The black wolf was very clever and could draw inferences from one instance.
Last time, Zhu Sansan deliberately went an hour early to pick carrots.
So this time, he also set off an hour early to intercept Zhu Sansan at the apple orchard.
Yao Zuizui lay comfortably in his arms, murmuring incessantly, “Eat apples, eat apples~”
For some reason, Yao Zuizui hadn’t been this gluttonous or sleepy before.
Perhaps she had picked up some pig-like habits, which made her particularly fond of eating and sleeping in.
As the black wolf walked, she hummed a little song she made up the whole way, all about her anticipation for apples.
The apples in fairy tales were fragrant and crisp, bursting with sweet juice when bitten—her absolute favorite.
The black wolf watched her little head swaying happily and felt utterly speechless.
Apples? They were nowhere near as tasty as meat. What a naive little pig.
From afar, the black wolf spotted Zhu Sansan picking apples.
Zhu Sansan saw them too.
She had already stripped the entire orchard bare, leaving the branches completely bare.
The black wolf set Yao Zuizui down and began sprinting toward Zhu Sansan.
Zhu Sansan was clearly startled. She turned and bolted, grabbing an apple from her basket and hurling it in the opposite direction.
The apple was big, red, and exuded a sweet fragrance.
Gritting his teeth, the black wolf changed course and ran toward the apple, abandoning his pursuit of Zhu Sansan.
He thought, *The pig can be chased another day. But if I miss this apple, it’ll be a long time before the tree bears fruit again.*
By then, the little pig might already be in his stomach, unable to eat any apples.
So, he decided to grab this apple for her first—after all, she’d been talking about it all morning.
By the time the black wolf retrieved the apple, Zhu Sansan had long vanished.
But Yao Zuizui was thrilled—she finally had her apple!
As she munched on the sweet, crisp fruit, she began pondering her mission in this world.
She needed to make Suhei’s soul fragment fall in love with her, using pure love to cleanse the “gluttony” ingrained in his bones.
The black wolf was treating her better and better lately—had he already started developing feelings for her?
“What are you staring at? If it weren’t for this apple, I would’ve caught her already!” The black wolf glared fiercely at Yao Zuizui.
“The apple is delicious! Thank you, my lord.” Yao Zuizui mumbled through a mouthful of apple, her words slightly slurred. As she spoke, a faint, sweet apple scent drifted into the black wolf’s nose.
“Hmph.” The black wolf stiffly turned his head away. “Let’s go, time to catch that little pig!”
—
The black wolf carried the well-fed, now-sleeping little pig to Zhu Sansan’s doorstep.
“Little pig, there’s a market in town this afternoon. Want to go?”
Zhu Sansan answered from inside, “Sure! Let’s leave at three!”
“Fine. See you then.” The black wolf agreed, baring his teeth in a sinister grin.
That afternoon, Zhu Sansan left early to buy a barrel of butter at the market—filled to the brim.
The black wolf waited for her along the only path to the market.
Zhu Sansan was cunning, nothing like his own naive little pig, so he had to be extra careful.
The black wolf was facing the direction Zhu Sansan would come from, but she was actually on her way *back* home.
So, with his back turned, he didn’t see her.
But Zhu Sansan spotted him and immediately panicked, diving into the butter barrel.
The barrel was huge—more than enough to fit a little pig.
Once inside, the barrel began rolling down the hillside, all the way to the foot of the mountain.
If this were an ordinary fairy-tale wolf, he’d be scared half to death.
But the black wolf wasn’t ordinary—inside him was a fragment of the great demon king Suhei’s soul. So, without hesitation, he prepared to chase the barrel.
But Yao Zuizui was different. She hadn’t forgotten her mission to flirt with the demon king, and this was the perfect opportunity.
So she transformed into a young girl and threw herself into the black wolf’s arms.
Her fair, delicate skin contrasted starkly against his long, shaggy fur, making her glow even brighter.
Her shimmering eyes gazed up at him—bright, lovely, and trembling slightly with feigned fear.
*This little pig… so scared she transformed?*
The black wolf scoffed but felt oddly unsettled.
