Chapter 52: Tender Care

Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Tender Care

Hearing Bai Qianluo’s words, a deep gleam flashed through Que Hongjin’s picturesque eyes. He raised an eyebrow, observing the other man. He knew that if Bai Qianluo’s eyes were truly so uncomfortable that he couldn’t see clearly, he wouldn’t have been able to cook. Yet during breakfast prep this morning, he had been completely normal.

Sure enough, just as he expected, Bai Qianluo had also fallen for their wife. She was so wonderful; it was hard for anyone not to be moved after spending so much time with her. Bai Qianluo was also her Beast Husband. If he wanted to become her true Beast Husband, Que Hongjin couldn’t stop him, because she was not his wife alone.

At this thought, a surge of sourness welled up in Que Hongjin’s heart. Emotionally, he truly wanted to monopolize her, but logically, he understood this was impossible. Let alone Bai Qianluo, even Yue Hanzheng and the others would find it hard to hate her if they spent enough time with her. She was simply too wonderful. He had never seen such a good female beastman. She was like the blazing sun, inching across the barren human heart. Carrying a warm power capable of melting ice and snow, she could easily dispel the darkness in a person’s soul, making them crave such warmth and helplessly want to draw close to her.

Hearing Bai Qianluo’s request, Qiao Suluo naturally didn’t overthink it. She nodded without hesitation. "Alright, I’ll put some food in your bowl first. But what would you like to eat?" There were four dishes on the table.

Bai Qianluo spoke in a deep, mellow voice. "I like anything as long as it’s served by my wife." When he said this, his voice was clear and melodious, like the distant strumming of an ancient zither that could easily pluck at one’s heartstrings.

Qiao Suluo knew his voice was exceptionally pleasant, but he rarely spoke. Since it was rare for him to say this much, she did as he asked and placed some food in his bowl.

Bai Qianluo picked up the food with his chopsticks and ate silently for a moment. "The food my wife serves is exceptionally delicious. It’s the best food I’ve ever had."

Hearing these words, the corners of Qiao Suluo’s mouth couldn’t help but rise into a smile. "If it’s good, eat some more." Saying this, she served Bai Qianluo a little extra.

Que Hongjin pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched the smile on his wife’s face. His wife was truly dense in this regard; she hadn’t noticed Bai Qianluo’s intentions at all. Bai Qianluo was usually silent, cold, and indifferent. It was quite rare for him to say something like this, leaving even Que Hongjin a bit surprised. However, thinking of his own feelings for their wife and how he would do anything for her, he no longer found it strange.

After the meal.

Qiao Suluo wanted to check Bai Qianluo’s pulse, but he declined.

"Don’t worry, Wife. I’m fine," he said.

He didn’t dare let her examine him. He was afraid she would discover the broken, frail state of his body and end up despising him. Keeping it this way was for the best.

Since Bai Qianluo wouldn’t allow her to take his pulse, Qiao Suluo couldn’t insist. She happened to have other plans anyway; she was preparing to take a trip up the mountain to forage for medicinal herbs in the forest.

Que Hongjin offered to accompany her, but she turned him down. "Your health isn’t good. Stay home and rest for now." Now that she knew about his physical condition, she was terrified he would overexert himself and trigger the toxins in his body.

Que Hongjin originally wanted to say he was fine, but seeing her serious expression, he sighed helplessly. He reached out to stroke her hair. "Then you must be careful. Don’t go too deep into the forest, and come back early. Otherwise, I’ll worry."

Qiao Suluo listened to him earnestly, looking obedient and well-behaved. "I know. I won’t go far, and I’ll be back soon." She didn’t want to make him worry, either.

While the two were talking, Bai Qianluo had already strapped on a bamboo basket. "I will accompany my wife," he said softly.

Qiao Suluo looked at him in surprise. "But you... aren’t your eyes bothering you? And you were coughing non-stop just a moment ago." He had been so weak during dinner; he definitely shouldn’t follow her up the mountain.

Bai Qianluo replied in a low voice, "I feel much better after eating. Perhaps moving around a bit will do my body some good." As he spoke, he suppressed the itch in his throat, refusing to let himself cough. He was terrified that if she thought he was unwell, she wouldn’t let him join her.

Seeing Bai Qianluo’s resolute demeanor, Qiao Suluo felt his words made sense and nodded. "Alright then, we’ll go up the mountain together."

Que Hongjin cast a meaningful glance at Bai Qianluo. He naturally understood that the other man wanted to use this opportunity to get closer to their wife. However, having someone accompany her added an extra layer of security, so he didn’t say much—nor did he have the right to. Furthermore, even though Bai Qianluo had been stripped of his White Whale Blood Power and left extremely frail, he was definitely not as weak as he appeared. There should still be some residual power in his body, allowing him to use a Secret Technique to protect the wife at a crucial moment. It would be just like the day he had confronted Chu Moyuan.

Later, up on the mountain.

After Qiao Suluo and Bai Qianluo had made their way up, she seemed to remember something. She stopped in her tracks, intending to ask him a few questions. Little did she expect that her sudden stop and swift turn would cause her to slam right into his chest.

"MMPH..."

From the impact, Qiao Suluo felt a sharp, sour ache in her nose. She hadn’t expected Bai Qianluo to have such a hard chest when he looked so frail. He was also very tall, meaning her face took the brunt of the collision. The nose being the most vulnerable spot, the stinging sensation instantly brought instinctual tears to her eyes.

Feeling the soft impact against his chest and hearing her groan, Bai Qianluo nervously looked down. "Wife, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?"

Knowing that she was afraid of snakes, he had been constantly scanning their surroundings as he walked behind her, worried about snakes or insects dropping from above, and thus hadn’t been looking straight ahead. He had never expected her to suddenly stop and turn around, leading to...

"UGH, your chest is too hard," she muttered.

His figure looked slender but held hidden strength. She recalled some rumors about him. His father was the Left Minister, and it was said that he had possessed brilliant literary talent since childhood. Well-read and exceptionally gifted, he should have been a frail scholar, yet his physique suggested otherwise.

Bai Qianluo softly blamed himself. "Wife, I’m sorry, it’s my fault. You can hit me or scold me, just please don’t be angry." He was terrified of her anger. His voice, clear as jade striking a spring, was deep and gentle, tinged with a hint of anxious unease.

In his panic, he pulled the white cloth off his eyes. The moment he removed it, sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves and struck his eyes, causing a sharp sting of pain. Yet, he endured the ache and looked down at Qiao Suluo, wanting to make out her appearance and expression through his blurry vision.

But at this moment, Bai Qianluo suddenly realized that his wife had lost a significant amount of weight. The silhouette in his vision was noticeably thinner, causing the light in his glass-like eyes to tremble slightly.

Seeing him looking so lost and flustered, Qiao Suluo’s heart softened. "I’m fine, and I’m not mad."

Bai Qianluo was still worried. "Does it hurt a lot?" He reached out to gingerly touch her nose, wanting to do something but not knowing how to ease her pain. He had no experience caring for a female beastman, making his movements clumsy, yet they were filled with a careful, tender protectiveness.