The answer soon revealed itself before Lochus’s eyes.
At the palace gates, Ming Ruan was kneeling on the cold ground, holding a tiger’s head in his arms.
A white tiger.
Lochus recognized it at a glance: it was Su Yuyun’s beast form.
Ming Ruan hadn’t seen the white tiger for a long time. Whenever the moonlight streamed through the window and fell by his bedside each night, Ming Ruan would always recall the silhouette of the white tiger under the moon. Looking at the window, his heart was always filled with anticipation. Perhaps, the next second, the white tiger would suddenly leap in through the window like before, keeping him company through a lonely and dull night.
At noon, when Boss mentioned sending the tiger over for him to take care of for a few days, Ming Ruan had already planned out exactly how he would forcibly pet and cuddle the tiger upon their reunion!
Ming Ruan sprawled over the white tiger’s chest, burrowing into its thick fur, and pinched the soft flesh on both sides of the tiger’s cheeks that he loved most. “You’re not getting away this time, kitty!”
Based on the usual pattern, Ming Ruan was fully prepared to be politely rejected by the white tiger.
However, perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for so long…
The tiger allowed Ming Ruan to knead the sides of its face. Its golden beast eyes watched Ming Ruan calmly until Ming Ruan sensed something was off and let go on his own. But the white tiger didn’t take the opportunity to retreat and move away from Ming Ruan. Instead, it took the initiative to step even closer.
The big kitty’s large nose then pressed right against Ming Ruan’s face.
“Eh.” Ming Ruan lifted his chin, fumbled around, and grabbed onto the fur near the white tiger’s forelegs, hanging on.
The white tiger thoroughly sniffed Ming Ruan from his shoulders to his hair.
This was the first time the white tiger had ever voluntarily gotten this close!
Before Ming Ruan could even marvel at the truth of the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder,” he felt a slight burn on the side of his face, followed by a tingling sensation shooting through him.
The white tiger pulled back and turned its head to look into the distance.
Ming Ruan touched the corner of his mouth, then grabbed the tiger’s head—which was looking stoically forward—and forcibly turned it to face him. “You…”
The white tiger’s tail tensed slightly.
Ming Ruan beamed. “…did you just lick me?! Do it again! Do it again!”
Even though his hearing was severely degraded after therianthropy, Lochus could still clearly hear the young man in the distance making a racket. “Oh my god, baby, you can lick people with your tongue, Daddy’s so happy.” “Lick me again, don’t make me beg you.”
Ming Ruan’s fondness for the white tiger was blatantly obvious.
The white tiger thumped the young man’s waist with its tail as a warning regarding his form of address.
The white tiger accompanied Ming Ruan back into the palace, nodding at the snake as it passed.
The Third Prince was attempting to win Ming Ruan over with his beast form, testing him in the process. Su Yuyun, in turn, didn’t mind at all showing Lochus the nature of his relationship with Ming Ruan.
Feel free to try.
Unsurprisingly, Ming Ruan devoted most of his attention that night to the white tiger. After all, the snake had already eaten and usually at this time would either be wandering or coiled up asleep, not requiring much care. But he didn’t yet know the tiger’s situation.
Everyone who served that night could see the closeness between the Adjudicator and Mr. Ming Ruan, and it was clear that their prince had been left to the side.
Lochus didn’t forcibly try to attract Ming Ruan’s attention. He returned to the rainforest by himself.
Ming Ruan clearly felt that the white tiger was much more indulgent with him.
All evening, Ming Ruan lay pillowed on the white tiger’s belly, playing the single-player games that came with his Light Brain. While playing, he would get up and reposition the white tiger so that its head, chest, and forelimbs formed a sofa-like depression. Ming Ruan would nestle inside, filling it perfectly, and continue playing with his head resting against the white tiger’s chin. He would occasionally tug on its whiskers and chatter about his game.
And whether Ming Ruan was using his Light Brain for a decisive battle against AI, playing hide-and-seek with the white tiger in the courtyard, or suddenly pouncing on it… the white tiger was always cooperative and tolerant.
