Stop Eyeing My Pretty Caretaker - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The morning disaster began with washing the red panda’s face.

Yestin watched silently as Jian Chen cleaned the black and white fur on Dun Dun’s cheeks, changed the water, and then found a clean towel to gently dry the little fellow.

Dun Dun lay sprawled on his back, fully enjoying his “Little Dad’s” care.

His chubby legs swayed in an enchanting posture so cute it could cause a nosebleed.

Jian Chen’s heart trembled from the cuteness.

He couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss Dun Dun’s cheek.

The man beside them watched without a word, looking down at a large milk stain soaking the shoulder of his military uniform.

After a moment of silence, he took it off and handed it to a robot.

The robot could automatically sense its master’s emotional waves; especially for a non-human like Yestin, who had been injected with special genes, his brain waves were exceptionally active.

Consequently, the little robot displayed an emoji: ‘Pity.jpg’

Yestin’s expression darkened.

Having finished tidying up the panda, Jian Chen turned around to find that the man hadn’t left. He was just standing there, silent, doing nothing else.

With his ramrod-straight chest and shoulders, and long leg lines, he was—to be honest—quite a large presence.

A strange thought surfaced in Jian Chen’s mind.

He actually felt that Yestin looked… a bit well-behaved.

He even felt an impulse to go over and hug him and say it was okay, even though the other man didn’t look the least bit flustered.

Well, Jian Chen thought, I might be losing my mind.

Besides, they weren’t yet in that kind of intimate relationship.

He quickly shoved the thought to the back of his mind.

Time flew by, and Jian Chen had to return to the institute for work today.

A honeymoon was impossiblenot in this lifetime.

First of all, they were both “social animals” who couldn’t get away.

Moreover, Jian Chen couldn’t even imagine the scene of a honeymoon with Yestin; they would likely turn a romantic trip into a field research expedition.

Additionally, Dun Dun couldn’t be left alone yet.

Jian Chen speculated that once the cub grew up into a big bear and became more interested in bamboo and climbing trees, he probably wouldn’t be so clingy to his Little Dad anymore.

Sigh, just thinking about it was a bit sad.

Jian Chen sat with his hands on his knees, his briefcase in the back seat, his posture very proper.

He watched the scenery flash by outside the window, but his mind was busy.

Inside the quiet car.

Yestin sat in the driver’s seat, the atmosphere cold and silent.

As he grew to know the man better, Jian Chen was becoming familiar with this vibe; even sharing a car, zoning out by himself didn’t feel awkward.

As for why Yestin was driving him, it traced back to the morning when they headed out together. Yestin had lowered his gaze and asked how he usually got to work.

Jian Chen recalled: “Before, since it was close, I usually walked. If a colleague happened to be driving, sometimes they’d give me a lift.”

Yestin: “Colleague?”

Jian Chen hummed and nodded. “His name is Chen Qiu, he’s my assistant.”

Yestin suddenly asked: “Married?”

“?”

Jian Chen blinked, answering honestly: “No, doesn’t even have a girlfriend yet.”

The man didn’t respond this time, falling silent.

Jian Chen didn’t understand why Yestin suddenly asked that. More importantly, the man who had previously shown zero interest in the research institute was now concerned about his work socialization? Jian Chen was quite surprised.

What surprised him even more was what happened before they left.

Yestin pulled the car out and abruptly intercepted Jian Chen. The window rolled down slowly, revealing the man’s expressionless face. He said in a low voice: “From today on, I will drive you.”

Jian Chen: “!”

The youth was stunned.

Yestin’s military headquarters and Jian Chen’s institute were in completely opposite directions from the villa.

Suddenly, a bold and somewhat ridiculous guess sprouted in his heart.

Yestin wouldn’t be… jealous because he heard Chen Qiu often gave me rides before we were married, right?

No.

Absolutely impossible.

Jian Chen tapped his rusty brain.

Who was Yestin? How could he be jealous of someone else?

Especially over such a trivial detail.

He had learned his lesson: he must never use normal logic to analyze this man.

While Jian Chen’s thoughts were wandering in the passenger seat, his watch suddenly rang.

Looking down, it was a message from Chen Qiu.

Talk about perfect timing.

Jian Chen had nothing to hide, so he played it right in front of Yestin.

The car was silent, so even the slightest sound was captured. Unsurprisingly, Chen Qiu’s voice was crystal clear:

“Teacher Jian? Is the honeymoon over? Don’t just focus on the ‘Mrs.’, ugh, please come back today! Don’t forget, I’m waiting for you at the old place~”

Jian Chen’s hand holding the watch suddenly felt a bit shaky.

The so-called “old place” was the New Species Zone of the institute, where they had made an appointment a few days ago.

But Yestin certainly didn’t know that.

And Yestin clearly heard it.

