Heilong-kou (Black Dragon-Mouth/Pass)
Heilong-cheng (Black Dragon-City)
Censorate (Supervisory Court)
Yuling City (Jade City)
Jingui Town (Golden Turtle Town)
Xuanwu City (Black tortoise City)
...
Lian Ze sniffled, snot bubbles forming as he sharpened Yan Ye's pencil.
"Brother, why are you so mean? Do you not have anyone who cares about you?"
"Brother, talk to me. I even sharpened your pencil for you."
No matter what Lian Ze said, Yan Ye pretended not to hear.
In reality, those words might as well have been shouted directly into his ear through a megaphone.
Once the pencil was sharpened, Yan Ye told Lian Ze to leave.
Lian Ze dawdled, and upon seeing Yan Ye's messy, chicken-scratch handwriting, he had an idea.
"Brother, can you not write properly?"
Before Yan Ye could close his workbook, Lian Ze had already pounced, clinging to his arm.
Yan Ye froze.
This was the first time, aside from hunting prey, that he had touched something warm.
The so-called "something"—Lian Ze—snatched Yan Ye's workbook.
"Brother, you got all of these wrongs."
Yan Ye, embarrassed and angry, snapped, "None of your business!"
Lian Ze ignored him. This brother might sound fierce, but he was a good person.
"This character should be '宝'—there's a dot on top. You didn't write the dot, so it was marked wrong."
Yan Ye had intended to grab the workbook back and kick him out, but he understood Lian Ze's correction. Hesitant and reluctant, he didn't end up driving him away.
Amid the chaos of Yan Ye's school life, this was the first time he could understand what was being taught in class.
Even if it was just a snot-nosed little brat teaching him.
Unconsciously, his attitude toward Lian Ze began to soften.
...
Yin Jixue lifted the little tiger's front paws to show Lou Zhao. "Look, hasn't he gotten chubbier?"
For a young tiger to have a belly with actual rolls—how terrifying.
If his parents from the Winged Tiger Clan found out, would they think she was feeding their son like a glutton?
Lou Zhao played along. "A little. Once he gets fat enough, we'll put him in with the wild boars."
The little tiger's jaw dropped, unable to believe such cold words could come from the man he thought was his father.
The little tiger had indeed grown smarter, but his memories from the Winged Tiger Clan were still those of a dim-witted child. Now that he was intelligent, he assumed Lou Zhao was his father and the sweet, soft Yin Jixue was his mother.
Hearing Lou Zhao's words, he turned and whined at Yin Jixue, burrowing into her arms.
He knew what wild boars were—the biggest piece of meat in his meals was roasted boar.
Being locked up with them meant being abandoned.
Yin Jixue scratched the little tiger's chin. "Look how scared the baby is."
Lou Zhao shrugged. "He needs to exercise. Otherwise, when the Winged Tiger Clan's leader comes, he might not recognize him."
He had arrived as a tiny thing—how had he turned into a pig after two months of feeding?
Yin Jixue pinched the little tiger's belly.
"Hear that? Time to lose weight, sweetie."
The little tiger pretended not to hear, tilting his head and purring in her arms.
Lou Zhao's eyes sparkled. "He has gotten smarter. I wonder what good stuff the Winged Tiger Clan has—we should make that old man prepare a thank-you gift."
Yin Jixue sighed. "Sweetheart, we don't need their things."
Lou Zhao reconsidered. "True. No one compares to Black Dragon City now. I'll be magnanimous and not demand anything."
Then he added, "But the Winged Tiger Clan's immortal wine is famous. I've never had it. If you like it, I could ask for some."
He was, after all, an underage Demon King—how could he drink alcohol?
Yin Jixue was intrigued. "Just a little. I want to see what's in it."
Speak of the devil—Lena arrived, announcing she had brewed several fruit wines and requested the Your Highness to taste them.
Yin Jixue invited him, "Want to come?"
With both parents heading out, the little tiger scrambled up Yin Jixue's leg to her shoulder.
He even retracted his claws, careful not to tear her clothes.
Yin Jixue smiled like a proud mother—her love for the baby wasn't wasted.
Lena's tavern was in a secluded part of the city. As the saying goes, "Good wine needs no bush." Though they hadn't smelled any alcohol on the way, the moment Lena opened the lid, the potent aroma hit them like a wave, making the little tiger dizzy.
While Lena went to fetch more wine, only Yin Jixue, Lou Zhao, and the maid tending to the tiger remained inside.
Yin Jixue took a small sip—it was grape wine, and quite strong.
Beside her, Lou Zhao was already on his second cup.
She worried, "You've never had alcohol before. Will you get drunk?"
Lou Zhao shook his head coolly. "No. I'm the great Demon King."
The little tiger jumped around anxiously—Give me some! I want a taste too!
The maid held him back, keeping him away from the wine jar. The little tiger bared his teeth threateningly, but it came off as adorable rather than fierce.
Taking pity, Yin Jixue waved at the maid.
"Let him have a cup. Today, minors are allowed to drink."
The little tiger eagerly lapped up the fragrant wine, downing half the cup in one lick and finishing the rest in the second.
He stared pleadingly at the maid, who insisted on just one cup. Turning to his parents, he found them huddled together, ignoring him.
The little tiger wasn't without mischief.
He pretended to be drunk, collapsing onto the table.
Yin Jixue pinched Lou Zhao's cheek. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
Lou Zhao grinned foolishly. "One."
So he was drunk.
After just three cups.
So the mighty Demon King was a lightweight.
First, there was Wu Song, who couldn't pass the ridge after three bowls. Now, the Demon King turned silly after three cups.
The heavens truly were unfair—even when a handsome man turned into a drunken fool, he was still adorable.
Yin Jixue couldn't resist biting his hand. "Stop waving around in front of me."
Not that she was much better.
Seizing the opportunity, the little tiger leaped in a perfect arc into the wine jar.
By the time the frantic maid fished him out, his belly was round as a balloon.
Soaked and reeking of fruit wine, the little tiger had gained at least three pounds.
He even let out a hiccup while sprawled on the table.
The maid tried to massage his belly to help him expel the wine, but the little tiger suddenly turned fierce, using his bloodline pressure to make her tremble in fear.
With no one to disturb him, the little tiger lay flat on the table, digesting the alcohol in his belly.
Meanwhile, Yin Jixue and the Demon King were busy playing cheek-pinching games, both equally drunk.
When Lena returned, she was horrified.
Your Highness was drunk—and she still had more wines to test!
She quickly prepared her room for Yin Jixue to rest.
As for the Demon King… was he pretending to be drunk?
Lou Zhao stood up calmly, following Yin Jixue like nothing was wrong. The maid hesitated—was His Majesty drunk or not?
If not, why wasn't he disciplining the Your Highness's pet?
Yin Jixue and Lou Zhao rested in Lena's room.
She didn't feel drunk—just inexplicably happy.
Lou Zhao pulled her into his lap, their cheeks pressed together.
"Your face is so warm."
Lou Zhao nuzzled her neck like a puppy.
He mumbled, "Yours is too."
Yin Jixue refused to accept this, cupping his face.
"Yours is warmer."
And so they bickered childishly over whose face was hotter until Yin Jixue kissed him.
"See? Your lips are warm too."
Lou Zhao, of course, retaliated with a kiss of his own.
What started as a clumsy back-and-forth soon turned into a long, lingering kiss, sweet with the faint taste of fruit wine.