017 Made a New Pair of Shoes

After drawing blood from Lan Xi, Li Yue looked at the still-bleeding wound on her fingertip and immediately turned to Si Qi.

Since it was already broken, a little more blood now would spare having to reopen it next time.

She raised her finger and turned to walk toward Si Qi.

Si Qi remained where he was, his amber eyes still reflecting the complex emotions from watching Li Yue draw blood from Lan Xi. Then he saw her approach with her finger raised, blood droplets trickling down between her fingers. Her tone was tinged with urgency: “Quick, squat down. Let me draw your blood.”

Si Qi’s expression shifted subtly—surprise rather than resistance.

He had thought her mention of “next time” yesterday was casual, never expecting she remembered.

Instead of crouching, he slightly lowered his head, gently grasped Li Yue’s wrist, and with his thumb brushed over her bleeding fingertip. Then, unexpectedly, he leaned in slightly and softly licked the wound still oozing blood.

The warmth of his touch enveloped her fingertip, carrying the unique fresh scent that was distinctly his. Li Yue froze completely.

She looked up at Si Qi’s usually cold face, now so close, his long eyelashes lowered as he carefully licked her wound—a striking contrast that stunned her mind into a blank moment.

“You…” Li Yue suddenly snapped back to herself, her cheeks flushing deep red. She hastily withdrew her finger, still tingling with the warmth of Si Qi’s lips, leaving her heart racing.

Frowning, she stared at Si Qi with confusion. What was he doing? Did he have some strange habit of sucking blood?

She scrutinized him for several seconds but saw nothing unusual. Steadying herself, she said, “Yesterday, when you treated my wound, I promised I’d draw blood for you…”

Si Qi frowned slightly and interrupted, “No need.”

No need? What did that mean? No need to draw blood at all, or just not now?

Just as she was about to ask, a figure suddenly approached and squatted before her, breaking the delicate moment. It was You Lie.

Li Yue looked down and immediately her attention was drawn to what he held—an exquisite pair of small shoes crafted from beast hide.

The leather gleamed with a muted sheen, its texture clear and workmanship delicate.

The pattern looked familiar; upon closer inspection, it resembled the skin of a giant crocodile python.

She recalled she had beast leather boots but they were too heavy for this weather and too warm for her feet.

Since females usually didn’t walk much, she hadn’t bothered wearing them. She hadn’t expected You Lie to have secretly taken the giant crocodile python’s skin and fashioned new shoes for her.

The new shoes had diamond-shaped perforations on the surface, breathable and clear.

The leather shimmered with a silvery-gray hue, soft and smooth to the touch, waterproof as well. The soles had an extra layer of leather, polished flat, and adorned with fine beast sinews—both practical and beautiful, perfect for hot days.

But why would You Lie suddenly make her shoes out of nowhere?

Soon she realized why: You Lie was still in heat, and after she had comforted him last night and during these days he still needed her soothing, this must be his way of winning her favor.

Thinking this, her earlier discomfort vanished, and she smiled brightly, stretching out her foot.

“Are these shoes for me? May I try them on?”

You Lie, who had been worried she might reject them, was surprised by her reaction.

Late last night, under the light of the campfire, he had painstakingly tanned and sewn the softest belly leather of the giant crocodile python.

Seeing the joy and sparkling smile in Li Yue’s eyes now, it was like a dull blade slicing through a hard shell—the hidden awkwardness gently dissolved, leaving only a soft, fluttering heartbeat.

You Lie’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, his voice husky: “Yes, for you. Try them on and see if they fit.”

Li Yue slid her foot in; the leather reached perfectly to her ankle, soft and snug, far more comfortable than her previous boots, and didn’t chafe while walking.

She stood and took a few steps, then turned to You Lie with an even happier smile.

“They fit perfectly! Thank you so much, You Lie!”

Whether a token of gratitude or a deliberate gesture of goodwill, You Lie had clearly put thought into making these shoes—and she truly liked them, her face beaming.

Watching the little female’s radiant smile, You Lie was not the only one caught off guard.

Jin Ye stared at the crescent-shaped eyes curving with Li Yue’s smile, nearly dropping the beast leather bag in his hand. Strange emotions churned within him.

Just a pair of shoes could make her so happy?

Si Qi stood nearby, his brows slightly furrowed as his gaze settled on the shoes You Lie had given her.

Lan Xi, expressionless, withdrew her gaze, unconsciously rubbing the beast mark on her chest. Thinking of Li Yue’s flushed ear tips when she drew blood earlier, a strange feeling deepened within her.

After a few seconds, several males snapped back to attention, their expressions growing serious.

They all noticed that Li Yue’s attitude toward You Lie had clearly softened. At this rate, before the bond was severed, their relationship might already change in undesirable ways.

Ignoring the others’ looks, You Lie turned and took a small handful of hemostatic herbs from the beast leather bag. Placing them on a stone, he crushed them into a paste, then retrieved a clean strip of beast leather. Approaching Li Yue, he gently held her still-bleeding finger.

Li Yue was momentarily stunned but then watched as he carefully applied the herbal paste to the wound, recalling her promise from yesterday.

“Counting this time, you’ve treated my wounds twice. Help me bandage it once more, and I’ll draw your blood. A promise is a promise.”

You Lie paused briefly, frowning slightly as he glanced at her. A flicker of complexity passed through his dark red eyes, but he said nothing, only quickened his wrapping.

Li Yue was puzzled by his reaction. Why wasn’t he pleased?

Once the wound was bandaged, the beastmen packed their things, preparing to move on.

You Lie handed the beast leather bag to Jin Ye, which contained the remaining meat and wild fruits.

Jin Ye took the bag with a cold snort, a hint of sarcasm in his tone: “I carried Li Yue all day yesterday. If I’d carried her again today, you’d have gotten your blood. Now that you’re carrying her, seems you’re in a hurry to sever the bond?”

You Lie shot him a cold glare, icy and sharp, but said nothing more.

Li Yue was quietly pondering how she would ride on You Lie’s back if he transformed into his serpent form—his smooth scales had no fur to hold onto.

Lost in thought, she suddenly felt You Lie bend down, one hand steadying her knees, and with a gentle scoop, lifted her up.

Instinctively, Li Yue wrapped her arms around his neck and then fully took in You Lie’s transformation.

His upper body remained human-shaped, silver-gray hair cascading over his shoulders, with toned muscles firmly supporting her. His lower half, however, had become a silvery-white serpent’s tail.

The scales gleamed coldly in the sunlight, the tail’s tip curled around the wooden bucket Lan Xi used to carry water—neatly carrying supplies without hindering swift movement.