The man’s expression seemed to change. As for what kind of change, Jian Chen couldn’t accurately decipher it, but he was certain it had nothing to do with the word “pleasant.”

Jian Chen felt his head getting bigger. Embarrassed, he explained softly: “That’s Chen Qiu, my assistant at the institute. He just started a few months ago. Whenever he hits a problem, he starts acting spoiled.”

He added: “He’s like that with everyone.”

After saying it, Jian Chen felt a bit of regret.

Why explain so much?

After all, Yestin really wouldn’t care!!

The man had just asked a casual question this morning; Jian Chen was the only one taking it to heart.

Unexpectedly, Yestin spoke:

“Do you dislike him?”

“Huh?” Jian Chen paused, surprised by the question, but answered honestly: “I don’t dislike him. Actually, he’s very motivated, he’s not a burden to lead, and he’s quite helpful. A very likable kid.”

“Kid?”

Yestin’s voice paused, then he asked: “How old is he?”

“…”

Jian Chen also paused, slowly answering: “25.”

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

After all, Jian Chen was only 23.

Yestin’s brow furrowed slightly, his voice deep, clearly not intending to let Jian Chen off: “Why do you call him a kid?”

This really stumped Jian Chen.

He couldn’t exactly say that in terms of seniority and experience, Chen Qiu seemed quite young to him—the type that needed hands-on guidance?

He felt that answer would hit a landmine.

Jian Chen silently swapped for a different answer: “Because he’s my student. Teachers often see their students as children.”

Look at that seamless.

Sure enough, Yestin didn’t press further.

Jian Chen was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he heard Yestin’s somber voice:

“So, you like students.”

Jian Chen was confused by this statement-like question and could only tell the truth: “…I suppose so. They are very passionate about their work, and they don’t care that I’m younger than them.”

Yestin let out a hum from his nose. Even while chatting with Jian Chen, he kept his eyes on the road ahead, appearing focused and meticulous.

Thinking the conversation was over, Jian Chen silently tapped open the forum page on his watch, flipping through news and entertainment headlines mechanically, trying to distract himself.

“Jian Chen.”

It was Yestin calling his name.

Jian Chen kept his eyes down. “Mm?”

“Are you the type who kisses cheeks when expressing affection?”

Yestin’s voice was flat, with so little inflection that Jian Chen almost missed the earth-shattering nature of the question.

“!?”

Jian Chen slowly looked up, his cheeks flushing from surprise. He felt himself start to stutter: “…What?”

Sensing Jian Chen’s shocked gaze, the man’s gray-gold eyes under his lashes cast a brief look toward him before turning back. His voice was as calm and detached as ever, as if devoid of earthly emotion:

“This morning, you kissed Dun Dun’s cheek.”

“…”

Jian Chen’s brain stalled.

Or rather, it stopped working entirely.

The image of him kissing the little panda after washing his face this morning returned to his mind.

Jian Chen’s hand resting by the seat trembled slightly as a bold thought flooded his brain:

Yestin… isn’t jealous of Dun Dun, is he?

This was completely beyond Jian Chen’s understanding. Was there really a father who would be jealous of his own cub? Especially when he was supposed to have no feelings for his partner?

Jian Chen felt his train of thought was definitely veering off track.

Because this “wrong” idea had surfaced, Jian Chen’s cheeks felt scalding hot when he explained. He tried to keep his voice steady:

“I… I’m not like that with everyone. Only with Dun Dun.”

Jian Chen wanted to say: I have principles too!

Even if it’s a contract marriage, I wouldn’t kiss another man behind your back… including other male bears.

Yestin seemed to get the first half, but didn’t quite internalize the second.

“Only with Dun Dun” didn’t seem to truly brighten Yestin’s mood.

Jian Chen sighed silently.

Coaxing a man was really hard.

After saying goodbye to the man, Jian Chen walked into the institute.

The overall appearance of the institute was quite different from the solemn Academy of Sciences.

For example, when you walked in, it wasn’t a grand, dignified hall, but rather a castle-like structure made of dark wooden stakes and various signboards. There were animal introductions in front of every section, and the floor was old-fashioned cement. The whole place had a wild, natural, and completely retro atmosphere.

It was more interesting than an exhibition, yet more formal than a zoo.

In short, it was a place full of mystery and vitality.

Although Jian Chen had practically grown up here, he never found it boring. At most, he’d risk his life to give medicine or injections to ill-tempered beasts, feed them, brush their fur, write research reports, participate in forest rescues, and occasionally help lazy parents look after their cubs.

It was the closest job to a zoo, and Jian Chen worked with great enthusiasm.

Except… for those unreasonable, temperamental “little ancestors” in the New Species Zone.

Thinking of this, the youth felt a headache coming on.

Every time he entered the New Species Zone, Jian Chen would hesitate, like a student arriving late for class; you never knew what was waiting for you on the other side of the door.

