Chapter 10: Dream
Leif decided to keep the clothes safe, just in case she might change her mind tomorrow. However, when he saw the fire burning beside him, a strange light flashed in his eyes.
"Since you don't need it, I'll just burn it away," he said cruelly. Just as he was about to do so, he heard the anxious shout of the little female. "Wait a minute!"
Leif stopped. "I've changed my mind," Daisy hurriedly blurted, holding out her hands. "I do want them."
And at that exact moment, a sly and mischievous smile formed on Leif's lips, where Daisy couldn't see.
His face quickly returned to his usual expression as he turned around and handed the clothes to her. "Here you go, I'm glad that you changed your mind," he said, with a hint of joy and amusement in his voice.
With her hands shaking in fear and nervousness, Daisy took the clothes and hugged them against her chest as if she had won a great prize. She glared at Leif and whispered, "You could have used them for yourself. Why did you have to throw them away?"
Leif shook his head and replied, "I'm used to wearing animal skins. I thought females would prefer it, but since you also don't want them, it's better to throw them away."
Daisy pursed her lips and grumbled, 'What a wastrel!' Now that she had taken his cloths, she ought to give him something in return.
"Even if you don't need it, I can't simply take these clothes from you. In exchange for these, I'll clean your cave and cook breakfast. Okay?" Although her cooking skills can't be compared to his heavenly dish, it's much better than nothing.
"If you refuse, then I'll not accept these clothes!" she added hurriedly, anxious that he might not agree to her condition.
Leif found her adorable as she nervously stared at him. "Alright, you can do whatever you want," he said in an emotionless tone, completely unbothered by her condition. Only he knew how excited was.
Daisy's eyes lit up with a cheerful grin. "Thank you so much, Leif!"
Leif awkwardly moved his gaze away from her smile, afraid that he would fall to her charms. "It's getting late. You need to get some rest in order to travel tomorrow."
Daisy wanted to do some cleaning before going to bed, but noticing the dull brightness in the cave, she nodded her head. She carefully placed the silk clothes beside her and laid down on the animal skin bed that Leif had made for her.
It was more much comfortable than her leafy bed.
She secretly peeked at Leif, who was sitting across from her and occasionally tossing firewood in the fire. How could she sleep when such a big man was sitting here?
As a single dog who had zero experience with the opposite sex, she didn't know what to do in this kind of situation. Glancing at him, she pursed her lips, a little afraid that he might suddenly turn into a snake and gobble her up.
Daisy sighed and closed her eyes, pretending that she was alone in the cave. But despite everything, she was unable to fall asleep, and her restlessness and uneasiness were visible to the naked eye.
"What do you want to do when we go to the village tomorrow?" Leif casually asked as he tossed a piece of wood into the fire.
Daisy was startled by the sudden question and she opened her eyes to look at him. She thought for a moment before answering with a hint of cautiousness, "I don't know. Maybe meet the people and make friends?"
Leif looked at her sideways, as though he wanted to know if she was serious. "I-I want to build a house!" Daisy blurted out, flushing with embarrassment.
She thought of her words and continued confidently, "I want to build a big house with gardens to grow vegetables and ponds to raise fish." Her eyes were shining as she spoke about it. It was her dream since she was young.
"Then I'll grow a flower field where I can relax and drink tea. After that, I plan to grow several fruit orchards so that I do not have to go searching for it. Then I will hire servants to take care of me and live a lazy life!"
As she spoke, the air in the cave filled with the fragrant aroma of burning wood, filling the air with a pleasant sweetness and warmth.
The air eventually grew heavy and before long, she started to drift off to sleep. Her voice gradually faded as her breathing deepened into a slow, steady rhythm.
Leif's expression didn't change until he saw her falling asleep. His cold face instantly softened and he couldn't help but feel a sense of tenderness and affection for her as he stared at her sleeping face.
Even though he could not understand half of what she said, he thought it sounded dreamy.
He silently got up from his position and sat down next to her, enjoying the peaceful night.
The vast sky was a pale blue when the night finally came to an end. Slowly, the light of the suns began to break through the darkness, and with it came the sound of rain.
Raindrops fell quickly, hitting the ground like millions of tiny drumbeats. Water dripped from the edges of the trees and plants, sounding like a natural rainstick.
The trees and plants in the forest swayed in the heavy rain, their leaves violently rustling as the rain washed away the night's moisture, and the noise was almost unbearable.
Daisy sighed as she stood in a corner of the cave's mouth, looking at the pouring rain.
She had been looking forward to visiting the village that Leif had mentioned the night before. But when she awoke this morning, she was greeted by heavy rain.
She held out her palm outside the cave, and rain fell on it. Her hand shook slightly as cold rainwater dripped onto her skin, and raindrops bounced off her slender fingers, forming tiny droplets.
She stood there quietly, her eyes closed and her face turned up to the sky. She loved the feel of rain on her skin, the smell of the wet land, and the sound of raindrops hitting the trees.