Chapter 73: Feeling Especially Indebted to Someone Who Loves Me
Feng Gui had just cried in my arms for so long, and when he pulled away from my embrace, he looked shy. He must like me too, right? Ruihua thought to herself.
Now when he mentions Yu Yan, he only says "embarrassing" and doesn't seem to regret it. Does that mean he still has a pretty good chance?
However, from his tone, it was clear that he cared a lot about Yu Yan.
If Yu Yan doesn't have a good impression of him, Feng Gui might not accept him!
Ruihua became nervous as a result.
Since he had made up his mind about Feng Gui, and Feng Gui also liked him, he had no intention of letting go.
In the Beast World, both orcs and sub-orcs have very long lifespans.
The father and the second father cannot be with their child forever, and they will not interfere with who the child chooses as a partner.
They support whatever their child likes.
The reverse should also be true, except that Feng Gui and his own situation are extremely rare.
It would be difficult for Feng Gui to take this step. As an orc, he could not back down and had to take responsibility.
Ruihua made up her mind, stared at Feng Gui, and said seriously, "I will go and explain to Yu Yan."
Feng Gui's eyes were slightly red, and he nodded: "It's time to explain properly."
Ruihua: "Yes, don't worry, I won't let him misunderstand you."
Feng Gui chuckled: "What could he possibly misunderstand about me? But you, are you only going to explain to him? Aren't you going to explain to me?"
Where have you been all these years? Why haven't you come back to find them? Do you know how worried they were?
Ruihua was taken aback. "Of course I want to. I wanted to tell you this from the beginning, but..." You came up and hugged me.
Their eyes met, and Feng Gui immediately understood what he was thinking. He awkwardly looked away and cleared his throat.
"I'm getting a little tired of standing," Feng Gui abruptly changed the subject.
Ruihua immediately looked around. The grass by the lake was wet. He took out a thick animal hide from his spatial storage and spread it on the ground.
"Sit up here."
Feng Gui couldn't help but smile, sitting down with a hint of demureness but actually a sweet smile.
He patted the spot next to him and said, "The animal hide is so big, you shouldn't be standing."
Ruihua responded with delight, sat down, bent her knees, and awkwardly placed her hands on her knees.
There's enough space between the two people for another person to sit comfortably.
Feng Gui found it a bit funny; after not seeing each other for several years, he seemed even more dazed than when the two of them were still single.
Gradually, he stopped laughing.
Could it be that we've been apart for too long and have become estranged?
Feng Gui asked nervously, "Where have you been these past few years?"
Following his words, Ruihua recounted the stories of some of the tribes she had visited.
To avoid worrying him, I concealed the danger we encountered.
Feng Gui felt something was off. "You went to so many places by yourself? And you're only coming back now?"
He was a little angry.
Ruihua thought he had misunderstood her as someone from the neighborhood, so she explained, "I was alone before, but I came here yesterday with people from the Caiyun tribe."
Feng Gui's face hardened, and he became even angrier.
Thinking about how he had worked so hard to support Yu Yan over the past few years, while Ruihua had been looking to move from tribe to tribe, he really wanted to slap Ruihua.
What are Yu Yan and I compared to him, who are eagerly waiting for his return?
I was just crying so hard while holding him!
Feng Gui stood up abruptly, coldly glaring at him with his eyes lowered.
Ruihua blinked, not understanding why he suddenly got angry when they were just talking so well.
"Wind Returns?"
"Don't call my name! Don't look at me like that!"
Ruihua panicked and stood up, reaching out to pull him, but Feng Gui slapped her away, leaving her feeling somewhat aggrieved.
Feng Gui said angrily, "You're acting like you're wronged? Neither Yu Yan nor I are wronged! What makes you think you're wronged?"
"I didn't..." Ruihua couldn't make sense of it, but subconsciously apologized, "Anyway, it's all my fault, don't be angry."
As soon as he admitted it, Feng Gui's eyes turned red, and he raised his fist as if to punch him.
The orc in front of him didn't move, seemingly accepting his beatings and scoldings.
Feng Gui was filled with grievances and sorrow, his heart felt heavy, and he held his hand up for a long time without letting go.
"You're just taking advantage of the fact that I like you..." Feng Gui's tears welled up in her eyes.
During the years that Ruihua was missing, he prayed to the Beast God countless times, willing to give anything as long as Ruihua could survive.
