Building a Civilization and Raising Cubs in the Beast World – CH111

Chapter 111

The little rabbit was no bigger than a palm, and its tiny paws were even more delicate—its soft pinkish-white paws scratching against the stone were about as effective as cotton against iron. The little rabbit used all its strength, but all it managed to do was leave a few faint scratch marks.

Stopping to observe its “work,” the little rabbit fell into a moment of self-pity. But after a brief pause, as if coming to a realization, it decisively moved to another spot and started digging again.

The new location was slightly better. Though the progress was still close to zero, at least there was more of a dent compared to the previous spot.

However, the little rabbit’s paws, having never dug before, were still too tender. After a long time of effort, it had barely made a dent and was already exhausted.

The fluffy white ball hesitated for a moment, then decisively stopped to rest. The soft, warm bedding was simply too comfortable. Even without the giant warmth-provider nearby, it was still incredibly cozy. The little rabbit snuggled against the blankets for a moment before burrowing underneath and falling asleep.

Digging could wait—after all, it wasn’t like it was giving birth today.

Lang Qi only returned once the cave had quieted down. 

Seeing the tiny, barely visible bundle on the bed filled his heart with satisfaction. Carefully lifting a corner of the blanket, he accidentally let in a gust of cold air, making the little rabbit shiver. Lang Qi quickly pulled the covers back up before beginning his inspection of the surroundings.

After circling the bedroom once and failing to find what he was looking for, Lang Qi recalled Tu Cai’s words and refused to give up. He began another round of searching, finally pausing at two different spots.

After comparing the two places, Lang Qi settled on one. 

He reached out and gave it a poke before glancing back at the small bundle on the bed. Then, as he turned again, he shifted into his beast form. Raising a front paw, he dug out a hole slightly larger than a fist—just big enough for the little rabbit to fit inside.

Once he was done, Lang Qi returned to his human form, stuffed the loose debris back in, and finally placed a thin stone slab over the entrance.

The next morning, when the little rabbit woke up, it was still alone in the room. But this time, instead of rushing to its failed digging spot from the previous day, it took some time to survey its surroundings. 

After some careful consideration, it selected a new location—an inconspicuous and secure wooden wardrobe at the foot of the bed.

The wardrobe was tucked into the corner and hadn’t been touched for days, as it contained clothes that were currently out of season. 

The only problem was that the wardrobe sat on the ground. The little rabbit hesitated for a moment before sliding down the animal hide like it was a makeshift ramp.

Wood was much easier to dig through than stone. 

Despite its small size and limited strength, the little rabbit managed to carve out a tiny burrow near the base of the wardrobe after working diligently all morning. 

Inside, it found stacks of soft beast furs, carrying a familiar and comforting scent. The little rabbit burrowed through them, arranging a small empty space before starting to transport its accumulated stash of fur.

Each time, it would struggle to climb onto the bed, grab a bundle of fur, grip the animal hide tightly, and slide back down to the floor before hurrying to the wardrobe. 

After several days, the pile of fur had grown significantly. Since the wardrobe was a bit far from the bed, it took the little rabbit many trips to move everything. Once finished, it sprawled out in its cozy new nest and promptly fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, in another bedroom, two well-fed wolf cubs were busy studying how to climb over the annoying barrier that stood in their way.

In the outer chamber, Lang Qi was contemplating what to cook. Lately, Bai Tu’s appetite had been poor, and his meal portions had become much smaller than before.

However, Lang Qi soon noticed that Bai Tu’s overall food consumption had returned to its previous level, albeit with some changes in eating habits.

Previously, Bai Tu would eat large meals and then keep some snacks nearby, nibbling on them occasionally. A few packs of snacks would last him at least half a day. Now, though, his meal portions were small, but the rate at which he consumed snacks was abnormally fast. 

Every time Lang Qi went out for a short while, he would return to find all the snacks completely gone, not even a single leaf used for packaging left behind. He had wanted to ask about it, but remembering Tu Cai’s warning, he swallowed his words.

Tu Cai had said, “Some beastmen, when expecting their first cubs, feel that their surroundings aren’t safe enough. During this time, it’s best to go along with them and avoid disturbing them. Otherwise, they may hold back from giving birth or, worse, the cubs might be born unhealthy. They need to feel secure.”

She also mentioned that every year, some newborns in the tribe were stillborn—not the kind that could be saved, but ones that had already stopped breathing inside the womb. 

Even emergency rescue methods wouldn’t work because they had been without oxygen for too long. Though the exact cause wasn’t always clear, keeping expecting beastmen calm and free from fright was the safest approach.

