Dragon, Truly Shameless (Yuri Futa, Farming) - Chapter 10
Shen Qingming had never imagined that the days she spent with Long Qing would become a cherished memory she would often look back on in the future, but this beautiful memory, when recalled, seemed to be filled entirely with the word “shy.”
The conditions in the cave were certainly not as good as in the old Shen family’s house, but here the mountains were beautiful and the waters clear, without any overt or covert struggles, only the simple and pure side of nature. Long Qing treated her gently, and their relationship felt more like friendship than that of a savior and the saved. Even though her knowledge was limited, Long Qing and she talked about everything. Their footprints covered the mountains and fields, and she saw many sceneries that she had never had time to appreciate when she was working.
This period was the most carefree time she had ever experienced in her life, even more relaxed than when her parents were still alive. The gloom that had been lingering on her face for many days faded away, and sometimes she would even show a faint smile, secretly looking at Long Qing only to be caught and blush with embarrassment.
As the saying goes, a mental illness requires a psychological cure. The feeling of joy could fundamentally change a person. She was no longer lifeless. Her eyebrows relaxed, her steps were light, and every smile and glance carried a fresh vibrancy. Running among the wildflowers in the mountains, surrounded by buzzing bees and fluttering butterflies, her wide skirt billowed in the wind, making her look more like a nimble butterfly than a real one.
However, happy times were always short-lived. Half a month passed, and the scabs on her wounds gradually fell off, revealing the tender and sensitive skin underneath. So many wounds had healed without leaving a single scar.
Not having scars should have made her happy, but seeing the healed wounds made her uneasy. She would touch the newly grown tender flesh absentmindedly every day. The healing of her injuries meant it was time for her to leave.
Shen Qingming had been absent-minded these past few days. Even eating minced meat tasted bland. In fact, deep down, she was reluctant to go back to the old Shen family’s life, but if asked whether she wanted to leave the old Shen family and make a living on her own, she wouldn’t, and she didn’t dare to.
The world was unpredictable. No matter what, the old Shen family was her bl00d relative, the foundation upon which she stood. Otherwise, as a mere orphan girl, she had no confidence to survive on her own. As for the future, she was also very confused. The life she had lived for the past half-month was like a dream, and now that the dream was over, she would return to endless bewilderment.
Today was the day to return to the village.
Shen Qingming followed Ah Hu through the mountain forest. It was already August, and the temperature had reached its peak. Dry branches brushed against her face, leaving a few scarlet crescent marks on her tender skin, which stung slightly when soaked with sweat. As the sun slanted towards the west, she saw the village below the mountain through the gaps in the dense canopy.
It happened to be dusk. The villagers finished their day’s farm work and returned home in twos and threes. The girl and the tiger arrived at a hillside not far from the edge of the village. Ah Hu could only send her this far. Beyond this mountain pass was the village.
Shen Qingming whispered a thank you to Ah Hu. Although thanking a tiger was quite strange, she knew that Ah Hu could understand her meaning.
Ah Hu symbolically raised its head and roared towards the sky. The tiger’s roar was deafening, echoing through the mountains and forests. The flocks of birds in the forest were startled and flew up, circling in the sky. This tiger’s roar naturally also reached the ears of the villagers.
Ever since the old Shen family inexplicably suffered a tiger attack half a month ago, Taohua Village had been in a state of panic. The village chief organized the young and strong men to patrol the village to prevent the tiger from rushing into homes again and snatching women and children while everyone was busy with farm work. Hearing the tiger’s roar now, the villagers exchanged glances and ran towards the village chief’s house.
Seeing that the villagers had become nervous, Ah Hu growled softly at Shen Qingming, indicating that she could go down the mountain.
Shen Qingming lowered her eyelids, hiding all her emotions behind her curled eyelashes. She took a few steps forward, but before going down the mountain, she couldn’t help but look back at the woods behind her, her heart full of expectation, but she didn’t see that familiar figure.
Long Qing hadn’t come to see her off today. Only Ah Hu was sending her. An orphan girl snatched by a tiger naturally couldn’t walk down the mountain silently on her own. The sudden tiger’s roar could, to some extent, remind the villagers of her escape, otherwise she might be regarded as a demon possessing a corpse.
She gazed for a long time, but still didn’t see that figure. Shen Qingming withdrew her gaze and walked down the mountain along the small path, alone, her long shadow trailing behind her on the fallen leaves, her back view particularly desolate.
Only when the little girl’s figure completely disappeared from view did Ah Hu say to a tree not far behind, “Master, she’s gone.”
As soon as the words fell, a figure suddenly jumped down from the big tree. The black and white Xuan robe fluttered, and the setting sun reflected the magnificent and elegant cloud patterns on it. The figure was tall and slender, otherworldly, none other than Long Qing. Her dragon eyes appeared, as sharp as an eagle’s, and looking into the distance, she could still see the little girl walking down the mountain with small steps. The girl was still so thin, lowering her head again. Even though she hadn’t lowered her head often these past few days, it now seemed as if an invisible stone was pressing down on that small head, making it impossible to lift again.
Long Qing’s expression was complex. The little girl clearly had a delicate oval face and a pair of soft and lively eyes, but all day long she only knew how to lower her head, making it impossible for anyone to glimpse this beauty.
“Master, we should go back,” Ah Hu said, seeing her silently watching Bean Sprout.
