Chapter 206
Lang Chu bared his teeth and claws, trying to attack the person holding him. But when he turned his head and saw that it was his dad, he immediately retracted his paws and let out a few “awoo” sounds, telling his dad about the cubs on the ground.
“Those are your younger siblings.”
Bai Tu had dreamed of cubs before, so he was fairly certain that the ones on the ground were new cubs. The only ones who could appear in his dreams and interact with him were his own cubs.
The two little rabbits on the ground were delighted to see Bai Tu. However, upon noticing that he was holding the little wolf who had just scared them, they instinctively shrank back.
Bai Tu tucked Lang Chu into his pocket, crouched down, and picked up the two rabbit cubs. If nothing unexpected happened, this was likely their size at birth. Rabbit cubs were even smaller than newborn wolf cubs—Bai Tu could easily scoop up both in one hand. Holding the rabbit cubs in his arms, he used his free hand to pull out the little wolf cub that was still squirming around restlessly.
Lang Chu was extremely curious about his two younger brothers, but due to the distance, he could only look at them and not touch them. He stretched out his paw and howled twice, wanting to reach for the little rabbits.
Bai Tu didn’t let him. He glanced around but didn’t see the other two cubs. So, he asked Lang Chu, “Where are your older brother and younger brother?”
Upon hearing the question, Lang Chu looked up at his dad and let out a loud howl.
Soon, a response came from not far away. Shortly after, a black wolf cub and a white wolf cub appeared within Bai Tu’s line of sight.
“Why did you run so far?” Bai Tu asked as he walked toward them.
Ever since the cubs had learned to take human form, he had never dreamed of them again. This was the first time. Judging by their appearance, it seemed that in his dreams, the cubs could only show up in their beast forms.
This made communication a little inconvenient. But aside from introducing the two new cubs, there didn’t seem to be anything else that needed discussing.
After walking some distance, Bai Tu finally gathered the other two cubs. However, managing five cubs at once was tricky. Lang Yao and Lang Chu had grown slightly larger than before, making it a tight fit if they were placed in the same pocket. Meanwhile, the rabbit cubs were so much smaller than the wolf cubs that putting them together might be dangerous.
Bai Tu looked at the cubs for a moment before deciding to find an open space to sit down. He placed the two little rabbits on his lap and let the other cubs sit on the ground. Then, he started pulling up grass.
There was a patch of grass nearby that resembled reeds—it looked sturdy enough to weave into some containers. Although freshly picked grass hadn’t been dried and wasn’t as strong, it should still hold up well enough for carrying a few cubs. If necessary, he could weave multiple layers for extra support.
Bai Tu sorted through the long grass leaves he had plucked, planning to make a basket with separate compartments to keep the cubs apart.
Since managing the tribe had kept him busy, Bai Tu hadn’t woven grass baskets in a long time. At first, he was a bit slow, but the basic skills were still there. Before long, his hands moved more fluidly, and he picked up speed.
He designed the compartments based on Lang Yao and Lang Chu’s wolf forms. First, he wove four small grass baskets, then a larger one to hold them all together. This way, it would be easier for him to carry them later.
While Bai Tu was weaving the container, the cubs were observing each other.
Lang Yao and Bai Ye were also very interested in the newly appeared cubs. However, compared to Lang Chu, Lang Yao was much more composed and simply watched.
Bai Ye grabbed Bai Tu’s clothes and climbed onto his lap, lying beside the two little rabbits and staring at them intently.
Lang Chu had just been reminded by Bai Tu that these were his younger siblings and that he couldn’t randomly touch them, or they would get scared and possibly injured. So, he followed his brother’s lead, watching without moving his paws. After a while, he wanted to get closer and nuzzle them, but his brother blocked him, so he had to give up.
The two rabbit cubs huddled together. The white rabbit looked at Bai Ye beside it. Although he looked different, the rabbit wasn’t as afraid of this unfamiliar cub as it was of the other two and even dared to inch closer for a better look.
Bai Ye, seeing the rabbit cub that was even smaller than himself, remained still and let it move closer.
