Chapter 23: Rutting Period?
Su Muluo slept deeply and comfortably, feeling as if he was nestled in a warm embrace, reminiscent of when he was a little phoenix.
Back then, he would snuggle up to the dragon egg, instinctively absorbing its warmth.
As morning light filtered through the thin curtains, Su Muluo opened his eyes.
It was still a bit cold, so he curled up in the soft bedding, lazily rubbing against the hand beside him.
Wait, a hand?
Su Muluo suddenly became fully awake and looked up—
A man in black was sitting by the bed, wearing a mask, silently watching him.
“…”
Su Muluo remained speechless for a while.
The room was very quiet, almost awkwardly so. Although the dark golden eyes behind the man’s mask showed no emotion, Su Muluo somehow sensed a hint of unease.
Noticing this, he sat up and hesitantly spoke his first words: “Why are you wearing a mask?”
The man was silent for a moment before replying in a low voice, “I’m afraid you’ll find me ugly.”
The deep, pleasant voice was exactly like the one in his dreams. Su Muluo reached out slowly, testing, and removed the mask.
The man remained motionless, allowing him to take it off, revealing a handsome and flawless face, identical to what Su Muluo had seen in the Mirror of Origin.
But now, the man’s expression was not natural, showing obvious tension.
Su Muluo looked at him for a while, then lightly coughed and averted his gaze, saying, “Indeed.”
Man: “…”
Su Muluo then laughed and said, “Just kidding, you’re not ugly at all. In fact, you’re quite handsome.”
The man’s eyes brightened slightly, and he raised his hand, trying to embrace him.
Su Muluo was startled and instinctively moved aside.
He knew this man was his dragon, but he used to be a little dragon and now had turned into a real person. Suddenly, he found himself unsure how to interact with him.
It was like someone you had known for years suddenly changed drastically, and no one could easily accept that. Moreover, this was his dragon, his partner, closer than anyone else… Realizing this, Su Muluo felt even more confused about his feelings.
The man noticed his reaction, and a hint of sadness flashed in his dark golden eyes. But he quickly hid it, as he had anticipated this outcome. He soon concealed his sadness and asked, “Is the phoenix hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
The term “phoenix” reminded Su Muluo of the silver-haired young man in the Mirror of Origin, making his expression darken slightly.
He looked up at the man again and shook his head, “I’m not hungry.”
“But you’ve been sleeping for a whole day,” the man said. “The phoenix has been sleeping a lot recently and shedding feathers. You need to eat more to recover.”
Su Muluo: “…” No need to remind him about the shedding.
So he changed the subject, “I still don’t know your name. Do you have one?”
He clearly remembered his own name when he hatched, “Su Muluo.” Although he used to call his dragon Little Black Dragon, the other must have a name too.
The man nodded, “Long Ling.”
Long Ling.
Su Muluo tasted the name in his mind, and a different kind of emotion emerged, like a taste of honey, making him feel slightly sweet inside and out.
He smiled and said, “It’s a nice name.”
Long Ling’s gaze tightened, capturing this smile in his eyes. He liked seeing Su Muluo smile at him. His phoenix’s smile was beautiful, with eyes full of gentleness… reflecting only him.
He wanted the phoenix to smile at him every day, only at him.
Possessiveness, like sticky mud, spread in his heart. Long Ling showed no sign of it on his face, lowering his head and gently approaching Su Muluo.
The phoenix was right in front of him, and he inhaled the scent he liked from this person, gradually suppressing the restlessness in his heart.
Su Muluo, not knowing his intentions, tilted his head and asked, “You could already turn into a human before, right?”
Long Ling nodded again.
Su Muluo knew this dragon had pretended in front of him for several days and secretly took advantage of him. If it were before, he would have angrily patted the dragon’s head, but looking at the man sitting in front of him now, he didn’t know how to start.
Finally, he could only change the subject, “I need to get up and change. Can you go out for a bit?”
Long Ling responded with an “oh” but did not move.
“Can’t I stay here?”
Su Muluo: “Why should you stay here?”
Long Ling was very honest: “I want to see the phoenix.”
Su Muluo appreciated his honesty and promptly pushed him out.
The door closed, and Long Ling waited outside, wandering around in boredom.
Unhappy.
He hadn’t revealed his human form earlier because he was unsure if the phoenix would like his appearance and was worried the phoenix would distance himself after seeing his human form.
Now it seemed his worries were justified.
But Long Ling did not regret it. After all, Su Muluo’s body had some problems recently, and he needed to stay by the phoenix’s side to protect him.
Moreover, they had time. Maybe it wouldn’t take long for his phoenix to accept him.
After a few minutes, Su Muluo finished changing and opened the door. Long Ling immediately approached, asking, “Does the phoenix want breakfast? I can make it for you.”
Su Muluo asked, “Can you cook?”
