Chapter 85
Since Little Hanye insisted on washing itself and didn’t want anyone’s help, Bai Nuosi had no choice but to wash the little lion and Teng Snake first. Once they were done, he wrapped the two cubs in towels and handed them to Huo Ranchuan. “Director, can you help dry Xingxing’s fur? I’ll keep an eye on Hanye while it bathes.”
Huo Ranchuan nodded. He had always known that taking care of cubs wasn’t easy, but now that he was personally involved, he realized it not only required effort but also a great deal of patience. No wonder Teacher Bai was so popular; such a gentle and patient person was hard not to like.
Huo Ranchuan first put Teng Snake, which didn’t need drying, on the sofa before carrying the little lion over to the drying machine set up in the bedroom. He glanced at the machine and asked, “Which setting?”
The little lion huffed, “I don’t know.”
Huo Ranchuan gave up on using the automatic dryer. Instead, he grabbed a handheld hair dryer and placed the little lion on the table to blow its fur. The little lion’s fur was longer than that of an average lion, making it prone to tangling and getting dirty. After a few blasts of air, it started complaining, “It’s cold!”
Huo Ranchuan sighed and adjusted the heat. The little lion pouted again, “Blow my tummy.”
Expressionless, Huo Ranchuan flipped it over and dried its belly. The little lion then demanded, “Blow my neck.”
Huo Ranchuan kept his composure as he continued drying, but when he was about to check on Teacher Bai, he noticed the table covered in shed lion fur. The little lion, with its fur puffed up and messy from the blow-drying, whimpered, “I need my fur brushed. And a massage.”
Huo Ranchuan frowned. “You’re very demanding.”
The little lion shrank its neck, muttering softly, “I want Teacher Bai…”
It couldn’t understand why Commander Huo, who clearly had no experience with these things, insisted on being Teacher Bai’s assistant. In the end, it was the little lion who had to endure it!
Meanwhile, when Bai Nuosi was filling the bathtub with water for the little white tiger, it walked in by itself and gestured for Bai Nuosi to leave with a serious look in its eyes.
A boy has to wash himself!
Seeing its earnest expression, Bai Nuosi could only leave the bathroom and close the door. Before shutting it completely, he said, “Alright then, Hanye. Teacher will wait for you outside, okay?”
The little white tiger nodded seriously.
Bai Nuosi: “…”
He shut the door but remained outside, feeling hesitant. Could the little white tiger really bathe itself?
But then he thought of its training routine from the morning. It wasn’t all that surprising for the little white tiger to want to wash itself, was it?
Listening to the sound of running water, Bai Nuosi guessed that the bathtub was almost full and asked, “Hanye, is the water full yet?”
A few seconds later, Hanye’s babyish voice replied, “Not full.”
Bai Nuosi paused. “And now?”
He could still hear the water running from the showerhead, but Hanye hadn’t turned it off. From the sound of it, the tub should be full by now.
“Hanye, is the water overflowing?” Bai Nuosi asked from the doorway.
Inside, the little white tiger seemed to be doing something, and after a long while, it replied, “It’s not overflowing.”
Bai Nuosi: “…”
Inside the bathroom, the water was indeed about to overflow, and Hanye was running in circles, feeling anxious. Where was the switch? Why wasn’t it like the one in the dormitory at the academy?
Song Hengye had grown up in the desolate star zone, where high-tech amenities like these were unheard of. The only experience he had was from the Imperial Academy’s freshman dormitory, which had a different smart system than this one.
Seeing the water start to spill over, the little white tiger grew even more flustered. It had rarely felt such panic, but as the clean, slip-resistant floor slowly became soaked, it could no longer stay calm!
Standing outside the door, Bai Nuosi could already hear the sound of water spilling out. However, he didn’t rush in. He waited for the little white tiger to call for him. If it needed help, it would naturally seek him out. If it didn’t, then he’d give it the chance to prove its independence and see how far it could go.
Bai Nuosi anxiously listened to the sounds inside, worried that the little white tiger might accidentally fall into the tub. But to his surprise, the little white tiger didn’t struggle for long. As soon as the water began to spill, it hung its head low, ears drooping, and slowly walked to the door, pushing it open. It had expected to search for Teacher Bai in the living room, but as soon as it opened the door, it found Bai Nuosi standing right there.
