She suddenly raised her head and looked at her mates. They only smiled at her, their eyes full of indulgence, but no longer like they were more than ten years ago, when just looking at her made them want her.
Ning Luo fell into confusion. She had spent more than ten years in the great forest, bearing more than ten children for these men. What had she done all of it for?
“Do you like it, Luo Luo?” someone asked.
“I like it,” Ning Luo answered.
Aimo looked pleased. “Then tomorrow we will have Gaien and Vigo buy more for you. We have plenty of beast hides and bones. We can exchange them for currency and trade.”
Ning Luo froze for a moment. Mata Kingdom even had currency now?
If she had gone to the Mata Kingdom back then, would her fate have been different?
That night, Ning Luo slept restlessly. In her dreams appeared a prosperous yet ancient city, filled with the very dresses and jewelry Aimo and Black Wolf had brought back for her.
Late at night, she woke with a start. She looked at the men sleeping around her. She was lying in Vigo’s arms. She had slept next to Vigo every night for many years now. Three years, or five years. She remembered that at the beginning, they used to take turns holding her while they slept.
She stared blankly. Vigo opened his eyes, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her forehead. “Why are you not asleep?”
“Vigo, you will not leave me, will you?” Ning Luo clutched him tightly.
Vigo smiled faintly. “My foolish Luo Luo, I would give up my life for you. How could I leave you? You are someone I traded my life for.”
Ning Luo closed her eyes in relief. Vigo would not abandon her. She believed him.
At dawn, Ming Jiu was gone.
The four men and Ning Luo all fell silent for a moment. Gaien said, “We will not go to the city today.”
From then on, Ning Luo needed Vigo to hold her every night before she could fall asleep.
Two days later, Gaien went to the city to look for the children and brought back good things that evening. Ning Luo could clearly feel that Gaien had changed.
“Vigo, do you want to go to the city and take a look?” Ning Luo asked.
Vigo kissed her lips. “I do not long for that place.” He meant it. He had always liked living in caves. Compared to wearing human clothes, he preferred not wearing anything at all. It felt more comfortable. He was not fond of houses by nature.
“Vigo, I feel like I am going to lose all of you.”
“Luo Luo, do not think nonsense. No matter what, I will never abandon you.”
Later, Aimo disappeared. Black Wolf left. In the end, even Gaien was gone.
The entire great forest was left with only Ning Luo and Vigo.
“Vigo, I want to eat those buns from the city,” Ning Luo said.
“I will go get them for you.”
Ning Luo pressed her lips together. “Let us go together.”
They entered the city one after the other. Ning Luo ate the buns she liked and bought beautiful dresses. In the end, she left the city and reunited with Vigo outside.
One morning, Vigo woke up to a cold emptiness beside him. Ning Luo was gone.
He stared at the vast cave for a long time. At last, he reverted to his true form, a massive snake, coiling himself in the cave and falling asleep. Snakes were solitary and cold blooded, creatures with no companions. They preferred to coil their cold bodies in caves and sleep. If they ever shared a bed with someone for many years, it would only be the one they loved most, or their food.
Ning Luo entered the city and blended into the crowd. She found work and did whatever she could to survive there.
Later, she saw her children. When they saw her, they hurriedly avoided her, as if afraid that getting close would get them expelled from the city. She also saw Ming Jiu, Black Wolf, Aimo, and Gaien. She pretended not to see them, and they pretended not to see her as well.
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