Chapter Twenty-Two: Adopting the Great Lion

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“Oh dear, alright, alright, enough.”
“Stop licking, stop licking, stop licking.”

Yu Lan’s entire beautiful face was reddened by the lion’s licking, and she dared not open her eyes.
She could only turn her face aside, close her eyes, and reach out to push the golden lion’s furry big head.

Suddenly,
a spark of inspiration flashed through Yu Lan’s mind.

Looking at the enthusiastic lion before her, Yu Lan’s memory drifted back to the silver wolf locked inside the iron cage.
And at the same time, Huo Zhanting had mysteriously disappeared.

“Huo Zhanting, is that you?”
Yu Lan tentatively asked in a soft voice.

The furry, affectionate lion who obediently licked her hand when forbidden to lick her face tilted its head, a flicker of confusion flashing in its golden beast-like eyes.

(Lick, lick, lick) What is this about?
(Lick, lick, lick) Who is Huo Zhanting?
(Lick, lick, lick) (With a playful howl, it took the chance to lick the little female’s face.) Why do you smell so wonderful, little female?

“Alright then.”
Yu Lan gave up.

She simply could not connect this overly affectionate, almost obsessed lion with the strong and assertive man she had met that day.
There was no way Huo Zhanting would ever show such a side.

But what Yu Lan did not know was that,
an hour ago on the battlefield of District 13, the Dark Planet, unable to defeat Huo Zhanting’s First Army, the enemy resorted to the lowest tactics—spraying a large amount of an aphrodisiac directly at Huo Zhanting.

Deprived of female comfort, the normally dominant man instantly transformed into beastly instincts, following the deepest scent memories all the way back to this villa.

Now, before Yu Lan was this lion, lost in obsessive licking and cuddling, even lying on the ground to expose his soft belly for the female to nuzzle—a lion that was none other than the cold and dominant Huo Zhanting himself.

Unfortunately, Yu Lan was completely unaware of this fact.

“Then where exactly did you come from?”
Yu Lan poked the lion’s furry head with her hand, full of curiosity.

She even withdrew her hand awkwardly, refusing the lion’s kisses and licks.

Because she simply could not tell if the creature before her was truly just a big lion or the man in beast form.

If it was a real lion, that would be one thing.
But if it were the man, such intimate behavior was far too much.

“Roar!”

Seeing Yu Lan pull her hand back and forbid further contact, the lion voiced his discontent.

He even lowered his head and nudged Yu Lan with his furry big head, as if acting coquettishly.

Yu Lan was instantly amused.

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“Alright, alright, be good. It’s not that I don’t want you to lick me, I just want to know who you really are.”

Just then, suddenly,
a message interrupted on the living room screen.

[Urgent Notice: Due to the war in District 13, all animals from the Interstellar Zoo have escaped.]
[Please do not panic. The Interstellar Zoo is mobilizing personnel to search everywhere. The zoo’s animals are specially trained, gentle, and polite—they will never attack humans unprovoked.]
[If you spot any, please call 188888 immediately. We will dispatch personnel to assist at once.]

“Interstellar Zoo? There’s actually a zoo in space?”
Yu Lan’s eyes widened slightly.

Avoiding the lion’s furry affection, she took out her phone to check the news.

Soon,
she found out.

There was indeed a zoo in the interstellar realm, but because males could transform into animals themselves, visitor numbers were dwindling, the zoo was running at a loss, and security had weakened.

That was why the animals had managed to break out this time.

Of course, the zoo’s creatures were truly tame and posed no threat to humans.

In fact, the zoo was even appealing to kind-hearted people to adopt the animals, as it could no longer afford their care.

Having confirmed the lion’s origin,
Yu Lan pulled out her phone to call the zoo.

The number dialed, and as she waited for the call to connect, Yu Lan hesitated.

Alone, having crossed into this place,
no family, no friends.

Though living in a large villa, Yu Lan felt nothing but emptiness and coldness.

If only a living, breathing animal could keep her company…

Yu Lan pursed her lips. Perhaps life could become a bit more joyful.

She had wanted to raise a furry companion since childhood. Although a lion was much bigger, the zoo had promised the animal was gentle and would not harm anyone.

The lion’s behavior just now had proven that.

So,
just as the call was about to be answered, Yu Lan’s swift fingers pressed the hang-up button.

She was so flustered that she even imagined hearing a “Hello?” on the other end.

“Phew!”
Staring at the dead screen, Yu Lan placed her hand on her chest and patted it.

“Roar?”

The lion beside her tilted his furry head in confusion, looking from the phone to Yu Lan.

His furry face was full of incomprehension.

After deciding to adopt, Yu Lan looked at this lion anew.

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Everything about him seemed different.

His posture was graceful, limbs agile, and coat glossy and radiant.

Truly worthy of being the lion she intended to raise—he would be impressive anywhere she took him.

Moreover, with a lion guarding the house, she would no longer fear thieves breaking in at night.

If anyone dared enter, she would simply unleash the lion.

The more Yu Lan thought about it, the more excited she became. Suddenly, she threw open her arms and hugged the lion’s furry head tightly.

“Baby.”
“From now on, you’ll stay here and let me take care of you, alright?”

So fragrant, so fragrant, so fragrant.

The lion, held tightly by Yu Lan, buried his head in the beautiful female’s high, full chest.

The warm, intoxicating scent filled his nostrils completely.

The golden lion felt his whole body soften, his limbs kneeling straight down on the floor.

The scene was utterly awkward.

“Baby?”
“What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

Yu Lan’s face was puzzled. Could such a strong lion be ill?

Had he caught a cold escaping the zoo, perhaps?

She reached out to touch the lion’s forehead.

But in the next moment, feeling embarrassed in front of the beautiful female, the lion swiftly got up.

His golden beast eyes fixed on Yu Lan for a moment before he turned and, pushing hard with his limbs, dashed away rapidly.

“Hey, baby, where are you going?”
“Come back!”

Yu Lan watched the golden lion’s swift retreating figure and scrambled to her feet.

Hearing her call, the lion only ran faster, disappearing around the stairwell and out of sight—no one knew where he had gone.

But seeing him run so fast, Yu Lan was reassured he was healthy.

So why…?

Pondering something, Yu Lan looked down at herself, her fair, delicate face suddenly flushing red.

She had almost forgotten—

The lion was a male.

Ah, she would have to maintain the proper distance from now on.