Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Chen Ji, a hint of mischief in his eyes, awaited its answer. Whether it expressed liking or disliking, he had a ready retort... Suddenly, Chen Ji's body lurched sideways. One moment he was nestled against smooth, delicate skin, the next he was enveloped in a cloud of fur.

Looking up, he saw the white tiger's bluish-green eyes pointedly avert his gaze, refusing to meet his. Its tiger face was a picture of aloof pride, staring straight ahead with an air that screamed, "I'm just a tiger who doesn't understand human speech; I have no idea what you're talking about."

Chen Ji stared at the white tiger for a long moment before a helpless chuckle escaped him. He grabbed the fur around its neck, pulled its head close, and planted two firm kisses on it—playing dumb, are we? Then he'd take it as a silent affirmation.

"Our Xiangxiang really likes it, doesn't he?" Chen Ji nibbled on the tip of the tiger's ear. "You've even learned to bathe yourself—so impressive! Your master rewards you with two kisses!"

The white tiger remained as docile as a giant stuffed toy, allowing itself to be petted, embraced, and kissed, wearing an expression that seemed to say, "Just pretend I'm dead." Its ears were already flattened against its head by Chen Ji, making it appear utterly subdued.

Chen Ji laughed and released its ear, stretching out comfortably across its back. The tiger remained silent, quietly allowing him to rest.

Perhaps he had grown accustomed to the cold water, or maybe it was Xiangxiang's inherent warmth, but Chen Ji no longer felt the chill. Instead, the water felt pleasantly cool and comfortable. He might have dozed off for a bit, but he suddenly jolted awake with a thought: Does he just soak in the water when he bathes?

Would that even get him clean?!

What's the difference between that and a stray cat? He's always running around in the mountains—doesn't he have parasites? Doesn't he need deworming?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy Chen Ji felt. He decided he'd look it up later—cats need vaccinations, and he wondered if tigers needed them too. He couldn't let him get sick... Do spirits even get sick?

Tch, whatever. Spirits might live long, but that doesn't mean they're immune to illness. Vaccinations are a must! He reached over the tiger, grabbed the bamboo basket floating nearby, and pulled out a bottle of cat-specific, powerful cleansing shampoo.

The shampoo Chen Ji used was all-natural, so he wasn't worried about poisoning the fish in the pond. Sometimes, it's better not to overthink things—like how chickens in coops walk around in their own droppings all day, yet people still enjoy eating chicken feet.

*Squelch.* The tiger turned its head sharply, half-rising to its feet, only to see Chen Ji squeezing shampoo onto its back. With a kind and gentle smile, Chen Ji said regretfully, "Ah, I was hoping to slack off and let you handle it yourself..."

The implication was clear: if it were in human form, he might have let it bathe itself. But in its beast form, he had to do it—what are those paws even good for? It could barely scratch its own ears!

The tiger struggled slightly, and Chen Ji paused, keeping one hand pressed firmly on its back, the subtle downward pressure a clear signal that it was not permitted to rise. "Want to do it yourself?" Chen Ji asked with a laugh.

The tiger stiffened. Faced with the choice of transforming into human form to bathe in front of Chen Ji or obediently letting Chen Ji wash it in beast form, it decisively chose the latter. Seeing it comply, Chen Ji patted its rump approvingly. "Alright, lift your leg!"

The tiger: "..."

The tiger obediently lifted one leg.

After much effort, Chen Ji finally finished washing the big cat. Xiangxiang let out a relieved sigh and was about to climb ashore to dry off and return to being the fragrant, soft, clean big cat, when Chen Ji waved him over to a nearby rock.

Though puzzled, the tiger obediently approached. Chen Ji had already set up a campfire and pointed at it. "Here, light it."

A flicker of bluish flame instantly ignited the dried grass at the center of the campfire, and flames surged upward. Chen Ji then pointed to the ground. "Now, lie down here!"

Mainly, he couldn't bring Xiangxiang back to the Mountain Lord's temple.