And today, Jian Chen had to enter the New Species Zone.

On the way there, Jian Chen suddenly heard a heavy thudding sound behind him.

Like a giant’s footsteps, one after another, the ground vibrated slightly, and dust was kicked up, scattering into the air.

When Jian Chen turned around, he first saw a bundle of thick wooden stakes.

How big?

Each stake was very thick in diameter and two or three meters long, with seven or eight tied together.

And pulling them forward was only one person.

He was three or four meters taller than Jian Chen, with broad shoulders, awe-inspiring abdominal muscles, powerful hind legs, sharp nails on his fingers, and… fur on his body, neck, and forehead. Or, more specifically

It was a wolf’s face.

Deep gray fur, gray-blue eyes he was certainly a handsome wolf in the pack.

However, despite being a wolf, he walked upright, and his hands and feet were even more nimble than a human’s. Jian Chen knew there were others like him in this institute—lions, leopards, and black bears…

Jian Chen knew the name of this species:

Orcs.

If you worked at the institute long enough, you wouldn’t be surprised to see any animal in the New Species Zone.

Jian Chen blinked and didn’t hesitate. He skirted the long wooden stakes and jogged over to the orc.

Because of the huge height difference, Jian Chen tilted his head back and raised his voice slightly. He waved enthusiastically at the giant wolf: “Theodore, good morning!”

The spiritual world of orcs was very dull, even a bit oppressive. Jian Chen often tried to greet them warmly to cheer them up.

“Jian Chen?”

Theodore stopped, and the wooden stakes followed suit, kicking up an even larger cloud of dust. He spoke in human syllables, though it was hard to tell if he was being friendly or annoyed: “Morning.”

Jian Chen choked and coughed a few times, his clean face instantly becoming covered in grime.

Theodore looked at the human in confusion. Just a moment ago he was full of life, but in the blink of an eye, he was doubled over, rubbing his eyes, coughing, and crying.

Humans were incomprehensible to orcs.

The next second, Jian Chen felt himself being lifted into the air.

The orc placed him on his shoulder.

Jian Chen panicked for a moment. He grabbed the fur on Theodore’s shoulder and looked down, catching a glimpse of the distant ground. If he fell from this height, Dun Dun probably wouldn’t have a Little Dad anymore.

“You can use my fur to wipe yourself.” Theodore thought for a moment and felt it might be inappropriate; after all, humans might think they were dirty.

So his deep voice added: “I showered with fresh water this morning. My fur is very clean.”

Little did he know, as he spoke, Jian Chen had already buried his head in the soft fluff, wiping the dust off his face in a few strokes.

It was a tiny bit of revenge for Theodore’s earlier rudeness.

The orc’s fur was much longer than a regular wolf pack’s. If you rubbed your face against a normal little wolf, you’d probably get a mouthful of fur, but Theodore’s fur wasn’t a problem—it was long and silky, more comfortable than a soft towel.

Theodore was a bit surprised. Then, a sound came from his throat, but it was low and its meaning unclear.

Jian Chen guessed the big fellow was laughing.

Learning that Jian Chen was headed to Zone F, Theodore put down the wooden stakes but didn’t put down the human on his shoulder.

He intended to give Jian Chen a lift.

“Theodore, I ordered a batch of fresh meat yesterday. You should have eaten it this morning, right?”

“How was it? Did it taste good?”

As a professor and breeder, Jian Chen paid great attention to the food issues of the big guys.

But for orcs, only Jian Chen would care about such things.

Or rather… care about them.

Theodore looked down at the youth in confusion.

Do humans always talk this much?

In his eyes, Jian Chen was very small.

So every time they met, he had to be careful, keeping Jian Chen in his sight, making sure the heavy stakes or stones didn’t crush the tiny human.

So, rather than Jian Chen being the one taking care of them, it was more like he was the cub that needed looking after.

“It tastes like fresh meat,” the orc said.

Jian Chen: “…”

Big brother, that’s a bit of a non-answer.

Theodore didn’t seem very interested in the topic of fresh meat. Instead, he asked Jian Chen: “Where have you been lately?”

Jian Chen was trying to find a more comfortable sitting position, but when he heard Theodore’s question, his face felt strangely hot: “I went to get married.”

Theodore seemed very surprised; even his footsteps faltered.

Jian Chen: “Didn’t my colleague tell you?”

“No.” Theodore raised a hand, hovering it in the air to prevent the human from falling if he lost his grip. He could catch him steadily. He continued:

“Humans don’t talk to slaves. In human eyes, orcs are the same as slaves.”

Jian Chen froze, his expression becoming serious.

Theodore looked straight ahead. When he spoke, there was no inflection in his tone; on the contrary, it was calm and natural, without complaint, resentment, anger, or irony. He was simply stating a fact.

“Theodore, you are not a slave.”

