Chapter 47

The team planned to stay here for a while. They set up tents, but due to the large size of the brown bear, it wasn't very tent-friendly in terms of ventilation. Hence, Mr. Brown Bear had the luxury of enjoying a separate tent.

Xia You glanced at the tent, then at Lu Yinghuai, her gaze slightly evasive.

The tents and sleeping bags in her spatial knot were prepared by Uncle Zhou before their journey. He had packed a variety of items, and Xia You had stuffed them all into her spatial knot at the time.

However, it was apparent that Lu Yinghuai also had a set.

Usually, when they camped, they sometimes used the tent from Xia You's spatial knot and occasionally from Lu Yinghuai's. With three large cats plus two people, one tent was just right.

But in reality, given Yuan Yuan's wariness, it wouldn't matter if Xia You and Lu Yinghuai slept separately. However, neither of them mentioned it, so by default, they placed their sleeping bags side by side.

Now, seeing another tent unexpectedly set up nearby...

All in all, every time Xia You passed by the tent, she'd quicken her pace. She wasn't sure why, but she always felt a subtle sense of guilt.

Cheng ZhiNian and Fan YuXin's latest data and the research department's report also arrived on Lu Yinghuai's holographic computer during these days.

As Lu Yinghuai had previously predicted, since the essence of the spiritual body is the condensation of spiritual power, Xia You was essentially soothing and repairing the spiritual power of Cheng ZhiNian and Fan YuXin when she cleared the gray matter from the beast-like spiritual bodies.

However, all the research department's instruments failed to detect the gray matter in their spirit seas, as described by Xia You.

Other healers at the Healing Center tried, but only the two highest-level healers mentioned they had vaguely felt unstable spiritual power in some individuals, sensing impurities in their spirit seas, but couldn't grasp or cleanse them with their spiritual power.

However, the healer who had previously soothed Cheng ZhiNian and Fan YuXin's spiritual power was very certain that there had been a significant improvement in their spirit sea's condition.

Surprisingly, Cheng ZhiNian, who should've had a more severe condition, had better spirit sea indicators than Fan YuXin.

As for this outcome, the research department did come up with a highly probable hypothesis.

In the mental seas of Cheng ZhiNian and Fan YuXin, remnants of Xia You's healing psychic energy were detected. Even after all this time, this healing energy remains vigorous and continuously soothes their mental powers.

"Hm?" Xia You, busy potting soil into flower pots, looked up, pondering a moment. As she continued her task, she remarked, "Ah, yes, that happened. His Highness' mental sea becomes more comfortable when I infuse it with my psychic energy. After treating the big cats, I'd often leave a bit in their brains too."

"It's not much, just a bit here and there." As Xia You patted the soil in a pot, several other pots of different shapes and sizes surrounded her. "However, I did purposefully transfer a bit more into Snowflake before he left."

Even though they're all cat-heads, Xia You admittedly doesn't feel the same about all of them.

The cat-heads at home are different from those in the cat cafe. Some are aloof, while others are charming and affectionate. Humans often have subconscious preferences.

When Cookie left silently, Xia You hadn't fully grasped the situation. But with Snowflake, she knew for sure he needed her psychic energy.

The rustling from the woods grew louder, and soon, a massive chocolate-colored creature emerged, holding a tree branch. The creature adjusted the branch and placed it next to Xia You.

Last night, after dinner, Xia You sifted through her spatial ring and found a box of seeds that Uncle Zhou had packed, brought back by Spicy Stick.

With nothing better to do, Xia You decided to plant something. Uncle Zhou wouldn't send something without purpose.

However, when planting, Xia You rarely used her hands. Instead, she utilized her psychic tentacles, much like when she was handling the fresh fish.

After that day, Xia You quickly discovered this method accelerated the consumption of her psychic energy, noticeably increasing her energy limit during the recovery process.

After laying down the branch, the brown bear seemed ready to help Xia You build a stand for the pots. But upon noticing Lu YingHuai, a teasing glint flashed in its eyes, and it swiped a paw towards him.

Lu YingHuai dodged swiftly, looking at the bear in surprise.

Xia You was equally stunned.

The brown bear waved its paw at Lu YingHuai, gesturing to the spot next to it.

—Why are you standing there? Can't you see the little healer needs a stand?

—You're a grown man, alone in the wilderness with another man. If you're interested, go for it!

—Why are you acting so wooden?

—Back in the day, his sister wasn't like this. Before confessing, Marshal Lu JiuZhu even considered simply using a mecha to kidnap the handsome prince.

Well, let's just say Vice Officer Jiang Nan was the expert who stayed up all night planning the kidnapping scheme for his idolized commander.

The Supreme Commander's bandit-like tendencies often influence those around him, especially his close students like Jiang Nan and Cheng ZhiNian.

Lu Yinghuai's upbringing was unlike that of most children. Despite the notable age difference between him and Lu Jiuzhu, in this interstellar era, people generally have longer lifespans, and old age comes late. Thus, a few decades isn’t a significant gap.

In terms of relationship, Jiang Nan has served as Lu Jiuzhu's deputy for many years, so he isn't really an elder to Lu Yinghuai.

However... When Lu Yinghuai was an infant in the nurturing chamber, several emergencies arose due to his unusual psychic abilities, and on many occasions, it was Jiang Nan who tended to him.

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

Xia You sneaked a glance at the rare deflated expression of the prince. Her lips curved slightly as she continued to use her psychic power to sort the flower seeds.

Lu Yinghuai, seeing the bear's eyes glaring with an implicit "act proud and I'll smack you," reluctantly crouched down and cooperated with the bear to help Xia You set up the plant stand.

Xia You's psychic tendrils first dug small holes in the soil, then wrapped around the seeds, and another pair covered them with soil, gently patting it down.

As her numerous tendrils busied themselves, Xia You sat cross-legged in front of the flower pots, her deep blue eyes shining brilliantly as if reflecting a galaxy.

The thickest tendril stealthily reached out to Lu Yinghuai's side and politely poked him.

Lu Yinghuai smiled and sat down, indicating to the tendril that it was free to caress him.

The recently worked tendril was dusty, resting on Lu Yinghuai's knee, looking tired and unmotivated to move.

Lu Yinghuai took out a handkerchief from his spatial ring and gently wiped the tendril. The tendril playfully rolled around on the handkerchief before wrapping comfortably around Lu Yinghuai's wrist.

The bear glanced at the focused young healer opposite him, then at the diligent tendrils on the flower pots, and finally at the now-clean tendril lazily coiling around Lu Yinghuai's wrist.

How is it possible for someone's character to simultaneously possess such ambition and dedication while also displaying an utterly contradictory laziness and charm?

The bear was genuinely curious about how such a mental state was formed. Was it related to the unique properties of her psychic powers and her adept multitasking ability?

The bear discreetly observed Xia You and Lu Yinghuai, while Lu Yinghuai began to earnestly work on his task.

Initially resting on Lu Yinghuai's wrist, Xia You's psychic tendril grew curious. Slowly, it crawled up his arm, sticking to his cheek, watching him work on the plant stand.

After a while, sensing the atmosphere was right, the bear stood up, ready to hunt for tonight's food.

Times had changed, and the bear felt he should indulge in all the meat dishes he had ever imagined to make up for the fruits and leaves he had consumed in the past.

Engrossed in his work, Lu Yinghuai suddenly halted.

The tiny tentacle, seeing Lu Yinghuai unmoved, gently brushed against his neck, seemingly urging him to act.

Lu Yinghuai said, "Why not on my wrist? It offers a clearer view."

The little tentacle obediently slid down and wrapped itself around Lu Yinghuai's wrist.

Without the constant brushing sensation against his neck and cheek, Lu Yinghuai breathed a sigh of relief and resumed what he was doing.

As the black panther and the young tiger dragged their prey back, Xia You had just finished planting the seeds in the box, and the little tentacles were collected back by her.

Of course, the one lazily resting on Lu Yinghuai's wrist was left out.

Using the branch brought by the brown bear, Lu Yinghuai crafted a simple flower rack with two tiers, perfectly fitting all the pots.

While moving the flower pots, Xia You had a sudden thought and asked, "Your Highness, do you think if I infused the seeds with my spiritual power, they would grow better?"

By the research department's theory, his spiritual power is quite vital, right?

Lu Yinghuai hesitated for a moment, then replied, "We can give it a try."

"Alright."

Xia You pulled the tentacle off Lu Yinghuai's wrist to infuse the flower pots with spiritual energy, and she specifically left a few pots as a control group.

During dinner, Xia You remembered the live-streaming device taken by Lu Yinghuai and promptly started the live broadcast.

The audience, who had been neglected in the stream room for several days, reacted: [!!]

Just seconds after the start of the broadcast, the viewership surged to a peak.

Counting the attendees, nearly everyone with access to this stream was present.

[Perfect timing! Just returned from a mission. I'm eating nutrients while watching the broadcast.]