Even though Ming Ruan wanted to continue exploring the changes in the white tiger, before going to sleep, he still stopped his playtime and headed to the Simulated Rainforest.
He walked into the dark, secluded rainforest. In less than a minute, he found the snake draped over a tree.
Unsure if the snake was resting, Ming Ruan watched from afar without approaching. After a moment, he quietly retreated from the energy barrier.
After Ming Ruan left, the snake hanging on the tree raised its head slightly.
Lochus was surprised that Ming Ruan could find him so quickly, but he also knew this glance tonight meant nothing compared to the special attention the white tiger received.
In this chess match, he had fallen behind.
The sudden need for the Adjudicator to transform into his beast form and recuperate by Ming Ruan’s side was something no one could stop.
The research team had been worried all afternoon about the Third Prince’s condition, afraid his emotions might become unstable and affect the reverse-beastification process.
After confirming Ming Ruan had returned to his own room and closed the door, the research team requested a dialogue with Lochus.
“Please, you must maintain a cheerful mood. Do not suppress yourself. Your reverse therianthropy is of vital importance. This is precisely the main purpose for which we invited Mr. Ming Ruan here. Time is limited…”
“Suppress?” The light-colored scale under the snake’s chin lit up. A male voice repeated the word, the end of his tone rising. The two syllables seemed to have been chewed over by his lips and tongue before being released, sounding deeply meaningful.
“You worry too much. I’ve heard that after therianthropy, one can only change back by doing what one truly wants to do…” The male voice was leisurely but not lazy. His pace was unhurried, exuding a sense of self-assurance that needed no worry about lacking an audience. “As for what I want to do, I am already doing it.”
…
Early the next morning, just as Ming Ruan had finished washing up and was about to bring the snake and white tiger out for breakfast, he was intercepted at his door by an attendant.
The attendant: “Sir, the Third Prince summons you.”
Ming Ruan hadn’t expected this day to come so suddenly. He hurriedly changed into the formal attire Ming Ji had prepared for him and hastily followed the attendant to the very palace he and the snake had visited that day.
Seeing a blurry holographic figure standing before the throne, Ming Ruan first breathed a small sigh of relief—he wouldn’t have to face the real person.
Then he fixed his eyes on the floor in awkwardness—he had just sat on that seat yesterday, in an act of defiance and disrespect.
Fortunately, the Third Prince didn’t give Ming Ruan much time for internal turmoil. His opening words were a heavy blow: “You were summoned to the Imperial Palace during your holiday. Do you feel any unwillingness?”
“For the glory of the Royal Family—this is my duty.” Ming Ruan mixed some sincerity into the formulaic response his brother had taught him. After all, this trip had allowed him to tour the Imperial Palace and feed “imperial pets.” No matter how you looked at it, he was the one gaining.
He heard laughter from the figure on the throne. It wasn’t the kind of laughter deliberately restrained by ceremony.
“Good. My subject.”
“After this matter concludes, I shall grant you the Royal Emblem. Stay here and work for me?”
Ming Ruan immediately shook his head like a rattle drum. “As a Rehabilitation District executor, I bear the responsibilities of my position. Surely, Your Highness wouldn’t wish for your subject to abandon his duties so lightly?”
“Is that so?” A sigh came from the blurred face of the hologram. “But given your abilities… how much longer can you really hold onto the position of executor?”
Ming Ruan’s eyes widened.
The Third Prince’s voice hadn’t been quiet; he was sure he hadn’t misheard.
What did he mean, how much longer could he hold onto the position of executor?!
But he wasn’t given a chance to press further. The Third Prince had already moved on to the next topic.
“An Executor indeed carries heavy responsibilities. You will be returning to the Rehabilitation District soon, won’t you?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Ming Ruan replied cautiously. In reality, according to the vacation time he’d redeemed in the district system, his leave would end in just one or two more days, and he’d have to return to work.
