16: Let them all know that I belong to you

"It's me, sorry to bother Lord Li... ah, Li."

Tu Nan peeked at Li cautiously. Under his displeased gaze, she immediately corrected the form of address, and sure enough, she saw Li's expression soften.

Li, however, seemed to just be complaining casually.

He picked up the spoon again and resumed stirring the bowl of porridge at a constant speed, looking focused. After a while, he finally lifted a spoonful to his own lips.

He stuck out his tongue to touch it, then hesitantly handed it to Tu Nan.

"...Try it?" Tu Nan opened her mouth, but he pulled back a little. "Don't take a whole mouthful, just a taste first."

Tu Nan paused, then mimicked Li's action, sticking out the tip of her tongue to lightly lick the edge of the spoon.

As her pink tongue darted out and back quickly, Li's eyes fixed on her. His Adam's apple bobbed, but his hand remained steady as he held the spoon.

Seeing Tu Nan nod, he finally let her eat that spoonful of porridge. They continued like this, one feeding and one eating. Even after Tu Nan said she was full, he fed her another half bowl.

"You still need to eat more; this isn't much," Li said, appearing unsatisfied. "The energy in this stuff is too low. You still need to eat meat directly."

He pondered for a moment. "I'll try to catch a Black-Scaled Snake. The meat of their young is the most tender. I heard it's the only Sand City specialty that the high-tier planets accept. You should be able to eat that."

That would definitely be harder to catch.

"Meat porridge is enough for me. I don't necessarily need to eat such fine things. I don't care about that."

Tu Nan didn't want to exhaust Li's affection on improving her food and drink; it wouldn't add points to her survival situation.

What she needed now was safety—in other words, to get pregnant and properly give birth to Children.

To extend her life and change her genes.

Li was touched by her words. He rummaged through a backpack tossed in the corner and pulled out a rolled-up item.

He slowly unwrapped the ties and displayed the item to Tu Nan.

"Look at this."

It looked like an almost transparent top, but as Li shook it, it shimmered with a lustrous sheen.

Biological Soft Armor—it had to be.

Tu Nan's gaze was completely captivated by the equipment's light, which seemed to breathe.

She involuntarily reached out her hand.

"Try it on. This needs to be worn against the skin," Li said, handing it directly to her.

The Soft Armor felt like flowing water in Tu Nan's hands; it was nearly weightless, with a soft and moist texture.

Does this really provide protection? Tu Nan turned it over in confusion.

Swoosh!

Li drew his blade directly and slashed it across the Soft Armor.

The flash of light frightened Tu Nan, making her shrink back, and the Soft Armor fell onto the bed.

"It's fine, I was just showing you."

Li picked up the Soft Armor and tucked it back into Tu Nan's arms, eagerly motioning for her to put it on.

Tu Nan pinched the Soft Armor and couldn't find a single blade mark on it; the ripples were as continuous as before.

She ducked into the quilt and slipped the Soft Armor on. It stretched easily and then tightened, perfectly wrapping around her body.

Li held his blade and waited for her to explore this miraculous equipment. It looked like... he was waiting for her to ask?

Tu Nan also wanted to know.

"I thought we didn't get this. I heard them say the equipment and money were all confiscated."

Li nodded, a mocking smile appearing on his face.

"It was a setup. The Patrol Army screwed over two families at once."

"Then this..."

"Fiona wasn't afraid of death and held onto this tightly. I could have ignored her, but I promised you the Soft Armor, so I had to take it."

He looked stern and dissatisfied. "She wouldn't let go, which made saving her a lot more trouble."

"Toke said you were buried by rocks."

Tu Nan could still remember her shock and anger at the time; she had almost started her journey of flight.

"Sandy ground doesn't bury you solid; you just have to find a gap." Li made it sound easy, but Tu Nan didn't think so. She still remembered the wretched state he was in when he returned.

However, she wouldn't interrupt his showing off now.

When a male shows off, they only want to be admired.

Tu Nan's eyes sparkled.

"You're so amazing. I knew my Lord Li was the best, but I was still so scared. Toke, he..."

The corners of Li's mouth quickly shifted from an upward curve to a straight line as he recalled the situation from yesterday that had made him furious.

He would naturally settle things with Toke, but... "Didn't I say that if I didn't come back, you should go to Sand City to hide? I can find you through the Terminal, but I found you were still in the River Valley."

Oh? That makes sense... This Terminal indeed has little secrets she didn't know about.

Tu Nan smiled dazedly, her gaze hazy.

"I wanted to wait for you in our home. If you aren't here, what difference does it make where I am?"

Li stared intently at this fragile Foster Mother, this Female Beast who had just completely become his.

He took a long stride and, ignoring Tu Nan's exclamation, pulled her tightly into his arms.

At first, his embrace was so tight it made Tu Nan breathless, but within a few breaths, he adjusted it to a level where she couldn't break free but felt comfortable.

Then, he cherished her, holding her as they passed the time contentedly.

Like a Dragon guarding its jewels, or a lion holding onto a precious toy.

Tu Nan obediently played the role of someone he could safely control, but a knock on the door sounded at an inopportune time.

Li let the noise continue to bother them, having no desire to pay it any mind, but the person at the door was quite tactless.

"Li! Open the door, I need you for something!" Gaia's voice rang out from the door.

Li opened the door reluctantly. Gaia tactfully did not enter, only speaking with Li at the threshold.

"Fiona has woken up. Greg asks that you please come to the hall."

Perhaps Li's expression gave something away, as Gaia advised, "You should still go..."

"The losses from this operation were so great, and Greg has a huge temper. After all, you still have to live here with your Foster Mother."

"Why make him unhappy?"

The two of them exchanged a few more low-voiced sentences.

Li didn't want to go. The losses weren't caused by him, so why should he go listen to Greg's nonsense?

But Tu Nan's mind was racing. Li's brief disappearance had made her realize a major problem—she knew too little about the River Valley.

If one day Li truly didn't return, she would have to find her own way out. At that time, which way should she go? Whom should she avoid? Whom could she use?

Information needed to be planned in advance.

She walked up behind Li, pressed herself tightly against him, and with a shy face but sparkling eyes, she pleaded: "Take me with you... I want everyone to know that I belong to you completely now."

"I want Greg to know this too."

The movement of Li's hands stopped.