Chen Ji hesitated, trying to adjust the camera settings himself, but no matter how he tweaked it, the footage looked strange, full of noise. He gave up and turned back to the white tiger. "Xiangxiang, dry the fur closer to your skin first. Leave the outer layer a bit damp."

The tiger tilted its head, and tiny sparks appeared across its body. Chen Ji dialed a number on his phone and casually slipped his hand into the tiger’s fur, pleased to find the inner layer dry and warm.

Though it was late, for Chen Ji, it was only eleven p.m.

The call connected quickly, revealing Liu Datie’s surprised face. "Brother Chen, what's up?"

"I need a little help. Are you busy?" Chen Ji asked.

"Not at all! I'm streaming live, but if you mind, I can pause it!" Liu Datie replied honestly.

Chen Ji waved a hand dismissively. "No need. I just don't know how to adjust my phone's settings. I want to shoot a video, but the footage is too dark..."

Best to leave professional tasks to the professionals.

Liu Datie immediately offered, "Oh, I see! How about you start a live stream and connect with me? That way, I can see your screen and help you adjust the settings. Once it's fixed, you can use it! Later, if you need editing, just send me the files—I'll handle it!"

Relieved, Chen Ji agreed and started the live stream.

Liu Datie’s viewers were all familiar with Chen Ji—after all, Liu Datie’s popularity had skyrocketed thanks to the Little Green Mountain exploration video. As soon as the connection went live, many viewers flooded into Chen Ji’s stream, excited but quickly disappointed by the dark, blurry footage that barely showed a human face.

It was a far cry from the stunning guy in the video.

{Told you he uses filters! No one looks like that in real life!}

{Husband, husband! I've been waiting for you! Do you know how I've suffered without you?!}

{Following now makes me an original fan!}

Chen Ji’s stream quickly gained over 3,000 viewers, and the number kept rising. Liu Datie, unfazed, guided him: "Brother, open the settings at the bottom of the screen. Increase the brightness by 11 points, lower the exposure, and max out the dark area details..."

Chen Ji followed the instructions step by step. As he adjusted the settings, the footage grew clearer and brighter.

The flickering firelight cast a warm, orange-red glow on Chen Ji’s pale skin, accentuating his features. The contrast made the rest of his skin take on a honey-toned complexion, with dancing light spots adding a wild and mysterious atmosphere to the scene.

{Wow! He's even better-looking!}

{How does he look better than in the last stream?!}

{Man, I need all your contact info in three minutes!}

Chen Ji smiled slightly at the comments, pleased with how he looked on screen. "Is this good?"

"That's about it," Liu Datie said, watching the stream. "Brother, if you're shooting a video later, set the camera like this. If you can't get it right, just use the live stream. Set your account to private and remember to hit record."

Liu Datie took a sip of water and added, "Pan the camera around a bit—let me see if anything else needs adjusting."

Chen Ji nodded and flipped the camera, revealing the half-dried giant white tiger to the audience.

{...!!!}

{Whoa!}

{???}

{Is this allowed?!}

Liu Datie was seeing Xiangxiang for the first time. During their last encounter, he’d been asleep and missed the tiger’s visit. He’d only learned about it later from viewer comments and replaying the video. Though shocked at the time, he’d grown used to such surprises—though he still regretted sleeping through it. After all, an obedient white tiger seemed far less frightening than Fifth Grandfather resting his head on Chen Ji’s shoulder.

"Is this Xiangxiang?" Liu Datie asked, unable to look away from the tiger, his voice softening unconsciously.

"Yes," Chen Ji said. "But Xiangxiang doesn't like others calling him that. He has a proper name—Chang Xu."

Liu Datie: "Got it, Xiangxiang! I understand, Xiangxiang!"

The chat filled with "2333" (Chinese internet laughter) and flooded with "Got it, Xiangxiang! I understand, Xiangxiang!" Chen Ji’s eyes held a little smile. While the proper name mattered, "Xiangxiang" was easier for everyone to accept—Chen Ji didn't feel jealous or possessive about the nickname he'd given him. After all, names were meant to be used.