Holding her as a pig had never felt strange, but now, embracing a delicate girl, some primal instinct stirred within him.
Her warmth, her sweet scent—apple and carrot, but no trace of meat—filled his senses.
For the first time, he wondered if fruits and vegetables could smell even better than meat.
Yao Zuizui pressed her lithe body against his, shivering, making the black wolf feel increasingly… odd.
*She’s a pig. My food.*
He quickly pushed her away. “Stand properly. It’s just a butter barrel—why are you so scared?”
“My lord… I’m scared…” Her misty eyes wavered like moonlight on water.
“Scared of what? With me here, what’s there to fear?” He poked her forehead, leaving a red mark.
*Why is her skin so soft?!*
A pang of guilt struck him—not for her, but for *his future meal* being bruised.
“Wahhh…” Yao Zuizui plopped down and burst into tears.
She was a pig—spoiled, sensitive, and prone to crying.
She’d cry as loudly as she wanted, just to teach him a lesson.
Her wailing threw the black wolf into chaos.
“Hey! Stop crying!” *If she keeps this up, all the moisture will drain from the meat!*
Ignoring him, she cried harder.
“Keep crying, and I’ll eat you right now!” he snarled.
Yao Zuizui immediately stopped, her teary eyes blinking up at him. “My forehead hurts… rub it…”
The black wolf glanced at his sharp claws. *How am I supposed to rub it with these?*
“Rub it!” she insisted, pouting stubbornly.
Defeated, the black wolf transformed—his claws shifting into long, elegant fingers.
His warm, dry hand touched her cool forehead.
The moment their skin met, something electric shot through his veins, straight to his heart.
He yanked his hand back. “There. Done.”
Yao Zuizui puffed her cheeks. “No, it’s not!”
“Turn back into a pig, and I’ll rub it properly.” He turned away, avoiding her shimmering gaze.
*This human-form pig is too strange.*
And it was making *him* feel strange too…
—
The black wolf was starving.
Winter was approaching, and prey was becoming scarce.
Every time he saw his little pig napping at home, he wanted to take a bite.
But she was his winter reserve—he couldn’t eat her yet.
“Little pig, come here.” He beckoned with a paw.
Yao Zuizui obediently trotted over, hopping onto the couch beside him and tilting her head.
“Let me lick you a few times, okay?” The black wolf was desperate—she smelled *so* good.
Overflowing with the scent of meat, he could barely restrain himself.
Yao Zuizui nodded reluctantly. As a domesticated pig, could she really refuse?
“I’ll just lick, I promise I won’t eat you!” He needed to reassure her—if she ran away, that’d be worse.
Still nodding, she silently chanted a spell and transformed into her human form.
Sitting sideways, she lifted a slender finger to his mouth. “Here, my lord.”
Her fingers were delicate, her nails smooth like jade—utterly exquisite.
The black wolf swallowed hard and took her fingertip into his mouth.
The moment his tongue touched her skin, he recoiled as if burned.
Sitting stiffly, he declared, “Tastes bad. I’m done. It’s late—sleep. Tomorrow, we hunt that tricky pig again!”
A mischievous glint flashed in Yao Zuizui’s eyes, unseen by him.
“My lord, really not eating?” She wiggled her flawless fingers.
“Turn back into a pig *now*!” he snapped, turning away.
*This form of hers is unbearable—like a little temptress, messing with my head.*
“And you taste terrible!” he added gruffly before stomping off.
Behind him, Yao Zuizui burst into laughter.
*The great demon king, flustered like this?*
She’d never seen him so undone.
Just a little teasing, and he crumbled.
This would be a story to boast about back in the divine realm!
—
The next day, the black wolf dragged Yao Zuizui out of bed.
Winter was coming!
How could a little pig leave her cozy nest so easily?
Grumbling, Yao Zuizui followed him outside.
She *had* to go—otherwise, as in the fairy tale, the black wolf would fall down the chimney straight into Zhu Sansan’s boiling pot and get cooked!
Not that Yao Zuizui minded him dying.
But only *after* she succeeded in making him fall hopelessly in love with her!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage