Chapter 62: Even Though I Need Money!

However, because the black bear was bolting in a frantic panic!

The arrow actually grazed right past the bear's fur.

The beast, which had just begun to calm down, flew into a sudden and renewed rage!

"Don't move!"

Lu Chuan shouted in a panic!

Good grief, if Su Ruan kept going like this, he was afraid he wouldn't even die at the paws of the bear, but would instead end up losing his life at the hands of Su Ruan.

"Master!"

"Are you all right?"

Su Ruan called out in distress!

"I'm fine, just don't make any sudden moves. Once the bear is startled and flies into a frenzy again, both of us will likely perish here today!"

After shouting this warning, Lu Chuan grabbed tightly onto the beast's neck with both hands.

Gleaming green lights flashed continuously within his palms, and then sank directly into the bear's neck.

The black bear struggled violently.

Perched upon its back, Lu Chuan felt as though his internal organs were being shaken loose from his body. This sensation was, to put it mildly, extremely unpleasant.

Yet at this moment, he no longer had the luxury of worrying about comfort.

If he failed to subdue this creature today, his only remaining destiny was to die in this very spot!

The bow he had crafted himself and the few wooden arrows left were simply incapable of inflicting any real damage upon the beast.

"Hoo... hoo..."

While channeling his beast-taming arts, Lu Chuan continuously regulated his breathing.

"Are you kidding me?"

Up in the tree, Su Ruan finally understood what Lu Chuan was trying to do. He was actually trying to tame the fierce black bear right before his eyes, just as one would break a wild horse. Was this something a normal human being could possibly accomplish?

Shock rippled through Su Ruan's heart.

Even so, she didn't even dare to draw a full breath at that moment.

She was terrified of interfering with Lu Chuan, especially since she had nearly made things worse with her good intentions just moments ago!

When she released her arrow, she could vaguely sense that the bear's emotional state had begun to ease.

Yet her arrow had already been nocked and ready on the string.

Subsequent events proved that she had indeed turned a potential resolution into a blunder. If not for her, Lu Chuan would likely have been entirely out of danger by now.

At this thought, a wave of shame washed over Su Ruan.

As Lu Chuan repeated his attempts over and over again, the bear's body finally grew less resistant.

In that fleeting instant, the previously frenzied beast seemed to take a strange comfort in Lu Chuan's soothing touch, standing there docile and still!

Lu Chuan let out a long breath of relief.

He then flipped himself off the bear's back.

Lifting his head to glance at Su Ruan up in the tree, he paused for a moment before saying, "All right, it's safe now. Come on down first!"

"Mm!"

Su Ruan slid down from the tree, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

"Master, I'm truly sorry. I honestly didn't know what else to do just then. I only wanted to help you, but I never expected my good intentions to make things worse!" Su Ruan said with utmost sincerity.

Lu Chuan shook his head. "It's fine. Am I not standing right here, safe and sound?"

"Don't worry about it!"

At that moment, Su Ruan cast a wary and astonished glance at the black bear.

"You—how did you pull that off?"

Lu Chuan smiled faintly. "I don't really know myself. It just felt like something I could do, so I wanted to give it a try!"

Saying this, Lu Chuan shook his head with helpless amusement.

"Who would have thought it would actually work?"

Su Ruan wanted to step closer to the bear.

However, the moment she attempted to close the distance, the beast abruptly reared its upper body, fixing its piercing, ferocious gaze entirely upon her, as if warning her that a single step closer would bring down a lethal blow from its massive paw.

"Wait..."

Su Ruan felt deeply wronged. "I'm his woman!"

"Roar!"

The bear let out a furious bellow, utterly incapable of comprehending a single word of what Su Ruan had just said.

Gazing at the creature before him, Lu Chuan suddenly burst into laughter.

"Master!"

Su Ruan stamped her feet in indignation.

Glaring at Lu Chuan, she demanded, "What on earth are you laughing at?"

"I was just thinking that whenever I travel away from home, we're lacking a reliable guard to watch the courtyard. Should any danger arise, you wouldn't be able to handle it alone. Who could have imagined that before I even came up with a proper solution, this fellow would deliver itself right to our doorstep!"

"With this bear guarding our home, I'd love to see who dares to lay a finger on us."

"Master, you intend to use this bear as a guardian for the house?"

Su Ruan asked with a trace of lingering fear in her voice. "But this beast doesn't distinguish between friend and foe. It seems to obey only you, and completely ignores me!"

"Don't worry!"

Lu Chuan smiled. "Give me time, and I'll make it accept you."

"Really?"

Su Ruan stared fixedly at Lu Chuan.

"Master, just how many surprises do you have hidden that we don't know about?"

Lu Chuan looked up at the sky.

It was already growing late.

They needed to hurry back as soon as possible, or Bai Siyu would surely be beside herself with worry at home.

Tomorrow, he still had to make a trip to Hongtu County.

And the day after tomorrow.

The yamen runners would likely start making their rounds to collect the annual grain taxes.

Therefore, to avoid unnecessary trouble during those days, most people would stay close to home, and the heads of households would remain nearby rather than venturing far.

"All right, stop guessing and let's get back quickly!"

Lu Chuan tapped Su Ruan lightly on the head and continued, "If we don't return soon, the folks at home will start worrying."

"Hehe!"

Su Ruan nodded in agreement. "Master, I suddenly realize how terribly lucky I am. If I hadn't been bold enough to take the initiative back then, would you have chosen me at all? After all, I can't do anything special!"

"Hmm?"

Lu Chuan was momentarily stumped by the question.

He had no idea how to respond right away.

After a brief pause, he answered with total sincerity, "I don't really know. But I believe that since I chose you, it must be fate that brought us together and gradually united our paths."

"Perhaps, in the grand design of things, some things are truly meant to be."

Lu Chuan's reply remained somewhat ambiguous.

"Mm-hmm!"

Su Ruan nodded earnestly. "Master, actually, my father left behind a stash of money!"

"It's just not very safe to go retrieve it right now."

"There might still be spies keeping watch around me. If I show up where I shouldn't, they'll immediately grow suspicious!"

"Once the storm blows over, I'll definitely tell you!"

A brilliant, starlight-like glimmer danced within Su Ruan's eyes.

Looking at her, Lu Chuan paused for a beat before saying softly, "You silly girl!"

With that, he reached out and gently ruffled her hair. "Keep whatever your father left behind for yourself."

"Perhaps it will serve some other purpose in the future!"

"Even though I am short on money right now, I would certainly never touch what your father left you."