Special situations required special handling. Since Xiangxiang couldn't transform into a naked handsome man in public, the nickname was perfectly fine!

Chen Ji asked again, "Is the picture clear on your end?"

"Clear, clear," Liu Datie replied twice, a bit curious. "Brother Chen, what kind of video are you planning to shoot?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "...A cat diary?"

Liu Datie: "...?"

{WTF, a cat diary lol!!!}

{Cat... well, it is indeed a felid!}

{Has claws, whiskers, ears, stripes—felid, so it's definitely a cat!}

Xiangxiang probably knew what Chen Ji was doing. For some reason, it lowered its head slightly, but its tail couldn't help gently tapping on the giant rock.

...A cat diary...

Chen Ji's "cat."

Chen Ji patted its head, let out a surprised "Hey," and then set his phone aside. "Datie, you can disconnect if you want. If I don't brush its fur soon, it'll get tangled. Its coat is too thick—once it dries, it'll be hard to comb!"

{Dang, no matter what breed of cat you have, the struggles are the same!}

{Not if you have a hairless cat.}

Liu Datie was more than happy for Chen Ji not to end the call, as it meant he could milk the viewer traffic for all it's worth. He immediately said, "No problem, just leave it on. I've never even seen Grandpa Xiang before!"

He figured that since all the clever animals around Chen Ji were referred to as "Grandpa," it wouldn't hurt to respectfully call this white tiger "Grandpa Xiang."

Chen Ji didn't refuse. "Sure, it's fine. We can chat while I work."

Chen Ji had already started grooming the fur on Xiangxiang's face. The steel comb slid through the coat, smoothing it into neat patterns. Xiangxiang lifted its head to make it easier for Chen Ji.

In the live stream, Chen Ji only occupied about one-fifth of the frame, mostly at the edge, while the main focus was the magnificent, proud creature. Viewers were utterly charmed by how well-behaved it was, their hearts melting from the cuteness.

{When I watched the live stream before, I didn't believe it, but now I do...}

{Who would’ve thought a tiger could be raised like a house cat!}

{Someone's jealous but I won't name names!}

{What does Brother Chen even do for a living? Are they hiring? I’d pay to work there!}

{I’d not only work for free, I’d pay! I’d even buy my own insurance! Brother Chen, notice me!}

The fur on the tiger’s head was thinner, and since Xiangxiang usually took care of itself, it was already smooth. Chen Ji soon moved on to the thick, long mane around its neck—impressive but high-maintenance. Everyone watched as Chen Ji held the tiger’s head with one hand and vigorously combed downward with the other. With each stroke, a clump of white fur gathered on the comb.

{Wow, good thing it’s raised in open conditions...}

{Whether it’s a big cat or a small one, shedding is universal...}

{Xiangxiang is so well-behaved—it doesn't even struggle with this brushing! It looks so painful!}

{Me too, my scalp's hurting sympathetically!}

{Wake up! If Xiangxiang were in pain, it could take out Brother Chen with one swipe of its paw!}

Liu Datie asked the question everyone was wondering: "Brother Chen, with all that brushing, aren’t you worried you’ll brush Xiangxiang bald?"

The white tiger turned its gaze toward the phone upon hearing this, its gaze grew frosty. Liu Datie and the live-stream audience instantly felt a bone-chilling feeling, as if being stared down by an apex predator—hehe, but through the screen, he couldn't bite!

If we're not gonna troll it face-to-screen now, wouldn't that be a huge waste?

Liu Datie continued running his mouth: "But with all this shedding, and summer just around the corner, Chen Ji, why not just shave his fur off?"

Chen Ji noticed the white tiger’s gaze growing increasingly cold and sharp. He chuckled and pinched his cheeks, pulling them until his fangs were exposed. "He won’t go bald. Xiangxiang just has too much fur, and it’s shedding season anyway. This fur was already loose."