After a while, the white rabbit confirmed that this cub in front of it was safe—unlike the other two beside them. Gaining a bit more courage, it stretched out its paw and tentatively reached for Bai Ye’s paw.
Even as the smallest of his siblings, Bai Ye was still larger than the rabbit cub, and his paw was naturally bigger. He could have easily batted the little rabbit away.
But he didn’t. He stayed still, allowing his younger sibling to touch him.
The white rabbit grew even bolder. After touching Bai Ye’s paw, curiosity led it to reach for his tail.
After a few interactions, the white rabbit suddenly pounced on Bai Ye and rubbed against him.
The black rabbit, who had been too scared to move, saw its sibling pouncing over and grew anxious. However, it still didn’t dare to get closer and could only call out from the side.
Bai Tu had just finished weaving the grass basket when he heard the cubs making noise. He looked down and chuckled before picking up the timid black rabbit cub and giving it a kiss. “It’s okay, your brother won’t hurt you.”
The rabbit was too small to understand his words, but it could pick up on the soothing tone. The black rabbit cub quieted down and snuggled against Bai Tu’s face.
Bai Tu’s heart melted instantly. It was so tiny and adorable! And best of all, it was his own cub, which meant he could pet and cuddle it as much as he wanted.
The white rabbit cub, still lying on its brother, lifted its head and called out to Bai Tu, wanting a kiss too.
How could Bai Tu refuse? Not only did he kiss the white rabbit cub, but after kissing both little rabbits, he also kissed Bai Ye, then Lang Chu, and finally Lang Yao.
“The other two brothers didn’t come in,” Bai Tu sighed regretfully. If Lang Sui and Lang Ying had been able to enter, it would have been even better. Lang Qi also didn’t have a chance to see the cubs before they were born.
Muttering to himself, Bai Tu carefully placed the cubs into the grass basket. He positioned the two larger cubs diagonally, with Bai Ye and the two little rabbits placed in the opposite corners to distribute the weight evenly.
With a proper container, carrying the cubs became much easier. Bai Tu picked up the grass basket and walked forward slowly. He found a patch of softer grass and finally set the cubs down. “Play here.”
This area had only a layer of soft, tender leaves. Even the smallest cubs could run around without feeling unsteady. However, the cubs that had just climbed out of the basket weren’t interested in playing. They just wanted to stick close to Bai Tu.
Having met Bai Tu for the first time, the two little rabbits hadn’t taken their eyes off him the entire time. As soon as they left the basket, they began climbing onto him.
Even though they were a different species, their behavior was exactly the same as when the little wolf cubs had first seen Bai Tu.
Since the rabbit cubs weren’t as good at climbing, Bai Tu didn’t want them to struggle. He simply picked them up and cradled them in his arms.
Today, he was only wearing a single layer of clothing, so he couldn’t tuck the cubs in like before. Instead, he just sat directly on the ground, just as he had when weaving the basket earlier, and let the cubs play on his lap. He also picked up the other eager cubs who wanted to climb onto him.
“No fighting, and no rough pawing,” Bai Tu instructed the three bigger cubs. He was mainly speaking to Lang Chu.
Lang Chu wasn’t trying to attack the rabbit cubs, but due to the size and species differences, what seemed like normal play to him could be life-threatening for the tiny rabbits. Bai Tu absolutely wouldn’t allow such danger. He repeatedly warned Lang Chu, “When playing with your little brothers, don’t use your claws.”
Lang Yao was naturally more steady and didn’t need extra reminders. Bai Ye’s movements were gentle, and his size wasn’t as overwhelming as Lang Yao’s or Lang Chu’s, so Bai Tu wasn’t worried about him either.
Only Lang Chu had been spoiled into acting a bit recklessly. Bai Tu usually didn’t interfere much with the cubs, but anything that put their lives at risk was unacceptable.
Hearing the seriousness in Bai Tu’s voice, Lang Chu nodded solemnly.
He understood. He wouldn’t hit his little brothers!
