Tiger wife

First encounter

Since he was old enough to understand, no one had ever insulted him like this.

The more he listened, the more curious he became. A smile played on his lips as he nodded faintly. "When did Tianci offend Sister Húwá, to make you so angry? Is there a misunderstanding here? If you don't explain, how can I understand?" He continued to call her "Sister" this and "Sister" that, looking at her flushed, pretty face with a gentle demeanor.

"You're still arguing?! How dare you say that?" She stomped her foot as she spoke.

The anger in her heart, stirred by him, surged like a gushing spring. She clenched her hands into fists and waved them, unable to hold back her words. She blurted everything out—

"I heard it all, I know! Those big men were hired by a family named Chang from the capital. They came to Changbai Mountain not only to dig wild ginseng, but also to set traps to hunt tigers. They dared not challenge them face-to-face, only secretly set up mechanisms to lure the tiger into the trap. I saw it all... They were so cruel and outrageous, dragging the injured big tiger out of the trap. The tiger was already dying, and they even let several hounds pounce on it and bite it. Those damned dogs, they only took advantage of the situation, despicable and shameless! Despicable and hateful." If it weren't for her aunt not allowing her to cause trouble and seeing the tigers being so humiliated, according to her temperament, she would have already used her means to punish those big men and those hateful lackeys.

She didn't understand why her aunt wouldn't let her kill, why she could turn a blind eye to the evil deeds of humans! Was it just because they were cultivating spirits, shedding their mortal flesh and blood, and that life in the world had its own cycle, a fixed number of births and deaths, and they could only stand by and watch with a clear mind, remaining unmoved, so that their minds would not be disturbed, and thus get closer to divinity? Was that why?

She didn't understand, and she couldn't do it.

She didn't understand, and she couldn't do it.

Seeing the tigers being so abused, bullied by dogs, the dignity of the tiger clan swept away, how could she tolerate it?!

Her grandaunt disapproved of her impulsive and passionate nature, saying that she hadn't shed her wildness, and was often touched by other matters, causing ripples in her heart and burgeoning desires, making it even harder to achieve immortality and the right path.

She took a step closer to the bamboo bed, her bright eyes burning with anger. "The tiger cub died, and they even took out big knives and short daggers to skin it, pull out its tendons, carve off its flesh to cook as food, dismantle its bones one by one, pull out its teeth and claws to tie into a necklace, brazenly hanging it around their necks to show off their power." The words were stiffly squeezed out from between her teeth, utterly enraged. She didn't care at all about cultivating the right path; the purer one's heart, the more indifferent one appeared, and with her nature, she feared that even after another three hundred years, she would remain the same, unchangeable.

"All of this was instigated by the Chang family in the capital. I heard it... I also heard them call you young master. You, your family, your father and mother, why are you so wicked? What did the big tiger do to provoke you, to be killed so cruelly?" Her concept was simple; she believed that the entire Chang family were the instigators.

This time, she left without her grandaunt's knowledge. In the dark night, she had originally intended to reveal herself and bite these wicked people and their wicked dogs to death. But listening to their conversation, she learned that there was a mastermind behind it all. They lived in the capital and hired people with large sums of money to hunt tigers in the mountains. Hearing this, her blood boiled, and she decided to follow them all the way from the Changbai Mountains. She wanted that villain of villains to die under her sharp teeth, to vent the hatred in her heart.

Facing her accusation, a flicker of bewilderment crossed the young man's pale face, fleeting. His eyes were like two deep wells, hiding something in their gloom. He observed her, and after a moment, slowly began, "For profit, people can do many unexpected things. The Chang family hired experienced hunters with a lot of money to hunt tigers in the mountains to obtain tiger bones for medicine and earn more money. And those hunters, for the generous rewards, are willing to take extraordinary risks. This world is like this, complex yet simple. People kill tigers, tigers devour people. There is no real hatred between people and tigers; everything is driven by profit, it has always been like this... Sister, have you ever thought about it?"

His demeanor was too calm, his tone indifferent, adding a touch of eeriness to the desolate night. The very first question brought the tiger cub's almost lost consciousness back, and she seemed to be annoyed again, because the other party's reaction was completely different from what she had originally imagined.

How strange, at this moment, the tone of his words reminded her of her great-aunt.

"I'm not your sister!" Shaking off that absurd thought, she clenched her fists and roared, her chest heaving violently, her fangs faintly visible.

She was angry, angry at the indiscriminate killing by humans, and also angry at her own inexplicable behavior.

Just now, he was still unconscious, and she was pacing by the bamboo bed. She opened her mouth, wanting to bite his neck off, her sharp teeth already grazing his skin, but she couldn't exert any force. The aura around him had somehow calmed her restless temperament, and when she came to her senses, she realized that her nose was lingering by his neck, sniffing him instinctively, her tongue already extended, l*****g him friendly.

Friendly?! She was angry and startled by this.

Curled up in a corner, she held her head and thought for a long time, scenes of the tiger cubs in distress appeared in her mind, her whole heart ached, and tears couldn't help but stream down. She told herself that when this young man woke up, she would question him face to face, she would still bite him to death, doing it when he was conscious, enjoying the fear in his eyes, and avenging those tragically killed tiger cubs.

But thinking is one thing, the facts are before her eyes, she could return to her true form and pounce on him to bite him to death, but instead, she was here bickering with him.

