Chapter 51

Xia You slept straight through to the next afternoon. When she woke up, her head was a little groggy, but it was her stomach that protested first.

She was alone in the tent.

Clutching her blanket, Xia You sat in a daze, finding it hard to get used to the loneliness of waking up without a cat by her side.

Her sense of happiness plummeted.

Whimper.

Xia You rubbed her eyes and prepared to crawl out of her sleeping bag to freshen up when she suddenly felt something clutched in her hand.

On closer inspection, she realized she was holding a fluffy ball of black fur which seemed slightly limp from being squeezed all night.

What is this...?!

Xia You quickly straightened out the furball, hesitated for a moment, and then brought it to her nose to take a whiff.

“Did you sleep well?” Lu Yinghuai's voice echoed unexpectedly from the tent entrance.

Startled, Xia You straightened up, quickly stashing the furry black ornament into an interdimensional notch. She gripped the soft fabric of her sleeping bag and feigned casualness, “Good morning, Your Highness. I... ahem... slept quite well.”

As if afraid Lu Yinghuai might ask further questions, she quickly crawled out from her sleeping bag, ducking beneath his arm as he held up the tent flap.

Two seconds later, she ducked back in, took the breakfast from his hand, and dashed off.

“Thank you, Your Highness! Off to freshen up!”

“Wait! Eat outside!”

Lu Yinghuai watched the swiftly retreating young lady, his brow quirked in amusement. He then dropped the tent flap and settled down on a nearby couch.

After a short while, hurried footsteps approached. Xia You peeked inside, her expression anxious, “Your Highness, the white tiger is covered in wounds. Was it from yesterday’s...?”

With its spiritual suppressor around its neck, the white tiger's hunting impulse is curbed until the device is removed. And the marks on the tiger looked suspiciously like bites from a large feline. Xia You instantly thought of the previous day's confrontation between the two big cats.

“Yes, they had a skirmish,” Lu Yinghuai responded nonchalantly, having been one of the participants.

With wide eyes, Xia You hesitated before asking softly, “And... Yuan Yuan? How bad are his injuries?”

She had experienced the white tiger's combat prowess before. The panther usually seemed gentle and amiable. And His Highness, well, he seemed to be the type to bear hardships quietly. She wondered if the distressed look he had yesterday might be because the tiger had bullied him...

Both of them were now aware of "Yuan Yuan's" identity, but Lu Yinghuai hadn't yet fully explained the spirit form concept to Xia You.

And it was after realizing the relationship between the panther and Lu Yinghuai that she first uttered the name "Yuan Yuan".

Lu Yinghuai's fingers tensed slightly, causing a slight crease in the page he was holding. But he quickly turned the page and whispered, “He's fine.”

It's not that there's nothing wrong, it's just bearable.

Xia You somewhat understood Lu Yinghuai's character. If it were truly a minor issue, he would simply say there's nothing wrong. If he says it's bearable, then there surely is something amiss.

Xia You's fingers fidgeted with the tent flap's edge. Yet the equation that linked Yuan Yuan and His Highness left her feeling disconcerted, making her hesitant to act or speak.

Lu Yinghuai sat on the couch with his legs crossed, a book resting on his lap, not turning pages nor speaking, patiently waiting for the young man outside the tent to gather his thoughts.

A hint of gentle amusement danced in his eyes.

Under that gaze, Xia You's internal knots of discomfort persisted, but concern overwhelmed them, prompting him to whisper, "Your Highness... do you know where Yuan Yuan is? I... I wish to find him."

"Are you sure?" For a fleeting moment, reluctance flashed across Lu Yinghuai's face.

Xia You's anxiety peaked instantly, "Are his injuries severe?!"

Was he bitten? Or perhaps clawed by a tiger?

Initially just poking his head through the tent flap, Xia You now stood fully erect, his expression increasingly anxious.

