Skadi, My Wife

She swiftly bent down to pick up Lappland's fallen weapon, then quickly retreated again, putting distance between herself and Lappland.

Gripping the hilt and testing how the weapon felt in her hand, Skadi found it barely acceptable. She cautiously glanced at Lappland. Seeing that Lappland was still questioning her life choices and showed no sign of reclaiming her weapon, Skadi happily handed it to Chen An.

"Chen An, a watermelon knife."

"Good job!"

Chen An gave Skadi a thumbs-up, took the sword from her, and began cutting the watermelon.

Skadi Feels Wronged, but Says Nothing

Because Chen An refused to play by the rules.

Lappland had let her guard down for a moment, and her beloved weapon had become a watermelon knife.

She was extremely displeased, but there was nothing she could do about Chen An, for two reasons.

First, Chen An was Texas's friend. Although she had planned today's kidnapping, she had never intended to do anything to Chen An. She had only wanted to use him to lure Texas out. Besides, although Chen An had gotten the better of her in the end, he had cooperated with her all along before that.

Lappland had to acknowledge that favor.

Second, there was Skadi.

According to rumors Lappland had heard before, Skadi was exceptionally strong. Lappland had no idea why she had suddenly stopped being a Bounty Hunter and come to Lungmen with that idiot doctor Chen An to live as an ordinary person, but judging from how she had snatched the weapon earlier, the rumors of her strength were clearly true.

Lappland had no grudge against her, and she still needed to see Texas later. She did not want to fight Skadi to the death over such a trivial matter as having her weapon stolen and used as a watermelon knife—gritting her teeth.

So despite her displeasure, Lappland ultimately chose to let it go. She squatted beside the sliced watermelon with Chen An and Skadi and started eating—the watermelon cut with her weapon. Why should she not eat it!?

Turning her anger into appetite, Lappland devoured half a watermelon in one go. And she had to admit, it was ridiculously sweet.

Wiping her mouth with her hand, she looked at Chen An beside her. He had stopped after eating one piece of watermelon and had been smiling at Skadi the whole time, his gaze gentle as he occasionally wiped her mouth for her. Lappland suddenly felt strange.

Half an hour ago, she had thought Chen An was the sort of person who had never been beaten down by reality, who did not understand how sinister people could be, and was therefore naive, kind, and completely defenseless.

But now, she realized there was a serious problem with her opinion of Chen An.

Putting Skadi aside for the moment, there was just the imposing aura Chen An had displayed when she refused to lend him a knife and he had pretended to intimidate her.

Cold and dangerous.

If Chen An truly had never experienced anything, his aura could not possibly have fooled even her into thinking he was really about to turn hostile.

And then there was this kidnapping.

She had always thought Chen An had not realized why she had brought him here, which was why he had seemed so carefree. She had even secretly mocked him for being stupid and having no sense of caution.

But now she realized that was impossible. Even if Chen An really was stupid and careless, Skadi, who had once been a Bounty Hunter, could not possibly be the same.

Yet Skadi had shown nothing from beginning to end... except for snatching the weapon to cut watermelon!

Nor had she warned Chen An. Clearly, she trusted him completely, believed in his judgment, and could almost be said to obey him blindly.

If Skadi was willing to place so much trust in him, how could Chen An possibly be an idiot?

He had probably known her intentions from the very beginning. He had not come with her to this remote abandoned factory because he lacked caution or had been fooled by her; he had come willingly.

But why?

After learning she had met Chen An, had Texas and the others not warned him to stay away from her? Had they not told him that she was a lunatic who could suddenly go mad at any moment?

Impossible!

From Exusiai and Texas's attitudes back then, Lappland knew they definitely would have told Chen An about her, perhaps even exaggerated things, warning him that if he ever saw her again, he had to stay as far away as possible—the farther, the better!

Since he knew, why was Chen An still willing to go along with her? Why was his attitude toward her exactly the same as it had been at the beginning?

Lappland racked her brains, but could not find an answer.

As if she had heard Lappland's inner confusion, Skadi suddenly asked, "Chen An, when are we going home?"

"Wait a little longer. Once Texas gets here, we can probably leave."

Skadi glanced at Lappland and asked bluntly, "Come to think of it, why did we come here with her?"