The orc’s eyes widened. The youth’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

“No orc is a slave.”

Jian Chen stretched out his arm, making a muscle-flexing gesture: “Look, your arm is thicker than mine, you’re four or five times my height, and your voice is very powerful. How could such a formidable species be a slave?”

His voice was as soft as flowing water, yet more powerful than iron.

The name Theodore was given by Jian Chen.

Jian Chen had named many orcs and other endangered animals; it wasn’t unusual.

However, Theodore liked his name best because it belonged only to him. He had secretly asked a robot and learned that the meaning of Theodore was—

A gift from God.

This meant there was only one orc in the world named Theodore.

They arrived at the New Species Zone.

Theodore put Jian Chen down.

His white lab coat was a bit dirty. Jian Chen lowered his head and patted it when he suddenly felt something touch the top of his head. It was very warm and moved slightly.

Jian Chen looked up to find the big guy patting his head.

The movement could be described as gentle, with his sharp-clawed paw stroking Jian Chen’s head. Theodore’s deep voice said:

“Thank you, Mr. Jian Chen.”

Jian Chen waved at him and smiled: “You’re welcome, Theodore.”

Turning around, he saw Chen Qiu by the door of Zone F, his jaw having already hit the floor.

Jian Chen adjusted his briefcase and greeted Chen Qiu.

Xiao Chen snapped out of it and, while following Jian Chen, said in surprise: “Teacher Jian! The orc actually patted your head!!”

“Theodore is known for having the worst temper among orcs. I’ve never seen him so gentle.”

Jian Chen thought for a moment. The reason Theodore could be so indulgent with him was likely…

Because he was thick-skinned.

Jian Chen used his staff card to swipe open the door of the New Species Zone.

Then, he sighed softly.

A wave of salty, damp air hit him. As Jian Chen and Chen Qiu followed the signs, the initially dark and murky view gradually opened up. Compared to Zones A-F, the New Species Zone had no gardens or oceans, no diverse habitats; it looked more like one laboratory after another.

Because what lived inside weren’t ordinary animals.

If they were put with ordinary animals, they would likely dominate the forest, ocean, or desert due to a lack of natural predators, leading to tragedy after tragedy.

Perhaps because there were so few visitors, even the second light in the hallway was broken, flickering dimly.

Actually, Jian Chen was also a bit reluctant to go in.

Humans are very sensitive to hidden, unknown dangers, and Jian Chen was no exception—he was even more intuitive than most. For example, before entering the New Species Zone in the past, he was never afraid, often even leading his trembling little assistant.

But now, Jian Chen was also feeling a bit weak.

After all, he hadn’t been back for over a week.

Previously, nothing would have made Jian Chen take such a long leave.

But, after all, that was a mar-riage.

Jian Chen bit his lip a bit bitterly and stopped at the first fork in the road. He rarely started procrastinating, but now he squatted on the ground, hugging his legs, and whispered: “I’ll go in in a bit. Let them calm down.”

Chen Qiu showed Jian Chen the calendar: “Teacher, these monsters have been ‘calm’ for a week. If you don’t go in now, I’m afraid they really won’t be calm anymore.”

Jian Chen: “…”

Chen Qiu: “Besides, since you’re standing here, they’ve probably already smelled you. They know you’re here.”

Jian Chen understood the logic.

But he picked up his watch, lowered his head, and looked at the little panda on the screen. Maybe his life would end today.

He should take a few more looks while he could.

It seemed this was the first time Chen Qiu had seen his teacher act like a spoiled brat. At this moment, his role was exceptionally important, so he took on the responsibility for the entire institute and warned seriously:

“Teacher, please do not avoid work.”

Jian Chen turned off his watch, stood up, and stretched his limbs: “Alright, let’s go. After all, this is my job… Should I go see the Little Phoenix and the Nine-Tailed Fox first?”

After all, he had raised them.

Xiao Chen saw through his teacher’s thoughts, looked down at the list, and rejected the proposal: “Teacher, considering the level of danger, I think you should go see the dragon, the merman, or the dinosaur first.”

His student had suddenly become serious and meticulous on his most dangerous day.

Jian Chen hesitated between the three for a long while.

Finally, he decided to see the dragon first.

The so-called “dragon” in this institute wasn’t the kind of cool, giant dragon that spread its wings and roared, destroying a building with one breath.

That was its father.

Six years ago, its father left behind a dragon egg and followed the massive immigrant fleet to Planet Tar. Of course, Jian Chen’s younger brother was also in that fleet.

So, the humans left on Earth practically the entire nation were focused on this dragon egg.

The little dragon that took six years to hatch… it was said that only when the dragon egg’s father was on the brink of death would the little dragon break its shell and be reborn.

Many high-ranking officials had tried to go to Planet Tar to investigate based on this theory, but before they even reached the atmosphere, they were blown to pieces.

