Time passed, second by second. The room was utterly silent, save for the sound of their gentle breathing.

With Su Yaoyao by his side, soothed by her spiritual power, the deep furrow in Pani’s brow gradually smoothed out, and his breathing became a little steadier.

Pani slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Su Yaoyao’s face, fast asleep. He hadn’t even realized when she’d drifted off.

’She must have been too tired and hadn’t slept well last night.’

Su Yaoyao’s hand was still resting on his rabbit ear. Even in her dreams, the spiritual power that soothed him continued to flow out, like an instinct, a form of protection offered without a second thought.

She was still comforting him, even in her sleep. An indescribable warmth flooded Pani’s heart.

He gently took Su Yaoyao’s hand and placed it against his cheek, nuzzling it affectionately. The warmth seeped deep into his heart.

After a moment, Pani carefully moved Su Yaoyao’s hand away from his body. As he did, the warm spiritual power receded.

He couldn’t bear to let her expend any more of her spiritual power on him. Su Yaoyao’s precious spiritual power should be reserved for brave and fearless warriors like Bai Lian and Reg.

’And me? I’m just a herbivorous A-level Beastman.’

In the Beastman World, it was the law of the jungle.

For ages, herbivorous Beastmen had been looked down upon by carnivorous ones. This racial prejudice and discrimination had long ago planted a seed of inferiority deep in Pani’s heart.

Although he got along well with everyone after coming to the base, and they all respected him as the Chief Physician, that deep-seated inferiority complex would always rear its head when he least expected it.

While Pani was lost in his thoughts, the corners of Su Yaoyao’s mouth lifted into a sweet smile, as if she were dreaming of something wonderful.

Then, as if driven by instinct, she suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around Pani, murmuring indistinctly, "Such a cute bunny..."

The sudden movement caught Pani completely off guard. He froze instantly.

Before he could even react, Su Yaoyao had pulled his head tightly against her chest.

In an instant, Pani’s face turned beet-red, like a ripe tomato about to burst.

The heat that had been gradually subsiding now flared up like a raging fire, spreading rapidly through his entire body.

His heart began to race, THUMP-THUMP-THUMPING so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.

’No, I can’t think about this...’

Pani desperately warned himself, but the more he tried to stop, the more vivid the soft sensation before him became.

Su Yaoyao’s faint, sweet scent kept wafting into his nose, surrounding him and making it increasingly difficult for him to control himself.

Pani’s eyes reddened. For the first time, he felt like such a beast. The emotions left him at a complete loss.

’If Su Yaoyao knew I had these dark desires for her, would she ignore me from now on?’

Pani hugged Su Yaoyao even tighter, feeling the warmth of her body so close to his, afraid of being separated from her. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

He greedily breathed in her sweet scent, as if it could calm his turbulent emotions.

...

「Dinnertime」

Su Yaoyao watched as Pani sat down right next to her. For the past few days, he had been following her around constantly, his eyes turning red at the slightest provocation.

Su Yaoyao finally couldn’t hold back any longer. "Pani, you haven’t been acting right lately. You’re always following me, and you cry so easily. Are you really okay?"

Hearing this, Pani’s face flushed crimson in an instant, the blush spreading from his ears to his cheeks. He stammered frantically, "I-I’m fine! I... I... I..."

Reg, who was eating a steak, swallowed a mouthful of food and commented nonchalantly, "It’s a symptom of his mating season. It’ll last for a week."

As he spoke, a flicker of jealousy crossed his eyes. If it weren’t for the fact that Pani was in a special period, he would never tolerate him sticking to the little female all day and constantly looking for chances to be alone with her.

"Bai Lian, you overcooked this steak. It’s tough," Reg said while chewing, bluntly venting his frustration on Bai Lian.

Hearing this, Bai Lian gripped his fork tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging slightly.

Suppressing the fire in his heart, he replied coldly, "I made it for Yaoyao. She only eats it well-done."

His tone was firm and unquestionable, as if he were defending something precious.

Su Yaoyao sensed the subtle, tense atmosphere between the two and, afraid they would start fighting, quickly picked up a piece of steak and took a bite. A brilliant smile bloomed on her face as she exclaimed, "Mmm! It’s delicious!"

She even gave Bai Lian a thumbs-up, praising him generously.

Bai Lian’s cold expression instantly softened. He picked up a napkin and gently wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of Su Yaoyao’s mouth, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a priceless treasure. He murmured, "Eat slowly."

Su Yaoyao nodded obediently and took another big bite of steak.

Then, she leaned in closer, curious. "But, can you tell me more about the mating season? I don’t really know much about it."

’The more I know about this, the better I’ll be able to handle my Beast Husbands’ special situations in the future,’ she thought.

Reg’s eyes lit up. This was his chance to shine. He eagerly started, "The mating season is when—"

But before he could finish, Bai Lian cut him off coldly. "Let Pani tell you. He’s the Chief Physician, so his explanation will be more professional." There was an undeniable authority in Bai Lian’s gaze.

Hearing this, Reg let out a small, disgruntled "Tch," and pouted. He didn’t say anything more, however, just went back to eating his steak, though he was silently grumbling to himself.

Pani took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He explained, "Every Beastman’s mating cycle is a little different. It’s usually about seven days long, but it can be longer.

"During the mating season, physiologically, our bodies become extremely needy, and all our senses become incredibly sensitive. The slightest sound or movement can feel magnified many times over."

Su Yaoyao listened intently and nodded. "Oh, I see. What about behaviorally? Are there any differences there?"

Pani’s rabbit ears twitched, and he looked a little embarrassed.

"Behaviorally, it’s quite varied. Some Beastmen become extremely restless and can’t stay still for a moment; some become total crybabies and burst into tears easily; others will binge eat, their appetite becoming huge. And someone like me... I might just get very clingy with you..."

As he spoke, Pani’s voice grew quieter and quieter. He peeked at Su Yaoyao, trying to gauge her reaction.

A look of understanding dawned on Su Yaoyao’s face. "So that’s how it is."

She paused, then said gently, "Pani, if you need anything during this time, please don’t hesitate to come to me."

Pani’s face instantly turned bright red again. He gave an involuntary nod, his voice a mixture of shyness and relief. "Okay... Thank you, Yaoyao."