Chapter 7: I Just Have Good Luck with Animals

The stitched wound was torn open by a massive movement.

Fresh blood stained the pure white fur red.

"Cub?"

Looking at the cub that had suddenly appeared before her, Xuegao stood frozen in place, her furry face filled with disbelief.

"Wuu wuu... I finally found you!"

The little one squeezed forcefully into the cage as if acting spoiled.

Xuegao raised her front paw and placed it tremulously atop the little snow leopard's head.

Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled.

Only...

She slowly raised her head, her gaze toward the doorway still remaining highly defensive.

Lin Xiao quietly exhaled and stepped forward gently.

"Hello, I am Lin Xiao."

Before she could continue speaking, she heard the little snow leopard's milky voice cry out.

"She's the one who saved me from the bad guys!"

Hearing the little snow leopard's explanation, Xuegao's attitude remained very cold.

"Is that so? Now that the cub is returned, you can leave!"

Lin Xiao opened her mouth, unable to help herself. "I brought medical tools. Your wounds need treatment; how about I help you with them?"

Seeing that Xuegao had no reaction.

Lin Xiao quietly took a tentative step forward. Seeing that the leopard had tacitly accepted, the emotions on her face finally softened a bit.

She walked inside and tentatively reached out to stroke Xuegao's head.

The moment she touched her, the massive cat head moved suddenly. Her hand, suspended in mid-air, froze abruptly.

In the next second, she saw Xuegao give her a very indifferent look. She didn't speak, but instead silently chose a position closer to the cage to make it easier for her to touch her.

Lin Xiao's heart suddenly dropped back into place, and the smile on her face deepened significantly.

Another one with a "cold exterior, warm interior" personality.

No wonder the little one was so tsundere.

It turns out like mother, like cub.

After re-dressing Xuegao's wounds, she also fed her all the food the staff had thrown in.

Once everything was tidied up, Lin Xiao sat on the ground, stroked the little cub's head, and suggested very earnestly

"Xuegao, if you want to return to your mountains and forests, your wounds must be treated properly."

"You should have seen it; the staff members who have been taking care of you are truly only there to save you and treat your injuries."

"You can trust these people in work uniforms."

"Hmph, they saved me, and then what? Lock me in a cage to be exhibited by you two-legged beasts?"

Lin Xiao laughed and shook her head.

"You misunderstood. The staff here exist to protect you. Once you are fully recovered, the staff will release you back into the mountains and forests."

"Trust me, I will personally release you back into the wild, okay?"

As Lin Xiao gave her solemn guarantee, Xuegao's ice-blue eyes stared at her fixedly for a long time before she finally nodded silently.

Lin Xiao felt a surge of joy and quickly walked toward the door.

"Good, now call your keeper over immediately."

The staff member waiting outside the door had long since lost his patience.

Even with Lu Chengshen standing beside him, he couldn't help but darken his expression.

"She's been in there so long, nothing wrong happened, right?"

"I told her she has no experience, yet she insisted on rushing forward."

"Director Lu, if something happens to her here, it shouldn't be our responsibility, right?"

Lu Chengshen hadn't expected a man to be so talkative.

Seeing him question repeatedly, he snapped back somewhat sharply, "The blame won't fall on you."

The man gave a sheepish smile, but when he turned his head, his face was still full of disdain.

Just a well-connected person from the entertainment industry, yet she wants to come and mess around in a life-saving profession like ours; it's truly disgusting.

But... as long as she doesn't mess herself up.

Just as his complaining subsided, he looked up and saw Xuegao's room being opened.

The two men's expressions turned solemn as they quickly stepped forward.

They saw Lin Xiao walking out of the room with a face full of smiles.

"Which one is the keeper currently looking after Xuegao? Have her come in with me so Xuegao can identify her scent."

Seeing her smiling face and that she was unharmed, the staff member beside her looked shocked and stared at her for a long time.

"You, you're really okay?"

Lin Xiao looked puzzled. "Should I be not okay?"

The man's face was bright red. He shook his head repeatedly.

"No, you're fine!"

He raised his hand to roughly wipe his face and turned to walk toward the back.

"I'll go call the person for you right now."

Watching the man's inexplicable reaction, Lin Xiao looked at Lu Chengshen with a confused expression.

"Why is he so agitated?"

Even if Xuegao accepted treatment from the staff, there was no need to be this agitated.

And his reaction seemed...

Lu Chengshen pressed his fist against his lips and let out a light chuckle.

"Probably... he's just a bit embarrassed."

After all, being caught red-handed while badmouthing someone wasn't a pleasant experience.

Lin Xiao didn't think much of it; she turned and pushed the door to enter the room.

The little snow leopard stood by the cage, looking up at her. Her ice-blue eyes shimmered with moisture, as if she had a premonition.

"Wuu wuu..."

"Are you leaving, two-legged beast?"

The milky voice was full of loss.

Lin Xiao walked closer and rubbed her little head.

"Be careful in the future. Don't let the bad guys catch you again."

The little snow leopard gave a soft huff, and as she stubbornly turned her head away, a hint of reluctance leaked out.

"I'm not that stupid. It's clearly because you two-legged beasts are too cunning."

Lin Xiao smiled but said nothing.

Her gaze inadvertently swept across the shadow beside her. She subconsciously raised her eyes, only to see Lu Chengshen standing at the doorway, staring intently at the little snow leopard under her palm.

A flash of... envy passed through his eyes?

By the time she instinctively tried to see more clearly, she was a step too late.

Lu Chengshen met her gaze with some confusion, appearing very puzzled as to why she was staring at him.

Lin Xiao silently withdrew her gaze, but her heart remained filled with doubt.

Could she really have seen it wrong?

But thinking back to that gaze just now...

After much deliberation, Lin Xiao cupped the little snow leopard's head and tentatively turned her head toward Lu Chengshen behind her.

"Director Lu, otherwise, why don't you... try petting her too?"

The hand Lu Chengshen had behind his back twitched with an itch to touch.

However, his facial expression did not change in the slightest.

He fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. "No need, thank you!"

Lin Xiao curled her lip. Of course, as the Minister of Natural Resources, how could he not have had contact with snow leopards before?

She must have seen it wrong just now.

A moment later, the keeper from the animal protection center was called over.

With Lin Xiao's help, Xuegao the snow leopard became much gentler.

The communication between the two sides was very smooth.

As she walked out of Xuegao's feeding room, the keeper's eyes were glowing as he looked at Lin Xiao.

"I've tried every method, but Xuegao wouldn't let me get close. Sister, can you tell me how exactly you communicate with snow leopards?"

The smile on Lin Xiao's face suddenly froze.

How did she communicate?

With words, of course!

She gave a few dry laughs and forced an explanation: "Maybe I just have a good affinity with animals."

(End of Chapter)