Chapter 86 – The Enchanted Forest: You Are My Exclusive Love (03)
“Teacher, let’s have a sparring match. I want to see if my swordsmanship has improved.”
Daniel’s gaze lingered on Bai Tang’s bright, charming smile directed at the swordsmanship instructor. It was an eyesore.
“Of course.” The instructor responded with a gentle smile and motioned for Bai Tang to step aside to avoid any accidental injuries.
Both fighters bowed before drawing their wooden swords.
Daniel’s attacks were fierce, each strike more ruthless than the last, forcing the instructor to retreat step by step.
The instructor frowned, focusing on parrying and countering while analyzing Daniel’s techniques.
But Daniel was still young—his skills were not yet refined. Soon, the instructor turned the tables, gaining the upper hand.
With a swift strike, Daniel’s wooden sword was knocked from his grasp. He had lost.
He picked up the broken wooden sword, his ears catching the sound of Bai Tang cheering excitedly for the instructor.
Feeling dejected, he walked away.
Had he turned around, he would have seen that while Bai Tang was talking to the instructor, his eyes never left Daniel.
The one-sided cold war between them had now turned mutual. Bai Tang’s parents watched the two children refuse to speak to each other, but they could do nothing about it.
This silent standoff lasted throughout the entire spring.
…
It was said that summer was harsh and unbearable.
In the forest, animals grew restless from the scorching heat, moving about far more than usual.
Bai Tang hated being cooped up in a stuffy house, so as always, he wandered among the forest trees.
He climbed up a large tree, its thick canopy shielding him from the blazing sun.
The endless cicada cries filled the air as Bai Tang curled up on a branch and drifted off to sleep.
…
Danger crept in silently.
Bai Tang woke up from the cold.
A rough, scraping sensation combined with an icy chill sent shivers down his small body.
The little squirrel opened his eyes, only to see a massive snake’s head, its coils tightening around him, its tongue flicking out with a sinister “hiss, hiss, hiss.”
Every hair on Bai Tang’s body stood on end.
His tiny frame trembled uncontrollably, and a whimper escaped his throat.
“Qiu’er, there’s a snake! Wuwuwu~”
The system was startled awake by Bai Tang’s cry. The moment it saw the situation, it jumped in fright.
Holy crap, a snake—!!
“Ahhh—A snake! I’m terrified of snakes! Tang Tang, there’s a snake!”
The system’s voice cracked with panic, its brain short-circuiting as it clung to Bai Tang, shaking uncontrollably.
The massive snake raised its head high, looking down at its helpless prey, savoring the expression of pure terror on Bai Tang’s face.
“Swish—!”
A sudden whistling sound cut through the air, striking the arrogantly poised serpent.
The snake hissed in pain, its blood-red eyes locking onto the intruder.
Daniel had been practicing his swordsmanship when a sudden pang of unease struck him, leaving him restless and unsettled.
When he finally found Bai Tang, the scene before him nearly stopped his heart.
His sword strike had barely harmed the massive snake—instead, it had only provoked it.
The snake flicked its crimson tongue, preparing to swallow the little squirrel whole, then devour the foolish human who dared to interfere.
“Squeak, squeak, squeak” Daniel…!
Daniel drew a dagger, waiting for the perfect moment. Just as the snake was about to strike, he lunged and plunged the blade deep into the vulnerable spot at the base of its head.
The snake thrashed violently, its massive coils writhing in agony.
With its support suddenly gone, Bai Tang plummeted downward—but Daniel leapt forward and caught him mid-air.
“Wahhh—wuwuwu, I was so scared! Where were you…?”
Bai Tang, now back in human form, threw himself into Daniel’s arms, clinging tightly to his lean waist.
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”
Daniel held onto his precious treasure, squeezing him tightly—as if to make up for the long, painful months of longing through winter and spring.
The system, which had been robbed of its usual hugs: “This scene… looks oddly familiar.”