Some suspected that the old dragon had already died, and the only human left with dragon-blood genes was the leader of those Tar people Jian Yu.

He was the hope of the Tar people.

So the little dragon should be the hope of Earth.

And this little dragon, endowed with infinite hope, happened to be exactly two and a half months old today.

If he had to give it a title, it could only be reluctantly called a “little milk dragon.”

What gave Jian Chen a headache was that the little milk dragon had recently learned to breathe fire.

Consequently, multiple sections—including the Garden Zone, Desert Zone, and Safety Zone had jointly banned the little dragon from entering, greatly limiting its range of activity.

Now the little dragon’s only activity area was this laboratory; it was bound to be a bit oppressive.

Jian Chen was afraid of his hair or eyebrows being singed. After all, he was a married man now and the guardian of a panda; Jian Chen was now quite attentive to his image.

Although Rega hadn’t attacked him with fire before.

But having been away for so long, Jian Chen wasn’t sure anymore.

After all, no one could guess a little dragon’s thoughts.

Just as Jian Chen used his card to open the lab for Rega’s area, Chen Qiu reported the situation: “Just the day before yesterday, Rega participated in an ability test. The result was Grade S.”

Rega was the little dragon’s name.

The so-called ability test was like the instruments used to evaluate biological spiritual power in the future interstellar era, ranging from F to A, then S up to SSS.

The closer to SSS spiritual power, the higher the grade and the more powerful the contained force.

“His father was only Grade SS,” Chen Qiu remarked. “A dragon only the size of a fart—his future is truly promising.”

Jian Chen: “…”

Looking around, Jian Chen was a tiny bit nervous. Dragons were very intelligent and had no trouble understanding human speech, and his student had just called him a “dragon the size of a fart.”

Even a dragon the size of a fart could breathe fire and kill an adult gazelle on its own.

Provided the gazelle didn’t run too fast.

Humans seemed quite pale and weak in front of a dragon’s fire, without even a chance to run.

Jian Chen mourned for himself.

Compared to being bald, his life was more important.

He and Chen Qiu walked into the laboratory. This lab was a full 330 square meters, vast and open; the little dragon could fly quite high. Their footsteps sounded exceptionally hollow, echoing slightly.

There was no sign of Rega.

Jian Chen first checked the cool spot where Rega liked to nap—nothing.

Then he went to the rock crevice where Rega liked to sharpen his claws—only claw marks, no little dragon.

Finally, they were attracted by the scent of charred meat.

It wasn’t far away; judging by the smell, it was about 50 meters from them.

Xiao Chen looked at Jian Chen, Jian Chen looked back at Chen Qiu, and the two of them nodded. Each put on a layer of fireproof clothing and a fireproof mask.

Before they could fully reach the source of the meaty aroma, Jian Chen heard a sharp cry:

“Roar”

He instantly recognized it as Rega’s voice.

Jian Chen admitted he was a bit panicked. Unable to determine the little dragon’s position, he tightened his mask.

To his surprise, in the next second, the surface of the mask was unexpectedly slashed by a claw!

The sharp claw tip didn’t leave the mask but hooked into the crack it created, flipping the entire mask up. Jian Chen’s face was completely exposed.

Jian Chen: …

That’s a bit against the rules.

Direct physical damage.

The expected fire didn’t arrive. Instead, he felt something land on his shoulder, standing steadily.

Its wings flapped slightly; although it was still small, it created a strong wind. Jian Chen’s hair fluttered before settling down.

Then Jian Chen’s cheek was rubbed by something slightly hard and smooth.

Once that finished, it leaned in and rubbed again.

Jian Chen realized it was Rega’s black head.

The little dragon didn’t seem to intend to breathe fire at him; instead, he was warmly expressing… longing?

Jian Chen felt the skin on his cheek being rubbed almost raw.

So he grabbed the little dragon cub and held it at a distance.

Forced to dangle in mid-air, Rega tilted his head, seemingly trying to understand what Jian Chen meant.

After not seeing him for seven days, the little fellow seemed to have grown a size larger.

He had sharp, fan-shaped wings, and his two nostrils were thin ovals shaped in a slight inward tilt. His dragon scales were arranged in a sharp pattern, and his eyes were a deep, intense red. Combined with the base of his wings a mix of fiery red and black the little dragon was very imposing and beautiful.

Jian Chen had taken a few photos of him, and every time they would go viral.

Netizens would say: “Rega looks like he has strong combat power. In the future, he’ll definitely go to Planet Tar and burn those traitors who just immigrated and declared themselves kings until not even their corpses are left!”

“Technology is so advanced now, dragons aren’t necessarily the strongest creatures. Instead of waiting, why not just kill the dragon like the leader of Planet Tar did, inject the dragon-blood gene, and who could stand against a fused non-human?”

“The dragon is still too small; it would die if you took a tube of blood. What a waste.”

