Chapter 37

Making pottery isn’t as easy as burning charcoal. Zhuo Yan knew he had a lot of preparatory work ahead of him. Two main points were crucial: first, he needed yellow clay that was free of sand and required filtering; second, high temperatures were essential.

The first issue was finding those clay tiles.

The second challenge was achieving high temperatures.

The first step involved completing the charcoal production, while the second step required a hand-cranked blower—a meticulous job.

Fortunately, Zhuo Yan wasn’t on the clock at work, so he wasn’t in a rush; he planned to take his time with the task. Meanwhile, A-Man and the others, having seen the success with the charcoal, were now even more curious about pottery and constantly urged him for updates. Shi Tou, always with his sister Da Yun in tow, made it a point to check in every day.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but feel like they were all his bosses!

“Take your time, take your time,” had become his new catchphrase.

Every time Qiao heard it, she couldn’t help but chuckle and would chime in, “Let Zhuo Yan work at his own pace; stop rushing him!”

“Aren’t you even a little curious about that pottery?” A-Man asked.

Xiao Xian piped up, “But Zhuo Yan said you can make something out of clay that’s just like a stone pot! It can boil water, cook food, and hold things. How can clay be like a stone pot?”

“Are you really not curious?” Shi Tou’s eyes were fixed on Qiao.

“Uh… I’m curious,” she admitted.

The other three burst into laughter, turning their attention to Zhuo Yan. Zhuo Yan thought to himself, Even Qiao has changed!

Qiao’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “I really want to know what that pottery will look like. You told us it can be made into cups, bowls, plates, and even stone pots.”

“Actually, it’s not all that great. For starters, pottery is fragile. You have to handle it gently, or it’ll break. Plus, if you cook something for too long, it can crack too,” Zhuo Yan tried to temper their excitement by emphasizing the downsides of pottery.

“But Zhuo Yan, you’ve already told us that! I’m still really curious,” Xiao Xian insisted, nodding enthusiastically, “When can we bake those pots?”

“Not ‘bake,’ it’s ‘fire,’” Zhuo Yan corrected, “Today, we’ll sift through the clay and choose the yellow clay.”

“Got it!!!”

His friends chimed in eagerly.

Choosing yellow clay for pottery meant filtering out sand, but they had no sieve—making a fine sieve was quite the hassle. Zhuo Yan came up with a clever solution: he found a sloped area, dug a hole at the top, and packed it down with stones. He then created a channel leading to a lower pit, using the shallow water to wash and filter out dirt, leaving only the clean yellow clay at the bottom.

After several rounds of sifting, they were left with fine, sticky yellow clay.

Zhuo Yan explained the plan to A-Man and the others, ensuring they understood, before turning to the task of making the hand blower. Bamboo would’ve been ideal, but Qiao mentioned that Ah Da hadn’t seen any of the bamboo she described.

“Maybe Ah Da just didn’t notice. He’s always chasing after animals,” Qiao explained.

“It’s fine; there’s no rush,” Zhuo Yan reassured them. Bears could run incredibly fast, especially when they were agitated. Chasing prey often meant overlooking trees—everything looked the same to the beastmen; they categorized trees as either edible or not, so it was perfectly normal for them not to pay attention.

With their eagerness to make pottery, they didn’t have time to search for bamboo. Zhuo Yan rummaged through his home for leftover wood from when he built the stove’s roof, using it to create the ‘fan’ blades, which needed to be thin. For that, he pulled out a bone knife.

For three straight days, progress was slow. Even the impatient A-Man and Xiao Xian refrained from hurrying him along. Zhuo Yan wondered why they weren’t asking why he hadn’t finished yet.

“Did you forget what you said when you were making soap?” Qiao reminded him. “If you rush and mess it up, you’ll waste both time and materials.”

Everyone was eager to see what the pottery looked like, but the work at hand required meticulous attention. They had been sifting through the clay for quite a while, with A-Man and Xiao Xian even lying on the ground, repeatedly running their fingers through it. The final product was smooth and fine after being kneaded, rolled, and dried to remove excess moisture.

Zhuo Yan finally completed the blower.

At the end of the day, he told his friends, “We can start building the kiln tomorrow.”

“Really?!” A-Man’s eyes lit up with excitement.

Shi Tou’s sister, Da Yun, still had mud smeared on her face, but her brother’s joy was infectious, and she couldn’t help but share in it. In recent days, Da Yun had been crawling less and could even babble a few words. Shi Tou’s mother was thrilled, so Da Yun was entirely in her brother’s care.

