Chapter 279 – Princess of the Prairie Rules the World – Good, As Expected of You (04)
Bai Tang had played all day and now lay on the blanket Tuoba Jingyao had carefully prepared. Before long, he drifted off into sleep.
Outside the tent, shadows occasionally flickered by.
Qiu’er watched the movements outside with alertness but quickly realized that the one pacing back and forth near Bai Tang’s tent wasn’t a stranger—it was Tuoba Jingyao himself.
What was he doing, walking around outside Tang Tang’s tent in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?
Before Qiu’er could investigate further, a white paw reached out from behind and pulled him back. Xiao A’s voice came from within the little white house, “Relax. The male lead is just protecting the host.”
Late at night, everyone had already returned to their own tents to sleep.
Tuoba Jingyao sat outside Bai Tang’s tent. Inside lay the boy he cherished.
He couldn’t live with his boy just yet, but at least he could close the distance—closer, even closer. From now on, Bai Tang would be the one he protected.
Thinking this, a smile curled on Tuoba Jingyao’s lips.
Bai Tang, Tang Tang—true to his name, a boy as sweet as sugar.
The little squirrel had drunk too much goat milk earlier in the evening, and in the middle of the night, he suddenly woke up with an urgent need.
He sat up. The tent was dark with no oil lamp lit, and everything around him was pitch black.
In the darkness, Bai Tang couldn’t see clearly. He fumbled around for his shoes but couldn’t find them no matter how he tried.
Tuoba Jingyao had excellent hearing. The moment Bai Tang woke up, he sensed the change in the boy’s breathing from inside the tent.
Maybe he needs to relieve himself, he thought, and quietly waited for the boy to come out.
But unexpectedly, after a long wait, the boy still didn’t come out. Instead, faint sobbing could be heard from inside.
Tuoba Jingyao’s pupils dilated. Throwing etiquette aside, he lifted the curtain and entered the tent.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Tuoba Jingyao wrapped the boy in his arms, the soft sobs striking directly at his heart.
Before going to sleep in the little white house, the two systems had activated protection mode. If Bai Tang encountered danger, the mode would be triggered and an alarm would go off.
Bai Tang suddenly woke up in the darkness. There was no familiar person beside him, and he was in an unfamiliar place. While trying to find his shoes, he couldn’t feel them anywhere. Outside, flags and woolen cloth fluttered wildly in the wind, their dancing shadows cast against the tent walls like fearsome, clawing demons.
Imagination knows no bounds—especially for a little squirrel like him, who feared such things the most. Curling up on the blanket, he hugged himself tightly, soft whimpers escaping his throat.
“A-Yao~~”
The boy’s voice carried a sobbing tone, and the trembling in his trailing syllables made Tuoba Jingyao’s heart ache.
The boy had left his home behind. Here, there were no familiar family members, no known friends—of course he was scared.
“I’m here.” Tuoba Jingyao sat down on the blanket and pulled Bai Tang into his arms. “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here.”
He wasn’t good with words, had no talent for sweet talk, but he tried his best to comfort the boy in his embrace.
Bai Tang clutched the front of Tuoba Jingyao’s robes, trying to bury himself into his chest.
“There… there’s a ghost…”
Tuoba Jingyao looked up in the direction Bai Tang was pointing. On the tent wall, he saw shadows writhing chaotically.
“There are no ghosts, it’s not real. Those are just flags. Don’t be afraid—I’m here. Let me show you.” Tuoba Jingyao gently patted Bai Tang’s back. Once the boy had calmed down, he draped a coat over him and carried him out of the tent.
The steppe wind was strong at night, and the temperature dropped sharply after sundown.
As soon as Bai Tang stepped outside, the cold wind pierced through his clothes, making him shiver involuntarily.
Tuoba Jingyao wrapped him up tightly, holding Bai Tang like a child in his arms.
They stopped in front of the tent adorned with flags. Tuoba Jingyao said, “Tang Tang, this is the ‘ghost’.”