Wait, no—
That snake isn’t dead yet!
The system’s shrill scream snapped Bai Tang back to his senses.
Bai Tang instinctively lifted his head, but Daniel pressed him back down, refusing to let him turn around.
With a swift motion, Daniel poured a vial of potion over the vengeful snake, which instantly began contorting in agony, releasing pained, ear-piercing hisses.
The struggle lasted nearly ten minutes before the forest fell silent once more.
Even then, Daniel refused to let Bai Tang look back.
His mind preoccupied, he simply hugged the bare-skinned Bai Tang tighter and carried him home.
Fortunately, apart from their family, no one else lived in the forest.
Fortunately, Bai Tang’s parents were out.
Bai Tang had been badly shaken by the snake attack—once bitten, twice shy.
After returning home, even the sight of anything remotely resembling a rope made him tremble.
Snakes were the natural enemies of squirrels, and Bai Tang was terrified beyond reason. He clung tightly to Daniel’s clothes, refusing to let go.
Daniel originally wanted to fetch some warm water to wipe Bai Tang’s tear-streaked face.
But right now, the little one was clutching onto him for dear life, face full of tears, desperately holding on like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline.
Daniel felt a mix of heartache and sweetness.
Tang Tang finally wasn’t avoiding him anymore, but he had been scared out of his wits, curling up timidly, completely lacking his usual bright and lively demeanor.
“You’re all dirty. Let me fetch some water to clean you up.”
Daniel tried to coax Bai Tang into letting go.
“No, no, no…!”
Bai Tang transformed into a clingy little koala, stubbornly refusing to let Daniel leave.
With no other choice, Daniel carried Bai Tang with him, heated water, mixed in cold water, and bathed him himself.
Bathing Bai Tang was both heaven and torture—he could barely stop his nosebleed from gushing.
But another concern weighed on Daniel’s mind.
Bai Tang was still young—perhaps what he felt for him was simply brotherly affection.
“Come to bed~~~”
Bai Tang patted the neatly prepared spot beside him.
After an entire afternoon of coaxing and comforting, Bai Tang finally decided to “reluctantly” forgive Daniel.
Then, in the blink of an eye, he packed up his bedding and moved straight back into his own room.
Having been pampered by the male leads across multiple worlds, Bai Tang had been resisting separation from them. But since pride wouldn’t let him give in, this incident provided a perfect excuse—and he moved fast.
Daniel lay down in bed, and without hesitation, Bai Tang curled up against his chest.
Mmm~ so warm.
This was the feeling of safety
At this stage, Daniel didn’t want to overthink things. Even if Bai Tang’s feelings for him were unclear, so what? They still had plenty of time—he could slowly nurture and transform those feelings.
Youth was joyful yet fleeting.
In the blink of an eye, Bai Tang had already turned eighteen—growing from a child with an underdeveloped mind into an adorable and innocent young man. At the same time, Daniel had shot up in height, and at twenty-one years old, he had become a tall and imposing figure.
As Bai Tang grew older, his parents were delighted by his exceptional control over magic (which was actually his supernatural abilities from the apocalypse). However, they were also deeply worried.
Because, in their hearts, they had always carried a secret—
Bai Tang was not their biological child.
They had rescued him from the Guiming Clan near the Misty Forest. After years of being unable to have children, they had found the exquisitely delicate baby, and their hearts softened. In the end, they adopted him, claiming him as their own.
Because of this, when Daniel announced his plan to venture into the Misty Forest to search for the Key of the Elves, they adamantly refused to let Bai Tang go with him.
They had lived in seclusion in the forest for years solely for Bai Tang’s sake. Although they didn’t know his true origins, one thing was certain—if the Guiming Clan had taken an interest in him, he could not be an ordinary child. If they discovered his whereabouts and took him away, all those years of hiding would be in vain.
No matter how much Bai Tang pouted, whined, or threw a tantrum, the Bai couple remained firm in their decision. Bai Tang could only watch, teary-eyed, as Daniel packed his belongings and left.
