"Little piggy, the boar is gone. You can come down now."
Shen Ningning hissed quietly.
Oh "now" he decided to show up.
She rubbed her calves gently, trying to ease the pain, but the cramps only worsened. Her stomach felt tight, her feet throbbed, and one ankle ached sharply from when she had run in panic.
"Little piggy?" Weijie called again. "Are you dead? If not, come down."
"Go away!" she shouted. "Stupid beast!"
She glanced toward the ground and immediately felt dizzy.
The reason eight-year-old Shen Ningning had never climbed a tree again surfaced vividly in her mind.
She was afraid of heights!
She screamed and wrapped her arms tightly around the trunk, refusing to move.
How was she supposed to get down?
Was she supposed to live in this tree forever?
Tears threatened to fall.
Then she heard his voice again, calm and steady.
"Little piggy," Weijie said, "if you jump down, I will catch you."
She shook her head frantically.
"That's not happening!"
"How can you catch me?" she cried. "You said I was heavy!"
Weijie's lips twitched.
So the female was truly frightened.
If not, she would not be this quiet.
"I have the strength to catch you." he said seriously. "I can carry you for as long as you like. I am your mate. If you jump, I will catch you."
Shen Ningning stared down at him.
The expression on his face was solemn and unwavering.
Strangely enough, it reassured her.
And even if he failed… she hoped she would simply fall to her death and escape this crazy world.
She made her decision.
Taking a deep breath, Shen Ningning kicked off the tree.
As she fell, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to the heavens not to let her die a painful death.
The pain she anticipated never came.
Instead, strong arms wrapped firmly around her body.
She opened her eyes.
Weijie was smiling at her.
Her heart raced.
He had really caught her.
And he did not complain about her weight, not like the men she had dated before, who could not even lift her briefly.
This handsome beastman had kept his promise.
"See?" he said calmly. "I told you I would catch you."
His arms did not loosen.
"You have nothing to fear when I am around," he continued. "I will always protect you from harm."
Shen Ningning's breath faltered.
This world was terrifying.
But for the first time since arriving, she felt… safe.
The moment her feet touched the ground, a sharp ache surged through Shen Ningning's legs.
Her calves spasmed violently, pain shooting upward like needles, and her heart hammered against her chest far too fast. Her breathing grew erratic, shallow and strained.
Before she could even steady herself, a familiar cold voice echoed in her mind.
[Warning.]
Shen Ningning stiffened.
[Host heart rate exceeding safe limits.]
[Muscle strain detected in lower limbs.]
[Oxygen intake inefficient.]
Her vision swam slightly.
"Not now.." she muttered under her breath.
[Emergency response initiated] the system continued calmly.
[Cardiovascular overload risk increasing.]
[Recommendation: Immediate rest and hydration.]
She almost laughed.
Rest? Hydration? In a forest full of beasts that wanted to eat her?
[System Notice:]
[Unscheduled high-intensity activity completed.]
[Minor endurance improvement detected.]
Her lips twitched.
So nearly dying counted as training now?
Weijie felt the tension in her body and instinctively tightened his hold, steadying her as her legs trembled beneath her.
"You are injured.." he said, frowning slightly. "Your body is weak."
"I know.." she snapped. "You don't have to announce it."
She planted her hands against his chest and shoved him away with what little strength she had left.
He did not move.
Instead, he loosened his arms just enough to let her stand on her own.
Shen Ningning immediately took several steps back, putting distance between them. Her breathing was still uneven, her calves aching badly, but she forced herself to stand straight.
"Don't touch me.." she said firmly. "And stop calling me your mate."
Weijie looked down at her. "But mate-less females..then why did you bite me!"
-_-
Shen Ningning stood still for a long moment.
The forest gradually returned to its usual quiet, as if the danger from earlier had never existed.
Only the lingering ache in her calves and the rapid beating of her heart reminded her how close she had come to death.
She slowly clenched her fists.
Arguing was pointless.
Running away was impossible.
Dying alone in the wild was not an option she was willing to consider.
Shen Ningning took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
This man was dangerous, unreasonable, and far too confident in claiming her as his mate.
However, one thing was undeniable, he had appeared every time she was about to die.
If he was truly willing to protect her, then why not let him?
Being with him was far better than being alone.
She could endure it for now.
Once she gained a foothold in this world, once she became strong enough to survive on her own, she would leave. Until then, borrowing his strength was the most rational choice.
Using him was not wrong.
After reaching this conclusion, Shen Ningning felt much better.
She lifted her head and pointed toward a distant stretch of forest. "Let's go there."
Weijie followed her gaze, his brows knitting slightly.
"There is nothing there.." he said. "That place is empty."
She frowned. "How do you know?"
"The tribe that once lived there has already been destroyed.." he replied calmly. "There is nothing left to go back to."
Shen Ningning's heart sank slightly, but she did not waver.
"I still want to go.." she said. "I need to see it."
Weijie studied her expression for a moment, then nodded. "If you insist."
He took a step forward, then suddenly stopped.
His gaze swept over her slowly, from head to toe.
Shen Ningning noticed his silence and frowned. "What?"
"You cannot go like this.." he said.
"Like what?" she asked irritably.
Weijie hesitated, then spoke honestly.
"Without clothes."