So Teacher Bai had never left. He had been right there, watching over it.
Bai Nuosi, seeing the drenched little white tiger, squatted down and asked softly, “Hanye, what’s wrong?”
The little white tiger turned its body, revealing the scene in the bathroom—water was flooding the floor, and the showerhead was still running. The faucet control was right next to the tub, and if the little white tiger had jumped onto the stool, it could have reached it. But it hadn’t found it.
Bai Nuosi could tell the little white tiger had tried its best. It always had such a steady demeanor, never paying much attention to people or things. The fact that it insisted on bathing alone was commendable.
Not wanting to hurt its confidence, Bai Nuosi didn’t mind the wet little tiger and picked it up gently.
It felt awkward being held; it preferred walking on its own!
Bai Nuosi comforted it. “Don’t be sad, Hanye. It’s normal not to know how to turn it off. You’re still young and haven’t encountered these machines before. I’ll teach you now, so next time, you’ll know how to do it yourself.”
Sharing consciousness with Song Hengye, the little white tiger felt embarrassed. It had always handled things independently, especially something as intimate as bathing. The little white tiger had to do it alone. Yet, things turned out this way. Teacher Bai must think it was laughable!
However, Teacher Bai didn’t laugh. He gently held the little white tiger and explained the bathroom fixtures one by one.
“This red button here controls the warm water,” Bai Nuosi said as he walked over to the control panel. “Hanye, press it to turn off the water.”
The little white tiger, slightly embarrassed, reached out a paw and pressed the red button firmly. Sure enough, the warm water stopped immediately!
Watching the flow cease, the little white tiger felt a wave of relief. It had been so worried that the water would keep running, flooding the entire dormitory, and that Teacher Bai would be angry with it.
Deep-seated memories within Song Hengye had influenced the little white tiger’s feelings. Seeing the water overflow had triggered a deep fear.
Bai Nuosi, sensing the little tiger’s trembling, assumed it was cold and wrapped it snugly in a towel, introducing other fixtures.
“If the switch is too high, Hanye, you can use the stool to reach it. This blue button is for cold water, and this one here controls the small showerhead. You press this to use it. And this button is for the cub bath gel; press it, and the gel comes out. Over here is the dryer…”
Bai Nuosi patiently explained every piece of equipment, even showing how to use the toothbrush and toothpaste. Whether Hanye was a spiritual entity or a beast cub, these life skills were always useful to learn.
After spending thirty minutes teaching Hanye everything, Bai Nuosi placed it in the filled tub, sitting nearby. “Alright, Hanye, you’ve learned how to use everything. Now it’s time to learn how to bathe properly. You try, and I’ll watch to make sure everything is done correctly. Is that okay?”
Though it felt a bit shy with Bai Nuosi watching, the little white tiger didn’t mind as much anymore. Teacher Bai was indeed gentle. Even with the flooded bathroom, he hadn’t gotten angry. Instead, he had patiently explained everything. Who could resist such kindness?
No wonder Qin Yuxing spoke so highly of Teacher Bai.
Now that the little white tiger knew where everything was and how to use it, it managed most things on its own except for scrubbing its back. Bai Nuosi watched it scrub itself, feeling warm inside. The little white tiger was so independent!
Although it was still small and its movements clumsy, it never gave up or sought help. It had a tenacious personality, and Bai Nuosi could see it growing into a self-reliant adult.
The little white tiger even changed the water on its own midway through the bath. Though it tried to scrub its back, its paws were too short to reach.
Finding this endearing, Bai Nuosi recorded a short video and posted it on his star account: “Little Hanye’s first self-bath. The way its little paws scrub the bubbles is just too cute!”
Bai Nuosi’s fan base had been growing rapidly. As soon as he posted the video, a large number of viewers flocked to watch.
[OMG, live stream of Little Hanye bathing! More, please! I love it!]
[Wow, as expected of Vice Captain Song Hengye’s spiritual entity. Washing itself already—amazing.]
[Compared to the little lion, I have to say, the little white tiger’s self-care skills are top-notch.]
[Cuteness overload! Watching it struggle to reach its back with those tiny paws—my heart is melting!]
[Whoever becomes Song Hengye’s partner in the future will be so lucky!]
[Song Hengye seems so cold and serious, but his spiritual entity is this adorable. I might just change my mind about him!]
