Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: Hu Yan’s Hot Gaze
Hu Yan did not even wait for Su Qinglan to finish her sentence. The moment she asked for big leaves, he stood up with a bright, determined expression and rushed straight into the rain.

She blinked after him, a little stunned, because he ran out so fast that even his shadow seemed to chase after him.

The rain outside was still falling, but it was lighter than yesterday, almost like a quiet drizzle, and through the open gap of the tree house she could see Hu Yan’s figure moving quickly between the tall trees, his black hair sticking to his face as he searched for the biggest leaves he could find.

It did not take long before he came running back, completely drenched from head to toe, but carrying a whole bundle of giant leaves that were so big they almost covered his entire upper body.

Su Qinglan’s eyes instantly lit up when she saw him. She actually jumped a little in excitement because she had never expected him to bring so many at once.

The leaves were glossy, dark green, and large enough that even she could hide behind one.

Hu Yan smiled proudly at her reaction, his eyes shining as if he had just returned after completing the most important mission in the world.

Before sitting down, he went to wipe the leaves and himself properly. He used a hide cloth to dry his hair and arms, then wiped every leaf very carefully because he knew she didn’t like working with wet things.

Only after both he and the leaves were clean and dry did he sit down beside her on the ground.

Su Qinglan was already sitting cross-legged, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she spread the giant leaves in front of her like a treasure she needed to inspect.

Hu Yan watched her with quiet curiosity, his golden eyes focused on her every movement.

He liked how serious she looked when she was trying something new. Her small hands carefully touched each leaf, testing how flexible they were, tapping them, bending the edges a little to see how much they could fold.

He didn’t understand what exactly she was planning to do, but he could see how happy she was while doing it, so he silently helped by passing her the leaves whenever she needed them.

She started by choosing the strongest and widest leaves from the pile. She placed two flat on the floor, then another two on top of them in the opposite direction so they made a wider shape.

With her fingers, she folded the edges inward and pressed them tightly, muttering to herself to check if they would stay. The leaves were thick and strong, so they held the shape better than she expected.

“This one will be the skirt part,” she told Hu Yan, her voice bright with confidence.

Hu Yan nodded seriously, even though he didn’t fully understand how leaves could become clothing. But since his female said so, he believed her completely.

Next, she started working on the upper coat. She used three wide leaves for this. She overlapped them into a big round circle shape and then folded one side like a collar.

After that, she carefully poked a small hole in the center…just big enough for her head to go through.

Hu Yan helped by holding the leaves steady while she made the hole. When she lifted the piece up, it already looked like a strange but clever coat.

“For my arms to stay dry,” she explained proudly.

Hu Yan’s eyes widened a little. He really did not know leaves could be used this way.

The final part was the hat. She used one of the largest conical leaves and folded it into a pointed shape. With her fingers, she pressed the edges down until they curved in a neat circle.

It looked almost like a rain hat she had once seen in a drawing, though much simpler. Hu Yan gently helped tighten the base for her so it would fit her head properly.

By the time she finished, all the pieces came together beautifully. One leaf skirt, one wide upper coat with a hole for her head, and a cone-shaped hat…simple, but clever enough that anyone could tell it would protect her from rain.

Su Qinglan stared at her creation for a moment, almost in disbelief. She had actually done it. For a second she was frozen, and then excitement hit her all at once.

She grabbed the skirt piece and tied it around her waist, then put the coat over her head, and finally placed the conical hat on top.

She stood up quickly and turned toward Hu Yan, her eyes sparkling with joy. The leaves rustled softly as she moved, the entire outfit looking funny and cute but surprisingly effective.

The coat covered her shoulders and arms, the skirt covered her legs, and the hat shielded her head completely.

She lifted her arms and spun around once.

“It works! Hu Yan look…look! It actually works!” she said, almost shouting because she was too happy to control her voice.

Hu Yan stared at her for a few seconds, his expression stunned. Then slowly, the corners of his lips curved up into a wide, proud smile.

His eyes softened with a warm glow, the kind of pride a male might feel when his female showed something extraordinary. He looked almost like he was shining, as if all the pride in his heart had turned into light in his eyes.

“You made it,” he said quietly, almost in awe. “My lan lan is very intelligent female.”

Hu Yan did not take his eyes off her even for a second.

Su Qinglan was still twirling lightly, her leaf-skirt swaying, her little hat wobbling with each step.

She looked proud, excited, and completely unaware of the way Hu Yan’s gaze had slowly changed, turning warmer… and then a bit hotter… and then dangerously close to something he absolutely should not be thinking.

He didn’t even blink.

Su Qinglan finally stopped spinning and faced him, breathing a little fast from excitement.

Only then did she notice the expression on his face.

Her whole body froze.

Hu Yan was staring at her like he had forgotten the meaning of air, fire, and basic common sense.

His golden eyes were wide and fixed on her, his mouth slightly open, his throat moving as he swallowed hard.

His face wasn’t soft and proud anymore, it was… something else. Something she had only seen on him once or twice, when he accidentally let his beast instincts slip.

Su Qinglan blinked, her cheeks slowly turning pink.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked cautiously, hugging the leaf-coat around herself a little tighter.

Hu Yan inhaled sharply and then…

“Lan Lan… how about you try this rain coat on… without clothes?”

The words just exploded out of his mouth. Immediately followed by sharp silence.

Su Qinglan choked on her own breath, coughed, then stared at him with the widest, most scandalized eyes she had ever made in her life.

“Y–YOU—!! What did you just say?!”

Hu Yan froze, his mind going completely blank. Then it hit him. He had actually said it out loud.