15: The cold-blooded male fox

Nan Zhisui actually saw a hint of heartache for her in the eyes of this Male who was extremely cold to her.

But that look vanished in a flash, passing by very quickly.

He soon returned to that cold appearance.

This made Nan Zhisui feel that the fleeting sensation from before must have been an illusion.

She lowered her head and finished the food in her bowl. There was some soup and vegetables left, which could be kept to eat tomorrow.

The Beast World was not like Earth; when Nan Zhisui was on Earth, she almost never ate food left over until the next day.

But in the Beast World, she had long since learned to live a simple life. Meat and such foods could be kept for a few days; as long as they hadn't spoiled, she could eat them, and she enjoyed them.

White Fox leaned over and began to clean up; he knew exactly how to tidy these things away.

“Your body hasn't recovered yet, let me do it,” Nan Zhisui said.

As a guest, letting the sick host cook without even helping to wash the dishes would be far too unreasonable.

“No.” White Fox was very insistent; he gathered the bowls and chopsticks in front of him and took the stone bowl to the nearby river to wash it.

Nan Zhisui felt that being a guest here was a bit too easy, so she stayed behind to extinguish the fire and then carried the two cubs into the Cave to sleep.

When White Fox returned, he saw Nan Zhisui pondering next to a large tree outside the Cave.

“What are you planning?” White Fox asked briefly.

Nan Zhisui said, “I'm considering how to sleep tonight. There aren't any snakes here, right? Oh wait, there are; there's a little snake right in the Cave.”

Nan Zhisui thought of She Yang and burst out laughing with a 'pfft'.

White Fox listened to her talk to herself and even find some inexplicable humor in it; after she laughed spontaneously, his gaze softened by two degrees.

But he quickly returned to his coldness.

“Stone Village has no precedent for letting a Female sleep outside. You sleep inside the Cave,” White Fox said firmly. “You can rest assured, I am a Male with a female master; I won't do anything to you.”

Nan Zhisui asked, “Then what about you?”

“I'll be outside the Cave. I am a Fox Beastman; I have thick fur on my body and do not fear the cold.”

Nan Zhisui was laughed out of frustration, “You, a seriously ill patient, are telling me you don't fear the cold? How could I, a guest, steal the host's Cave? Don't mention it again, this is not up for discussion.”

White Fox's expression turned cold in an instant; it was already cold, and now it was even colder.

“This is not up for discussion,” White Fox actually repeated Nan Zhisui's words. “The Female must sleep in the Cave.”

With her and the cub inside the Cave and him guarding outside, any existence that would harm her would have to go through him.

He would protect her well; the cold wind wouldn't reach her, and wild beasts wouldn't hurt her.

But if she were outside the Cave while he was inside, he wouldn't be able to watch over her at all times.

That would be what makes no sense.

“You're so fierce,” Nan Zhisui accused.

White Fox paused slightly, appearing somewhat flustered for a moment.

Nan Zhisui discovered that the heart of the Male before her seemed very complex, a kind of complexity she couldn't understand.

Males. They really were a species she couldn't understand.

Nan Zhisui compromised, “Fine, I'll stay in the Cave.”

White Fox let out a deep breath, as if finally relieved.

He returned to the Cave and laid out the last complete beast skin in the fox den that Hu Qi hadn't used for Nan Zhisui. But he frowned slightly because he couldn't provide a complete beast skin blanket.

He should have kept a few more beast skins at home over the years. Then she wouldn't have been without a beast skin to use when she came.

As a guest being entertained by the host, Nan Zhisui was already overwhelmed by the favor.

She said, “These conditions are already very good. Look, this beast skin is very large; if I just roll it up a bit like this, it can cover my belly button.”

For Earth humans, as long as the belly button is covered, everything is fine.

Nan Zhisui lay on the beast skin. Actually, she had sleeping bags and blankets in her space. But amidst the host's warm hospitality, she couldn't bring herself to tell him she had better things.

She fully accepted White Fox's kindness, and just as she said, she rolled up the beast skin to cover her belly button and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, White Fox transformed into his Fox Beastman form.

A large, snow-White Fox, charming and beautiful, he curled up at the Cave entrance, blocking the night's cold wind for her and letting the Cave warm up... An area of light was shrouded by darkness, and everything around seemed filled with resentment.

The entire space was filled with despair!

Nan Zhisui somewhat realized she was dreaming, but even so, she still ran desperately.

“What is it? What is that thing?!”

Seven directions, seven totem marks.

One of them, a massive black fox totem, suddenly appeared before her.

The totem mark trembled, black resentment diffused, and small green leaves shook gently, on the verge of falling.

Nan Zhisui took a terrified step back.

Seeing her retreat, the totem mark suddenly shrank significantly, looking very pitiful.

“female master...”

“Don't leave us.”

...The next morning, Nan Zhisui woke up and gave a long stretch.

Who would have thought that a hard stone floor with a layer of beast skin padding could actually be quite comfortable to sleep on.

She seemed to have had a dream, running and running; she actually remembered what kind of dream it was when she first woke up, but for some reason, she forgot it as soon as she turned her head.

Nan Zhisui got up and saw White Fox coming in carrying a stone basin of clean water. Nan Zhisui hurriedly rose.

“Is this for me?”

“Wash up.” White Fox's answer was still concise. It was as if he didn't want to waste words on her.

Nan Zhisui was also somewhat surprised.

In fact, most Females in the Beast World weren't that fastidious, let alone brushing their teeth and washing up in the morning.

But White Fox seemed able to discern her habits; not only did he use fire to cook food, but he would also accurately bring her a basin of water for washing in the morning.

Probably his female master was also a person as fastidious as she was.

“I've really troubled you during my stay at your home these past few days,” Nan Zhisui said.

White Fox's expression sank slightly again. He set down the water basin and turned to leave the Cave.

Angry again?

Nan Zhisui had no idea how she had made him angry again.

Why was he a Fox Beastman and not a Pufferfish Beastman?

It seemed being a guest wasn't that easy either.

Nan Zhisui brushed her teeth and washed her face; after finishing everything, she picked up the water basin and poured the water out.

As a guest, Nan Zhisui enjoyed far too much luxury, but as a Veterinarian, she could not.

She had Hu Qi find White Fox and bring him back. White Fox sat leaning against the head of the stone bed, while Nan Zhisui prepared the medicine and tools just as she had the day before.

Pressured by the lesson from the first day, Nan Zhisui was much more restrained.

She held the thermometer gun and lightly took a reading from his forehead. His temperature was slightly high by one degree; he still had a low-grade fever.

Even with a low-grade fever, he insisted on sleeping outside the Cave. Didn't he know he was unwell?

It seemed the fever-reducing medicine had to be continued.

As Nan Zhisui began preparing the IV drip, White Fox spoke up to ask, “Don't you need to stick that thing on my chest today?”

“What thing?” After Nan Zhisui asked, she realized belatedly, “You mean the stethoscope.”

White Fox didn't speak, only looking up at her.

Nan Zhisui was a bit embarrassed, “When I used the stethoscope on you yesterday, weren't you unhappy? So I skipped that step.”

In any case, with her experience, it wouldn't be far off; the medicine that needed to be given still had to be given.

“So, it doesn't need to be stuck on?” White Fox asked.

Nan Zhisui said, “That's not it. It's better to listen if possible; it allows the doctor to better manage your physical condition.”

White Fox looked up and asked her, “Then why not listen?”