Chapter 58

Zhuo Yan was known for being cold-hearted and ruthless, with a steely resolve and a fierce disposition.

So, that night, he quickly tucked A-Yin into his blanket, his back turned as he settled in for the night. A-Yin gazed longingly at Zhuo Yan’s silhouette, a look of pure, helpless admiration on his face. Zhuo Yan felt the weight of those eyes boring into him.

“Go to sleep, A-Yin,” he said, unable to resist adding.

A-Yin’s face brightened at the encouragement, and he eagerly burrowed into the covers, snuggling up against Zhuo Yan. Even though Zhuo Yan was facing away, he could vividly picture A-Yin’s adorable expression and succumbed to the warmth of their proximity. It was just the blanket between them—nothing to worry about, right?

“If you feel uncomfortable at night, you must call for me,” Zhuo Yan instructed, still facing the wall.

A-Yin leaned in closer, nuzzling Zhuo Yan and planting little kisses along his neck. The warm breath sent shivers down Zhuo Yan’s spine, like an electric shock. “Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!” he insisted.

“Anyone who stays awake and talks is a dog!”

“Awooo~!” A-Yin replied, adopting a playful tone.

Zhuo Yan chuckled to himself, turning to the wall with a smile. This little pup was too much.

Inside the cave, a piece of firewood crackled out, leaving no sparks behind. Outside, the blizzard began to subside. Zhuo Yan’s thoughts wandered. The ice must be solid now. Last year, he’d gone ice fishing at this very time. A-Yin, now in human form, needed to catch up too; his legs had been aching these past few days, surely a sign he was lacking calcium.

He could make a fish soup, which would be delightful.

If the snow stopped tomorrow, they could head down to the riverbank. Zhuo Yan fell asleep quickly, lulled by the comforting thoughts.

Meanwhile, A-Yin continued to watch Zhuo Yan’s back, wishing they could sleep together, but his brother wouldn’t allow it. Sneaking a little closer, he draped his furs over Zhuo Yan’s shoulders, trying to share the warmth.

Zhuo Yan was deep in slumber when he suddenly felt something furry brushing against him—wait, furry?

Had A-Yin tucked himself in? The thought jolted Zhuo Yan awake. He lifted the blanket to peek inside, but his eyes had yet to adjust to the darkness. All he could see was a shadowy figure until a fuzzy head nudged against him with a soft, “Awooo!”

Zhuo Yan blinked, momentarily stunned, then exploded with excitement. “A-Yin! You turned into a leopard?!”

Indeed, nestled beside him was a fluffy, purring version of A-Yin.

Zhuo Yan cradled A-Yin’s face, examining his features with delight. “How did you turn into a leopard?”

“Aw-woof! Aw-woof!” A-Yin mumbled, still half-asleep, not quite sure how he’d changed.

Zhuo Yan felt a surge of joy for A-Yin. “It’s probably because you transformed late. Most others change forms every few years, but you must have held it all in until now!”

“Let me see!” Zhuo Yan jumped out of bed to stoke the fire, and A-Yin leapt down agilely, squatting in front of the hearth, ready to show off. Zhuo Yan inspected him closely. “You seem bigger—have you grown?”

A-Yin immediately stood up tall.

“Wow, you really have grown! You’re taller now,” Zhuo Yan said, noticing A-Yin’s head now reached his shoulder, a marked difference from when he had barely reached Zhuo Yan’s chest just a few days ago.

It was no wonder A-Yin had been complaining of sore bones; growing pains must have been intense. Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but stroke A-Yin’s fur, watching him hunker down again so that his brother could reach his head more easily.

“Alright, let’s go back to sleep.”

A-Yin sprinted back to the stone bed, looking up at Zhuo Yan with eager eyes. Zhuo Yan sighed, “You’ve grown up and transformed, you know?”

A-Yin’s blue eyes sparkled with innocence, tilting his ears playfully. He wanted to warm Zhuo Yan’s side of the bed, his thick fur providing the perfect warmth—

“…Come on in, then,” Zhuo Yan finally relented, his heart melting at the sight of the leopard.

A-Yin stuck out his tongue, displaying an endearing puppy-like charm, and snuggled back into the covers.

As they settled in, the warmth was soon engulfing them, a cocoon against the frigid air outside. Zhuo Yan felt A-Yin’s large head resting against his, marveling at how small his own head seemed in comparison.

“Sleep, sleep,” Zhuo Yan murmured, adjusting the top layer of fur off A-Yin’s body and draping it over their legs, feeling Ah Touch overheated. “Kick it to your feet to cover your legs.”

A-Yin obediently nudged the furs down with his paws.

“If the snow stops tomorrow, we can go fishing by the river.” Zhuo Yan had initially planned to go alone, but now with A-Yin transformed, “You can carry me down, being a true beastman!”

That was fantastic!!!

Zhuo Yan felt joy for A-Yin’s newfound form; it meant so much to him. Just a few days ago, A-Yin had struggled to transform, facing ridicule from the tribe. Now he had transformed, and Zhuo Yan knew A-Yin had longed for this.

The day had been surreal, and it was a little awkward adjusting to the sudden change—after all, a handsome guy had just joined their cave life. Zhuo Yan kept telling himself that A-Yin was just A-Yin, and it didn’t matter that he was furry and adorable.

But now… what a double standard!

He couldn’t share a blanket with a handsome guy, but a fuzzy A-Yin was another story.

Zhuo Yan tried to justify himself: it wasn’t really a double standard. He knew A-Yin so well and had even thought about what if A-Yin couldn’t transform again, what if he turned out to be a sub-beastman? He had already considered future plans.

For instance, if A-Yin needed to transform every three to five years, then while he was in human form, they would definitely need to build a wooden bed come spring. Zhuo Yan wanted A-Yin to learn some skills and also to expand their farmland—that was the second point.

Now, if A-Yin was a sub-beastman…

The two brothers would have to rely on agriculture and raise more animals to survive. They couldn’t afford to finish off all the chickens, especially if A-Yin wanted to get married someday. Zhuo Yan would need to teach him how to choose a partner. Though he had never been in a relationship himself, he had plenty of theoretical knowledge.

But then, unexpectedly, that very night, A-Yin transformed again into a beastman.

Being a beastman had its perks: winter would be much warmer, and hunting would become more convenient. With the ability to switch between beast and human forms based on the terrain of their prey, it made hunting safer and easier. A-Yin’s strength and resilience in harsh weather meant Zhuo Yan could rely on him for support—he could carry Zhuo Yan on his back.

Plus, they could explore new territories together.

Zhuo Yan had to admit he had a weak spot for furry creatures. Sharing a blanket with a big, handsome man might be awkward, but curling up with a fluffy companion was simply delightful.

And so, Zhuo Yan drifted into a peaceful sleep, completely content.

A-Yin, too, was happy, wagging his tail as he hugged Zhuo Yan, playfully licking his brother’s cheek. Zhuo Yan felt it but had grown accustomed to such affection. The next morning, as he awoke in a daze, he noticed his forehead was damp. Instinctively, he reached out to cradle A-Yin’s head and murmured, “Stop licking, or I’m going to go bald…”

“Brother Awooo, bald~!”

Zhuo Yan opened his eyes to meet A-Yin’s striking blue ones. They shared a moment of silence, both taken aback.

In the warmth of the blankets, Zhuo Yan found himself snugly nestled in A-Yin’s embrace, his legs awkwardly intertwined with A-Yin’s. What on earth?

Feeling a surge of embarrassment, he attempted to retract his leg, only to accidentally graze A-Yin’s thigh. Oh no!

Zhuo Yan felt his mind racing while maintaining a calm exterior. “Good morning, A-Yin. When did you change back into human form?”

“I don’t know, Awooo!” A-Yin replied, panic creeping into his voice.

Zhuo Yan understood; it seemed A-Yin couldn’t control when he transformed. Was there a trick to it? Trying to think seriously, he said, “It’s okay. Once winter passes, we can ask Qiao and Ada.”

“Let’s get up first,” he added.

A-Yin still had his arms wrapped around Zhuo Yan. They eventually untangled themselves like unwinding a twist of rope. Zhuo Yan wrapped himself in a fur skirt, feeling much more composed—mainly because of the cold. He glanced at A-Yin, initially planning to ask if he could help but saw A-Yin had already fastened his belt.

Smart! He had picked it up quickly yesterday.

“I’ll boil some water,” Zhuo Yan announced.

A-Yin grabbed a pot and headed for the door to dig through the snow, while Zhuo Yan tidied up their stone bed and began to gather firewood. Since A-Yin had always watched him do these tasks, it felt different now that he was in human form. While Zhuo Yan stoked the fire and boiled water, A-Yin worked diligently, using a snow shovel.

It made Zhuo Yan’s life much easier.

“A-Yin, are you cold? I can make you a vest,” he offered.

“No, Awooo!” A-Yin replied.

So it’s just me who thinks you’re cold, Zhuo Yan mused.

As the water boiled, they brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and prepared to cook. They combined taro and potatoes with yesterday’s leftover chicken bones. After it started boiling, they added a spoonful of crispy oil, a dish Zhuo Yan particularly enjoyed. While waiting for the soup to cook, he began to craft a vest for A-Yin, a simple design that involved measuring his arms and cutting a hole for the head. The straightforward approach meant no tailoring was needed, although the fit wouldn’t be particularly sleek.

“Wait, let me take a look.” As someone who had never made clothes before, Zhuo Yan pondered how to make the vest more fitted to keep A-Yin warm.

Now that they had bone needles, they could theoretically sew.

But they needed “thread.” They could cut narrow strips of leather, and for drilling holes in the bone, they could heat something to create holes—if only they had iron; he could forge it—cast iron would be ideal.

After finishing their meal, A-Yin went next door to feed the animals while Zhuo Yan continued working on the vest, also thinking about how to adjust his own. He started to create the “thread” from leftover material, focusing on making holes in the bone.

“Brother, umm?” A-Yin returned, confused by Zhuo Yan’s busy state.

“I’m trying to drill a hole in this bone needle; I need to be careful not to crack it.” He searched for his stone knife, intending to heat the tip to drill into the bone and test it out.

As the stone knife warmed up, he started to drill into one end of the bone needle. Under high heat, the bone darkened slightly, but it held together. It worked better than expected—if he had drilled directly, he would have easily broken the needle.

Zhuo Yan grinned with satisfaction. “Almost there! Just a few more times.” The stone knife wasn’t very sharp, making the process slow and cumbersome. After a while, he would have to grind the hole again with a bone knife.

A-Yin began to howl.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t decipher what A-Yin was trying to say, but then A-Yin transformed into his beast form, revealing sharp claws. Zhuo Yan instantly understood. He placed the thicker end of the bone needle on the table and gestured to A-Yin, “Right here, in that freshly burned blackened spot—a small hole. Don’t apply too much pressure; you might crack it, okay?”

A-Yin wasn’t sure if he could do it, but he cautiously used his claws as Zhuo Yan instructed.

With a slight push, a small hole appeared at the end of the needle.

Zhuo Yan: …!!!

His A-Yin truly was a tool for making holes!

Now that they had a bone needle, A-Yin couldn’t turn back into human form and started pacing in circles. Zhuo Yan reassured him, “It’s fine, it’s fine! Maybe you’ll change back tomorrow. I’ll make clothes for you, and in beast form, you’re warm and cozy.”

Being a beastman was preferable; it felt more natural. Zhuo Yan was still getting used to A-Yin in human form.

With a bone needle and leather strips in hand, all that was left was to cut and sew the vest. However, Zhuo Yan didn’t continue just yet. Outside, the snowstorm had completely stopped, and some sunlight peeked through. He wanted to head down to the river to catch fish, especially with A-Yin now in beast form.

So, he grabbed a wicker basket, draped a fur coat over his shoulders, and wrapped his legs in leather, securing it all the way up to his knees. Previously worried about A-Yin getting cold legs, he was now very protective of his own knees.

It felt like wearing knee-high leather boots.

“A-Yin, let’s head to the river to smash some ice and go fishing.” Zhuo Yan clumsily stepped out, while A-Yin crouched at the entrance, offering support for his brother’s ascent. With one agile leap, Zhuo Yan settled himself on A-Yin’s back, momentarily caught off guard by the feeling of his rear pressed against A-Yin’s fur.

It had never crossed his mind before, nor did it invoke any shame or awkwardness, but now, with A-Yin transformed into a human, it felt entirely different.

No wonder in their tribe, apart from family members, no one ever carried unfamiliar beastmen unless they were in a romantic relationship.

A-Yin stood tall, instantly towering over Zhuo Yan. He lowered himself and wrapped his arms around A-Yin’s neck as A-Yin began to jog. This position kept Zhuo Yan surprisingly warm, as A-Yin shielded him from the biting cold wind. Zhuo Yan’s body sank into A-Yin’s thick fur, feeling the warmth radiate from his companion. With a large fur coat draped around him, he was well protected from the wintry storm.

Compared to last winter, this was a walk in the park.

Before long, they arrived at the riverbank. Drawing from last year’s experience, Zhuo Yan headed straight to their previous fishing spot, ready to break the ice and search for any unexpected treasures hidden in the grasslands.

No surprise finds in the grasslands, but the fish in the river leaped up through the ice just as plentiful as last year. Zhuo Yan busily collected fish, while A-Yin stood guard in front of him, using his imposing frame to shield Zhuo Yan from the wind and snow.

“A-Yin, we can head back now!” Zhuo Yan shouted, his voice nearly drowned out by the howling winds.

Another snowstorm was brewing.

A-Yin crouched down to let Zhuo Yan climb aboard. Zhuo Yan grabbed the wicker basket, but before he could secure it, A-Yin clamped his mouth around it, nearly knocking Zhuo Yan off balance as the winds intensified.

With no time to waste, Zhuo Yan quickly mounted A-Yin’s back, lowering his body to counter the gusts. A-Yin, intelligent as always, clutched the heavy basket in his jaws, cleverly binding the straps together to keep it intact. With a swift motion, he bolted back to the cave, where snow was falling thickly, already accumulating at the entrance. A-Yin was covered in snow, his silver fur blending seamlessly with the white flakes.

“Let’s hurry inside!” Zhuo Yan reached out for the wicker basket.

A-Yin dashed into the cave, still holding the basket, and let out a series of eager howls. Zhuo Yan responded, “You go in first!” as he hurried to close the door behind them. A-Yin placed the basket down and nudged the door shut with his head, even using a stick to prop it closed, while Zhuo Yan draped another fur over the entrance to block the wind.

Through the wooden door, the sounds of the raging storm could still be heard.

Zhuo Yan didn’t bother unpacking the basket of fish right away. Instead, he focused on starting a fire. This time, he used charcoal, warming the cave’s interior. He took a dry hide to brush off the snow from A-Yin, though some had already melted.

“Sit by the stove and warm up; don’t catch a cold,” he instructed.

A-Yin obediently settled by the stove, basking in the warmth. Zhuo Yan removed his cloak, hanging it on the cave wall, and kicked off his boots, leaving the basket of fish by the entrance, where it would stay cool until the snow stopped. He planned to use a stone pot to melt the snow for cooking later.

The fish entrails could feed the chickens and the boar.

He gathered the fish scales, intending to discard them the next time they visited the river; there was no point in keeping them in their cave.

All of this could wait until the snow let up.

After warming up by the fire, Zhuo Yan began preparing dinner. For lunch, they had soup, and for dinner, they would have roasted smoked meat. There was no need for salt since the meat had been boiled first, cut thick, and placed on a stone slab. A layer of fat coated the slab, sizzling as the meat cooked to a golden brown on both sides.

Thanks to the boiling, the meat wasn’t overly dry, and combined with the fat, it tasted almost like a smoked steak, with just a hint of saltiness.

The pair—one human and one leopard—feasted on three to five pounds of meat, while Zhuo Yan boiled a pot of water. After dinner, they both enjoyed a drink, and Zhuo Yan turned his attention to making a vest.

He started by repairing his own vest, working shirtless as he carved out the sleeve holes with a bone knife, widening the curves for better movement. He planned to add an extra piece of hide around the waist, leaving space for a cord to tie it up.

A-Yin watched attentively from the ground, his gaze shifting from Zhuo Yan’s face to his hands and then his body. Concerned for his brother’s warmth, he shifted closer, wrapping around him.

“Careful; I might accidentally poke you with the needle,” Zhuo Yan cautioned. A-Yin’s fur tickled against his upper body.

A-Yin responded with a playful growl, refusing to move away.

“Looks like someone’s being a little stubborn,” Zhuo Yan teased.

“Aw~” was A-Yin’s reply, as he stayed close to protect his brother.

Zhuo Yan chuckled, knowing A-Yin was just being affectionate. It felt cozy to have A-Yin pressed against him, the fur radiating warmth. Once he finished modifying his vest, it fit much better—snug at the bottom and roomy at the sleeves, unlike before when it had torn due to a poorly sized opening.

Despite the clumsy stitches, it was a warm, fuzzy vest that fit perfectly.

Next, he turned to make one for A-Yin. Glancing at his fluffy companion, Zhuo Yan visualized A-Yin’s human form and cleared his throat, saying, “Never mind, it’s too late tonight. We’ll wait until you turn back into a human, and then I’ll measure your size to make it. Don’t want to mess it up.”