The group agreed to meet early the next day.

Just then, the hunting team returned. Normally, they wouldn’t come back this way. Zhuo Yan’s home was at the outer edge of the tribe, which was the farthest point from the entire tribe’s location. Typically, the hunting team would traverse to the narrowest water areas.

Now, they had circled back here, with seven or eight beastmen—some in their beast forms—carrying their haul. The group was quite large and boisterous. The sub-beastmen working by the river turned to watch, and naturally, Zhuo Yan was no exception.

A-Man was the first to speak, then he turned to Qiao.

Zhuo Yan quickly pieced it together; it made sense why the hunting party had made a detour to this area—Ah Da’s main team was here to pick Qiao up.

As the hunting team arrived, Ah Da handed off the game to the others, while one beastman stayed behind, greeting Qiao with enthusiasm. “Qiao, Ah Da did great today! We managed to catch a rhinoceros!”

Zhuo Yan’s mind was already dreaming of a beef feast that night; it sounded wonderful.

Ah Da glanced at Qiao, asking if they were done. “We’re almost finished,” Qiao replied. “We’ll come back tomorrow to fire the kiln.”

“Fire the kiln?” the welcoming beastman piped up, quickly catching on. “I heard Ah Da say you and your friends have been playing with mud lately.”

Ah Da frowned slightly and corrected him, saying, “I didn’t say they were playing with mud, Ah Hui! I said they’re preparing to fire the kiln.”

“Firing the kiln? I asked you what that meant, and you said it was about burning mud. Isn’t that the same thing as playing with mud?” Ah Hui couldn’t wrap his head around it. It sounded exactly like what he said.

Ah Da opened his mouth to explain but realized he wasn’t quite sure himself. Qiao chimed in, “I told Ah Da that this mud will turn into pots for cooking and holding things.”

“Clay can cook food?” Ah Hui clearly didn’t believe her.

Qiao, losing patience, grabbed Ah Da’s hand. “Let’s go home. Aren’t we supposed to collect our meat soon? You should wash up first, and then we can go together.”

“Okay,” Ah Da nodded.

Qiao said her goodbyes to Zhuo Yan and the others, promising to see them later since they had to pick up the meat.

Meanwhile, Ah Hui remained, mumbling, “I just don’t believe that mud can turn into pots.”

“Who asked you to believe it?” A-Man snapped back.

Ah Hui had excellent hearing. He turned and said, “You’re A-Man, the little brother of Shi Tou and A-Ri, and this must be Zhuo Yan!”

“Zhuo Yan, I’m Ah Hui. I was at the bonding ceremony with Ah Da and Qiao, and Qiao said you’re great at making barbecues. Since we caught rhino meat today, would you like to come to my cave to barbecue it?”

Zhuo Yan was taken aback.

Me, go to your place to barbecue?

“Uh, no thanks. I can barbecue at my place just fine,” he declined outright.

Ah Hui nodded, chuckling, “Sure, that makes sense; it’s not convenient for you as a sub-beastman. Never mind then. I’ll head off; you guys should get home.” With that, he transformed into his beast form, picked up a grass skirt from the ground, and dashed off.

“Tomorrow, we must successfully fire the pots!” A-Man said, clenching his fists in determination.

Shi Tou nodded in agreement.

Zhuo Yan realized the two were upset about what Ah Hui had said—they felt like they were being dismissed as if they were just playing with mud, rather than pursuing something meaningful. He patted their shoulders, saying, “Pottery is quite challenging. I can’t guarantee the first batch will be successful either.”

“But we’re definitely not just messing around with mud!”

A-Man and Shi Tou nodded emphatically, feeling much better. They all said their goodbyes and headed home.

Zhuo Yan didn’t dwell on the little incident. It wasn’t just beastmen who misunderstood; even when planting potatoes or building doors, sub-beastmen didn’t always get it. It would all be clear once they were completed. As for Ah Hui inviting him to barbecue, that thought quickly faded from Zhuo Yan’s mind.

Initially, he felt a little irritated, thinking Ah Hui had a high opinion of himself by expecting him to come to his place to cook.

Am I a chef? I owe him nothing!

After refusing, and with Ah Hui not pushing the issue further, Zhuo Yan didn’t think much more of it.

It was only after he collected the meat that A-Yin and Ato, the two leopards, hurried back, one running fast and the other jogging. A-Yin yelped and nudged Zhuo Yan with his head, which was topped with a woven basket. Zhuo Yan said, “It’s not heavy; it’s fine. Your uncle told me to take yours.”

The leopard, Ato, made a soft noise beside him.

“A-Yin, say goodbye to Ato. We’re heading home now.”

A-Yin followed his brother’s lead, yowling in response. The flower leopard ran a few steps before turning back, looking anxious. A-Yin had hurt his paw, and he was worried that it would be dark and his brother wouldn’t be able to see. He had even washed it by the river—was that okay?

Should he say something? Ato stopped in his tracks.

A-Yin let out a cry, urging him to hurry home!

Ato hesitated, then finally bolted back, deciding to go along with A-Yin. This little A-Yin had a fierce streak; today, he even encountered a lion!

Zhuo Yan was completely oblivious to their silent negotiation, not understanding their urgent exchanges. A-Yin had been exceptionally busy lately, patrolling in the mornings and practicing hunting with Ato in the afternoons. It was like having a child who, before dawn, insisted on going to school, then wanted extra tutoring after classes—a real overachiever.

As a parent, could you afford to slack off?

Of course not!

So Zhuo Yan had gotten used to A-Yin coming and going at odd hours, as long as he wasn’t hurt. At that moment, A-Yin was following closely behind him, his head nudging the basket, all the way to the cave. Zhuo Yan asked A-Yin if he had eaten, and A-Yin meowed in reply. Zhuo Yan tossed him a piece of raw meat, saying, “I’ll start a fire to cook it.”

A-Yin chirped, grabbing the wooden bucket to fetch water.

“The bucket’s already full; I filled it this afternoon. Just take a break,” Zhuo Yan said, scratching A-Yin behind the ears, making him beam with delight.

Usually, when he grilled meat, A-Yin was all over him, following him around. But today was different; A-Yin seemed to be hanging back a little, slowly munching on the rhino meat from a distance. Normally, A-Yin would be right next to him, eagerly helping and devouring both raw and cooked pieces—playfully demanding the grilled meat.

Today felt off. Zhuo Yan glanced at A-Yin, who had his back turned to him, lying toward the cave entrance. It felt even more strange…

“A-Yin,” Zhuo Yan set down his chopsticks, “come here.”

A-Yin stiffened, unsure, refusing to budge. Zhuo Yan didn’t continue cooking; instead, he furrowed his brows. Just as he stood up to approach, A-Yin obediently scampered over.

Using the flickering firelight from the stove, Zhuo Yan began to examine A-Yin.

His head was fine, his eyes bright, though his fur was a bit messy. There was a small cut on his paw—he must have gotten into a fight. Zhuo Yan gently parted the fur around the cut for a closer look; thankfully, it wasn’t bleeding.

With a sudden burst of energy, A-Yin broke free, raising his front paw toward Zhuo Yan, his eyes shimmering with a hint of guilt.

Zhuo Yan met A-Yin’s gaze and quickly reassured him, “I’m not mad at you, A-Yin. Not at all.” He gently rubbed the fur on A-Yin’s ears before his attention shifted to the front paw. That’s when he noticed the blood and dirt caked onto A-Yin’s pads, and the way one of his claws was split open.

It must hurt terribly.

Zhuo Yan tried to scoop A-Yin into his arms, but the first attempt failed—A-Yin was just too big. Understanding his brother’s intent, A-Yin eagerly lifted his paw, bouncing around in excitement to show that he was ready to follow.

“Okay, take it slow. Hop onto the bed first; I’ll clean you up.”

A-Yin hopped onto the stone bed, and Zhuo Yan wasted no time grabbing fresh water to rinse the wound. One of A-Yin’s claws was entirely missing, while the adjacent one was only half intact. The water revealed a bloody mess, and Zhuo Yan’s heart sank at the sight.

“Let’s stay indoors tomorrow and let that paw heal, okay?” he suggested gently.

A-Yin nodded, letting out a soft whimper.

Zhuo Yan wanted to visit Ada and Mama to get some healing herbs, but it was late and inconvenient. He opted instead to clean A-Yin’s wounds thoroughly, planning to check on him again in the morning.

A strange burnt smell wafted from outside, prompting A-Yin to nudge Zhuo Yan with his head, glancing out curiously. Zhuo Yan remembered his barbecue. “I’ll grab something to eat. Just lie there; I’ll bring you some meat. Don’t get down.”

“Woof, woof!” A-Yin obediently replied.

That night, Zhuo Yan didn’t enjoy his meal. He hurriedly finished the slightly charred meat, extinguished the fire, and locked up before heading back to the cave.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, stroking A-Yin’s head. “If you ever get hurt again, please come tell me instead of hiding it.”

A-Yin nestled into his brother’s embrace, giving a playful whine that conveyed understanding.

“Good boy.”

However, Zhuo Yan tossed and turned through the night, and as dawn broke, he rose before the sun, holding A-Yin’s paw. It was a little swollen but had stopped bleeding. As soon as Zhuo Yan stirred, A-Yin woke too, licking his brother with a mix of affection and remorse.

Zhuo Yan chuckled, patting the little leopard’s head. “You’re injured now, so just stay at home. I’ll go ask Sister Qiao for some medicine. Wait here, don’t get down.”

“Woof, woof.” In reality, A-Yin had only lost a claw—something that would heal quickly without fuss. Still, he could see his brother was worried, not having slept well all night.

A-Yin’s blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears, tugging at Zhuo Yan’s heart. He thought of A-Yin as family; when family was hurt or sick, taking care of them was just natural. He didn’t want A-Yin to feel guilty, especially since the little leopard hadn’t asked for this injury.

“All right, enough with the pity party,” Zhuo Yan said, planting a kiss on A-Yin’s forehead. “Get some more sleep.”

A-Yin obeyed, closing his eyes, but perked up as soon as he heard the door creak. As he waited patiently on the stone bed, he faced the entrance, eager for Zhuo Yan’s return.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yan arrived at Qiao’s house, where she and Ada had just opened their cave door. Qiao was taken aback upon seeing him. “Zhuo Yan, what brings you here? Is everything okay?”

“A-Yin hurt his paw last night. I need to trade some herbs with Ada’s mama.”

The herbs were known for their bleeding-stopping properties, but Zhuo Yan was sure they had other uses. He recalled how Ada had bounced back swiftly after his fight with a bear, thanks to her mother’s care.

“I’ll take you over. Just wait a moment,” Qiao replied, heading back to inform Ada. Soon, Ada joined them, ready to go together.

When they arrived at Ada’s parents’ cave, Ada called out from a distance.

Before long, Ada’s father appeared, welcoming them inside. Once in the cave, Zhuo Yan presented a bar of soap, explaining his reasoning. Ada’s mother nodded eagerly, taking the soap from him while Ada’s father handed Zhuo Yan a generous bundle of herbs.

“Crush these and apply them to the wound. They’ll not only stop the bleeding but also speed up the healing process. Let him lick it off at night,” Ada’s mother instructed.

Zhuo Yan absorbed the medical advice like a sponge. “So, do I let him lick the herb directly or remove it first?”

“Let him lick it directly.”

“Thanks, Auntie! I’ll be on my way.” After expressing his gratitude, Zhuo Yan waved goodbye to Qiao, who understood his urgency and didn’t prolong their conversation.

Once Zhuo Yan left, Ada’s mother remarked, “Your friend seems quite concerned about that beastman.”

“Yeah, they have a strong bond. I just wish A-Yin could turn human,” Qiao thought privately, hoping Zhuo Yan’s life was going well. If A-Yin could transform, life would be so much easier, but she never voiced these thoughts in front of Zhuo Yan for fear of upsetting him.

As for A-Yin, he too wished he could shift into human form.

“Gods have their plans. Even if he doesn’t change, that kid has the love and care of a beastman, which is lucky,” Ada’s mother remarked.

When not discussing battles or fights, Ada’s mother was remarkably serene. After a brief pause, the conversation shifted to the soap, recalling how Qiao had given her half a piece and being pleasantly surprised at her own large piece.

“This is wonderful! Your friend is amazing.”

“Zhuo Yan is truly wonderful.”

Upon returning home with a generous supply of herbs, Zhuo Yan crushed a third of them into a powder, carefully sprinkling it over A-Yin’s injury. A-Yin seemed to smile at the touch, indicating it didn’t hurt.

“You’re staying in today. Just relax, and remember to lick off the powder tonight.” Zhuo Yan confirmed his instructions and then fetched some leftover rhino meat along with a bowl of water before strapping on his basket and heading out.

He turned back frequently, chattering away.

“If I run into Ato, I’ll tell him you won’t be patrolling today.”

“Don’t worry.”

“If you need to relieve yourself, just go. I’ll come back at noon to change your medicine.”

Zhuo Yan thought of every possibility before finally heading out with his basket. He had promised his friends they would fire the kiln today, and with A’man and Qiao so invested in making pottery, he couldn’t afford to delay.

A-Yin obediently lay on the bed, letting out soft whines. “Go on, Brother, I’ll be good,” he seemed to say.

Zhuo Yan opened the cave door just a crack to let in the sunlight and fresh air. As he made his way down the slope, he found his friends gathered at the usual spot—Xiao Xian, Er Ge, and Ato, who was still in his leopard form. The moment he spotted Zhuo Yan, he ducked behind Xiao Xian.

“What are you doing, Er Ge? You’re acting strangely today,” Xiao Xian said, puzzled.

“I came to help with the kiln, but you’re hiding!” Zhuo Yan chuckled, knowing that Ato was more interested in snooping around than actually helping.

“Last night, A-Yin hurt his foot, so he won’t be patrolling with us today. He’s at home, applying medicine to his wound. Ato, do you want to check on him?” Zhuo Yan suggested.

Ato let out a concerned whine.

“Thanks for keeping him company!” Zhuo Yan replied, feeling grateful. A-Yin was definitely feeling bored.

Ato had already dashed off.

“Ugh, I knew it! My second brother is up to something weird this morning; he just wanted to sneak off to play,” Xiao Xian exclaimed. “He was worried that you wouldn’t know about A-Yin’s injury, so he came to check things out.”

Zhuo Yan waved dismissively, “It’s just a small injury. Let’s get to work on the kiln.”

After a bit of disdain from the beastman A-Hui the previous day, A-Man and Shi Tou had ignited a fierce determination to succeed in their pottery project. They had gathered everything they needed: charcoal, yellow clay, and a hand-powered blower.

Zhuo Yan led A-Man and Shi Tou in building the kiln.

To maintain the necessary high temperature and capacity, Zhuo Yan began by digging a pit in the ground. He used mud from a pigsty to create a sturdy base, shaped a disk with an opening, and, once it dried, placed it on top and sealed the entrance. Then he stacked it upwards in a cylindrical shape, wider at the bottom and tapering at the top, which could be sealed later.

Meanwhile, Qiao and Xiao Xian busily cleaned the yellow clay, letting it dry in the shade until it had a pliable, rubbery texture. Zhuo Yan had previously taught them to make simple deep plates and bowls, rolling the clay out like dough, ensuring it was evenly thick before molding it into various shapes.

The two were meticulous in their work.

Once Zhuo Yan successfully constructed the kiln, they needed to fire it up to remove the moisture from the clay. Meanwhile, Qiao and Xiao Xian had already lined up many bowls, cups, and jars on a stone slab.

Carefully, they moved everything to a shaded area to dry.

While waiting for the kiln and pottery to dry, the group cooked meat by the river. Zhuo Yan returned home briefly, but Ato was nowhere to be found. A-Yin perked up as soon as he saw Zhuo Yan, his ears standing tall, and he broke into a wide grin.

Zhuo Yan felt his spirits lift. “Let me check your injury.”

A-Yin raised his paw, showing that he hadn’t wandered off; the medicinal powder was still intact.

“You need to eat and drink some water. Don’t you need to go outside?” Zhuo Yan noticed the meat had disappeared and there was less water in the bowl. “You should drink more in this heat.” He gently patted A-Yin’s head.

Last night had been a revelation for Zhuo Yan; he realized A-Yin wasn’t a little puppy anymore—he had grown up.

Following Zhuo Yan’s advice, A-Yin stretched his tongue out for a drink. Zhuo Yan then prepared more medicinal powder and waited for A-Yin to come back from outside. When A-Yin returned, a bit of powder had fallen off, but the wound remained clean.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but picture A-Yin bouncing around on three legs to relieve himself, chuckling as he patted A-Yin’s ears and reapplied the medicine.

“We finished the kiln this morning, and Qiao and Xiao Xian shaped some jars and bowls. This afternoon, once they dry in the shade, we can fire them up. I’ll come back to get you tonight; we’ll keep watch outside together.”

At first, A-Yin felt anxious hearing “can’t be left alone,” worried Zhuo Yan would leave him in the cave. But after hearing the full message, he relaxed, panting happily.

