Chapter 74: Nectar of Youth
The massive forest bear lumbered down the shadowy ravine path with slow, deliberate steps, its thick fur swaying beneath them like a heavy wool blanket.
Xiao Cui sat directly in front of Kian, her small legs dangling over the beast’s wide shoulders while she happily sorted her lap full of bright yellow honey-bells.
"Here, try this one!" she said happily, plucking a plump stem and turning around to hold it up to his mouth. "I squeezed the bottom just right so the nectar is right at the tip!"
Kian leaned forward and bit the stem along with a little bit of her fingers.
His mouth instantly flooded with a thick, impossibly rich liquid that tasted like warm sunlight, candied peach, and pure mountain honey.
"Holy shit. That is actually insane."
His eyes widened in genuine shock as the rich flavor coated his throat.
She smiled. "I told you, right? But people generally don’t like it like I do."
"Really? I’d think this thing is a staple."
She shrugged. "Well I like it, so I eat it. People can eat what they like."
Kian nodded, leaning back against the bear’s fur while his tongue chased the last lingering traces of peach and honey.
Xiao Cui wiped her sticky fingers against her robe and turned her body around, resting her chin on her knees to look at him.
"What are we going to do next, Kian?"
"We’re heading deeper into the forest to find a river," Kian said, caressing her face. "We can take a cool bath and rinse off all this mud."
Her round eyes lit up instantly. "A river? I love swimming! I haven’t been swimming since I left my old village!"
Then her face fell, her dark eyebrows furrowing in sudden worry as she looked into the dense, dark woods ahead.
"Wait... how do we even find a river in a giant place like this? And aren’t deep forest rivers full of giant alligators or crocodiles?"
Kian laughed, reaching out to tap her small, furrowed nose. "Don’t worry about any of that. My senses are sharp, little Cui—I can already hear the water rushing right up ahead."
The bear pushed through a dense thicket of fern leaves, revealing a wide, crystal-clear river rushing over smooth white river stones.
Spray caught the late afternoon light, throwing small rainbows across the foaming water.
Xiao Cui suddenly became quite serious, her bright, childish demeanour vanishing like mist under the midday sun.
She wrapped her hand around her knees and looked directly into his eyes. "Kian, why are you doing this?"
He blinked, caught off guard by the sharp shift in her tone. "What do you mean?"
"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked, her voice steady and stripped of its usual airheaded pitch. "We are strangers. You don’t know me. So, is it that you like me? Or what is the reason?"
Kian nodded without hesitation. "I like you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I was thinking I could woo you by taking you out on a forest date."
She blushed. "So you are trying to woo me?"
"Somewhat. But also, I like how the day is going. You are fun to be around."
"I like it too!"
Her heartbeat quickening, she turned back around and faced forward.
Kian wrapped his hand around her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Don’t worry. I’d feel bad if I hurt you. So, let’s just enjoy whatever is around us."
She nodded. "Indeed. I know I behave like an airhead overall, but truly speaking, I am not that stupid. You know? I just like simplicity. So I noticed that you were weird."
"I know. But you also like to be lost in your own head, clearly."
She blushed. "Don’t tease me! I like you as well., and didn’t feel like I am in trouble. That’s why I followed you so easily. Not because I am gullible. Hmph!"
"Wait. Stop at that I like you as well part."
She shook her head vigorously.
Kian chuckled and said: "So you are mine now."
"Yes, I am your friend."
Kian wrapped his hands tighter around her. Then said: "From now on, you can stay with me. I am not letting you go back to the sect."
"What?"
She blinked. Then laughed.
"That’s funny."
The bear halted at the edge of the riverbank, its heavy houghs sinking into the damp gravel.
Kian slipped off the beast’s wide back, landing silently on the smooth stones before he reached up and scooped Xiao Cui with his hands under her knees.
"Come, let’s go for a swim," he said, nodding toward the rushing water.
Xiao Cui looked at the river, then down at her mud-dusted servant dress, her lips pulling into a tight pout.
"What am I supposed to do about my clothes?"
"You can just go naked," Kian replied, a slow smirk spreading across his face.
She gasped, her cheeks flushing instantly as her hands flew up to cover her chest. "Naked?! In front of you? You pervert!"
"You said you like me!"
"Not like that!"
Kian chuckled and jumped once, squarely landing on a boulder halfway into the river.
Sitting on it, both of them quickly dipped their feet in the water and stared up at the sky.
The river ran cool against their ankles, white foam splashing over the dark river stones.
Tiny silver fish immediately darted out from beneath the boulder, and began nibbling harmlessly at their toes.
Xiao Cui giggled, leaning back against Kian’s chest as the ticklish sensation spread up her legs.
"My life in the sect is always so boring, you know? Every day is just sweeping, washing, and waiting for someone to get mad. This is so much more fun."
"My life is a bit more exciting," Kian said. "I’m usually busy cultivating, running through the city, or dealing with my two wives. And a servant and mother in law."
Xiao Cui blinked, her head snapping around to look up at him. "Eh? You’re married?"
"Only two wives for now, and a servant," Kian replied with a casual shrug. "I’m thinking of taking another one soon."
She missed the obvious hint entirely, her round eyes sparkling with sudden, intense curiosity. "Two wives? Are they pretty?"
"Very pretty. And you know what? I think you’d get along really well with Jia."
"Jia? Her name is Jia?"
"Mia and Jia. Tell you what, they are twins."
"Wow! I want to meet them."
"You can."