To ensure Bai Tu felt safe in the cave, Lang Qi had pushed aside all other duties. Bai Tu had already arranged all the post-thaw work for the tribe, so there was no need for him to handle anything for the next two months. That meant he could stay with Bai Tu undisturbed.

Seeing how quickly Bai Tu was consuming snacks, Lang Qi went straight to the food hall and exchanged a fresh batch. Every few hours, he would place some on the table, and as expected, they would all disappear without a trace.

Each time Lang Qi left the bedroom, Bai Tu had an uncontrollable urge to hide food. He knew it wasn’t necessary, but he simply couldn’t stop himself. Only by hiding food did he feel secure.

After several days of this, one end of the bedroom had undergone a drastic transformation. 

From the outside, the wardrobe still looked the same, but opening it would reveal a carefully organized interior. The space had been divided into several sections, each separated by clean beast hides. A small pathway remained in the middle, just wide enough for a cub to pass through.

Bai Tu’s working hours had gradually shifted from daytime to late at night, as if he felt safer moving under the cover of darkness. 

In the dead of night, when everyone else was asleep, he would quietly open his eyes and start plucking fur from the giant wolf beside him. Once he had gathered enough, he would hide it away and later transfer it to his wardrobe den once Lang Qi left.

Lang Qi would check the surroundings whenever he returned, but he never noticed any significant changes. Even the small hole he had dug earlier remained untouched, deepening his confusion.

Bai Tu, completely unaware of Lang Qi’s suspicions, kept busy for several nights. Finally satisfied that his nest was well-prepared, he began digging another tunnel on the opposite side of the wardrobe. Having only one exit wasn’t safe enough—there needed to be multiple escape routes.

However, as he dug, something suddenly felt off. He walked over to the area he had lined with soft hides and fur, then looked down at his belly.

The thick white fur covering his stomach concealed most of the details, but it was noticeably rounder than before. As he stared at it, an unfamiliar discomfort spread through his abdomen.

It hurt…

Bai Tu clutched the beast hide beneath him, rubbing against the fur for relief. 

He restlessly shifted positions, sometimes getting up to pace, other times curling back into his nest. Anxiety mixed with frustration—he had never experienced this before and had no idea how to deal with it. In the end, he simply curled up in the nest he had spent days building, extending a paw to rub his belly.

But it didn’t help. The pain persisted.

Panicked, Bai Tu realized he couldn’t stay like this. Using the last of his strength, he shifted back into his human form.

When he woke again, just like every morning recently, he had instinctively returned to his beast form. The pain was gone. Relieved, he was about to get up and resume digging his escape tunnel when he suddenly heard a very faint sound.

The sound was very familiar. The little rabbit turned toward its source and suddenly froze.

Three small wolf cubs of different colors were curled up together, sleeping. 

The sound had come from the smallest one. The little rabbit approached the cubs, gently nuzzled them, and piled some extra fur around them before lying down to sleep as well. The idea of digging another exit had completely slipped from its mind.

After a while, the little rabbit and the three cubs slept soundly. The black wolf cub was the first to wake up. Since newborn cubs had yet to open their eyes and could not hear, it could only rely on scent to find the little rabbit.

Though smaller than the average newborn cub of its kind, the black cub was clearly healthy—round and plump.

Not long after, the gray and white cubs also woke up. The gray one, as usual, was quite vocal and hadn’t stopped making sounds since waking up. The white cub, though quieter, let out a few small whimpers—its cries carried a hunger that was unmistakable.

They’re hungry…

The little rabbit quickly scurried to its food storage and began moving supplies over. However, upon inspecting the food, it realized something—it had nothing suitable for the newborn cubs to eat. The realization left it momentarily stunned.

Before the little rabbit could figure out what to do, faint footsteps suddenly sounded from outside. The noise was light, but it was enough to make the little rabbit’s entire body tense up. It remained on high alert, listening carefully.

It wasn’t until a familiar whimper echoed from outside that the little rabbit finally relaxed. Not long after, a small gray wolf cub peeked its head into the entrance of the den.

After being carefully fed for over half a year, the two older cubs had not only grown significantly but had also become much smarter. They had managed to track Bai Tu’s scent to his current hiding place, and before entering, they had even made sure to announce their arrival.

The effort paid off—at the very least, the little rabbit did not show any strong rejection. One after another, the two older cubs squeezed into the small space.

The moment they saw the three newborn cubs nestled in the nest, the two older cubs froze in place.

The gray cub, feeling wronged, scooted closer to the little rabbit, seemingly complaining about its misfortune.

