Wang Jin opened his mouth and tried again. "Brother Heng, what did Cheng Bai—"
"Mmm..."
The motion of the fur against his feet suddenly grew gentler, the soft hairs now like feathers, brushing lightly against his soles. The ticklish sensation shot straight up, making his scalp tingle.
Wang Jin couldn’t take it. His toes curled, and he pressed his foot firmly against the man’s thigh.
He finally understood—the man didn’t want to hear him mention Cheng Bai...
So Cheng Bai must have said something to him.
Annoyed, Wang Jin pressed down harder, leaving small indentations on the man’s thigh.
Yuan Heng paused. The little ger’s toes were clenched so tightly the knuckles had turned white, but the pressure against his thigh still felt no more substantial than a kitten’s paw.
A ger’s strength was naturally inferior to a beastman’s, and this little ger was among the most delicate of them all.
Such a fragile ger was difficult to raise. In the world of beastmen, even if they were beautiful, they wouldn’t necessarily be highly sought after.
Yet this little ger had a way of drawing people in—not only did the beastmen of Danmu Tribe stare at him in fascination, but even those from distant Ning’an City had traveled all this way just to find him...
The thought of the Celestial Fox tribesman’s recent behavior around the little ger, along with what that person had said to him, made Yuan Heng’s eyes darken. His fingers clenched tightly.
He lifted Wang Jin’s foot from his thigh and cradled it against his chest, as if protecting a priceless treasure. His gaze fixed on Wang Jin as he declared, "Mine."
"!"
The man’s stare was intense, as if firmly marking his possession. He tucked the foot inside his robe, hiding it like a treasure to keep others from coveting it. His entire aura seemed to proclaim—his, all his, down to the very last toe...
Wang Jin’s toes went weak, his whole body tingling, all strength leaving him. The sole of his foot pressed against the man’s warm skin, the heat spreading through him until his entire body burned.
Flushed, he stammered, "O-of course I’m yours... We-we’re already married, how could I belong to anyone else?"
His voice grew softer, nearly inaudible by the end. Fortunately, the man’s sharp hearing caught every word.
Yuan Heng’s heart felt as if it had been wrapped in warmth. His expression softened, and his entire demeanor gentled.
"That Celestial Fox tribesman said you have a marriage contract." The man loosened his grip, lifting Wang Jin’s foot from his robe—as if suddenly aware of his own earlier intensity, his ears reddened slightly.
"......" Wang Jin’s heart clenched.
So the man already knew...
No wonder... He’d seemed off lately. The jealousy must have been eating at him for a while.
Wang Jin hurriedly declared his loyalty. "That was an old engagement. I don’t even remember it. Besides, we’re already married, you’re my beastman now."
"......" Yuan Heng hesitated but said nothing.
Wang Jin pressed on. "I don’t remember anything from before. There’s no way I’d be with another beastman."
"...What if, one day, you remember?" Yuan Heng asked quietly, his voice steady but with a faint tremble at the end—as if this possibility terrified him more than anything.
Wang Jin’s heart ached. He stated firmly, "Even if I remember, I wouldn’t be with Cheng Bai’s older brother!"
Leaving aside the fact that he wasn’t the original owner of this body—even if he were, this man treated him so well, while Cheng Bai’s brother couldn’t even be bothered to come find his own fiancé, sending his younger brother instead... Clearly, there wasn’t much sincerity there.
As long as the original owner wasn’t a fool, he’d have chosen this man.
Besides, the man was so good—who wouldn’t fall for him?
He had to protect him, make sure no one else stole him away.
Wang Jin sat up and wrapped his arms around the man, clinging possessively. Even though no one in the room was eyeing him, Wang Jin held on tightly, as if warding off potential thieves.
Yuan Heng’s gaze flickered. "Cheng Bai’s older brother?"
"Right. Cheng Bai said the engagement was with his brother. I’ve never even met him, how could I marry him?"
Yuan Heng frowned. The Celestial Fox tribesman hadn’t specified who exactly the little ger’s engagement was with.
But judging by that tribesman’s behavior, it wasn’t just him who assumed that man had feelings for the little ger.
So it wasn’t him who had the engagement—but his older brother?
Still, even if it wasn’t him, someone else was tied to the little ger by a prior promise.
Seeing the man’s silence, Wang Jin, thinking he was still bothered, rested his head against Yuan Heng’s shoulder and said in a coaxing tone, "Aren’t we already married? Once you’re married, it’s too late for anyone else."
Too late for those coming to claim him, and too late for anyone trying to steal the man away!
The little ger nuzzled against his neck like an affectionate kitten, melting the man’s heart. Yuan Heng stroked his soft hair and finally spoke, his voice quiet. "You have an older brother. Our marriage wasn’t witnessed by him, so it doesn’t count."
"!?" Wang Jin looked up, startled.
Yuan Heng’s expression was bitter. "No one will recognize it."
"!" Wang Jin’s lips twitched.
They’d gone through such a grand ceremony in Danmu Tribe, and yet their marriage was considered invalid? Just a secret elopement?
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