Long Ling paused, “I can learn.”
Su Muluo laughed, “Alright, then learn from me.”
Today’s breakfast was simple porridge, not requiring much skill. First, soak the rice for half an hour, add a few drops of sesame oil, pour the rice into boiling water, stir over high heat for a few minutes until the grains swell and separate, then simmer over low heat.
As Su Muluo stirred the rice with a spoon, Long Ling watched from the side. Suddenly, Long Ling reached from behind, naturally covering Su Muluo’s hand and holding the spoon.
Su Muluo: “!”
He immediately let go of the spoon and stepped aside.
Long Ling paused and asked, “Isn’t the phoenix going to teach me?”
His tone sounded a bit aggrieved, and seeing the gloom in his eyes, Su Muluo opened his mouth to say something… but couldn’t, so he silently averted his gaze.
He felt troubled too. When Little Black Dragon hatched, he didn’t react this way.
But he knew that turning into a human meant having a closer relationship with his dragon, a relationship completely different from before—maybe because he subconsciously couldn’t accept this change, he felt so uneasy.
Su Muluo rubbed his forehead, sighing helplessly, “Just stir it a bit more, then let it simmer. Nothing else needs to be done.”
Long Ling responded with an “oh” and slowly stirred the porridge.
Neither spoke again. After half an hour, the porridge was ready. Long Ling asked, “Do you want to try it?”
Su Muluo was checking his phone nearby. Hearing this, he looked up and saw a spoonful of cooled porridge offered to him.
He took a sip, finding it soft and sticky, “Tastes good.”
Long Ling’s lips curved slightly, and he took out a bowl to serve the porridge.
Su Muluo watched him for a few seconds and suddenly asked, “Aren’t you going to taste it?”
“I’ve tried it.”
Su Muluo: “……”
So did he switch spoons?
Long Ling seemed to sense his thoughts and said, “No.”
Then he ran off with the bowl.
Su Muluo: “????”
He’s taking advantage of him again!
As expected, he’s not a proper dragon!
Su Muluo was so annoyed, but he had no way to deal with this dragon… He could only leave with a dark face and in silence.
Long Ling put the porridge he had served for Su Muluo on the table and took a bowl for himself. The two of them sat at the dining table and drank porridge. After a while, Su Muluo asked, “Why did you only hatch after coming here?”
This was a question he had wanted to ask before. Long Ling replied, “It has nothing to do with being here; it’s just that the time had come.”
Su Muluo said, “Oh,” and asked, “Then why did you need me to cook for you?”
Long Ling said, “Dragons need high temperatures to hatch.”
Su Muluo: “…… Pfft.”
Although Long Ling said it seriously, Su Muluo couldn’t help but laugh when he remembered the dragon egg that nearly got cooked into a dead egg.
Long Ling saw him laughing and smiled slightly, “The phoenix looks really good when smiling.”
Su Muluo immediately stopped smiling.
Long Ling: “……”
Su Muluo took a slow sip of porridge, thought of something, and asked, “I have another question. Why didn’t you let me pinch your tail?”
Long Ling, with anticipation, asked, “Does the phoenix let me touch its feathers?”
Su Muluo looked at him warily: “No.”
“Then I won’t let you either.” Long Ling said a bit unhappily, “I’ll let you pinch my tail when the phoenix lets me touch its feathers.”
Su Muluo: Tsk.
He stopped talking and continued to drink his porridge.
When he was almost done with his bowl, Su Muluo heard Long Ling ask, “Does the phoenix know why it fainted yesterday?”
Su Muluo shook his head and said, “If I had known, I wouldn’t have bothered with those people last night and would have gone straight home.”
He hadn’t expected to be so exhausted that he fell asleep on the street… Fortunately, his dragon brought him back.
Su Muluo suddenly felt a pang of realization and asked, “Wait, how did you bring me back last night?”
“Carried you,” Long Ling blinked and said, “The phoenix is light and soft, easy to carry.”
Su Muluo: “……”
Long Ling added, “I’d like to carry you again.”
Su Muluo: “……”
Su Muluo pushed the bowl towards Long Ling and said, “Go wash the dishes!”
So annoyed, he would make this person do all the housework from now on!
Long Ling took the bowl obediently and went to the kitchen.
Su Muluo decided not to go to the café today. After all, he hadn’t fully adjusted to interacting with Long Ling and didn’t know how to introduce him to the customers.
So, for the rest of the day, the two of them stayed in the rented apartment and didn’t go out.
At ten in the evening, Su Muluo took a shower, and then it was Long Ling’s turn—he initially tried to use the excuse that he didn’t know how to bathe to get Su Muluo to help him, but Su Muluo rejected him ruthlessly.
The sound of water came from the bathroom, and Su Muluo sat on the sofa playing with his phone. After a while, the water stopped, and Long Ling came out from the bathroom.