Meanwhile, the black cub curiously approached the three newborns, giving them a light sniff before returning to the gray cub’s side. It let out two small barks, as if trying to explain something.

The gray cub quieted down and turned to glance at the three still-blind newborns. It no longer seemed as resistant to them and even hesitantly stepped forward to give one a small lick.

However, the newborn cubs were highly sensitive to unfamiliar scents. Even though the older cubs were only slightly larger than them and posed no real threat, the newborns still reacted with rejection. They huddled together tightly, instinctively searching for the familiar scent of comfort.

The little rabbit watched the interaction, completely baffled. It could clearly feel that all of them were its own cubs, so why did the newborns dislike the older ones?

Since it couldn’t understand the reason, the little rabbit decided to temporarily separate the two groups. The two older cubs were placed on one side, while the three newborns remained on the other.

Without the unfamiliar scents near them, the three newborns quickly calmed down. They sniffed at the little rabbit’s familiar scent and let out a few soft whimpers. Realizing there was no food, they curled up again, trying to sleep away their hunger.

The little rabbit glanced between the small cubs and its hidden stash of food, completely puzzled.

The two older wolf cubs, having eaten not long ago, weren’t hungry. They simply nestled beside the little rabbit in the warm and dry den, closing their eyes as if they had returned to the days when they were very young. It was incredibly comforting.

On one side were two older wolf cubs, on the other side were three newborns, and in the middle, the little rabbit hesitated for a moment before scratching the beast hide beneath the fur. Finally, it closed its eyes and fell asleep along with them.

When Bai Tu woke up again, he was still in his beast form, but something had changed—it was no longer entirely instinctual, as if a sick person had suddenly regained clarity. As he recalled everything he had been doing over the past few days, his expression slowly stiffened.

Digging a hole in a corner wardrobe was one thing, but storing food inside it? Yet, at the time, he hadn’t thought anything was wrong. Even though he understood that food didn’t need to be hidden—as long as he stayed in the tribe, there would be plenty of food every day—he still couldn’t help himself.

But none of that was what left him the most speechless. Bai Tu looked down at the small cubs sleeping soundly in his embrace, momentarily unable to distinguish whether this was a dream or reality.

Lately, he had often dreamed of three little wolf cubs, but in those dreams, the other two older cubs were never there. In reality, there had only been two wolf cubs—never three newborns. Bai Tu counted again. Three times. Still five. No mistake.

Although he had been mentally preparing himself ever since noticing his belly growing, today was the first time he truly felt the reality of it—he had really given birth to cubs. They were real.

Bai Tu nuzzled each of them in turn, his heart overflowing with joy. 

He had always loved cubs. He had thought he would never have the chance to have his own and had even considered adopting one or two if the opportunity arose. 

He never expected that not only would he have cubs of his own, but he would have three all at once. With the two older wolf cubs, that made five in total.

Looking around at the wardrobe, now completely unrecognizable from its original state, Bai Tu remained silent for a moment. Then, he rubbed against the soft, cozy fur lining his nest before wrapping his arms around the sleeping cubs and closing his eyes again.

A newly postpartum beastmen was always weak, even if they didn’t feel it. The fact that Bai Tu had managed to stay awake this long was already impressive. Deep in sleep, the little rabbit had no idea how fragile he appeared to others in this moment.

The two older wolf cubs, whose sleep cycles were slightly shorter, woke up first. They took up positions on either side of the den entrance, quietly standing guard.

Outside, Lang Qi was on the verge of losing his mind.

For the past few days, he had been following Tu Cai’s advice—unless absolutely necessary, he avoided lingering in the cave so as not to disturb the little rabbit. When needed, he would provide assistance without startling Bai Tu.

However, things hadn’t gone exactly as Tu Cai had described. 

Despite several days passing, Lang Qi still hadn’t found any sign of the tunnel Bai Tu had been digging. He had searched nearly every inch of stone around the cave, overturning every possible hiding spot, yet there were no scratch marks or dust like before. And yet, Bai Tu was always exhausted at the end of the day, clearly busy with something.

Not being able to locate the tunnel was frustrating—especially since Bai Tu had been plucking fur for nest-building, meaning he was preparing a den. And Lang Qi still hadn’t figured out where that den was.

But that wasn’t even the worst part. Today, just like before, Lang Qi had gone out, stationed himself at the cave entrance for a while, and driven away any beastmen who tried to get too close. Once he judged that enough time had passed, he returned inside—only to be met with two shocking realizations:

The two wolf cubs were missing. And so was Bai Tu.

