POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 34

After genuinely admiring his companion's impressive attributes, Qiao Qixi realized that spring was just around the corner, which explained Otis's unusual behavior. It wasn't just about leading him away from the sea ice toward the inland; it was also about staying awake late into the night, secretly doing things that were a bit embarrassing.

Although such behavior was normal, Qiao Qixi couldn't help but feel the same awkwardness one might experience when accidentally catching a roommate in the act of self-pleasure. He couldn't bring himself to look at Otis, nor did he dare to listen too closely to the noises that were all too vivid in his imagination.

But the more he tried to avoid it, the more it seemed to happen. Despite the howling wind outside, Qiao Qixi could clearly hear the sounds of Otis enjoying himself.

Awkward. Awkward. Awkward.

Even Otis's unusual breathing invaded the little bear's pure ears.

Qiao Qixi thought that perhaps they should spend some time apart during this special period. If he wasn't mistaken, Otis was entering the breeding season. That's why he was heading inland to find a mate.

There was nothing wrong with that—every man reaches an age when he needs to settle down. The problem was that Otis shouldn't have brought him along.

Animals are very sensitive to their surroundings during breeding; they won't tolerate other animals nearby.

Qiao Qixi refused to believe that his relationship with Otis was so good that he could witness his buddy courting someone else... That seemed impossible, right?

So after thinking it through, he concluded that Otis must be inexperienced—this was his first breeding season, and he had no idea how tough the polar bear dating scene could be.

From a nature documentary, Qiao Qixi knew that the gender ratio among polar bears was skewed. Typically, a single female in heat would attract several males.

That's just how nature works. In such a harsh environment, it's usually the stronger males who survive in greater numbers. These males must fend off all competitors to win the right to mate.

The battles between polar bears are no joke; they often result in severe injuries, sometimes even bloody and brutal. It's a harsh reality.

If Otis wanted to compete in the spring, he would have to fight other males for the right to mate, and the chances of getting injured were high.

Qiao Qixi's awkwardness quickly turned into worry. Could it be that even a strong, handsome bear like Otis would face rivals bold enough to challenge him?

What kind of competitors would they be?

But then again, anything was possible when it came to reproduction. Normally, polar bears are good at weighing the pros and cons, but when it comes to fighting for a mate, they might just lose their cool...

Qiao Qixi was worried.

As worry set in, he couldn't help but glance over at Otis, only to get an eyeful of something he really didn't want to see.

Geez, after all this time, he's still at it.

Feeling utterly embarrassed, Qiao Qixi covered his eyes, thinking, "I'm older than you from now on."

His earlier thoughts of leaving Otis behind to hunt seals vanished entirely, replaced by concern that Otis might get hurt during his quest for a mate. Even if he couldn't help, it was better to stay together than to worry endlessly while apart.

However, Qiao Qixi had his doubts—could Otis really find a mate while dragging him along?

That was a concern for later. For now, the little bear buried his face deep in the snow and covered his ears with his paws. The pressing question was: what should he do when his companion still hadn't finished after all this time?

After enduring about ten minutes, the little polar bear wriggled in the snow, trying to sneak away from the giant bear who was still going strong.

Normally, Otis was very attentive, and any slight movement wouldn't escape his notice. But now that he was otherwise occupied, Qiao Qixi thought he might just get away with quietly moving to another spot to sleep.

Unfortunately, he was wrong—very wrong.

He had barely moved half a meter when Otis raised his head, his dark eyes fixating on Qiao Qixi, as if trying to understand the purpose of his actions.

Caught off guard, Qiao Qixi froze. His innocent eyes met Otis's, whose face showed no sign of being lost in pleasure. His gaze involuntarily shifted downward to where the "little Otis" was still impressively active in the freezing cold...

His tongue went numb as he realized he had somehow opened his mouth.

It wasn't until the cold wind blew into his mouth that he snapped back to reality.

"..."

In the next second, Qiao Qixi clamped his mouth shut and buried his face in the snow, mortified to the point where he could have dug out an entire basketball court with his toes—complete with stands!

There was a reason for his overwhelming embarrassment. Just a moment ago, Qiao Qixi had an unsettling realization. He wasn't sure if he was sleep-deprived or just seeing things, but he thought he saw "little Otis" become even more impressive as he stared at it.

"—"

That was why he had been left dumbfounded, mouth agape, in the icy wind.

Just as Qiao Qixi felt like he could melt nine million square kilometers of ice with his embarrassment, he heard Otis getting up. But instead of tending to his own needs, Otis walked over to him.

Eek, what was he going to do?

The little polar bear was extremely nervous. Could it be that a male polar bear in heat would become irritable if disturbed?

But it wasn't intentional...

Otis reached Qiao Qixi, but instead of doing anything drastic, he simply nudged the little bear out of the snow, grabbed him by the scruff, and dragged him back to their sleeping spot.

Meticulous as ever, Otis deemed that spot the best place to sleep.

Having been caught sneaking away, Qiao Qixi curled up and didn't dare move. He sensed that something was different about Otis at this moment.

