Beauty and the Beasts

It had started snowing outside since God knows when. The white snowflakes flew into the tree hole together with the chilly wind, dancing about throughout the place.

“It’s snowing!” Bai Qingqing exclaimed in delight as she ran outside the tree hole.

Everywhere outside was covered in whiteness, and there was now a velvety white cap over the plants. On the ground, sets of plum blossom-shaped paw prints lead to the large trees.

“Another year has passed!” Bai Qingqing said with an emotional sigh. This time last year, her little snakes were still being hatched underground.

Curtis was about to go into hibernation.

Her smile faded as a large hand—devoid of the color of blood, yet vigorous and forceful—was placed on her shoulder.

Curtis’s voice sounded even more aloof than usual amid the cold wind.

“I’m going into hibernation.”

Bai Qingqing grabbed that large hand on her shoulder, her palms feeling the coldness underneath. Reluctant to part, she said, “Since there’s no need to hatch eggs this year, can’t you hibernate at a later time? Once you sleep, you’ll only wake up when the cold season is over. The cold season came so early here; seems like it’s going to last longer than what we experienced in the City of Beastmen.”

“Ssss~”

As his slightly chilled tongue grazed against her cheeks, Bai Qingqing turned her head and found herself colliding head-on with Curtis’s kiss.

Roar! Parker looked away and played with his cubs, making them roll over on their bellies.

After a passionate kiss, Curtis pressed his lips against Bai Qingqing’s and said softly, “Mating makes my body warmer. Let’s…”

Bai Qingqing darted a quick glance at Parker and blocked out Curtis’s voice with her mouth. She broke away from him shortly after, then stuck her head out of the tree hole and said, “It’s not too cold today. While you haven’t gone into hibernation and while I can take it, let’s go down and play with snow. It’s a rare opportunity.”

“Okay.”

Curtis laid the white furry coat he just made for Bai Qingqing over her and wrapped her up from head to toe, revealing only a fair and tender little face. When she smiled, her slightly downturned doggie eyes made her look lively and energetic.

Bai Qingqing and Curtis went down the tree first, followed by Parker with the cubs riding on his back. Third, who didn’t hold on firmly to his father’s fur, fell onto the thin layer of snow on the ground when they landed.

“Aiyah, be careful.” Bai Qingqing hurriedly lifted the snow-covered Third into her arms.

Roar! Third waved his front paws and leaned his head towards his mommy, an exquisite snowflake with six petals landing on his black nose, covering it entirely.

Bai Qingqing beamed at the sight of this. She rubbed the tip of her nose against Third’s black one, melting the snowflake. “You’re a big boy now. You’re getting so heavy that Mommy won’t be able to carry you soon.”

Staring at the leopard cubs with round eyes wearing identical expressions to Bai Qingqing’s, exuding the same innocence, Curtis suddenly understood why he felt such adoration towards them.

Not that Curtis treated the leopard cubs very well or anything. But compared to the baby snakes, his treatment of the leopard cubs could be considered five-stars. At least the leopard cubs had never sensed killing intent coming from him.

Although the period before they were born was fraught with adversity, they had never experienced calamities since they came into this world.

“Didn’t you want to go out and play? I’ll bring you out,” said Curtis.

As the chilly wind blew past her, Bai Qingqing fixed the hat on her head more firmly, before nudging Curtis and saying, “Go and put on a skirt. It’s so windy out there. If you transform into a human, you won’t have as much wind blowing upon you and won’t feel as cold.”

Seeing that Parker’s chest was bare as he stood in the wind as well, Bai Qingqing added, “You guys should also put on a coat to block out the wind.”

Parker scoffed at the idea. He casually swept off the snowflake on his shoulder and said, “I’m a male. What will I look like in a female’s clothes?”

Curtis, on the other hand, obediently went up the tree and jumped down after putting on a skirt.

As Bluepool had come with them to this village, Bai Qingqing thought of him. But they were only going to walk about aimlessly, and she thought it would be taxing on him to be walking on land.