The ribbon-like flags fluttered in the wind, intertwining and swaying. The terrifying shadows inside the tent had been caused by them.
Now that he knew what it was, Bai Tang wasn’t scared anymore.
He wrapped his arms around Tuoba Jingyao’s neck and murmured, “It’s cold~”
Tuoba Jingyao carried him back to the tent—but this time, it wasn’t the cold, empty one with nothing but a blanket. This time, he brought Bai Tang to the chieftain’s tent.
He lit the oil lamp, and the tent instantly brightened.
Tuoba Jingyao had a fair amount of possessions. Though numerous, everything was neatly arranged. Several swords hung along the edge of the tent—a fitting display for the tribe’s number one warrior.
Bai Tang glanced around at the very “straight-man” style of the tent’s décor, feeling a bit amused. More importantly, the entire space was filled with Tuoba Jingyao’s scent, which made him feel safe and at ease.
“Go to sleep. I’ll be right here. No demons or monsters would dare come near,” Tuoba Jingyao said as he tucked the blanket snugly around Bai Tang and sat beside him.
At those words, Bai Tang closed his eyes—but two seconds later, he opened them again.
“What’s wrong? Is it too bright? I’ll turn the lamp down.”
The oil lamp had a thick wick, casting enough light to illuminate the entire tent. Tuoba Jingyao started to get up to trim it down.
Suddenly, a pair of soft, fair hands grabbed his.
Tuoba Jingyao turned around and saw Bai Tang staring at him with wide, unwavering eyes.
“Can you sleep holding me?” In this lifetime, his future husband was far too pure. If Bai Tang waited for him to make the first move, who knew how long it would take—probably not until the end of time.
Now that it was just the two of them, the shy little squirrel didn’t have to worry about being seen. Mustering his courage, he took the initiative for once.
Tuoba Jingyao was stunned on the spot. He looked into the boy’s clear eyes—was this what he thought it was? Did he understand it correctly?
But Tuoba Jingyao didn’t move for a long time, and Bai Tang’s lips began to tremble. His eyes grew glossier, as if they might spill over at any second. “Is Ah Yao… disgusted by me?”
N-No—don’t cry!
Seeing that the boy was about to burst into tears, Tuoba Jingyao panicked. He hurriedly fumbled with his clothes, looking completely flustered, like someone in a rush to please. “N-No, it’s not that! Just—wait a second…”
He lifted the blanket and lay down, pulling the boy into his arms.
Though it was nothing more than a simple embrace while they slept, Tuoba Jingyao felt an indescribable sense of contentment.
Holding the boy felt like holding the entire world.
Tuoba Jingyao gently patted Bai Tang’s head. “I’m holding you—sleep now.”
Lying in that familiar embrace, surrounded by the scent of his future husband, Bai Tang quickly drifted off, completely at ease.
Tuoba Jingyao inhaled the faint milky scent on the boy—it was the goat’s milk he was familiar with, but mingled with another subtle fragrance, like pine nuts: light and elusive. It suited the boy perfectly. Maybe Tang Tang liked eating things like that. When the merchants passed through next time, he’d have to trade some fine wool blankets for a good batch of them.
By morning, people were already up and about, feeding cattle and sheep.
Just as Bai Tang had predicted, the energetic Aqi came to his tent. She shouted, “Bai Tang, time to get up!” and, without waiting for a response, lifted the flap and barged in.
However, she was destined to be disappointed.
Aside from a few messy blankets, the tent was empty—there was no sign of Bai Tang.
Aqi peeked her head out. Not far from the tent were Bai Tang’s cattle and sheep, but he wasn’t there feeding them either. Where had he gone?
She circled the area a few times, and on the way, ran into Rong Ningjing, who was already up and feeding the livestock.
“Sister Rong, have you seen Bai Tang?” Aqi called out to her.
Rong Ningjing set down her bucket in front of the animals and squinted into the wind. “I haven’t seen him.”