Lu Yinghuai: "Yesterday, Xia You, you held some spicy sticks, squeezed a bear's paw, and touched a deer, right?"

Confused, Xia You looked at Lu Yinghuai, "Huh... What?"

Lu Yinghuai, with an amused smile, leisurely remarked, "Yet, you haven't paid any attention to the panther for seven days and..."

He glanced at his holographic device.

"... eleven hours."

"He's a bit miffed."

Lu Yinghuai chuckled softly, his tone light and carefree.

Xia You was silent, eyes fixed on Lu Yinghuai who had just made such a remark.

Doubts about the relationship between Yuan Yuan and His Highness began to resurface.

If... if His Highness really was Yuan Yuan, given His Highness's temperament, how could he possibly utter such, such words so nonchalantly?

Xia You's blush spread rapidly, from the nape of his neck to the tips of his ears.

It wasn't embarrassment.

Rather, it was an overwhelming sensation of awkwardness, the kind that made him wish for a crack in the ground to hide in.

After several moments of discomfort, Xia You looked at the ever-composed Lu Yinghuai, took a deep breath, and suddenly blurted out, "Can—can roses appease him?"

Lu Yinghuai raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, and then responded with a slight chuckle, "Xia You can certainly try."

"He's on the branch of the third tree behind the tent."

With his answer in hand, Xia You darted off as if he had wolves chasing him from behind.

Lu Yinghuai gazed at the swaying tent flap for a moment before activating the communication box for Meng Wenxuan.

—Wenxuan, prepare the isolation chamber. My time is running short.

After sending that message, he opened the communication box for Wei Cheng, hesitating with his fingertip poised over it, not sending any message.

*

Xia You learned the black panther's whereabouts, but upon turning around, he was once again filled with hesitation.

He wandered around the flower pots, peeked inside Mr. Brown Bear's tent, and then, with a pocket full of wild fruits, gently stroked a sleeping fawn.

The fawn's injuries were severe. Releasing it into the wild in this state would be a death sentence. Believing in fate, Xia You reexamined and treated its wounds, intending to nurse it back to health until it could frolic freely once more.

After making a round of the camp, Xia You approached a tiger cub, squatted beside it, gently stroking its back while sneaking glances at the white tiger just two meters away.

The white tiger remained aloof, not caring for humans or other tigers. At the moment, it was preoccupied with licking its own wounds, struggling to reach spots like its back.

Clearly imprinted on the white tiger's thick tail was a circle of bite marks.

It appeared the black panther hadn't held back during their skirmish.

The tiger cub seemed eager to approach the white tiger, perhaps to help lick its back wound. But each time it tried, the white tiger would growl menacingly. The cub's submissive gestures, like flattening its ears and rounding its head, were to no avail.

With the white tiger preoccupied by the tiger cub, Xia You took a deep breath, stood up resolutely, and headed toward the woods behind the tent.

Both the white tiger and the tiger cub were captivated by Xia You's assertive movement. Their gazes, one big and one small, were both fixed on him.

Observing the creature on two legs that emitted a delectable aroma approaching the black panther, the white tiger opened its jaw wide, yawned, and snickered.

Upon seeing this, the tiger cub swiftly approached the white tiger, displaying its white underbelly in a clear sign of submission, its eyes sparkling brilliantly.

Closing its jaws, the white tiger, out of respect for the black panther whom it couldn't defeat, simply swatted the annoying cub aside with a paw and continued licking its wounds.

However...

The white tiger extended its pink tongue, circling its lips.

It felt like the wound was healing unusually fast this time, didn't it?

Although the tiger cub was pushed aside, its spirit remained unbroken.

Because now, in contrast to the previous two-meter distance, it was so close to its mother that it was less than a meter away. Stealthily extending its paw, it could just touch the whiskers of its mother.

The tiger cub, with a mischievous grin, wriggled its orange-black chubby body on the ground.

One day, it believed, it could nuzzle its mother closely.