Lang Qi tore the bed apart, searching every possible hiding place, but neither Bai Tu nor the cubs were anywhere to be found. Neither of them had the ability to protect themselves. He was sure that he had been near the cave the entire time and that no one had entered. The air was filled with familiar scents, making it impossible to track Bai Tu’s location by smell—it was the same scent everywhere.

Unable to find either the cubs or Bai Tu, Lang Qi’s anxiety escalated rapidly. The familiar feeling of frustration and restlessness returned, along with a creeping aggression. Though he had regained his memories, the lingering effects of past medications hadn’t entirely faded. Whenever his emotions spiked, he could sense the risk of involuntary transformation.

Under normal circumstances, he would have stepped away to calm himself down. But now, there was no time for that.

Just as his nerves were stretched to the breaking point, he suddenly caught a faint noise nearby. His ears twitched slightly, pinpointing the exact location of the sound—it was coming from the wardrobe in the corner.

Lang Qi stepped toward the wardrobe. As soon as he approached, the sounds inside abruptly ceased, as if whoever was inside had gone completely still in response to his presence.

Despite the tension, Lang Qi felt a surge of excitement.

This wardrobe was the furthest in the corner, positioned close to the heated kang bed. There was barely a fist-sized gap between the two. And now, near the bottom of the wardrobe facing the platform, there was a small hole.

If he hadn’t come over here, he wouldn’t have noticed it. Lang Qi carefully shifted the other wardrobes to the side, making sure not to make a sound.

The wardrobe remained eerily quiet for a while. Only after confirming that there were no further disturbances outside did faint noises begin to trickle out again.

The sounds were incredibly soft, like the weak whimpers of newborn cubs. Lang Qi stared intently at the wardrobe door, as if his gaze alone could penetrate the wooden surface, but he didn’t dare open it.

Newly postpartum beastmen were extremely fragile and couldn’t be startled.

Tu Cai had mentioned that rabbit-type beastmen preferred giving birth and raising their young in dimly lit environments. Keeping this in mind, Lang Qi moved silently to the window and drew all the curtains shut.

The room immediately darkened.

From within the wardrobe, the faint cries of the cubs became more consistent. Lang Qi clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain composed.

Then, suddenly, a different sound emerged—distinct from the cubs.

Lang Qi instantly recognized it as Bai Tu’s voice.

He called out softly, “Tu?”

Inside, Bai Tu heard the voice from outside. Although he still felt that leaving the den was dangerous, that voice alone gave him a sense of security.

He glanced at the three newborn wolf cubs, who were starving, then at the two older cubs standing vigil at the tunnel entrance. Carefully, he made his way to the hole and peeked out.

The moment Lang Qi saw the familiar little rabbit emerge, his heart filled with overwhelming relief and joy. Bai Tu was safe. That was all that mattered.

Softly, he asked, “Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat.”

In truth, Lang Qi had already prepared food earlier. But when he had come back and discovered Bai Tu missing, he had been too shocked to remember it was still sitting there, kept warm and waiting.

The little rabbit, now a bit more awake, nodded but didn’t feel like moving. Instead, he lifted a paw and pointed inside the burrow—there were still five cubs inside, two older and three newborns.

He got permission!!! Lang Qi was so overwhelmed with joy that he didn’t know how to contain himself. He picked up the little rabbit and kissed him again and again.

Many beastmen who had just given birth wouldn’t allow anyone near their cubs—not even their own mates. Lang Qi wasn’t sure if Bai Tu was making an exception simply because the cubs were hungry and he couldn’t feed them himself. But even if that was the reason, Lang Qi didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was that Bai Tu had allowed him to see the cubs. He was someone Bai Tu trusted.

Despite his excitement, Lang Qi didn’t immediately rush to check on the cubs or count how many there were. Instead, he first examined Bai Tu.

There was no scent of blood on him—Lang Qi let out a small breath of relief. After carefully confirming that Bai Tu had no injuries, he finally relaxed. He pressed another kiss on Bai Tu’s forehead, then one at the corner of his lips, and then on his paws… unable to contain his happiness.

Bai Tu smacked him in the face with a paw, reminding him to check on the cubs. He didn’t have milk. If the cubs stayed hungry much longer, they’d starve.

Lang Qi easily read the message in Bai Tu’s eyes. He lowered his head, trying to steal another kiss, but Bai Tu shoved him away.

Bai Tu hadn’t forgotten that Lang Qi had just kissed his paws. Using all his strength, he pushed him back and let out two sharp calls, urging him to hurry and prepare food for the cubs.

“Right away,” Lang Qi responded. 

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to get food for the cubs—Bai Tu had been eating meals with goat milk recently, and today’s meal had already been prepared. It was still warm.