Bai Tu rubbed Lang Chu’s head. Among the cubs, Lang Chu was the most energetic. Although he sometimes made mistakes, every time Bai Tu saw the cubs in their beast form, all his worries faded away.
Fluffy little cubs were simply too adorable.
The temperature in the dream was even more pleasant than outside—not too hot or too cold. The sun shone down, warm and cozy. Bai Tu basked in the sunlight while watching the cubs. Though the distance from his lap to the ground wasn’t very high, he still worried they might fall, especially the two smallest ones.
They were tiny—even smaller than Bai Ye had been at birth. But Bai Tu had seen cubs even smaller than these two little rabbits. As long as they were healthy, size didn’t matter.
The white rabbit cub glanced at the much larger brother not far away. After spending a little time together, it understood that its brother wouldn’t harm it. Feeling braver than before, it even dared to reach out and grab Lang Chu.
Bai Tu kept a close eye on the cubs—not only to prevent Lang Chu from using his claws but also to watch out for the rabbit cubs. Their paws were soft, but if they touched sensitive areas like the eyes, it could still be dangerous.
Even though they had only been together for a short time, Bai Tu had already noticed that the most timid of the cubs was the black rabbit. Aside from seeking him out earlier, it had spent the entire time hiding behind the white rabbit, not even daring to get close to Bai Ye—just watching curiously from a distance.
It was too timid. Bai Tu carefully stayed close to the cubs, wondering if it would grow braver as it got older. It didn’t matter whether it interacted with others, but at the very least, it needed to be familiar with its own family.
Fortunately, they had plenty of time to bond, Bai Tu thought.
There was no sunrise or sunset in the dream, so Bai Tu didn’t know how much time had passed. Eventually, when all the cubs—big and small—were either dozing off or fully asleep, Bai Tu yawned. Having experienced dream-related events before, he knew exactly what this meant.
Before waking up, he carefully cleared a small area on the ground and placed the cubs there. In their sleep, the two little rabbits instinctively grabbed onto his sleeve.
Bai Tu didn’t pull his sleeve away. Instead, he gently stroked the cubs until they fell back into a deep sleep. Then, he moved the other three drowsy cubs over to sleep beside the little rabbits.
After finishing up, Bai Tu yawned again, glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then shifted into his beast form. He tugged his coat over the two little rabbits.
Based on his past experiences, the cubs would remain here until the next time he entered the dream.
As a final gesture, Bai Tu nuzzled the two little rabbits before falling into a peaceful sleep.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his room. The sky outside was already bright. From this angle, he could see the small bed where the cubs were sleeping, curled up in the exact same positions as in his dream.
Looking at the big black wolf holding him, Bai Tu lowered his head and nuzzled against him.
The moment Bai Tu moved, Lang Qi noticed. However, instead of opening his eyes immediately, he stayed still, letting Bai Tu rub against him, afraid that any sudden movement might startle him.
A moment later, Bai Tu lifted his head and gave Lang Qi a little push, signaling that it was time to get up. Lang Qi hesitated briefly, reluctant to let go. Then, without a word, he transformed into his human form, dressed himself, and carried Bai Tu out in his arms.
Bai Tu, who had only blinked once before finding himself in a different place: “…?”
That was even faster than switching scenes in the dream!
But it wasn’t the first time he had ended up in Lang Qi’s arms. Bai Tu quickly adjusted, found a comfortable position, and clung to his collar, peeking outside.
A light rain was falling. The temperature wasn’t as low as it would be during a heavy downpour, nor was it as hot and stifling as a sunny day. It was the perfect weather for both work and rest.
Bai Tu watched the raindrops, his eyelids growing heavier. He yawned again, still a little drowsy. Since he wasn’t getting down from Lang Qi anytime soon, he decided to follow his instincts, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.
He had a dreamless rest. When he woke up again, Lang Qi had just finished preparing breakfast.
At that moment, the cubs, rubbing their sleepy eyes, walked out of their room. They had woken up a little later than usual, but no one minded. During the holidays, Bai Tu always allowed them to sleep in—as long as they finished their homework for the day.