On the other side, Xia You circled the trees twice before finally spotting the black panther cleverly concealed behind the foliage.

Despite the panther's size, the entwined tree branches of the forest provided a great camouflage. When the panther stayed still, it resembled an inert shadow.

Had it not been for the tip of its tail accidentally moving, Xia You might have started to wonder if Yuan Yuan had left the area.

Just as Xia You was rubbing his hands, preparing to climb the tree, a rustling sound emanated from the leaves and a panther's head emerged.

Xia You looked up, locking eyes with the black panther.

The black panther turned its head away and, with its glossy tail hanging down, descended from the tree.

Their sharp claws allowed these big cats to move effortlessly on towering tree trunks.

As Xia You extended his hand, contemplating what to say, the black panther brushed past his fingers, walking gracefully and silently away.

Xia You: "..."

For a moment, Xia You's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the retreating black panther.

Ever since their first encounter, the black panther had always treated Xia You in a special manner. Even when they had just met, the panther had never ignored Xia You.

In the past, when Xia You saw the black panther hiss at Wei Cheng and treat others as if they were invisible, he felt an overwhelming sense of contentment, even though he never voiced it.

Instantly, Xia You felt a surge of bittersweet emotions.

The black panther acted as if it hadn't noticed Xia You. It chose a raised boulder to lie down upon, its tail resting to one side, and diligently licked the wounds on its paws.

Xia You approached, settling down beside the boulder where the panther rested, hugging his knees and gazing intently at the large feline.

The panther paused its licking, glanced at Xia You, then resumed its grooming.

Even though the majestic cat appeared aloof and regal, its long tail occasionally brushed against Xia You's shoulder. And when Xia You would turn to look, the tail would retract as if nothing had happened.

Watching this, Xia You had a sudden realization.

The relationship between Yuan Yuan and His Highness felt similar to that between a cat and its tail. Even though they were one, the tail seemed more candid and free from the cat's burdens.

Upon this thought, much of Xia You's internal strife dissipated. He reached out, poking the black cat's hind paw, "Yuan Yuan?"

The panther ignored him, continuing its grooming.

The panther's dark fur concealed its injuries better than the white tiger's. But up close, Xia You noticed the various scratches on its back and a bite mark on its right hind leg, which the panther purposefully hid beneath its body.

No roses were at hand.

Xia You extended his arm, avoiding the panther's wounds, and gently stroked its body.

The panther turned its head, looking at Xia You and lightly smacked his hand with its tail.

Xia You instantly seized the sleek, black tail, softly cooing, "Yuan Yuan~ can we stop being upset?"

Concerning this matter, it was Lu Yinghuai who had kept secrets initially and Xia You who struggled with acceptance afterward. Clearly, it wasn't Xia You's fault, and he wasn't about to apologize.

Lu Yinghuai understood, and of course, so did Yuan Yuan.

However—

The panther let out a low growl, its gaze mirroring the one it gave Xia You the day before when it saw him cuddling and playing with the tiger cub.

A wave of joy washed over Xia You. As he continued to stroke the panther's back, he whispered, "I've missed Yuan Yuan so much, really, so much."

"Yuan Yuan is so intelligent. He surely understands that feelings towards those we care about most require the most comprehensive thought, right?"

"Just like how Yuan Yuan feels about me, certainly more protective and caring than he feels towards others." The blond young man inched closer to the enormous feline, whispering softly, "Isn't that right?"

The black panther's front paws dangled over the rock's edge, sharp claws extending, scraping back and forth, its whiskers twitching.

Xia You leaned in, his cheek brushing against the panther's soft fur, rubbing affectionately.

Seizing a moment when the panther was momentarily distracted, Xia You quickly grasped its left paw.

Startled, the panther's tail stiffened. Its sharp claws retracted, revealing the plush, padded paw.

Smiling broadly, Xia You fondly massaged the luxurious paw in his hand, showering the aloof panther with affectionate nuzzles.