“Ah, A-Yin, you’re really like a little puppy, but you’re a little leopard!” Zhuo Yan exclaimed, charmed by A-Yin’s cuteness.

After chatting with A-Yin for a bit longer, Zhuo Yan finally got up to leave.

The pottery was dry, and the kiln was ready to fire.

“Be careful; we can put these in now.” Zhuo Yan began stacking the larger jars at the bottom, carefully placing each piece before sealing the kiln entrance with yellow clay.

A-Man and Shi Tou could hardly contain their excitement. The moment Zhuo Yan sealed the kiln, they watched him intently. Zhuo Yan turned back, startled. “We can start firing it up—first with firewood.”

“Why, Zhuo Yan?” Xiao Xian asked curiously.

Shi Tou didn’t care about the reasons; he was just eager to help.

“We need to start with a lower temperature; if it’s too hot, we might crack the pottery.”

Qiao nodded, realizing how challenging firing pottery was. In contrast, making soap was far simpler.

“How long will this take?”

Zhuo Yan estimated at least seven to eight hours. Glancing at the sky, he figured it would be around four or five in the afternoon, meaning they’d be working late into the night.

“That long?”

“It’s okay; A-Yin and I will stay here to watch,” Zhuo Yan assured.

Shi Tou said, “I’ll take my sister back soon; I can stay too.”

“I can help as well,” A-Man chimed in.

Xiao Xian was too young, and his family would likely not allow him to stay. As for Qiao, she was already married. Zhuo Yan decided, “Just one person will do. We need to fire the first batch, and if it doesn’t succeed, we’ll have to fire it again, so we can take turns.”

So tonight, Shi Tou would stay first.

As evening fell, everyone dispersed, heading home. Shi Tou remained to watch the kiln while Zhuo Yan returned for some grass mats. A-Yin hopped behind him on three legs.

“Take it slow, no need to rush,” Zhuo Yan advised.

A-Yin acknowledged with a soft whine.

Upon reaching their destination, Zhuo Yan laid out the mats and sat by the kiln, letting Shi Tou rest while he handled the firing. “It’s actually quite easy to fire the kiln,” Shi Tou said.

Zhuo Yan didn’t quite believe that. He had to watch the fire’s intensity, manually operate the blower, and his arms were already sore from the effort.

“I was in the cave watching Da Yun, making noise, needing to go to the bathroom, feeling hungry,” Shi Tou continued.

Zhuo Yan: …Well, it seems firing the kiln really was quite easy for him.

The young-lings in the tribe were remarkably resilient. Even when they transformed into little human forms, they were still sturdier than modern kids—this was a genetic trait. Zhuo Yan’s first encounter with Da Yun’s little sister, a child who looked around seven or eight, crawling around on the ground, had left him astonished.

But after spending a few days together…

Da Yun’s climbing skills were something else—he zoomed around effortlessly. Aside from being a little dirty, his arms and legs showed no signs of bruises or scratches; there wasn’t even a hint of abrasions.

One time, while they were enjoying some grilled meat, Da Yun got impatient and snatched the skewer right out of Shi Tou’s hands. The skewer poked him right on the forehead with a loud thud. Zhuo Yan winced, sure it must have hurt a lot, but Da Yun didn’t even flinch. He simply opened his mouth wide and continued chomping on the meat as if nothing had happened.

Though he was still learning to walk, often tripping and falling flat on his face, Shi Tou would call out, “Get up and come over here!” and Da Yun would push himself up on his hands without shedding a single tear.

If he were in the modern world, a fall like that would have him secretly crying in a corner somewhere!

It must have really hurt.

“Da Yun… you’re surprisingly easy to care for,” Zhuo Yan remarked with a chuckle, his eyes meeting A-Yin’s. “By the way, about your foot and your claws—it’s dark now, you can lick your wounds.”

Shi Tou was busy shaking the blower while observing Zhuo Yan intently as he spoke to A-Yin. Taking care of A-Yin required more attention than looking after a little cub! He recalled what Qiao had mentioned that morning—that A-Yin couldn’t transform into human form. Zhuo Yan indeed had a lot on his plate, but thankfully he had friends to support him.

At that moment, Shi Tou made a bold decision. “Zhuo Yan, I think raising cubs isn’t that hard. They can be quite impressive and not as troublesome as you might think. If you ever have cubs in the future, I can help take care of them—don’t be afraid!”

“Uh?” Zhuo Yan was taken aback.

What cubs?