Playing in the water shouldn't be a problem, as long as I'm careful and take good care of her, everything should be fine.
Recently, he's noticed that Si Lu indeed seemed a little unhappy.
Maybe, she was truly feeling a bit stifled.
Since that was the case, he decided to let her play in the water, relax, and have some fun.
"Really? Can I?" Si Lu's eyes lit up the moment she heard Hei Yao's words, and the disappointment she had felt just moments before instantly vanished.
Although she really wanted to learn how to swim, she knew that now wasn't the right time for her to do so. However, just being able to play in the water a little made her quite happy.
Moreover, she believed in Hei Yao's strength. He was very skilled in the water, and she trusted that he would definitely be able to protect her.
She was feeling so stifled lately that she was willing to take a bit of a risk. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a request.
"Of course you can. I'm very good in the water. You can sit on my back, and I'll take care of the rest," Hei Yao said with a smile.
The others didn't say much. As long as it was just playing in the water, they didn't see any problem with it.
Sitting on Hei Yao's back wasn't an issue, and with him protecting her, they felt at ease.
Seeing Si Lu smile again, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"I think it's doable. Hei Yao's swimming skills are excellent. He'll protect you well as long as you don't actually try to swim. After all, you're pregnant, and intense activity could indeed be dangerous," Cheng Mo said.
He had to consider Si Lu's safety, as well as the safety of the cub in her belly.
If anything happened to Si Lu, he would feel as though he'd want to die. And, of course, if anything happened to the cub, he believed Si Lu would be devastated, heartbroken, and filled with regret.
Therefore, he had to think things through carefully and prevent such a situation from occurring. Sitting on Hei Yao's back to play in the water was fine, but swimming was out of the question—it was too risky.
"Exactly. I'm also good with water. When you play, I can keep an eye on things and provide extra protection," Nansi said with a smile.
He could tell that Si Lu really wanted to play in the water.
So, he also wanted to offer additional protection, believing that double the safeguard would make things even safer.
"Great! Then it's settled! Hei Yao, take me down to play in the water. Don't worry, I'll be very good. I won't run off or move around, and I'll listen to everything you say," Si Lu quickly promised as she looked at them all.
She knew they were all concerned about her safety, and that's why they were saying these things. She didn't want them to worry.
She would be obedient and follow their instructions.
"Alright," Hei Yao said, smiling as he saw how happy Si Lu was.
Seeing her so joyful, his heart was at ease too.
These days, Hei Yao's wounds had long since healed, without even a scar left behind.
So, taking Si Lu to swim and play in the water was no problem at all.
In the next moment, he jumped into the water, transforming his large black tail.
His tail, as dark as ink, swam gracefully through the water. Under the sunlight, Hei Yao's jet-black tail reflected a rainbow of colors—truly a breathtaking sight!
Seeing this, Si Lu became even more excited.
Hei Yao approached the bamboo raft and reached out his hand to Si Lu.
The raft was surrounded by a bamboo railing, but there was a small gate that could be opened to create an opening.
This small gate had been deliberately left by Cheng Mo, just in case.
Cheng Mo walked over, opened the gate, and carefully lifted Si Lu, placing her on Hei Yao's lower back—where his upper body connected to his tail.
"Take it slow and be careful," Cheng Mo said as he watched Hei Yao.
Of course, he was still a little worried. After all, the water could be dangerous.
"Don't worry, I'll protect her well," Hei Yao nodded.
"Ah Mo, don't worry, I'll behave. I'll be fine," Si Lu said happily.
She knew that even though Hei Yao was protecting her, Cheng Mo was still concerned.
"Mhm, be good and listen," Cheng Mo said before watching Hei Yao take Si Lu into the water.
Seeing Si Lu smile again brought him relief.
Meanwhile, Nansi stood by the edge of the raft, keeping a vigilant eye on the two not far away.
Being a water-type himself, he was also very skilled in the water.
Though his strength wasn't as great as Hei Yao's, he could still stand guard at the raft, ready to act if anything happened. In case of any unexpected situation, he could react quickly.
This provided an extra layer of protection for the little female.
The others, meanwhile, busied themselves with their tasks.
After sorting out the herbs, Bai Di sat down and started mending some beast clothing for the little female.
He was currently using some soft, fluffy animal skins, as he was planning to make some winter clothes for Si Lu. Although winters by the seaside weren't very cold, these clothes were still necessary. After all, the little female was so delicate that keeping her warm was certainly important.
As for the big tiger, he sat next to Bai Di, learning from him. Although he wasn't very skilled at sewing, he wanted to make a set of clothes for Si Lu himself.
He wanted to experience the satisfaction of seeing Si Lu wear clothes that he had painstakingly made with his own hands.
So, he was learning with great effort and dedication.
On the other side, Si Lu and Hei Yao were having a wonderful time playing in the water. Si Lu was riding on Hei Yao's back, her legs playfully splashing the water, her fair little feet soaking in the river.
Sunlight bathed her, casting a silver glow over her body, making her look especially enchanting.
Si Lu's face was filled with a radiant smile, and her bright eyes sparkled with joy.
"Wow, this is so much fun! Hei Yao, swim faster! Faster!" Si Lu shouted as she clung to Hei Yao's waist.
She couldn't help but notice just how slim Hei Yao's waist was!
Hei Yao had that broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted figure that gave her a strong sense of security. As she hugged his waist, she urged him to swim even faster, and Hei Yao, hearing her request, picked up the pace.
At first, Si Lu was a little scared, but as she held on tightly to his waist, she gradually relaxed.
"Wow, haha, the river breeze feels so good," Si Lu laughed.
The cool river breeze blew against her skin, making her feel wonderfully refreshed. Not only that, the sunlight warming her body added to her comfort. She loved the sight of the shimmering water around her—it was absolutely mesmerizing.
Hei Yao, sensing the excitement from Si Lu on his back, smiled slightly and sped up once more.
As long as she was happy, he would do anything for her.
"How is it? Are you having fun?" Hei Yao asked.
"Yes! It's so much fun!" Si Lu replied enthusiastically.
It really was—she was absolutely loving it.
"Hold on tight, I'm going to take you underwater for a bit," Hei Yao said.