She had not asked on the way here, because when Lappland had come knocking and said to Chen An, "Handsome guy, I need your help with something. Could you come with me?" Chen An had agreed without a second thought.

Skadi never objected to Chen An's actions, though she occasionally asked about them afterward. This was one of those times.

Because she called me handsome.

Chen An muttered inwardly, but did not intend to explain. Explaining would make it too easy for people to think he had no principles.

"!?"

So Chen An liked being called handsome? If people praised him, they could make requests of him?

Suddenly catching on, Skadi's eyes sparkled. Without hesitation, she said, "Chen An, you're so handsome! I like you so much. When we get back, shall we get together?"

"In your dreams!"

Chen An rejected her without hesitation, his face full of disdain. "What were you doing before? You come at me with this now? Do you think I'm that easy? Go play somewhere else."

Other people could make requests after praising him, so why could she not? He was playing favorites!

Skadi felt terribly wronged, but she said nothing.

Lappland: "..."

The fur on her tail felt like it was standing on end. A deeply unpleasant sensation swept through Lappland, making her whole body shiver and raising goosebumps.

She unconsciously rubbed her arm, baring her teeth as an inexplicable urge rose up in her to pick up the weapon beside her and slash Chen An and Skadi with it.

At that moment, Chen An looked over with a bright smile. "Oh, right. I forgot to mention it. When I went to the Lower District today, Yu Xia and the others told me that someone from out of town had been asking about me these past few days. They said the person seemed to want to do something to me and told me to be careful. I asked around a bit. That person was probably you, right?"

Lappland's eyes fell on the weapon beside her as she replied casually, "Yeah. Got a problem with that?"

"No. I just wanted to tell you that since they didn't know our relationship, Yu Xia and the others seemed to have misunderstood you. I already explained things for you. Also, if you ever want to know anything about me, or if you run into any trouble and need help, you can just come ask me. If I can say it or do it, I won't refuse."

Lappland raised a brow and sneered mockingly. "Our relationship? What relationship do we have? Did you get something wrong?"

Chen An replied as though it were only natural, "We're friends."

Lappland: "..."

She suddenly found it absurd, because she could tell Chen An had been serious when he said, "We're friends."

He seemed to genuinely regard her as a friend.

He had met her only once, and anyone could tell she was a dangerous lunatic, yet he considered her a friend. Was this guy really an idiot?

Lappland did not know. She merely burst out laughing. "You actually said we're friends? You idiot, do you know that Texas, who used to be my friend, does not even want to see me now? Aren't you afraid that one day I'll suddenly go mad, stab you with a knife, and kill you?"

Chen An looked at Lappland's long-bladed weapon, then at Skadi. With a probing mindset, he asked solemnly, "Nail clippers count as knives too. Could you use nail clippers if you stab me? Your weapon is too long, and I'm kind of afraid of pain."

Lappland: "..."

Her wild laughter came to an abrupt halt as she stared at Chen An in disbelief.

What did this guy mean? Was he not afraid?

She did not ask, and she did not want to ask. She no longer even felt like mocking Chen An for being an idiot.

Silently picking up her weapon, Lappland walked off to the side.

She did not want to speak to Chen An anymore, because she was certain this guy really was an idiot.

Help, Texas! Lappland Wants to Violate Me!

Rushing all the way, Texas finally reached the address Lappland had given her within an hour.

Kicking open the door blocking her way, Texas gripped her sword and strode into the abandoned factory.

Once inside, she saw Chen An.

Sitting on the ground back-to-back with Skadi, he was looking up and saying something to Lappland, who sat high above him. He seemed to be pleading with her, but Lappland barely acknowledged him and would not even look at him.

As for Skadi, she was leaning against his back with her head lowered, showing no reaction at all, as though she had been injured and passed out.

Texas's pupils contracted and trembled. The expression of the usually impassive Texas twisted viciously the instant she saw Chen An and Skadi.

Especially when she saw the delight on Chen An's face after he noticed her arrival, her eyes nearly became those of a savage beast ready to devour someone.

"Lappland, I clearly told you to stay away from him..."

She clenched her teeth and drew her sword, struggling to restrain the reason that was nearly being torn apart by rage and killing intent.