If it had been any other time, Otis would have patiently coaxed him.

But right now, Otis was a little rougher, exuding a suppressed tension. Qiao Qixi's inner translation went something like this: "Little bear, don't push me. I'm really uncomfortable right now."

Qiao Qixi: "..."

He couldn't quite explain why, but his translations of Otis's body language lately felt like something out of a romance novel.

Having been returned to his original spot, Qiao Qixi didn't resist. He just lay there obediently.

Otis must have been in a lot of discomfort. Qiao Qixi had misunderstood earlier—Otis wasn't human, so it wasn't like this could bring him any comfort. Without an outlet, he must have been feeling miserable.

And indeed, that was the case. Half an hour earlier, this newly matured male polar bear had experienced his first surge of restlessness.

Calling it "lipstick" wasn't quite accurate.

A polar bear's size and darker color made it more prominent, especially against the white fur, which was why Qiao Qixi had spotted it so easily, even in the dim light.

It wasn't just because he had good night vision; it was because Otis was... well, impressive. You couldn't miss it unless you were blind.

As Qiao Qixi had suspected, such a situation wouldn't bring Otis any joy. The pre-breeding season restlessness was like a fire raging inside the male bear's body.

It only left Otis feeling agitated and restless, making it difficult for him to sleep.

So, instead of coaxing the little bear as usual, Otis focused on dealing with his own discomfort.

After settling Qiao Qixi back into place, Otis lay down beside him. His breathing was hotter than usual, creating little clouds of steam in the icy air, a rhythm that made Qiao Qixi worry.

But in this situation, Qiao Qixi didn't dare move a muscle, let alone snuggle up to Otis.

It was Otis who eventually met Qiao Qixi's worried gaze, his once fierce expression softening into a familiar gentleness. He lowered his head to lick the little bear's nose, a gesture that seemed to carry both reassurance and an apology.

Qiao Qixi's inner translation: "I can't play with you right now. You should go to sleep, little bear."

But with Otis in such a state, how could a worried Qiao Qixi possibly sleep? Even when he closed his eyes under Otis's watchful gaze, he soon opened them again, his large eyes fixating on Otis's handsome face.

When Otis noticed that the little bear was awake again, he narrowed his eyes. Even this slight change in expression carried a warning, one that Qiao Qixi couldn't quite interpret but instinctively recognized as a signal of danger.

So he quickly shut his eyes and tried to lull himself to sleep, all the while keeping his ears perked up to monitor Otis's unusual breathing.

It must have been so uncomfortable.

He hoped it would pass soon...

It wasn't clear how much time had passed, but Qiao Qixi finally began to feel drowsy.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, the sound of Otis pleasuring himself reached his ears again.

At the same time, low, restrained groans occasionally escaped from Otis's throat.

Qiao Qixi could sense the frustration and restraint in those sounds.

In the dim snowy night, the little polar bear's eyes widened like saucers, and he stared so intently that Otis couldn't help but notice.

Their eyes met—two pairs of nearly identical eyes, one innocent and open, the other mature and composed.

Caught again, this time not sleeping but watching, Qiao Qixi was mortified and a little scared.

Otis's gaze sent a shiver down his spine. He, he, he... What was going on?

Qiao Qixi quickly buried his head in the snow, wishing he could disappear.

But this snow trick was just self-deception. His face was buried, but the rest of his body was still exposed.

After being interrupted multiple times, Otis didn't seem inclined to continue. He simply lay down as usual, licking the snow to quench his thirst and cool down.

When there was finally no more movement, Qiao Qixi let out a sigh of relief and dared to lift his head, only to see Otis lying beside him, eating snow, seemingly feeling better.

But he forgot one thing—if Otis were really better, wouldn't he be cuddling and kissing him as usual?

Misjudging the situation, Qiao Qixi boldly snuggled into Otis's embrace.

In the freezing cold, there was no better way to sleep than to cuddle up to a warm body.

Plus, he didn't want Otis to think he was ungrateful.

How could he sleep soundly when his companion was going through something so painful?

That would be so unfair—he wasn't that kind of bear.

Otis watched as the little bear approached, but instead of eagerly hugging and licking him as usual, he tilted his head, shaking off the snowflakes that had just fallen on him, breathing out clouds of steam.

Ah, so...

From this gesture, Qiao Qixi could tell that Otis was still struggling. His heart ached for him.

He lifted a paw, intending to pat Otis's face, but Otis suddenly rolled over, pressing him gently against his chest.

At first, Otis didn't move, and Qiao Qixi found himself enveloped in warmth. The temperature around him seemed to rise by at least ten degrees, making him feel very cozy.

The cold wind was completely blocked by Otis's massive body.

Then, Otis began to nuzzle him slightly, the motion almost imperceptible.

Even with such small movements, Qiao Qixi's mind went blank, and he was utterly confused.

What was Otis doing?

As if to clarify, Otis nudged him again.

This time, even the little yellow bucket nearby seemed to understand what Otis was doing.