Now that he saw Ruihua standing alive and well in front of him, the gratitude in his heart actually overshadowed all other emotions.
But the fact that the person he loved no longer loved him as much was still like a knife cutting into his heart.
He was so bitter that he overlooked the strangeness of the situation.
Ruihua never expected to hear the word "like" from Feng Gui first. He felt helpless and heartbroken, but he couldn't help but be overjoyed.
He earnestly expressed his feelings: "I like you too!"
Feng Gui twitched the corner of his mouth, wanting to say, "Your affection is all that's been going on for years without even sending a message back," but then he added, "I know your name, but you don't know mine, do you?"
"...?"
The orc said solemnly, "My name is Xue Gui, and I am currently an orc of the Caiyun tribe. However, I have already made arrangements with Chief Zhu Yu to move to the Peninsula tribe after the gathering."
“If the peninsula tribes don’t agree, I’ll find a place to stay nearby. I’m very experienced, and surviving alone in the wild isn’t a problem.”
“Feng Gui, I’m giving you all the supplies I have. I will also do my best to gather more supplies and help Yu Yan find seeds. I believe that in time, the people of the peninsula tribe will believe in my sincerity.”
In short, I will definitely try my best to stay by your side.
Feng Gui listened, becoming increasingly puzzled.
"Wait... what's your name?"
"Snow Returns".
"Why do you have this name?" Feng Gui asked in surprise, his mind replaying the events of his time with Ruihua. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and his heart sank.
“I gave myself this name. A few years ago I was seriously injured and forgot everything before, except for the sound of ‘Gui’ (meaning ‘return’). Later I lived at the foot of a snow mountain and started calling myself ‘Xue Gui’ (meaning ‘Snow Return’).
As he spoke, he chuckled, "Your name also contains the sound 'gui' (归), what a coincidence... Feng Gui? Why do you look so pale?"
Like a thunderbolt striking, Feng Gui froze, his lips turning deathly pale, staring blankly at Ruihua.
Snow returned... and she forgot everything...
That's why I've traveled to so many places over the years, but never returned...
Even under these circumstances, she encountered herself and fell in love with herself once again.
Even the things he gave himself were gifts he had given her before as tokens of their love...
Feng Gui's heart was suddenly filled with guilt and self-blame. Clutching his aching chest, he couldn't help but bend over.
It turns out that Ruihua did love her; his love for her was no less than hers.
She misunderstood him and was even angry with him...
Beads of cold sweat trickled down Feng Gui's pale forehead, his vision blurred, and he struggled to breathe.
His appearance terrified Ruihua.
"Feng Gui, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?" Ruihua supported the exhausted man and said anxiously, "Bear with it for a moment, I'll take you to see Yu Yan right away! He knows medicine, he'll definitely cure you!"
As he spoke, Ruihua was about to transform into his beast form.
"No, I'm not sick..." Feng Gui grabbed his wrist, stopping him, and said in a tearful voice, "Your name isn't Xue Gui."
Ruihua met his gaze and suddenly realized something.
Several years ago, he was seriously injured, and Feng Gui's partner also had an accident...
The wind has just returned, bringing with it affection, complaints, and anger...
"Then, what should I be called?"
A single tear slid down Feng Gui's cheek as he nearly broke down, saying, "Your name is Ruihua, and you're my partner."
Ruihua's eyes widened, and she grabbed his arm with her other hand.
Both of them exerted force uncontrollably, and their fluctuating emotions made them ignore the pain.
Feng Gui looked into his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "You are my partner, Yu Yan's father... You don't need to move to the peninsula tribe at all, because you were originally from here."
"How...did this happen to me?"
“In the past, the peninsula tribe would send two groups of orcs on trade trips every year, and you were in one of them. While traveling in the rain, you were unfortunately struck by lightning and fell into the river… They searched for you for a long time but couldn’t find you.”
Feng Gui trembled uncontrollably, and Ruihua instinctively hugged him tightly.
"...In the years that followed, I asked the beastmen who traveled by trade to search the area where you disappeared, but there was still no news of you...Everyone thought you were dead..."
Feng Gui covered his eyes with his hands, his palms were wet.
Ruihua couldn't help but tear up.
No wonder he took a liking to Feng Gui the moment he saw him; no wonder Feng Gui rushed over and cried when he saw him; no wonder Feng Gui was so angry just now...
And the familiar scent he smelled in the Caiyun tribe before should have been left by Yu Yan.
