| GB | Don't Hold Me | 9
Yu Bai looked at the wood that Huo Duo’er had hauled back and, for the first time, felt a sense of harvest.
Half of the courtyard wall was still unfinished, but the pile of wood, stacked like a small mountain, conveniently filled the gap in the stone wall, forming half of an enclosure.
The remaining wood was stacked outside the courtyard wall, leaving the small yard’s space untouched.
Since Huo Duo’er was blind, Yu Bai took it upon himself to do the work.
After a period of busy labor, he clapped the dust off his hands, his heart pounding. His body was covered in sweat, and his head spun with dizziness.
Taking a few deep breaths, he straightened up from his bent-over position, but the moment he did, his vision went black.
Yu Bai pressed his pale lips together, his eardrums echoing with the sound of his racing heartbeat.
Without making a sound, he wrapped his arms around his knees and sat down at the base of the stone wall, listening to the rapid beats in his ears.
His mind felt light and unfocused. Someone called out to him in a deep voice, tinged with concern.
Through the haze in his mind, Yu Bai tried to make out the voice and soon recognized it, it was Huo Duo’er.
“I… I just need a moment to recover…”
He tried to raise his voice and respond loudly, but his body was too weak. To Huo Duo’er, his voice sounded as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
As the cold sweat subsided, Yu Bai’s dazed consciousness gradually cleared, and the discomfort lessened. He slowly lifted his head, only to meet Huo Duo’er’s lowered gaze directly.
Huo Duo’er was crouching in front of him, his figure completely blocking Yu Bai’s field of vision.
“Bai,” Huo Duo’er reached out, his palm searching for the back of Yu Bai’s head. When he touched the cold sweat on the nape of his neck, his gray, dim eyes filled with concern. “Are you okay? Where is the medicine? I’ll get it for you.”
Yu Bai swallowed and tightened his throat. “I just need a moment to recover.”
His pale lips curled into a faint smile, and his voice was hoarse as he explained, “I’m much stronger than before. Look, I can work for such a long time now.”
He tried to stand up by supporting himself against the wall, but his legs gave out, and he staggered back down.
His lower back hit the stone wall, and he swallowed a muffled groan.
Huo Duo’er caught the restrained sound of pain and opened his palm. “I’ll carry you inside.”
Yu Bai hesitated for a moment, then instead of letting Huo Duo’er carry him, he placed his hand into the other’s open palm and used the support to stand up.
Back inside the house, Yu Bai cupped a bowl and poured himself some water.
The charcoal had long since gone out from when they had left in the morning, and the water left in the pot was cold.
As the cool liquid ran down to his stomach, he shivered. Reaching into a groove in the stone wall, he pulled out a flint and struck a spark, lighting a fire. Then, he poured the remaining water into the pot to heat it up.
After finishing these tasks, he turned around and saw Huo Duo’er still crouching beside him, "looking" at him. The usually cold and indifferent face showed a hint of worry.
“Bai, has your body always been like this?”
Warmth surged in Yu Bai’s heart. He suppressed his emotions and calmly explained, “Not entirely.”
“I’m much better than before.”
His long-term illness had made Yu Bai quieter and more withdrawn than most. He was sensitive, prone to guilt, and even though he endured much pain and struggle, he rarely shared his thoughts with anyone.
But at this moment, seeing the unhidden concern on Huo Duo’er’s face, he suddenly felt the urge to open up.
Yu Bai licked his lips and said, “I… died once. When I woke up, I was lying by the riverbank. No one cared about me until Gray Sheep, the old orc, took me in.”
“For the first half-year, I could barely leave this small house. Even though I told the old orc that I was beyond saving, he never once thought of giving up on me. He fed me medicine every day, made me mushroom porridge, and on sunny days, he would carry me up the hill behind the house to bask in the sun.”
Yu Bai’s voice grew quieter, his head lowering as he spoke.
He thought of his mother and grandfather, who had struggled for over a decade because of him.
He remembered the strands of white hair that had appeared early on his mother’s head, and his eyes stung with warmth. His grandfather had grown more frail with age, yet time and again, he would wake up in the middle of the night to tuck Yu Bai in, bring him water and medicine, and comfort him, saying he would recover.
When he finally decided to end his life, he had no regrets—only relief.
Relief from the constant pain, and relief from being a burden that had weighed on his family for years.
After saying all this, Yu Bai exhaled slowly, pressing down the ache in his chest.
He didn’t need a response. He had simply needed an outlet for the thoughts that had been buried inside him for too long.
He had never made many friends in either of his lives, but now, looking at the giant in front of him, he suddenly felt a desire to understand him better.
