| GB | Pins and Needles | 35
Snow had been falling for several days, making things even harder for Yu Bai. He developed a fever and couldn't sleep well, whenever he finally managed to fall asleep, he would often be startled awake by nightmares.
In the middle of the night, Yu Bai woke again, drenched in sweat. His delicate brows were tightly furrowed, and his long lashes were damp with moisture.
He opened his eyes halfway, his gaze dazed and full of fear. Once his awareness returned, he realized Huo Duo'er was wiping the sweat from his body.
After several days of taking medicine, Yu Bai's throat tasted bitter every time he woke up. He couldn't help licking his lips again and again.
A cup of warm water was brought to his lips. Without looking, he followed the motion and slowly swallowed. After drinking half the cup, he frowned deeply.
Even drinking water now left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Yu Bai's recovery was slow. He remained in a daze, his hand resting on his lap through the thick animal blanket.
Huo Duo'er used a cloth soaked in warm water to wipe down Yu Bai’s joints and neck, then moved his large hands to massage his lower legs.
“Does it hurt again?”
Yu Bai nodded, then hesitated and shook his head.
By now, he could no longer distinguish whether the pain in his legs was real or imagined, whether it stemmed more from physical illness or psychological distress.
Huo Duo'er didn’t care whether the pain was real or not. Just like the past few days, he held Yu Bai’s lower legs and massaged them back and forth.
Yu Bai glanced sideways at him, his expression fragile, tinged with a trace of grievance and dependence.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
In this foreign world, a storm or a snowfall could easily claim a life through cold and hypothermia. Those who survived had endured it, those who hadn’t, were long dead.
If not for Huo Duo'er’s care, he likely would have died again.
Huo Duo'er stiffened. “We are mates.”
Yu Bai hesitated, then gave a small nod.
After several days of lying in bed, his whole body felt languid. Even though he was exhausted, he couldn’t fall asleep.
Huo Duo'er went over to the stove and took out a bowl of warm meat-and-egg custard from the stone pot.
The meat was minced finely, the egg beaten and mixed with a bit of shredded ginger and salted soybeans. Some leafy vegetables were added for garnish, then the mixture was steamed in water.
The bowl of meat-and-egg custard puffed up slightly as it cooked, and to Yu Bai, it looked like a small cake.
He had eaten very little these past few days, so Huo Duo'er always kept food warm in the pot, ready for him to eat at any time.
Yu Bai only ate half a bowl before losing his appetite. Huo Duo'er put the rest away and quickly returned to the bedside, letting Yu Bai lean against his chest.
“These days... I’ve troubled you,” Yu Bai murmured.
Because of his illness, Huo Duo'er had been constantly distracted from his work, coming in periodically to check on him.
Huo Duo'er took both of Yu Bai’s hands and wrapped them gently in his palms. “Bai, what are you afraid of?”
Yu Bai pressed his lips together, a wave of emotion stirring inside him.
Seeing his expression, Huo Duo'er looked at a loss.
Orcs were usually straightforward in thought, whatever they felt, they said; whatever they wanted to do, they acted on immediately.
But his sub-female was different from most orcs. He looked delicate, yet what lay deep in his heart was unreadable.
Yu Bai shifted his lower legs, warmed by Huo Duo'er's constant massaging, and licked at the corners of his lips again and again.
“I... I honestly don’t know how much longer I can live,” he said, meeting those shocked beast-like eyes. He continued in a hoarse voice, “I’m someone who’s already died once. Being saved by the old sheep orc was pure chance, but whether the illness inside me is truly gone...”
He shook his head. “Even I don’t know. This illness has already progressed to an irreversible stage, no one can cure it.”
“Huo Duo'er, my legs are hurting again. With this disease, my whole body’s always in pain. Maybe I’ll die in a few days, a month or two, half a year, maybe a year... but I can’t drag you down with me.”
Huo Duo'er: “……”
Yu Bai lowered his gaze. Hearing no response, he thought the giant had been convinced. He let out a small breath of relief, yet along with it came a faint sense of loss.
“Bai, even if that’s true, I still won’t abandon you.”
Yu Bai’s head snapped up. He stared blankly into those pale gray beast eyes.
