Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – CH109

Chapter 109

It took a long time before Lang Qi finally moved again, calmly adjusting Bai Tu’s animal hide as if nothing had happened.

Bai Tu had been waiting for a response, but when none came, he grew curious. “Hm?”

Lang Qi lifted his hand and wrapped his arms around Bai Tu’s waist, as if trying to suppress the unease in his heart. In a low voice, he asked, “When did you find out?”

Bai Tu was momentarily stunned by the sudden embrace but didn’t resist. He simply answered the question.

“The day you fully woke up.”

From the time he had been affected by the medicine to the time when his fever spiked, Lang Qi had always woken up in his beast form—no matter what form he had been in before falling asleep. Every single morning, without fail, Bai Tu would open his eyes to see a wolf beside him.

But after that one night, something changed.

Since then, every morning, he had only woken up in the arms of human-form Lang Qi.

That alone wasn’t enough to confirm it, but Lang Qi’s attitude toward the cubs and Lang Ze had also changed significantly.

He probably didn’t even notice it himself, but after recovering, his treatment of Lang Ze had shifted from that of a stranger to that of a strict older brother.

And if he had still been in his medicine-influenced state, there was no way he would have tolerated other beastmen staying in the cave for so long.

It was the same with the cubs. Before, Lang Qi had simply watched them; now, his attitude was completely different.

Lang Qi had been deliberately mimicking his past self under the effects of the medicine, but there were still subtle differences from when he had no memory.

Thinking back, it was clear that his recovery had been gradual—his behavior had been slowly shifting all along. The only reason it had gone unnoticed was that the changes weren’t obvious until that night when everything finally snapped into place.

By the next morning, he had fully recovered—and had been pretending ever since.

Bai Tu kept his tone as neutral as possible. “You can go back to the wolf tribe now.”

He could sense Lang Qi’s guilt—but there was no reason for him to stay in the Snow Rabbit Tribe just to compensate for it.

Lang Qi didn’t respond.

He simply tightened his arms slightly, holding Bai Tu firmly in his embrace.

As Bai Tu was trying to figure out if he had said something wrong, Lang Qi finally spoke.

“I don’t want to be a pervert.”

“…Huh?” Bai Tu was caught completely off guard.

What was he even talking about?

The next second, Lang Qi’s voice dropped to a barely audible whisper—

“Don’t make me leave.”

Bai Tu: “???”

“I can do a lot of things.” Lang Qi carefully rested his head on Bai Tu’s shoulder, pressing lightly but not daring to use force. “Please… let me stay, okay?”

Bai Tu: “…”

“I never told you to leave.”

He had simply thought that since Lang Qi had recovered, he should return to the wolf tribe to take care of their affairs.

After all, not everything could be left to Lang Ze. The younger wolf might have grown larger and could hold his own in a fight, but he wasn’t mature enough to handle everything alone.

Besides, this was the time for him to enjoy his youth. Once spring came, they would have to start hunting and working again, and by then, there wouldn’t be time to have fun.

Bai Tu had actually wanted to free up some time for Lang Ze to enjoy himself before the responsibilities came crashing back.

Most importantly, Bai Tu never felt Lang Qi needed to compensate him for anything.

One had been sick, the other had helped him recover. Now that the illness was gone and the debt repaid, they owed each other nothing.

If there was a cub in his stomach, then that was the medical fee.

If there wasn’t, then Lang Qi’s help over the past month was already enough.

But today, Lang Qi seemed more like his past self during the illness—and Bai Tu couldn’t help but soften.

He lifted his arms slightly and returned the embrace.

“What’s wrong?”

Was it really that big of a deal to go back to his tribe?

Lang Qi nuzzled against his neck, his voice still carrying a hint of grievance.

“I want to stay with you.”

Bai Tu looked up.

Lang Qi’s eyes were serious and earnest, filled with quiet pleading.

Bai Tu opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Seeing Bai Tu’s hesitation, Lang Qi felt a small sense of relief and pressed on.

“Ze can handle the tribe’s affairs.”

“If there’s anything he doesn’t know, I’ll tell him.”

“Just let me stay here… okay?”

Lang Qi was too serious, as if he were asking for some kind of commitment.