Aqi ran up to her. “That’s so strange. He’s not in his tent, and he didn’t go off to relieve himself either. Where could he have gone? Don’t tell me he got up in the middle of the night and got lost!”
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became—and the more anxious she grew.
Rong Ningjing said, “That’s unlikely. He’s not a child anymore. Even if he got a bit turned around, he should still be able to recognize the tents. It’s not like he’d just wander off.”
“But he’s really gone,” Aqi insisted.
To her, Bai Tang was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. He was gentle and easygoing, and his voice was soft and sweet—like a newborn lamb, obedient and pure. From the moment she first saw Bai Tang, Aqi had already decided she wanted to be friends with him.
Rong Ningjing tried to comfort her. “Don’t panic yet. Let’s think—where might our little cutie have gone?”
The two of them lowered their heads in thought. After a moment, a face suddenly appeared in Rong Ningjing’s mind: healthy bronze skin, sharp features, and a serious, resolute expression.
Tuoba Jingyao!
“Could he be… with the chieftain?” Rong Ningjing asked cautiously. She didn’t dare say Tuoba Jingyao’s name aloud—most people in the tribe referred to him simply as “the chieftain.” Only elders of higher seniority than Tuoba Jingyao would dare call him by name.
“The chieftain?” Aqi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No way. Why would Bai Tang be with the chieftain? What are you even thinking…”
She clearly didn’t buy Rong Ningjing’s guess. Bai Tang and the chieftain didn’t have any kind of connection. Why would he be there?
“Well, we’ll only know if we go look. Even if he’s not there, if someone from the tribe goes missing, we should still report it to the chieftain,” Rong Ningjing said, deciding Aqi needed to see it for herself.
Just as they arrived in front of Tuoba Jingyao’s tent, the entrance flap lifted—and out stepped the dainty, adorable Bai Tang, escorted by Tuoba Jingyao. The two were chatting and laughing, visibly close.
Rong Ningjing glanced at Aqi with a look that said, “Told you so.”
Aqi: That slap in the face came fast… and it stings a little.
“The morning goat’s milk is the freshest. Want to have some for breakfast?” Tuoba Jingyao asked, holding Bai Tang’s hand.
“Sure, whatever Ah Yao says. I’m fine with anything,” Bai Tang replied, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons with a sweet smile that made you want to hug and kiss him.
Tuoba Jingyao felt exactly that—and did exactly that.
He leaned closer to Bai Tang’s face. As Bai Tang noticed a shadow fall across his cheek and turned to see what it was, his soft pink lips brushed against something warm.
It was Tuoba Jingyao’s lips.
“Uh…” Bai Tang froze for a moment, then pressed his lips together. His fair little face visibly flushed red.
Tuoba Jingyao saw the boy’s shy expression and felt a surge of joy in his heart.
Tang Tang wasn’t rejecting him—in fact, it seemed like he might feel the same way.
If this had happened to anyone else in the tribe—being kissed by someone they didn’t like—they’d definitely lash out, maybe even get whipped for it. Even someone milder would have at least gotten angry and cursed the person out. But Bai Tang’s reaction was nothing like that.
With Bai Tang taking the initiative and blushing like this, if Tuoba Jingyao still didn’t get the hint, he might as well give up on ever finding a wife in this lifetime and resign himself to being single forever.
Among the two onlookers, Rong Ningjing took it the best—Aqi, on the other hand, was completely stunned.
The chieftain and Bai Tang… that’s the kind of relationship they had?
Wait, didn’t they just meet yesterday? How did things move so fast?
But still—nice. Aqi felt proud. No wonder Bai Tang’s my friend! He managed to win over the chieftain just like that. That takes guts!
Author’s Note:
Aqi: No wonder he’s the brother I chose!
Rong Ningjing: Our little cutie’s been eaten just like that… (heartbroken)
Tuoba Jingyao: Tang Tang likes me~ (overjoyed)
Bai Tang: This lifetime’s hubby sure knows how to flirt~ (shy)