Lang Chu, still drowsy, rubbed his eyes and suddenly brightened up. “Daddy! I dreamed about the new cubs!”
Bai Tu was surprised. The cubs actually remembered what happened in the dream?
However, after saying that, Lang Chu scratched his head. “But I forgot what they looked like.”
He knew he had dreamed about the new cubs last night, but everything else was a blur.
Bai Ye, who was standing nearby, nodded. “Dad, I also dreamed of the little brother.”
Lang Yao didn’t say anything, just gave a slight nod to indicate that he had dreamed of him too.
Curious, Lang Ying asked Lang Chu, “Did you really forget?” He really wanted to know whether the new cub was a rabbit or a wolf and what color it was.
Lang Chu nodded and gestured with his hands. “I forgot everything—there’s nothing left at all.” He wished he could remember something from the dream. Though he couldn’t recall the details, he had a vague feeling that it was something very joyful.
“The new cub must be really cute!” Lang Chu declared. If it weren’t, he wouldn’t have felt so happy!
Listening to his two younger brothers, Lang Sui tried to reconstruct an image of the cub in his mind. Was it a wolf or a rabbit? Black, gray, or white? Big or small?
Lang Qi, however, paid no attention to what the cubs were saying. To him, all cubs were the same—their beast form and color didn’t matter. He waved his hand, signaling the cubs to go wash up and get ready for breakfast. Then, he took the opportunity to sneak a kiss on the little rabbit.
Bai Tu had been fully awake for a while. Since the cubs were right there, even though he hadn’t lifted his head yet, they could notice at any moment. He reached out with his paw and patted Lang Qi’s face, stopping him from kissing him.
Lang Qi had no choice but to reluctantly put the little rabbit down.
Then, when Bai Tu let his guard down, he managed to sneak in a kiss.
Bai Tu: “…” At most, he’s three years old. Not a day older.
How childish, Bai Tu thought.
The breakfast Lang Qi had prepared was lavish. When Bai Tu transformed into his human form, dressed, and walked out, he was greeted by a table full of food. He was shocked. “Isn’t it still morning?” Eating this much so early in the day?
“Mm, eat more.” Lang Qi served Bai Tu some food.
“I’m not that hungry,” Bai Tu replied. This time was completely different from last time. Previously, he could eat twice his usual portion every day and digest it quickly. But now, his appetite was only slightly bigger than normal—significantly smaller than before.
“If you can’t finish it, I’ll eat the rest,” Lang Qi said. Then he asked, “What do you feel like eating?”
Bai Tu pointed at the tofu nearby.
With soybean production increasing year by year, soy was no longer just used for oil extraction. A variety of soy-based foods had been developed—tofu, soy milk, tofu pudding, and more. Bai Tu had been craving it. Even though the cafeteria already offered a wide selection of foods, each dish only appeared every five or six days, sometimes even longer. But when it came to food, there was no such thing as too much variety.
Tofu was easy to make and cook, and while making it, other soy products could be prepared at the same time, giving plenty of options. Bai Tu loved tofu—whether it was pan-fried, stewed in soup, cooked with other ingredients, or deep-fried and added to a broth, it always tasted great. Lang Qi knew this, so he had prepared it in advance. When Bai Tu requested it, he immediately served him half a bowl.
After just two bites, Bai Tu was full. The rest went straight into Lang Qi’s stomach.
Opposite them, Lang Chu watched the entire process and then pushed his plate of vegetables forward. “Dad, I don’t want to eat my greens.”
Before Bai Tu could respond, Lang Qi glanced over. Seeing his father’s gaze, Lang Chu immediately sat up straight and obediently pulled his bowl back.
Wuwuwu, Dad gets to be picky, but I don’t…
Bai Tu: “…” I just set a bad example for the cubs.
Lang Yao placed a piece of meat in Lang Chu’s bowl. “Dad is full. He’s not being picky.”
Lang Chu looked forward and saw that his father’s bowl was indeed empty, with no intention of eating more. Instantly, he brightened up. If no one could be picky, then the vegetables in front of him weren’t so bad after all.
