Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off-Chapter 386: Can I call you Lan Lan?

Su Qinglan stood frozen at the cave entrance, her mind full of confusion. She looked the man up and down. He certainly didn’t look like anyone from the Sea tribe, nor did he have the aquatic, ethereal look of the merfolk she had seen.

He was something else entirely...too polished, too powerful, and far too handsome for this rugged beast world.

In front of her, the man watched her dazed expression with a suppressed twinkle in his eyes.

Internally, he was scoffing.

That bastard Xuan Long, he thought, his lips curling into a microscopic smirk. No wonder the old man was so agitated and desperate.

To hide such a beautiful, soulful mate behind his back... truly a stingy bastard.

If it hadn’t been for the little snake cub’s condition and Xuan Long practically begging for his high-level assistance, An Mo would still be in the dark.

But fate was a funny thing.

Even if he was late to the party, he had finally met her. Looking at her stunned face and those rosy, chubby cheeks, he felt a sudden, ridiculous urge to reach out and pinch them.

But he held back. He couldn’t rush this. He had to play his cards perfectly.

Su Qinglan finally found her voice, though it was a bit shaky. "Are you... are you the little girl’s father?"

An Mo paused, then suddenly burst into a rich, melodic laugh that echoed against the stone walls.

"Do I look like her father?" he asked, leaning in just a fraction so she could catch the scent of sandalwood and cold rain that clung to him.

"Why would that mischievous little demon belong to me? I am a gentle, refined man... and far too young to be a father. Don’t you think so, female?"

Su Qinglan’s face heated up until it felt like she was standing too close to the fire. She blinked, stunned by his words.

He’s a gentleman?

In this world where most beastmen were blunt, aggressive, and acted more like animals than humans, this was the first time she had met someone who actually knew how to use silver-tongued words.

Inside the system space, Xuyu almost screamed in indignation. "Shameless rogue!" Xuyu ranted, though Su Qinglan couldn’t hear his voice.

"Young? Who are you fooling?! This system knows you’ve lived so long that even your great-great-great-100-times-great-grandson would have his own children by now! You’re just a prehistoric old bachelor!"

Unaware of the system’s roast, An Mo continued his performance. He sighed softly, looking at the moon with a touch of staged melancholy.

"If fate allows me to find a female whom I can cherish for a lifetime... perhaps then we will be blessed by cubs. But until then, I remain alone." He gave her a gentle, heart-melting smile.

Su Qinglan nodded sympathetically. "You have a good vision," she said seriously. "Love is very important before having children. You shouldn’t rush into it."

An Mo’s smile widened, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes, which were burning with a very different kind of hunger.

[My foolish, naive host... This man’s words are one thing, but in his mind, he’s already calculating how many cubs you can carry for him! He’s not waiting for ’love’; he’s waiting for the right moment to pounce!]

Su Qinglan, completely oblivious to the predator-prey dynamic currently unfolding, awkwardly stepped aside. "Please, come inside. It’s cold out here."

She led him into the cave, but as soon as they reached the fire, she realized something embarrassing.

She had absolutely nothing to offer a guest. No tea, no chairs, and all the meat had been devoured by the "four buns" earlier.

She fidgeted with her sleeves, her face turning pink again. "I... I’m sorry. I don’t have any refreshments. The children ate everything."

An Mo chuckled, the sound low and soothing.

"No need for such formalities. I am not here to be fed. I simply came to bring my niece back." He glanced toward the blanket pile where the toddler was sprawled over Xiao Yi. "She likes to run away from home quite often. She’s a handful."

Su Qinglan looked at the sleeping girl. "She’s exhausted. Should I wake her up?"

An Mo made a dramatic expression, holding up a hand in warning. "Oh, please, no. If she is forcibly woken up, she throws a tantrum that could shake the very foundations of this mountain. It’s a terrifying sight."

Su Qinglan smiled, imagining the chubby girl screaming. "I see. It’s better to let her rest then."

"Indeed," An Mo said, shifting his weight. "Don’t worry, I can wait."

And then, he simply didn’t move.

The silence in the cave suddenly became very awkward.

Su Qinglan realized with a start that they were effectively "alone"...since Lan Yue and the cubs were dead to the world in a deep food coma. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

She didn’t know where to look or what to say. The gentlemanly aura the man projected was so strong it made her feel breathless.

"You... you don’t look like you’re from the mermaid tribe," she managed to stutter out, trying to break the heavy silence. "And you... you..."

She trailed off, her face turning ashamed. She realized she didn’t even know how to address him. She couldn’t just keep calling him "The Handsome Relative" in her head.

The man saw her struggle and let out a soft, indulgent chuckle. "An Mo," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "That is my name."

"An Mo," she repeated, the name feeling strange yet familiar on her tongue. "I am Su Qinglan."

"Qinglan," An Mo repeated. He tasted the name, leaning in slightly until the heat from his body seemed to wrap around her. "Can I call you Lan Lan?"

Su Qinglan’s brain practically short-circuited.

Lan Lan?

Her eyes widened, and she nearly tripped over her own feet.

That was her nickname!

Only her husbands at home called her that in moments of tenderness.

To hear it from a stranger she had just met ten minutes ago was... it was ridiculous and scandalous!