Yenissa pushed open the creaky wooden door and stepped outside, only to freeze at the sight before her. Shennong stood in the middle of the water buckets she had filled, casually stripping off his shirt. His lean but toned fra was covered in dirt and sweat, and before she could even process it, he had already moved on to pulling down his pants, leaving him in nothing but his undergarnts with a huge bulge visible to Yenissa's naked eyes.
She imdiately turned her head away, heat rushing to her cheeks and feeling the desire to have a hearty al. "What do you think you're doing?!" she demanded, crossing her arms tightly and her legs thoroughly.
Shennong barely looked up as he wrung out a damp cloth and ran it over his chest. "Cleaning up," he replied, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yenissa exhaled sharply. "Ughh! I can see that, but I hoped-"
He smirked slightly but didn't stop. "Hoped for what-."
"Ugh, whatever." She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to push aside the awkwardness. "More importantly, what were you doing this ti? You shouldn't be going out alone so much, especially in this area. It's dangerous. Everyday you co here looking so dirty. Where di you go this ti?"
Shennong finally glanced at her properly, his erald eyes calm and unwavering. "I was looking for a iron deposit," he said simply.
Yenissa frowned. "Iron? Why do you need that so badly?"
"I've been doing this ever since I was able to hold my pickaxe properly. I just feel like I want to collect them even if I don't use them imdiately. Who knows soday they might beco useful."
She did rember. Back then, she also brought the small golden pickaxe he was hugging when she first found him, but never in her dreams she expected to see his pickaxe also growing with him. She had never seen or heard about inanimate object that could grow and was surprised and shocked by this developnt.
She sighed. "And? Is it really that important?"
Shennong nodded, his expression unwavering. "Yes. There are a lot of things I want to collect and create."
Yenissa watched him for a mont, trying to gauge the determination in his voice. A re child shouldn't have such a strong resolve—where did all of this co from? Where did he get all this knowledge it was confusing for her.
She let out another sigh and risked a glance at him again. He was running the wet cloth over his arms now, wiping away the gri from his skin. His muscles flexed slightly with each movent, and without aning to, she gulped.
Realizing what she was doing, she quickly turned on her heel. "J-Just finishes up quickly!" she snapped, her voice slightly higher than normal. "I have sothing to show you outside! And for the love of the mother, wear sothing that actually covers you!"
Shennong tilted his head at her sudden outburst. "Why?"
"Just do it!" she said before storming out of the room.
Shennong stared after her, confused at first, but then a slow grin spread across his face as if sothing had suddenly clicked in his mind. Chuckling to himself, he grabbed a fresh shirt and so pants, getting dressed before heading out to see what Yenissa wanted to show him.
Yenissa sat on the rock near the entrance of their ho, her long tail swaying impatiently. Her golden eyes flickered toward the the back door, waiting for him.
The mont Shennong appeared, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. He had listened to her request and was actually wearing sothing decent for once—a simple but well-fitted tunic and pants. Seeing him like this made it easier for her to restrain herself.
"Good, you actually listened," Yenissa muttered, crossing her arms as she stood up.
Shennong tilted his head. "You were really that bothered by what I usually wear?"
"That's not the point! Just—sit down already."
Shennong chuckled but did as she asked, taking a seat on the nearby wooden bench. Yenissa took a deep breath before pulling sothing from behind her—a neatly folded set of clothes. It was far more refined than what Shennong normally wore, looking like sothing a noble might own.
Shennong's eyes widened. "This... is for ?"
Yenissa awkwardly averted her gaze. "I heard that it's normal to give gifts on soone's birthday, and, well, I wanted to give you this."
For a mont, Shennong simply stared at the outfit, his fingers brushing against the fabric. Then, without a word, he grabbed it and rushed back into the house. Yenissa barely had ti to process what happened before he reappeared, now wearing the new clothes.
She smiled. "It looks good on you."
But before she could bask in the mont, Shennong frowned and asked, "Didn't I tell you not to go into human settlents?"
Yenissa stiffened. "What does that matter?"
Shennong crossed his arms. "Where did you get this? How did you pay for it? Did anyone see you? Are you okay?"
Yenissa sighed, smiling slightly but avoiding his gaze. "That's not important."
Shennong wasn't buying it. "It is important. I don't want you getting hurt."
Yenissa couldn't help but feel sothing inside her everyti Shennong look at her with those affectionate eyes, but she knew she had to reveal sothing to him. She couldn't keep the fact that she is not his real mother for so long.
Seeing that he wouldn't let it go, Yenissa exhaled deeply. "Fine. I'll tell you everything."
She hesitated before beginning. "The truth is... I picked you up when you were just a baby from an old man. I'm not your real mother. I was near a human settlent and went to hunt but I found you on that day."
Shennong blinked, waiting for her to continue.
"I wasn't planning to raise you. My original intent... was to eat you when you're ripe."
Silence fell between them. Yenissa swallowed hard, watching Shennong's expression closely. But he wasn't shocked. He wasn't even surprised.
She clenched her fists and quickly continued. "But then... I started to care for you. You were small, helpless, and for so reason, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Before I realized it, I had truly begun to see you as my son. Now... I love you, Shennong. I don't know how this is possible I love you a human."
She expected so kind of reaction. Anger, betrayal, confusion—anything. But instead, Shennong just sat there, completely calm.
"That's it?" he asked.
Yenissa blinked. "Aren't you surprised? Why do you look calm?"
Shennong smiled slightly. "Wasn't it obvious? I always knew you weren't my real mother. And I also knew that humans would call you a monster. Just by looking at us I can tell."
Yenissa's breath hitched. "Then why... why didn't you say anything?"
Shennong looked at his hands, then at her. "Because it didn't matter. You were the one who raised . You were the one who stayed by my side. That makes you my mother, no matter what. I don't know my real mother or father and I don't think I really care. You could have killed but you raised and I'm grateful for that."
Yenissa felt sothing deep inside her tremble. Before she could speak, Shennong continued.
"Besides... I also have secrets."
Yenissa frowned. "Secrets?"
Shennong reached behind him and pulled out sothing—his iconic golden pickaxe. "I have mories. Of a past life. I don't rember everything clearly, but I know this was important to ."
Yenissa's eyes widened. "You... rember a past life?"
Shennong nodded. "Not everything. Just bits and pieces. But I know this tool, and I know that I once used it for sothing important."
Yenissa stared at him for a long mont before suddenly pulling him into a tight embrace.
"You're not mad?" Shennong asked quietly.
"Of course not!" Yenissa buried her face into his shoulder. "I was afraid you'd leave after learning the truth... but I'm so glad you're still here."
Shennong chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. "I would never leave you. You're my only family."
Yenissa's tail curled around them protectively as she whispered, "And you're mine."
But at the sa ti, she knew from now on Shennong is going to be her biggest challenge.
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