“Then wait until it’s bigger to act. Just keep it in the institute for now, right?”

…

Even for the most powerful creatures, after humans felt awe, their first thought for a species that didn’t belong to them was still how to exploit it.

It was well known that the power of dragon blood was incredibly domineering, crushing and looking down on all beasts. Little did they know that in the long river of history, humans had not only created it but also sought to completely control it.

But dragon reproduction was very slow. In a dragon’s twilight years, it would lay a single egg alone. The old dragon would choose to fly far away to find a quiet place to wait for its body to age, while at the same time, life would be nurtured within the egg.

No wonder the institute had researched countless ways to hatch the egg back then but couldn’t get the little dragon to break out.

They waited for six years. Fortunately, the little fellow was growing very well now.

He had a great appetite.

Over time, Jian Chen had stopped feeling angry about such netizen comments. Rather than representing the will of the public, they were more of a deliberate guidance by the military. This turned their acts of war into an inevitable trend—the will of the people. The citizens were more like pawns to them.

After all, if a war truly started, the ones who would suffer would be these millions of netizens.

And this little dragon.

Jian Chen sincerely hoped that one day the little dragon could leave the institute and fly to a far-off place—ideally a deserted island or a lonely planet where no military or academy could find him. Then Rega could live out his life in peace.

But it was only a wish.

Where the little fellow finally wanted to go would primarily depend on his own will.

Jian Chen allowed the little dragon to remain on his shoulder and walked to the source of the charred smell from earlier.

—Case closed.

It turned out Rega was responsible for the missing gazelles from Zone A.

The charred bodies of over a dozen gazelles were gathered together, with leftovers from the cub’s meal on the ground. Jian Chen suspected Rega had grown quite a bit in just a few days because he had eaten so much.

A little dragon’s appetite was astonishing.

With a body that looked like it would be full after just a small piece of raw meat, he could hunt and roast them over fire by himself. Jian Chen felt this little fellow might be much smarter than he had imagined.

And the little dragon wasn’t idle either.

He was sniffing the scent on Jian Chen.

Because something wasn’t right.

There seemed to be the scent of another beast on Jian Chen—and it was very strong, wrapped tightly around him, impossible to ignore. That beast was likely highly aggressive and possessive, as if it wanted to brand its mark all over this human from head to toe.

Rega’s round eyes narrowed.

He was very angry.

Flapping his wings, he left Jian Chen’s shoulder and let out an angry cry like a giant goose:

“Roar!—”

Jian Chen naturally didn’t understand the little dragon’s thoughts, but he noticed something else.

“Why are you angry?”

Jian Chen extended a finger and waved it by the little dragon’s mouth. “Try breathing some fire?”

Rega: Are you provoking me?

Chen Qiu: Holy crap, my teacher has gone crazy!

In the next second, sparks erupted from the little dragon’s mouth, as if a roaring flame was about to surge out.

Then, during the process of exerting force, the little dragon let out a loud burp. The energy build-up was terminated, and the sparks were extinguished before they could be expelled.

Jian Chen reached a precise conclusion: “Rega ate too much, he’s out of fire.”

“Check his wings. I felt the base of his right wing was a bit unnatural just now. Give him whatever vaccines or nutritional medicine he needs. The stabilizer can be added.”

Rega: ?!!

Chen Qiu was stunned. He nodded and noted everything down.

Jian Chen took advantage of the break to wash his lab coat.

The dust the orc had left on his clothes was still there; Jian Chen felt that if he sat down, he’d kick up a cloud of dust.

After washing the lab coat, Jian Chen thought for a moment and walked over to Rega.

Rega was wearing a stabilizer and couldn’t fly for the time being. He was standing on a table, his front claws braced on the surface, looking very angry.

Because he was angry, he tried to breathe fire at Jian Chen again.

Jian Chen used his finger to test the temperature and felt it was just right.

He spread out the lab coat, facing the front toward the little dragon cub:

“Roar—”

After holding it for a while, Jian Chen felt it and found it was much drier. He flipped it to the back and held it toward the little dragon:

“Roar—”

Jian Chen took back the lab coat and found both sides were dry.

He opened it, slipped it on, and rubbed Rega’s head. “Thank you.”

Rega: “…”

After noon, the weather began to turn overcast.

Within an hour, dark clouds filled the sky. A few claps of dry thunder echoed through the ground. It was only 2:00 PM, but it was as dark as the early morning.

By 4:00 PM, the rain had become even worse.

Jian Chen stared at the ground through the window. Small puddles jumped as large raindrops hit them one after another.

Jian Chen took a quick photo. He thought he should ease the awkwardness from the morning, so he sent it to Yestin.

He also sent a text:

——[It’s raining on our side, what about you? ]

He thought it would take at least half an hour for a reply, but surprisingly, the man replied very quickly:

Just two short words:

——[No.]

