| GB | Lick | 26
Late at night, Yu Bai couldn’t help but toss and turn on the narrow bed. He had only moved a little when a large hand patted his back.
“Bai, can’t sleep?”
Yu Bai was simply too excited. Ever since they returned to the small cabin, he had been thinking non-stop about moving to their new home.
Wrapped in a thick animal pelt and surrounded by Huo Duo’er, his oversized human heater, his entire face was flushed, and his palms were sweaty.
Wanting to be a little closer to Huo Duo’er, he rubbed his head against the man’s chest. His voice was soft in the quiet, fire-lit night.
“I’m having a bit of insomnia. I can’t stop thinking about building a new house.”
Even if they couldn’t finish the house this winter, once they were assigned the land, they would still have to pay grain and linen to the main city every month. On top of that, Huo Duo’er would also have to take regular patrol shifts around the main city.
It was a hassle going back and forth all the time. If they could finish building and move in sooner, things would be much better.
Huo Duo’er said in a low voice, “I’ll get the house built as soon as I can.”
“It’s not just you,” Yu Bai’s voice lifted with excitement. “It’s us. We’ll build the new house together.”
The plot of land they were assigned was fairly spacious, more than enough for two or three rooms.
The animal hide was wrapped too tightly around him, so Yu Bai pulled his arm out and, propping himself up with an elbow against Huo Duo’er’s waist, sat up.
“Bai?” The giant followed and sat up as well, now sitting back-to-chest with Yu Bai. “Why are you getting up?”
Yu Bai picked up a stick and began sketching the rough outline of the new house on the dirt floor.
He and Huo Duo’er would live in the main room. Next to it, they’d add an extra room, split down the middle by a wall, one side would be the kitchen, the other a bathing room.
The rest of the land would be used for growing vegetables. If needed, they could convert the garden area into a wooden shed to store miscellaneous items. Finally, they’d leave a space near the wall in the yard to dig a cellar for storing food.
Yu Bai’s drawing skills were average at best, but he managed to mark out all the key areas. As he chatted on to himself, he gradually began to feel drowsy.
Huo Duo’er took the stick from his hand and gently helped him lie back down under the animal hide.
“Get some rest first. I remembered everything you said,” Huo Duo’er murmured.
Yu Bai yawned, his eyes growing misty.
It was already deep into the night, his mind was hazy and unfocused. He barely remembered what he’d just said, but the giant beside him claimed to remember it all, with a serious look on his face, he was clearly not joking.
Yu Bai met those beast-like eyes for a moment. His lips moved slightly, then he turned his face away and leaned into the warm, broad chest, falling fast asleep.
—
The next morning, Yu Bai cooked a pot of egg and vegetable soup over their simple stove and served it with some steamed beans, piling a big bowl for Huo Duo’er.
He tried to eat as much as he could to store up energy.
After discussing it with Huo Duo’er, they agreed that if they wanted to move into the main city before heavy snow hit, they’d need to start gathering building materials as soon as possible, so the work would begin today.
The wind was still strong in the morning, but the fog drifting through the mountains had cleared completely.
Yu Bai rubbed his hands together, and the fluffy ear covers on either side of his head swayed lightly with the motion.
He walked Huo Duo’er to the door, his eyes filled with concern. “Be careful out there.”
As he spoke, he stuffed a few flatbreads wrapped in leaves and a water pouch into Huo Duo’er’s hands. “Eat if you get hungry.”
Huo Duo’er picked up a stone blade meant for chopping wood and got ready to head into the mountains.
Cutting wood was exhausting work. Even though Yu Bai wanted to help, his strength was limited—he couldn’t do much. All he could manage was to go to the nearby low woods and gather some hemp vines for handcrafting.
After exchanging a few final reminders, Huo Duo’er headed into the mountains.
Yu Bai withdrew his gaze, went back inside, and did a bit of tidying up. As it got closer to noon and the wind died down outside, he set off to collect hemp vines nearby.
The Yuan tribe was rich in hemp vines. They could be woven into ropes or made into linen, some of the most commonly used materials.
Since the tribe had been hit by a storm, everyone was busy rebuilding their homes. There were quite a few beastmen out gathering hemp vines and tree bark.
Yu Bai arrived at the foot of a nearby hill and soon heard someone calling his name.
“Bai—”
A’Li waved a bunch of hemp vines in his hand. “Come over here!”
He and the three Tata brothers had been out early that morning, cutting hemp vines and tree bark. They had staked out a good spot, and the pile of vines they’d gathered was already as tall as a wall.
As Yu Bai walked over, A’Li grinned, while the Tata brothers, still holding their stone knives mid-motion, instantly froze, eyes wide.
Did Yu Bai cut his hair short?
He had always been handsome. Though usually reserved and shy, his soft, beautiful brows curved slightly as he smiled and that smile completely stunned the Tata brothers.
“Th-this is Bai?!”