They had plenty of hides this time around—much more than last year.

There were sheep and deer skins, along with some small scraps from rabbits. With the bone needle available, he planned to craft small items for both of them in the coming days, like boots and cloaks.

The night passed peacefully, with the snow finally letting up. Zhuo Yan tidied the stone slab, wiping it clean with snow before rinsing it with boiling water. He then peeked into the neighboring cave, but it was too dark to see. The chickens huddled together, the boar remained quiet, and the rabbits nestled in their corners.

Sighing, he thought, They’re suffering too; might as well eat them all.

He muttered this under his breath before fetching a wooden board to secure the entrance to the animals’ cave, lA-Ying down dry grass to help insulate them. If they froze, he would have no choice but to cry while eating frozen meat.

That night, after washing up,

A-Yin crouched on the stone bed, waiting for Zhuo Yan. Tonight, as Zhuo Yan spread out his bedding, he was resolute; nothing could shake him from his decision. No amount of tail wagging from A-Yin would change his mind. They would definitely sleep apart tonight.

“Do you understand?”

A-Yin looked at his brother with big, sad eyes, wagging his tail.

“Absolutely not,” Zhuo Yan said firmly. “If we share a blanket, we’ll both be uncomfortable.”

A-Yin’s fluffy ears drooped. For a brief moment, Zhuo Yan felt a pang of sympathy, but he remembered how their lower bodies had tangled together that morning and steeled himself again. “No, you go to sleep. I’m exhausted!” He pretended to yawn dramatically.

Seeing how tired his brother was, A-Yin decided against pleading any further and obediently burrowed into his own blanket, not wanting to worry Zhuo Yan. Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but think, A-Yin is just too adorable and pitiable.

Zhuo Yan reached out to pat A-Yin’s ear. “Be good, sleep now.” Yet, he remained steadfast in his one-blanket rule.

A-Yin didn’t mind, though! His brother was petting him! How delightful!

He even stuck out his tongue to lick Zhuo Yan’s palm.

Zhuo Yan thought to himself, What a warm little puppy.

A-Yin was exceptionally well-behaved compared to other kids. Even if his requests were denied, he never threw a tantrum but remained joyfully affectionate.

Zhuo Yan felt a swell of pride. What a good boy I’ve raised!

However, in the middle of the night, Zhuo Yan awoke, shivering. His single pelt wasn’t enough to keep him warm. Although A-Yin had covered him with a bear skin, the cold still seeped through. He opened his eyes to find A-Yin, still fluffy, and debated whether to snuggle up with him.

A-Yin opened his eyes too, bright and shimmering, letting out a soft howl.

“…Could you uncover the blanket? I’m a bit cold. I’ll sleep with you.”

“Awuu! Awuu! Awuu!” A-Yin eagerly peeled back the blanket, and in that instant, as Zhuo Yan rolled in, A-Yin transformed into a human, just like that—a complete metamorphosis!

Zhuo Yan: ?!?!?

At that moment, his mind was reeling, but he found himself enveloped in the warm embrace of Aman.

A-Yin hugged him tightly, thinking Zhuo Yan was chilly. He secured the bear skin around them both, wrapping his arms around Zhuo Yan’s waist, even intertwining their legs and feet. Zhuo Yan’s feet were cold, but A-Yin’s body radiated warmth.

But—A-Yin is Aman!

Zhuo Yan struggled to comprehend the situation as A-Yin, seemingly misunderstanding, used his human hands and feet to push the blanket down to cover their lower halves.

“…” Zhuo Yan fell silent.

Should he pretend to be asleep instead?

Because A-Yin was truly warm. Zhuo Yan felt ashamed for a moment but eventually succumbed to the comfort of the blanket, closing his eyes and muttering, “Let’s sleep quickly, don’t move.”

“Brother, awuu.”

The cave was silent for a while. After some time, Zhuo Yan whispered, “Your hand.”

A-Yin looked down at Zhuo Yan, his blue eyes wide and innocent. Zhuo Yan realized A-Yin genuinely didn’t understand the implications of their closeness. It was awkward, and he couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Don’t touch my waist with your hand. It tickles,” he grumbled, feeling flustered and restless.

A-Yin understood, letting out a serious “awuu,” and remained still, but Zhuo Yan’s skin was just too tempting. He hadn’t been able to resist its smoothness and enticing scent.