With his cheeks pulled, the white tiger could no longer maintain his icy glare and could only look helplessly at Chen Ji.

Chen Ji released his cheeks and gave them a gentle rub. "Be good now... bear with it. It’ll be fine once we’re done brushing. Our little guy is the most majestic and beautiful baby on the mountain!"

...They weren't alone.

The white tiger flexed his paw pads, then lowered his head and rested it on Chen Ji’s shoulder. Chen Ji took the opportunity to shift positions and began brushing the fur on his back.

The live-stream audience watched as Chen Ji, nearly engulfed by the white tiger, struggled to free his arms just to keep brushing. The sheer difficulty of the situation sparked waves of laughter, and of course, gifts started blowing up.

Someone even asked if tourists visiting Little Green Mountain could pet Xiangxiang. Since Chen Ji wasn’t looking at the screen, Liu Datie relayed the question: "Chen Ji, a viewer asked if tourists can pet Xiangxiang when they visit."

"No," Chen Ji’s muffled voice emerged from beneath the tiger. "Xiangxiang is only clingy with me. Usually, he’s quite dignified. He’s highly intuitive—if any dangerous animals come near my home, he chases them away."

Chen Ji wasn’t lying. Although there was one particularly dangerous creature around, that could be considered a family-raised companion of sorts—always staying close to home and never venturing far.

Chen Ji’s voice carried a hint of amusement: "Besides, in our local tradition, the White Tiger is the Mountain Lord. Disrespecting him will invite retribution."

No sooner had he spoken than Chen Ji lost his balance, unable to support Xiangxiang’s sudden shift in weight. His legs gave way, and he was pinned to the ground.

"Ah!" The massive white tiger lay on top of Chen Ji, who managed to free one arm from the thick white fur. Gasping for air, he wheezed, "Xiangxiang... get up... you’re crushing me..."

{hhhhh！！！}

{Karma, for real!}

{That payback came way too fast, hahahahaha!}

The chat erupted in laughter, and Liu Datie was no exception. He cackled like a goose, his laughter echoing through the stream as tears streamed down his face. "Bro, that payback was instant, hahahaha! You okay?!"

Chen Ji’s muffled voice came from under the tiger: "...I’m fine. Used to it."

The audience laughed even harder, and gift effects flooded Chen Ji’s screen—many with messages like "Get Chen Ji scanned" or "Buy Chen Ji some bone supplements."

Half of that fall was intentional. Chen Ji could have braced himself but chose not to—right after mentioning the consequences of disrespect, he was immediately pinned down. The comedic timing was perfect.

This clip was bound to go viral, maybe even appear in wildlife video compilations a decade later.

That was exactly what Chen Ji wanted. The more people saw it, the more would learn that the white tiger named Xiangxiang was the Mountain Lord of Little Green Mountain—and that disrespecting him would bring consequences. Wasn't that a way to gain followers?

Buried in Xiangxiang’s soft, thick fur, Chen Ji lifted his head and kissed Xiangxiang. His eyes sparkled with amusement. He hadn’t lied—Xiangxiang truly was the Mountain Lord.

Two Mountain Lords—whose followers were greater, whose power was stronger? It seemed to work that way.

With just a livestream or a video—such a minimal investment—why not give it a try?

"Xiangxiang! Xiangxiang!" Chen Ji called out again. Only then did the white tiger move off him. Clutching his chest, Chen Ji struggled to his feet, plastered with white fur, looking utterly disheveled as he wheezed and gasped for breath.

The sorry state he was in looked even more hilarious next to the majestic white tiger.

Liu Datie, who had just managed to stop laughing, cracked up again at the sight of Chen Ji’s messy look. His voice grew hoarse as he slumped over the table, pounding it wildly while struggling to say, “Bro… hahaha… are you… hahaha… really okay?”

Chen Ji ran a hand through his hair, glanced at the tuft of white fur caught between his fingers, and stretched. “Really, I’m fine.”