[Does anyone get it? I'm in the middle of an exam! Today's a one-on-one with Commander Hawk, and here I am, hiding in the locker room watching the stream. I hope Commander Hawk goes easy on me and doesn't knock me out.]

[Oh, from the Cheetah squad? Hurry up and get out, finish quickly, and don't keep me from my stream.]

[Hahaha, Commander Hawk is famously slow during one-on-ones. I wonder if today's member from the Cheetah squad is fortunate or not.]

[Better to faint early and wake up soon. It's better than being toyed with for an hour and ending up exhausted.]

[Heh, I'm different! I'm on family leave, lounging on the sofa, munching on fruits while watching.]

*

Meanwhile, in the darkened streaming room where they had been waiting for days, the eyes of the two elderly people moistened upon seeing the brown bear on screen.

They are Jiang Nan's parents.

Jiang Nan was their proudest son, initially someone they just hoped would grow up safely. But he became an empire's hero and eventually left their side.

"It's Nan... He's still alive... still alive..." Jiang's mother, almost choking on her tears, stared at the lovable brown bear on the screen.

"Don't cry. The toughest days are behind us. We must trust the Emperor, trust the Marshal, trust our son," Jiang's father, holding his wife close, said. His hair, now fully white, brushing against her forehead, "And we trust Lady Xia You."

Mrs. Jiang nodded firmly. The couple, hand in hand, gazed greedily at the image of their son they hadn't seen in over a decade.

*

For dinner, the two pure carnivores, large cats, rejected cooked meat, preferring chunks of meat processed by Xia You's spiritual energy.

They steamed a bucket of rice for Mr. Brown Bear and placed four dishes on top.

Mr. Brown Bear is a bear concerned about his appearance. Yet, bear paws aren't suitable for eating human food. His claws, long and blunt, can be accident-prone.

If his fur gets dirty, he rushes to the stream to clean himself, then lies belly-up outdoors to air-dry naturally.

Noticing this, Xia You carved an extra-extra-large wooden spoon for Mr. Brown Bear.

Earlier, Lu Yinghuai had helped with setting up a flower rack, so their dinner was instant meals with a nutritional drink. The drink had a grapefruit flavor, which Xia You quite liked.

After eating, the clean-conscious Mr. Brown Bear went for another bath in the stream. Soaked, he looked solid and not at all slender.

Mr. Brown Bear's bathing was quite entertaining. Xia You fixed the streaming camera at the stream's edge, letting it capture a 360-degree view of his washing routine.

Whether Mr. Brown Bear is a person or an actual animal, this footage might have some research value, right?

Xia You, sitting nearby with the dozing young tiger, gently stroked its head and said, "Spicy Stick, how about we give you a bath tonight?"

Since entering the reserve, Xia You had seen Yuan Yuan groom himself in water and even join him in a hot spring. However, Spicy Stick relied solely on licking his fur clean.

The little tiger was engrossed in its nap, paying no mind to the chattering human beside it.

Persistently, Xiayou reached out to pinch the tiger's chubby cheek, saying, "Spicy Strip, baths are relaxing. Give it a try!"

Tigers aren’t naturally afraid of water, in fact, they are strong swimmers. Spicy Strip was simply too lazy to move after a satisfying meal.

The young tiger grumbled, sprawling heavily on the ground, a mass of orange and black fur. Without its cooperation, Xiayou couldn't possibly drag this big cat to the stream.

Despite her failed persuasion, Xiayou still had an itching desire to give a big cat a bath. Her mischievous gaze eventually settled on the black panther.

Lu Yinghuai had a hunch something was amiss earlier. Seeing Xiayou's attention shift towards him, he could only sigh in resignation.

But bathing was out of the question. As a spiritual being, he didn't require baths; his form wouldn't harbor dirt or parasites. Moreover, the black panther was always meticulous about cleanliness.

By the time Xiayou approached the panther, he had already climbed a tree trunk, resting high up, eyes closed in refusal.

To Xiayou, Yuan Yuan (the black panther) and Spicy Strip were different. Spicy Strip was stubborn and occasionally clever, yet mostly clumsy.

Reasoning with him was futile. Unless prompted by the black panther, he'd just roll around and stubbornly remain in place.

But Yuan Yuan was different. He could be charmed by Xiayou's cajoling and tricks, often yielding to her whims.

Previous experiences had proven this time and again.

Xiayou spoke sweetly from below the tree, attempting to coax the black panther, while reaching for its lustrously dangling tail.

