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Chapter 55: Rubbing the Belly
Immersed in this wonderful experience, the male lion seemed pumped up with adrenaline. He chased the wind and lightning, leaping a thousand miles in a single bound, bumping the little female on his back so much that she swayed unsteadily.
‘Ahhh! Slow down, slow down, I’m going to fall off!’
But he couldn’t hear it at all.
He was doing it on purpose.
Su Miantang was certain he wanted to intentionally speed up and throw her off, but it wouldn’t be that easy!
She gently curled her lips, leaned close to his ear, and told him a story. “Big Golden Retriever, do you know why the rat ranks first in the Chinese zodiac?”
“Because during the race, it climbed onto the ox’s back and, relying on the ox’s strength, reached the finish line first!”
As soon as her words fell, just before the finish line, she leaped off his back and won first place!
“Yay~” “I won!”
He knew. He had heard this story. The male lion’s gaze swept from her smiling face down to her chest, flickering slightly. But he was perfectly willing, if it meant they could do it once more in this manner.
“Next, the third round of the competition begins—hunting! For the sake of fairness, neither side is allowed to use tools. Especially you, put your Double Pupils away!”
Hunting? This was his strong suit. Even without his Double Pupils, he could effortlessly hunt down a large wasteland buffalo, gazelle, or giraffe…
Just as he was thinking this, Su Miantang added, “The prey is a little bird!”
The male lion: “?” He was a land animal, couldn’t use the power of his Double Pupils, and didn’t have wings. How was he supposed to catch a little bird?
Seeing his dazed look, a flash of slyness crossed Su Miantang’s eyes. “Well, I don’t care. Use your big, smart head. Or, you can wave the white flag and admit defeat right now.”
No way! It was one thing to lose the first two rounds. But hunting was a beast’s instinct and basic means of survival. If he couldn’t even find prey, the little female would look down on him.
He stretched his legs and charged toward the hilltop.
From afar, Su Miantang watched him stretch out his front limbs, swatting around, trying to catch a bird out of thin air. Seeing him stand under a tree, staring blankly at a high bird’s nest, she laughed so hard she bent forward and backward, completely unable to control herself.
Big Golden Retriever, truly silly, actually agreeing to such an unreasonable request.
Rustle~ A sound of grass being pressed down came from nearby. She turned her head and saw that Hua Rong had somehow transformed into his beast form. The entire panda looked like a round, glutinous rice ball, rolling toward her from a hundred meters away. It was simply too adorable to bear!
She hurriedly crouched down in delight to catch him. “Rongrong, why did you turn into a panda?”
Didn’t he usually get very shy and only willingly transform into his beast form for her to play with when she was incredibly expectant, and only in their private space? Why was he so proactive this time?
Because… he had just seen Tangtang riding on his royal brother’s back, holding him tightly. His heart had felt extremely sour, and he wanted her eyes and heart to have only him. That was why he transformed into his beast form to vie for favor. Tangtang wouldn’t despise him for being jealous and narrow-minded, right?
He was overthinking completely.
Su Miantang hugged him, affectionately squishing and kneading him, rubbing her face against him. The words she spoke made him so bashful that he buried his head straight into her embrace. “Rongrong, you are too cute, too lovable~”
He also liked Tangtang very, very much.
After working in vain for half the day and catching nothing, the male lion walked back dejectedly with his head drooping. Then he saw… the little female surrounded by a blushing Hua Rong and a flock of fluttering birds.
How… how did she catch the birds? And make them obediently stand by her side without flying away?
Su Miantang looked at him triumphantly. Because she had cheated again. Rongrong cultivated at Bamboo Peak year-round and was very familiar with many of the birds inside. As long as he waved his hand and made a feeding gesture, they naturally flew over.
“How about it?” She walked over unhurriedly. “You’ve lost all three rounds, and they were all your strong suits. Are you convinced?”
He was convinced. The male lion lowered his body and bowed his noble head to her. It was a posture of complete submission. Losing to her, he was wholeheartedly convinced.
“Then from now on, you have to listen to whatever I say and cannot resist.” Su Miantang picked up the iron chain nearby.
The male lion nodded. Hearing that familiar clinking sound of metal, painful memories etched into his bones made his limbs tremble involuntarily with fear. He wanted to bite it to pieces and run away… But he couldn’t; he had to obediently listen to her.
Su Miantang leaned slightly close to his ear and asked in a wicked tone, “Then, can I leash you up now? Like a dog.”
A dog? Her dog… Y-Yes, you can.
Haha~ Seeing his stiff figure and trembling paws, clearly feeling awful about his trampled dignity and terrified in his heart, yet stubbornly holding on. Big Golden Retriever, truly silly, silly and cute.
Su Miantang raised her hand. The male lion thought she was going to put the iron chain on him, but to his utter surprise, she threw it aside and stroked his mane with unparalleled gentleness. “I can’t bear to part with you~”
The words ‘can’t bear to’ hit his heart heavily like collapsing mountains and shattering rocks, making the very tip of his heart numb and trembling.
Tangtang… He stared at her fixedly, not turning his eyes away for a second. He didn’t know when this inexplicable emotion had bred in his heart, making him irritable, uneasy, and lacking even a moment of peace. Until now, he finally knew what it was. He liked her, liked her so much it was about to overflow all over the ground!
Su Miantang: “Do you want a belly rub?”
Belly?! The male lion stood up excitedly. His Double Pupils, which were always used to release destructive power, now suddenly glowed with a brilliant, excited light, like a dog seeing a bone. He immediately flipped over, four limbs in the air, revealing his entire fluffy belly to her.
That expression of complete trust and expectation looking at her seemed as if all the defenses he had built up over the past dozen years had collapsed for her. Even if she held a sharp knife right now and stabbed it into his softest spot, he wouldn’t dodge in the slightest.
This moment was true submission. He needed no iron chain to be bound, and he would absolutely never leave her.
At the foot of Bamboo Peak, Catherine frequently checked her watch, incredibly anxious.
“They’ve been in there for an hour, why aren’t they out yet?” “It’s been two hours, are they intentionally leaving this Princess waiting here?” “Damn it, no one has ever made me wait for three hours. When Su Miantang comes out, this Princess will definitely tear her to pieces!”
It wasn’t until nightfall that the restriction was finally lifted, and figures walked down from the top of the mountain. Catherine stood up immediately. Whether she was dazed from waiting or dizzy from anger, she actually saw Hua Rong, a male lion, and the young girl riding on the lion.
Su Miantang was actually riding on her royal brother’s back?! The most noble Crown Prince of the palace, the beast form of an SS-grade combat male, had become her exclusive mount. This was simply trampling the dignity of the royal family underfoot!
Glossary
- Pumped up with adrenaline (打了雞血): A Chinese internet slang (literally “injected with chicken blood”) meaning to be overly excited or extremely energetic.
- Double Pupils (重瞳): A mythological physical trait where a person has two pupils in one eye, often symbolizing extraordinary power or a kingly destiny. Here, it refers to the Lion Prince’s special optical ability.
- Bamboo Peak (竹峰 – Zhu Feng): A location name where cultivation and training take place.
- Eastern Palace (東宮 – Dong Gong): The traditional residence of the Crown Prince in Chinese imperial settings, adapted here for the sci-fi royal setting.
- Hua Rong (花戎): The name of the panda beastman.
- Rongrong (絨絨): An affectionate nickname for Hua Rong, sounding like the word ‘fluffy’ in Chinese.
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