They Are Archenemies, But They Have A Child - Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Warmth

Yun Qingwu frustratedly shook the wine pot, which was already half empty, and glanced at Jì Lín, sighing in relief when he noticed the latter hadn’t noticed their situation.

You Su Xiǎozhú raised her hand and waved it in front of Leng Licí’s eyes. Leng Licí’s gaze was blank, only mechanically following You Su Xiǎozhú’s hand movement.

Little Dāo stared curiously at Leng Licí. “A-dàd is drunk-asleep!”

“His tolerance for alcohol must be inherited from me,” You Su Xiǎozhú laughed.

No sooner had the words fallen than the large human figure instantly transformed into a red fox, running straight into You Su Xiǎozhú’s embrace. The red fox rubbed itself against You Su Xiǎozhú, effectively squeezing Little Dāo out. As if it had finally found a comfortable spot, it closed its eyes contentedly.

Little Dāo landed on her backside, reaching out to touch the fox’s still-swaying tail. She looked at Yun Qingwu in amazement. “A-dàd turned into a fox!”

You Su Xiǎozhú looked at the red fox in her arms, feeling a little overwhelmed, but pleased. She hesitantly reached out and stroked the fox, smoothing its slightly long fur. The fox narrowed its eyes in pleasure, and its erect ears flopped down.

Yun Qingwu: “…”

He looked down at his empty arms, suddenly feeling a little put out.

When Leng Licí is drunk, shouldn’t his instinctive choice be me?

He pursed his lips, looking at the fox that had lost its self-awareness with a somewhat condemning gaze.

Little did he know, this was only the beginning.

The fox remained nestled in You Su Xiǎozhú’s arms until the banquet ended, refusing to move. Its fox paws and tail took turns winding around You Su Xiǎozhú in various ways, acting as if it was determined to stay with her for the night.

Jì Lín was initially confused. “Where did this fox come from?”

Yun Qingwu knew that to explain clearly, he couldn’t hide the truth. He carefully asked, “If I said this is A-Cí, would you be afraid?”

Jì Lín was astonished for a moment, then walked closer. The astonishment immediately turned into delight. He reached out to try and touch the tail. “Are you serious? Is this the legendary fox spirit?”

Before his hand could touch it, the fox tail gave him a strong swat.

Jì Lín clicked his tongue. “Brother Leng’s temper hasn’t changed at all, even as a fox, huh?”

Yun Qingwu was speechless for a moment. True to his nature as the Scarlet Flame God Lord, the tolerance level of his fragmented personalities is one stronger than the next. However, this acceptance turned entirely into resentment as the banquet completely ended and it was time for everyone to return to their rooms.

Jì Lín stared resentfully at the red fox still nestled in You Su Xiǎozhú’s arms, refusing to move. “When is he going to unwrap himself?”

Yun Qingwu walked up and patted Leng Licí’s fox body for the umpteenth time, trying to pry him off. “A-Cí? A-Cí, let’s go back to the room.”

The fox whimpered a few times and burrowed its head deeper.

Yun Qingwu: “…”

You Su Xiǎozhú’s eyes were full of tenderness, even mixed with a hint of excitement, as she stroked the fox’s fur. “It’s alright. I will look after Little Cí tonight.”

With that, she used both hands to lift the large fox.

“What?!”

Jì Lín’s eyes widened. He looked at his wife in disbelief. “Xiǎozhú, even if he’s a fox, he’s an adult male fox. You want to look after him all night?”

He then looked at Yun Qingwu. “Brother Yun, aren’t you going to stop her? Isn’t he your beloved?”

Before Yun Qingwu could speak, Liu Yu, who enjoyed watching the show, interjected. “How can he stop her? It’s only natural for a mother to look after her son.”

He yawned and led Little Dāo over. “Alright, you two discuss slowly. I’m taking our granddaughter back to sleep.”

At this, Jì Lín’s jaw dropped. He pointed at Liu Yu’s retreating back and looked at You Su Xiǎozhú. “Xiǎozhú, what did he mean by that?”

You Su Xiǎozhú felt a slight headache, a feeling that reminded her of the exhaustion and helplessness she felt when she first met Yún Chuān, but amidst the headache, there was also a touch of nostalgia.

She did not want to explain too much tonight and cut straight to the chase. “You will know in a few days. Just do as I say tonight.”

Jì Lín blinked, looking at his wife with a wounded expression. He wanted to say something but chose to shut up and obey under her authoritative gaze.

Yun Qingwu looked at Leng Licí’s state, feeling hesitant. “Madam, perhaps… it would be better to entrust A-Cí to me.”

He knew very well what Leng Licí was like when drunk and didn’t want anyone else to see it, even if that person was You Su Xiǎozhú—A-Cí’s biological mother.

But You Su Xiǎozhú’s attitude was firm. Her tone remained gentle. “No need. I will look after him. Perhaps… this is the only chance.”

Yun Qingwu withdrew his hand, knowing he had no further reason to object.

…

Leng Licí’s consciousness was hazy. He felt as if his throat and stomach were churning in boiling water. His whole body was steaming hot, creating the illusion that he was about to evaporate and dissipate.

He vigorously swished his tail, hoping to relieve the heat inside his body, but it was minimally effective. His internal anxiety gradually escalated.

He hated this feeling!

Suddenly, a soft chant sounded near his ear. A pair of warm hands gently patted his back, one stroke after another, maintaining a soothing rhythm.

He recognized the melody. When he was little, walking on the streets, he often heard this tune coming from inside the houses. It was a lullaby of the You Su Fox tribe.