“Then depart from the Imperial Palace when the time comes. I have heard that you also brought guests from the Rehabilitation District with you. I shall summon them to the Imperial Palace as guests. Consider it… compensation for interrupting your holiday.”
…
Back in his room that day, Ming Ruan thought it over before finally sorting out the Third Prince’s logic. The gist was that he felt the summons had disrupted Ming Ruan’s time with his friends, so for the last few days of his vacation, he was inviting all his friends to the Imperial Palace to play with him.
The royal family’s actions were swift.
Now, Ming Ruan was standing at the entrance of the Imperial Palace, waiting for Lion, Snow Leopard, and the other fluffballs to arrive.
To be honest, he felt… rather guilty.
Ming Ruan childishly traced circles on the ground with his toe.
When he had brought the fluffballs out, he’d boldly declared he would take good care of them. But an entire vacation had passed by. Fox, Gray Wolf, and White Tiger had each managed to see him at least once, but Lion and Snow Leopard had effectively been completely left to their own devices. He had no idea how they’d been doing at their masters’ homes. He wasn’t worried about Lion; the Clarence Family had been contacting him consistently over the past few days, asking when he would come over to their house. But as for Snow Leopard…
“Roar!”
A familiar roar sounded. Ming Ruan looked up instantly, his eyes sparkling as he dashed toward the Flying Sedan that had just landed. “Lion! Baby!”
Fuxi was leaping down from the Flying Sedan.
Even after so many days apart, he was still impeccably groomed and composed. His powerful limbs allowed him to land lightly and nimbly, making no sound, without the slightest wobble.
Fuxi looked at Ming Ruan. His sharp eyes caught the hint of guilt flickering in Ming Ruan’s smiling face.
This person had every reason to feel guilty. Fuxi thought.
From the moment the Rehabilitation District Administration had sent him back to the Clarence Family, he had been waiting for Ming Ruan to come see him. The first day, or maybe the second… Fuxi had hoped, endured, and warned himself not to lose his composure over the order of priority.
In the days of waiting, he received the explosive news that Shi Huai was the first to successfully reverse-beastify, followed by the news of Xie Gewen’s reverse transformation. The Clarence Family had their own sources, and he also learned that Ming Ruan had been attacked during a Council meeting.
By that point, Fuxi had already prepared his family’s forces. As long as Ming Ruan needed it, he would clear away every trouble for him.
His demands gradually lowered, bit by bit. But until today, Ming Ruan had not come to see him even once.
A nameless fire burned within Fuxi. In his heart, it turned into icy barbs, then into searing lava. Upon receiving the royal invitation, he had wanted nothing more than to confront Ming Ruan face to face, to repay him with coldness and disregard…
However, before the Flying Sedan even began its descent, when he spotted that small speck of a figure from high above…
The icy barbs melted into spring water. The lava settled into heavy, solid earth.
“Long time no see,” Ming Ruan said softly. He didn’t rush in to hug him but held his arms open.
The lion stood like a wooden statue for a long moment. Then, stiffly, he walked toward Ming Ruan and gently butted his head into his embrace, completing that familiar hug.
A weapon, fully loaded and aimed at this person, upon pulling the trigger, fired a salute of colorful ribbons and little stars from the muzzle. Fury completely dissipated, leaving only softness.
The lion closed his eyes and took two steps closer, letting Ming Ruan embrace him more deeply.
Truly… there was nothing he could do about him.
Just as the man and lion were locked in a tight hug, a new Flying Sedan slowly descended. Still tens of meters from the ground, a silver-gray figure had already leaped out of the air and landed.
“Leopard Cub!” Ming Ruan was waving excitedly when he suddenly saw three more Flying Sedans landing simultaneously. However, it wasn’t familiar fluffballs stepping out of them. It was Fox’s master, Gray Wolf’s master, and… his brother?
Add in the white tiger and the snake, who had been by his side the whole time…
For a moment, it seemed extraordinarily “lively.”
