The Demon Werewolf Chief's Beloved Wife

Early on, Ying Zaozao had already recognized the world's injustice. While other girls who matured faster lined up on the playground, confessing their love to delinquent boys, Ying Zaozao was infamous at school for being too close to those same bad boys, drawing the ire of her female peers, who took turns plotting against her. For a while, she hated both the delinquents and her own kind—other girls. But now, she had embraced the 'bad girl' lifestyle, rebellious and audacious. It was the only way to grab attention, just like now. Once again, she was the center of everyone's gaze. "What are you looking at? Never seen a beauty before?" Her shout sent a group of timid onlookers scurrying off, heads lowered, though they still whispered and cast glances at her as they passed by. What do I care? Ying Zaozao casually wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and shot a shameless yet resigned look at the guy groveling like a dog beneath her. "Full HP recovery!" she announced smugly. "Ying Zaozao, are you even a woman? Can’t you go easy on me?!" The guy, Xiong Ba, rolled in the dirt, his basketball jersey now the color of mud, one side of his face swollen like a giant r****h. "And you call yourself a man? With those scrawny arms and legs? Bullying the weak? Learn something decent for once!" Ying Zaozao struck a righteous pose, ruffling the greasy hair of the younger student nearby. "Pfft, who are you to lecture me? You should take a good look at yourself first!" Xiong Ba retorted, still unwilling to admit defeat. "What about me? I haven’t done anything wrong—just skip classes sometimes, and maybe sneak a snack or two during lectures..." Ying Zaozao’s cheeks burned a little as she caught the confused look on the younger student's face. Embarrassed, she rolled up her sleeves, ready to give Xiong Ba another thrashing. "Fine, fine, you just want money, don’t you? I took seven yuan and two mao five from him, but come on, you don’t have to overdo it!" Xiong Ba pulled a crumpled handful of cash from his pocket and shoved it into her hand. Ying Zaozao pouted and shook her head. "The amount's off. Do you want to witness my ultimate fury?" "What... what for? I only took seven yuan and two mao five..." The younger student looked up and said innocently, "He also took fifty from me." Ying Zaozao wiggled her fingers. "Hand it over." Xiong Ba gritted his teeth. "You—you—you’ll get karma for this, I swear! I curse you to die a horrible death!" He muttered while reluctantly fishing out another fifty yuan from his pocket, clearly heartbroken. Ying Zaozao snatched the bill, waved him off, and stuffed the money into her own pocket. The younger student tugged at her sleeve, looking at her with wide, watery eyes. "Big Sis, that’s my money." "I know, I know. Like I’d really take your money. I’m just... just..." Ying Zaozao stumbled over her words, awkwardly laughing it off. "Next time, don’t carry so much cash on you. You gotta be careful with people like... like Xiong Ba over there!" She handed the money back to the kid, who happily bounced away. Watching his retreating figure, Ying Zaozao felt an inexplicable melancholy. Ugh, he didn’t even give me a tip! She glanced around, then shouted again, dispersing the last of the stubborn crowd still watching the scene. The sky above was thick and heavy, large gray clouds sweeping across like blankets, pressing low as if the heavens were within reach. Looked like it was about to rain. "Jiu Bu Street." She read the street sign aloud, aimlessly wandering until the surroundings stirred a vague sense of familiarity. Wait... she remembered coming here as a kid. There used to be a few stores down the alley with slot machines, didn’t there? She patted her pockets and found some loose change. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she darted into the alley ahead. Something to do, finally. Her mood seemed to lift. But the moment she stepped in, things felt off. The alley's vibe clashed sharply with the modern street outside—tall, intricate walls, ornate eaves, and clean, well-laid stone tiles stretched in a winding path. Ying Zaozao stopped. Did she get the wrong place? Or had this alley been renovated? How could there be such an ancient-looking alley in the middle of a modern city? Curiosity piqued, she wandered deeper. She turned into one alley, then another, then another... but the more she walked, the more something felt wrong. The alleys all looked alike—identical walls, identical little drainage ditches running along the edges. No matter how far she went, it was as if she hadn’t moved at all. She... couldn’t find her way out! The sky grew darker, casting long shadows across the alley, and the chill that crept into her heart was accompanied by stories of fox spirits and demons haunting such places. Sweat beaded on her palms. She was just about to turn back when her ears pricked up. Something massive was moving toward her from behind—its footsteps heavy, its breath ragged, accompanied by guttural growls. Whatever it was, it wasn’t human. It felt like some kind of beast, zeroing in on its prey. Fox spirit? Demon?! Ying Zaozao’s heart clenched, pounding wildly. Slowly, she turned her head, peering into the murky distance. Something seemed to be moving in the shadows at the alley’s end. As terrified as she was, her curiosity was still stronger. Should she get closer to take a look? Just then, a giant red figure exploded out of the darkness, its fangs gleaming, its eyes filled with menace. "Oh, crap!" Ying Zaozao yelped, dropping into a crouch. The beast leapt over her head, so close that she felt the wind of its passing. Her heart nearly stopped, but before she could even catch her breath, another, even larger creature charged at her, pinning her to the ground. Wha—what the hell?! Did the zoo lose its animals today?! Ying Zaozao trembled violently as the beast loomed over her. Its hot breath washed over her face, its presence so overwhelming she could feel her skin prickling in fear. The beast’s nose sniffed around her face, as though savoring the moment before devouring its prey. Ying Zaozao cracked open one eye, and was instantly met with two deep, inky black eyes staring straight into her soul. The sheer ferocity in that gaze was enough to make her shiver from head to toe. Panicked, she quickly squeezed her eyes shut again. A low growl rumbled above her, and the beast’s claw brushed dangerously close to her ear. She felt something wet drip onto her cheek, sliding down her neck. Blood. It’s blood! Her heart seized in terror. She was going to die, devoured by a monster in some bizarre alley—what a senseless death! If this was a dream, she prayed to wake up, now! “P-p-p-please... spare... spare me!” she stammered, finally managing to choke out the words. "You've played quite the trick, abandoning a human to slip past my gaze," a deep, magnetic voice rumbled above her.