SLLBTT Chapter 26
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
⋇⊶⊰Chapter 26⊱⊷⋇
Liu Jiao felt the air pressure drop, intensifying his fear.
The Snow Wolf King remained silent, ascended the royal carriage, while Liu Jiao followed slowly, feeling extremely uneasy.
Upon reaching Snow Hall on the Wolf Mountain, the Snow Wolf King paid no attention to him and proceeded directly to the study.
After the incident of the "study being intruded by Censor Xu," Liu Jiao understood that consorts were not allowed to enter the study. He chose not to follow.
In the study, the Snow Wolf King did nothing special, just clocked out, then glanced at Hong Huli. "You seem hesitant to speak. What is it you want to say?"
Hong Huli said, "Great King, both times you arrived at Qingque Terrace at 'critical moments,' Queen Ming probably deduced that you had an informant there..."
"Perhaps Queen Ming is intentionally testing me," the Snow Wolf King remarked.
Queen Ming might indeed be intentionally testing, and quite deliberately, without concealment. However, the Snow Wolf King couldn't resist stepping on that landmine.
The image of Liu Jiao's silly expression came to the Snow Wolf King's mind, making him furious.
Hong Huli continued, "But Beautiful Lady Jiao..."
"That's enough," the Snow Wolf King, understanding what Hong Huli wanted to say, interrupted him, "No need for further words."
Hong Huli bowed his head. "Yes, Great King."
After clocking out, the Snow Wolf King proceeded to the side hall. Upon entering, he indeed saw Liu Jiao kneeling, completely bare.
The Snow Wolf King, finding the scene somewhat amusing and frustrating, commented, "Beautiful Lady Jiao, you're becoming more proficient."
Liu Jiao bowed again. "I am unaware of my offense."
The Snow Wolf King couldn't help but laugh. "What's with this? You say 'I am unaware of my offense,' but it doesn't sound like an apology. It sounds more like a challenge to me!"
Liu Jiao, flustered, said, "I dare not challenge you... but I truly do not know..."
If someone else said this, it might sound like shifting blame. Yet, coming from Liu Jiao, it seemed like an honest statement. The Snow Wolf King walked a couple of steps with hands behind his back, stopped in front of Liu Jiao, and said, "You say your fellow villagers call you 'Second Fool'?"
"Yes." Liu Jiao, caught off guard by the Great King bringing this up, was perplexed and bewildered.
The Snow Wolf King sneered, "They certainly didn't get it wrong!"
Seeing the Snow Wolf King's anger seemingly stronger than the last time, Liu Jiao felt even more terrified. Unsure of how to remedy the situation, he opted for sincerity, nervously grasping his own tail and saying, "This time... I'll put the eighteen lustrous beads myself... without troubling Great King..."
The Snow Wolf King was momentarily surprised, finding the admission unexpected.
Liu Jiao crawled to the Snow Wolf King again, intending to undo the Great King's belt and serve as before.
Urgent and anxious, resembling a bewildered and agitated child, Liu Jiao's eyes were tinged with red. However, the Snow Wolf King reached out, restraining Liu Jiao's hand, and said, "Do you think it's acceptable to touch my belt whenever you please?"
Liu Jiao, hearing this, grew even more anxious, thinking the Great King was too angry to allow his service. Trembling, he stammered, "I've offended the Great King. I deserved a thousand deaths..."
"No, not like that." Though initially quite annoyed, seeing Liu Jiao now distressed and submissive, the Snow Wolf King relented. He removed his robe, draping it over Liu Jiao's n*ked body, then helped him up. "Not only mine, but also yours... a belt shouldn't be easily taken off by anyone."
Liu Jiao was momentarily stunned. "You mean..."
"Well, you're an orphan, without guidance. I can't blame you for that." The Snow Wolf King gently stroked Liu Jiao's hair. "Your body and skin are things only close ones can play with. Otherwise, it's mistreatment. What bothers me is your foolishness, not valuing yourself, letting others take advantage without realizing."
Liu Jiao finally understood why he felt shame when undressing in human form and why he felt uneasy when Queen Ming approached him.
Liu Jiao, an orphan raised in the wild, never learned these things and had no elder to teach him. Therefore, he now grasped some understanding in a state of confusion.
Liu Jiao looked up at the Great King, his eyes becoming moist. "So? So, is Queen Ming intentionally mistreating me?"
The Snow Wolf King snorted coldly, "He's not a good person. Stay away from him."
"I really don't understand! I thought he was quite kind to me."
"Kind?" The Snow Wolf King scoffed coldly. "He has nothing to do with kindness."
Liu Jiao was now equally puzzled. "But I didn't see any malice in him."
"Is that so?" The Snow Wolf King smiled and, once again, gripped Liu Jiao's lustrous beads. "Then, have you figured out if I am bad?"
Liu Jiao's face instantly flushed.
"Hold it tight," the Snow Wolf King, near Liu Jiao's ear, gently coerced, "Not a single one is allowed to fall."