Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Indulgence

Although the black panther usually didn't have a favorable view of Meng Wenxuan and Wei Cheng, this time, it showed no intention of driving away the two men sharing its prey.

Instead, it remained seated next to Xia You throughout, its beastly eyes occasionally glancing at the two officers who were freeloading, its black tail swishing back and forth.

Xia You kept a constant watch on the black panther, ensuring that fresh meat was always available to it once it finished eating.

The panther savored its self-hunted prey, casting a side glance at the two men who showed up empty-handed yet partook freely.

Any predatory adult animal capable of hunting, unless injured or too weak, wouldn't usually accept prey hunted by another.

Meng Wenxuan and Wei Cheng, seeing disdain and pity in the eyes of their superior's spirit form, exchanged glances, at a loss for words.

Suddenly, the grilled meat in their hands didn't seem so appetizing anymore.

After a while, Meng Wenxuan spoke, "Come to think of it, why hasn't young master Xia ever expressed a desire to meet Marshal Lu?"

From proposing the contract to being matched, and then to the unexpected marriage, Xia You seemed to accept everything very naturally. He had never once mentioned meeting his match.

Xia You paused in his meat-eating motion.

Considering that in his first life, news about Marshal Lu's mental disorder was everywhere, followed by over a year of recuperation and then his obituary, Xia You, of course, wouldn't insist on meeting him knowing well the Marshal was ill.

Besides, Xia You agreed to the match to align himself with a powerful ally. As for Marshal Lu himself... he wasn't all that important.

But, of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

With a natural expression, Xia You replied, "When I first woke up, I did ask the doctor in the medical room about it. She told me that the Marshal had left due to some urgent matters."

Xia You paused before continuing, "Since I'll be responsible for soothing the Marshal's mental energy in the future, I'll meet him eventually. There's no need to disturb him when he's preoccupied with official duties."

Wei Cheng nodded vigorously, "Yes, indeed. The Marshal has had an overwhelming amount of official matters piled up lately."

Meng Wenxuan, whether he believed it or not, did not press further and simply continued enjoying his crocodile meat.

After a moment, Xia You turned to Wei Cheng and said, "Major Wei, I'd like to return to the Duke's mansion in a few days. Can I bring Yuan Yuan with me?"

Yuan Yuan?

Who's Yuan Yuan?

Wei Cheng, mid-bite into his crocodile meat, looked up in confusion at Xia You, who was affectionately petting the Marshal.

Meng Wenxuan nudged Wei Cheng with his elbow.

"Sir, I mean... Ahem, yes, you, Sir." Wei Cheng nearly choked on a piece of alligator meat and glanced uncomfortably towards Marshal Yuan beside Xia You, "Young Master Xia, you've seen how assertive the Marshal can be..."

Although Duke Xia holds his title primarily due to his heroic war-veteran parents who tragically lost their lives, and his title isn't hereditary like those of the empire's nobility, it's still an honor conferred by His Majesty. Even if the old noble families look down upon him, they still offer some respect.

Precisely because of Duke Xia's delicate status, he sees his son Xia You, a healer, as a valuable asset in forging marital ties with the aristocracy.

Interestingly, Xia You being the son of Duke Xia rather than another noble might actually be advantageous for both Marshal Yuan and the Emperor.

His Majesty plans to reveal some news during his upcoming birthday banquet. Well-informed nobles might have already guessed about Xia You's successful match with Marshal Yuan. Although they might not know the exact compatibility rate, they will surely try to probe for more information.

The birthday banquet at the Duke's mansion promises to be quite the event.

Xia You pondered, "If Yuan were to hurt someone at the Duke's mansion, it would be troublesome to involve Marshal Yuan, who is currently recuperating from an ailment. Indeed, that wouldn't be appropriate."

Yet, the adrenaline from witnessing the panther's hunt still lingered in his heart.

He had reincarnated, but in his previous life, he had truly tasted death once.

If he's to leave the imperial capital star, certain matters must be settled cleanly.

"I'll go back alone then," said Xia You.

Going alone is obviously not a good idea.

Given Xia You's current status, the well-informed elders of the Senate have already received news about Marshal Yuan's marital changes. Some radicals would love to see Xia You meet an untimely end before the Marshal departs to facilitate another match.

Meng Wenxuan contemplated for a moment, then proposed, "If you can convince the Marshal to voluntarily wear a bite inhibitor, he can accompany you to the Duke's mansion and ensure your safety."

Upon hearing this, Xia You looked down at the black panther.

Simultaneously, the black panther, seemingly understanding the words of that annoying human across from it, lifted its head, locking eyes with Xia You.

……

As usual, the black panther followed Xia You back to his room. Soon after, Meng Wenxuan delivered a plate full of bite inhibitors.

Yes, an entire plate.

Xia You sat cross-legged on the carpet, a row of bite inhibitors in front of him. Opposite the inhibitors, a serious-looking black panther crouched.

"Ahem, Yuan Yuan, let me explain the current situation."

Xia You cleared his throat, preparing to reason with the large black panther.

The panther's golden eyes gazed over, its expression neutral, revealing neither acceptance nor resistance.

Earlier at the hunting grounds, Xia You had heard Major Wei Cheng mention something.

Just before Wei Cheng attempted to fit the bite inhibitor on the panther, it had calmly observed him without showing any aggressive intentions. However, the moment the inhibitor neared its mouth, the panther swiftly, like a bolt of lightning, swiped at him.