Ruihua regretted it deeply. If he had lived with the people of the Caiyun tribe, he would have recognized Yu Yan long ago and reunited with them.
The orc in his arms was so thin that his shoulder blades protruded when he buried his head, which made him feel very sorry for him.
He had no memory of the past, and the thought of "losing Feng Gui" made him feel so uncomfortable that he could hardly breathe, let alone Feng Gui.
He had experienced this kind of pain for many years.
Ruihua closed her eyes in despair.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault..." Ruihua's body was numb with pain, and she could only give each other strength by constantly tightening her embrace.
Feng Gui hugged his waist tightly and shook her head.
“How can I blame you? It’s my fault… If I were stronger, I could have come to find you, and you wouldn’t have had to wander outside for so many years… I even misunderstood you just now. I blame you, I really…” Feng Gui’s voice was completely hoarse, and he couldn’t make a sound.
“Don’t think like that,” Ruihua said painfully. “The wilderness is so dangerous. You’re a sub-beastman with cubs to take care of. How could you possibly find me? If only I hadn’t forgotten what happened before, if only I could have come back sooner… All these years must have been so hard for you… I’m so sorry, so sorry…”
They loved each other so much that they didn't need each other's apologies.
But it is precisely because of this deep love that I feel so indebted.
By the lake, the two expressed their apologies and longing, embracing each other for a long, long time.
The sound of others drawing water could be heard in the distance. Feng Gui sniffed and lifted his head from Ruihua's arms.
Looking into Ruihua's pupils, he saw that his eyes were even more swollen.
After venting his frustrations, he finally felt a little better.
"I said I'd come to fetch water, but it's already noon and I still haven't brought any back... Yu Yan must be wondering where all the water went." After saying that, Feng Gui couldn't help but laugh.
Seeing him smile, a smile also flashed in Ruihua's eyes.
"He's already seen the two of us together, so he'll understand."
"So, you were so guilty just now because you thought Yu Yan had caught us having a secret rendezvous?"
Ruihua closed his eyes briefly: "...Stop talking." He felt embarrassed now too.
Feng Gui chuckled again, "Let me wash my face again, then I'll take you to find Yu Yan."
"Okay, I'll pour you some water."
As Feng Gui washed his face, Ruihua kept watching him. From his eyebrows and eyes to his mouth and nose, every part of the sub-beastman was etched into his heart.
He was too embarrassed to tell Feng Gui that when he saw Feng Gui yesterday, he felt like he had liked him for many, many years.
The orc he loved so much was actually his partner... and their children were already adults...
Ruihua felt like she was in a beautiful dream, and she couldn't help but pinch herself with her hand hanging down. Fortunately, it hurt.
After Feng Gui washed his face, Rui Hua packed up their things.
"Let's go." Feng Gui, with his back to the sunlight, smiled and extended his hand to Ruihua.
Ruihua smiled and intertwined her fingers with his.
On the way, Feng Gui said to him, "Ruihua, it was a bit tough for me before you weren't here, but not this year. Our Yu Yan has grown up and is supporting this family with me."
When Yu Yan was mentioned, he spoke with particular pride, “We have no worries about food or clothing now, and we’ve even built our first house. You’ll see when you come back with us; the house is exceptionally beautiful and very comfortable to live in. You’ll see at the autumn harvest fair, everyone is scrambling to trade with Yu Yan.”
Ruihua nodded: "I've always known that Yu Yan is very capable."
The fact that such an amazing Yu Yan is his child... Ruihua felt like he was dreaming.
"I heard from Chief Zhu Yu that a beastman named Xue Gui wanted to see Yu Yan for treatment, but I never expected it to be you."
"Yes, it's me."
Feng Gui originally wanted to complain to him a bit: losing his memory is such a serious illness, why didn't you come to see Yu Yan yesterday, and instead went to find flower seeds.
Thinking that in Ruihua's heart, "knowing" himself was more important than seeing a doctor, Feng Gui couldn't complain anymore.
Finally, all I said was, "You need to take your illness seriously; you're not alone anymore."
Ruihua readily agreed: "Okay, I'll remember that."
A gentle breeze blew across the grassland. The sun overhead cast short shadows of the two people.
Feng Gui shook their clasped hands, feeling the genuine warmth of his palm, and couldn't help but smile with pleasure.
...
Zhu Yu had looked towards the lake countless times.