Sipping the hot water in his bowl, Yu Bai asked, “Huo Duo’er, how did you get injured? I noticed that the other orcs in the tribe seem to fear you.”
Then, after a brief pause, he added, “And the markings on your arm, they’re really unique.”
Yu Bai examined him closely.
Huo Duo’er’s irises were a pale shade, resembling those of a wild beast. But what stood out even more were the intricate patterns covering his left arm. The longer Yu Bai stared, the more the markings seemed to come alive.
Shaking his head slightly, Yu Bai refocused his gaze, trying to steady himself.
Huo Duo’er asked, “Bai wants to know?”
Yu Bai lowered his head, staring at the dirt floor. Digging into someone else’s private matters made him feel a little guilty, and after speaking, his heartbeat quickened again.
“Uh… if it’s inconvenient to talk about, then—”
Huo Duo’er interrupted, “Eat something and rest first. Then I’ll tell you.”
Yu Bai’s eyes curved in a small smile. Once he felt better, he got up to prepare dinner.
He took four eggs, cracked them into a bowl, and beat them until the mixture was smooth. Then, he sprinkled in some finely ground salted bean powder before steaming it together with crushed powder beans.
“Tonight, we’re having egg custard.”
Huo Duo’er asked, “Egg custard?”
The orcs in the tribe had eaten eggs before, but they usually consumed them raw or simply boiled.
Yu Bai grinned mysteriously. “You’ll see soon.”
He walked to the corner, rummaged through a stone jar, and found some yellow ginger that A’Li’s mother had given him last time.
Peeling off the dirt-covered skin, he washed the ginger clean, cut a few small pieces, then crushed them with the side of a knife. After that, he took out two pieces of smoked pork, slicing them into thumb-sized chunks.
As dusk fell, the golden light of the setting sun cast a warm glow over Yu Bai, turning his jet-black, tousled hair into a soft, amber hue.
He sat on a wooden stool, tending to the fire beneath the pot.
Yu Bai started by pan-frying a few slices of pork. As the fat rendered out, sizzling oil splattered in the pan. Then, he tossed in the crushed ginger pieces. When the aroma intensified, he added the rest of the chopped pork, stirring everything together.
The ginger brought out the rich fragrance of the meat. Yu Bai swallowed as his mouth watered, the seasoning made the pork smell far more appetizing than usual.
Huo Duo’er steadied himself against the stone wall, his gaze attempting to track the small gray figure moving in front of the stove.
“This scent is unique.”
Yu Bai replied, “It’s stir-fried meat.”
Huo Duo’er frowned slightly. “Meat?”
Yu Bai had cooked meat a few days ago, but it had never smelled like this.
This sub-female was truly strange—weak, frail, yet possessing knowledge and skills that even most orcs didn’t have.
With a patient tone, Yu Bai explained, “A’Li and his brother went to the Chizu Tribe. While wandering near the mountain’s base, they dug up some wild ginger. He told me that the mountains there are full of it, but since the smell is too strong, almost no orcs bother to dig it up for food.”
He patiently added, “This wild ginger isn’t just for cooking, it also has medicinal uses. If I get the chance, I’d like to dig up more.”
Huo Duo’er said without hesitation, “I’ll go with you.”
Yu Bai pressed his lips together. He thought about how he always needed someone to accompany him, and for a moment, he wanted to refuse. But the words never left his mouth.
Huo Duo’er had already said it, and truthfully, Yu Bai felt a bit happy hearing it.
Scooping a generous portion of steamed powdered beans into a bowl, Yu Bai ladled some meat sauce over it, then added two-thirds of the egg custard and a serving of stir-fried pork. He placed the bowl in Huo Duo’er’s hands.
“Try it.”
The steaming food released an irresistible aroma, one that Huo Duo’er had never encountered before.
Yu Bai served himself a bowl as well.
The two of them sat before the crackling fire, eating their dinner together under the darkening sky.
Yu Bai set his chopsticks down once he was half full. The night breeze lifted his soft, tousled hair, revealing his dark, glistening eyes.
The meal had been flavorful enough to make him sigh in satisfaction. “That was delicious.”
Then, he turned to the giant beside him. “What do you think of the taste?”
Huo Duo’er replied simply, “It’s very good.”
He ate quickly, and though his eyes couldn’t see, his attention remained completely focused on Yu Bai.
He could hear every movement—how many times Yu Bai picked up food with his chopsticks, how long he chewed, each little sound memorized in his mind.
Yu Bai’s lips curled into a pleased smile. “I’m full.”
Huo Duo’er frowned slightly. “Full?”
