Chapter 57
The newborn cub spent most of its time either eating or sleeping. It would whimper occasionally in its sleep, its eyes closed, as if dreaming. When hungry, it would let out loud cries, its mouth searching for milk.
Hugh Elvis was always alert, and whether day or night, he would immediately hear the slightest sound from the crib beside the bed.
Shi Nuo found the wolf cub surprisingly easy to care for. Perhaps because it was in its beast form, it didn’t cry like a human baby. As long as its diaper and clothes were changed promptly, and it was fed regularly, it was usually quiet and content.
Sometimes, when they were talking, it would whimper softly, as if responding.
Hugh explained that this was instinctual. As long as the nest was warm, clean, and the cub well-fed, it would instinctively conserve its energy for growth, to become stronger faster.
The cub’s fur was white, like Hugh’s, a small, fluffy white wolf, its fur soft and sparse.
Its paws and ears were tiny, and Shi Nuo always smiled when he heard it suckling eagerly on the bottle.
Holding the small wolf cub was much easier than handling a human infant, its small, sturdy body less fragile, and the baby-holding techniques they had practiced weren’t necessary. This relieved Shi Nuo, who had always been nervous about holding small babies when visiting friends and family.
The wolf cub, in a safe and comfortable environment, well-fed and cared for, gained weight steadily.
Ten days passed quickly.
In the living room, the wolf cub, having finished its bottle, was fast asleep in its crib.
Shi Nuo moved quietly, the windows and doors closed against the strong wind outside, the sunlight streaming in through the glass.
As he walked, he suddenly pursed his lips, his ears turning red, and hurried to the bedroom without a word.
He wiped his chest, made sure there were no more leaks, and changed his shirt.
His breasts had become softer and slightly larger. The change had occurred the day after the cub’s birth.
He still remembered the initial embarrassment, but he didn’t have to breastfeed, and Long Xu, after scanning him, had said the changes were temporary and would revert back to normal in a month or two.
He rubbed his ears, trying to appear nonchalant, and returned to the living room.
The bedroom was small, and although they brought the crib inside at night, they usually kept it in the more spacious living room during the day.
Hugh was in the kitchen, washing the baby bottles and preparing lunch.
The cub didn’t drink much each time, but it fed frequently, requiring the bottles and nipples to be washed after each use. This task wasn’t difficult, and Hugh usually did it.
He also handled most of the nighttime feedings. The cub was generally well-behaved and healthy, rarely waking except to eat or have its diaper changed. On those occasional nights when it was more restless, Hugh would always be the first to wake up and check on it.
Hugh, with his robust constitution, despite his usual laziness, had plenty of energy, but caring for a newborn, especially at night, was demanding.
Shi Nuo had been prepared to share the burden, but it hadn’t been necessary.
Sometimes, he would wake up to find the Alpha looking tired and slightly pale, but a nap usually restored his energy, the dark circles under his eyes disappearing.
Hugh emerged from the kitchen and, seeing Shi Nuo’s freshly changed shirt, paused.
“Leaking again?” he asked, his voice slightly hoarse.
Shi Nuo avoided his gaze, turning his head slightly, and mumbled, “Mm.”
“We should express the milk. Otherwise, it will be uncomfortable,” Hugh’s eyes darkened.
Shi Nuo pursed his lips and didn’t reply, his breathing slightly rapid.
Hugh knew that look, that silent acquiescence, and he approached Shi Nuo, lifting his pajama top.
His breasts were only slightly larger than before, their soft curves barely noticeable, his skin pale and smooth, strangely beautiful.
Shi Nuo sat on the sofa, his head tilted back, his back pressed against the cushions.
He tried to ignore the cool pressure of the Alpha’s lips on his skin.
The coolness quickly turned into warmth, the tightness and aching easing, the discomfort fading.
But the white-haired man lingered, his hand gently massaging his chest, and Shi Nuo, embarrassed by the pleasure he felt, blushed.
The massage became more intimate, his body responding involuntarily, and he didn’t dare push the strong Alpha away.
His pale skin flushed under the Alpha’s touch, Hugh Elvis’s blue eyes darkening, his expression intense, his throat moving slightly, his arousal evident.
After a long moment, he finally released Shi Nuo’s nipple.
Licking his lips, he looked up at Shi Nuo, his gaze possessive.
The handsome Alpha’s intensity, even in this vulnerable position, was overwhelming, and Shi Nuo’s heart pounded, his gaze darting away, unable to meet Hugh’s eyes.
Hugh pulled back slightly, watching as Shi Nuo, his hands trembling, adjusted his clothes. He lowered his eyes, concealing his own intense emotions.
“Steamed fish for lunch. We still have some fish roe left. Do you want it mixed with your rice, or on the side?” he asked, his voice calm.
Shi Nuo, still pretending to adjust his clothes, though all he needed to do was pull down his pajama top, looked up, relieved to see Hugh’s expression back to normal. “Mixed with the rice,” he replied, his voice no longer trembling.
A soft whimpering sound came from the crib, and Shi Nuo quickly stood up and went to check on the cub.