Bai Tu, in his beast form, was far smaller than most beastmen—tiny compared to them. While he could provide warmth and security for the cubs, he wasn’t capable of feeding them. That meant Lang Qi now had five cubs plus Bai Tu to take care of on his own. His workload had multiplied several times over.

But Lang Qi didn’t feel burdened in the slightest—in fact, he was thrilled. 

His favorite thing to do was carry Bai Tu in his arms everywhere. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to enjoy it much, since four-fifths of Bai Tu’s time now belonged to the cubs. Bai Tu only left the den when it was time to eat; the rest of the time, he was curled up with the cubs, sleeping.

The two older wolf cubs, sensing their place in Bai Tu’s attention was being threatened, didn’t act aggressively toward the three newborns but became noticeably clingier. They now spent almost all day snuggled up in the wardrobe with Bai Tu, rarely leaving.

Luckily, Bai Tu had prepared a large enough nest. Though the two older cubs were “bigger” compared to the newborns, they were still less than three years old—still young enough to be considered cubs. Besides, beastmen wardrobes were ridiculously large. Even a family of six could sleep inside comfortably.

However, no matter how big a wardrobe was, it still couldn’t fit the massive black wolf. So at night, the family’s sleeping arrangement became: Bai Tu and the five cubs in the wardrobe, while Lang Qi slept outside.

That said, the wardrobe was lined with his fur. So technically, he was still involved.

But no matter how involved he was, it wasn’t the same as having his mate in his arms. The unsatisfied giant black wolf eventually curled up around the entire wardrobe, only then feeling a little better.

The next morning, when Bai Tu woke up and tried to leave the wardrobe, he found the entrance blocked by a huge wolf tail. He lifted a paw and scratched at it.

The only soft part of a giant wolf was its underbelly. The tail, though mainly for balance and direction, was still much tougher than a tiny rabbit’s paws. Instead of hurting Lang Qi, Bai Tu only ended up making his own paws sore.

For Lang Qi, it had been a long time since he had received any special attention from Bai Tu. Even if it was just a few scratches meant to get him to move, he was delighted.

Noticing that Bai Tu’s paw strength was weakening, Lang Qi quickly moved his tail aside, stood up, shifted back into his human form, threw on a simple fur cloak, and picked Bai Tu up into his arms.

How could Bai Tu’s little paws be allowed to touch the ground?

Lang Qi simply wouldn’t allow it.

Being carried around like this wasn’t a first-time experience for Bai Tu. He comforted himself with the thought that this was something his beast form was doing, so it had nothing to do with his human self.

With that reasoning, he allowed himself to be taken out for a meal without guilt. 

After eating his fill, he let out a small burp. Lang Qi used a clean towel to wipe his mouth—and his paws, even though he hadn’t used them at all—before tidying him up and making sure he was spotless again. Then, he carried Bai Tu back to the den and brought out each of the cubs one by one to feed them.

With Bai Tu present, the three newborn wolf cubs, despite not particularly liking Lang Qi’s scent, didn’t resist. They had to eat with Bai Tu nearby—otherwise, they might very well attempt an escape before even opening their eyes.

Newborn cubs grew rapidly. With Lang Qi learning various ways to prepare nutritious and delicious meals under Bai Tu’s guidance, the cubs were all well-fed, their bellies round and full. In just a few days, they had grown noticeably larger than when they were first born.

Originally, they had been about the same size as Bai Tu. Now, they were already showing signs of outgrowing him. But none of the cubs seemed to have any awareness of their own size—including the two older ones. They still tried to snuggle up to Bai Tu at every opportunity.

Each time Lang Qi caught them doing so, he would pull them away. Eventually, he simply tucked Bai Tu into his own arms, refusing to let them touch him.

Without Bai Tu around, the wolf cubs were immediately unhappy. The two older cubs, seeing that Bai Tu was right there in Lang Qi’s arms, started climbing up his fur cloak, trying to burrow in to cuddle with Bai Tu.

Of course, Lang Qi didn’t let them get their way. He scooped all of them up and carried them straight to the second bedroom, placing them in a small bed with a wooden railing.

One side of the railing had two wooden bars that were noticeably different in color from the rest—they were newly replaced.

When Bai Tu had given birth to the three little wolf cubs, the two older ones had successfully broken out of their enclosure by chewing through those very bars.

Since the railing was only meant to prevent the cubs from accidentally rolling off the bed, Bai Tu had instructed that the wooden bars shouldn’t be too thick. 

