Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - Chapter 109
109: Chapter 109: Ride him?
109: Chapter 109: Ride him?
Su Qinglan packed up quickly after finishing the wine.
She was still so excited about the rice that she could barely sit still.
She checked everything one last time and then turned to Xuan Long with a bright grin.
“Let’s go now!” she said eagerly, already stepping toward the cave entrance.
The air outside was warm and clear, and the forest stretched endlessly under the blue sky.
Su Qinglan’s heart fluttered with excitement.
But when she looked back, Xuan Long was still standing inside the cave, not moving even a little.
She blinked.
“Xuan Long?
Aren’t you coming?” He looked at her calmly, his emerald green eyes steady.
“You can’t walk that far.” “What?” she asked in a confused tone.
“Why not?
You said it’s close!” “It is close,” he said evenly, “if I walk in my beast form.
But if you walk, it will be night before we reach there.
And you are carrying cubs.
It’s not safe to walk so far.” Su Qinglan stared at him for a second, then frowned.
“Wait, so what do we do then?” He stepped forward slowly, his expression calm as ever.
“Let me carry you.
This way we’ll reach faster.” The moment those words left his mouth, Su Qinglan’s entire face went red.
Before he could even touch her, she jumped to the side, waving her hands like a panicked squirrel.
“W-wait!
No, no, no, that’s okay!
I can walk!” Xuan Long blinked, slightly tilting his head.
“You do not wish to be carried?” Her face burned hotter.
“It’s not that!
It’s just… I’m a full-grown woman, you know!
It’s too embarrassing to be carried like a little child!” And also, she thought silently, too dangerous.
She still remembered that one time Hu Yan carried her, how her face felt like it was on fire the entire time.
And this one, this calm, serious, handsome beast, was even worse.
Since she became pregnant, her thoughts have turned so strange lately.
She didn’t trust herself at all.
If he carried her now, she’d probably cling to him the whole way… or worse, do something bad to him.
No, absolutely not.
She would never live it down.
When she saw the faint, confused look on his face, though, her heart squeezed a little.
He looked almost disappointed, even though he didn’t say anything.
She bit her lip and felt guilty for dodging him so fast.
She looked away and stammered, “Uh… Xuan Long… Why don’t you… um… turn into your full beast form?
I can ride you instead!” The moment those words left her mouth, she froze.
Wait.
What did she just say?!
Ride him?!
Her whole face turned crimson as her brain replayed the words in the worst possible way.
“No, no!
I don’t mean it like that!” she said quickly, waving her hands again.
“I just mean.
If you carry me in your arms, your arms will get sore!
And I’m not that light either!” To prove her point, she poked at her own cheek with a pout.
“See?
Not light!” Xuan Long’s emerald eyes darkened slightly as he looked at her, but something unreadable flickered in his gaze.
The air between them suddenly felt heavier.
Then, without another word, he said quietly, “Alright.” Before she could even blink, his body shimmered with emerald light.
The air rippled, and his human form melted away…replaced by a huge, gleaming serpent.
His scales shone like wet jade under the sunlight, smooth and beautiful, each one catching the light like glass.
Su Qinglan’s mouth dropped open as the giant snake lifted its head and looked down at her with those same emerald eyes with a hint of gold.
The snake’s tongue flicked out, making a soft hiss sound.
She gulped and gave a weak laugh and thought to herself, I guess this is better than being carried like a baby… Then she looked at his long, shining body, trying to figure out where exactly she was supposed to sit.
“Uh… Xuan Long?” she said nervously.
“Where do I… ride you from?” The snake blinked slowly.
Xuan Long lowered his head slowly, his golden eyes gleaming softly as if studying her tiny, flustered face.
Then, without a word, his long emerald tail slithered forward, smooth and cool as it wrapped gently around her waist.
“W-wait…what are you doing?” Su Qinglan squeaked, but before she could finish, he lifted her easily off the ground.
In one smooth motion, he placed her carefully on top of his head.
Xuan Long’s deep voice echoed inside her head, calm as ever.
“Hold on to the horns for balance.” “Horns?” she repeated, blinking.
When she looked down, she noticed two small emerald horns curving gently from the top of his head.
They were smooth, almost hidden among the scales, but now that she was so close, she could see them clearly.
She breathed out in awe.
“I didn’t even know you had horns!
They’re beautiful…” Curious, she reached out and touched one carefully.
The moment her fingers brushed the horn, Xuan Long froze.
A faint tremor ran through his whole body.
His muscles tightened under his scales, and a strange heat coursed through him like lightning.
His breathing, normally calm and even, suddenly deepened.
Su Qinglan blinked, startled.
“Huh?
Did I hurt you?” His voice came out lower this time, a little rougher.
“No… it’s fine.” But she could hear the faint rasp in his tone, the kind that didn’t sound fine at all.
She quickly pulled her hand back.
“S-sorry!
I didn’t know it was sensitive!” “It’s… nothing,” he said, though his voice was still tight.
“They are small,” Xuan Long said quietly after a moment, trying to sound normal.
“Only seen from above.” Su Qinglan smiled faintly, pretending not to notice his uneven breathing.
“Still… they suit you.” The great snake’s body gave a small shiver again, his scales glinting under the sun.
Then, without another word, he began to move forward, gliding across the forest floor with smooth and fluid grace.