Take pinched his own arm, snapping back to reality. The tall orc suddenly turned bashful and gave Yu Bai a goofy, lovestruck grin.
A’Li quickly stepped in front of Yu Bai, his expression a little sour.
“What are you staring at? Bai’s already bonded. I didn’t even have a chance, so you guys definitely don’t, either.”
Yu Bai let out a soft “Ah” and looked a little uncomfortable. “A’Li, don’t say that.”
Then he added, “We’re all friends. If you ever need help with something, I’ll definitely lend a hand.”
A’Li didn’t want to dwell on the bonding topic, it felt like stabbing himself in the chest every time it came up.
“Are you here to cut vines?”
Yu Bai nodded gently. “Huo Duo’er and I will be moving to the main city soon. I’m starting to prepare the things we’ll need.”
The meat they had to submit would come from hunting, that was something only Huo Duo’er could handle. As for the hemp rope, it wasn’t hard to twist if you had some crafting skills, so Yu Bai took charge of preparing the ropes they needed to turn in.
Take stayed quiet, still staring absentmindedly at the beautiful sub-female beast before him.
It wasn’t until Tata gave him a pat that he snapped out of it. Seeing A’Li chatting and laughing with Yu Bai made him feel a pang of envy.
Yu Bai grabbed two hanging vines and moved to a higher spot. Just as he raised his stone knife to cut them, a pair of large hands reached over from behind and helped him slice them down.
Take said, “Bai, the vines over there are a bit shorter. Let me cut this spot. You go take care of that area instead.”
A’Li chimed in, “Yeah, Bai, you’re not that tall, cutting over here will wear you out. Switch to the other side.”
“Alright,” Yu Bai accepted their kindness with a small smile, his long lashes curving softly. “Thanks.”
A’Li and Take exchanged a look and both broke into goofy grins.
If Yu Bai didn’t have a orc, maybe they would’ve still tried to compete for him. But now that this beautiful sub-female was already bonded to a powerful Giant race warrior at that, they had no choice but to give up.
In fact, they even started to feel a little sympathetic toward each other.
With help from A’Li and the three Tata brothers, Yu Bai’s vine-gathering went much faster than expected.
Before the evening wind picked up, Yu Bai was getting ready to head back to the little cabin.
Take stepped up. “Bai, I’ll help you carry this bundle of vines home.”
A’Li still had several bundles of his own to take back, while Take’s two brothers. Tata and Taku were already in charge of moving their things. That left Take with free hands, and he figured it was a good excuse to show Yu Bai a bit more care.
Yu Bai hesitated for a moment, but the bundle of hemp vines behind him was no small weight. He couldn’t really ask Huo Duo’er to come all the way back down the mountain just to fetch it.
He gave a slight nod. “I’ll treat you to something later.”
A’Li perked up instantly. “Something to eat? Are we getting pork meatballs?!”
He licked his lips. “Bai, that jar of pork meatballs you gave us last time was so good. My mother tried to make them, but she just couldn’t get them to taste like yours.”
Take looked puzzled. “Pork meatballs?”
A’Li replied, “You’ll know once you try them.”
Yu Bai explained gently, “To make meatballs, you have to deep-fry them in oil. Your mother probably used a stone pot, right? Those are hard to heat properly. If the oil doesn’t get hot enough, it won’t fry the meatballs well. Try using a clay pot instead.”
The male orcs all spoke up in unison, “What’s a clay pot?”
As they walked, Yu Bai patiently explained to them how clay pots were made.
Back at the small cabin, Take dropped the bundle of hemp vines into the yard. The wind had started to pick up, and the sky was growing dim and heavy, it looked like it might snow again.
Yu Bai told Take to wait a moment, then turned and went inside. A moment later, he came back out holding a few skewers of fried pork meatballs, still warm from being kept in the stone pot.
“Take, these are for you.”
Take rubbed his hands together before taking them, his curiosity piqued.
He sniffed them. “They smell amazing.”
Yu Bai gave a soft smile. “There’s still charcoal burning inside, and the stone pot keeps the heat pretty well. I fried these meatballs last night. With the cold weather, they’re still good now, give them a try.”
Take shifted his bull-like horns a little, looking awkward but good-natured. Unable to resist the temptation, he popped one of the meatballs into his mouth on the spot.
A crispy, juicy burst of flavor exploded in his mouth, and his eyes lit up. “This is so good!”
He looked at Yu Bai, wanting to say more, when suddenly there was a noise outside, the sound of something heavy being dragged.
Huo Duo’er had returned, his left hand dragging a massive pile of wood behind him, stacked high like a small mountain, blocking the path nearby.
Take, sensing the hostility from Huo Duo’er, quickly thanked Yu Bai and left, clutching the meatballs.
Yu Bai stepped outside to greet Huo Duo’er. “You’re back?”
He looked a little excited. “Luckily, A’Li and the Tata brothers helped today. The hemp vines we gathered should be enough. I’ll clean them up over the next few days.”