Bai Nuosi glanced at the comments briefly before closing his device and checking on the little white tiger. It had finished rinsing off the bubbles, except for its back, and was all clean and fragrant.
Bai Nuosi smiled and asked, “Hanye, do you want Teacher Bai to help scrub your back?”
The little white tiger, sitting in the tub, shyly nodded.
Even though it wanted to be independent, it knew its current capabilities had limits.
It murmured, “Thank you, Teacher.”
Bai Nuosi was pleasantly surprised—Hanye said thank you! He hadn’t even taught it that yet.
He picked up the little scrubber and began brushing its back. “No need to thank me. You did an amazing job today, Hanye! Not only did you bathe yourself, but you also learned how to use all the bathroom fixtures. You even picked the right bath gel! Of all the cubs I’ve looked after, only Hanye has done that. I’m so proud!”
The little white tiger, flustered from the praise, struggled to keep its stoic expression.
It lay there obediently as Bai Nuosi scrubbed its back. But it still felt guilty seeing the soaked floor. Cleaning up the mess would take time. It glanced at Teacher Bai, feeling remorseful for causing trouble.
After finishing, Bai Nuosi dried the little white tiger with a towel, emptied the tub, and left the water extractor in the bathroom. He planned to take care of the cubs first and clean the bathroom later.
He carried the little white tiger back to the bedroom. There, Teng Snake lay lazily on the bed while the little lion, looking pitiful, stood on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Huo Ranchuan was brushing its fur.
The little lion’s fur, longer and thicker than usual, had become a tangled mess after Huo Ranchuan’s attempt with the hair dryer. Now, it resembled a messy ball of yarn. Moreover, it seemed to be shedding, as golden fur covered the table.
The little lion felt aggrieved. It had never been treated like this before. But it dared not speak up or make a fuss, only daring to shed tears when Teacher Bai appeared.
When Bai Nuosi entered the room and saw the fluffed-up lion, he couldn’t help but laugh. Even the little white tiger gave it a sympathetic look, its eyes filled with curiosity.
The little lion, eyes full of tears, whimpered, “Teacher Bai~”
It was trying to act cute again. If not for its fur being tangled in Huo Ranchuan’s brush, it would have already thrown itself to the ground, rolling around and crying.
Bai Nuosi approached, while Huo Ranchuan looked somewhat embarrassed. He wasn’t used to dealing with fluffy cubs, as his own spiritual entity wasn’t furry, and he didn’t keep pets. He truly lacked experience with these little ones.
When Teacher Bai had asked him to dry the little lion’s fur, he hadn’t known which setting to use. To play it safe, he opted for the hair dryer instead. As long as it dried, right?
But he hadn’t expected this outcome.
Huo Ranchuan, feeling awkward, admitted, “I wasn’t familiar with the dryer, so I thought I’d use the hair dryer on Xingxing. But I didn’t expect…”
He didn’t expect it to turn out like this. Some of the fur had even tangled, and he was now slowly trying to brush it out, but it still looked messy.
Bai Nuosi smiled. “For the dryer, you select the second setting for five minutes. Xing Xing’s fur is longer than usual for a lion, so if you don’t direct the air properly, it can get messy. But it’s alright, Director, and Xing Xing, don’t cry. It’s not a big deal. I’ll show you a magic trick!”
Huo Ranchuan, feeling embarrassed, quickly changed the subject. “How did the little white tiger do with its bath? Did everything go well?”
Bai Nuosi placed the little white tiger in the furry cub-specific dryer and responded cheerfully, “It was great! Hanye did an excellent job. Although it got the bathroom floor wet, it learned how to use all the bathroom fixtures and even scrubbed its own fur, face, paws, and belly. Hanye is the most independent cub I’ve ever seen. I think it’s ready for life skills training.”
Life skills training involved teaching cubs essential knowledge and skills so they could take care of themselves when adults weren’t around. Bai Nuosi felt the little white tiger was fully capable of starting.
He was pleasantly surprised. Most cubs didn’t begin learning these skills until they were three, but Hanye seemed to be just two.
Smiling, Bai Nuosi took out his device again and said, “Director, I’m sorry, but the little lion is just too adorable. I have to take a photo.”
