But Leonardo was too embarrassed to say something like that.
All he could do was reveal the fox ears Yunyang liked and ask softly, “Mistress, would you be willing to mark me?”
Yunyang answered with actions.
She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Leonardo’s, which were cool to the touch as well.
She had meant to keep it brief, just long enough to let Leonardo know how she felt.
But that light kiss was like a fuse being lit.
Leonardo wrapped an arm around Yunyang’s waist and pulled her closer.
With his other hand, he cradled the back of her head and deepened the kiss.
It went on for a long time.
The little fox was just too well-behaved.
That was all Yunyang could think.
Her other beastmen would never keep their hands to themselves at a time like this, but Leonardo simply kissed her, gentle and composed.
After getting used to her other beastmen’s ardor, Yunyang found the little fox’s quiet restraint rather novel.
When the kiss finally ended, Leonardo undid the top button of her pajamas and asked in a low voice, “May I?”
Yunyang nodded distractedly.
Their clothes fell to the floor.
The chill that had clung to Leonardo was completely gone; his body was even beginning to burn.
But the little fox still didn’t take things any further. He only lowered his head and kissed her reverently.
When Yunyang didn’t resist, he finally dared to be a little bolder.
…
Yunyang’s fair face had turned pink.
After a long while, Leonardo finally managed to steady his breathing. His voice strained with restraint as he asked, “Mistress, may I?”
Yunyang bit down on his shoulder.
Why did he keep asking? Why ask at a time like this?!
Without an answer, Leonardo didn’t dare take the next step.
But he also knew Yunyang was too embarrassed to respond just then.
Looking into the affectionate eyes of the person in his arms, Leonardo relaxed.
He withdrew his hand.
The little fox was afraid to get too carried away. Yunyang couldn’t tell if he was torturing himself or her.
Either way, she was worked up and aching with frustration.
She shot Leonardo an annoyed look. “Leon, did you not eat dinner tonight?”
The Mistress’s question startled Leonardo, but a moment later, he understood what Yunyang meant.
His fox ears drooped slightly.
Yunyang soon regretted asking.
…
In the pitch-black darkness, a figure curled up slightly in the bathtub.
The male’s breathing grew heavier as he pictured Yunyang over and over in his mind.
Mistress…
Mistress…
His hand tightened on the edge of the tub.
In the darkness, his blue eyes were still filled with desire.
·
Yunyang woke up still shaken by the wild night before.
She got up slowly and was about to go wash up when she noticed someone kneeling beside the bed.
She jumped in fright.
Once she saw who it was, she relaxed and asked in confusion, “Leon, what are you doing?”
Leonardo knelt on the floor with his head bowed and his ears drooping, like a puppy abandoned by its owner.
“I’m sorry, Mistress. I didn’t listen to you last night.”
Last night…
Yunyang understood. Her face heated up. “I’m not angry with you. Get up.”
Leonardo’s dull eyes lit up at once. He looked up at Yunyang as if he couldn’t believe his ears.
“Mistress, you really aren’t angry with me?”
Yunyang nodded, blushing.
She hadn’t meant what she’d said at the time at all, but the little fox had thought she truly didn’t want him.
What an honest little fox.
Only then did Leonardo stand. He reached out and lifted her into his arms. “Mistress, let me help you wash up.”
Yunyang nodded and sat back, enjoying the little fox’s attentions.
As they washed up, she studied Leonardo’s foxlike eyes. “Leon, why are your eyes black?”
Xuan Yu’s human and beast forms had different features because his work as a bounty hunter required it.
But what about Leon?
Leonardo paused, and his fox ears twitched.
He answered softly, “I wanted to be like you, Mistress… If you don’t like it, I can change them back.”
Yunyang’s eyes widened slightly. Then she leaned closer and kissed his cheek.
“I like them very much.”
After finishing their leisurely wash-up, the two of them left the room.
It was nearly lunchtime. As soon as they stepped outside, Yunyang caught the aroma of food drifting up from downstairs.
She hurried down, slipped into the slippers Leonardo had prepared for her, and headed for the kitchen.
Though it was the little fox’s first time, he knew better than to let her go hungry in the morning.
But she was so sick of nutrition supplements that she hadn’t eaten a thing before going back to bed to catch up on sleep.
Now, the smell of food had her appetite wide awake.
Lunch had been made by Xuan Yu, Fu Shiyi, and Pei Wenye.
Seeing Yunyang staring intently at the food in the pan, Fu Shiyi picked up a clean pair of chopsticks, speared a piece of salt-and-pepper rib that was already cooked, cooled it slightly with his ability, and held it to her lips.
“Mistress, would you taste it and tell me if it needs more salt?”
“Sure.”
Yunyang took the rib without hesitation.
It was seared until slightly crisp on the outside. One bite released a savory, salty burst of juice that wasn’t too hot at all.
Yunyang was satisfied.
She quickly finished the piece. With one hand holding a spatula, Fu Shiyi still managed to present a small plate at just the right moment so she could spit out the bone.
After she dropped the bone into the recycling bin, he asked again, “Mistress, is it good?”
Yunyang nodded emphatically. “Delicious!”
Only then did Fu Shiyi scoop the ribs out of the pan and take them to the dining table to keep warm.
Once she had a little food in her stomach, Yunyang stopped getting in the way in the kitchen. She went to sit on the sofa and started browsing the star net.
The rest of her beastmen gathered around to keep her company.
Yunyang glanced around and noticed someone was missing.
She carefully counted the four beastmen beside her, then the three in the kitchen.
Once she was sure one was really missing, she asked, “Where’s Fuyuan?”
Leonardo had stayed by her side in the room all morning, so he didn’t know what was going on and said nothing.
The other three beastmen thought it over.
When they were done, Qin Mo shook his head. “Mistress, I haven’t seen Fuyuan since this morning.”
Rong Jin and Chen Yueli nodded.
There were so many people in the house that, if their Mistress hadn’t mentioned it, they wouldn’t have noticed one of their rivals was missing.
“You haven’t seen him since this morning?”
Yunyang looked up toward Fuyuan’s room on the second floor.
Usually, if a beastman hadn’t spent the previous night with her, he would get up early and go about his own business.
Qin Mo and Xuan Yu liked to go out for morning workouts.
Rong Jin and Pei Wenye preferred working out in the fitness area on the fifth floor.
The others had their own routines too. Though Yunyang still wasn’t sure about Leonardo and Chen Yueli, she knew Fuyuan checked on her rosemary every day.
In short, once she woke up, she could always find all her beastmen together on the first floor.
This was the first time Fuyuan had stayed in his room this late.
“Could he be feeling unwell?”
Beastmen were physically strong, but they weren’t made of iron. They could still get sick or feel unwell from time to time.
As soon as Yunyang said this, she stood and headed for Fuyuan’s room.
The four beastmen quickly followed.
Though she was worried about Fuyuan, Yunyang still had Qin Mo knock first.
When there was no answer for a long while, she used her wrist communicator to unlock the door.
The spacious bedroom beyond was empty.
The four beastmen frowned and instinctively moved to shield Yunyang.
Yunyang’s gaze settled on the closed bathroom door.
As a merman, Fuyuan sleeping in the bathroom instead of the bed was understandable enough. But sleeping for this long was clearly not right.