After a long pause, the weariness in his moist eyes gave way to a touch of brightness. “Then… if that’s the case, can we be completely honest with each other? No more secrets?”
Huo Duo'er nodded.
Yu Bai’s eyes curved into a soft smile. After revealing the secret he had kept inside, he felt much lighter.
Leaning with complete trust against the warm, broad chest behind him, he seemed to finally rest, yet not long after, he shifted uncomfortably, as if trying to get out of bed.
Huo Duo'er supported him. “Where are you going?”
Yu Bai whispered, “To the bathroom.”
Huo Duo'er looked confused, so Yu Bai changed his phrasing: “To relieve myself.”
He had drunk water and eaten some of the meat-and-egg custard, so he needed to relieve himself.
A warm sensation surrounded him as the giant wrapped him in an animal blanket, then lifted him in his arms and carried him outside.
“It’s cold, just go here,” Huo Duo'er said.
Most orcs usually went to the nearby woods or an open patch of land to handle such matters. Yu Bai had adapted to the local customs but still preferred to do it as discreetly as possible.
But now, with Huo Duo'er suggesting he go near the house, Yu Bai shook his head repeatedly. “Farther away.”
Partly because he was embarrassed, and partly because relieving himself right near the dwelling posed a hygiene concern.
Seeing Yu Bai’s insistence, Huo Duo'er had no choice but to carry him into a nearby patch of forest under the snowy night.
After Yu Bai finished, they returned to the house where he bathed in warm water.
The night had been long and exhausting. As dawn approached, Yu Bai finally drifted into sleep, tired and nestled in the giant’s arms.
Outside, snowflakes continued to fall. Yu Bai vaguely sensed the arm around him tightening, drawing him closer. His soft hips pressed against a firm, warm abdomen, and that large hand slipped under the animal blanket, resting gently against his stomach from the front.
Half-asleep, he turned his head slightly, wondering why the embrace around him was getting tighter.
But the warmth pressed against him was just too comforting. Yu Bai liked this cozy heat, so he swallowed the thought and let the darkness pull him deeper into his dreams.
—
Daytime.
Yu Bai sat propped up against the bed, drinking his medicine. Meeting the concerned look in those beast-like eyes, he gave a hoarse smile. “My body feels a lot lighter, I’m probably getting better.”
He got up, and with Huo Duo'er’s help, went out to the nearby woods to relieve himself again. When he was carried back, he brought it up:
“We should find time to build a toilet nearby.”
Huo Duo'er blinked. “Toilet?”
Yu Bai replied, “A place for handling what we just did.”
He explained patiently, “You might think it’s a hassle, but building a latrine is a lot more convenient than wandering around to find a spot each time. It’s easier to manage, and the waste can be stored and used as fertilizer later. That’ll be useful when we start planting vegetables.”
Back in the yard, Yu Bai picked up a stick and began sketching the rough design of the latrine in the snow.
“The water we drink and the waste we excrete should really be managed in a centralized way,” Yu Bai explained. “Especially waste, it shouldn’t be anywhere near our drinking water source. Otherwise, we risk contaminating our water and getting sick. Building a latrine is to reduce the chances of illness. If we relieve ourselves too close to the house, it’s easy to come into contact with bacteria, which can make us sick.”
“We can also try to find a spot underground with water. If we’re lucky, we can dig a well near the house. That way, fetching water will be much easier, we won’t have to go all the way to the river every time.”
Yu Bai rested his elbows on his knees, his hands cupping his face as he gazed into the vast white distance.
“We can’t control what the other orcs do, but we can take care of ourselves first.”
When Huo Duo'er heard this, his ears twitched slightly, and he quickly agreed.
Ever since his sub-female had confided his secret to him that night, he had been noticeably more open and close to him than before.
Male orcs always tried their best to prove their strength in front of the females they liked, Huo Duo'er was no exception.
—
A few days later.
Yu Bai had been sick off and on for several days, but today he finally had a bit more energy. Huo Duo'er, wanting to please him, sprang into action.
At that time, the giant emerged from a freshly dug earth kiln, cut off a large slab of pork, and carried it in hand as he made his way around the tribal main settlement. Eventually, he exchanged it with another orc who had some penned-in pigs and chickens.