Bai Tu didn’t know how to respond. He averted his gaze, avoiding Lang Qi’s eyes, and replied softly, “Do as you like.”

A flash of joy appeared in Lang Qi’s eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

Instead of speaking, he simply rubbed against Bai Tu, nuzzling him repeatedly—expressing his happiness in the way a wolf would, without words.

Bai Tu watched him, unsure whether Lang Qi was doing this intentionally or instinctively, since it wasn’t much different from how he had behaved before.

*

Being cooped up in the cave made people sleepier, and with nightfall arriving early, Bai Tu went to bed soon after sunset.

There wasn’t much work to do in winter, and even less to do at night, so there was no reason to stay awake.

After confirming Bai Tu was asleep, Lang Qi pressed a light kiss to his forehead before quietly leaving the bedroom.

He stood near the entrance of the cave, waiting for Lang Ze and the others to return.

The Snow Rabbit Tribe had a lot more fun activities compared to the Blood Wolf Tribe.

The wolves’ territory also had many places to play, but after three days of sledding and snowball fights, they would completely wreck any given area, making it unusable.

Because of that, they had been coming here more and more often—partially because they envied the cleared-out snowfields in the Snow Rabbit Tribe.

Snow was everywhere, but flat, well-maintained snowfields were rare.

Since they were leaving early the next morning, the young wolves wanted to make the most of their last night and play to their hearts’ content.

As soon as the group of cheerful wolves stepped into the cave, they froze.

Lang Qi was standing right there.

Lang Ze instinctively stopped mid-step, sneaking a glance to the side, searching for Bai Tu.

He wasn’t sure if he had done something wrong, but having Bai Tu around always made things feel safer.

“Tu is resting.”

Lang Qi saw right through what he was thinking.

Something about his tone and wording felt off.

Lang Ze turned his gaze back to Lang Qi, staring in disbelief. “…Brother?”

Had he recovered? When? Why didn’t I know?!

But no one answered his questions.

Lang Qi merely nodded slightly in response.

Then, his voice turned strict, “When you return to the tribe, focus on work and play less. If there’s nothing urgent, stay put in the tribe. And don’t come here so often.”

Lang Ze’s heart sank. It’s over.

It’s over, it’s over, it’s over. This is my real brother.

If Lang Qi hadn’t regained his memories, he would have simply looked at Lang Ze like a stranger—there’s no way he would have said this much at once.

Lang Ze suddenly missed the version of his brother who was cold and indifferent, only giving short, vague responses.

At least that version could be avoided—as long as he kept his distance or stayed near Bai Tu, everything was fine.

But now that his real brother was back— There was no escape.

And worse—his brother had even made sure Bai Tu was already asleep beforehand! What a scheming wolf!

Lang Ze mentally complained but didn’t dare say it out loud.

Instead, he made a note to tell Bai Tu later—his brother had definitely been faking it all this time!

He had noticed something strange about his brother’s eyes lately, and it turns out he was right all along!

His thoughts were practically written all over his face, making it painfully obvious to Lang Qi.

Lang Qi didn’t bother saying anything—he just glanced at him coldly.

That single look sent a clear message.

Lang Ze immediately shrank back, understanding exactly what it meant,”If you dare wake Bai Tu up, you’re dead.”

…He’s threatening me?!

Lang Ze mumbled under his breath, “You don’t even dare scold Bai Tu…“

All you do is act all tough in front of me!

Lang Qi didn’t deny it.

He simply instructed them, “Keep a close watch on the Vulture Tribe and the Lion Tribe.”

“Got it,” Lang Ze responded immediately.

This was serious business—if he messed this up, not even Bai Tu would be able to save him.

However, something still felt off.

As he was about to leave, Lang Ze suddenly realized what was wrong.

“Wait—Brother, aren’t you going back?”

If he had recovered, shouldn’t he be returning to the wolf tribe?

Why was he giving out instructions like he was staying?

Lang Qi glanced at him and calmly replied— “I’ll go back after winter ends.”

“So long?” Lang Ze was shocked. There was still nearly a month before winter ended, and Lang Qi had already been recovering for more than just a few days—yet he still hadn’t returned to the tribe!

“With you watching over the tribe, I have no worries,” Lang Qi said in a deep voice.