For the cubs, the rainy and early snowy seasons always passed the fastest because they didn’t have to go to school during these times.
It felt like they had only just started their break, and in the blink of an eye, it was already time to go back to school. When they saw unfamiliar cubs from other tribes appearing in their settlement, they knew that the start of the school term was approaching.
Unless absolutely necessary, cubs from their own tribe didn’t board at school. However, those from nearby and distant tribes had to stay in the dorms. The distance was too far—even the closest Leopard tribe took almost half a day to travel back and forth.
Cubs were slower than adult beastmen. Even though underground tunnels had been improved over the years to be safer, the straight-line distance couldn’t be changed. If they didn’t board, they wouldn’t have time for anything else—their entire day would be spent traveling.
This was the case for nearby tribes, let alone the more distant ones. The Hundred Beasts Tribe never refused cubs from other tribes enrolling early, but every time someone sent their cubs over, they would make it clear that boarding was mandatory, with only one trip home every six months.
The beastmen didn’t mind at all. In fact, they wished the cubs’ holidays were even shorter. As a result, in the days leading up to the new term, many tribes started sending their cubs over ahead of time.
Since the school term hadn’t officially started yet, the cubs had some freedom. The younger ones, under the supervision of older cubs, were allowed to leave the school grounds, though their movement was restricted to certain areas—mainly the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was a place all the tribe’s cubs frequented, and as soon as they saw the newcomers arrive, a terrifying realization struck them all.
They hadn’t done their holiday homework!!
That one sentence was like a stone dropping into a calm lake, sending waves of panic through the cubs. The moment they remembered their unfinished homework, their spirits plummeted.
The rainy season lasted about 40 to 50 days, and the holiday homework was roughly three pages per day—not a lot. Normally, it could be finished in the time it took to have a meal.
The days before and after the rainy season were reserved for travel, and there was no homework during that time. In total, the homework book contained 100 pages—completing 100 pages in a month shouldn’t have been difficult. But now, only three or four days were left.
The cubs looked at the over 100 pages in their hands, did some quick calculations, and immediately froze.
Thirty pages.
They would have to write 30 pages a day.
Even at that pace, they wouldn’t finish in three days.
And they couldn’t just scribble anything. Paper was precious, and the tribe strictly forbade wasting it. Every page of homework would be carefully reviewed by the teachers, scores would be calculated, and the final grades would be posted in the classroom. Careless work wasn’t an option. But with so little time left, the cubs felt utterly hopeless.
Once again, the faint sound of cubs crying could be heard in the distance. Bai Tu frowned and asked Lang Qi, “Can you hear what’s going on?” He wasn’t sure why, but the entire tribe’s cubs seemed to be wailing in unison today.
Lang Qi listened closely, remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, “…They didn’t do their homework.”
Bai Tu: “…”
Bai Tu: “Then they’re still crying too softly.” If they cried louder, the shockwave might teach them a valuable lesson—so that next time, they’d know what the first thing to do during a holiday should be.
Lang Qi: “…” When it came to academics, Bai Tu’s attitude toward the cubs was completely different from usual.
Not only did Bai Tu change his attitude, but he also added fuel to the fire. He turned to Lang Qi and said, “After breakfast, let the warehouse know that any beastmen with cubs at home can collect extra oil lamps this month.”
So many cubs hadn’t done their homework—there was no doubt they’d be staying up late to frantically catch up. If the lighting wasn’t bright enough, it would hurt their eyes. The tribe might as well provide some extra lamps.
Lang Qi looked at him, hesitated for a moment as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded. “Alright.”
Outside the door, the cubs who had just returned home overheard Bai Tu’s words. Besides being shocked at what their father had just said, they also felt relieved about one thing.
They had already finished their homework!
That meant they didn’t have to cram tomorrow—they were free to play!
Nothing could be more satisfying than that. Overjoyed, Lang Chu cheered and ran up to Bai Tu. “Dad, can I go play with Ying Xiao Wu?”
