Chapter 55: Changes

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Changes

Listening to him recall that time, Qiao Suluo held his hand in return and said, "If it makes you uncomfortable, don’t think about it."

Bai Qianluo shook his head. "I’m not uncomfortable."

As he spoke, he gave her a faint smile, as gentle as moonlight rippling on water. "Because that was the day you saved me, wife. To me, it’s a beautiful memory.

"The moment I fell into the water, the suffocating feeling of death washed over me. Drowning was truly an agonizing experience.

"As my wife knows, my true form is a White Whale. I used to be an excellent swimmer—I couldn’t drown, and I could even manipulate seawater.

"But in that moment, I thought I was going to die. When I was drifting in and out of consciousness, I sensed your presence, my wife. It was you who saved me."

The soft, sweet warmth on his lips back then had been truly wonderful. It was as if his withered heart had been nourished by a gentle spring rain—so fresh and beautiful.

"Even then, I felt my wife was different from what I had imagined. But I didn’t understand emotions, and I was slow to react. It’s only now, in hindsight, that I’ve finally realized it.

"I wonder if it’s too late for me to say this now?"

Bai Qianluo looked down at Qiao Suluo. He thought her eyes were incredibly beautiful and expressive, as if they could speak.

He saw the worry in them.

Was she worried about him?

This feeling was very unfamiliar. Ever since he was abandoned by his family and stripped of his Blood Power, no one had worried about him or cared for him anymore.

It was wonderful. Now he could see her face clearly, see everything about her.

Qiao Suluo reached out and gently touched the corner of his eyes. "It’s not too late.

"Thank you for being willing to tell me all this."

It allowed her to know his thoughts and feelings.

He was so good, and she was willing to cherish his affections.

However, it also reminded her of something. She smiled warmly and said, "No wonder you were willing to be close to me after falling into the water. Before that, whenever I tried to help you up, you would automatically avoid me."

"I’m sorry, I..."

Qiao Suluo reached out and covered his lips. "Don’t say you’re sorry.

"You’re so wonderful. You don’t need to apologize.

"I did a lot of things to hurt you in the past. Let bygones be bygones."

Although she hadn’t done those things herself, the original owner of this body had.

The fact that Bai Qianluo could see her changes and was willing to open his heart to her was already more than enough.

Moreover, she discovered something—the male beastmen of the Beast World Continent valued a female beastman’s inner character much more than her outer appearance. They didn’t seem to have strict requirements for looks.

They could even fall in love with someone who looked like her.

Bai Qianluo said softly, "Okay."

Qiao Suluo felt that, if only to be kinder to their eyes, she needed to hurry up and lose weight.

As if thinking of something, Qiao Suluo communicated with the system in her mind. "System, now that I have the Healing Ability, can I use it on myself? Like, to cure my own poison?"

The system replied, "Naturally. As long as you have converted enough Healing Ability, you can neutralize the toxins in your body."

Hearing this, Qiao Suluo’s eyes lit up. She was very curious about what her skin would look like once all the toxins were removed.

Would it become very fair?

"Not only that, but you can also use your Healing Ability to temper your physique and expel impurities from your body, making you feel much lighter," the system continued. "That will also help you slim down a bit, though the results won’t be as dramatic as a weight loss medicine."

"That’s already wonderful," Qiao Suluo said.

This meant she wouldn’t need to spend points on a Detoxification Pill, which cost even more points than a weight loss pill.

She just needed to use her points to redeem a weight loss medicine.

Looking down at Qiao Suluo, Bai Qianluo saw her expressive eyes darting around as she thought, and found her incredibly adorable.

Qiao Suluo was currently entirely focused on communicating with the system, so naturally, she didn’t notice the change in Bai Qianluo’s expression.

She figured she could sell a portion of the wild medicinal herbs in this valley to the system’s shop to earn points, which would make buying things much easier.

As for the other portion, Qiao Suluo absorbed all of their medicinal properties, converting them into her Healing Ability.

By mid-afternoon, Qiao Suluo and Bai Qianluo returned home.

Hearing the noise, Que Hongjin quickly put down the plush toy in his hands and walked out.

"Wife, you’re back."

Heaven knew how much Que Hongjin had missed her while she was up on the mountain.

Qiao Suluo had barely set down her bamboo basket before Que Hongjin pulled her into a tight embrace.

Only when he held her securely and breathed in her scent did his anxious heart finally settle.

Qiao Suluo had missed Que Hongjin a bit too. She wanted to reach out and hug him back, but remembering that her hands were still covered in dirt and dust from the mountain and she hadn’t washed them yet, she remained motionless. Instead, she said softly, "Yes, I’m back."

"Are you okay? Do you feel unwell anywhere? I..."

Before Qiao Suluo could finish, Que Hongjin loosened his grip slightly. With one hand, he lifted her chin and brought his lips down directly onto hers, sealing away her breath in a lingering, forceful kiss.

His aura was domineering and burning hot.

"Mmph..."

Qiao Suluo felt her breath tangle with his, her words swallowed. Her breathing and heartbeat grew erratic. Gradually, her face flushed red, her eyes turned hazy, and her entire body went soft as she leaned into his embrace.

Watching this unfold nearby, Bai Qianluo found the sight piercingly painful. His usually cool, pristine features seemed overshadowed by dark clouds, tinged with a sudden chill.

It was as if something was tightly squeezing his heart. A sour, bitter feeling surged up like a rising tide, crashing against his chest, screaming at him to take action.

Urging him to rip the other man away from her.

His usual calm and self-control were crumbling into dust.

But he forced himself to hold back.

He never knew she could be so soft and delicate. Seeing how tightly Que Hongjin clung to her, it was obvious how deeply he loved her.

Even someone as normally gentle and detached as Que Hongjin possessed such a fiercely passionate side.

He must have missed her terribly while they were out in the mountains to act like this.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before Que Hongjin finally let Qiao Suluo go.

Qiao Suluo’s legs had turned to jelly. She could only lean against Que Hongjin’s chest, panting heavily.

Que Hongjin held her tightly, supporting her weight so she wouldn’t collapse onto the ground.

"A Luo, what should I do? I missed you so much."

She had only been in the mountains for a short while, yet he couldn’t bear the separation.

Especially after finalizing their Contract last night, he felt his heart overflowing with affection for her.

Que Hongjin lowered his head, his lips brushing against her ear as he gently nuzzled her earlobe.

Qiao Suluo softly shied away from him. "I... I missed you too."

"But A Luo didn’t even hug me when she got back."

"I haven’t washed my hands yet. They’re covered in dirt."

Knowing she was a stickler for cleanliness, Que Hongjin finally released her with reluctance, intending to let her wash up. But as he looked down at her, he noticed something.

He reached out and lightly touched her cheek. "Is it my imagination, or has my wife gotten a little fairer?"

He had been so focused on venting his longing just now that he hadn’t noticed the change in her.

Now, however, he realized her skin was much fairer than it had been that morning.

A deep, rippling light flickered in his picturesque eyes. He studied her closely, and the longer he looked, the more certain he became that her complexion had brightened significantly.

At this moment, Que Hongjin felt no joy—only a sense of panic.

Others would eventually notice her becoming more and more beautiful.

Selfishly, he didn’t want anyone else to know how wonderful she was.