Orcs had large appetites, and in his eyes, Yu Bai ate far too little. For someone as naturally frail as a sub-female, it worried him that Yu Bai might grow even weaker.
“Bai, eat a little more.”
Yu Bai rubbed his stomach. He was already full, and forcing down more might make him uncomfortable.
But seeing Huo Duo’er’s concern, he relented and took a few more bites, accepting the gesture of care.
The night wind grew colder, prompting Yu Bai and Huo Duo’er to wash up quickly with warm water before heading inside.
The firelight flickered, casting a glow on Yu Bai’s eyes, making them appear even more luminous and glossy.
Perhaps it was the satisfying meal, but his lips were tinged with an unusual hint of red. He cupped a half-bowl of hot water, blew on it lightly, then drank it all before turning toward the stone bed.
“Huo Duo’er, it’s your turn to tell me now.”
Huo Duo’er’s ears twitched slightly. “Mm.”
He began his story.
Since ancient times, the Mountain God had bestowed strength upon the Giant Tribe. However, not all members of the tribe inherited this power, and even among those who did, the degree of strength varied.
Two hundred years ago, the Mountain God no longer appeared. In its absence, the Giant Tribe took on the duty of guarding the southwestern mountain range, earning them the title of the Mountain Guardians.
Although the Mountain God no longer revealed itself, as long as the mountains stood, its presence remained—woven into the very landscape, protecting the land and governing the forces of nature.
Should anyone anger the Mountain God, it could summon thunderstorms, torrential rains, and even awaken the earth dragons beneath the land, causing devastating tremors.
For this reason, the orc tribes are respectful to the Mountain God—not out of pure respect, but largely out of fear. They dreaded invoking its wrath, knowing it could bring calamity upon them.
Because of this, the Giant Tribe, tasked with guarding the mountains, was also feared and avoided by many orc tribes.
Huo Duo’er continued, “I left this time to bring back the clansmen who had strayed from the Western Ridge. But on the way, I encountered a storm and a beast tide.”
During the beast tide, he held the creatures back, buying time for his people to escape.
Had the fierce winds not swept him away along with the mud and rocks, he would have been torn apart by the countless wild beasts.
The room fell into silence. Yu Bai’s breathing slowed.
He, too, had been caught in that storm and beast tide. He understood how slim the chances of survival were for anyone trapped in such chaos.
Words of comfort felt meaningless. Only those who had faced death knew the true value of life.
After a moment, he moved his lips slightly and said, “Huo Duo’er, no matter what happens in the future, do everything you can to stay alive because once you die, there’s nothing left.”
Huo Duo’er wanted to say more, but Yu Bai’s tone carried a heaviness that made him hesitate.
Turning away, Yu Bai pulled the animal pelt over himself, closing his eyes. The firelight flickered against the stone walls, but he shut it out.
“Let’s go to sleep,”
—
Before dawn the next day, a commotion erupted at the Wu Yan family’s home.
Wu Yan had taken his son Wu Zhui to the outer mountains for a hunt, but they ran into a mountain tiger. The beast was enormous and out hunting. By sheer misfortune, Wu Yan and his son crossed paths with it.
To save their lives, Wu Yan and Wu Zhui leaped down the mountain cliff. They managed to survive, but Wu Yan’s legs and face were in agony, and for the past two days, he couldn’t move at all.
Wu Yan’s mate, A’Jiao, had initially intended to call a priest to heal him, but Wu Yan stopped her.
First, calling the priest for treatment would require offering a lot of supplies. This year, their food reserves were barely enough to last through the winter. If they gave too much away, they would not survive the cold months.
Secondly, Wu Yan had another idea.
He said, “Didn’t someone in the tribe talk about a sub-female who healed a giant orc? That giant orc was on the brink of death, yet he managed to save him. Maybe we could ask him to try. If he can help, we can give them some supplies, at least it’s better than giving everything to the priest.”
So, A’Jiao left early and went to the dilapidated stone house, hoping to ask Yu Bai to come and take a look.
Hearing the noise, Yu Bai had just opened the door. Behind him, Huo Duo’er’s cold gaze blocked the doorway completely, from top to bottom.
The difference in strength between male and female orcs was vast. A’Jiao nearly jumped out of her skin, trembling so much that she almost collapsed to the ground in fear.
But the seemingly powerless sub-female in front of her didn’t show any sign of fear at all.
Yu Bai paused, then lifted his eyes and said, “…Huo Duo’er.”
The giant looked down when called. “Bai.”
Yu Bai’s tone was mildly disapproving, though his words were soft and gentle. “Huo Duo’er, don’t scare them…”
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