The General Under the Skirt - Chapter 22.3
Chapter 22.3
Huo Zhao didn’t take Shen Roujia to eat at the market. He thought the food wasn’t clean, so they returned home around noon.
He carried the bags of purchases effortlessly.
Their route home took them through a small forest. The path was slightly uneven, and the trees were lush and dense.
As they walked, Shen Roujia heard something. It was a faint sound, almost inaudible, like an animal’s cry. They followed the sound and found a small puppy lying in the grass. It was tiny and barely able to stand. Its fur was matted, and it whimpered weakly—a pitiful sight.
“What a cute puppy!”
Its fur was grayish-yellow, and its eyes were a misty blue, incredibly endearing.
Shen Roujia reached out and petted the little creature’s head. It didn’t resist but nuzzled closer to her.
Shen Roujia’s heart melted.
Little girls were always drawn to fluffy creatures.
Huo Zhao frowned slightly. “That’s not a puppy,” he said suddenly.
Shen Roujia looked at him, confused.
“It’s a wolf cub,” he continued.
Shen Roujia’s hand froze. She couldn’t imagine this weak, adorable creature that she wanted to hold and never let go of being related to those ferocious animals.
“This forest is large. There are wolves and leopard cats. Wolf mothers rarely leave their cubs. This one is alone, so it probably escaped, and the leopard cats haven’t found it yet.”
Shen Roujia continued petting the cub’s soft fur. “Will it survive on its own?”
Huo Zhao replied, “No.”
Shen Roujia pouted and looked at him with pleading eyes.
Huo Zhao understood immediately. He was standing and she was squatting, her eyes filled with a silent plea. He hesitated, the refusal on the tip of his tongue, but then he relented.
“Let’s take it back with us.”
Shen Roujia happily scooped up the tiny creature. It was clearly a newborn; she didn’t know how it had survived this long. Holding the cub’s paws, she asked, “Are you happy now that you’re safe?”
Of course, the wolf cub didn’t understand her words. It whimpered and licked her hand.
Shen Roujia held the cub close. Surprisingly, it didn’t resist; it was docile. “Brother Yu, let’s walk faster. What if we encounter wild animals?”
Huo Zhao said, “It’s alright, the animals in this forest usually don’t attack people.”
Shen Roujia stroked the cub’s fur. “Don’t worry. Even if wild animals come, we’ll be okay. Brother Yu can defeat them. I promise.”
She turned to Huo Zhao and asked, “Right, Brother Yu?”
“…Right.”
He didn’t understand why the little girl had such unwavering faith in him. He didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise.
They walked through the forest. The wolf cub was nestled safely in Shen Roujia’s arms, and its warmth was comforting to her.
As they walked, she slowed down. They had been walking for a long time, and, unlike Huo Zhao, she was tired.
“What’s wrong? Tired?”
Shen Roujia nodded and said, “Brother Yu, why don’t we take a break?”
Huo Zhao glanced at her ankles, then looked into her eyes.
“Come on, I’ll carry you.”
Shen Roujia’s first instinct was to refuse. “No, no need. I can walk.”
He was already carrying a lot and didn’t seem tired. She was only holding a small wolf cub; she couldn’t possibly ask him to carry her as well.
Huo Zhao pointed at the wolf cub and said, “Just put it on my shoulder.”
In the end, both Shen Roujia and the wolf cub ended up on Huo Zhao’s back. Like Shen Roujia, the cub was well-behaved. As they walked, Shen Roujia suddenly realized how close the cub’s mouth was to Brother Yu’s neck. Images of a bloody attack flashed through her mind. She gently turned the cub’s head away and was satisfied only when she felt it was safe.
“Such a loving husband,” said a passing farmer herding his cattle.
Huo Zhao, under the midday sun and carrying a large bag, a girl, and a ‘dog’ on his back, didn’t look the least bit flustered thanks to his height, long legs, and handsome features.
“It’s fine; she’s as light as a feather,” he replied casually.
Shen Roujia blushed. After the farmer left, she whispered in his ear, “Brother Yu, are you tired?”
“Not really,” he said.
“I can walk,” she said.
“Don’t push yourself with those skinny legs.”
Shen Roujia pursed her lips and remained silent. She rested her head against his back. Her heart pounded and her face flushed as she felt worried for him and strangely happy.
No one had ever carried her before, not even her father.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached home.
The shadow guard hiding in the tree by the gate was so startled by the scene that he almost fell out. In his mind, Huo Zhao was an imposing figure; he had never imagined the general could be so… domestic.