“And don’t move your feet either,” Zhuo Yan added, feeling A-Yin’s foot brushing against his.

Do you know how ambiguous this is?!

A-Yin complied, but he couldn’t help stealing glances at Zhuo Yan. With his eyes shut, Zhuo Yan vowed that tomorrow they couldn’t be like this again. It was already awkward enough, and now that they were snuggled together, all the warmth was gone, so it was time to sleep.

He fell asleep quickly.

The next morning brought both good news and bad news. The good news was that Zhuo Yan slept soundly, and when he awoke, A-Yin had transformed back into a leopard, sparing them from any embarrassment—he lay comfortably in A-Yin’s embrace, his arms awkwardly wrapped around A-Yin’s waist, legs brushing against his lower body…

In summary, A-Yin returning to his leopard form was a blessing.

If he had been in human form, Zhuo Yan didn’t dare imagine what kind of position they would have been in.

The bad news was that four of their chickens had frozen to death, and the remaining six were looking worse for wear. The chicks didn’t seem to have much time left, but at least the hens were still somewhat lively.

One of the rabbits was gone too.

That day, Zhuo Yan had a lot of chores. He needed to process a whole basket of fish and tend to four chickens and a rabbit. A-Yin watched him flit around, feeling anxious, and then transformed into his human form.

Zhuo Yan: !

In their cave, two handsome men sat together, busy preparing the frozen food. Zhuo Yan’s hands reeked of fish even after washing with soap three times. He collected the fish, chicken, and rabbit entrails to feed the boar.

He opened the door to the neighboring cave and brought in the remaining six chickens and one rabbit, instructing A-Yin, “You scare them! Don’t let them run around or make a mess!”

A-Yin glared at the animals, letting out a series of “awuus.”

Zhuo Yan quickly tidied up the neighboring cave and fed the boar. It was in good shape, seemingly the healthiest of the bunch. It ignored him, simply curled up and continued sleeping.

“Good boar, if you get through this winter, I’ll have A-Yin find you a companion in spring,” Zhuo Yan promised his diligent little worker.

The boar grunted in response, unfazed.

“You’ll see.”

By the time he finished his chores, it was already evening. Fortunately, he had cooked a pot of rich fish soup to soothe the busyness of his day. After dinner, it was time for bed.

He still hadn’t made A-Yin a leather vest, but he promised himself he would do it tomorrow.

Two blankets or one blanket… Outside, the wind howled, and this year’s blizzard had come early, and it was especially cold. Zhuo Yan looked at fluffy A-Yin, betting that tomorrow A-Yin would be in his furry form again.

“Get in bed, let’s sleep together.”

“Awuu!” A-Yin replied, excited and joyful.

The next morning: Zhuo Yan lost the bet.

Thank goodness he was a good actor, playing the role of a composed, calm older brother while trying to untangle their bodies.

The cave smelled unpleasant; the rabbits and chickens had made a mess.

Zhuo Yan held his breath and, unable to endure it any longer, shooed the chickens and rabbit back into the neighboring cave, not bothering to stop the boar this time. “You all huddle together to keep warm.”

That day, Zhuo Yan stitched together scraps of hide to create a door curtain for the neighboring cave, shielding it from the biting wind and snow, and laid down a thick layer of dry grass.

That night, A-Yin was in human form. Zhuo Yan hesitated for a moment—after all, they had shared a bed before. With the temperatures dropping so low, sleeping alone would be uncomfortable. As long as he woke up to find A-Yin furry and warm, he figured it would be fine. Thus, he placed another bet.

…And as always, he lost.

Zhuo Yan sighed, awkwardly trying to untangle himself from A-Yin.

The good news was that the rabbits, chickens, and boar in the neighboring cave looked full of energy, as if they had just come from an all-night party. As he watched them, each one appeared lively; the mother hen was protecting her chicks, the boar was snuggled against the cave wall, and the rabbits were nestled under the boar’s belly.

Zhuo Yan couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“Play nice, you can roughhouse and have fun, but don’t go dying on me,” he instructed.

The boar snorted in acknowledgment, and Zhuo Yan pretended not to notice that the hen was pecking at its backside. He reassured his diligent little worker, “You’re the big brother here, so be a little accommodating. They’re fluffy too! It’s great for everyone to cuddle up together. When spring arrives, I promise I’ll find you a companion.”