But as soon as she entered the water, she had no time to think about all that.
This hot spring was way too deep for a little cat like her.
As for transforming into her human form to soak? That would mean getting undressed, and even though she was young, it didn’t feel appropriate!
So, as a cat, she decided to enjoy the hot spring this way.
At home, she often bathed in this form, so she had mastered the art of swimming—well, the dog paddle, using all four paws.
It looked adorably clumsy and silly.
Every time she got tired, Almer would hold her up with his hand.
Eventually, the cat became too lazy and just sprawled across the big dragon’s hand, her little paws resting on his palm, with only her tiny head peeking above the water.
“Achoo, achoo~”
The cat sneezed after swallowing some water, almost tumbling head-first back in.
Thankfully, Almer reacted quickly and scooped her up.
Ruan Shu’s damp paw rubbed her nose, and her beautiful eyes, glistening with teary reactions to the sneezes, looked thoroughly pitiful. Her wet fur clung to her body, giving her a sad, bullied appearance.
Almer’s lips lifted in a gentle smile as he brought the drenched little cat up in front of him, scratching under her chin, on her head, and along her soft belly.
“Purr… purr…”
The cat purred, clutching his muscular forearm, utterly forgetting that she was actually a human at heart.
In this moment, Shushu was entirely at the mercy of her inner feline.
After a while, the cat lying on his arm opened her round eyes and found herself staring at his firm, toned abdomen!
She blinked and curiously poked at his abs with her paw.
Why was his flesh so hard? Was this even human?
Oh, right—he wasn’t; he was a dragon!
A soft chuckle came from above, and Ruan Shu realized what she’d just done.
Ruan Shu: “…”
Would he think she was a pervy little cat? She was genuinely just curious—wondering whether abs were hard or soft.
She sneaked a glance up at Almer, only to be utterly captivated by the sight of him soaking in the hot spring.
Under the starlight, his face looked even more stunning. His skin was pale, almost like snow, and his golden eyes gleamed beautifully. His long, dark hair cascaded down smoothly, half of it trailing in the water, gently rippling with the water’s movement.
In short, he looked like a god, every part of him sculpted to perfection.
The cat’s clear eyes reflected his image, filled with pure admiration and amazement. Almer’s smile grew, and his slender fingers reached out to gently tap her on the nose.
“Got lost staring? Am I handsome?”
Ruan Shu let out a soft “meow.” Yes, very handsome.
But after meowing, she suddenly felt shy.
She curled herself up again.
Almer raised an eyebrow slightly and, noting that it was time, picked up the ragdoll cat and stood up.
As he rose, his hair and wet pants gradually dried. The warmth in his hands also began to spread, and before long, the soaked little cat had become a clean and fluffy one.
Her fur was a bit puffed up, making her look like a little dandelion as she curled up.
“Time to go back.”
After dressing, he transformed into his dragon form and flew her back.
But the moment they returned to the camp, Almer sensed a wave of hostility.
The black dragon quickly ascended from where he was standing as three large cats lunged at him, their expressions fierce as they licked their paws, glaring at the dragon hovering in midair.
The three of them weren’t novices to the wilderness; they were vigilant even in their sleep.
Under normal circumstances, they would have been alerted the moment Ruan Shu was taken away. But in this unusual case, they had been drugged by Almer, the scoundrel.
“Wait, if you want to fight, I’ll gladly oblige. Just let me put Shushu down first.”
The three cats’ eyes continued to glare at him menacingly.
However, they agreed to let him set Shushu down before the brawl.
Ruan Shu, bewildered, was placed back inside the tent, watching wide-eyed as her three brothers and Almer started fighting right in front of her.
Ruan Shu: “!!!”
What on earth had just happened?
On the other side, even though it was three against one and Almer wasn’t fully retaliating, he evaded their attacks with practiced ease.
Ruan Fengsi fought the hardest. “I knew you were up to no good, drugging us like that!”
Almer retorted, “It wasn’t a drug, just a small sleep-inducing technique. The moment I took Shushu away, you would have woken up quickly.”
Ruan Xinglan sneered, “Never thought the dignified emperor would stoop to such underhanded tactics!”
Almer replied, “Apologies for the disappointment—it seems I’ve cultivated quite a respectable public image.”
The three brothers: “…”
This guy’s shamelessness really had no bounds.
With each encounter, they had uncovered more of the emperor’s true nature: domineering, overbearing, and utterly shameless—most notably, utterly shameless!
A far cry from the composed and noble figure he projected to the public.
Ruan Xinglan thought: He’s even better at acting than I am!
But there was no denying that his combat skills were indeed formidable.
The more they fought, the more shocked the three brothers became. Even without using his innate powers, Almer handled their combined assault with ease.
Admiration for strength was ingrained in the bones of star beasts, and after this bout, they couldn’t deny their grudging respect for the emperor’s power. But they also deeply resented him as a person! He was already so powerful—did he have to go and steal their little sister too? Could he have a bit of shame?
Exhausted, Ruan Fengsi finally huffed, retracting his claws, and turned away to find Shushu.
This time, the three brothers set aside their differences, surrounding Shushu in their beast forms, creating an impenetrable barrier to prevent the emperor from getting close.
Almer rubbed his nose, but he didn’t force his way in.
Ruan Shu, completely encircled by her brothers: ……
So why did they even start fighting?
“Meow?”
She barely asked before her little forehead was licked, causing her fluffy fur to go flat again.
It was her brother Qingran who did it!
Immediately, Ruan Shu ducked her little head under her eldest brother’s belly to avoid further licks.
Her fluffy fur was very important to her; it made her look a tiny bit bigger.
Though she still couldn’t compare with the star beasts, the little cat had her pride too.
“Shushu, where did Almer take you?”
Hearing her elder brother’s question, Ruan Shu poked her head out again, her fur all ruffled with some strands sticking up like a little hedgehog’s.
Oblivious to her current state, she answered in her soft, childlike voice.
“He took me to see the lake on the mountaintop. It was so beautiful! So many stars and fireflies were reflected in the water, and then he took me to soak in a hot spring~”
Her joy was clear to see, and her three brothers exchanged a glance.
Ruan Qingran gritted his teeth. “We were planning to take you to the hot spring at dawn tomorrow!”