“Half-breed, your mother is a traitor to the tribe, and you are an unwanted half-breed!”

“How about we play a game of beating the half-breed? Anyway, he has no father or mother; no one cares about him, a monster!”

“How dare you hit my Yù’er! I’ll beat you to death, you little half-breed!”

The comforting, gentle lullaby was always accompanied by these vulgar insults and seemingly endless pain.

Stop singing—

Stop singing!!

So what if he had no parents? So what if he was a half-breed?

He had to survive. Even if he lacked all that, he would definitely live a better life than them!

The red fox, curled up on the bed, unconsciously struggled with its front paws. Its brows were tightly furrowed, and its eyes were tightly closed, yet the eyelids struggled to open.

You Su Xiǎozhú reached out and stroked the demonic crest on the fox’s forehead. The lullaby changed to a different tune. This melody was more distant and serene than the previous one, and within the serenity, there was a touch of lively agility, as if freely traversing the mountains and forests under the moonlight.

“This is the lullaby composed personally by your grandmother. She said the tribe’s official one was too dull, and her daughter deserved the best. I see that you also dislike that tune, so why not listen to this one?”

Halfway through the humming, the red fox curled up on the bed transformed into human form. Leng Licí’s flame-red hair flowed down the side of the bed.

But his brow remained furrowed.

You Su Xiǎozhú gently smoothed the long hair stuck to Leng Licí’s forehead. Her eyes held a smile. “Mother also really likes this tune, but you have to keep it a secret, okay? Only teach it to our Little Dāo. Don’t let those other foxes in the tribe learn it.”

Leng Licí’s tail wagged, lightly brushing against You Su Xiǎozhú’s hand.

The tenderness in You Su Xiǎozhú’s eyes deepened. She took a damp cloth and wiped the light sweat from Leng Licí’s face. Then, her smile lessened. “Mother knows that ‘sorry’ means nothing, but Mother still wants to say sorry to you.”

“Sorry for not being able to watch you grow up.”

She looked at the flowing red hair and murmured, “I’m sorry, Mother doesn’t regret doing what she did.”

The constant clamor in his mind completely dissipated. Leng Licí’s inner turmoil gradually calmed down under this patient and meticulous tenderness.

So, this is what it feels like to have a mother?

He thought vaguely, an uncontrollable hint of dependence arising within him. However, this trace of dependence was immediately stifled by him in the cradle.

When he was young, he saw other children protected by their parents and once yearned for it. Later, this yearning turned into hatred, and then into numbness.

He no longer needed his parents’ protection.

You Su Xiǎozhú’s soft voice continued to reach his mind.

His tense body relaxed, and his already blurred consciousness gradually slipped into slumber.

He also did not regret coming into this world.

…

“Brother Yun, Brother Leng’s conduct when drunk is quite dangerous! Why don’t you keep a better eye on him?!”

Outside the house, Jì Lín and Yun Qingwu sat on the steps. Jì Lín looked into the room with a hint of resentment.

Yun Qingwu also looked at Jì Lín with slight resentment. “Because I was talking to your wife.”

Jì Lín turned back, sighing. “What exactly did Xiǎozhú mean by what she said? Why can’t she tell me now?”

He stroked his chin. “And what did Brother Liu mean? What does ‘it’s only natural for a mother to look after her child’ mean? Could it be that…”

His eyes suddenly widened. “Could Brother Leng be the son of Xiǎozhú and me from the future?”

Yun Qingwu looked strangely at Jì Lín. “Why couldn’t he be your wife’s child with someone else?”

That would be the normal person’s logic.

Jì Lín clicked his tongue. He self-assuredly draped his arm over Yun Qingwu’s right shoulder. “Because there can’t be anyone else between Xiǎozhú and me. You don’t understand.”

Yun Qingwu inadvertently moved his shoulder, making Jì Lín’s arm miss its mark. He said calmly, “Why wouldn’t I understand? There can’t be anyone else between A-Cí and me either.”

Jì Lín chuckled, opening his fan and fanning himself. “Well, that’s true too.”

…

The night was quiet. Yun Qingwu looked at the moon suspended high in the sky, his heart feeling relaxed. Over so many years, he rarely had the opportunity to spend time with the Father God like this.

He also didn’t know if, after everything ended, there would still be such moments.

Leng Licí opened his eyes. The unfamiliar ceiling came into view. He had slept extremely peacefully this night and felt a bit disoriented upon waking. The return of his thoughts was delayed.

A wisp of warm spiritual energy circulated within his body, dispelling the discomfort that should have come with a hangover. He turned his head toward the source of the spiritual energy and saw You Su Xiǎozhú resting beside him with her eyes closed. Perhaps because You Su Xiǎozhú was a divine soul about to dissipate, this act of comfort had made her face even paler.

You Su Xiǎozhú felt the gaze on her face and suddenly opened her eyes. Leng Licí immediately turned his gaze away, acting as if nothing had happened, and simultaneously moved his wrist away from where You Su Xiǎozhú had been resting her hand.

You Su Xiǎozhú got up. “I’ve prepared some hangover soup. Wait a moment, I’ll bring it to you.”

Leng Licí lifted his leg to get out of bed and said coldly, “No need.”

You Su Xiǎozhú: “Although I used spiritual power to soothe you, the hangover soup will make you feel more comfortable.”

With that, she walked out of the inner room to the outer room.

Leng Licí sat on the bed, quickly putting on his shoes. The memories of last night slowly returned. He was somewhat annoyed and retracted his tail, his hair also turning black. Although his face was as dark as water, he ultimately chose not to leave.