Chapter 128 — Madam, I Am Here
While Shi Hao feasted on meat and drank his broth with relish, Huo Ling'er was, rather unusually, brooding over an egg.
Crack!
Maybe Huo Ling'er had gotten too comfortable on top of it—there was a sharp crack from beneath her as the golden giant egg split open. A swirl of hazy divine light poured from the fracture.
"Hey, the egg cracked!" Hu Niu called out.
"That… that doesn't look like a dead egg!" Yu Zimo said, startled. She had been poised to mock Huo Ling'er for wasting her time on a dud, but now the egg was hatching. It was alive—and it was emerging of its own volition.
Crack!
Another crack rang out. More fault lines spread across the surface of the golden shell, spilling even brighter divine radiance.
Misty spiritual vapor wafted from it, dreamlike and otherworldly.
"It's coming out!" Huo Ling'er's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Her chest rose and fell subtly, her fair skin gleaming with crystalline luster. If she weren't worried about hurting whatever was inside, she would have lunged at the egg in excitement.
Finally—
Under her watchful eyes, the golden giant egg shattered completely.
But what emerged was no mighty beast.
Instead, a tiny creature no bigger than a palm flopped out onto the scattered shell fragments.
It was soft and gray-furred, almost fuzzy. Its tiny ears stood upright, and there were two little nubs on its head where horns might one day grow. Folded against its back were a pair of small gray wings, and its eyes—large, black, and glossy—were full of confusion and fear as it blinked and scanned its surroundings.
Hu Niu gave it the immediate sense that it might be eaten alive. Yu Zimo exuded cold indifference. Only Huo Ling'er felt warm. Safe.
"Awoo!" the little creature cried, looking at Huo Ling'er.
But the one who moved first wasn't her.
With a blur of motion, Hu Niu darted over and snatched the creature up in an instant.
"Isn't this just a wolf cub?" she muttered, squinting at it.
"Awoo!"
The little creature kicked and flailed, flapping its fledgling wings as it struggled. Being held by this woman felt like a death sentence. It tried everything to get free.
"Wolves lay eggs now?" Yu Zimo muttered, stunned. Her entire understanding of the natural world was on the verge of collapse. If wolves could lay eggs, then what else was possible? Could humans lay eggs?
"Give it! Give it here! Hand it over!" Huo Ling'er was panicking, frantic even.
"Why is it female again?" Hu Niu mumbled, flipping the small creature over several times. After confirming its sex, she tossed the terrified thing into Huo Ling'er's arms with a bored expression.
"Awoo! Awoo!"
The small creature curled up tightly in Huo Ling'er's hands. But the warm aura surrounding her began to settle its panic. Slowly, the fear in its eyes started to melt.
"So cute…" Huo Ling'er gently stroked the creature's fuzzy head. Her expression was full of pure affection. Anyone could see she already adored it.
"Awoo…"
The creature looked up at her, clearly sensing her kindness. It widened its eyes to memorize her face, her scent. Then it flapped its stubby wings and lifted off clumsily, wobbling into the air from her palm.
It didn't get far—just a flutter back to the shattered golden shell, where it started nibbling at the fragments with tiny teeth. With every bite, its fur grew sleeker, and its wings stronger.
"Should we name it?" Huo Ling'er asked.
"Not interested," Hu Niu waved her hand. "It's not cute my way."
"Wolves lay eggs… wolves lay eggs…" Yu Zimo mumbled, still dazed. She unconsciously touched her flat belly.
Shi Yi's face floated into her thoughts.
If it were his egg… maybe it wouldn't be impossible…
Her cheeks flushed crimson. Steam almost rose from her head.
Huo Ling'er, meanwhile, realized she was being ignored—again. Especially by Yu Zimo, who had clearly drifted off into strange territory.
"Fine! If you two don't care, I'll name it myself!"
She poked the little creature's head affectionately. "Little Wolf… but you've got wings. So maybe… Winged Wolf? No, wait! How about… Skywolf Cub? Hmm… no, no. Got it—Little Skywolf God!** That's the one. From now on, that's your name."
The small creature paused its chewing, looked up blankly at Huo Ling'er, then went back to eating. Clearly, it had no objections.
Meanwhile — Stone Kingdom, Wu King Manor, Shi Yi's Chambers
"Qin Yining! What are you sneaking around in Yi's room for?" Yu Yuexian's sharp eyes narrowed as she stepped through the doorway.
"What do you mean sneaking?" Qin Yining replied coolly. One hand rested on the table, the other naturally behind her back. She didn't flinch at the accusation. "I'm cleaning. Dusting. This room's full of it."
"You? Clean? Wu King Manor has no shortage of servants. A'Man!" Yu Yuexian called out, voice sharp.
A maid in a jade-colored dress hurried in, slightly flustered.
"Madam, I am here."
[Author's Note: And would you look at that—another stunning woman with curves in all the right places. Just what is going on in this family?]
"A'Man, you're Yi's personal maid. He didn't take you to the Hundred Desolation Mountains because of your age, fine. But even so, his room shouldn't be cleaned by outsiders."
Yu Yuexian's gaze bore into Qin Yining. She had walked in and caught her on the bed, not sweeping the floor. And now she wanted to act innocent?
"Madam… she's not an outsider. She's the Young Master's aunt," A'Man said softly, head lowered.
Technically, as Shi Yi held the title of Martial King and head of the household, she should have called him Lord. But he disliked the title, so she continued with "Young Master."
"Traitor!" Yu Yuexian hissed.
She glared at A'Man, but as the girl was not only Shi Yi's personal maid but clearly favored by him, she swallowed her fury and left with a huff, storming out of the room.
Once the sound of her footsteps faded, Qin Yining turned to A'Man with a sigh.
"A'Man, how could Yi have such a ridiculous mother?"
The maid remained silent, head bowed.
"She's not just ridiculous—she's slow. But Yi still spoils her," Qin Yining said with a shake of her head.
Still, A'Man said nothing.
"If Shi Hao had even half of Yi's devotion to his mother, I'd be the happiest woman alive," she added.
No reply.
"You… you're like a stone whenever I bring up Yi. You're his personal maid. You're also his concubine…" Qin Yining trailed off as A'Man stood in perfect stillness.
Finally giving up, Qin Yining turned on her heel and walked out, leaving A'Man alone in the room.
"Young Master," A'Man whispered, glancing out the window. "When will you come home? With you gone, the madams scheme against each other nonstop."
She glided over to the window, lifted a feather duster, and absentmindedly brushed away imaginary dust. Her gaze drifted skyward, eyes full of unspoken longing.
Elsewhere, Shi Yi—
He glanced at Yun Xi, asleep on his shoulder.
She breathed evenly, face serene. She trusted him completely.
He couldn't help but wonder—how was she not afraid? Did she really think he wouldn't just carry her off somewhere and make a hundred children with her?