Chapter 25: Su Rouxue’s Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

This sensation was as if a succubus had possessed him, and upon returning to reality, Natsuki felt utterly drained. His face was pale; although he entered the dream from a third-person perspective, the experience had felt uncannily real. The dream progressed rapidly, again and again, in cycles—he had done nothing, yet felt as if he were endlessly expending himself. Of course, he couldn’t let his beloved see him in such an emptied state. Now, he was in the Sage’s mode.

Su Rouxue noticed Natsuki’s poor complexion and asked with concern, “Darling, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just a bit stuffy. Got too caught up kissing you just now, haha,” Natsuki replied, trying to seem energetic, though he truly just wanted to sleep.

Now he understood why doctors always said that a healthy marital life could improve sleep quality. Each time, the calories burned surpassed a long-distance run; exhaustion inevitably led to sleepiness.

Natsuki closed his eyes and leaned quietly against Su Rouxue’s shoulder. She carried a gentle fragrance, soothing and comforting.

Su Rouxue glanced at the time, gently patting Natsuki’s head with affection. “It’s almost lunchtime!”

“But I want to nap for a bit.”

“You sleep first, I’ll go make lunch.”

“I want to sleep on your shoulder for twenty minutes! Just twenty minutes, then we’ll cook together.”

“Alright.”

Su Rouxue couldn’t help but smile; at that moment, Natsuki seemed just like a child in her eyes—her big boy, who even knew how to act spoiled. The way he did it wasn’t forced or awkward; it was actually endearing. How strange that was.

She’d slept enough herself, so she gently patted Natsuki’s head, letting him quietly rest and meditate.

As she did, Su Rouxue’s mind wandered back over the morning’s events. Was sleeping unclothed intentional? She knew Natsuki would return that morning, so in a way, she had thought about it. But truthfully, she preferred to sleep freely most of the time.

She was inherently attuned to nature. Only after her soul crossed into this world did she begin living truly as a human.

Her beautiful eyes glanced at the boy leaning on her shoulder, recalling his awkward, shy approach when they first met. That memory always made her smile.

“I’ll take responsibility!” That promise was, without a doubt, the best Natsuki could give her.

If she really became pregnant, would they have a little fox child? Su Rouxue had imagined it, but it was unlikely; her soul was fox, but her body was human. Only in special moments did her true form appear.

But—

Su Rouxue’s brow lifted slightly.

She’d been puzzled for nearly thirty years. After coming to this world, her previous memories had grown extremely vague. She knew she hadn’t truly forgotten; it was the seal deep in her mind that made recalling the past difficult.

After so many years, Su Rouxue gradually chose to let go. If she couldn’t remember, then she wouldn’t try. Since she was in the human world, she’d live as an ordinary person.

Yet for reasons unknown, she always felt that the boy on her shoulder had seemed familiar from the very first glance. That intense feeling drew her to him, irresistibly.

But about all this—how could she ever tell Natsuki? It hardly mattered anymore. Even if he knew her real identity, as long as he loved her, nothing else needed to be entangled.

Twenty minutes passed.

Natsuki was softly snoring, sound asleep.

Su Rouxue gently adjusted her shoulder, laying him onto a pillow. Then she quietly left the bedroom and went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.

“Huh?” Natsuki suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing no one at his bedside, he checked his phone and realized an hour had passed.

He got up and left the room, finding Su Rouxue already serving dishes on the dining table.

“Sorry, darling! Didn’t expect to sleep that long,” Natsuki said, scratching the back of his head and grinning sheepishly.

“It’s fine. If you’re tired, sleep a little more,” Su Rouxue replied with a smile.

“Hehe, you’re so thoughtful.”

Natsuki sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and eyed the dishes, raising his eyebrows. “Looks pretty good.”

“Actually, I used to cook for myself all the time. This past week, I’ve been learning a lot about cooking online, but I still feel I haven’t mastered it. You should try it,” Su Rouxue said, full of anticipation, hoping for affirmation.

“Alright, I’ll give it a taste. These sweet-and-sour ribs look great.”

With a chuckle, Natsuki picked up a rib and took a bite. But as the flavor melted on his tongue, something was off; his pupils widened, and he stopped chewing.

“What’s wrong, Natsuki?” Su Rouxue frowned.

“The taste is… unusual,” Natsuki replied with a wry smile, nevertheless forcing himself to swallow the meat.

Su Rouxue quickly tasted a rib herself, and her expression changed drastically.

“Oh no! I must’ve added too much soy sauce…”