The bars were arranged neatly, like a giant comb, with smooth horizontal planks reinforcing the top and bottom. This setup made the enclosure both safe and breathable, ensuring that the cubs wouldn’t feel trapped.

But the cubs’ behavior had exceeded everyone’s expectations. Even Lang Qi hadn’t noticed when the two older ones started gnawing on those specific wooden bars.

They had clearly inherited Bai Tu’s sneaky habits. They had strategically chosen a hidden corner, right in Lang Qi’s blind spot, ensuring that he wouldn’t notice anything unusual at a glance.

Chewing through wood wasn’t an overnight job, but the two cubs had persisted. Throughout the process, they hadn’t touched any of the other bars. They had even chewed through the inner side first, leaving only a thin outer layer intact to avoid detection. Otherwise, Lang Qi would have caught on much sooner.

It wasn’t until the cubs successfully broke free and were caught again that Lang Qi finally noticed the two broken wooden bars. He then checked under their bedding and found a hidden pile of wood shavings.

Obviously, wood didn’t taste as good as meat, milk, or goat’s milk. The two smart little cubs had spit out every bit of the wood and carefully stashed it away in the corner.

Ironically, because Lang Qi had been too focused on worrying about Bai Tu, and since the cubs only used this bed during the day, he hadn’t changed the bedding for a few days. That was why the hidden pile of wood shavings had gone unnoticed—until now.

Seeing the two discolored wooden bars, even Bai Tu couldn’t help but glance at the two older wolf cubs.

They hadn’t been caught at all. These two little troublemakers had silently pulled off a major escape operation.

Feeding five cubs was completely different from feeding just two. The newborns were still too small and could only drink goat’s milk, while the two older ones could eat solid food on their own.

Realizing that they had been placed back in the enclosure and that the exit they had worked so hard to chew open had been blocked again, the two older cubs had no choice but to settle down and start eating.

Only then did Lang Qi focus on feeding the three newborns. He fed them in order from smallest to largest, then again from largest to smallest, going back and forth until the bowl of goat’s milk was empty.

After just a few days, the newborn wolf cubs had already opened their eyes. One bowl of goat’s milk was just the right amount for all three. On the other side, the two older cubs finished their minced meat and licked each other’s mouths clean.

Lang Qi collected the spotless bowls and plates, wiped down each cub with a damp towel, and then carried them all back inside.

As he was about to place them back in the wardrobe, just like in previous days, he glanced down and saw Bai Tu—already half-asleep in his arms. Testing the waters, he softly asked, “How about moving to the bed? The wardrobe is too small. The cubs might have trouble breathing.”

This was something he had learned from Bai Tu himself.

Before winter, some beastmen had wanted to seal off every gap in their caves to keep the cold out, but Bai Tu had warned that staying in a fully enclosed space for too long could lead to difficulty breathing and poor health.

Lang Qi had memorized that reasoning and was now using it on Bai Tu.

In truth, the wardrobe was big enough. Bai Tu had even dug holes on both ends for ventilation, and Lang Qi had secretly added a few extra holes near the top to ensure proper airflow. But now was not the time to bring up those details.

In beast form, Bai Tu’s thoughts were slower, and when he was drowsy, they slowed down even more. He yawned, blinked drowsily, and thought Lang Qi’s reasoning sounded logical. Plus, after relying entirely on Lang Qi for care over the past few days, his sense of vigilance toward others hadn’t fully returned yet—at least not against Lang Qi.

After a brief hesitation, he nodded.

Lang Qi held back his excitement, gently kissed the top of Bai Tu’s head, then placed the three newborn cubs on the bed. Without another word, he carried out all the soft beast hides and fur from the wardrobe, making the bed just as cozy so that Bai Tu could comfortably sleep there with the cubs.

The bedroom curtains remained drawn, making it slightly brighter than the wardrobe, but still much dimmer than outside. Bai Tu urged Lang Qi to put him back in the nest.

Reluctantly, Lang Qi set Bai Tu down among the cubs. It didn’t take long before the three newborns were completely knocked out, while the older two played for a bit before falling asleep as well.

Lang Qi stayed by the bedside.

Without the wardrobe acting as a barrier, he could now clearly see Bai Tu’s every breath. He reached out and lightly stroked one of Bai Tu’s long ears.

In his sleep, the black wolf cub was the first to react to the unfamiliar scent. It slowly opened its eyes, saw the large hand above Bai Tu’s head, and without hesitation—bit down.

Lang Qi: “……”

Lang Qi looked down, staring at the tiny black cub that wasn’t even the size of his hand.

Even though this cub looked the most like him—practically a mirror image of his own childhood—it didn’t change the fact that it had just bitten him.