There was no trace of panic on his face, his complexion was pale, his thin lips were bloodless, fine blue veins appeared at the junction of his neck and cheek and on his forehead. His appearance was delicate and weak, but what was striking were his eyes, deep and silent, dark and profound, as if they could suck in one's soul.

"Tiger cub..." He called out, omitting the words "older sister," glanced at her calf, and quietly pointed out, "You're injured."

She subconsciously lowered her eyes to look. The wound on her calf was caused by a spear during the group attack, deep enough to reach the bone, and she had bled a lot. She had bandaged it casually, and with her spiritual energy, it would probably take three or four days to recover. She was so angry that she forgot the pain, stomping her feet and moving around, causing blood to seep through the cloth and turn it red.

"You sit down, let me take a look, okay?" he said, as his legs swung off the bed, his voice gentle, "I brought some trauma medicine with me, given to me by Dr. Liu who takes care of me. It's very effective for external injuries—" He proactively took her hand.

Tiger Cub immediately shakes off his grip and said fiercely, "I don't need your help!" This wound was also the handiwork of humans; she hated him so much, she didn't care for his favors.

He was still half a head shorter than her, and he looked up slightly, meeting her fiery beautiful eyes.

"If you don't let me dress your wound, you should at least find a way to stop the bleeding. If you let it go on like this, even the strongest body can't bear it. With all the blood lost and your energy depleted, your mind will be muddled, you should understand. What's more, you're a young woman, and it's not good to have scars on your body."

"You, you—" For some reason, her heart trembled, feeling like she had grasped something, yet wasn't entirely sure. She still stared with wide eyes at the young man beside her, scrutinizing him strangely, and asked indignantly, "Why aren't you scared?"

"Why should I be scared?" he retorted.

"Don't you remember?" Her voice rose, her round face moved closer, her expression somewhat urgent. "You were talking to those big men, there were many loaded carriages returning from the Changbai Mountains, and then you lifted the curtain of one of them—"

She paused, and his eyebrow rose in response, his voice even, "And then what?"

The young man's expression was incredibly calm, and Tiger Cub was stunned, her small mouth twitching, "Then you were here... Don't you have any recollection at all?" If he wasn't scared, not frightened, not panicked, then what was the point?! Wouldn't all her efforts be in vain?!

"Oh..." he replied casually, shaking his head with a bitter smile, "Ever since I was little, I've had this problem. My heart would ache for no reason, often to the point of fainting. I wouldn't remember anything that happened around me, always needing others to remind me... Now that you mention it, I do remember."

She sneered coldly. "Do you remember now?"

He rubbed his temples, his brow furrowed in distress, "I only know that I lifted the curtain, my heart ached, and then I fainted. I don't remember anything else. Huwa'er, how did I end up here with you?"

Hmph! He's really going to infuriate me to death! Huwa stomped her foot again, ignoring the injury on her leg.

"What's wrong with you? Oh dear, the blood is flowing again. Doesn't it hurt?" He sighed.

"None of your business! Don't touch me!"

He didn't mind her bad temper and leaned over to help, but she wouldn't let him see, pushing him away with such force that his entire body toppled over. A muffled groan immediately sounded, and he fell into the bamboo bed.

"I don't need your false solicitude," she cursed loudly, her eyebrows instantly raised.

Suddenly, she sprang onto the bamboo bed, completely ignoring the injury on her calf. Supporting herself on all fours, her shoulders and back arched. She stared darkly at the young man, her limbs like an animal's four legs pressed against the bamboo bed. Her movements were incredibly natural, light and slow, yet permeated with murderous intent.

She blocked the firelight, looking exactly like a powerful beast, guarding its delicious prey, considering how to enjoy the feast before her.

"Have you forgotten? It doesn't matter, I'll tell you slowly, let you know what you've missed." In her heart, she secretly vowed to fully enjoy his fear, to closely watch every subtle change in his expression. She wanted to avenge her tiger cubs, to give him a taste of his own medicine.

The next second, an earth-shattering roar echoed, dust fell from the roof, and in an instant, the girl in the yellow robe was gone. On the bamboo bed, in her place was a large tiger with golden fur. It shook its massive head, baring its teeth, and growled low at the young man in the bed.

She wanted him to suffer excruciating pain, to slowly bite him to death, to hear enough of his pleas for mercy. The wails of the tiger cubs before their last breath were vivid in her memory, she couldn't forget, dared not forget. She would take his life first, then go back to find those evil men, blood for blood.

But, in fact, apart from the heavy breathing of the beast, no other sound could be heard.

This also differed from what she had originally imagined. Could it be that he was too scared to speak?

A low, questioning growl rumbled in the tiger's throat. Its dark golden eyes narrowed, and it shifted its massive body, allowing the lamplight to once again illuminate the scene on the bamboo bed. What it saw made it freeze in astonishment—

The young man lay prostrate on the bamboo bed, both hands clutching his left chest, his brow furrowed. His face was ghastly pale, slick with fine sweat, and he was clearly unconscious.

Could it be that his old ailment had flared up just as she transformed back into her true form, and the pain in his chest had caused him to faint?

And... and had he actually witnessed her transformation? Had she scared him?

Damn it—

The big tiger roared again, gnashing its teeth at an unconscious young man, its sharp fangs scraping loudly, frustrated and helpless—