However, he was well-trained, so he maintained his composure. He mentally filed Shen Roujia under ‘General’s Wife’ and remained motionless in his hiding spot.
Huo Zhao put Shen Roujia and the cub down, then carried the purchases into her room. “Put these away. I’m going to cook,” he said.
“Okay!”
Having been carried most of the way back, Shen Roujia wasn’t tired. After putting away the things he had bought for her, she found a basin and filled it with water.
She placed the wolf cub by the basin, and it immediately began lapping up the water, its pink tongue darting out. It seemed very thirsty; she didn’t know how long it had been alone in the grass.
Shen Roujia crouched beside it. “Even though your family is gone, I’ll take care of you from now on,” she said.
The little wolf cub had grayish-yellow fur, much like an ordinary puppy. It had short legs, a chubby body, and soft fur. It looked at her with pitiful eyes; the fur around its mouth was wet from drinking.
It looked less than a month old, and its small size and weak cries suggested that it hadn’t eaten in a while. Even after drinking its fill, it whimpered at Shen Roujia, clearly still hungry. Before she could react, Huo Zhao emerged from the kitchen carrying a basin of chopped chicken meat.
“It’s still young. It probably can’t chew bones,” he explained.
The smell of meat was irresistible to the cub. It immediately began eating, its small body trembling with eagerness and letting out soft growls.
Huo Zhao stroked the cub’s head and sighed. “Another mouth to feed.”
Unlike humans, wolves were carnivores, and their appetites grew with age. An ordinary family couldn’t afford to raise a wolf.
“Brother Yu, what should we name it?” Shen Roujia asked.
Huo Zhao played with the cub’s soft ears. “It’s so yellow. Let’s call it Da Huang.”
Shen Roujia thought the name was too common. “Many dogs are called Da Huang. It’s a wolf; shouldn’t it have a more impressive name?”
Huo Zhao suggested, “Then how about Huang Ba? Ba Ba for short. That’s impressive.”
Shen Roujia shook her head and said, “No, I don’t like it.
It sounded too rustic, like a country wolf.
She didn’t say that out loud, though, for fear of hurting his feelings.
“Then what do you suggest?”
“How about Yu Xiaoya?”
Huo Zhao asked.
“Why the surname Yu?”
“Because you saved it, so it should take your surname.”
Huo Zhao realized that Yu seemed to be his surname, which he would have almost forgotten if Shen Roujia hadn’t mentioned it.
“But you’re the one who found it. Why not use your surname?”
Shen Roujia stroked the cub’s other ear, then paused when a thought struck her. She turned to Huo Zhao, her expression serious.
Huo Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. “?”
“Brother Yu, do you know my name?”
“…”
Seeing that he remained silent, Shen Roujia felt wronged. She puffed out her cheeks and muttered angrily, “I’ve been living with you for so long, and you’ve never even asked me what my name is.”
She didn’t dare consider the reason why he hadn’t asked.
She was just a stranger—a fleeting encounter. There was no need to exchange names. Once her injuries healed, she would leave, and they would part ways, never to meet again. Their brief connection would be erased.
Shen Roujia had always tried to stop herself from thinking about these things.
Because Brother Yu had treated her so well—so well, in fact, that she sometimes felt she had gotten carried away.
It felt only natural to think that she must be important to Brother Yu, too. After all, they had lived together like family, sharing each day side by side.
Sometimes, she even felt like it didn’t matter if she ever went home again. Staying by Brother Yu’s side forever might not be such a bad thing.
But deep down, she always knew—it was all just wishful thinking.
Brother Yu had only saved her by chance. If he had rescued another girl back then, today might look exactly the same.
Brother Yu was simply a good person by nature. His kindness toward her wasn’t because she was special. He would have been that way with anyone.
Having been hurt so much, Shen Roujia had become especially sensitive to the feelings of others.
In this case, however, she had definitely over thought it.
Huo Zhao hadn’t asked her name, not because he didn’t care but because it just wasn’t his habit.
As for why he saved her, it was out of a sense of justice and duty.
As for why he treated her so kindly, perhaps only Huo Zhao himself knew the answer.
A/N:
Huo Zhao: Think what you want; it’s none of your business!
Sometime later…
Huo Zhao: I was wrong. Wifey, please listen to my explanation.
Note: Geese don’t have teeth. The ‘teeth’ mentioned in the story refer to the serrated edges of their beaks. Since the story is from the female lead’s perspective and she doesn’t know what they are, she assumes they are teeth.