Lang Ze, who had been focused on his shock, instantly forgot about Lang Qi not returning. Instead, he was thrilled to be praised. “Of course!”

His brother had never praised him before!

“There’s something else…” Lang Qi swept his gaze up and down Lang Ze, hesitating.

“What is it?” Lang Ze, still floating from the rare compliment, immediately sensed that his brother needed him for something. His responsibility suddenly felt much greater—his brother never hesitated like this, so it had to be something important!

Lang Qi lowered his eyes. “Tu is planning to build a new home.”

*

Bai Tu dreamed of the wolf cubs again. For some reason, the weather in this dream was even colder than before. The three little cubs huddled together.

The black cub stood on the outside, shielding the other two, its eyes alert and watching the surroundings. 

The gray cub seemed quite displeased with the cold weather, baring its tiny teeth at the wind in a fierce yet adorable way—only to accidentally gulp down a mouthful of it. 

The white cub lay weakly behind the other two, eyes closed, occasionally fluttering open listlessly before slowly shutting again.

The moment they saw Bai Tu, not only did the gray cub react excitedly, but even the black cub showed visible joy. Seeing that Bai Tu was still a distance away, the gray cub began urging him forward just as it had done when calling for the white cub before.

Though the distance seemed far to the cubs, it was only a few steps for Bai Tu. 

He quickened his pace, removed his outermost layer of animal hide, and wrapped the little ones inside. Encased in the warmth of the fur, the white cub seemed a bit more spirited than before, but it was still shivering.

Bai Tu grew anxious. 

This place was much colder than inside the cave. If even he could feel the chill, the cubs must be freezing. 

Without hesitation, he removed the rest of his furs and shifted into his animal form, pulling the cubs inside for warmth. With multiple layers of fur covering them, the temperature rose noticeably. 

Bai Tu was especially worried about the white cub, so he held it close. However, since his beast form was about the same size as the cubs, he couldn’t completely cover them.

Even so, the white cub was delighted, rubbing its face against Bai Tu.

The gray cub, seeing Bai Tu’s beast form for the first time, let out an excited yelp, scrambling onto Bai Tu’s other side. Its front paws even climbed onto Bai Tu’s back, trying to nibble at his different-shaped ears. But in the next instant, it was pulled down by the black cub.

The reprimanded gray cub pouted and lay down beside Bai Tu in grievance.

With Bai Tu in the middle, the black cub moved to the other side of the white cub, helping block out the cold wind.

Animal hide only covered the body, leaving hands and neck exposed to the wind. But now, in beast form, Bai Tu’s thick fur wrapped around them in layers, keeping them warm. Soon, the little cubs closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Bai Tu hadn’t planned on sleeping, but his energy wasn’t what it used to be. Just forming the layered fur wrap had exhausted him, so he shut his eyes and rested.

When he woke up, he was still warm, but this time, what surrounded him wasn’t layers of animal hide—it was Lang Qi’s beast form.

At first, Bai Tu intended to shift back to human form and get up, just as he always did. But after snuggling into the soft fur for a moment, another thought emerged.

Looking down at the thick, dense fur on Lang Qi’s stomach—fluffy enough to completely cover him—Bai Tu couldn’t help but wonder: This is so high and dense… it must be really warm, right?

With that thought in mind, Bai Tu first checked to make sure Lang Qi was still asleep. Then, almost as if possessed, he did something even he hadn’t expected.

He stretched out his soft, pale front paw and tugged at Lang Qi’s belly fur.

Maybe it was because the cave was warm, but a few strands of fluff came loose effortlessly.

Bai Tu was delighted and went in for a second and third pull. One after another, he kept plucking, gradually gathering a small handful. However, his paws were too small, and the fur was long, making it a bit difficult to pull out. Before he could collect much, his paws were already sore.

His entire focus was now on the soft fur in front of him. Realizing that using his paws was too slow, Bai Tu decided to go straight in with his mouth. That worked much faster, and before long, a small pile of fluff had formed on Lang Qi’s belly. Bai Tu compared the size of the pile to himself—it was almost as big as he was! But given their size difference and how thick Lang Qi’s belly fur was, the area still looked nearly untouched.

