With a loud splash, Nance burst out of the water.
His long pink hair clung to his body, wet and slick. His well-defined chest exuded masculine strength, while his lower body was wrapped in a simple beast-hide skirt. Barefoot, he jumped onto the bamboo raft beside the bamboo house.
A flash of purple light shimmered across his body and then disappeared.
He had advanced in rank!
Now, he was at the purple tier of strength.
"Lulu, you've treated me so well! I've advanced!" Nance looked at Si Lu, his joy overflowing as he rushed over and dropped to one knee in front of her, his face alight with excitement.
His crimson eyes were misty with emotion. He was so deeply moved! Such a precious gift, and Lulu gave it to him without a second thought.
What did that mean? It meant that he was very important in Lulu's heart.
As Nance's heart swelled with gratitude, Si Lu was momentarily taken aback by the intense expression in his eyes.
Was this guy really that emotional? It looked like he was on the verge of tears from sheer joy.
"We're family. Families support and help each other," Si Lu said, looking at Nance.
Poor little bunny, he's so easily moved.
"Lulu, did I drink all the water? Did I finish it?" Nance's eyes brightened for a moment, but then he suddenly felt guilty. He'd drunk so much of that water—what if Lulu didn't have any left for herself? The more he thought about it, the more he felt guilty.
He had been so absorbed in drinking the water earlier, one bucket after another, without stopping to think. Afterward, he'd realized how filthy he'd become and jumped into the water to clean himself. But now, in hindsight, he was worried—did he drink too much? If he had consumed all the water, he would feel incredibly guilty.
"Don't worry, don't worry. I still have plenty of that water. You don't need to feel so guilty. Everyone else drank it too, and they all advanced in strength. We're family, and helping each other out only strengthens the group. The stronger you all become, the safer I am. Isn't that right?"
"So, don't worry about it. There's plenty of that water left," Si Lu reassured Nance. She could see how deeply he felt bad, which softened her heart.
"Really?" Nance raised his head at her words, his red eyes sparkling with hope.
His delicate face showed a hint of relief.
Had Lulu really not run out of water? Was she just trying to ease his guilt, or was she telling the truth? But looking at her expression, it seemed genuine.
He was also surprised to learn that the others had already drunk it.
It turned out that Lulu treated everyone with the same kindness. A female as generous and selfless as her was truly one of a kind on the continent.
If it were any other female, she definitely wouldn't have shared this with them.
He couldn't believe his good fortune, not only meeting such a wonderful female but becoming her beastmate. It was the greatest stroke of luck in his life.
"Of course! Don't worry, there's plenty left."
"I have an entire well filled with spiritual spring water. It's a huge well, so it's practically endless."
"If you ever want more, just let me know," Si Lu said with a smile.
She reached out and patted Nance's hair. Every time she touched it, she couldn't help but marvel at how beautiful it was and how soft it felt.
His cherry blossom-pink hair, slightly damp, draped over his shoulders, giving him the ethereal beauty of a flower blooming after the rain.
Add to that his watery eyes and his delicate face—he was truly irresistible.
At that moment, a cold "hmph" sounded from the side.
Everyone turned to see Bai Di pouting, his face full of jealousy and displeasure.
"Nance, I'll admit it—you drank the most spiritual spring water out of all of us. But at least you've reached the purple tier now. You'd better protect Lulu well. Of course, it's not like you'll be doing it alone; we'll all protect her. And stop being so mushy—you're a male beastman, not a female," Bai Di said with a bit of a sour tone.
He just couldn't stand Nance being so sentimental and clingy, especially when Si Lu responded with such gentle care, comforting him and being considerate of his feelings. Bai Di was feeling a huge wave of jealousy.
In his heart, it just wasn't fair.
He couldn't tell if Nance was truly that innocent or if he was pretending. Either way, it was hard for him to figure out this bunny.
The other beastmen nearby didn't say anything, but their lips twitched slightly.
They weren't fools—they could clearly see that Bai Di was jealous, and very much so.
Si Lu noticed it too.
She didn't quite understand why, but Bai Di always seemed to have small conflicts with Nance. It was as if he just couldn't stand Nance.
Though things had improved since she and Nance became mates, Bai Di's dislike hadn't fully gone away.
Male beastmen really were hard to understand.
"Alright, Bai Di's right. We're all family, so there's no need for endless thank yous or guilt. We're here to support each other," Si Lu said.
"And don't mind Bai Di's tone—he's always been blunt," she added with a smile, trying to ease the tension.
She was worried that Nance might take Bai Di's words the wrong way and get upset, which could strain their relationships. After all, they were all family now, and she didn't want any infighting or bad blood.
"No, it's fine. I know Bai Di means well. I really was being a bit too emotional," Nance said with a smile.
His smile was incredibly sweet, full of innocence.
He genuinely seemed like someone who never harbored ill intentions toward others.
Seeing Nance's reaction, Si Lu let out a sigh of relief.
"By the way, aside from advancing in rank, did you notice any other changes after drinking the spring water?" Si Lu asked curiously.
After all, this guy had drunk 30 whole buckets! She was really curious if he had experienced any other effects.
"Yeah, you drank 30 buckets—way more than the rest of us. If you didn't experience anything beyond an advancement, that would be a bit odd," Bai Di added, with a slight pout.
Hearing Bai Di's words, Si Lu shot him a glare.
This guy...
Bai Di instantly looked wronged.