Su Yaoyao watched the two little creatures, who had frozen solid at the mention of a "bath," and found their reaction utterly adorable.

A gentle smile touched her lips. Thinking they hadn’t understood her, she repeated herself with a laugh.

"Come on, no more dawdling. Let’s get all nice and clean, then we can have a comfy night’s sleep."

With that, she skillfully maneuvered her wheelchair, heading slowly toward the bathroom.

The entire second floor was Su Yaoyao’s exclusive domain, so the bathroom was exceptionally spacious.

In the center of the bathroom was a massive pool.

Su Yaoyao spoke softly, her voice clear and pleasant. "Smart system, begin filling the bath. Set water temperature to 38 degrees and add lavender essential oil."

The moment she gave the command, the smart bathroom responded. Warm water began to well up from the inlets at the bottom of the pool, and before long, the entire room was shrouded in billowing steam.

Su Yaoyao undressed, then scooped up the Little Black Panther and carefully slid into the water.

But the moment the Little Black Panther sensed the steam and the approaching water, it went off like a firecracker. With a sharp "YOWL!", it began flailing its limbs wildly, desperately trying to escape Su Yaoyao’s grasp.

Its little paws swatted frantically, sending water splashing everywhere.

"Shh, don’t be scared. The water is nice and warm, it’s so comfortable," Su Yaoyao soothed, gently stroking the Little Black Panther’s fur to try and calm it down.

Nearby, the little lion cub, Bai Lian, watched the scene unfold. His once jaunty tail was now tucked firmly between his legs, and he backed away several steps, his eyes filled with resistance.

Su Yaoyao could easily tell what he was thinking. She reached out and gently petted the little lion cub’s head. Feeling the soft fur beneath her fingers, she said gently,

"Don’t be scared, little lion. Let’s take a bath together. It’ll be so nice to get you all clean."

Bai Lian’s heart was in turmoil. ’I’m so nervous and embarrassed. I’m terrified of exposing my identity, but this situation is just so... mortifying!’

But when he saw the hopeful look in Su Yaoyao’s eyes, which seemed to sparkle like stars, he just couldn’t bring himself to refuse. He could only groan inwardly in misery.

While Bai Lian was still hesitating, Su Yaoyao reached out and picked him up as well. His body went rigid, and his heart hammered against his ribs as if it would leap out of his throat.

"If you don’t take a bath, you can’t sleep in my bed, you two little rascals," Su Yaoyao said, feigning a stern tone that was laced with doting affection.

At her words, the two desperately struggling animals fell silent, as if they’d been struck by an immobilization spell.

Though their reluctance was plain to see, the thought of not being able to sleep with Su Yaoyao was enough for them to obediently concede.

Once in the water, both Bai Lian and the Little Black Panther went stiff with tension.

Bai Lian was blushing beet-red. ’Thank goodness I’m in my animal form, or Su Yaoyao would have noticed.’

The Little Black Panther, for its part, pressed tightly against Su Yaoyao, burying its head deep in her embrace.

A Spiritual Body is a reflection of its master’s innermost self. So of course the Little Black Panther wanted to bathe with Su Yaoyao. Unlike Bai Lian, it was simply afraid of the water.

Meanwhile, far away in a confinement room, Reg’s face was flushed so deeply it looked like it might bleed. His amber pupils darkened with an unconcealable desire.

And the Little Black Panther seemed to sense it.

Su Yaoyao shivered as a tingling sensation suddenly shot through her. She smacked the Little Black Panther’s rump. "No licking."

Bai Lian had been frozen stiff in the water, his mind a whirlwind of conflict and embarrassment.

But when he saw the Little Black Panther snuggling intimately in Su Yaoyao’s arms, even darting out its small tongue to lick her, a wave of jealousy washed over him.

His eyes filled with indignation. Hesitating no longer, he paddled furiously through the water, swimming quickly toward Su Yaoyao.

SPLASH! Bai Lian sent up a spray of water as he pressed himself fiercely against Su Yaoyao’s other side. He rubbed his head against her insistently, a low, unhappy growl rumbling in his throat as if staking his claim against the Little Black Panther.

Su Yaoyao was caught off guard by his sudden movement, and a surprised, delighted smile spread across her face. "Oh, my! Why are you so affectionate all of a sudden, little lion?"

As she spoke, she freed a hand to gently stroke Bai Lian’s head, her fingers sinking into his soft fur.

Su Yaoyao picked up a bath sponge and worked it into a lather. She started with the little lion cub, Bai Lian, gently washing his body, beginning with his head.

Bai Lian was so nervous he barely dared to breathe. He could feel Su Yaoyao’s gentle motions, and his heart pounded like thunder.

After she finished washing the little lion cub, Su Yaoyao started on the Little Black Panther.

The Little Black Panther squirmed at first, but soon discovered that bathing wasn’t so terrible after all. It gradually relaxed, even squinting its eyes in comfort.

After bathing the two little creatures, Su Yaoyao gently dried them with a soft towel. Cradling the warm, toasty pair in her lap, she wheeled herself slowly toward the bedroom.

As they entered the bedroom, they were instantly enveloped in a warm, yellow light.

The moment Su Yaoyao settled onto the large bed, the Little Black Panther eagerly dove under the covers, leaving only its small, furry head poking out, its bright eyes fixed on her.

Not to be outdone, Bai Lian rested his little paws on the edge of the bed and looked up at her expectantly, silently asking to be lifted up.

With a smile, Su Yaoyao lifted Bai Lian under the covers, then lay down and pulled the blanket over all of them.

The two little creatures snuggled tightly against her, one on each side. Bai Lian rested his head on Su Yaoyao’s arm, occasionally nuzzling her cheek. The Little Black Panther curled into a ball on her chest, letting out a contented purr.

Su Yaoyao gently stroked their fur. The soft feeling beneath her palm seemed to melt away all the fatigue from her day.

Seeing their adorable sleeping faces, Su Yaoyao smiled. She placed a gentle kiss on each of their heads and whispered, "Sleep now, my little darlings."

In the quiet of the night, long after Su Yaoyao and the Little Black Panther had fallen asleep, a faint halo of light began to glow around the little lion.

His small, compact body gradually elongated. His limbs grew long and slender, and his fur receded. In the blink of an eye, Bai Lian had returned to his human form.

Su Yaoyao’s face had a soft glow in the moonlight, and the slight upturn of her lips suggested she was having a sweet dream.

Bai Lian couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to gently touch her cheek. The warmth that met his fingertips sent a jolt through his heart.

He slowly leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Good night, my darling."