Long Qing sighed deeply. She knew the little girl didn’t want to leave, and she could actually guess that the girl, being so thin, probably didn’t have a good life in the village. But she had seen many animals with a bad life over thousands of years, and that wasn’t a reason to keep them by her side. However, seeing the girl looking so dejected, she couldn’t help but feel down herself.
This feeling was strange and novel. The life of a dragon was too dull and long. Sleeping in a cave for what felt like a blink could be several seasons. Over time, she seemed to have lost all her senses. She couldn’t even distinguish between time and death, let alone the seven emotions and six desires. In fact, this was the first time she had felt dejected. This faint sourness that welled up from the bottom of her heart caught her off guard. Its lingering effect was very strong, making one feel listless and dispirited. She didn’t like it.
As if afraid of staying here, Long Qing turned around. “Let’s go.”
Hearing this, Ah Hu grinned and immediately pounced on Long Qing. Its large paws hugged Long Qing and rubbed against her desperately. “Ah Hu will always be with Master.”
“You really are…” That sourness lessened a bit because of Ah Hu’s actions. Long Qing habitually rubbed its large head. The smooth tiger fur reminded her of the little girl. That girl’s head was also fluffy, but it was dry and prickly.
Ah Hu was very affectionate towards Long Qing, licking her fair hand, going around her palm bones, and sniffing the faint dragon breath emanating from her bloodline. The dragon’s aura would drive all beasts crazy. As it licked, it went up her hand, gradually licking towards her cheek, its intention obvious. Just as it was about to lick her lips, Long Qing pushed the tiger’s head away without hesitation.
“Master~” Ah Hu looked pitifully at Long Qing after being pushed away. Its drooping ears and round eyes made this majestic tiger look exactly like a pug. Long Qing chuckled, shaking her head. It must have learned this from Bean Sprout. It looked exactly the same, so pitiful.
She hugged the tiger’s head and kissed it. Tasting the dragon saliva, Ah Hu howled a few times, excitedly rolling on the ground with its belly up. Long Qing was extremely helpless. Just as she was about to return to the dragon cave, Ah Hu rolled back over and lay down at her feet, saying to her, “Master, get on.”
Long Qing didn’t refuse its kindness. Grabbing the tiger’s fur, she leaped up and landed steadily on its back. Facing the setting sun, the girl and the tiger chased the light and shadows in the dappled mountain forest, a beautiful scene like a paradise.
Long Qing lay on Ah Hu’s back, the tiger fur brushing against her cheek in the wind, causing a slight itch. The red sun gradually sank, emitting a myriad of red rays on the horizon, its color gradually merging with her orange-red dragon eyes. At this moment, all things in the world fell into her eyes.
Thinking of the life where she couldn’t distinguish between day and night, Long Qing whispered softly, “Ah Hu, why do we live like this?”
“Why?”
“Yes, I have been out of my eggshell for a thousand years, hiding in the dragon cave day after day. A single sleep lasts for several seasons. The myriad things in my eyes change batch after batch. I ask myself, I still can’t distinguish between the four seasons and day and night, nor can I perceive the world, and so I feel lost.” Long Qing gazed at the red sun sinking below the horizon, murmuring to herself, as if talking to Ah Hu and also to herself.
Ah Hu thought for a moment. “Master, all things have their own way of life. Above are the Kunpeng that soar ninety thousand miles into the sky, below are the earthworms and dragons that know not the blue sky and white sun, and there are also the mayflies that live only until dusk. What is wrong with Master’s way?”
What was wrong with it? The corners of Long Qing’s lips curved into an upward arc, meaningful and profound. She knew there was nothing wrong. This was the way of survival that a dragon needed to learn throughout its life, the way a dragon lived. But… Her slender hand twirled the fur on Ah Hu’s back. “Yes, what is wrong with it?”
“Since that’s the case, Master shouldn’t think too much. There’s still a month left of summer. When the time comes, Ah Hu will find a warm place for Master to spend the winter.”
Long Qing had originally been hesitating because of the increasingly strong feeling of confusion in recent years, but Ah Hu’s words reminded her again. Winter was coming, how would that little girl survive it?
“You are broad-minded, but I feel tired.”
“Master?”
“Tired,” the seemingly sleepy sigh was uttered softly, floating in the air, disappearing.
Ah Hu thought she was sleepy and slowed down its pace. Soon, long and steady breathing came from its back. Knowing that Long Qing had fallen asleep, Ah Hu tried to walk as smoothly as possible.
It was not an ordinary tiger but a spirit tiger. Dragons were born noble above all things, but their growth period was particularly long. Young dragons, especially dragon eggs, had no self-protection ability and were extremely prone to die young. Therefore, before laying eggs, female dragons would seek out suitable fierce beasts, feed them dragon bl00d, and make them spirit beasts to guard the dragon eggs. That was how it became what it was.
It had guarded Long Qing since she was still a dragon egg, until today when Long Qing safely transformed into a true dragon. This mountain forest hadn’t changed much in thousands of years. It was isolated from the world, sparsely populated, and rich in resources. Unless something unexpected happened, it and Long Qing would continue to live here, accompanying Long Qing’s growth, or witnessing Long Qing’s reproduction, until the day Long Qing fell.
The world often said that dragons and tigers fought, but in fact, dragons and tigers often existed in symbiosis.