Chapter 2606: Magical Creatures in the Zoo 13

Qiao Mai couldn't help raising his phone, replaying the video he just recorded over and over, excitedly asking Bai Rendong.

"Director, this clip is too amazing—should we post it on our zoo's official account? It'll definitely go viral!"

Bai Rendong looked at the white lion, surrounded like stars around the moon, elegantly licking its paws, thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Save it for now. Little White Jade is too special—temporarily not suitable for overexposure."

A system notification sounded in Jin Chen's mind.

【Side Quest 1: Tame the existing animals in the zoo to become lackeys (7/?)】

【Reward: Healing Monster Power (Intermediate), Human Communication (Intermediate), Attack Monster Power (Beginner), Zoo Operation Funds 2,000,000 (already entered the director's account via legal means)】

Jin Chen counted the animals below, 【Just now there were clearly six new animals calling me boss.】

Ling Gun Gun explained: 【The pigeons' monster power is only a tiny bit, and they come in a pair, so counting them as one is reasonable.】

Jin Chen: 【……】Alright.

The white lion licked its paws, no longer holding a grudge, turned and stretched out its front paw toward Bai Rendong, letting out a soft whimper, asking for a hug.

Bai Rendong hurried over, carefully picking up the white lion from Tiger Valley's head and holding it close to his chest, his cheek pressed against its warm, soft fur, whispering praise.

"You've worked hard, Bao Bao—great job."

"Roar~"

"It wasn't that hard either."

The white lion licked its paws again, then rubbed against Bai Rendong's face.

An air of effortless ease, like a big shot.

Half an hour later, the hardworking white lion received a bowl of milk one size larger than usual.

Plus, Bai Rendong personally made refined animal feed—high-quality minced raw meat.

But Jin Chen took a bite, then pushed it away with his paw in disgust.

"Bai Bai,"

Bai Rendong heard the youth's coquettish, picky tone: "I want it cooked—this raw stuff is too fishy."

Bai Rendong naturally obliged, heading to the small kitchen to carefully cook the minced meat, turning it into fragrant cooked meat paste.

This time the white lion ate with great satisfaction, its head almost buried in the bowl; after finishing, it earnestly rubbed its face, then lunged into Bai Rendong's arms to nuzzle.

Just then, the office door was knocked.

Su Ning entered in work uniform: "Director, the new enclosures and activity area in the Lion Garden have been set up according to requirements, ventilation and insulation checked. Would you like to take the little lion over to have a look? Get familiar with the environment."

Bai Rendong froze at the words, instinctively lowering his gaze to the white lion in his arms, nuzzling his fingers coquettishly.

"Should…… let it live alone in the Lion Garden?"

"Live alone? That's absolutely impossible."

As soon as Jin Chen heard Su Ning's words, his ears perked up alertly.

The lion's previously limp, lethargic body in Bai Rendong's arms straightened, lifting its little head, staring unblinkingly at Bai Rendong, emitting a pitiful whimper, feeble and weak, making one's heart ache just to hear it.

The white lion stretched out its two front paws, gripping Bai Rendong's collar tightly, straining to bring its face close to his, insisting on eye contact, its golden beast eyes glistening with moisture.

"Bai Bai," the youth's clear voice trembled slightly, echoing directly in Bai Rendong's mind.

"Do you want me to sleep alone? Have another keeper feed me? Or… will you start caring for other little animals and ignore me from now on?"

These three sentences, each more aggrieved than the last, each stabbing deeper into the heart.

Even the hardest heart would soften upon hearing them—let alone Bai Rendong, who already had no limits where this little lion was concerned.

He felt his heart tugged as if scratched by the lion's paw, sore and soft, and quickly denied, voice extremely gentle: "No, no, how could that be? Bao Bao, don't overthink."

As he spoke, he gently rubbed the white lion's soft, warm belly with his hand, trying to soothe its unease.

Immediately, he raised his head and said to Su Ning, still standing at the doorway: "The Lion Garden… let it stay vacant for a while, thoroughly disinfect and ventilate, no rush to use it."

Su Ning looked at the director's expression—he seemed to want to tuck that little ancestor in his arms into his pocket and hide it—and, as clear as a mirror, he understood perfectly.

He smiled, nodded agreeably: "Alright, I got it—nothing else, I'll get back to work."

Besides, he wouldn't get any favor from this little lion anyway, so he was happy to avoid extra care, saving effort.

After Su Ning left, Bai Rendong lowered his head again, rubbing his nose against the white lion's pink nose: "Alright, what I just said doesn't count—Bao Bao, you can live wherever you want, for as long as you want, okay?"

Only then did Jin Chen let out a satisfied grunt, flopping back into his arms, his tail tip twitching happily, and he nudged Bai Rendong's chin with his head.

【Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total now 16!】

At night, after washing up.

Bai Rendong used a warm, damp towel to carefully wipe down the white lion, who had worked hard gathering lackeys during the day, from head to toe—especially its four paws and the face smeared with meat bits—until it was clean and fragrant.

The white lion, full and well‑served, grew so sleepy its eyes narrowed to slits, its steps wobbly; it practically closed its eyes and, relying on instinct, dove into the soft blankets, found its usual spot, curled up, and was about to meet Mr. Zhou (i. e., fall asleep).

Bai Rendong found it amusing, also lifted the blankets and lay down, as always pulling that warm little bundle into his arms.

The little lion spontaneously found a comfortable spot on his chest, rested its head on his arm, and let out a contented purr.

Bai Rendong gently stroked the white lion's back, whose fur was becoming denser and softer, unconsciously measuring the little creature's size with his palm, then recalling what it looked like when he first picked it up two days ago.

"Huh?" He couldn't help letting out a doubtful sigh, muttering softly, "Strange… Bao Bao, you seem to have grown quite a bit."

He was certain he wasn't mistaken.

Lion and tiger cubs do grow quickly with sufficient nutrition, but the little fellow in his arms had, in just two or three days, visibly increased in size by a noticeable margin, felt heavier in hand, its baby fur shed, revealing the texture of short silver‑white hair.

This growth rate still surprised him.

The white lion rubbed against him in his arms, its fluffy tail lazily sweeping his wrist back and forth, its ear tips twitching.

The youth's voice, tinged with drowsy laziness, then sounded.

"Because I was never truly a cub to begin with—I was just temporarily made small."

Bai Rendong realized: "Oh, that's how it is…"

No wonder it's so clever and understands human nature.

At that moment, Xiao Bai Lion suddenly lifted its upper body, its two front paws resting on Bai Rendong's chest, its fluffy face drawing close to his face, extending a pink tongue tipped with tiny barbs, and licked the tip of his nose.

"Does Bai Bai only like me when I was a cub? Once I'm fully grown, big and not cute anymore."

"You won't like me anymore? You won't hug me?"

Bai Rendong: "......"

Bai Rendong pulled the little lion that had come close into his embrace, lowered his head, and gently rubbed his cheek against the warm, soft fur on top of its head.

"Of course not," he said firmly, "I like Bao Bao no matter what—small and adorable, and when grown up, surely majestic and handsome; I'll like him any way."

Bai Rendong even found himself unable to stop imagining what this little guy would look like when fully grown—how vigorous and spirited he would be, all snow‑white.

He would surely be the most handsome lion in the world.

He gently rubbed the base of Xiao Bai Lion's ears, his voice full of anticipation: "When Bao Bao grows up, I'll prepare a bigger, more comfortable den for you, take you to a larger playground to run and jump, and feed you more delicious meat."

"That's what you said."

Sensing the Monster Power gradually filling him, Jin Chen, who would soon be able to freely assume human form, said:

He was really looking forward to it.