Chapter 74: Cold on the Outside, Warm on the Inside

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Cold on the Outside, Warm on the Inside

Facing this face, Chu Moyuan couldn’t help but want to say something harsh. Looking at her automatically reminded him of all the abusive things she had done to him, making him want to wring her neck.

However, the aroma of the food constantly tempted him. The slices of roasted meat wrapped in the leaf looked incredibly delicious.

Then, as if recalling something, Chu Moyuan’s gaze suddenly darkened, taking on a profound and dangerous gleam. "Heh, this trick again."

As he spoke, Chu Moyuan reached out and took the leaf. He placed it, along with the roasted meat, steadily onto a nearby rock. Then he stood up and forcefully yanked her into his arms.

Caught completely off guard, Qiao Suluo crashed right into his chest.

Her nose bore the brunt of the impact. The nose being such a fragile spot, a wave of sour pain instantly surged to her eyes, making them well up with moisture. Dazed for a moment, she couldn’t help but mutter, "Ugh, so hard."

She never expected Chu Moyuan’s chest to be so rock-hard, radiating a sense of taut, explosive power.

On the flip side, Chu Moyuan hadn’t expected her body to be so delicate and soft. He tightened one arm around her waist while his other hand rubbed against her neck, as if contemplating the best way to snap it.

As his distinct, knobby fingers stroked her neck and chin, the thin calluses formed from years of fighting brushed against her skin, sending involuntary shivers down her spine. Qiao Suluo trembled slightly. Forced to look up at him, she asked, "Chu Moyuan, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Chu Moyuan’s eyes were as deep and cold as a frozen pool. His voice was hoarse and dark. "Stop pretending. Aren’t you just trying to drug me like this so you can have me?

"If you think you can make me serve you and Contract with you, don’t even dream about it."

He thought to himself that this vicious female really only knew how to waste food.

Hearing Chu Moyuan’s words, Qiao Suluo snapped back to reality, her pupils dilating in shock.

Although the original owner of this body had despised Chu Moyuan and the others, their appearances were undeniably magnificent. Therefore, the original owner had lusted after their bodies and wanted them to serve her.

However, Chu Moyuan and the others were completely unwilling. As a result, the original owner not only subjected them to various forms of abuse but also resorted to all sorts of underhanded methods to drug them.

Once, taking advantage of Chu Moyuan’s weakened state, the original owner had slipped an aphrodisiac into his drinking water. Consequently, Chu Moyuan’s body burned with restless arousal for days, and he gritted his teeth through the agony for just as long. Although he ultimately survived the ordeal, rumor had it that he became completely impotent down there as a result. Disgusted by the fact that he was now useless to her, the original owner then tried every possible way to sell him off. Recalling this memory, Qiao Suluo couldn’t help but want to curse out loud.

Chu Moyuan had been closely observing Qiao Suluo’s expression. Seeing her reaction, dark glints flickered in his profound eyes. "It seems you still remember.

"You’re not worthy of having me."

Qiao Suluo wanted to cry but had no tears to shed. She desperately explained, "I really didn’t drug you."

He was a Snake Beastman! Even if she had a hundred times more courage, she wouldn’t want him or want to Contract with him.

Her mind was entirely focused on going back and Contracting with Bai Qianluo to awaken her system. It was never about Chu Moyuan.

But the original owner had seemingly been obsessed with him because he was a Snake Beastman with a unique physical anatomy. It was said that Contracting during his mating season would take at least a full day. The original owner had desperately wanted him, resorting to incredibly ruthless methods to achieve her goal.

"You have to believe me. Food is precious out here, and I really didn’t spike it with anything.

"I mean it. If you don’t believe me, I’ll eat it to show you. Or you can find the ingredients yourself and watch me cook for you. I know how to make a lot of different dishes..."

Qiao Suluo explained as hard as she could. If she didn’t clear this up soon, her neck was going to snap. She saw utter disgust, hatred, and killing intent in Chu Moyuan’s eyes. Yes, she was absolutely certain she saw killing intent.