Even though Lang Qi was still asleep, Bai Tu decided to stop. Gathering up the fluffy pile, he hugged it and began to move closer to Lang Qi’s side.

After taking just two steps, Lang Qi suddenly stirred. Bai Tu froze instantly and carefully raised his head to check on him. Fortunately, Lang Qi was still in deep sleep—probably exhausted from not resting well lately.

Feeling reassured, Bai Tu continued forward. Lang Qi’s movement had actually helped him slide off his belly and onto the bedding. Moving lightly, Bai Tu carefully hid the hard-earned fluff under the pillow.

After making sure it was well-hidden, he checked again, then pushed the pillow back into place. Stretching out his four paws, he reached out with his front ones to touch the fluffy belly again—too soft, nothing left to grab.

Just then, a cold draft slipped through the cave’s crevices, making Bai Tu shiver. He was about to crawl back to the warmth when Lang Qi’s eyes suddenly opened.

Freshly awakened, Lang Qi’s gaze was filled with warmth and joy. Lowering his head, he nuzzled Bai Tu before scooping him up—so small that his entire body fit in Lang Qi’s palm. Holding him against his chest, Lang Qi shifted into his human form and kissed the top of Bai Tu’s head. “How did you fall off?”

Bai Tu stiffened slightly—not because of Lang Qi’s actions, but because he suddenly remembered what he had just done.

Stealing someone’s fur… Is that something a normal person would do?

Luckily, Lang Qi didn’t seem to notice. 

Bai Tu lifted his head and nuzzled Lang Qi’s chin, adjusting into a more comfortable position in his embrace. The snow hadn’t been as heavy lately, but the temperature was still low, and Bai Tu was particularly sensitive to the cold. Lang Qi’s body was just a little warmer than his own, making it incredibly cozy.

Still, he couldn’t stay like this forever. The sun was already high, so Bai Tu figured he should get up and shift back into human form.

But Lang Qi didn’t let him go. Instead, he wrapped one arm securely around Bai Tu, picked up a fur pelt with the other, draped it over himself, and nestled Bai Tu between his inner clothes and the outer fur layer. “It’s cold today. Sleep a little longer.”

Bai Tu hesitated for a second before deciding to listen. Closing his eyes, he rested.

Lang Qi’s embrace was indeed a great place to sleep—warm, and unlike the heated stone bed, it wasn’t overly dry. No matter how long he stayed, he wouldn’t wake up feeling parched.

He ended up sleeping all the way until noon. Though the winter sun wasn’t very strong, it was still warmer than the early morning or evening.

After getting dressed and stepping outside, Bai Tu was surprised to see Lang Ze still there. He had assumed Lang Qi would have sent him back by now.

Lang Ze’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw Bai Tu. “Tu, you’re awake?”

Bai Tu nodded and accepted the water Lang Qi handed him, sipping slowly while waiting for Lang Ze to continue.

“I heard from the rabbit tribe that you’re planning to build houses,” Lang Ze said, stealing a quick glance at Lang Qi.

“Yes, I am.” Bai Tu nodded.

One reason was that caves weren’t the most convenient living spaces. Their expansion options were limited—after all, they couldn’t just dig out the entire mountain. Even if they could, they might accidentally tunnel into someone else’s cave, which wouldn’t be ideal.

Another reason was the growing population. One mountain wasn’t enough to house everyone. While they could squeeze in during winter, that wouldn’t work in summer. The heat already made people irritable, and cramming everyone into the same cave would only lead to constant fights.

So, Bai Tu wanted to reorganize things—find a suitable location within the territory and build single-story houses, giving everyone a few rooms each, like a small village that served as a residential area.

With so many available workers, and with all the cement and bricks they had made over the winter, they had plenty of materials to start construction. The tribe also had a decent number of livestock, so not everyone needed to hunt.

However, this was still just a preliminary plan. Only a few people knew about it for now, as they would have to wait until the snow completely melted before starting. Plus, he hadn’t even chosen a location yet. Finding a large, flat, safe area wasn’t easy—this settlement would be home for years to come, so they had to pick carefully.

Hearing Bai Tu confirm his plans, Lang Ze let out a breath of relief and tentatively suggested, “Then… how about choosing a spot between our tribe and the Snow Rabbit Tribe?”