He clearly did not like the words I do not want to be alone.

Lin Huahua saw that and pressed on even harder.

"I will be good," she promised, lifting one small hand like she was swearing some serious oath before heaven and earth. "Very good. Extremely good. I will not run around. I will not touch strange things. I will not go into the water. I will just sit quietly in one place, and you can all look around and check if there are any threats. Also, if I stay home, I will miss you."

The last part came out in a very small voice, and that was it.

That was the final blow.

Mu Qingyi’s deer tail swayed once.

Hu Baiyu’s lion ears perked completely.

Even Feng Yiren’s fox tail gave one stiff flick before he clicked his tongue and looked away like the one who had just gotten shot in the heart was actually him.

Lin Huahua, seeing their expressions, secretly celebrated in her heart.

It’s working.

It’s actually working.

Of course, she was not only going because she did not want to be alone. She also wanted to look around. Ever since coming to this primitive beast world, she had slowly started realizing that useful things could appear in strange places. Good herbs, rare leaves, odd fruits, even useful ideas. Since her father’s annoying system wanted her to learn how to survive and do things on her own, then of course she had to stay alert for opportunities.

She just could not tell them that.

If she said, I want to come because I want to search around for useful stuff, these overprotective beastmen would probably lock her inside the cave and take turns sitting in front of the entrance like watchdogs.

No, thank you.

So she lowered her head a little, shuffled forward on her small bare feet, and gently tugged the edge of Mu Qingyi’s hand.

"Please?"

Mu Qingyi inhaled slowly.

That one word, combined with her soft little fingers tugging him, was frankly unreasonable.

He looked at Hu Baiyu. Hu Baiyu was already doomed. That big white lion was staring at Lin Huahua like she was the most precious thing in the whole tribe, and his tail, visible behind him in his human form, was swaying low and slow in the quietest surrender.

Then Mu Qingyi looked at Feng Yiren.

The fox immediately raised his chin. "Do not look at me. I still say no."

Lin Huahua turned to him so fast that her white rat ears bounced.

"Why are you always the cruelest one?"

Feng Yiren snorted. "Because somebody in this cave has to think."

"You are not thinking. You are just mean."

"And you are just cute on purpose."

"I am not doing it on purpose!"

"All your ears need to do is droop once and these two lose their minds."

Mu Qingyi coughed softly and looked away. Hu Baiyu, who could not speak, simply pretended he had seen and heard nothing.

Lin Huahua gasped in outrage, even though the tips of her ears had already gone a little pink from being exposed like that.

Then, because she had no shame when it came to getting what she wanted, she turned and went straight to Hu Baiyu.

The huge lion looked down at her, and before he could even react, she threw both small arms around one of his thick forearms and hugged it to her chest.

Hu Baiyu froze.

Lin Huahua tilted her head up and looked at him with wide, soft eyes. "Baiyu."

His lion ears shot up so fast they almost looked startled.

Feng Yiren cursed under his breath.

Mu Qingyi closed his eyes for a second, already knowing this was finished.

Lin Huahua pressed her cheek lightly against Hu Baiyu’s arm and said in the sweetest voice she could manage, "I will stay where you put me. I will not run. I will not go anywhere dangerous. You can even carry me if you want."

That last sentence nearly killed three males at once.

Hu Baiyu’s entire face softened into a look so helplessly in love that even Lin Huahua almost felt bad for using such underhanded methods.

Almost.

Feng Yiren let out a harsh laugh. "Look at you. No dignity."

Hu Baiyu turned and glared at him at once.

The look was quiet, but because he was a three-striped lion beastman with shoulders broad enough to block out half the cave and strength that could snap a lesser beastman in two, the glare carried proper weight.

Feng Yiren immediately rolled his eyes. "Fine. Stare at me like that. As if I am the evil one here."

Mu Qingyi rubbed his forehead. "Huahua, if we take you, you stay where we can see you."

She nodded so fast it was almost ridiculous. "Yes."

"You do not go near deep water."

"Yes."

"You do not touch strange plants, strange insects, strange tracks, or strange anything."

"Yes, yes."

"If one of us tells you to stop, you stop."

"Yes."

"If one of us says come back, you come back immediately."

Lin Huahua nodded harder. "Yes."

Feng Yiren narrowed his eyes at her. "That was too fast. You are definitely planning nonsense."

"I am not planning nonsense," Lin Huahua said, offended. "I am planning to behave."

"That sounds even more suspicious."

Mu Qingyi finally sighed and surrendered. "Fine. We take her with us. Only for today."

Lin Huahua’s whole face lit up at once, and the sight of her bright smile, her perking white ears, and the happy swish of her tail made the three males feel that maybe every hardship in life had been worth it just to see this one moment.

"Yes, yes, only for today," she said quickly, already agreeing before they could change their minds.

Then, before she could make one move toward the entrance, all three males moved too.

Hu Baiyu stepped forward and bent slightly, clearly intending to carry her.

Mu Qingyi reached out at the same time, his expression calm but his intention obvious.

Feng Yiren saw both of them and instantly frowned. "Seriously, why must you be the one to carry her again? I want to carry her."