt as if their future would truly happen exactly as she described.

Instinctively, Qi Yan leaned in and kissed those talking lips. A soft, fresh fragrance filled the air. Beneath the dappled shadows of the trees, their silhouettes looked intimate and hazy.

She wanted to kiss her. This little “crocodile” had somehow barged into her life, and Qi Yan had never pushed her away. Her constant indulgence had only deepened her own attachment. If possible, she truly wanted the girl’s company in her future.

With that thought, Qi Yan closed her eyes and let herself stay lost in the moment.

Jiang Yu rested in Qi Yan’s arms, listening to the sound of flowing water in the distance. She leaned on Qi Yan’s shoulder and yawned, her eyes glistening. She didn’t forget to signal the tiger waiting in the shadows to leave.

Seeing her sleepy expression, Qi Yan felt a pang of guilt. She stroked the girl’s hair and said, “You’ve worked hard these past few days. You must be exhausted today. I’m sorry.”

Jiang Yu looked up at her, smiling without a hint of a blush. “Not hard at all! Just give me a kiss and I’ll be fine.”

She was just teasing, but Qi Yan actually kissed her again. Jiang Yu grew even more excited, her sleepiness vanishing entirely. She said to Qi Yan, “I’m going to catch some fish for you to eat.”

Qi Yan wiped away a stray tear from the corner of the girl’s eye and said with a suppressed laugh, “Do you know how?”

At this, Jiang Yu raised her chin with a touch of arrogance. “I’m very good at it. None of them can beat me.”

Seeing Jiang Yu’s proud little expression, Qi Yan couldn’t help but laugh, playing along with her. “Yes, you are very impressive.”

Having received the praise, Jiang Yu stood up. “Then wait here for a bit. I’m going over there to catch fish.”

As she stood, the leaf with the map fell from her lap onto Qi Yan. After picking it up, Qi Yan didn’t look at the drawing immediately, but called out to the departing, enthusiastic Jiang Yu: “Jiang Yu, be careful! If the water is too deep, don’t go in.”

Jiang Yu was in an exceptionally good mood. She acknowledged Qi Yan and walked straight toward the sound of the river.

Watching the figure disappear, Qi Yan frowned. Even though she knew the girl was a crocodile spirit, she was still worried. However, her leg was injured, making it difficult to walk over. She looked around for a long stick to use as a crutch, and her gaze fell on the leaf Jiang Yu had dropped.

The back of the leaf had something drawn in charcoal. Qi Yan studied it for a moment, her brows knitting slightly. She said nothing and tucked the leaf into her pocket.

As Qi Yan was wondering where to find a suitable stick, a rustling sound came from the tree she was leaning against. This was a wild forest, after all, and danger could be anywhere. Qi Yan immediately became alert. When she looked up to see what was happening, something dropped beside her.

It was a fresh tree branch, just snapped off. It was the perfect thickness and length, with no extra twigs—almost as if someone had known her thoughts and sent it to her.

Qi Yan: “…”

She looked up again but only saw a few small, active figures in the trees. Noticing her gaze, they stopped moving and stared at her with such pitiful, tearful eyes that it was heartbreaking—as if they were children who had been bullied. Qi Yan couldn’t understand their “squeaking,” so their complaints went unheard.

She withdrew her gaze and picked up the branch. Leaning on it, she stood up and found it was indeed a perfect fit. “Thank you,” Qi Yan said politely, regardless of whether they could understand.

As she limped toward Jiang Yu’s direction, the little creatures in the trees hugged each other, seemingly weeping with joy at having escaped their ordeal.

Judging by the sound, the river wasn’t far. After walking for a few minutes, Qi Yan finally saw the water, but she couldn’t see Jiang Yu. For a moment, panic flared in her chest. Fearing something had happened, she quickened her pace and called out anxiously, “Jiang Yu!”

There was no response. This made Qi Yan even more frantic. Standing by the riverbank, she looked at the water as if she were ready to jump in and search.

Suddenly, something emerged from beneath the surface, kicking up a huge spray of water. Qi Yan, standing on the bank, was soaked.

“Qi Yan, why are you here?”

Hearing Jiang Yu’s voice, Qi Yan’s heart finally settled. But when she looked, she saw a crocodile over a meter long appearing before her. Just like when they first met, the pink, crystal-like skin was brilliant and dazzling, and the silver-gray eyes were so beautiful they were magnetic.

Qi Yan stared for a moment, showing no fear. She knelt down and carefully stroked the creature’s head. “I was a bit worried about you…” She paused, then looked the creature over again. “Why did you change back?”

Jiang Yu leaned in to let Qi Yan pet her, hiding the guilt in her eyes. Beneath the water, she secretly kicked away a local crocodile she had just knocked unconscious. Qi Yan’s eyes were on Jiang Yu, so she didn’t notice the object floating away with the current.

“It’s easier to catch fish this way,” Jiang Yu lied casually. She then tossed a half-dead, terrified fish onto the bank.

Qi Yan didn’t suspect a thing. “Change back.”

“Mhm.”

As soon as the word left her mouth, a girl with long pink hair appeared in the river. She propped herself up against the bank, her long hair floating in the water like a beautiful mermaid.