Lang Chu wanted to check if Ying Xiao Wu had finished his homework. If he hadn’t, then Lang Chu could laugh at him. The mischievous glint in his eyes was impossible to miss, and Bai Tu noticed right away.
Ying Xiao Wu still had the same personality he’d had since hatching.
Lazy.
Unbelievably lazy.
As a baby, he would fall asleep immediately after eating. The only progress he’d made since then was that he no longer needed to be called for meals—otherwise, he was just as untraceable as before. If he wasn’t asleep, he was on his way to sleeping.
Bai Tu had checked him, the tribe had checked him countless times, and every single time, the conclusion was the same.
Healthy. Perfectly healthy. Not a single issue.
He just loved to sleep.
At one point, Bai Tu even suspected Ying Xiao Wu was a reincarnated koala—spending all his time sleeping except when eating.
Since he slept so much, there was no way he had finished his homework. But even so, Bai Tu wasn’t going to let Lang Chu go over there. “Starting tomorrow, you’re staying home. No going out.”
He didn’t want Lang Chu showing off and causing the struggling cubs to give up entirely.
The other cubs at home wouldn’t be allowed out either—after all, if one cub was questioned, they’d all be questioned.
Just imagine: a cub is racing against time to finish their holiday homework, only to find out that someone else has already completed everything. That would be a devastating blow.
Some might push through and keep working, but those with weaker resolve might just give up completely.
Since school was about to start, there would be a lot of people moving around outside. Bai Tu decided it was best to keep the cubs at home for a few days.
Lang Chu was extremely disappointed that he couldn’t go out, but at least his father was staying home with them. That thought made him feel a little better—after all, as long as Dad was there, things weren’t so bad.
Bai Tu, unaware of the cubs’ thoughts, finished giving them instructions and then began organizing the patrol team roster. This patrol team was responsible for monitoring the transit point—it could also be considered an inspection team. Of course, he couldn’t openly say that it was to keep an eye on things because they didn’t trust them. Officially, Lang Ze and his team’s job was to patrol the area and prevent any rogue beastmen from targeting the well-stocked transit point.
Every year, after the rainy season and after winter, Bai Tu would review and adjust the roster based on the current situation.
This year, there weren’t many changes to the teams, but Bai Tu was having trouble deciding what to do about Lang Ze’s squad. The sub-beastman originally assigned to his team was Lang Qian, but during the rainy season, Lang Qian and Lang Ze became mates and moved in together.
Many sub-beastmen who found a mate would take a three-month break, staying in the tribe until their cubs were born. Some would continue working until the birth was near. Normally, after the rainy season, they would inform Bai Tu of their plans so he could make arrangements. However, Bai Tu had no idea what Lang Qian’s plans were this time—it had already been two days since the rainy season ended, and he hadn’t seen him.
After some thought, Bai Tu decided to ask Lang Qian directly. After all, he lived right next door. Whether Lang Qian chose to follow Lang Ze out or stay in the tribe, Bai Tu would support his decision.
The neighboring courtyard hadn’t changed—it still had the same few rooms. Since Lang Ze had never even considered taking a mate before, he hadn’t made any arrangements for raising cubs. The back of the house was still empty, with only a row of rooms in the front.
The front gate was open, but there was no one in the courtyard or in the living room visible from the entrance. Not wanting to intrude and risk walking into an awkward situation, Bai Tu knocked twice.
There was no response from inside. Just as he was about to call out, Lang Ze rushed out, hands cupped together. “Tu! Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong!”
“What’s wrong?” Bai Tu immediately asked, noticing the urgency in Lang Ze’s voice.
“Qian fainted.” Lang Ze opened his hands.
Only then did Bai Tu realize that Lang Ze was holding Lang Qian.
Lang Qian’s beast form looked like a small wolf cub. He was slightly larger than Bai Tu in this form, but not by much. Like Bai Tu, he rarely used his beast form unless he needed to travel quickly or hide. Bai Tu had only seen it a few times, but he recognized him immediately. Judging by his breathing, it looked like he was just asleep. Bai Tu asked, “What happened? Explain slowly.”