Jian Chen looked at those two words—very much Yestin’s style.

Translated, it meant:

Something wrong?

If not, please don’t chat with me.

Jian Chen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Just as he put down his watch, it made a sound in the next second—a new message:

——[Image]

Jian Chen opened it and was stunned. It was a photo from Yestin, taken from an angle similar to his own. He had captured a corner of the ground, but the only difference was… there was no rain.

Jian Chen looked at the message, clutching his watch slightly, feeling quite pathetic.

He was actually… moved by Yestin.

Yestin asked him:

——[Did you bring an umbrella?]

Jian Chen watched several colleagues walking out of the hall with umbrellas. He lowered his head and typed silently:

——[No. ]

Yestin’s next message didn’t take long:

——[Don’t leave early, I’ll pick you up tonight. ]

Jian Chen stared at those few words, his heart skipping a beat—it was a bit fast.

It was as if he could actually see Yestin’s appearance when he typed those words, combined with that handsome but expressionless, stern face.

Logically, there was no need to pick him up.

Taking a taxi was the same; in the rain, a taxi could still drive into the underground parking lot and pick up passengers.

Jian Chen wondered: Did Yestin take to heart what I said about him coming to the institute to see it?

Jian Chen silently typed: [Okay.]

4:30 PM.

Half an hour before finishing work.

The little dragon lay on Jian Chen’s shoulder, his wings curled slightly. His red pupils were now hidden behind tired eyelids; as he fell asleep, his head nodded again and again.

Even so, he refused to move off Jian Chen.

Jian Chen leaned against the balcony window, listening to the pattering rain, and began to feel drowsy too.

If a newspaper reporter were to capture this scene, it would surely cause the hearts of citizens across the country to flutter.

It was at this time that an abnormality occurred at the Endangered Species Research Institute.

Initially, it was Rega who started becoming restless.

The little dragon circled in the air above the lab. Ignoring the obstruction of the stabilizer, he spread his wings, his eyes sharp and full of aggression.

Then he dove toward the ground.

It wasn’t a suicidal act; the little dragon would quickly turn before hitting the ground, then dive a second time.

If you looked closely, you could see Rega breathing out hot, powerful flames more intense and spectacular than ever before.

This also made Jian Chen realize that the little dragon who “couldn’t breathe fire” earlier had more or less been playing along with him.

“…”

Jian Chen felt a deep sense of frustration from caring for a cub only to be treated like a cub himself.

Unable to stop Rega’s outburst, Jian Chen left the New Species Zone and went to Zones A through F. The guards and staff all described the abnormality to him.

Simply put, the creatures in the New Species Zone were in a state of rage and excitement, as if eager to face a formidable enemy.

In contrast, most of the beasts in the other zones behaved quite differently. They tucked their tails, left their usual habitats, and hid in corners, their legs trembling.

It was as if they were afraid of something.

This phenomenon was simply too strange.

If it were just a fear of earthquakes, China now had very sophisticated prediction instruments. If the animals were afraid of a natural disaster, the entire country would know in advance.

It was more like they were afraid of a powerful intruder in their territory.

Experts at the institute arrived one after another, gathering in the multi-functional detection room for an emergency meeting.

The final conclusion was that the institute’s magnetic field had fluctuated, indirectly affecting the animals’ emotions and activities.

Moreover, the owner of this magnetic field that affected the entire institute was certainly no ordinary beast. If it had participated in an ability test a few days ago, reaching Grade SSS wouldn’t have been a problem.

In the long run, this would be a precious beast with progressive significance for humanity, but at the same time, right now, it was very likely to hunt other animals or even humans. Based on this alone, it had to be found quickly.

However, where the fluctuation occurred and what caused the magnetic field abnormality was still being determined by the detectors.

After all, the institute was far too large; the distance from Zone A to the New Species Zone alone was dozens of kilometers.

After a while, an expert was the first to find the location.

“The parking lot!”

The expert said excitedly, “I’m sure the abnormal magnetic field disturbance is in the parking lot!”

Everyone was shocked, including Jian Chen.

Because in the institute, only powerful beasts could cause a magnetic field disturbance. They had special spiritual power and abilities that could indirectly affect Earth’s magnetic field.

Humans had no spiritual power and could not affect the magnetic field.

However, all the animals in the institute, including the new species, lived on the first floor.

The basement level was the parking lot—the place where the institute’s staff parked their cars.

A magnetic field abnormality in the parking lot meant a non-human beast had appeared there.

Now, the conclusion of the institute’s experts was surprisingly consistent: a beast had broken out of its enclosure, escaped from a certain zone, and entered the parking lot.

But strangely, the check of the animal counts in all zones showed no abnormalities—not a single one was missing. Furthermore, there were no signs of damage to any door locks.

It was a bizarre puzzle.

