The muddy ground along the riverbank was slick and slippery. When Huang Yue tugged on Hu Jiao Jiao’s bucket, it threw her off balance, her feet sliding beneath her. Instinctively, she reached out to steady herself, grabbing for anything close by.

Just then, a slender arm reached out toward her. Hu Jiao Jiao grabbed it, intending to use it for support, but to her surprise, her would-be rescuer lost their footing first, toppling forward even faster than she did.

Hu Jiao Jiao: “Huh?”
You’re the one pulling me, so why are you falling over?

“Ahhh—!”

Huang Yue let out a startled cry but, luckily she was still two steps away from the shore, so she fell on the bank and did not fall into the river.

The commotion drew the attention of several nearby beastmen, who turned their heads to see what had happened.

Seeing this, Hu Jiao Jiao quickly released her grip, her eyes narrowing slightly. If anyone saw what had just happened, they might accuse her of trying to push Huang Yue into the river.

Wasn’t she supposed to be an innocent, harmless character? Why was she setting up scenes like this?

Hu Jiao Jiao’s mind raced thinking about how to turn the situation around, should she kick Huang Yue down and let her get what she wanted, or should she turn around and jump into the river and turn the tables?

Long Mo had flown in just in time to witness Huang Yue pulling Hu Jiao Jiao. His gold-colored eyes flashed with displeasure, and without a word, he whipped his tail, sending Huang Yue—who was still perched dangerously close to the edge—tumbling into the river.

Now it was Huang Yue’s turn to be stunned.

“Ahhh! Help!” She flailed in the water, splashing wildly like a panicked bird that had fallen in by accident.

Long Mo didn’t spare her a second glance. His gaze was fixed intently on Hu Jiao Jiao, ensuring she was unharmed. Only after confirming her safety did he visibly relax.

“Long Mo? You…” Hu Jiao Jiao looked up in shock at the imposing black dragon that had suddenly arrived on the scene, kicking Huang Yue into the water as soon as he arrived.

Well, that was… direct.

Before she could finish her sentence, Long Mo curled his tail around HuJiao Jiao and lifted her up onto his back. Without a word, he took off into the sky.

Caught off guard, Hu Jiao Jiao clutched onto his scales tightly with one hand while holding onto the bucket with the other to keep herself from falling.

Surprisingly, the flight was remarkably smooth. Apart from the rush of wind against her face, there wasn’t the slightest jolt or sway as he flew, making her feel unexpectedly secure.

Hu Jiao Jiao couldn’t help but compare it to her last aerial journey. That time, the wind had stung her face, nearly chafing it raw. The experience with Long Mo, she realized, was worlds apart.

But why had he come here so suddenly?

As her mind raced with questions, Hu Jiao Jiao found herself momentarily distracted by the breathtaking view below. Sitting atop a dragon, she saw the world from a height she had never experienced.

Looking down, the tribe shrank to a tiny speck, with the thatched roofs looking no bigger than ants. From this height, the tribe was just a small patch on a vast landscape of lush green mountains and winding rivers. It was a magnificent, boundless view that instilled a profound sense of awe in her.

“So this is the world of the beastmen…” she murmured, her heart swelling with a mix of admiration and wonder. It wasn’t just words on a page or a figment of her imagination—this was a real, tangible world full of life.

“It’s… incredible.”

Lost in the scenery, Hu Jiao Jiao sat up a little straighter, her lips slightly parted in amazement as she continued to take in the surroundings.

For a while, they circled the mountains around the tribe, like two travelers enjoying a scenic tour. Eventually, Long Mo descended, landing smoothly on an open patch of land within the tribe.

Carefully, Long Mo uncurled his tail, setting Hu Jiao Jiao back on the ground, his motions both clumsy and cautious.

As her feet touched solid ground, Jiao Jiao blinked, snapping out of her reverie. Standing in front of her was the towering black dragon, a stark reminder of reality.

Why had he come here so abruptly?

Hadn’t he been so put off by her handmade clothes that he had decided not to return last night? Was he here to… drop her from the sky?

Recalling how casually he’d kicked Huang Yue into the river earlier, Hu Jiao Jiao’s heart skipped a beat. She had nearly lost herself in the beautiful scenery, barely noticing that she could have just unlocked a new way to die.

Long Mo, meanwhile, was watching her intently, waiting for her reaction. He wondered if the flight had cheered her up. Whenever he was in a foul mood, a high-altitude flight always helped clear his mind.

But seeing her somewhat dazed and unsettled expression, Long Mo felt a pang of worry. It seemed it wasn’t so easy to cheer her up.

Hu Jiao Jiao was trembling inwardly, thinking about how to resolve this crisis and make the villain change his mind and not fall to death.

Before she could act, Long Mo transformed back into his human form. Without a word, he took her bucket from her hands.

Hu Jiao Jiao stared in surprise. Why was he grabbing her fish?

She wanted to ask but held her tongue, figuring it was best to let him be. As long as he was calm, that was good enough for her.

Long Mo started walking toward their home without a word. Since that was where she was headed as well she decided to follow.

only……

Hu Jiao Jiao looked down at Long Mo’s slow pace. Did the villain have a cramp in his leg? Why was he walking slower than a turtle?

…

The other side

Huang Yue was still flailing in the shallow water, calling for help.

When Long Mo had arrived, most of the onlookers hadn’t even registered what was happening. But when they turned back, they found Huang Yue splashing in the river, clearly distressed.

Several beastmen leaped in to rescue her, diving with enthusiasm like frogs in a pond.

Seconds later, they hit the muddy bottom and found themselves standing awkwardly above the shallow water.

What the—?!
They spat out mouthfuls of muddy water, then glanced over to see Huang Yue floundering in water that barely reached their knees.

One of them, hiding his impatience, suggested kindly, “Um… female, maybe you could try standing up?”

Huang Yue’s flailing came to an abrupt halt. Finally, she realized that the water wasn’t even deep enough to cover her head if she were upright.

Embarrassed, she slowly stood, her face pale with shame and her ears burning as she stammered, “I… I’m sorry. I’m a bird clan member, and I’m terrified of water… I just panicked without realizing how shallow it was…”

Seeing her there, drenched and embarrassed, the beastmen around her felt their anger ebb, replaced by sympathy. One offered a hand. “No worries, just be careful not to get sick. Let’s get you back on shore.”

Huang Yue allowed herself to be helped out, but she couldn’t shake her shame. Her earlier show of helplessness had turned into a joke.

As she stepped onto the shore, one beastman grumbled, “Hey! Are you done? We still have to go to the cave to get salt. The chief won’t be happy if we delay.”

Upon hearing this, a dark light flashed in Huang Yue’s otherwise soft, innocent eyes. She quickly reached out and lightly grabbed the arm of the kind beastmen who had helped her out of the river.

—

Hey everyone! I’d love your feedback on this chapter’s translation. I was pretty sleepy while working on it 😅😅😅. Is it good, or should I consider re-translating it?