Su Muluo looked up—he saw the man’s well-defined upper body, with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
Su Muluo was shocked: “Where are your clothes???”
Long Ling innocently shrugged: “I don’t have any.” Then he added, “The phoenix’s pajamas are too small, I can’t wear them.”
Su Muluo: “But you were wearing clothes this morning!”
“That was my scales,” Long Ling said, “I don’t have a second set of clothes.”
Su Muluo: “……”
Su Muluo stared at the innocent-looking Long Ling for a moment, sighed, and said, “Fine, I didn’t think of that. I’ll take you out to buy some clothes tomorrow.”
Long Ling responded eagerly, “It’s late. Is the phoenix going to sleep?”
Su Muluo glanced at the time and realized it was already ten o’clock. Strangely, he wasn’t feeling very sleepy today… Maybe it was because he had slept enough yesterday?
But he hadn’t shed any fur today, which was a good thing. Su Muluo got up and walked towards the bedroom.
Long Ling followed him inside.
And then was pushed out.
Long Ling: “?”
“Wait a moment,” Su Muluo said with a stern face, “I’m getting the bedding. Go sleep on the sofa.”
He initially wanted Long Ling to sleep on the sofa, but considering he didn’t have pajamas, he might catch a cold, so he decided to sacrifice himself.
Once they bought clothes tomorrow, he would make this dragon sleep on the sofa!
Long Ling paused for a second and then asked, “Does the phoenix not want to sleep with me?”
Su Muluo: “I’m not sleeping with you. How old are you?”
“But we’re partners,” Long Ling suddenly grabbed Su Muluo’s hand, looking unhappy, “We used to sleep together.”
Su Muluo gently removed his hand and said in a very gentle tone, “That was because you were small before. Now that you’ve grown up, you need to sleep alone.”
Long Ling: “??? But I—”
“No whining!” Su Muluo said, “Otherwise, I’ll hang you on the door handle!”
Long Ling: “……”
Long Ling looked at his phoenix in silence, his gaze filled with deep resentment.
Su Muluo ignored him, cruelly taking a blanket and walking out the door—
But just as he was about to leave the bedroom, Long Ling grabbed the corner of his shirt and said, “Fine, let me sleep on the sofa.”
Su Muluo said, “No, you don’t have any pajamas.”
Long Ling said, “I’m a dragon; I’m not afraid of the cold.”
This was actually true; he wasn’t afraid of the cold. Plus, his phoenix was delicate and beautiful, so he was reluctant to make the phoenix sleep on the sofa.
But Su Muluo didn’t want Long Ling to sleep on the sofa without pajamas. The two of them debated at the door, and finally, Long Ling said, “If the phoenix doesn’t let me sleep on the sofa, I’ll carry the phoenix to bed and do this and that,” and then was driven out of the bedroom by the enraged phoenix.
With the room light turned off, Su Muluo lay in bed, and for some reason, he suddenly found it hard to fall asleep.
Usually, at this time, a little dragon would be snuggled up next to him, and they would fall asleep together… And even further back, when they were in the mountains, he and the dragon egg used to sleep close together.
Now, his dragon was still by his side, but separated by a wall and a room, no longer snuggled together.
“……”
Su Muluo suddenly realized that this was the first time in eighteen hundred years since his hatching that he was going to sleep alone.
For a moment, he wanted to call Long Ling in and sleep together like they used to. But thinking of those dark golden eyes and that man’s face… he hesitated.
Time silently passed, and the phoenix turned over a few times in bed, still unable to fall asleep.
The first half of the night seemed to drag on forever, but by the later part of the night, for some reason, a wave of drowsiness surged up suddenly, just like yesterday.
Su Muluo felt his vision blur, his eyelids too heavy to lift. He sank into the soft blankets and quickly fell asleep.
But his sleep wasn’t restful; he felt as though he was lying on searing flames. Although he wasn’t being burned, he was drenched in sweat and couldn’t seem to escape the discomfort.
The distressing sensation continued for a long time until he heard a deep, worried voice calling him—it was Long Ling waking him up.
“Phoenix, Phoenix?” Long Ling held Su Muluo’s hand, looking concerned, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’m here, look at me.”
“……”
The familiar scent enveloped him. Su Muluo struggled to open his eyes, sweat soaking his soft black hair. His breathing was slightly rapid, and his beautiful ink-black eyes looked somewhat dazed.
Long Ling’s gaze faltered for a moment, a thought flashing through his mind. In an instant, it seemed like all of the phoenix’s unusual behavior lately was explained.
“Phoenix.”
Long Ling raised his hand, his long, slender fingers gently brushing over Su Muluo’s face. His voice was soft and slow, as if afraid of startling the phoenix, but with a hint of vague anticipation.
“Are you… in heat?”
T/N: Hello hello! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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