Ungrateful brat.

Lang Qi immediately grabbed the black cub by the scruff of its neck.

The cub instantly started struggling, twisting and turning, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t break free. Worse yet, it couldn’t even turn its head far enough to bite the hand holding it.

Only when Lang Qi was satisfied that it wasn’t going anywhere did he place the little troublemaker back on the bed. He pointed at Bai Tu and firmly declared, “Mine.”

This was his mate. The cubs were only borrowing Bai Tu’s warmth for now—they had better not forget who was in charge.

His voice was low and quiet, careful not to disturb Bai Tu, but his gaze was firm and unquestionable.

The black cub didn’t respond but stared at him for a moment before slowly lowering itself and taking a step back. Then, it curled up beside Bai Tu, gripping his paw with its tiny front paws, and closed its eyes to sleep.

Lang Qi’s brows furrowed immediately.

This wasn’t acceptable.

But if he pulled the cub away now, it would wake Bai Tu. After a brief internal struggle, Lang Qi sighed and gave in.

He gathered all the cubs—and Bai Tu—into his arms.

Fine. Just this once. For Bai Tu’s sake.

Bai Tu, still half-asleep, felt uncomfortably warm. When he opened his eyes, he saw that not only were four or five cubs piled around him, but a giant hand was covering them all.

No wonder it was hot.

There was no space to breathe at all.

Since the cubs needed plenty of sleep, Bai Tu didn’t want to wake them. Instead, he lifted his head and gently bit Lang Qi’s hand.

Lang Qi immediately reacted, “Hungry?”

Bai Tu shoved his paw against Lang Qi’s hand, pushing it away.

Without the extra weight, it instantly felt cooler. Bai Tu shifted slightly, but the white cub beside him immediately noticed. It let out a tiny, whiny sound—and Bai Tu froze on the spot.

Lang Qi frowned. Carefully, he began moving the cubs one by one.

No matter how clever they were, they were still only a few days old.

Fast asleep and well-fed, they didn’t even notice they were being relocated.

It wasn’t until they woke up later that they realized something was off—Bai Tu was gone.

And Lang Qi had taken him away.

Even though Bai Tu didn’t have to feed the cubs himself, he was still exhausted. Being a living pillow wasn’t easy—especially for five cubs.

He couldn’t understand why, despite the cubs starting off lined up neatly or curled in a circle when they slept, they always ended up sprawled all over him. Sometimes, they would be lying directly on top of him, and other times, all four of his paws would be trapped in their tiny grips.

Still, the extended rest over the past few days had its benefits. Today, Bai Tu was clearly much more refreshed than before. A few days ago, he had slept almost as much as the cubs. Now, he was waking up much earlier than them.

He still couldn’t shift back into his human form just yet, but with Lang Qi around, he wasn’t worried. After all, Lang Qi was also the cubs’ father—helping to take care of them was only natural.

Although Bai Tu loved spending time with the cubs, his rare moments of freedom were precious.

Curled up in Lang Qi’s arms, he could feel the warmth even through the fur pelt. Even in the slightly cooler outer chamber, he didn’t feel the slightest chill.

Stretching out his small front paws, he nudged the fur aside to peek at what Lang Qi was doing.

Lang Qi was preparing dinner for Bai Tu and the cubs. Only those who had raised cubs themselves truly understood how much work it was. But Lang Qi loved every bit of it. Just thinking about how these three cubs had been born from Bai Tu filled him with overwhelming joy.

Among beastmen, the ability to bear cubs meant one of two things—either they deeply loved their mate, or they simply loved cubs.

Lang Qi never bothered to think about the distinction.

His mate was his. His cubs were his. That was enough.

Even while cooking, he couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss Bai Tu. “How about fish soup tonight?”

Bai Tu nodded. Fish soup sounded good—he liked it.

His increased appetite from pregnancy seemed to have carried over, or perhaps his body was still demanding extra nutrients. Either way, he had been eating exceptionally well lately and wasn’t picky at all.

Lang Qi, unable to resist, kissed Bai Tu’s soft rabbit ears again.

Since his hands were covered in oil, he didn’t use them—instead, he adjusted the fur pelt around Bai Tu with his arm, completely wrapping him up before turning back to the stove.

Not that Bai Tu needed the extra protection.

Sure, he was smaller than most beastmen, but he wasn’t an actual helpless cub. He knew better than to jump down at the wrong moment.

Still, he appreciated Lang Qi’s care.

Since he had the chance, he decided to take a nap.

The cubs needed to be fed every three to four hours, which meant Bai Tu had to wake up just as often. Even though he wasn’t the one feeding them, it still disrupted his sleep.