“Qian slept all day yesterday. This morning, he said he was going to find you, but after breakfast, he fell asleep again—no, he lost consciousness! And then he shifted into his beast form! I tried calling him, shaking him, but he won’t wake up!” Lang Ze was extremely anxious. “Tu, what’s wrong with Qian? Can you treat him? I don’t want to go on patrol anymore—I’ll go after Qian gets better, okay?”
The patrol team was set to leave in the next couple of days, and Lang Qian had planned to visit Bai Tu this morning. But now that he had collapsed, Lang Ze was determined to stay behind and take care of him.
Bai Tu had been worried too, but after hearing Lang Ze’s description, another possibility came to mind. He asked, “Has Qian said anything recently about not wanting to go out?”
Lang Ze was shocked. “How did you know!?” He hadn’t mentioned it to anyone yet.
“What exactly did he say?” Bai Tu’s suspicions grew stronger.
“Qian said… said that he had enough points saved up, so he wanted to stay home and rest for three months. He planned to head out again after the snow season ended.”
Hearing that, Bai Tu was now completely certain.
Others might not know Lang Qian well, but Bai Tu did.
Lang Qian was the type who would rather sacrifice his sleep and mealtimes just to earn more points. Even after becoming Lang Ze’s mate, he hadn’t slowed down. A total workaholic suddenly deciding to take a three-month break? There was only one explanation—something had happened that was even more important to him than work.
The answer was obvious.
However, Bai Tu decided to let Lang Qian be the one to break the news to Lang Ze. After some thought, he said, “Lang Qian isn’t unconscious—he’s just sleeping. Let him rest. Don’t disturb him when he’s asleep. Just make sure there’s enough food ready for him.” Then he added, “Oh, and prepare a variety of foods. If you don’t have enough points, come see me.”
A beastman’s appetite could change after having a cub. Bai Tu had experienced this himself—last time, he craved more meat than usual. This time, his preferences hadn’t changed much, but since he hadn’t eaten with Lang Qian recently, he wasn’t sure if his tastes had shifted. Better to be safe and have Lang Ze prepare a variety.
“I have points!” Lang Ze said seriously.
“Even better,” Bai Tu replied, then asked, “Do you have any clothes with pockets?”
Young cubs wore out clothes quickly, and some people opted for simpler designs without any decorations to save points. These plain clothes required fewer points to redeem. Right now, Lang Ze was wearing a pocketless outfit.
“Yes!” Lang Ze nodded, still not understanding what pockets had to do with anything.
Bai Tu pointed at Lang Qian. “You can leave Qian at home while you go to the canteen to get food. If you’re worried, wear clothes with pockets and put Qian inside.”
Lang Ze’s eyes widened—he hadn’t thought of that solution.
Bai Tu gave him a few more instructions, emphasizing the need to get food that Lang Qian liked. “Once Qian wakes up, bring him over to see me next door.” After saying that, Bai Tu finally returned home.
Since Lang Qian wasn’t going out, and judging by Lang Ze’s attitude, he probably wouldn’t either, Bai Tu decided to temporarily assign other young wolves to fill Lang Ze’s position for the next few months.
After handling the patrol team arrangements, Bai Tu started thinking about Lang Qian’s condition.
Over the years, many sub-beastmen in the tribe had become pregnant, and through conversations with Bai Chi and others, as well as his own observations, Bai Tu had noticed a pattern—sub-beastmen had stronger reactions during pregnancy compared to female beastmen. One major factor was their bodies undergoing repair.
The weaker a sub-beastman’s body had been before pregnancy, the stronger their reactions would be—especially in terms of excessive sleepiness. The longer they slept, the more their bodies needed to recover.
Lang Qian had lived in the West River Tribe before, where conditions were far from good. He had slightly more freedom than other captive sub-beastmen, but he had lived under immense psychological pressure, constantly on edge and facing life-threatening dangers. Even after coming to the Hundred Beasts Tribe, where he was treated well, he had pushed himself too hard. Thinking about the kinds of jobs Lang Qian had taken just to earn points, Bai Tu sighed.
