Chapter 16: The Unique Treasure That Belonged Only to Her Was Taken Away

A rare mutated adult black tiger, exuding an aura of fierce dominance, had pounced on Jiang Liwu. Due to its massive size, Qiao Yiran had no idea what condition Jiang Liwu was in beneath the beast. Was she unconscious from fright, or simply too scared to speak?

“Miss Jiang, are you alright? Are you hurt?” Qiao Yiran hurried forward, anxiously checking on Jiang Liwu.

But when she saw Jiang Liwu cradling the tiger’s large, furry face, kneading and squishing it without a trace of fear, she was stunned.

Not only that, Jiang Liwu seemed to be thoroughly enjoying stroking the tiger.

The tiger appeared equally fond of her, lolling its tongue out enthusiastically yet gently, attempting to lick her, its thick tail swaying happily behind it.

Qiao Yiran couldn’t help but exclaim, “Bar.”

Yet Bar merely tilted his head to glance at her and then ignored her, pressing his big head affectionately against Jiang Liwu’s face right before her eyes.

Qiao Yiran’s eyes widened in shock. This was nothing like the scene or outcome she had imagined.

“Bar?” Jiang Liwu called softly to the great tiger before her.

Bar responded swiftly with an “awoo~,” his golden eyes bright and fervent, radiating warmth and affection as if he were surrounded by tiny hearts.

“Haha, don’t lick me,” Jiang Liwu said, crossing her hands to fend off the tiger’s tongue, barely managing to resist before giving up altogether—after all, she had no defense against anything fluffy, much less something this large and furry.

“Why is your name Bar? I heard it means ‘destructive beast,’ so are you a little troublemaker who likes to wreck the place?” Jiang Liwu teased, tapping Bar’s dark nose.

Perhaps shy from her words, Bar emitted soft purring and whining sounds of affection, his ears fluttering as he nuzzled Jiang Liwu’s face and mouth.

Bar lost some fur in the process, and Jiang Liwu wiped her face.

Watching this intimate camaraderie between the woman and the beast, Qiao Yiran felt an inexplicable sting of jealousy.

She quickly spoke up, “Miss Jiang, you’re not hurt, right? Bar is very heavy, and he startled me just now with how reckless he was. Let me help you up.” She extended her hand.

Jiang Liwu smiled lightly. “I’m fine.” Bar, no longer lying atop her, obediently leapt to her side, lowering his head as if asking her to help him up.

Jiang Liwu rose swiftly and cleanly, shaking off some grass without accepting help.

Seeing this, Qiao Yiran withdrew her hand, quietly squeezing her fingers. “I’m really glad you’re okay,” she said, breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

“Bar is the pet of Wei Xifeng. Although he is a pet, he’s not caged but roams freely in this forest. He usually hunts for himself, so he remains fiercely wild, untamed, and highly aggressive.”

“Normally, he only trusts Wei Xifeng and me. To others, his wild nature shows through, making him extremely fierce. Anyone wanting to approach him must be cautious and fully prepared.”

“Just now, I was walking with Bar when he suddenly bolted off. He must have sensed a particularly unfamiliar scent—after all, you just arrived and haven’t met Bar before. He doesn’t know you.”

“Bar didn’t mean any harm; he simply couldn’t control his instincts. I hope Miss Jiang won’t blame him.” Qiao Yiran looked at Bar with a mix of reproach and helplessness, then apologized to Jiang Liwu.

Jiang Liwu shrugged it off. “It’s nothing. He was just pretending to hide and playing with me. He’s adorable.”

Adorable?

Qiao Yiran’s lips twitched involuntarily. No one here would ever call Bar cute—Jiang Liwu was the first.

At that moment, even Qiao Yiran herself could clearly sense Jiang Liwu’s uniqueness.

Encouraged by Jiang Liwu’s praise, Bar clung to her, circling about, tail curling into a heart shape.

Seeing this, Qiao Yiran pressed her lips together, the corners turning downward. She had always thought that aside from Wei Xifeng, Bar’s greatest affection was for her—that to Bar, she held a special place, like a mistress.

A sour, anxious sting welled up inside her.

Qiao Yiran felt as if something that had once belonged solely to her had been taken away.

“Miss Jiang, aren’t you afraid at all? No matter what, Bar is still a bloodthirsty wild beast.” When Qiao Yiran first met Bar, she was so terrified it felt as if her very soul was torn apart; she wept uncontrollably and even fainted. It took her a long time to adapt and build trust with Bar before he ceased resisting her approach and sometimes even obeyed her commands.

Others who had survived Wei Xifeng’s temperament as handlers had still been frightened away by Bar.

What Qiao Yiran didn’t know was that Jiang Liwu had been exposed to beasts of Bar’s caliber from childhood due to her family background. Because of her love for animals, her parents had even gifted her a zoo, which frequently rescued various wildlife, mostly from the wild.

Jiang Liwu possessed a natural affinity for animals since childhood, and as she grew, she effortlessly communicated with all creatures.

So when Qiao Yiran asked if she was afraid, it was like asking Jiang Liwu if she feared kindergarten children.

Jiang Liwu didn’t know how to respond, but she noticed the bag of feed in Qiao Yiran’s hand.

“May I feed him?” she asked.

Qiao Yiran hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Of course.” She handed the bag to Jiang Liwu, filled with fresh meat.

In truth, Qiao Yiran was eager to see Jiang Liwu feed Bar.

She kindly warned, “Miss Jiang, Bar is very picky and protective over his food. He only eats what Wei Xifeng and I provide. I’m worried he might bite you, so please don’t force it.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Liwu reached in without hesitation, offering a piece of meat directly into Bar’s mouth.

Qiao Yiran was left speechless, her expression souring slightly as she looked at Bar, feeling betrayed.

When she fed Bar, she always placed an entire bag of food before him or used tools to feed him from a distance.

Never had she seen anyone feed him this casually—it was as relaxed as feeding a child.

“Looks like Bar really likes you.”

“You might not know this, but besides Bar, there are wolves, bears, toads, rats, bats, spiders, and pythons living here.”

With each name, Qiao Yiran watched Jiang Liwu closely for any reaction.

To her disappointment, Jiang Liwu’s expression remained unchanged, and it was unclear whether her heart was just as calm.

“You can accept Bar, but can you accept all these other creatures? The ones that might frighten or disgust you? Are you willing to live alongside them forever?”