This was a rare chance to rest—he wasn’t going to waste it.

Lang Qi looked down and saw the little rabbit sleeping soundly in his arms.

Carefully, he cradled him closer, shielding his delicate ears with his arm.

When Lang Qi carried Bai Tu back into the bedroom, the three newborn wolf cubs had already escaped from their soft, fur-lined nest with the help of their two older brothers.

They were now attempting to break out of the second layer of their “prison.”

But Lang Qi had anticipated trouble.

Before leaving with Bai Tu, he had moved the enclosure from the secondary bedroom to block off their nest.

Chewing through the wooden bars again would take at least two or three days. At this point, the only progress they had made was leaving a few drool stains on the wood.

Lang Qi looked down at the five unruly cubs, sighed, and tapped the two older ones on the head with his finger.

But the cubs completely ignored his warning, grabbing at his hand, desperately searching for Bai Tu.

Seeing that Lang Qi still hadn’t handed Bai Tu over, they grew anxious and started whining.

Lang Qi warned them sternly, “Tu is sleeping. No noise.”

Whether or not they understood him, at least they stopped whining.

However, they didn’t stop climbing his arm.

By now, all five cubs had figured out that if Bai Tu was missing, he was most likely in Lang Qi’s arms. Even the youngest, white-furred cub—who had only just opened its eyes—already knew this simple truth.

Lang Qi frowned at their persistence.

Without hesitation, he withdrew his hand, grabbed a large basket designed for carrying cubs, and dumped all of them inside.

Then, he carried the whole basket out to feed them.

*

Outside the cave entrance, Bai An and Lang Ze had arrived, knocking a few times.

Hearing no response, they noticed that the cave entrance wasn’t fully closed.

Assuming that Bai Tu was busy inside and hadn’t heard them, they entered directly.

They were in the middle of discussing settlement matters when they suddenly spotted Lang Qi carrying a basket full of cubs.

The moment they saw what was inside, Bai An’s words cut off abruptly.

Lang Ze, eyes wide with disbelief, stared at Lang Qi and the basket.

Especially at the three tiny cubs inside.

Although he wasn’t the sharpest at times, he wasn’t completely dumb.

Those three newborn cubs were clearly much smaller than the two older ones.

And their size? They were obviously just born!

Lang Ze’s gaze shifted between Lang Qi and the basket, then back to Lang Qi.

His heart sank into despair.

Then, his eyes darted around the room, searching for Bai Tu—but he was nowhere to be seen.

His despair deepened.

“Brother… how could you do this to Tu?!”

He was devastated.

Lang Qi had another mate’s cubs.

And Bai Tu had left because of it.

Lang Ze smacked himself on the forehead. He had failed Bai Tu.

Even Bai An could hardly believe his eyes.

This was the most devoted couple in the entire tribe.

They were always inseparable.

Lang Qi wouldn’t even let Bai Tu come down the mountain to eat in the cold—he always fetched food for him.

How could this have happened?!

And now, Lang Qi was living in Bai Tu’s cave—bringing cubs from another mate?

Outrage surged through Bai An.

Was Lang Qi taking advantage of their tribe’s kindness?!

“Lang Qi, Chief of the Wolf Tribe!” Bai An’s voice was filled with fury.

Because of the cubs, he didn’t attack immediately, but his rage was evident.

“Where is Tu?! Where did you hide him?!”

So that’s why Bai Tu had been “unavailable” these past few days.

Lang Qi must have driven him away to care for his own cubs.

If they hadn’t come today, would Lang Qi have continued living in Bai Tu’s cave like nothing happened?!

Bai An’s gaze landed on the three newborn cubs. The more he looked at them, the more irritated he became.

He started mentally listing which wolves had been hanging around Bai Tu’s place recently.

Especially the white-furred wolves.

Every single one of them was now on his list.

Blinded by rage, Bai An completely ignored another possibility.

The cubs, who had just woken up and were looking for Bai Tu, suddenly heard loud, unfamiliar voices.

Instinctively, they looked up. The black cub immediately moved in front of the gray and white cubs, shielding them.

Lang Ze averted his gaze. Not cute at all! Not even a little!

Inside the cave, Bai Tu was startled awake by the noise outside.

Not knowing what was happening, he faintly heard the distressed whimpers of the cubs.

Lifting the fur pelt, he poked his head out, intending to check on them.

But instead of his cubs— He locked eyes with Bai An and Lang Ze, both radiating pure fury.

Bai Tu: “!!!”

Lang Qi: “………”

Bai An: “???”

Lang Ze: “???”