"Reward?" Su Yaoyao’s thoughts instantly drifted back to the passionate kiss he had called a reward. As she recalled the scene, her lips tingled and a wave of heat flushed her cheeks.

The Little Black Panther at her side seemed to understand Bai Lian’s words. The once-docile creature instantly perked up, letting out a series of insistent yaps at Bai Lian, its voice tinged with urgency and displeasure.

Its fluffy little paws scraped insistently at Su Yaoyao’s calf as it rubbed its whole body affectionately against her. It was as if it were shouting, ’Don’t reward him, reward Leopard!’

Su Yaoyao took the opportunity to scoop the Little Black Panther into her arms. She gently stroked its fur, cooing softly, "Oh, Leopard, what’s the matter? Why are you so worked up all of a sudden?"

While speaking, she subtly glanced up at Bai Lian, hoping to change the subject that left her feeling so shy and flustered.

Bai Lian watched as the Little Black Panther nestled in Su Yaoyao’s arms, its eyes blissfully closed as it enjoyed her gentle stroking. An indescribable jealousy surged through him, and his expression darkened without him even realizing it.

He paused, trying his best to make his tone sound calm and natural. "It’s getting late. I’ll take it back to Reg. He must be worried about it."

The moment it heard this, the Little Black Panther reacted as if someone had stepped on its tail. Its previously docile demeanor vanished in an instant.

It looked aggrieved as it tugged on Su Yaoyao’s sleeve with its teeth, shaking its little head desperately while whimpering. The poor thing looked like it was about to burst into tears.

Seeing the Little Black Panther’s act, Su Yaoyao’s heart melted. An idea suddenly struck her, and she said,

"Isn’t Reg still in confinement? He can’t possibly take care of the Little Black Panther right now. Why not let it stay here with me for the night?"

In reality, Su Yaoyao had her own little agenda.

’The last time she and Bai Lian were alone together, the atmosphere grew so charged it almost got out of control. Even thinking about it now made her cringe with embarrassment.’

’If the Little Black Panther stays, with a little one between us, Bai Lian surely won’t try anything that would make me blush again.’

When Bai Lian heard this, his brow furrowed into a tight knot. He knew full well how Reg felt about Su Yaoyao. Letting the Little Black Panther stay was like planting a ticking time bomb right beside him.

But seeing the hopeful look in Su Yaoyao’s eyes, he swallowed the refusal that was on the tip of his tongue.

He sighed in resignation and gave a slight nod. "Fine. But keep a close eye on it. Call me immediately if anything seems off."

Su Yaoyao didn’t think much of it. ’Such a cute little animal,’ she thought, ’what could possibly go wrong?’

After dinner, Bai Lian took it upon himself to clear the table and went into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

His movements were somewhat mechanical, his eyes drifting periodically toward the direction Su Yaoyao had gone.

The sound of running water filled the kitchen. He washed the dishes absently, his mind consumed by images of Su Yaoyao being affectionate with the Little Black Panther.

Meanwhile, Su Yaoyao returned to her room in her wheelchair, holding the Little Black Panther.

She placed the Little Black Panther on the bed beside her and lay down, starting to play with the little creature. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

One moment the Little Black Panther was nuzzling her face with its nose, the next it was gently nibbling on her fingers, drawing constant laughter from Su Yaoyao.

A while had passed by the time Bai Lian finished in the kitchen. He went upstairs to find Su Yaoyao’s door ajar. He was about to knock when he heard her laughing inside, playing with the Little Black Panther.

Bai Lian felt a pang of jealousy. But he knew that just walking in would disturb her fun, yet he couldn’t stand the thought of them being alone.

He stood at the door, completely torn.

’If only I could summon my Spiritual Body to keep Su Yaoyao company.’

’But my Spiritual Body is dormant...’

After much deliberation, a faint blush crept onto Bai Lian’s cheeks. He took a deep breath, pushing past his shyness and awkwardness. His body slowly began to transform, and in the blink of an eye, he had become a fluffy little lion cub.

The little lion cub shook its white, downy fur, and scurried into Su Yaoyao’s room on its stubby legs.

Su Yaoyao was having a grand time playing with the Little Black Panther on the bed, completely oblivious to the new arrival in the room.

The little lion cub, Bai Lian, was getting anxious. He let out a little "AWOO!", which finally caught Su Yaoyao’s attention.

Su Yaoyao turned to look and saw an adorable little lion cub standing by the bed. Her eyes instantly lit up. "Wow! What an adorable little lion! Where did you come from?"

She had no idea it was Bai Lian and reached out to scoop up the little cub.

As the little lion cub, Bai Lian’s heart pounded with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. When Su Yaoyao’s hand reached for him, he instinctively flinched, afraid of giving himself away.

But seeing the pure delight in her eyes, he mustered his courage and leaned in.

Su Yaoyao easily scooped the little lion cub into her arms. Stroking the soft, downy fur on his back, she said to the Little Black Panther with a smile, "Leopard, look! We have a new friend!"

The Little Black Panther tilted its head, eyeing the uninvited guest. A low growl rumbled in its throat, making it clear this new companion was not welcome.

Far away in his confinement cell, Reg was so furious he was practically hopping mad. ’You, Bai Lian!’ he fumed. ’You’re completely shameless!’

The little lion cub, Bai Lian, paid no mind to the Little Black Panther’s attitude. He found a comfortable spot to snuggle in Su Yaoyao’s arms, occasionally nuzzling his head against her chest and sneaking glances up at her to gauge her reaction.

His series of adorable antics made Su Yaoyao giggle.

She reached out, stroking him from the two little ears on his head all the way to the tip of his tail.

The stroking sent shivers of pleasure through the little lion cub, Bai Lian. While his furry face betrayed nothing, if he were in his human form, he would surely be blushing as red as a ripe tomato.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, a low purr rumbling in his throat as he savored the intimacy.

When the Little Black Panther saw that all of Su Yaoyao’s attention was on the lion cub, its jealousy boiled over.

Unwilling to be outdone, it leaped onto Su Yaoyao’s chest, nudging her palm forcefully with its head while letting out a constant stream of "AWOO! AWOO!" Its urgent display seemed to scream, ’I want pets too! You can’t just pet him!’

The two little creatures’ antics made Su Yaoyao burst out laughing. She freed her other hand to gently pat the Little Black Panther’s head, consoling it, "Alright, alright, there’s enough to go around. No one’s getting left out."

But the Little Black Panther was still not satisfied. It pawed gently at Su Yaoyao’s clothes, trying to burrow deeper into her embrace. It even periodically used its head to shove the little lion cub aside in an attempt to monopolize her affection.

Bai Lian grumbled to himself. ’This Little Black Panther is just like its master.’

The little lion cub refused to back down. Not to be outdone, he used his own head to push the Little Black Panther away and reclaim his spot in Su Yaoyao’s warm arms.

The two little creatures jostled for position in Su Yaoyao’s arms, neither willing to give an inch. It was a lively scene.

Watching them, Su Yaoyao laughed and said, "You two, stop fighting. Let’s go take a bath."

The two little animals, who had been in the middle of a war for her affection just a second ago, froze instantly.

The minds of two men reeled in shock: ’Bathe with the female?!’