The chickens and wild rabbits they had once kept in the courtyard were swept away by the last storm. Yu Bai, still physically weak, had heard that chicken soup was nourishing, especially during this bitter cold season.
With wild chickens scarce in the mountains, Huo Duo'er had no choice but to trade pork for some penned wild chickens from another orc.
When that orc saw the large, fresh slab of pork Huo Duo'er was carrying, he readily agreed to the exchange.
Compared to chickens, which had more bones and were troublesome to clean—they preferred pork with its rich meat and fewer bones.
Huo Duo'er returned to the yard with two chickens in hand. While he was preparing to slaughter them, Yu Bai came out of the house cradling a bowl, his steps unsteady in the snow. He exhaled visible puffs of cold breath and carefully set the bowl down on the snowy ground.
“Catch the chicken blood in this bowl, don’t waste it like last time.”
Huo Duo'er looked puzzled but did as he was told.
Yu Bai smiled and explained, “Chicken blood can be made into blood tofu. Just pour it into boiling water to cook, it helps replenish blood and energy. The same goes for pig’s blood. Next time you butcher a pig, collect the blood in a jar. Don’t waste it anymore.”
Huo Duo'er responded with a low, steady voice, “Alright.”
Thanks to Yu Bai’s guidance, Huo Duo'er had learned some basic methods for steaming, boiling, stir-frying, and stewing and not just tossing everything into salted bean water like most orcs did.
While Huo Duo'er was simmering the chicken soup, Yu Bai went back inside. He leaned beside the fire, picked up a fine bone needle, and began stitching coarse linen cloth.
After a while, Yu Bai hesitated before calling out, “Huo Duo'er, can you come in for a moment?”
He lowered his voice out of embarrassment, but the giant preparing food outside still caught it.
A tall figure appeared at the doorway. After entering, Huo Duo'er knelt on one knee in front of him, meeting his eye level.
“Bai, what is it?”
Yu Bai’s gaze drifted lightly downward. “Stand up. I need to measure your waist and hips, otherwise, I’m afraid the shorts won’t fit.”
Huo Duo'er did as he was told.
As he watched Yu Bai lift a hemp cord and stretch both arms around his waist and hips, all of his senses heightened sharply.
His mate was so close, those slender, fair fingers brushing against him ever so gently.
And in the very next moment, Yu Bai suddenly let go of the cord and jumped back like a startled rabbit.
Yu Bai stared at Huo Duo’er’s imposing ‘friend’, his face reddening as he bit his lip, clenching the coarse cloth and turning his back to him as he went to the bed. His ears, exposed outside his hair, flushed a deep red, as though blood had rushed to them.
Before, he had treated Huo Duo'er like a brother, whenever they encountered each other, no matter how awkward, he could still force a few jokes or words.
But now, knowing that in the tribe, brothers could form a bond, and that Huo Duo'er regarded him not only as a brother but also as a mate, those past interactions and their earlier agreements… well, they probably no longer counted.
Huo Duo'er had completely misunderstood his intentions and was now treating him with the seriousness of a mate.
Yu Bai felt shy and a bit fearful. This man kept acting this way toward him, and he was overwhelmed.
“You, you do it yourself, I’m not involved…”
He’d seen some videos of same-sex couples online, and from the comments, he had a vague idea of what they did.
Yu Bai shook his head, instinctively tensing his knees.
He hadn’t accepted Huo Duo’er, and couldn’t do it.
Behind him, Huo Duo'er let out a heavy grunt and turned to grab the animal blanket drying on the wooden rack.
Huo Duo'er sniffed the air, still able to catch Yu Bai’s scent, and skillfully wrapped himself up again in the blanket.
Yu Bai listened to the heavy, labored breaths behind him, and felt as though he were sitting on needles. Slowly, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.
He curled his legs up, knees drawn tight, and didn’t move until Huo Duo'er had left the room. Only then did he shakily lift his eyelids.
After a while, Yu Bai lowered his head, changed into another animal robe, and carefully filled a basin with clean water. He crouched in a corner, washing quietly.
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