It had wet its diaper.
Seeing him change the cub’s diaper and clothes, Hugh didn’t interfere, simply watching the plump little wolf in the crib, then asked, “Should we steam the vegetables too?”
“Yes, they’re good steamed,” Shi Nuo replied, gently wiping the cub’s body.
The cub’s body was warm, and after ten days, it was noticeably heavier, almost too large for Shi Nuo to hold comfortably with one hand. Its fur had also grown thicker.
It whimpered and squirmed, but surrounded by familiar scents, it didn’t struggle much and, after being cleaned, settled down contentedly.
Shi Nuo smiled, dressed the cub, and covered it with a blanket, watching as it drifted back to sleep, its small belly rising and falling rhythmically beneath the covers.
He opened his optical brain and took pictures of the cub, its ten-day milestone, saving them in a folder labeled “Wu Wu.”
“So cute,” he murmured, his smile widening.
“Yes, very cute,” Hugh Elvis agreed.
He had seen other wolf cubs before, as a child, when he had accompanied a servant to visit a new mother. The cub had been crying loudly, its whimpers and wails echoing through the house. The adults had said it was a fussy baby, crying every night.
He hadn’t paid much attention then, but now, caring for Wu Wu, he suddenly remembered that distant encounter.
Time passed quickly, filled with the daily routine of caring for the cub.
Although they saw it every day, the changes were still noticeable. At one month old, the wolf cub’s white fur had grown thicker and fuller, its body larger, a beautiful, fluffy white ball of fur.
It was no longer ugly, and Shi Nuo, though he didn’t say it aloud, felt a sense of relief.
He sat on the sofa, holding the cub, gently stroking its head and back, thinking that with Hugh’s good looks, both in human and beast form, their cub couldn’t possibly be ugly.
Wu Wu, nestled comfortably in his lap, its eyes half-closed, purred contentedly.
Seeing its small tail twitch, Shi Nuo couldn’t resist touching it, and the cub let out a soft, questioning sound.
Shi Nuo’s smile widened. “This is Wu Wu’s tail. Wu Wu’s little tail,” he said, his voice gentle.
The cub, confused, turned its head, trying to see its tail, its soft, floppy ears, still unable to stand upright, incredibly cute.
Looking at his son’s large, dark eyes, so innocent and adorable, Shi Nuo couldn’t resist kissing him repeatedly.
Wu Wu, delighted, let out soft, happy sounds, its tail wagging, nuzzling its wet nose against Shi Nuo’s cheek.
Shi Nuo, beaming, quickly opened his optical brain and took several pictures of himself and the cub.
Wu Wu didn’t understand what the camera drone was, but it could see now, its gaze following the familiar object as it flew around them, not afraid or even particularly curious, simply observing.
Hugh emerged from the kitchen after washing the baby bottles, and Wu Wu, its small nose twitching, smelling the familiar scent, became excited, its plump body wriggling, trying to crawl towards him.
Its legs were still too weak, unable to support its weight, and Shi Nuo, smiling, held it securely. “Father’s here. Don’t worry,” he soothed.
“Woo—” the cub whimpered, its small voice filled with a plaintive urgency.
A flash of white light in the living room, and the large white wolf appeared.
It approached Shi Nuo and, driven by its beastman instincts, licked the cub’s head.
Wu Wu, delighted, looked up at the imposing wolf, whimpering softly, trying to reach its father.
The two white wolves, one large, one small, looked at each other, and Shi Nuo quietly took a picture.
Hugh gently picked up the cub in his mouth and, as Wu Wu watched with wide eyes, carried it around the living room.
The cub, its body swaying gently in the air, let out a happy yelp, enjoying the “adventure.”
Both cats and dogs carried their young like this, a familiar scene.
Beastman cubs were different from human infants, and Shi Nuo didn’t interfere. Hugh was always careful and gentle, never putting Wu Wu’s safety at risk for amusement.
The white wolf’s movements were steady and controlled.
Soon, Shi Nuo saw the cub yawn, its small mouth opening wide. “Tired from playing,” he chuckled.
The white wolf carried the cub back to Shi Nuo, who took it and placed it in the crib, gently patting its back until it fell asleep, its soft whimpers fading into contented silence.
Sunlight streamed in through the window. Summer was approaching, the plains once again a sea of green, the wind blowing gently.
Shi Nuo sat back on the sofa, drank some water, and then asked suddenly, “Have you decided on a formal name yet?”
The white wolf, lying on the rug, was also feeling sleepy. Wu Wu had woken up several times during the night to feed.
It sighed softly, then after a moment, said, “How about Lin? It can be Shi Lin or Lin Elvis. He can choose later. And if we have to return to the Elvis family, we can register him as an Elvis first.”
Lin. Little Lin.
Shi Nuo repeated the name silently, then smiled. “It’s a nice name. Let’s use that. He can choose which name he prefers later.”
“Mm,” the white wolf, relieved that this important matter had finally been decided, relaxed completely, its earlier tension gone.
