Feiyan helped Qiao Xixi back into the house and brought her some sliced fruit and jerky.

"Xixi, Jin Xi had a strange look in his eyes when he left. I’ve already sent a beastman to watch him."

Qiao Xixi looked up, her gaze serious.

Feiyan was taken aback by her stare and touched his face. "What is it? Did I get even better-looking?"

Qiao Xixi rolled her eyes. ’And here I was thinking he’d gotten smarter. It seems he’s still got a screw loose in some areas.’ 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Go tell Jin Ling about this. He’ll know how to handle it." After all, Jin Xi was once his family; Jin Ling would definitely understand his temperament better.

Feiyan gazed at her fair, delicate face and couldn’t resist leaning in to plant a firm kiss on her cheek.

’It had been so long, and he’d only gotten a taste once. Having to look at his sweet little female every day without being able to touch her was pure torture.’

Qiao Xixi didn’t dodge, simply stuffing a piece of fruit in his mouth with a grin. "It’s the middle of the day. Behave."

Feiyan gently held her chin, his gaze fixed on her glistening lips. He couldn’t resist tossing the fruit aside, pulling her into a careful kiss.

The sweet juice of the fruit mingled between their lips. Qiao Xixi wrapped her arms around his neck, guiding him gently, not letting him rush her like a wild beast.

Two little heads peeked in through the doorway. Seeing their Father and Mother kissing, they quickly covered their eyes with their small hands.

"Father’s so excited! Is he going to eat Mother? No, I have to stop him!" Qiao Ang peeked through his fingers, a sliver of worry in his wide eyes.

Qiao Qiao furrowed her delicate brows. "Silly brother, if you go in now, Father will eat *you*!"

Qiao Xixi had heard the commotion at the door from the start, but she couldn’t push the hungry fox away no matter how many times she tried. It wasn’t until she pinched his waist hard that he grunted and reluctantly let her go.

"What are you doing? Come on in." Hearing their mother’s voice, Qiao Ang and Qiao Qiao bounced happily into the room.

"Why is it just the two of you? Where are Qiao Lie and Sangqi?" Seeing their sweaty foreheads, Qiao Xixi had Feiyan get a fur cloth to wipe them dry.

"Qiao Lie went on patrol with Father Sunxiao, and big brother Sangqi went out with Father Sangze... Mmph!"

Before Qiao Ang could finish, Feiyan, who was wiping his face, pinched his cheeks.

"What do you mean, ’Father Sangze’? He is not your mother’s mate! You can’t call him that."

Qiao Ang swatted his father’s hand away. "But wouldn’t it be sad if big brother doesn’t have a father with him?"

Feiyan wanted to cry. ’If there’s one more person fighting your own father for your mother at night, wouldn’t your dad be the pitiful one?!’

That evening, everyone had returned except for Sangze and Sangqi.

After dinner, Feiyan suddenly asked, "Xixi, when do you plan on performing the bonding ritual with me?"

Although he was Xixi’s mate, he still felt a little insecure without the formal bond.

At his words, Sunxiao also looked at Qiao Xixi. Of the three of them, only Jin Ling had the bonding seal.

Qiao Xixi blinked, feeling a little guilty. She hadn’t given it much thought, but for them, ’was this like getting married without a license?’

"How about tonight?"

’The bonding ritual isn’t hard, anyway. I still remember the steps.’

A bright light flashed in Sunxiao and Feiyan’s eyes.

"Okay."

After the dishes were cleared away, Qiao Xixi, Sunxiao, and Feiyan sat facing each other in the main hall.

Jin Ling took the children to go wash up.

Qiao Xixi closed her eyes and began chanting the words of the bonding ritual. Soon, a wisp of golden light shot from the crown of her head. It was followed by similar lights from the heads of Sunxiao and Feiyan. But what she didn’t notice was a fourth wisp of golden light that emerged from behind them.

The four wisps of golden light converged overhead, merging into one.

Qiao Xixi opened her eyes, bit her fingertip, and drew the Wolf Clan’s bonding seal over Sunxiao’s heart, then did the same for Feiyan.

The two men felt an essence unique to Qiao Xixi quickly coalesce over their hearts before spreading through their entire bodies.

But just as Qiao Xixi was about to withdraw her hand, a wisp of black mist suddenly wrapped around it, forcing her finger to trace the bonding seal onto the mist itself.

Qiao Xixi’s eyes widened in astonishment. In the next instant, the bonding seal was complete, and golden light began to weave its way through the black mist.

Sangze’s form gradually materialized from within the black mist. He brought Qiao Xixi’s hand to his lips for a kiss, his mismatched eyes burning with fierce possession.

"Xixi, performing the bonding ritual while I’m not home... that makes me angry, you know."

Qiao Xixi was completely stunned. She had just bonded with Sangze, too!

’Oh god, if it were always this crazy night-leopard, that would be one thing. But how is she supposed to explain this to the innocent, daytime Sangze?!’

Sunxiao and Feiyan’s expressions were absolutely grim. That mad leopard had done it on purpose, taking advantage of the opening when they were completely focused on the ritual.

"You crazy leopard, let go of Xixi!" Feiyan swung an angry fist at Sangze.

Sangze, who could have dodged easily, took the punch squarely.

His long, lean body swayed from the impact, and in a movement too quick to follow, he pulled Qiao Xixi into his embrace.

"Xixi, look, that fox hit me."

The corner of Qiao Xixi’s eye twitched. "Then hit him back."

Sangze whimpered, his look of innocence even more pronounced than his daytime self’s. "I can’t win."

Qiao Xixi looked at Sunxiao. "Sunxiao, you hit him!"

Qiao Xixi didn’t even see Sunxiao move before Sangze hastily let her go, dissolving into black mist and darting out the door.

An instant later, a crimson figure also vanished from the hall.

Feiyan chased after them, cursing under his breath.

Clutching her stomach, Qiao Xixi hurried upstairs, running right into Jin Ling, who was bringing the children up.

"What’s wrong?"

Qiao Xixi grabbed Jin Ling’s hand. "Sangze came back during the bonding ritual, and then..."

Hearing this, a dark glint flashed in Jin Ling’s eyes, but he quickly reverted to his usual gentle expression. "You bonded with all three of them?"

Qiao Xixi nodded. "When he wakes up tomorrow, what am I going to tell him?"

Jin Ling led her back into their room. "He’ll be very happy."

Qiao Xixi was surprised, but Jin Ling didn’t elaborate.

They could all see it clearly. Did the daytime Sangze not like Xixi?

’Perhaps it wasn’t clear at first, but now? Wherever Xixi was, his eyes were practically glued to her. If that wasn’t love, what was?’

"Oh, right. I was thinking that after we bonded, I’d use points to redeem an ’Intimate Link’. Then I’ll be able to know where you all are at all times."

"I only used it on Jin Ling before, but now I want to use it on everyone. If I include Sangze, I have just enough points. I’ve already linked the children, too."

Jin Ling looked up. "Then will we be able to know where you are?"

"Xiao Yao, you said that after the system upgrade, the link would be two-way, right?"

"That’s right, Host. Once you’re intimately linked, you’ll be able to know each other’s locations."

"What about Jin Ling?"

"It’s possible for him, too. I just need to run an upgrade."

"That’s great."

Qiao Xixi took Jin Ling’s hand and showed him how to check her location.