Chapter Seventeen: The Two Wolf Children

Lin Miaomiao picked up another fish and continued grilling. As soon as it was done, the little boy pounced again—only to be knocked down by another child. It was then that Lin Miaomiao realized there were two children, not one. When the first child had appeared, the second had been watching her from deep in the forest, eyes fixed and vigilant. If nothing had happened to the first child, the second would have stayed hidden; but if any harm had come, the second child would have summoned the wolf pack to surround and trap them all. The cunning of these children, so much like wild beasts, made Lin Miaomiao shiver with unease.

Suddenly, she understood, recalling the old story of the wolf children. Perhaps the tale had been too perfect, causing her to forget the cruelty lurking in the heart of the forest. The other child, too, eyed the fish in her hand like a wolf, wary and alert, not only toward her but also toward Li Yanhe and Anqi.

Lin Miaomiao studied the two wolf children. They looked strikingly alike; it was clear they were blood relatives. Sharing a glance with Li Yanhe and Anqi, she placed the last grilled fish on the ground, rose to her feet, and prepared to leave.

But the two wolf children arched their backs, growling under their breath. Even when they realized Lin Miaomiao’s group meant no harm, their unblinking eyes remained fixed on the trio. Only after the three had walked away did the children lower their guard, cautiously eating the fish as their glowing eyes watched the direction in which the travelers had disappeared.

The two wolf children spoke in their own language, then melted back into the forest, silently following the path the others had taken.

Back on the ox cart, Lin Miaomiao was visibly excited, chattering non-stop with Li Yanhe. Once, she had regarded “wolf children” as symbols of the spirit of all living things. Now, seeing them in person, her heart ached for them.

Li Yanhe sighed and said, “Among poor folk, if they can’t afford to raise a child, they’ll abandon them in the deep mountains, leaving them to fend for themselves. Or else, they’ll sell their sons and daughters to support the younger ones.”

Only then did Lin Miaomiao realize this was a feudal kingdom, a society of strict hierarchy where even the trade of human lives was permitted. She felt a sudden chill of fear, clutching Li Yanhe’s sleeve, her face tense as she asked, “Will you ever get tired of me and sell me off one day?”

She gazed at Li Yanhe with pitiful, earnest black eyes, appearing sweet and innocent. But inside, Lin Miaomiao was anything but naive. She remembered all those dramas where husbands abused their child brides, or cast them aside if they failed to bear a son.

She shivered, praying silently that Li Yanhe wasn’t that kind of man. Otherwise, at her young age, she’d have been sold long ago. She resolved, deep down, to make her own fortune—to win her freedom as soon as possible. As she cheered herself on, imagining the future after her transformation, Li Yanhe watched her face flicker through a kaleidoscope of expressions.

At that moment, Li Yanhe was seized by a playful urge. He had always been a man of action; when a thought struck him, he acted on it immediately.

So, while Lin Miaomiao was lost in thought, Li Yanhe reached out and plucked a foxtail grass, brushing it gently along her neck with exaggerated seriousness. Lost in her reverie, Lin Miaomiao felt something tickling her neck and swatted at it impatiently, only to grow uneasy—the sensation was off.

Just then, Li Yanhe said, “Don’t move. Let me see.” He tossed the foxtail aside. When Lin Miaomiao glanced over, she caught sight of a green caterpillar, and her expression changed as she looked at Li Yanhe.

“Is it a bug? Don’t lie to me. Is it really a bug?” she demanded, her hand checking the back of her neck anxiously.

Li Yanhe took out his handkerchief, pretending to wipe her neck, and said in all seriousness, “You need to pay attention. If you keep drifting off, you’ll miss things like this.”

Anqi, watching his master’s earnest act, almost believed him, though he had seen everything from the back.

Lin Miaomiao, thoroughly distressed, pleaded, “Check again. Is there really nothing on my neck? It feels so itchy and prickly.”

Convinced a caterpillar had fallen on her, she was plagued by the uncomfortable sensation, probably just her mind playing tricks. Li Yanhe, feigning ignorance, checked her neck, patted her head, and assured her, “It’s all right—nothing there.”

Still suspicious, she reached back and found her skin smooth, with nothing amiss. Anqi, unable to contain himself, burst out laughing. Lin Miaomiao turned her wide, innocent eyes on him and demanded, “Brother Black Seven, what are you laughing at? Wouldn’t you be scared if a bug fell on your neck?”

After a thoughtful pause, Anqi replied, “I’m not afraid of bugs. If one landed on my neck, I’d probably just squash it.”

Lin Miaomiao looked up at Li Yanhe, suddenly serious. “Did you kill the bug?”

Li Yanhe pondered for a moment before answering, “I don’t think so. All creatures have spirits—how could I kill it?”

Lin Miaomiao rolled her eyes dramatically. “Tsk, tsk, tsk! I never expected you, Li Number Two, to be such a merciful soul!”

This time, Anqi didn’t laugh. Few dared call his master “Li Number Two”—Lin Miaomiao usually called him “Brother Li” or “Brother Black Seven.” Sure enough, he watched as Li Yanhe’s face darkened, and the man grabbed Lin Miaomiao by the back of the neck.

“Naughty children get tossed into the forest to become wolf children. Do you want to end up like those two, living in the wild?” Li Yanhe threatened.

Lin Miaomiao stuck out her neck defiantly, replying with words that made Li Yanhe want to laugh and cry at once. “Hmph! Let me go, Li Number Two. Why should you get to throw me off the cart? If anyone gets tossed, it’ll be you. I bought this cart, I have the silver, and you still rely on me for your meals!”

As Lin Miaomiao chattered on, Li Yanhe suddenly found the once-cute child a little less adorable. If she’d known his thoughts, she’d have told him this was what they called a “little rascal.”

He sighed, tapping her forehead gently. “It’s one thing to speak to me like that, but you mustn’t be so rude to others.”

Her childish side emerged again as she mimicked him, “It’s one thing to speak to me like that, but you mustn’t be so rude to others.”

Li Yanhe was amused by her antics, ruffling her hair with a sigh. “Enough. I don’t want to argue with you.”

He fell silent, leaning back against the ox cart to rest his eyes. Seeing that he was ignoring her, Lin Miaomiao grew a little uneasy, realizing she’d been childish. So the three-year-old in her emerged, and she sidled up to him, saying, “Brother Li, Second Brother Li, don’t be mad. Let me massage your back and shoulders.”

With her small fists, she gently pounded his broad shoulders, the pressure just right. Li Yanhe couldn’t help but laugh, affectionately tweaking her nose.

Anqi had never seen his master so relaxed, nor so attentive to anyone. Perhaps Miss Lin truly was special to him. Anqi watched them furtively until Li Yanhe’s gaze met his, full of exasperated disdain. In that instant, Anqi felt utterly superfluous. If Lin Miaomiao had known his thoughts, she would have laughed and told him, “You’re not unnecessary, you’re just a third wheel.”

Thus, “Third Wheel” Anqi served as a silent backdrop, trying to shrink himself to nothing, hoping to escape his master’s withering glare.

After all the fussing, Lin Miaomiao forgot her earlier melancholy and resolve to make her fortune and break free from Li Yanhe. She sat in the jolting cart, not quite sure what she was thinking, closing her eyes and relaxing.

She told herself quietly, “Life is a journey—just treat this as a trip.”

Imagining she was simply out on an excursion, far from any true danger, her heart suddenly felt light and joyful. Sitting close beside Li Yanhe, she placed her small hand in his large one, childishly measuring the size of his palm with her fingers.