Beauty and the Beasts

Her son’s appearance didn’t look much younger than her actual age, and Bai Qingqing couldn’t help but feel a sense of humiliation.

Parker said, “Males should only be able to change their forms when they mature. This indicates that their bodies have matured. The little snake clearly hasn’t matured yet.”

“That’s right!” Bai Qingqing looked worried. “The little snake is only two years old. If the incubation period is excluded, it isn’t even two years old yet. No matter how much he eats, he shouldn’t mature because of that.”

“Don’t worry.” Parker consoled her.

He didn’t get Bai Qingqing’s doubt on the problem with the little snake’s age.

As male beastmen had a very short infancy phase, leopards would reach adolescence at about three to four years old, being not much weaker than wild animals. Thereafter, they’d continue to be in their adolescent stage until they became of age and were able to change their forms.

Without their father to care for them, snake beastmen naturally had an even shorter infancy stage than other species. It was very normal for them to enter adolescence at the age of two.

Parker gave it some thought before saying, “It could be that the little snake has eaten something by accident, allowing him to possess the ability to change his form in advance.”

“Hmm? Did something like this happen before?” Bai Qingqing asked curiously.

Parker smiled and said, “There are many mysterious things in the world. The transparent crystals in carnivorous behemoths can increase beastmen’s physical strength; the green crystals in herbivorous behemoths can extend beastmen’s lifespan. With each battle, the energy in one’s body would increase. The more intense the battle, the greater the increase in energy.”

Bai Qingqing wasn’t unfamiliar with transparent crystals and green crystals, but this was the first time she had heard of leveling up through fighting. She looked up at him with eyes filled with curiosity.

Parker patted her head adoringly, planting a kiss on her lips.

“We can’t really make sense of these things ourselves and have long gotten used to them. There are often rumors of certain beastmen eating something that causes them to gain additional or lose animal stripes. These are all very common.”

This was why Parker wasn’t surprised by the little snake’s condition. He had only been startled by the strong scent produced when the little snake was shedding skin.

Bai Qingqing rested her chin on her hands, the corners of her lips curling up uncontrollably, and there was a hint of anticipation in her voice. “It’s quite good, actually. I can speak with the little snake now.”

“Howl—”

The leopard cubs lay down by the fire, chewing onto their paws in low spirits.

Bai Qingqing smiled and touched Eldest, who was next to her, and coaxed gently. “My leopard cubs are well-behaved as well.”

“Howl howl howl?”

Eldest raised his head and made a long series of sounds toward her.

Bai Qingqing looked toward Parker and asked, “What’s he saying?”

Parker couldn’t hold back his smile and tapped her nose, saying, “We haven’t told the children about the little snake before.”

“Ahh!” Bai Qingqing let out a loud cry and slapped herself on the forehead.

To think that she had forgotten to tell the leopard cubs about such an important thing. She was a failure as a mother.

Parker said, “He’s asking who that snake is and why you’re so good to him.”

Bai Qingqing grabbed Eldest’s front paws and dragged him onto her lap.

“Children, that is Elder Brother. He’s a child born between Mommy and Curtis.”

“Howl!”

Eldest’s orange-yellow leopard eyes opened wide in astonishment as if saying, To think that I have a coquettish brother to fight for family assets with me?

Both Second and Third turned to look toward the hole. Then, all three of them stood up and walked toward it in a row.

They crowded around the hole, sniffing furiously, occasionally wheezing in disdain, expressing their dislike toward the new family member.

Bai Qingqing called out to them softly, “Be quieter. Don’t disturb your elder brother. Come over to mommy.”

“Howl—”

The leopard cubs walked back obediently.