Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 202: The Homecoming Gala

The snow leopard cub had clearly grown a size larger. His grayish-white markings were sharper and more beautiful, and he was currently sprawled lazily across a low log, soaking up the sun.

Barry froze for a moment, almost unable to recognize him. "Is this... the same one?" he murmured under his breath, "He's grown so much..."

As if hearing a familiar voice, the cub's ears perked up alertly. He sniffed the air with a focused intensity.

"He's a bit wary of strangers now," the keeper explained with a smile. "He might not—"

Before the keeper could finish, the cub suddenly stood up. With steps that were still slightly clumsy but significantly steadier than before, he padded straight to the glass partition and affectionately rubbed his furry head against it.

He was positioned exactly in front of Barry, a contented purr vibrating in his throat.

The rest of the keeper's sentence died in his throat, while the corner of Barry's mouth twitched upward in a nearly imperceptible smile.

The keeper opened the side door to allow the cub into the interaction area. The little fellow emerged with a clear target, trotting over to Barry's legs. He circled him twice out of curiosity before suddenly pouncing on his trouser leg.

Barry crouched down, intrigued. He watched as the cub used his newly grown milk teeth to gently nibble on his fingers, as if practicing his hunting skills.

Nancy couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "He likes you! He's trying to play."

Feeling the ticklish sensation against his fingertips, Barry didn't pull away. Instead, his gaze softened remarkably, a hint of quiet pride coloring his voice. "Yeah. He's getting his teeth in."

A strange sense of paternal satisfaction washed over him, like a father watching his own child grow up healthy and strong.

Nancy checked the time, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's almost the little guy's feeding time. He has to eat from a bowl now. Want to revisit your old profession?"

Barry shot her a look of helpless indulgence. "I'm already here. Would you even let me leave today if I didn't feed him?"

Supplying a suppressed grin, the keeper quickly brought over a small bowl of warmed goat milk. The moment Barry took the bowl and crouched down, the impatient cub buried his entire face in it. He lapped at the milk hungrily, the tip of his tail twitching with joy.

However, the cub's coordination wasn't quite there yet. With a sudden swipe of a paw, a splash of milk flew up and landed squarely across Barry's face.

Nancy stared in shock for a split second before pointing at his face and laughing out loud.

But before she could finish, the feasting cub gave his head a violent shake! Several warm droplets of milk landed perfectly on the tip of Nancy's nose and her cheek.

The laughter died instantly.

Barry, still covered in milk, watched her stunned expression. A slow smirk spread across his face as his previous annoyance evaporated. His expression clearly signaled: happiness doesn't disappear; it just transfers to a different face.

At that moment, Star—who had been itching to join in—rushed over. With a helpful, massive lick of his tongue, he swiped Barry's face clean before turning to give Nancy an equally thorough "facial."

Covered in dog slobber, Nancy wiped her face with a tissue, caught between a laugh and a cry. "Star... thank you. I know your heart was in the right place." She paused, adding with mock seriousness, "But I suggest you don't go there next time."

"You deserved it," Barry remarked.

The keeper couldn't hold it back any longer and burst into laughter. For a while, the entire enclosure was filled with a lighthearted, joyous atmosphere. Outside, the sky gradually darkened as warm yellow lights flickered on, enveloping the scene in a cozy glow.

The following morning, the sun was shining brightly. The Townsville University campus was decked out in banners and decorations, humming with a grand and festive energy. As the top institution in Townsville and the entire southern region, the new semester's opening ceremony was a major event.

Flags fluttered along the main thoroughfares, and a vibrant red carpet stretched from the campus gate all the way to the open-air stage. The VIP section in front of the stage was packed with celebrities from the political, business, and academic worlds. Not only were the university leaders present, but several key city officials had also arrived in formal attire, guided to their seats by the ushers.

With twenty minutes left before the start, the grand auditorium was already at full capacity.

Nancy was there as well. She had originally planned to head straight to the S1 lab to get settled, but Jensen had invited her to attend the opening ceremony first.

Nancy sat in the guest area, her hair pulled back into a simple bun, wearing a plain white T-shirt and jeans. Despite her casual attire, she had been specially invited as a distinguished alumna. Her seat was located in the middle row, right by the aisle.

Coincidentally, sitting just one row ahead and slightly to her diagonal was Ginnie, representing the outstanding incoming graduate students.