The skullcap was infected by Huanhuan’s emotions. It lowered its petals and rubbed the back of Xue Ling’s hand. It called out sadly, “Father~”
Xue Ling touched the small bud and said softly, “When I leave, you have to take good care of your mother in my place.”
Huanhuan looked at him with tears in her eyes, her small hands gripping his sleeve tightly.
Xue Ling asked helplessly, “Before I leave, can you promise me something?”
Huanhuan nodded vigorously. “Tell me. I’ll agree to anything.”
“I don’t want to die alone. Can I be your mate?”
Huanhuan replied with tears in her eyes, “Okay!”
Xue Ling looked at her deeply. “Really? Don’t you think I look too ugly now? You’ll definitely regret it in the future, won’t you?”
“No!” Huanhuan gripped his sleeve tighter, her eyes filled with tears. “I’ll never regret it!”
Xue Ling laughed softly.
He held out a necklace with a thumb-sized red feather at the end.
The feather was extremely red and even revealed a dazzling golden color.
“If we male beasts find a female we like, we’ll give her the most beautiful feather we have.” Xue Ling shakily placed the feather necklace in her hand. “Don’t throw it away again, okay?”
This was the third time Huanhuan had received a feather from Xue Ling.
The first two times, she had rejected him with extreme disdain. She had no idea that in the feather tribe, the male beasts courted females by giving them their feathers.
Huanhuan looked down at the red feather in her hand and couldn’t help but cry.
“I’m sorry. I thought you liked someone else and you were just joking…”
“It’s okay.” Xue Ling’s smile was extremely pale. “I deliberately pretended to be joking so that you would misunderstand my intentions. It’s not your fault. You don’t have to blame yourself for this.”
With that, he frowned as if he was fighting back the sharp pain in his body.
Huanhuan quickly held his shoulder. “Does it hurt? I’ll make you some medicine. Wait a moment…”
“Don’t go.” Xue Ling took her hand. “I want to stay with you.”
“But you’re—”
“I might die soon. Until then, I just want to be with you. Don’t leave me, okay?”
The usually domineering Xue Ling was actually pleading at this moment. Huanhuan’s heart ached as she hurriedly nodded and agreed. “Alright, I’ll stay here with you. I’m not going anywhere!”
Xue Ling smiled happily. “As long as you’re by my side, I can die without regrets.”
Huanhuan felt terrible. “Don’t say such things…”
“Alright, I’ll stop.” Xue Ling changed the topic. “According to the customs of our feather tribe, after a female accepts a feather from a male beast, it means she has agreed to become mates with him. At the same time, she has to give a gift back to the male beast. What’s the gift you’ll give me?”
His eyes were filled with anticipation, like an innocent child looking forward to a gift from Santa.
Huanhuan froze.
Where could she find a gift in such a short time?
Out of habit, she touched the ring on her ring finger. Suddenly, she remembered that she still had a contractual ring that was without an owner. An idea came to her and she quickly took out the contractual ring.
“Didn’t you always want this ring? I’ll give it to you as a gift now.”
Xue Ling raised his right hand with difficulty. “Can you help me put it on?”
Huanhuan held his ring finger with one hand and carefully put on the contractual ring with the other.
The ring was automatically adjusted to the most suitable size and was firmly lodged around his ring finger. His well-defined fingers looked even more slender and beautiful.
Xue Ling smiled. “It’s beautiful. I like it.”
He looked at Huanhuan and asked tentatively, “I won’t be able to take this ring off after wearing it. You won’t regret it in the future, right?”
Huanhuan didn’t understand why he kept asking this question as if he was worried that she would regret it. She said clearly again, “I’ll never regret it.”
“Do you love me, then?”
Huanhuan looked at him blankly, not knowing how to answer the question.
“Why aren’t you talking?” Xue Ling’s gaze was bitter. “Are you refusing to answer because you don’t like me?”
“It’s not that I don’t like—”
Xue Ling’s eyes lit up. “So you like me?”
“I don’t know,” Huanhuan said, scratching her head in distress. “I’ve never thought about it. I don’t know how to answer you.”
She had never thought of becoming mates with Xue Ling, so she naturally did not think about their relationship in that direction. Even if she had felt her heart race once or twice, it was only for a short moment. After that, she returned to normal.
Therefore, she really could not answer Xue Ling’s question.
In terms of liking, her emotions for him seemed to be lacking a little.
But she couldn’t say she didn’t like him at all. After all, she had really been tempted on a few occasions. She couldn’t lie to herself about this.
Xue Ling lowered his eyes in disappointment.
She saw that Xue Ling’s face was getting paler and paler as if he was about to faint at any moment. She became even more nervous and uneasy.
No matter how she felt about Xue Ling, she could not accept his death.
Huanhuan risked being discovered by Xue Ling and called the system in a low voice.
“Little Brat, is there any way to cure the snake poison?”
System 438 said, “Your blood can cure a hundred poisons, including snake venom.”
“But I just gave Xue Ling my blood. It was completely useless. He still looks like he’s in pain.”
The system was calm. “Oh, he’s lying to you.”
“What?!” Huanhuan was in disbelief. “That’s impossible!”
Who would lie about such things for no reason?!
The system said, “Silly girl, if you don’t believe me, you can test him.”
Huanhuan’s bewildered gaze wandered over Xue Ling as if she was hesitating about what to do.
Xue Ling sensed her change in mood and asked, “Who’s Little Brat? Who are you talking to?”
Huanhuan didn’t know how to explain. Suddenly, she had an idea.
She covered her head and said in pain, “A strange voice just entered my mind. It said it can help you detoxify the poison in your body. I don’t believe it and want to get it out of my mind, but my head is starting to hurt! It feels like it’s going to explode! I feel terrible. Am I going to die?”
Xue Ling quickly held her shoulders. “Calm down. Don’t be afraid. I’m here. I definitely won’t let anything happen to you!”
“My head hurts!” Huanhuan pushed his hand away and stepped back. She slipped and fell down the tree.
Xue Ling immediately spread his wings and flew down. He hugged her with both hands and landed steadily on the ground.
He was anxious. “Bear with it. I’ll take you to a nearby tribe to find a witch doctor!”
Huanhuan struggled out of his arms and took two steps back to pull away from him.
She looked at him coldly. “Aren’t you dying of snake venom? Why can you suddenly fly and jump like normal?!”
Xue Ling: “…”
