Skadi, My Wife

"Sure."

Chen An opened his drink, took a sip, and smiled. "There's nothing else to do anyway. If you all like it, I'm fine with anything."

Chen An's answer made Exusiai very satisfied, but also very dissatisfied.

She gulped down the rest of the drink in the can, let out a cute burp, neatly tossed the empty can aside, and sprang to her feet. With her hands on her hips, she glared down at Chen An with an extremely fierce expression.

"What do you mean, whatever everyone else likes is fine? Why do you always answer like that? Can't you have some preferences of your own and let other people go along with you for once?"

How could someone be like that? Always accommodating others and taking whatever came his way—he was bound to get bullied!

Exusiai was standing very close. Her snowy white belly and delicate navel were right within reach.

If he poked her waist, she would probably get so ticklish that she rolled around on the beach, right?

With that thought in mind, Chen An mischievously touched the icy drink can in his hand to Exusiai's waist.

"Wah!"

The icy sensation made Exusiai shudder. Her momentum instantly weakened, and she could no longer keep up that aggressive expression.

"Seriously? I was talking to you properly, and you teased me like that? I'm ignoring you!"

Looking at Chen An's cheerful grin, Exusiai stomped her foot angrily. Then she shot him a glare and stormed off in a huff.

But she came back again not long after.

She still had her hands on her hips, still stood above him, and still wore a fierce expression. "I'll give you another chance! Let me ask again. I think this place is nice. How about we come here again tomorrow?"

"Fine, if you all like it."

It was still the same answer as before. Chen An paused, then added, "I'm not interested in games, but I'm willing to play with you because you're happy when we play together. I'm not particularly attached to watching TV either, but when Skadi and Texas drag me into binge-watching shows with them, I never refuse, because having me watch with them puts them in a good mood even if the show itself isn't that good. Coming here is a hassle, in my opinion, but if you all like it, I won't refuse either. Because it makes you happy."

He smiled at Exusiai, his tone completely ordinary. "It's not that I have no thoughts of my own, and it's not that I'm being forced to do things I dislike. Exusiai, no one can make me do something I don't want to do. I agree to you all every time only because it makes you happy, and when you're happy, I'm happy too. Understand?"

"Ah..." Exusiai moved her lips, and her heart began pounding wildly, like a startled deer.

She knew Chen An was not saying sweet nothings. He was only explaining because he had seen that she was upset over the misunderstanding.

Even so, she still felt strange.

That strange feeling was like her heart had turned into cotton candy—soft and sweet.

Her hands unconsciously slipped behind her back. Exusiai avoided Chen An's gaze as she stammered, and the sudden shyness made her want to turn around and run away.

But she did not.

Wouldn't running away like this make it look as though she had something to hide? Besides, Exusiai would never be defeated by words that did not even count as sweet talk and flee in embarrassment!

Miss Exusiai puffed out her chest stubbornly, her voice incredibly loud—or so she thought. "Don't think you can fool your way past this just by saying that. Let me tell you..."

"Tell him what?" Texas happened to walk over and asked curiously.

"Texas has a tail, so her swimsuit is specially made. If you lift her tail, you can see her butt—ow!"

Seeing Exusiai, who clearly did not know what to say either, panic and blurt out Texas's little secret after Texas interrupted her, only to be knocked flat by an embarrassed and angry punch from Texas, Chen An froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

A few days later.

In a room on the second floor of the house.

Chen An, Skadi, and Exusiai sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at one another.

After the silence lingered for a while, Exusiai, the one who could least stand this kind of atmosphere, spoke up to break it. "How about I go talk to Texas and have her kick that woman who's supposedly the mayor's daughter out?"

"Good idea!"

Chen An gave Exusiai a thumbs-up, then mercilessly rejected it. "But no. She's a guest, after all, and not an unwelcome one. Since she isn't an unwelcome guest, how can we drive her out? That's not how you treat guests."

"Treat my ass!"

Exusiai could not help swearing. She raised a hand and slapped Chen An in irritation. "It's all your fault! Why did you even talk to her that day? You told her all that stuff, even told her where we lived. Now look what happened! She comes to block our door every day, hoping you'll help persuade her father, but you refuse. And then... Hmph, I'm telling you, if she treats our home like a café again today and stays drinking tea and reading until evening before leaving, I'm not staying here with you. I'm going out to have fun by myself."

There was something else too. Exusiai suspected Chen An had some kind of rich-lady-attracting aura.

He had known Swire back in Lungmen, and now that they had come to Siesta, he had already met the mayor's daughter after only a short time. This ability to meet rich ladies was not scientific!

Chen An looked utterly innocent. "It concerns the safety of the city. I couldn't pretend I knew nothing and just watch the city get into trouble, could I? Besides..."

He sighed, sounding deeply moved. "I gave her the address because I wanted that girl named Schwarz to come see me for treatment. Who knew Miss Schwarz would not come, while this young lady would come every day? Haven't I already told her everything I know? I really don't know why she keeps coming to find someone as useless as me."

"Then... then should I go beat her up?"

Skadi was a good girl—gentle, honest, and obedient. Aside from being so strong that she could easily demolish the house by accident, there was nothing wrong with her personality.

But that only applied when she was around Chen An and Chen An was not in trouble.

Otherwise, as an Abyssal Hunter who believed in charging straight ahead whenever things were uncertain, Skadi was not exactly mild-tempered.

She solemnly offered her opinion. "That person looks weak. If I beat her up a few times and scare her, she won't come bother you anymore, Chen An."

Chen An: "..."

Exusiai: "..."

Exusiai burst out laughing. Her own suggestion had already been impolite enough, but Skadi's method was even less polite.

Chen An glared fiercely at Skadi. Beating her up once was unreliable enough, yet Skadi wanted to do it several times. With Skadi's strength, she could send someone straight into intensive care!

"Ugh, stop pinching my face~"

Chen An unapologetically twisted Skadi's wonderfully soft cheek as punishment for her terrible suggestion, then jumped off the bed.

"Looks like we can only sacrifice Texas today and have her deal with that young lady."

"Then what do we do?"

Chen An said nothing. His gaze shifted toward the balcony nearby.

The room was on the second floor, and the drop from the balcony was only a few meters.

An ordinary person could land safely from that height as long as they were careful. For Chen An and the other two, it was naturally effortless.

Chen An nimbly dropped from the second-floor balcony to the ground, then looked up at the two on the balcony.

"Alright, I'm down. You two hurry up too. If we get spotted, we won't be able to sneak away."

"Coming, coming."

Exusiai answered as she braced herself against the balcony and sat down on its edge.

Chen An blinked. "Exusiai, you're not thinking of jumping down like that, are you?"

She was sitting on the balcony with her butt planted on the edge, in a ladylike posture. How could she possibly put any force into a jump from that position?

Even if the balcony was not high, she should at least stand on the outside edge. If not, standing on the balcony itself would do. Give the balcony some respect, at least!

Exusiai said nothing. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped.

"!?"

Startled by Exusiai's suicidal-looking leap, Chen An hurriedly stepped forward and reached out to catch her.

His arms sank under the weight, but Chen An reacted quickly enough to catch the blindly jumping Exusiai securely.

Looking down at Exusiai, who was still closing her eyes in his arms, Chen An was a little angry. "What are you doing? Who jumps like that? What if I hadn't caught you and you got hurt?"

Exusiai opened her eyes. Seeing Chen An's angry expression, she blinked, and the corners of her lips quietly lifted.

"You're so naggy."

She pretended not to care as she stood up from Chen An's arms, then waved a hand and said energetically, "It's only the second floor. How could anyone get hurt from that? Besides, weren't you down here? I trusted that you'd catch me. That's trust. Trust."

Exusiai emphasized the word "trust" twice.

"I think you're just making trouble for no reason!"

Chen An shot Exusiai a fierce glare, then looked back upstairs.

"Ska...!? Skadi, you're not thinking of making me catch you like Exusiai did, are you?"

Suddenly alarmed, Chen An stared at Skadi, who was sitting on the balcony in the same posture Exusiai had used earlier. His face darkened.

Skadi said nothing. Her eyes curved slightly, and her smile bloomed like a flower. She looked delighted.

Orca Feeling Wronged.jpg, Cute!

Chen An suffered a devastating blow.

The reason was that Skadi had really copied Exusiai and jumped down from the second floor for him to catch.

Supporting his waist, Chen An walked down the street on unsteady feet, looking like a frail man who did not have long to live.

Skadi was too heavy. His body could not handle it.

Skadi looked a little wronged. "Why are you acting like that? I'm not heavy anymore. I've been wearing the necklace the whole time."

...Right!

Suddenly realizing it, Chen An remembered that he had given Skadi a necklace long ago, which had sent her ***-kilogram weight plummeting. She now weighed only around fifty kilograms, not much different from Exusiai. His face immediately lit up. His waist no longer hurt, his legs no longer ached, and he straightened up, walking with renewed vigor.

Skadi looked even more wronged. He obviously knew already, and he could feel it when he held her, yet he still acted like this. Bad person!

Exusiai could not stand it anymore. "Skadi listens to you so well and treats you so nicely, yet you're always bullying her. Doesn't your conscience hurt?"

His conscience?

Chen An theatrically raised a hand to his chest and spoke solemnly. "My conscience tells me that Skadi is very cute when she gets bullied, and it feels no guilt over bullying her."

Exusiai could not help looking at the aggrieved Skadi, and she froze.

With her lips pouted and cheeks puffed out, looking so pitiful that one could not help sympathizing with her, Skadi's aggrieved expression really was rather cute.

...No, no!

Exusiai shook her head hard and glared at Chen An. "You almost led me astray! No matter how cute she is, you still shouldn't bully Skadi!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Chen An answered perfunctorily. "Then I won't bully Skadi next time. I'll bully you instead."

Exusiai flew into a rage. "You're not allowed to bully me either!"

Then her anger faded, and she changed the subject. "Bullying Texas would be better. That cold Lupo would definitely be fun to bully."

"Well said! I'll tell Texas that as soon as we get back."

"!? I'll beat you up!"

"Whoa, you're actually throwing hands!"

Skadi tilted her head as she watched the two of them start bickering and fighting beside her. The aggrieved feeling in her heart suddenly grew lighter.

Everyone was so happy. Days like this were wonderful.

Love was like a tornado... Sorry, wrong script. Accidents always came out of nowhere.

Accidents always came out of nowhere.

After selling out Texas against their consciences and leaving her at home to deal with the persistent guest, Chen An and the other two secretly slipped out.

As they walked down the street, the three bickered while discussing where they would go have fun later—mostly Exusiai doing the talking.

Just as Exusiai was speaking with great excitement, gesturing animatedly, the unexpected happened.

Chen An froze when he saw Schwarz standing in their path, dressed lightly with her legs and navel exposed, her face expressionless. Then he gave an awkward laugh.

"Miss Schwarz, why are you here? Did you come to see me for treatment?"

Exusiai nudged Chen An with her elbow and lowered her voice. "Hey, this Feline looks like she's up to no good. She's here to cause trouble, isn't she?"

She might not necessarily be here to cause trouble, but her purpose definitely had something to do with trouble.

Muttering to himself, Chen An discreetly shifted his right foot half a step back, preparing to run at any moment.

Chen An had guessed correctly. Schwarz was not here to cause trouble. She had come under her master's orders to invite Chen An.

Schwarz spoke respectfully. "Sir, my master is very grateful for your advice to Miss, as well as your aid to the Infected citizens in the city, allowing..."