For the next few months, Lang Qian had to get proper rest.
Just as Bai Tu sighed, his belly suddenly moved. He looked down in surprise—another small movement. A tiny, barely noticeable bulge appeared, faintly resembling the shape of little paws. Then, another movement right beside it. The two seemed to be playfully wrestling inside.
This kind of activity usually happened right before birth.
Bai Tu fell into deep thought. Even counting from the first day the cubs had started boarding school, it had been less than two and a half months—there was still over half a month left before hitting the three-month mark. That timing didn’t seem right. Normally, cubs weren’t born until at least three months.
Could they be coming early?
Bai Tu stared at his belly for a while, but the cubs stopped moving. Either way, he didn’t dare go out anymore. Fortunately, most of his work was already finished. Bai Tu decided that after finalizing the patrol team, he would hand over the rest of his tasks to Lang Qi.
Maybe it was because he had been thinking about making Lang Qian rest more, or maybe it was the awareness of the cubs moving, but once Bai Tu finished organizing the roster, he suddenly felt exhausted. Normally, he would push himself to work a little longer to lighten Lang Qi’s workload, but today, he just wasn’t in the mood. He put everything aside and went to his bedroom to rest.
The cubs were playing in their toy room when they noticed the absence of paper rustling sounds from outside. Curious, they peeked through the door.
“Brother! Daddy is missing!” Lang Chu howled. He had been right there just moments ago!
Before Lang Chu could finish, Lang Yao smacked him.
Lang Yao pointed toward the bedroom. “Daddy went to rest.”
“Oh!” Lang Chu nodded in understanding but then suddenly had an idea. His eyes sparkled with mischief. “What are you planning?” Lang Yao looked at his younger brother, immediately sensing trouble in his gaze.
“Daddy went to sleep, and Father isn’t home…” Lang Chu pressed his fingertips together. Didn’t that mean they could…?
Lang Ying’s eyes lit up. “I’ll steal him!” This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
All five cubs ran toward the bedroom, but when they saw that their father was already asleep, they hesitated—they didn’t want to wake him up.
A tiny rabbit, barely bigger than their palms, lay curled up on the bed, sleeping soundly in the familiar environment.
Lang Sui reached out a hand. Their hands were smaller than their father’s, so unlike him, they couldn’t pick up Daddy easily. No matter how careful they were, they would definitely wake him up.
The cubs looked at each other, none of them willing to disturb him.
“Let’s not steal him,” Bai Ye whispered. “We’ll wake Daddy up. How about we just sleep with him?” The bed was big enough for all of them.
Lang Chu’s eyes sparkled as he picked his spot. “I want to sleep here!”
Ever since they had moved to their own rooms, it had been a long time since they had slept with Daddy. Even when they were allowed in the bedroom, they had to sleep on small beds far away from him.
The other cubs didn’t fight him for the spot. Taking advantage of Lang Qi’s absence, they all shifted into their beast forms and snuggled up beside Bai Tu to rest.
After the three younger ones and Lang Ying found their places, Lang Sui grabbed the blanket with his mouth, trying to pull it over everyone. But since he wasn’t much bigger than the others, lifting the blanket proved to be a struggle.
Lang Yao shifted into human form and easily pulled the blanket over them, then gave Lang Sui a puzzled look—why not just transform first and then cover them up?
Lang Sui was speechless. He had been so eager to shift like the others that he completely forgot he could have covered them up first before joining in.
The cubs lay sprawled across the large bed and quickly fell asleep.
They were jolted awake by a sudden cry. At the same time, Bai Tu was also woken up.
As soon as Bai Tu opened his eyes, his first instinct was to shift into human form and locate the source of the sound. Even though he had only heard it once before, he immediately recognized it—it was the cry of a rabbit cub.
Noticing a blanket nearby, Bai Tu recalled that last time, he hadn’t brought many clothes and had only covered the two little ones with a single layer. He reached for the blanket, intending to spread it over them.
But the moment he lifted it— a pile of tiny cubs tumbled out, squeaking in protest.
