Gentle Beast 37

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“Put me down, Ryan, I can’t go back with you.”

Seeing the leopard tribe in front of her, Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu finally hurried to say aloud.

Although she was very grateful for Ryan saving her from the wolves, it did not mean that she would return to the race with him.

She finally walked so far and he brought her back again, when would she be able to go home?

Just as she said this, Ryan suddenly jumped from the high mountain side and into the air. The arm holding her leg suddenly came loose.

The mountain peaks were steep and perfectly vertical, almost no cushion between them at all.

The cold wind blasted against her cheeks and Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu’s heart trembled. She wondered why Ryan suddenly let her go, but took the initiative to hug his body, her slender legs wrapping around his waist. Her entire body was terrified.

Falling from the peak of a hundred meter tall peak felt about the same as a modern day roller coaster.

The wind whistled straight into her ears.

Until the moment they landed on the ground, Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu’s mind was still blank.

Ryan gathered himself and looked at the pale face of the girl in front of him. Clearing his throat, he began to calculate her account, “Why did you leave without saying anything?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu’s face was panicked and her legs shifted subconsciously toward the road, “I didn’t leave without saying so. . . I told you before.”

Ryan frowned: “When?”

“Not long ago. Before you went out to hunt. . . you promised I could go when my injury was better.” Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu still koala-hugged Ryan’s shoulders and did not realize how close the two of them were. When Ryan asked something, she answered, “Now that my injury has healed, there’s no need to stay.”

Ryan’s eyes flashed.

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu saw him give no response and struggled to get down, “Let me down. . . Ryan.”

Ryan was unmoved and asked in response, “When you leave the leopard tripe, you’re going to the east side of the continent?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu felt sluggish but quickly nodded.

Ryan: “Do you want to find Pat?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu asked in disbelief, “How do you know?”

She had never told him that she was going to the easternmost side of Bornia.

Ryan did not answer, stepping forward to ask, “Find him for what?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu bit her lower lip and initially did not want to answer. But, on second thought, Ryan already knew she was human and there was no need to hide certain things.

“Eric’s grandfather told me that Pat is well-informed. If I found him. . . I might have the opportunity to go home.”

Otherwise, she would already be an alien in this world with no race, no attribution, and no reason.

When Ryan relaxed a little, Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu broke free of his arms and hopped to the ground. Sorting out herself, she confirmed that nothing had been lost and said to Ryan, “I thank you for taking care of me for these past few days. And thank you for saving me just now. . . but I’m leaving, Táo Táo.”

After saying that, she paused then turned back to her original road.

The girl carried her backpack and wore the goose down coat given to her. The coat pressed heavy on her, and her figure quickly became smaller and smaller.

Until she looked insignificant.

Ryan watched her back, watching as she stepped further and further away, his eyebrows furrowed deep and eyes dark.

This feeling, of unwittingly burying a line in his heart, ordinarily couldn’t be noticed but now it ached.

But, that thread had long been in his heart.

Now it was suddenly being pulled away and uprooted, as if he wouldn’t have the time to cry out in pain before his chest was soaked in blood.

Ryan pressed against the root of the pain and his expression suddenly shifted. In a split second, he stood behind Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu and he picked her up, taking her back to the tribe.

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu was frightened. Finally able to react, she opened her mouth incredulously, “Táo Táo?!”

Ryan held her tight in his arms and his agile body drifted through the trees, feet borrowing the strength of the trunks to increase his speed.

The leaves whirled with rustling sounds.

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu, in this noisy environment, heard Ryan’s voice, “With your ability, you won’t reach the east and you won’t find Pat. You will die on the road.”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu did not understand what he meant and felt a little anxious, “Even if I can’t, I still have to try. Just let me go. . .”

As long as there was still a shred of hope left, she didn’t want to give up.

What’s more, for Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu, there was no difference in staying with the leopards or heading East. They were all beastmen and could easily take her apart and eat her up if they became unhappy.

In fact, the leopards were even more terrifying. Because when that moment came, she would have nowhere to hide.

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu saw Ryan was indifferent and her fingers clutched tightly at his leather jacket, “I don’t want to go with you. I want to home, Ryan, I must go home. . .”

“I will help you find Pat,” Ryan suddenly interrupted her.

Right in front of the tribe, Ryan stopped at the edge of the forest and looked at the girl in his arms.

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu paused and hesitated, “What did you say?”

Ryan repeated: “I will help you look for Pat. But in the mean time, you must stay with my race.”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu asked: “Why?”

Why would he help her? And why did he insist and keeping her with the leopards?

Ryan’s next remark made her freeze——

“Because I want to pursue you.”

*

. . .

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu completely forgot how they even returned to the leopard tribe.

It wasn’t until Ryan set her down on the bed and reached out for her clothes that she suddenly awakened and she jumped up to hide in the corner, clutching her coat as she asked, “What are you doing?”

Ryan’s eyes fell upon her and thought Holden’s coat was particularly unsightly. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Take off your clothes.”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu did respond due to shock at his statement then shook her head again and again, “No, I won’t.”

Having experienced so much, Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu clearly understood the beastmen here were shameless with their lust and when Ryan said such things, she immediately thought crookedly about it.

Ryan took off his coat and revealed his strong chest, tossing the clothes at Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu’s head, “Take it off and wear mine.”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu: “. . .”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu had walked in the snow for long that her coat and pants were soaked through, but she still hesitated.

Her head was a mess and constantly repeated what Ryan had said. For fear that she had heard wrong, she asked, “What you just said, what did you mean by it?”

Ryan squatted in front of the fireplace and skillfully ignited the fire, adding firewood as his low voice asked, “Which sentence?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu hemmed and hawed, a little unwilling to say, “The. . . to pursue me one. . .”

Ryan turned around, eyes fixed on her, “What else does it mean?”

Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu: “. . .”

Ryan finished starting the fire up and stood. Walking over to Jǐ Xiǎo Ōu, he bent over to look her eye in the eye, “I will help you find Pat, and I hope you stay with the leopards. I want you to be mine. Don’t you humans call this behavior a courtship?”