They later managed to fit the inhibitor using a mix of coaxing and deception — at the expense of Major Wei Cheng's remaining trust in the panther.

“I'll be going somewhere else tomorrow for a couple of days. There will be many annoying people there, but on the surface, they all appear gentle and frail.”

Xia You tried to simplify his explanation, but after finishing, he felt somewhat ridiculous reasoning so earnestly with a panther.

The black panther sat poised across from the young man, its eyes emitting a cold glint, and whiskers twitching slightly.

"Yuan Yuan, like when we went to the palace a few days ago, can we just wear the bite inhibitor for a short while? I promise to be gentle, it won't hurt you."

As Xia You spoke, he cautiously reached out towards the bite inhibitor. However, the moment his fingers grazed the cold metal surface, a soft, furry panther paw pressed down on the back of his hand.

The rough surface of the paw pad felt warm and springy against his hand.

Xia You swiftly grasped the panther's paw with one hand, while the other rubbed its cheek. He leaned in, brushing his face against the panther's snout.

“Yuan Yuan, I'd be so scared going back to the duke's mansion all by myself.”

Xia You's eyes cast downwards, wearing a sorrowful expression as he looked at the panther.

The golden pupils of the panther slowly contracted. For a moment, man and beast locked eyes.

After a prolonged standoff, the panther let out a soft growl. Seeing Xia You's downcast look and sensing his receding psychic energy, the panther's tail stiffened. It lowered its head, emitting a gentle purring sound, and began to lick Xia You's cheek.

Although the touch was slightly prickly, it was evident the panther had restrained much of its strength, making its actions gentle.

Xia You let the panther continue, holding onto one of its paws and looking at it with bright, expectant eyes.

The panther's pupils dilated slowly. It withdrew its paw from Xia You's grasp, stood up, and strolled past the line of bite inhibitors. Eventually, it bit onto one with a black and gold design, placing it in Xia You's outstretched palm.

The weight of the cold metal settled in Xia You's hand.

He stared intently at the beast before him, trying to discern any human-like emotions in the panther's eyes.

This black panther was incredibly intelligent, so much so that it was almost...

Like a human.

Immediately after, the panther destroyed the remaining bite inhibitors with a mix of biting and scratching, baring its teeth, signifying its resolve to wear it just once.

The hopeful thought that had just blossomed in Xia You's heart vanished, replaced by a deep concern.

Xia You glanced at the bite inhibitor in his hand, then at the metal wreckage beside the panther's paws.

Logically speaking, if Yuan Yuan could demolish a bite inhibitor with a single swipe, would it even be effective when worn?

With the black panther's surprisingly compliant attitude, Xia You fitted it with the bite inhibitor, meticulously checking the clasps, even testing them multiple times to ensure they wouldn’t choke the creature. Only then did he feel reassured.

When Wei Cheng received a message from Xia You, he exchanged a glance with Meng Wenxuan and activated the screen.

Both men had different reactions upon seeing the image on the screen of the Marshal, sitting beside Xia You with a bite inhibitor in his mouth.

Sensing something amiss, Xia You asked, "What's wrong?"

Meng Wenxuan chuckled, "Nothing really, it's just that Major Wei and I made a bet earlier, and he's about to mourn the loss of some star coins."

After transferring the funds to Meng Wenxuan, Wei Cheng lamented with tearful eyes, "Just a few? That's half a month's salary for me!"

Observing the transferred star coins, Meng Wenxuan casually remarked, "That's why they say small bets cheer, but big bets hurt."

Realizing the context, Xia You deduced that the bet was likely about whether he could fit the bite inhibitor on the black panther. He chuckled, “Actually, Yuan Yuan is quite reasonable, very easy to talk to."

In front of the Marshal's psychic presence, the deputy, who seemed unfamiliar with the concept of reason, revealed an awkward, forced smile.

Meng Wenxuan inquired with a smile, "Does Young Master Xia have any instructions for us?"

"Oh, right." Xia You recollected his thoughts and shared his concerns about the bite inhibitor, "There's not much else, but since Yuan Yuan seems to understand some language, I’m concerned about unintentional attacks on guests at the duke’s mansion, which might cause trouble for the Marshal."

"Young Master Xia, there's no need to worry. If you look at the very bottom of the bite inhibitor, there’s a suppressor. Once the clasp is on, it will activate, ensuring the Marshal cannot break free."

Besides restraining the black panther, the bite inhibitor also detects the Marshal's psychic fluctuations. It can timely pull the Marshal's consciousness back into his dormant body after he regains awareness.

Meng Wenxuan explained, then, with a shift in his tone, he conveyed the harshest words in the gentlest manner possible.

"Even if, for argument's sake, you did attack someone at the Duke's mansion, they should at least provide an explanation."

"After all, whether it's Young Master Xia or yourself, both of you are individuals who highly value etiquette and reason, aren't you?"

Xia You seemed to understand, revealing a radiant smile, with the dimple near her cheek faintly visible.

The big black panther saw that familiar dimple on the young man's face, which always tickled its heart, and it leaned forward, trying to lick him, but was cruelly stopped by the muzzle.

The big black panther lowered its head, scratching the muzzle with its paw a couple of times, making a disgruntled purring sound. Successfully catching the attention of the young man who had just ended a call, the youth turned to give it a gentle and affectionate nuzzle.