The whip-like tail played teasingly between Xiayou’s fingers, always allowing a touch but evading a grip. Truly a tantalizing panther.

Xiayou hadn't expected that even a water-loving big cat would be averse to a bath. Seeing the panther resolute in his tree-top sanctuary, and failing to charm him down, she took several steps back, gauging the tree's height, then sprinted forward to scale the trunk.

Lu Yinghuai: "??"

The panther's reaction was swift, about to leap down, but was startled into stillness by Xiayou's actions.

Suddenly clinging onto the black panther, Xiayou affectionately rubbed her chin against its head, kissed its pointed ears, and cooed, "Good Yuan Yuan, please~"

The still-recovering panther slowly relaxed, using its tail to shield Xiayou as they carefully descended the tree.

The black panther glanced at Lu Yinghuai.

But Xiayou was already pulling out a brush, eager to begin, even attempting to recruit Lu Yinghuai: "Your Highness, shall we together? Yuan Yuan is such a big one. You must have helped him bathe when he was younger, right? Are there any spots he doesn't like being touched?"

Lu Yinghuai opened his mouth, momentarily lost for words, closed it, and after a couple of attempts, managed to say, “How about I drag Spicy Strip over for you, and you give him a bath?”

Xiayou blinked, “Not a bad idea. So, after washing Yuan Yuan, we'll wash Spicy Strip?”

“What I meant was, can we perhaps avoid…” Lu Yinghuai’s lips twitched, “washing Yuan Yuan?”

“He's not very fond of being bathed by others.”

Xiayou raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Uncle Zhou shared a video with me of Yuan Yuan as a cub getting bathed. He looked absolutely adorable.”

Lu Yinghuai: “??”

The Marshal's face seemed about to split in shock, “Video?”

“Yes, there were plenty of them! There were also photos of Yuan Yuan knocking over a porcelain vase. So cute!! Sadly, Uncle Zhou said most of them were treasured memories, so he didn’t show me all.”

Xiayou tapped on her holographic computer, pushing the screen towards Lu Yinghuai, “Your Highness, take a look! Uncle Zhou did send me one.”

On the screen was a small black panther cub, sulking unhappily in the corner of a couch. It looked as if a little cat had grown out of the sofa.

“I pestered Uncle Zhou for days, and he only agreed to give me this one. Still, this one's super cute!”

There was a note of regret in Xiayou's voice.

She truly wished for that fleeting image of the panther rolling and posing adorably.

Maybe she should craft some mini felted versions of Yuan Yuan and try bribing Uncle Zhou?

Xiayou had always been quite fond of the black panther, often following him around, collecting his fur from the sofa and carpets.

One day, Uncle Zhou caught her in the act and, with a gleeful smile, showed her his cabinet full of handcrafted items made from the panther’s fur.

All made from the fur the panther shed as he grew, as well as from grooming sessions by Uncle Zhou.

Not only were there incredibly soft panther-fur pillows, but also a range of felted panthers, from cub to adult.

Xiayou was incredibly envious. After all, the current Yuan Yuan wasn't shedding much, and the fur she had collected wasn't enough for even a small craft.

It must be said that after doubting the identities of other felines, Xiayou was still convinced that Yuan Yuan was just a simple animal. The shared footage from Uncle Zhou, chronicling Yuan Yuan's growth from cub to adult panther, played an integral role in this belief.

Looking at the photograph, Lu Yinghuai fell silent for a prolonged moment, then gently closed his eyes and quietly turned, heading towards the tent.

His retreating silhouette strangely hinted at a fleeting escape.

Childhood memories surged powerfully. In Lu Yinghuai's heart, a touch of gratitude emerged, thankful that at least the old butler had preserved some dignity of the leopard.

Xia You tilted her head. But with Lu Yinghuai sometimes having urgent matters to attend to, she didn't mind. Instead, she patted the black leopard excitedly, saying, "Let's go, Yuan Yuan! Bath time!"

The massive jaguar entered the water, its eyes portraying a hint of helplessness.

Mr. Brown Bear, sunbathing at the shore, glanced at Xia You, then at the leopard, revealing an amused look. He adjusted himself to a better position for watching.

Knowing he couldn’t escape this imminent bath, the leopard bared its teeth, submerging itself into the water.

Xia You waded over to the leopard, caressing its thick fur.

The livestream camera ball rolled closer to the leopard.

With a splash!

The leopard swiftly swatted at the water, sending the livestream ball flying into the woods, disappearing from sight.

Viewers in the livestream room who were just preparing to record: [!!!]