Xu Chi squeezed her hand tightly, pulling her into his arms. His eyes held a longing for his homeland, a thread of joy at the thought of returning, but were filled mostly with sorrow.

The memories of his childhood were too profound, like an indelible scar etched into his mind. He didn’t know how many of his elders had sacrificed their lives for him to survive.

He hummed, "Okay," and greedily nuzzled the crook of the little female’s neck. Her soft, fragrant skin was so comforting and reassuring.

Si Shuo patted him and shot Zhi Le a look. The latter shook his head with an amused smile and steeled himself to approach his Father.

"Father, Mother Xia Ming has fallen asleep. Even though it’s summer, the wind under the eaves can be tricky. People have gotten crooked eyes and mouths from it. You should go carry Mother Xia Ming back to her room," Zhi Le said, bumping Zhi Li’s shoulder and jutting his chin toward Xia Ming.

Zhi Li froze for a second, then pointed to himself, silently asking, ’Me?’

Zhi Le raised an eyebrow. "What? Father, you don’t expect me to make a mistake in front of my kitty and carry Mother Xia Ming back to her room, do you?

Or should I ask one of my other Couple Brothers? In any case, my kitty is too small and weak for a job like this.

Or maybe you should just wake her up?"

Zhi Li looked around. It seemed he was indeed the most suitable person. His heart couldn’t help but pound in his chest, and an indescribable shyness made his palms and forehead break out in a cold sweat.

’He keeps calling us Father and Mother... as if we were a couple...’

He walked over stiffly, his arms and legs moving in unison. As he bent down to pick her up, he saw how sweetly the little female was sleeping. Her lashes were thick, long, and curved, like butterflies cautiously resting. Her delicate features and straight nose were so beautiful, a demureness mixed with her refinement. His gaze couldn’t help but drift downward to the little female’s soft pink lips, which resembled a pink summer flower and seemed to exude a sweet fragrance, silently tempting him.

The sight of her slender, pale neck and the delicate hollow of her collarbone, exposed as her head tilted, made Zhi Li’s blood boil.

He squeezed his eyes shut, taking a deep breath and slowly calming himself. After doing this a few times, prompted by Zhi Le’s confused urging, he carefully lifted Xia Ming into his arms.

Xia Ming found a comfortable position, snuggled against his shoulder, and continued to sleep with a faint smile on her lips.

Zhi Li froze on the spot. He looked down at her, not daring to breathe too heavily for fear of waking her. His memories didn’t span the twenty-year gap; instead, with his rebirth, everything that happened before his death was fading and becoming distant as he experienced his new reality.

He had only ever felt a sense of responsibility toward Ping Mei, treating her like family. There was never the blushing and heart-pounding that everyone talked about. Even when they were intimate, he was merely fulfilling his procreative instincts. After a fleeting moment of physical stimulation and loss of self, his reason would return, and he even disliked this feeling of not being in control of himself, finding it utterly dull.

Everyone thought he couldn’t live without Ping Mei and let her do as she pleased. Even Ping Mei herself was that confident.

But in truth, he knew he was practically waiting on her like an old mother, only indulging her because he was afraid of her making a fuss...

Zhi Li’s gaze lowered. He carried the little female in his arms back to the room, gently laid her on the bed, and draped a thin blanket over her stomach. Not daring to look up at her again, he turned and strode away.

Si Shuo raised an eyebrow, putting down the fingers she had been using to count. She pursed her lips into a light smile and whispered to Gong You, who was feeding her small fish, "Gong You, do you think Father Zhi Li and Mother Xia Ming will get together?"

Gong You lazily fed her and thought for a moment. "Probably not, right? If a male likes a female, it happens at first sight. They’ve been dragging their feet for so many years, they’ve long gotten used to being like friends or family.

My dear, look how quickly Father Zhi Li left after just going in. He’s trying to avoid suspicion.

If he was really interested in Mother Xia Ming, he definitely wouldn’t have passed up such a good opportunity!"

Si Shuo laughed and pinched his cheek. "Gong You, you can’t think about this with your straightforward male logic. It’s precisely because he came out so quickly that something’s fishy.

Mother Xia Ming isn’t without feelings for Father Zhi Li, and Father Zhi Li definitely doesn’t see her as just a sister.

Let’s just wait and watch the show."

Gong You tilted his head. ’It can be interpreted that way?’

"He’s fleeing in a panic, get it?" Si Shuo said with the profound air of a love expert. "Father Zhi Li hasn’t figured out his own feelings yet, but his actions have betrayed him."

Gong You chuckled. "My dear is so perceptive. But I heard you used to be a total coward, right? You didn’t even dare to accept a Beast Husband who was delivered right to your door."

’That Beast Husband delivered to my door must be Ji Liang, right?’ Si Shuo huffed and ignored him. ’You don’t hit a person’s weak spot!’

「That afternoon」 Zhi Li was restless, a strange agitation making it impossible for him to focus on anything. His eyes kept darting toward the room where Xia Ming was sleeping.

When Xia Ming woke up, Zhi Le shoved a basin of water into Zhi Li’s hands.

Zhi Li put the water down at the door and left without even lifting his head.

Xia Ming watched him run off as if his feet were greased, like a mouse that had just stolen grain. She fumed. ’Am I really that scary?’

After playing with the cubs for a while, it was time for dinner.

Zhi Li was once again herded by his own son to Xia Ming’s side to help her serve rice, soup, and roasted meat.

But the little female, who usually smiled sweetly and thanked him politely, was listless and wouldn’t even give him a single glance!

Zhi Li served her in silence, and everyone present, including the cubs, was so anxious their fur was standing on end. Good grief, his dawdling nature was unbearable.

Si Shuo, however, had no such worries. Right after dinner, she was summoned by Ji Liang.

To her surprise, they were in an oasis in the middle of the desert. The stark contrast between the two landscapes made the moonlight feel as cool and fluid as water. Along the riverbank, countless Fire Candle Insects drifted with the wind.

"Whoa!" Si Shuo exclaimed, unable to resist standing up to chase the Fire Candle Insects. Wherever she ran, the insects would take flight in a flurry, their fluorescent lights twinkling. In the distance, the lake’s surface shimmered, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and flowers. It was like a stunningly beautiful image fit for a screen saver, so breathtaking it didn’t seem real.

Ji Liang chuckled, transformed into a snake, and nudged her along, circling the lake and startling all the Fire Candle Insects, forcing them to dance for them.

It felt like they were the only two people in the world...

Si Shuo pressed her lips together and also transformed into a white snake, slowly coiling around him. The intertwining black and white made Ji Liang’s eyes turn red. He bit out in a low, hoarse voice, "Little Shushu, you... you need to change back. This is dangerous!"

She tilted her head. ’What’s dangerous?’

The next moment, she felt him coiling back around her. She instantly understood and, with her scalp tingling, quickly changed back into her human form. Ji Liang followed suit...

「These last few days」, Xia Ming had gotten used to Yi Wan’s company. Now that Yi Wan was gone, she was alone in the empty, unfamiliar, pitch-black room, and her heart trembled constantly, especially when the roars of Wild Beasts from outside the city walls echoed through the night.

In her memories of her death in a past life, all she could hear were those same sounds. Terrified, she couldn’t stop herself from curling into a ball in the corner, clutching her head and shouting, "Zhi Li!"