027 The one who should have held her to sleep first was him.

Li Yue was awakened by a warm sensation on her lips. Dazed, she opened her eyes to find a pair of dark red pupils inches away, her breath filled with the cold, ethereal scent unique to You Lie.

Before she could react, a loud "bang" echoed through the room. Several of her beast-husbands rushed over; Si Qi and Jin Ye grabbed You Lie’s arms from either side, forcibly pulling him away from her.

Li Yue was still bewildered when Lan Xi’s mental energy surged, binding You Lie once more. This time, the grip was even tighter, the pale purple bands of light nearly sinking into his skin.

Only when You Lie was pinned to the ground, unable to move, did she belatedly touch her lips. Had You Lie just kissed her?

"I’ve recovered! Don't tie me up!"

You Lie struggled, blood still seeping from the wound on his forehead, but the violence in his eyes had faded, replaced by a glimmer of clarity.

Li Yue sat up and, seeing his relatively calm demeanor, hesitated before speaking: "If you really have recovered, can you promise… not to kiss me?"

The moment those words were spoken, the wooden cabin fell silent.

Si Qi and the others were stunned. They had expected Li Yue to be furious, especially since she had been unwilling to even get close to You Lie before. Yet now, not only was she not angry, but she had also calmly made a request.

You Lie was also taken aback, then quickly nodded. "I won't kiss you. I’ll just hold you while we sleep, like before."

Li Yue nodded. "Fine, then untie him."

It wasn't the first time they had kissed; there was no point in being coy. Besides, she still needed to soothe him to ensure their journey wouldn't be delayed tomorrow. As for why he had kissed her, she assumed it was due to his rut and the berserker factor in his blood, so she didn't dwell on it.

The beast-husbands exchanged glances, and ultimately, Lan Xi withdrew his mental energy.

The moment You Lie was free, he rose and strode to the hay pile, lying down immediately. His silver-white snake tail rested gently on the straw, his eyes fixed intently on Li Yue, as if afraid she might change her mind.

Li Yue didn't go over right away, walking instead to the pottery jar of fresh water in the corner. She was still thinking about the honey-berry seeds in her spatial dimension.

Pretending to bend down for a drink, she let her fingertips brush the rim of the jar. Unnoticed, she used her consciousness to draw most of the water into the dimension. Only when she felt the soil where the seeds were planted become dampened did she stand up, wipe the corners of her mouth, and saunter back to the hay pile.

You Lie, who had been on edge, felt his tense shoulders relax when he saw she was only drinking water and had no intention of leaving him.

When Li Yue climbed onto the hay, she noticed he had maintained his human form.

You Lie opened his arms, palms upward, clearly waiting for her to rest her head on him.

Comparing the experience of sleeping with a massive snake to sleeping with a handsome man, the latter was certainly preferable. Although this handsome man was a dangerous villain, he was currently constrained by the beast-mark and posed no real threat to her.

Therefore, she didn't insist that he shift into his beast form and simply lay down, resting her head on his arm.

She intended to enter her dimension again to check on the seeds, but just as she focused her mind, You Lie tightened his arms, pulling her closer. His chin rested on the top of her head with such force that she found it difficult to breathe.

"Don't hold me so tight, I can't breathe," Li Yue said, pushing against his chest.

You Lie didn't loosen his grip much, merely adjusting his posture slightly. His voice carried an air of refusal: "It has to be this way. Any looser, and the soothing effect will be lost. What if I have another episode in the night..."

Before he could finish, Li Yue understood. She didn't want to experience the chaos of earlier again, nor did she want to delay their departure.

She gave up struggling and let You Lie hold her, shifting her consciousness into the dimension.

The moment her consciousness landed, she was stunned. The space had expanded, now covering at least forty square meters. The area of black soil had increased as well; beside the honey-berry seeds she had buried earlier, tiny, tender green sprouts had emerged. The water in the spiritual spring had also increased, no longer just a few drops.

She was surprised and delighted. Was it because of the water she had just introduced? Or was it because of the kiss with You Lie?

Regardless of the reason, the expansion of the space was a good thing. She could plant more, store more supplies, and prepare for the future.

In her arms, You Lie felt Li Yue stop struggling and even lean closer to him. A faint, subtle smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He looked down at the peaceful sleeping face of the little female in his arms, his fingers gently brushing her hair with a tenderness that was uncharacteristic of him.

In the corner, Si Qi and Jin Ye watched this scene, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

She had actually fallen asleep in You Lie’s arms?

He had just been in a berserk state—he was dangerous—yet she was so at ease?

Watching Li Yue resting securely in You Lie’s embrace, Si Qi and Jin Ye felt a sense of stifling frustration. They knew the beast-mark prevented You Lie from harming her, but seeing her so defenseless against someone who had just lost control, without even a flicker of worry, left them feeling an indescribable bitterness.

Li Yue wasn't asleep yet; her consciousness was still wandering through the dimension.

She walked around the expanded black soil and suddenly noticed the beast meat and wild fruits piled in the corner. They were things she had tossed in earlier, yet they still carried the fresh, moist aura of being newly gathered. The texture of the meat remained clear, and the skin of the fruits showed no sign of wrinkling—they were exactly as they had been when she put them in.

It actually had a preservation function! Li Yue couldn't help but cheer internally.

With this ability, she wouldn't have to worry about meat or fruit spoiling, no matter how much she hoarded. The food problem for the rainy season was completely solved. Perhaps one day she could even use the dimension to stockpile goods and trade with other tribes—becoming wealthy was no longer just a dream!

The more she thought about it, the happier she became, a soft smile playing on her lips that even reflected on her face in reality.

When You Lie looked down, he caught that very smile.

In the dim light, her eyelashes fluttered gently, and the curve of her lips was soft as cotton. Seeing the sweet smile on her face, You Lie was momentarily dazed.

How had he not realized before that she was so beautiful?

At the banquet, seeing the deer-kin males staring at her had made his chest surge with frustration. Now, he realized it was because he didn't want to share her with anyone else.

If she could always be like this, never reverting to her old self, he would be willing to let go of his past hatred and stay by her side to protect her for the rest of his life.

As the thought crossed his mind, he couldn't resist leaning down to press a light kiss to her smooth forehead, his movements so gentle it was as if he were afraid of shattering a fragile treasure.

Li Yue was already asleep and remained unaware, but this scene was witnessed by the other beast-husbands in the corner.

Jin Ye was filled with suppressed rage. If You Lie weren't still in his rut, he never would have let the little female stay in his arms. Yet You Lie wasn't showing any restraint—he was actually pushing his luck?

Si Qi also furrowed his brows slightly. He knew You Lie had fallen for her.

But he was the one who had met Li Yue first; he was the one who should have been holding her as she slept...