The little lion: “…”
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
Feeling awkward, Huo Ranchuan shifted his position, making sure to stay out of the shot. As long as he wasn’t caught on camera, the fluffy little lion’s mishap wouldn’t be connected to him.
After taking the picture, Bai Nuosi habitually posted it on his star account: “Fluffy ball little lion! Sneaky grin.jpg.”
Ever since he started live streaming, Bai Nuosi enjoyed sharing his life online more and more. Of course, this was also due to his growing number of followers.
Fans urged him daily to live stream, begging him to share the cubs’ daily lives. Even Little Nabi’s eating shows were in high demand, something Bai Nuosi hadn’t expected.
After snapping the photo, Bai Nuosi fetched a small bottle of essential oil designed to nourish fluffy fur. He used it nightly on the Panda cub when it had severe shedding and bald patches. Bai Nuosi had diligently applied it back then.
Huo Ranchuan wisely moved aside, feeling sheepish as he watched Teacher Bai work his magic.
Bai Nuosi praised the little lion. “Xing Xing is so brave! Even with its fur all tangled, it stayed calm and didn’t cry. Xing Xing is amazing!”
The little lion: “…”
It blinked its teary eyes and, holding back its tears, looked at Teacher Bai with a proud expression. “Xing Xing is the best!”
Huo Ranchuan shook his head. It was clear that when it came to caring for the cubs, Teacher Bai was unmatched.
He left the bedroom and headed toward the bathroom. Teacher Bai had mentioned that Hanye had gotten the floor wet, so he decided to help clean up. He had to do something useful. If he continued making things worse as an assistant, he might as well let someone else take over.
After Bai Nuosi applied essential oil to the little lion’s fur, he did the same for the little white tiger, which had finished drying. Then he carried both fluffy cubs onto the bed.
After settling them, Bai Nuosi picked up Teng Snake, giving it a playful kiss on the mouth. “Teng Snake needs oil too!”
Bang! The noise startled everyone. Bai Nuosi quickly got off the bed with Teng Snake in his arms. “Director Huo?”
Huo Ranchuan clumsily got up from the floor, his clothes soaked, still holding the water extractor. His ears turned red, and he avoided eye contact. “Teacher Bai, I-I’m fine!”
Darn it. Why did Teacher Bai suddenly kiss Teng Snake? And on the mouth, no less.
Though it was just his spiritual entity, their bond was too close. While he had gotten used to Teacher Bai holding Teng Snake, kissing was a first!
Huo Ranchuan felt embarrassed and, at the same time, a twinge of jealousy. How could Teacher Bai kiss Teng Snake?
Wait, did this mean Teacher Bai also kissed the little white tiger and the little lion?
Huo Ranchuan: “…”
Rivals were everywhere.
Bai Nuosi, still holding Teng Snake, stood at the bathroom door, concerned. “Are you sure you’re okay, Director?”
He had heard a loud noise; it sounded like a hard fall.
Huo Ranchuan couldn’t bring himself to meet Bai Nuosi’s eyes. He continued cleaning the water, mumbling, “I’m fine. The floor was slippery, and I fell. It’s nothing.”
Bai Nuosi glanced at the anti-slip mats on the floor, wondering why it hadn’t been slippery earlier.
He carried Teng Snake back to the bedroom, where the little white tiger and little lion were playing. The little lion kept poking at the little white tiger with its tail and paws.
Bai Nuosi turned on the nightlight. “Alright, little ones, time for bed.”
Hearing it was bedtime, the little white tiger hesitated for a moment before jumping off the bed and heading to the sofa.
“Is Hanye going to sleep alone again tonight?” Bai Nuosi asked, sounding disappointed.
The bed wasn’t very big, but if all the fluffy cubs slept together, they could squeeze in.
At that moment, Huo Ranchuan appeared at the door. He knocked and hesitantly said, “Sorry to interrupt, Teacher Bai.”
Bai Nuosi approached, holding Teng Snake. “What’s wrong, Director? Did you get hurt?”
Huo Ranchuan shook his head. He glanced at the little lion playing on the bed and the little white tiger lying on the sofa. “When we came back this afternoon, Xing Xing and Hanye said they wanted to sleep with me tonight. Is that alright?”
Bai Nuosi’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”
The little lion: “???”
The little white tiger: “…”
Ahhh. Shameless!!!