Qiao Suluo tried her best to show a sincere expression so that Chu Moyuan could see it clearly. However, because she had bumped her nose earlier, her eyes were currently brimming with a layer of mist. Her teary gaze gave her a delicate, pitiful appearance.

The look in Chu Moyuan’s eyes grew even darker. He reached out and rubbed his thumb against the corner of her eye, wiping away the moisture. "Is this your newest trick? You really never change."

In the past, she would never act like this, much less shed tears. She had only ever been arrogant and domineering. Her gaze was completely different too. Since when did her greedy, vicious eyes become so clear and pure? How interesting.

"Stop crying."

Qiao Suluo sensed the grip on her ease up slightly. He seemed extremely impatient with her tears. Suddenly, as if unlocking a brand-new skill, Qiao Suluo bit down hard on her own tongue. The sharp pain forced out fresh tears, which began to stream down her face. DRIP, DROP. She knew how to act, too.

"This really isn’t some kind of trick. I honestly don’t want you. It’s just that I’m stranded out here in the middle of nowhere, and it feels incredibly dangerous. I feel safe by your side, and I was hoping you could take me out of here safely.

"But before we can get out safely, we can’t just starve to death."

Chu Moyuan violently shoved her away. "Put those tears away."

Thrown back, Qiao Suluo landed hard on her bottom, but she secretly let out a slow sigh of relief. "Right, right."

She hurriedly wiped away her tears. It wasn’t that she enjoyed crying, but as long as it worked on him, she would gladly use it.

Sitting on the ground, Qiao Suluo took a moment to catch her breath before rushing to grab the leaf. She picked up the roasted meat with it and quickly wolfed it down. As she ate, she mumbled indistinctly, "See? I ate it myself. It really isn’t drugged. I wouldn’t eat it if it was."

Chu Moyuan’s eyes narrowed dangerously. He stared at her fixedly, as if waiting to see if she would show any signs of being drugged. However, after quite a while, there was only the sound of the blowing wind. Qiao Suluo was perfectly fine.

Chu Moyuan turned and strode away.

Watching him about to disappear into the forest, and seemingly hearing the distant howl of a wolf as the sky grew darker by the second, Qiao Suluo felt a surge of fear. She scrambled to her feet and chased after him. "Chu Moyuan, where are you going?"

Chu Moyuan ignored her and continued walking deeper into the forest.

"Chu Moyuan, can you please not leave me here?"

If she still had her system, she wouldn’t be this terrified. But with the system dormant, staying here was incredibly dangerous. Never mind the wild beasts in the forest; who knew what kind of dangerous river monsters might pop out of the water? Crocodiles, for instance. Just thinking about it sent chills shooting up from the soles of her feet.

Although Chu Moyuan despised and loathed the original owner, his core nature wasn’t evil. Otherwise, he would have killed the original owner back when she was abusing and harming him. Therefore, in this desolate wilderness, he was the only person she could trust.

Hearing her words, Chu Moyuan didn’t even turn his head.

Qiao Suluo could only quicken her pace to keep up with him. "Chu Moyuan, I regret selling you! I earned sixty taels of silver and planned to buy you back, but the Qin family said you weren’t there. Qin Siyan even deliberately scolded me! On my way to find you, I was almost shot to death by Mo Xuan Ye. I nearly died several times before I finally found you. You can’t be so cruel and leave me behind. When the wild beasts come out in the middle of the night, they’ll eat me!

"I promise that when we go back this time, I won’t ever abuse you or hurt you again..."

Qiao Suluo poured all these words out at once. She understood that this man was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He appeared aloof and merciless, but in reality, he wouldn’t just stand by and watch someone die. Therefore, to win him over, she had to first lower her posture verbally and make him believe she was changing.

Because she was running so frantically after him in the darkening woods, she didn’t notice an obstacle in her path. She tripped over something and crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Ah!"

Hearing her cry, Chu Moyuan turned his head and looked at her with blatant impatience. "You’re nothing but trouble."