But—who was Bai Tang?
Running away from home wasn’t exactly new to him. If worst came to worst, he would just do it again.
On the surface, Bai Tang locked himself in his room, sulking.
In reality, he had already written a farewell letter, transformed into a small squirrel, and slipped out through the window.
Following the trail of marks Daniel had left behind, he easily reunited with him at the edge of the forest.
“Daniel…”
Bai Tang leapt from a tree, landing straight into Daniel’s waiting arms.
This little game had been played countless times over the years, and Daniel was already an expert at catching him.
Bai Tang returned to his human form and clung onto Daniel’s back.
“Let’s go—!”
Bai Tang raised his hand in a charging gesture, his slender legs swinging around Daniel’s waist.
“Hold on tight, we’re setting off.” Daniel’s lips curled into a good-natured smile.
The Bai couple often went on trips, sometimes for three to four days at a time. He wasn’t comfortable leaving Bai Tang alone at home, so he had also left a letter behind for them.
Call it selfishness or whatever else they wanted— as long as Bai Tang stayed by his side, that was all that mattered.
…
The Misty Forest was a mysterious place.
Legend had it that elves lived deep within, guarding a sacred treasure known as the Key of the Elves.
This artifact was said to be the purest object in existence—the one thing the Guiming Clan feared the most.
A weapon forged using the Key of the Elves would be invincible, unmatched by anything in the world.
Because of this, countless people had tried to venture into the Misty Forest in search of the artifact, yet none had succeeded.
Those with ill intentions would find themselves lost forever in the thick mist, trapped until starvation claimed them.
Over time, the Misty Forest became known as the Forest of Death, a place few dared to approach.
…
The Misty Forest lay to the south, while the forest Bai Tang lived in was to the west.
Between them was a large town called Huangsha Town, a place teeming with bounty hunters and all sorts of shady individuals.
As they neared Huangsha Town, Daniel took special care to disguise Bai Tang’s appearance.
Their pairing was too eye-catching, and Bai Tang himself was adorably innocent.
Along the way, they had already attracted many covetous gazes, all of which Daniel had swiftly dealt with.
It wasn’t that he feared trouble—he just didn’t want too many people looking at his Bai Tang.
“Daniel, it’s so hot…”
Bai Tang tugged at the black cloak wrapped around him.
Wearing all black under the scorching sun felt like absorbing all of the heat directly into his cloak.
“Let’s find an inn first, then you can take it off, okay?”
Daniel coaxed Bai Tang patiently, slipping a small ice pack he had bought earlier under Bai Tang’s cloak to cool him down.
Feeling the refreshing chill, Bai Tang obediently held onto Daniel’s hand, no longer complaining.
…
Upon entering Huangsha Town, the streets were bustling with people.
Many carried various weapons, some exchanging missions, while others browsed the marketplace.
They arrived at an inn, where the innkeeper warmly greeted them.
“Are you two here to stay or to dine?”
“To stay. One room, please.”
The innkeeper turned back to the counter to register their stay.
Just then, three bounty hunters strode in.
“Boss!” A burly man swung a massive iron hammer onto the counter. “Three rooms.”
“Got it! One moment, please.”
Daniel kept his gaze steady, brushing dust off Bai Tang’s cloak as if uninterested in the new arrivals.
Among the three bounty hunters, a red-haired girl kept staring at them.
The moment Daniel straightened up, she finally caught a clear view of his face—
Her eyes lit up in surprise.
“It’s you!”
…
“Do you remember me? I’m Kelly! A few years ago, you saved me in the forest!”
Kelly had never expected to meet her savior again after all these years.
The young boy from back then had grown into a striking young man, even more handsome than before.
“It’s the female lead.” The system’s voice rang out.
Under his cloak, Bai Tang’s hand twisted a full 360 degrees, pinching a good chunk of Daniel’s waist—hard.