"And yet you dare—"

Texas wanted to say, You dare try to hurt him, but Chen An gave her no chance.

Chen An suddenly shouted, "Texas, come save me! Lappland said I'm too handsome and wants to drag me home to warm her bed! But you know I've always sold my body, not my art. I'm not an easy man! But she wouldn't listen. She said if she couldn't have my heart, she would have my body, and if she couldn't have my body, she would destroy my body! So hurry up and save me!"

He shouted with tears and snot streaming down his face, overcome with grief and indignation, as though his innocence really was about to be stolen.

Lappland: "..."

Texas: "..."

The suffocatingly grim atmosphere that had filled the factory vanished. Both women, who had already prepared for battle, were caught completely off guard.

Lappland stood up on the second-floor railing, looking crazed as though she was about to say something, but lost her balance and fell from above.

Finally unable to endure Chen An's shameless, utterly deranged words any longer, she got back to her feet and shouted furiously, "Shut up! Who wants your body? Keep spouting nonsense and I'll kill you, carve you into one thousand and eight pieces with my sword, got it!?"

Texas stood frozen. As a warrior, she actually failed to keep hold of the sword in her hand, and it fell to the ground with a clang.

—Movement!

At the instant Texas's sword hit the ground, Skadi, who had been leaning back against Chen An with her head lowered and had accidentally fallen asleep while waiting too long for Texas, suddenly opened her eyes, her expression turning incomparably stern.

With a fierce exertion of both arms, Skadi broke free from the ropes wrapped around her for show. In an instant, she vanished from where she stood and appeared before Texas.

Then—

She casually scooped up Texas's fallen sword and ran back to Chen An with the wind at her heels.

Holding up the sword to Chen An as though presenting treasure, she said happily, "Chen An, look! A new watermelon knife. We still have one watermelon left, so let's use this to cut it up and eat it."

Chen An: "..."

"Are you an idiot!? We agreed to cooperate with Lappland and let her be a cool kidnapper! What the hell was that? Do you have any respect for her at all? Even if it's just an act, kidnappers have their pride too, okay?!"

Chen An jumped up and berated Skadi with heartfelt anguish for a few sentences, then promptly took the sword from her and efficiently started cutting the second watermelon.

Scolding was scolding, but the watermelon still had to be eaten.

"Ow!"

Just then, Exusiai ran into the abandoned factory and saw the scene. She was moving too fast and had not been prepared for it, so she blanked out, tripped, and fell face-first onto the ground in a sorry state.

The incident repeated itself.

As the watermelon was cut into eighteen slices, a new watermelon-eating gathering began.

The only two differences from before were that the watermelon knife had changed from Lappland's sword to Texas's sword, and there were now two more people eating watermelon.

Worth mentioning was that Lappland had not wanted to eat watermelon this time, but after Chen An sweet-talked her for a bit, she somehow ended up joining the watermelon-eating crowd anyway.

"Ohhh, so that's how it was."

Eating sweet watermelon while listening to Chen An explain everything that had happened today, Miss Exusiai suddenly understood. "So Texas rushed out because she thought Lappland had kidnapped you. But she actually didn't. Lappland just invited you here as a guest, right?"

"More or less."

Chen An took a bite of watermelon and glanced at Exusiai. "It makes sense for Texas to come, but why did you come too, Exusiai? Wasn't Texas the only one who knew about this?"

"I was looking through the kitchen fridge for something to drink when I saw Texas rush out. I was worried something had happened to her, so I secretly followed her."

After explaining, Exusiai put on a stern face and lectured Chen An as though she were disappointed in him. "Do you have even a shred of caution!? Lappland tells you to come, and you just follow her? Weren't you afraid she really had bad intentions and was actually kidnapping you?"

"Who are you looking down on? If I hadn't wanted to come myself, who could possibly kidnap me?"

Chen An gave Exusiai a contemptuous look, then smugly began boasting. "Back in the day, I was the Demon King known as the World's Handsome One. I couldn't even be bothered with petty things like murder and arson. The evil deeds I committed were always world-destroying on a scale you can't imagine. Understand?"

"Pah, shameless! A Demon King? A Demon King who gets chased all over the place by little punks? You just want to brag about being handsome!"

"Shallow!"