As Jian Chen listened intently, his pupils suddenly contracted. Then, an uncontrollable chill washed over him, like a bucket of cold water poured from his heart down to his toes.

Yestin.

Yestin was still in the parking lot!

They had agreed: Yestin would pick him up tonight and wait for him in the parking lot.

If the beast was in the underground parking lot, then Yestin’s current situation must be extremely dangerous!!

Jian Chen left the meeting halfway through.

Inside the half-closed door of the meeting room, the leader divided the experts into two groups. One group continued to search for the breach, while the other formed an emergency response team, issued with weapons for dealing with different beasts, attempting to minimize loss and danger.

Jian Chen couldn’t wait that long.

He carried a high-potency tranquilizer gun in his lab coat; it should be effective against any beast in the institute.

As he went down the stairs, Jian Chen’s legs felt a bit weak. The tips of his fingers holding the gun were cold, and he couldn’t stop his mind from filling with the worst possible outcomes.

He was truly afraid.

It couldn’t be.

It won’t happen. Yestin will be fine.

His vision began to blur. Jian Chen regretted it immensely why did he suggest Yestin come to see the institute?

The underground parking lot was huge, requiring two sets of stairs to reach, and the entrance was three hundred meters away.

The further down he went, the faster his heart beat.

It won’t happen.

He kept comforting himself.

It was already 5:30 PM. Maybe the man had left after waiting for so long?

Given Yestin’s personality, he probably wouldn’t wait for anyone on his own initiative.

Jian Chen started running.

When he entered the parking lot, this gray and somewhat gloomy place was unexpectedly quiet. No roars, no screams—it was so quiet it seemed like a crime scene review after the fact.

Jian Chen felt hopeless due to his own imagination.

He looked around, his footsteps never stopping. He checked every corner carefully but didn’t see any large figures.

Furthermore, he didn’t smell any blood.

Jian Chen thought: He wasn’t swallowed whole, was he?

While he was wondering, he suddenly stopped.

In the distance was a familiar car.

It was the same one they had taken this morning. Leaning against the car was a tall, handsome man.

Jian Chen’s fingertips curled.

The stern, perpetually expressionless Yestin was looking down, smoking.

His light-colored, curled lashes partially veiled the deep gold glint in his eyes. His slender fingers held the cigarette, a tiny spark moving within the faint, swirling smoke.

The light was half-dim, half-bright, alternating; one half illuminated his hair, while the other deepened the bridge of his nose.

Around the collar of the man’s overcoat was a wine-red scarf that didn’t quite match his temperament.

Jian Chen felt his heart was about to stop.

But his footsteps were rational, walking toward Yestin.

The sound of his footsteps caught Yestin’s attention.

After seeing Jian Chen, the man was stunned for a moment.

He moved and extinguished the cigarette in his hand.

Then his eyes seemed to carry a hint of inquiry and confusion. He spoke: “Why are you wearing your work clothes?”

Jian Chen looked down at his white lab coat and realized he had been in such a hurry that he forgot to take it off.

When a person suddenly relaxes after being under intense stress, their emotions often become very sensitive.

For example, although Yestin didn’t say anything, as Jian Chen approached, he almost couldn’t hold it together, struggling to keep his tears from falling.

Facing him, he spoke somewhat incoherently:

“Did you see the beast that”

Under extreme stress, a person’s mind becomes frantic and lost, even completely blank. This seemed to be Jian Chen’s situation.

He had always prided himself on being clear-headed and quick-witted in conversation; now, he found he couldn’t even express the simplest syllables properly. It was too embarrassing.

“We just found the magnetic field.”

He still couldn’t speak.

Seeing him like this, even Yestin showed a flicker of surprise on his face.

“Jian Chen.”

The man interrupted him.

His voice was magnetic and low, accompanied by the heavy night and the faint sound of water seeping in from the ground outside. The man’s expression didn’t change, and the mist from his breath was cold and heavy.

He could even be described as gentle. Although his appearance still made one feel he was stern and powerful, the man said slowly: “I’m listening.”

“What’s wrong?”

Jian Chen took a breath, feeling much calmer.

Yestin was right in front of him.

Whole and intact! Not eaten by any big fellow!

As long as he was okay!

Even if some monster appeared now, he had a tranquilizer gun in his hand; both he and Yestin would be fine.

Jian Chen sniffed. He caught a very faint smell of tobacco lingering from the man’s neck, cuffs, and even his overcoat.

Jian Chen didn’t answer the man’s question.

There was no need to answer anymore.

Jian Chen stood on his tiptoes, grabbed the edge of the button on the inside of Yestin’s overcoat, and forced the man to lean down slightly, bringing that handsome face closer.

!”

Yestin’s pupils contracted sharply.

Like a subtle spark exploding, a current accompanied by an itch spread through his entire body.

Jian Chen’s lips landed on the man’s cheek.