Being a mature panther, it gracefully played along with the young man's antics.

Initially sprawled across the rock, the panther stood up, circled around, and laid down next to Xia You, encircling him with its body. Its large head rested on its front paws, perfectly positioned in front of Xia You.

Xia You looked sorrowfully at the wounds on the panther's body. Producing an anti-inflammatory spray from his pouch, he gently said, "Let me tend to your wounds; it'll help them heal faster, alright?"

The panther affectionately brushed its pointed ears against Xia You's hand and let out a soft purr.

Its tail swished, clearing a small fan-shaped patch of ground beside them.

Xia You began inspecting the panther's injuries.

Jaguars, sometimes referred to as American Tigers, have a robust build, with fuller muscles and thicker limbs compared to the more slender common leopard, making them more reminiscent of tigers in physique.

Their dense fur is a testament to their affinity for hunting in the water.

The melanistic jaguar, in particular, excels at concealing its injuries.

It was Lu Yinghuai's intrinsic qualities of endurance and pride that gave birth to this black panther spirit.

With his eyes lowered, Xia You meticulously parted the panther's fur, assessing the extent of its injuries.

Wounds on the limbs were relatively easy to spot, as the panther had been licking them, making them more noticeable.

Especially the severe bite on its hind leg.

While it wasn't as grievous as the injuries from the lynx encounter, Xia You still spent a good ten minutes cleaning and disinfecting the wounds. Only after ensuring that all the injuries were covered with the healing spray did he finally relax.

But the injuries on the large cat's back required Xia You to search meticulously.

The panther's nature wasn't one to vocalize pain when hurt. Often, as Xia You's fingers brushed its fur, they'd accidentally touch a wound. The panther would then instinctively tense its muscles, and only by looking closely could Xia You spot the injury.

The wounds on the back were mainly scratches. Although they varied in depth and direction, with timely anti-inflammatory treatment, they would heal in a couple of days.

However, the panther was somewhat resistant to bandaging. As Xia You tried to wrap its hind leg, it continually nudged him with its head, trying to interrupt.

Xia You thought for a moment, then went on at length, detailing care instructions while holding the panther's head.

The panther yawned and rested its head on Xia You's lap.

"I get it, I get it," it seemed to convey.

Xia You chuckled and patted the panther's head.

Taking a break from his diligent work, Xia You's stomach belatedly grumbled. Only then did he remember that in the morning, while washing up by the stream, he'd stored the breakfast prepared for him in his space pouch and had subsequently forgotten about it.

He hadn't eaten anything in the morning.

And now, it was already noon.

With hearing far superior to Xia You's, the panther caught the sound and immediately stood, ready to head into the forest.

Xia You lunged forward to hug the panther, hurriedly saying, "Yuan Yuan! There's no need to hunt! Really, we have different diets, and I have food."

If their house cat hunted twice a day at this rate, the forest ecosystem would soon be thrown into chaos.

The panther seemed to ponder this and, for the moment, withdrew its claws, sitting upright in front of Xia You.

Staring intently.

With a sigh of resignation, Xia You first retrieved the uneaten breakfast from his space pouch.

Time stands still within the space pouch. When he took out the milk, it was still warm. He paired it with a cream-filled roll and a fried egg.

Under the panther's watchful gaze, Xia You awkwardly but contentedly enjoyed his belated breakfast. As he finished and looked up, he met the panther's gaze.

"Is that all you're eating?" its eyes seemed to ask.

Xia You rubbed her stomach, feeling like she could eat a bit more. She then pulled out a tube of nutrient solution from her spatial ring, waved it teasingly in front of the black panther, and guzzled it down in one go.

The black panther's whiskers twitched, begrudgingly acknowledging Xia You's consumption.

The afternoon sun filtered through the forest leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Xia You recalled the black furry ball she held in her hand that morning, touched the panther's paw, and suddenly said, "Yuan Yuan, how about I brush your fur for you?"