The Snowy Fluff Leopard Invaders?
Lu Yan rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms, and fixed his gaze on the three Snowy Fluff Leopard that were still trying to bite each other's tails next to the sofa.
"Let's go, little hero. Let's get these intruders out first, then we can begin our big cleanup operation!"
"Awooo?" (Snowy Fluff Leopard: You have to have a conscience! Have a conscience!)
The three plump Snowy Fluff Leopard seemed unaware of their impending fate of being kicked out. They tilted their round heads, looking innocently at the two men approaching menacingly.
Little Aemeath spread her arms wide, shooing them away like chicks. "You lot, hurry up and get out of here! Otherwise, Sister Rover will get angry!"
But these guys were too fat, and they wanted the warmth inside, so they simply sprawled out on the floor, acting like three giant white rugs stuck to the wooden floor.
"Hey, still dare to linger?" Lu Yan chuckled, walking over to the largest Snowy Fluff Leopard and placing his hands under its armpits.
"One, two, three, go!"
With a single pull, Lu Yan lifted the round, fat seal off the ground like a radish.
It feels so heavy; it must weigh at least several dozen kilograms.
"Awoo--" The Snowy Fluff Leopard, forced into the air, let out a wronged cry, its four short paws futilely paddling in mid-air.
Lu Yan wasn't buying it. He carried the white dough ball, strode to the door, the automatic door opened, and he placed it mercilessly on the open ground outside.
Seeing that Lu Yan had made a move, Little Aemeath was not to be outdone.
She huffed and puffed as she ran behind another, slightly smaller Snowy Fluff Leopard, and used her little hands to push against its round bottom, pushing it outwards with all her might.
"Hurry up! The party's over for today!"
With the combined efforts of the two, the three reluctant snow leopard cubs were finally 'invited' out of the Glimmering Lakeside Lodge.
As the heavy automatic door closed again, it completely shut out those aggrieved "howls".
"Phew~ I'm exhausted."
Little Aemeath plopped down on the dry floor, panting heavily, her little face flushed.
"This is just the first step; the main event is yet to come."
Lu Yan smiled and walked over, pulling her up from the ground.
He went to the kitchen and found two mops and several large, highly absorbent rags.
He handed one of the lighter mops to Little Aemeath, while he took the rag and bucket.
"Listen, here's the battle plan."
Lu Yan, like a commander assigning tactics, meticulously assigned tasks:
"You're in charge of mopping up the large water stain in the middle of the living room. I'll wipe the water off the sofa and furniture, and while I'm at it, turn the fireplace up high to dry any remaining moisture. Got it?"
"Understood! Mission accomplished!" Little Aemeath stood at attention, gave a proper salute, then grabbed the mop and energetically rushed to the area with the most water stains.
The spring cleaning has officially begun.
Lu Yan began to carefully wipe away the marks on the sofa.
He worked quickly, and in no time, the sofa was back to its original tidiness.
As he wiped the furniture, he would occasionally glance back at Little Aemeath was diligently mopping the living room floor.
Little Aemeath worked very diligently.
She bent over, gripped the mop handle with both hands, and with a series of powerful "heave-ho" strokes, the mop left clean tracks on the wooden floor.
Because of the excessive force, her pink pigtails swung back and forth in mid-air, and even a fine layer of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose.
However, accidents are bound to happen when working on a surface that is covered in water stains.
Just as Little Aemeath was about to mop up a puddle next to the fireplace, her non-slip socks suddenly slipped.
"Ah--!" Little Aemeath exclaimed in surprise, her body instantly losing its balance and falling backward uncontrollably.
"Watch out!" Lu Yan, who had been keeping an eye on her out of the corner of his eye, reacted quickly, dropping the rag and rushing over in a flash.
Just a second before Little Aemeath was about to make intimate contact with the hard wooden floor, Lu Yan's long arm firmly wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
With a soft "thump," the mop fell to the ground.
Little Aemeath leaned against Lu Yan's chest, still shaken, her heart pounding rapidly.
"Are you alright? Did you sprain your ankle?" Lu Yan looked her up and down anxiously.
Little Aemeath came to her senses and looked at Lu Yan's anxious face so close to hers. The unease that had been lingering in her heart was completely melted away by a sense of security at that moment.
She shook her head, her lips curving upwards involuntarily into a radiant smile.
"I'm fine! Because A-Yan caught me!"
Looking at her silly, grinning face, Lu Yan flicked her forehead lightly, sounding annoyed.
"Still laughing. Be careful when doing housework. If you fall and hurt yourself, you'll be crying later."
"I won't cry! I'm very strong right now!" Little Aemeath rubbed her forehead where she had been flicked, and instead of being angry, she giggled.
She stepped out of Lu Yan, picked up the mop again, and worked even harder.
This time, however, her steps were much lighter, and she was humming the off-key lullaby that Lu Yan had sung to her when he coaxed her to sleep last time.
Time slipped away unnoticed as the two were busy.
Once the temperature in the fireplace was turned up, the entire Glimmering Lakeside Lodge finally regained its original dryness and warmth.
The wooden floor was polished to a shine, the sofa covers were straightened again, and even the air was filled with the aroma of pine wood baked at high temperatures.
"Mission accomplished." Lu Yan put the last mop back in its place, dusted off his hands, and let out a long sigh of relief.
He walked to the sofa, looked at Little Aemeath was sprawled out on it like a salted fish, and couldn't help but laugh.
He sat down next to her, casually took a tissue, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"You must be exhausted, our hero."
Little Aemeath didn't say anything, but instead turned over and rested her head on Lu Yan's lap.
Like a kitten that has found its most comfortable territory, she closed her eyes contentedly and took a deep breath of Lu Yan's scent, which gave her immense peace of mind.
"Not tired." Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying the languor of someone who had just finished working. "As long as A-Yan is by my side, nothing feels tiring."
Lu Yan's fingers gently ran through her pink hair, feeling the smooth touch on his fingertips.
He lowered his head, looking at that peaceful and serene young face.
When he first left, his face still bore a look of fear and a forced, strong smile.
Now, she dares to make mistakes in front of him, dares to make a mess of the house, and even dares to test the limits of his anger.
This was not only because of the care she received from the Rover, but also because deep down she had completely and thoroughly confirmed that Lu Yan was 'family' who could unconditionally tolerate her and would never truly be angry with her.
"Take a nap if you're tired."
Lu Yan's voice was so gentle it seemed to melt ice and snow. He patted her back lightly, just like comforting an adult Aemeath in the real world.
"I'll stay with you until Rover comes back."
Little Aemeath rubbed against Lu Yan's leg, a sweet smile playing on her lips, "Mmm~ A-Yan, you're so sweet."
Inside the Glimmering Lakeside Lodge, the fire was blazing, and the figures of a large and a small person, illuminated by the firelight, created a heartwarming scene.