Qiao Qixi: "???"

Darn it!!

Anger flashed in his eyes as he realized what was happening. Internally, he was screaming, "You pervert, Otis! Let go of this innocent little bear!"

Sure, he knew he was handsome, had grown taller, and his fur was as white as snow—few bears in the Arctic could compare. And sure, Otis was desperate for a distraction, but he couldn't pick on him!

This was too much.

"..." Qiao Qixi, who was willing to take a bullet for a friend, had no intention of being used like this. He struggled fiercely, forgetting that their strength was vastly different, making it hard to break free.

He felt Otis nudge him again...

Ugh!

Men, they're all the same.

Qiao Qixi whimpered a few times to express his displeasure, hoping Otis would stop.

Otis responded with a few sounds of his own, filled with frustration, restraint, and...

That was all normal.

What was surprising was that Qiao Qixi also picked up on something very familiar—coquetry.

Otis's voice carried a message that Qiao Qixi translated as: "I know you're mad, but please bear with me. Don't get upset."

Qiao Qixi froze, wanting to scream into the wind, "Otis, what kind of nonsense is this? How could I bear with it...?!"

Witnessing Otis's self-pleasure was already embarrassing enough, let alone being forced to participate.

Unlike animals that rely solely on instinct, Qiao Qixi had complex emotions, human-like thoughts, and heightened sensitivity. He tended to overthink things.

The sense of shame and conservatism hadn't disappeared just because he'd been a polar bear for almost a year.

However, as Qiao Qixi clearly sensed Otis's plea for help and the multitude of layered emotions, he found himself unable to stay angry.

They had spent so much time together, forming a deep bond of affection.

Fine, whatever.

"...!" After some hesitation, Qiao Qixi closed his eyes and stopped struggling.

After all, it didn't matter whether he resisted or not; Otis wouldn't stop. And once Otis felt him relax, things only escalated.

If this could make Otis less agitated and uncomfortable, Qiao Qixi would endure it.

"Whimper..." Whenever Otis got too carried away, showing signs of losing control, Qiao Qixi would whine to draw his attention.

Each time, Otis would momentarily slow down, even pausing to kiss his face, as if to comfort him.

In the snowy landscape, Otis's breathing seemed to overshadow the wind, loud and heavy.

The little bear, trapped in his embrace, felt no trace of the Arctic's cold.

But in return, he had to endure an unusual warmth and a restrictive hold.

Qiao Qixi was constantly on edge, fearing that things might go too far. After all, he could only tolerate Otis's nudging—nothing more.

"Whimper..." The cunning little bear kept using a soft, vulnerable voice to remind Otis that he was still just an innocent cub.

Please be gentle.

Otis's eyes narrowed, almost closing into slits.

This expression, which had only appeared after cuddling the little bear, could be described as contentment, in stark contrast to his earlier frustration and discomfort.

Perhaps he was no longer in pain.

On closer inspection, the tense atmosphere from before had completely dissipated.

Qiao Qixi breathed a sigh of relief.

He had been on edge the entire time, from the beginning until now.

He had no idea how long it had been, only that his paws, pressed into the snow without moving, were starting to go numb.

Just as Qiao Qixi was about to try wriggling free from Otis's grasp, Otis noticed his movement.

Otis seemed to be in a good mood after finally finding some relief. He opened his now calm eyes and let out a low sound, as if responding to the little bear.

From his lazy tone, Qiao Qixi got the message: "Don't move. Let's stay like this a bit longer."

"???"

Qiao Qixi's eyes widened in disbelief. What the heck?!

He had already sacrificed his handsome, innocent self to become Otis's fantasy object, and now he had to wait out the afterglow with him?

Apparently so.

Although the fire inside had been extinguished, Otis still enjoyed holding his adorable little bear.

After resting for a bit and regaining some energy, Otis enthusiastically groomed the little bear from head to toe, especially the fur that had gotten dirty because of him.

He was meticulous.

"...!" After such an embarrassing ordeal, Qiao Qixi wasn't in the mood for this kind of intimate interaction. It was just too awkward.

But there was no getting around the cleaning.

"Whimper..." I'm dirty. Qiao Qixi turned his head, gazing at the starry sky with mixed feelings.

He seriously thought that if this happened again, he would leave Otis and go off on his own. He would head back to the ice to hunt seals while Otis looked for a mate in the mountains. They could meet up after the breeding season was over.

As he thought about these things and accepted Otis's grooming, the little bear, exhausted from the long night, finally started to drift off to sleep.

Otis occasionally paused in his cleaning to gaze at the little bear's peaceful sleeping face. After a few seconds, he would resume grooming, making sure to clean every last bit of fur.

Otis truly deserved much of the credit for keeping the little bear so clean.

After finishing this post-incident care, Otis finally rested, though he seemed unable to sleep. He nuzzled the little bear's face with his nose, wanting to play.

Unfortunately, the little bear was fast asleep, so the ice king, restless after everything, could only indulge in a gentle interaction without waking him.

Revised ✔