He sighed and asked Bai Lang beside him, "It's been so long, why hasn't Xue Gui come back yet?"
Bai Lang rubbed his nose and said guiltily, "I don't know either."
"You've been following him around these past few days, how could you not know? Actually, I heard it all from Xuegui."
"ah?"
Zhu Yu leaned closer and lowered her voice: "He has a sub-beastman he likes. Are they on a date by the lake?"
"Ha, haha..." Bai Lang chuckled dryly.
Zhu Yu, with an expression that said, "I knew it," asked again, "The peninsula tribe, right? What's it called?"
Bai Lang scratched his head, looking conflicted.
"Tell me! Are we still friends?" Zhu Yu said, a little angry. "Would I harm Xue Gui?"
"Of course I didn't think that way... You'll find out soon enough."
Zhu Yu scoffed, "So mysterious."
Liu Xiang also came over and said, "I saw Xue Gui hugging a sub-beastman."
Zhu Yu's eyes widened: "They've already hugged?"
Liu Xiang: "Yes. But Xue Gui blocked his view, so I didn't see his face."
Zhu Yu smiled and thought to herself, "That's good. If Xue Gui and that sub-beastman become partners, they can go to live in the peninsula tribe."
She was also a little envious and jealous. She hadn't found a sub-beastman she liked all these years, but Xue Guiyi met one at the Autumn Gathering.
Liu Xiang then said, "There's something else, do you know about it?"
"Um?"
"Yu Yan's father is back! Everyone in the peninsula tribe is talking about it."
"His father had an accident a few years ago, and everyone thought he was dead, right?"
"right."
"That's great that you're back!"
Liu Xiang and Zhu Yu chatted away, getting quite animated, while Bai Lang's expression grew increasingly panicked.
"Yu Yan's father is back..." he murmured. "Oh no, oh no, will Xue Gui be beaten to death?"
Liu Xiang turned his head and asked, "Bai Lang, what are you muttering about?"
Bai Lang looked over and said, "Xue Gui has lived in our tribe for more than half a year and even helped us find saxifrage. I consider him a friend. What about you?"
“That’s obvious, of course we are too,” Zhu Yu said.
"Since he's a friend, shouldn't we help him out when he's in trouble?"
"What difficulties?"
"Chieftain, Liu Xiang, please call more people over. I'm afraid someone will try to attack Xue Gui later."
Zhu Yu's face darkened: "Who wants to hit him?"
Liu Xiang: "That's right, who is it? If it's a real fight, our tribe isn't afraid."
Bai Lang quickly waved his hand: "We're not going to fight. If a conflict really breaks out, you guys help to stop it. Xue Gui is already sick, so don't let anyone beat him too badly."
Zhu Yu and Liu Xiang both looked at him disapprovingly. How could they not help when their tribe members were being attacked?
We didn't come all this way to Fengshou Grassland to be bullied!
Zhu Yu thought that if all else failed, she could go to Yu Yan for justice. The tribes that came to the gathering would definitely listen to Yu Yan.
Soon, the Caiyun tribe gathered a group of people. Their beast forms were inherently warlike, and upon hearing that a fight might be about to break out, they were all extremely excited.
"A fight would be great! I've been wanting to stretch my legs!"
"Anyway, I've already replaced everything I wanted to, so I'm just sitting around doing nothing."
"Tell me, which tribe are you going to fight?"
Bai Lang: "...Don't be impulsive."
Liu Xiang pointed ahead with sharp eyes: "Xue Gui is back! Hey? Who is he holding hands with?"
Zhu Yu's eyes widened when she saw the sub-beastman beside him: "Feng Gui?"
Liu Xiang's pupils dilated in shock: "Isn't that Yu Yan's father?!"
Everyone turned to look at Bai Lang, their faces saying, "No wonder you said not to let people beat Xue Gui too badly."
His partner had already come back, and he still dared to hold her hand in public!
Warriors!
Bai Lang urged anxiously, "Let's go quickly."
Zhu Yu exhaled a breath of stale air: "Hurry up, hurry up, if we're too late, a real fight will break out."
Liu Xiang: "Where are you going! Just transform into your beast forms and fly away!!"
Oh right, I forgot I can fly again.
Everyone transformed into beast forms and flew towards the Peninsula Tribe's stall, arriving even before Feng Gui and his companion.
Yu Yan was exchanging items with someone when she saw them approaching with strange expressions. She asked, "What's wrong?"
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