He emphasized, “Xiangxiang weighs 300 kilograms. She can easily shatter car windows and tear doors apart. Besides, vehicles aren't able to make it up Xiaoqingshan Mountain at the moment. So if any of you visit, make sure not to provoke Xiangxiang…”

Then he changed tack, “But you probably won’t even get to see Xiangxiang anyway. She stays far, far away when people are around and never lets herself be seen.”

Unless someone had the ability to see spirits or wasn’t human at all, trying to catch the Mountain Lord on his own turf was pretty much a pipe dream.

Liu Datie was laughing so hard his face turned bright red. Once he finally caught his breath, he said, “Glad you’re okay, really glad… Don’t worry, we’d never dare mess with Xiangxiang! Who would have the guts?”

“We’ll just enjoy watching her in videos!”

The viewers chimed in as well:

“Don’t worry, Brother Chen, we’re not trying to become takeout for the Mountain Lord!”

“If I ever lose my mind, I’ll definitely take a trip to Xiaoqingshan!”

Chen Ji took a quick glance at the comments. This was exactly the effect he wanted—for now, it was crucial not to have too many tourists going up the mountain. He went back to grooming Xiangxiang, spending almost half an hour on it while casually chatting with viewers about things they were curious about.

“How’s Fifth Grandpa doing? He’s fine, but he usually stays hidden and avoids people… Although he has a gentle temper, he will bite if someone steps on him.”

“What do you do if you get bitten by Fifth Grandpa?” Chen Ji said offhandedly, “The hospital is pretty far from here. Forest rescue is an option, but helicopters are expensive—each trip costs over 100,000 yuan. The town clinic has antivenom for the hundred-pace snake, but Fifth Grandpa is an old snake, you know.”

He left it at that, but those who understood got the message—an old snake injects more venom, and the effects set in quickly. Even with antivenom, there’s no guarantee you’d make it in time.

“Second Grandpa? He’s around. He was just playing with me earlier… But when Xiangxiang is here, Second Grandpa keeps his distance. It’s better to avoid her when she’s hungry.” Chen Ji explained.

Liu Datie asked, “Brother Chen, what do you usually feed Xiangxiang?”

Chen Ji took hold of Xiangxiang’s tail. The large white tiger lay on her side on a rock, her tail slipping from his grasp before he tugged it back. He replied hesitantly, “Beef, rabbit, venison, some organ meat… but she seems to prefer cat food—the expensive mousse kind.”

“She also likes human food. The first time I saw Xiangxiang, I was terrified and thought I was done for. But she just went straight for the hotpot I’d just made…”

Liu Datie was baffled: “…Can she even eat that?”

Chen Ji shrugged. “Probably not, but I didn’t dare stop her. As long as she wasn’t eating me, she could have whatever she wanted.”

This was the honest truth.

The moment he said it, the audience erupted in laughter, and gifts flooded the screen.

The livestream wrapped up amid the laughter.

After saying goodbye to Liu Datie, Chen Ji promptly turned off his phone and threw himself into Xiangxiang’s embrace. “Baby~!”

***

Xiangxiang: “…”

The night passed. In the early hours of the morning, Chen Ji brought a few fish back to the Mountain Lord Temple, yawning. He tossed the fish into a tank to keep them alive for now and went to catch up on sleep.

He felt cool and refreshed—perhaps due to special minerals in the mountain spring. Soaking in the spring water left his skin smooth and cool, and he didn’t feel tired or sweaty on the way back.

By the time he woke up, it was already 11:30 in the morning. Yawning, Chen Ji cleaned the fish and stewed a pot of milky-white tofu fish soup. He gave a larger portion of the less desirable parts, like the tails, to the Mountain Lord and divided up the rest among the “family,” giving each a generous share.

Yes, each.

He, being human, didn’t eat any. There was no need to save any for Xiangxiang—he had already stewed some for her as a midnight snack. Besides, her meals were a bit more upscale. While the other little animals had tofu fish soup, she got fish grilled on a stone slab!