Transmigrated to Raise Panther Cubs novel Chapter 104

Chapter 104 Steam and a Racing Heart

Zachary even steamed a pot of rice–an indulgence, by his standards.

The chestnuts were ready too. After draining them, he peeled off the shells and put the kernels into a bowl. He added a little warm water and some honey, then used a stone pestle to grind everything into a smooth

paste.

Without proper molds, he worked with the two cubs, rolling the paste into balls by hand, then flattening them and setting them outside to firm up.

By the time dinner was served, the cave was filled with rich, rising heat and mouthwatering aromas.

Remembering Taylor’s injured lips, Zachary made him a small bowl without chili. But somehow, the kid still ended up eating the spicy dish–sniffling and sucking in air as he ate, clearly hurting but unable to stop.

Matthew and Jaden were no better. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, but neither of them slowed down. They even said that from now on, they’d make sure to bring back properly cleaned animal organs.

As Zachary ate his bowl of rice, he nearly teared up. Next spring, he was determined to clear land and start farming–he wanted rice every single day.

After dinner, the chestnut cakes outside had set. Zachary brought them in, worried the two cubs might be too full–but it quickly became clear he’d underestimated them.

“So good–this is amazing!” Taylor squinted in satisfaction. After several in a row, he let out a loud, hearty burp, then still reached for more.

Jaden wasn’t as expressive, but whenever he really liked something, he’d lower his head, hold it carefully with both hands, and eat slowly, bite by bite, never dropping a single crumb.

Zachary handed a piece to Matthew. Instead of taking it, Matthew leaned in and ate it straight from his f hand. When he finished, his tongue brushed lightly across Zachary’s fingertip–warm, damp, and faintly ticklish.

Zachary froze for a moment, startled. But when he glanced up and saw Matthew’s calm, unreadable expression, he told himself he was overthinking it.

Tonight, Jaden and Taylor handled the cleanup. Taylor, in particular, had a funny habit–whenever he came over to eat and didn’t bring food, he always insisted on doing the chores.

Once everything was tidied up. Zachary boiled two large pots of water for a simple bath.

up

another

pot,

and started

Leaning against the stone wall, Matthew listened to the soft splash of water from the bathing area, along with Zachary’s quiet humming. After a moment, he turned without a word, set heating water himself.

Zachary stepped out, steam clinging to his skin. Seeing Matthew by the fire, he asked, “You’re going to bathe

too?

Matthew gave a soft hum in response.

“You shouldn’t get your wound wet today,” Zachary said, concerned.

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Chapter 104 Steam and a Racing Heart

Matthew lowered his gaze. “It’s fine.”

“Maybe wait until tomorrow?” Zachary stepped closer.

“I was sweating today. It feels uncomfortable.”

Finished

Zachary’s eyes drifted to the porcupine meat on the storage shelf. Without meaning to, he pictured Matthew fighting it–how dangerous it must have been, and yet Matthew still brought it back just so they’d have something to eat.

So brave.

The thought stirred something deep in him. After a moment’s hesitation, he stepped forward. “Then… how about I help wipe you down?”

Matthew looked up, a trace of hesitation in his eyes. “Would that… be okay?”

Zachary nodded without a second thought. Afraid Matthew might feel awkward, he added, “It’s fine. We help each other out.”

“Thank you.” Matthew stood immediately, went back into the cave, and picked out a small piece of hide to wrap around himself after.

Zachary had already poured the water. Steam rose steadily from the stone basin.

He stepped out to grab a dry beast–hide towel. When he came back in, Matthew was already undressed, standing naked by the basin, waiting quietly.

The sight hit Zachary all at once. His face flushed, and he quickly turned his head away.

Matthew looked at him, tone perfectly natural. “What’s wrong?”

“N–Nothing” Zachary braced himself internally.

st

He thought to himself that Matthew’s injured hand made things inconvenient. This was just helping. Just doing a good deed. Good deeds brought blessings–long life, even.

Taking a deep breath, he walked toward Matthew with forced determination.

Through the hazy steam, Matthew’s striking face stood out even more–almost mesmerizing. No matter how hard Zachary tried to control himself, his gaze kept drifting back.

Left with no choice, he forced his

his eyes downward–and immediately froze.

He thought it was better to look at his face.

Otherwise, this felt way too weird.

“Can we start?” Matthew held his injured hand carefully, following Zachary’s instructions to keep it completely dry.

“Oh–yeah.” Zachary bent down, soaked the beast hide in warm water, wrung it out, then draped it over Matthew’s shoulders and back.

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Chapter 104 Steam and a Racing Heart

Matthew’s back was beautifully defined, the muscles smooth and clean, his shoulder blades like folded wings. Against his skin, beads of water slid slowly down the grooves of his spine, dampness spreading toward his waist.

Zachary kept his eyes straight ahead, fully focused on the task. His movements were steady and efficient- almost like a trained caregiver.

But beneath that calm exterior, his thoughts were a mess. From the moment he stepped into the bathing area, something in his mind had gone completely off track.

After being scrubbed for a while, Matthew finally turned his head slightly. “That’s probably enough for my back.”

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