Huo Duo’er gave a slight nod. Yu Bai followed him for a bit, saying a few more things, but the giant didn’t respond, keeping his head down and focused on his work, only occasionally nodding as acknowledgment.
Yu Bai stopped at the doorway, feeling a bit confused. Why was Huo Duo’er suddenly ignoring him?
“Huo Duo’er…” he called gently, “Are you upset?”
“I’ll try to help more next time…”
The giant was helpless.
“Bai, I’m not angry.”
“Eh?”
“It’s just that my chest feels tight, like it’s hard to breathe.”
Yu Bai rushed over anxiously. “Are you sick? Come inside and sit for a bit. I’ll check on you.”
Huo Duo’er replied, “That male orc wants you.”
Yu Bai: “Ah…”
He was unable to process it right away. “I’ve barely even met Take.”
He quickly added, “And I don’t like him.”
Huo Duo’er’s gaze sharpened, and Yu Bai awkwardly turned his eyes away.
“Forget it. Let’s not talk about this, it’s getting stranger the more we discuss it.”
Huo Duo’er didn’t say much more, and Yu Bai, feeling a bit tired, fell quiet.
He had spent the afternoon out gathering vines and now sat by the fire, taking some medicine.
The atmosphere grew heavy and silent.
After washing up, Yu Bai quietly slipped into bed, his feet still cold.
A few days ago, when they were sleeping, Huo Duo’er had come up early and acted like a huge heater, warming him up.
Yu Bai had lay there for a while, but Huo Duo’er still hadn’t come over.
He pressed his lips together, not feeling like talking much. As the medicine took effect, he became drowsy, and before long, he felt Huo Duo’er touch his cold ankle.
—
Huo Duo’er instantly regretted not having responded to Yu Bai earlier.
He shifted to lie on his side and, pulling both the blanket and Yu Bai into his embrace, held the sub-female close.
“Hmm?” Yu Bai quietly nestled closer to the giant’s body. “I was waiting for you.”
The tension in Huo Duo’er's chest instantly melted away. “It’s my fault.”
Yu Bai muttered, sounding a little upset, “I thought you didn’t want to talk to me... and you would find an excuse to leave.”
Huo Duo’er was surprised.
“Bai, I would never ignore you.”
He could feel Yu Bai trembling slightly, so he tightened his embrace around the slender, soft body.
Yu Bai’s mood sank. “You’re the one I’m closest to.”
He had almost instinctively started to rely on Huo Duo’er as the one stable target in his life. In his world, there was this feeling of mutual dependence between them.
But that was only his personal perspective.
He understood very clearly that in this world, Huo Duo’er was his only one, but he himself was not the only one for Huo Duo’er.
“You still have your tribe, or your family. I didn’t ask before because I was afraid if I asked too much, I’d grow attached... so I didn’t dare.”
Huo Duo’er fell silent, many unfamiliar emotions surging in his chest.
“Bai, I’m your mate. I will never abandon you.”
He touched Yu Bai, who was still trembling, not knowing how to comfort him.
Yu Bai’s head felt foggy, and he had no idea what he was even saying.
“Then... then hold me tighter.”
Huo Duo’er immediately pulled him out from the layers of fur blankets and held him tightly against his chest.
“Is this okay?”
The hot, broad chest felt very reliable, and Yu Bai lay still for a moment, his fingertips resting on his forehead.
He waited and waited. “…What about here?”
Huo Duo’er was confused. “What?”
Yu Bai remembered how, when he was unwell, his mother would sit by his bed and kiss his forehead.
He felt a bit aggrieved, his eyes slightly cloudy. “Kiss here…”
Huo Duo’er was taken aback. “Kiss?”
Yu Bai, equally puzzled, stretched his neck and softly pressed his moist, tender lips against Huo Duo’er's forehead.
Huo Duo’er's entire face and neck instantly turned red.
“…”
So this was the kind of "kiss" Yu Bai wanted.
The orc carefully sucked on Yu Bai's forehead, his heart beating wildly.
After the first try, you want more.
Huo Duo’er’s eyes slid from the sub-female beast's forehead to the tip of its nose, and then to his soft lips.
Just now, these two wet and soft lips touched him...
Huo Duo’er's eyes were dark. He lowered his head and picked up the soft piece with his mouth like a wild beast. He gently pressed it and licked it along the crack of his lips.
It was incredibly soft, and he didn't dare lick it hard for fear of tearing it.
Yu Bai hummed muffledly, very confused as to why Huo Duo’er licked his mouth.
Facing the orc's surging eyes, he only felt that his lips that had been licked were tingling, so strange...
It’s also quite exciting…
Yu Bai narrowed his eyes like grapes, he half-opened his lips and breathed out. His lips were moist and wet, and were occasionally licked by Huo Duo’er.
It feels strangely comfortable...
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