Chapter 146: Chapter 146: This is Sol’s Secret

The sullen Sol heard her call his name. He glanced up at her before flopping back down onto the rock, a low rumble coming from his throat.

"Oh, it’s you, Renee. You’re here."

Renee Jennings stood before him and asked in a gentle voice, "Sol, you don’t seem to be in a very good mood. What’s wrong?"

"Oh, yeah," Sol said, unable to stop himself from sighing. "This tiger is really not in a good mood."

"Can you tell me what happened?" Renee asked, looking at him with concern.

Sol was silent for a long moment before he shifted his massive body.

He changed his position, his tiger eyes staring intently at Renee. "If this tiger tells you, can you help this tiger?"

"Maybe I can." Renee paused slightly. "I’ll do my best to figure something out for you, okay?"

Sol fell silent again, apparently considering it.

After a moment, Sol stood up and swept his gaze over the other tigers gathered around, his brow furrowing.

He said, "Renee, this tiger can tell you, but *only* you. The other tigers can’t know."

"You!" Rory was not pleased. "We’re all brothers! How dare you keep secrets from us?"

Niner had an opinion, too. "Sol, that’s not cool!"

"Yeah, Sol! Maybe if you tell us, we can help you figure something out!" Carter added.

Sol stared at his brothers with his big, round tiger eyes, looking hesitant.

"No!" He still didn’t want too many to know. "This tiger only wants to tell Renee!"

"You..." The hot-tempered Rory wanted to start a fight with him, but he held back when he remembered Renee was there.

Renee’s slender eyebrows knitted together slightly. She quickly tried to soothe the tigers. "Everyone, don’t be angry. This is Sol’s secret. Since he doesn’t want you to know, you should respect his privacy."

"What does ’privacy’ mean?" Sabin asked curiously.

Renee spent a few minutes explaining the meaning of "privacy" to the tiger brothers.

The tiger brothers’ fierce-looking faces all took on a thoughtful expression.

"Fine," Rory was the first to speak up. "We’ll listen to Renee and respect this kid’s privacy."

"Alright," Sabin huffed. "Let’s go."

Carter glanced back at Sol and grumbled, "What kind of secret could this kid possibly have?"

Sol’s tiger eyes were wide as he looked around warily.

Only when he saw his tiger brothers walking away did he finally relax.

He turned his head to look at Renee and said in a hushed voice, "Renee, this tiger wants to see Petunia."

"Petunia?" Renee blinked, a look of confusion appearing on her fair face. "Who’s Petunia?"

"Petunia... she’s a gentle and beautiful tigress." As he spoke of Petunia, a look of adoration colored Sol’s expression.

"She has smooth fur, big eyes, delicate paws..."

Renee: "..."

The more she listened, the more she felt something was off.

’Why does it sound so much like Sol is in love? But there are only nine male tigers in the entire Tiger Park. Where could a tigress have come from?’

"Where did you meet Petunia?" Renee asked.

"In another tiger park." Sol grew melancholy again. "This tiger really wants to see Petunia. When can I see her? Renee, can you help me?"

Renee raised an eyebrow slightly. "When did you go to another tiger park?"

"A while ago!" Sol said. "The humans took me to another tiger park. I stayed there for a few days. None of the other tigers would pay any attention to me, and they wouldn’t let me eat when it was time for meat. It was Petunia who helped me!"

Renee’s understanding was this: Sol had gone to the tiger enclosure at another zoo, been ostracized, and the tigress Petunia had helped him.

Renee’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled and asked, "So, is it because Petunia helped you that you started to like her?"

"’Like’?" Sol’s tiger eyes widened, and he stared blankly for a long moment. "What does ’like’ mean?"

"’Like’..." The question actually stumped Renee.

She frowned and thought for a long while, but she couldn’t figure out how to explain the meaning of "like."

"Renee, why aren’t you saying anything?" Sol urged impatiently.

Renee sighed and said slowly, "’Like’ is... when you can’t see Petunia, you can’t eat, you can’t sleep, and you don’t have the energy to do anything..."

After hearing this, Sol furrowed his brow, lowered his head, and started to think.

A moment later, he stared at Renee and said with great solemnity, "Renee, this tiger thinks this tiger might like Petunia! Renee, please help this tiger. This tiger wants to see Petunia."

"Okay." Renee thought this problem shouldn’t be too difficult to handle. "I’ll ask around for you."

"Thank you!" Sol was very grateful.

Renee took a few steps, then walked back to him and asked hesitantly, "So, if the other tigers ask me, can I tell them?"

Sol hesitated. "Is liking another tiger something embarrassing?"

Hearing this, Renee raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Of course not. It’s a very sacred thing."

"Then you can tell them." Sol gave a simple, honest smile. "As long as it’s not embarrassing, it’s fine."

"Alright then." Renee reached out and petted his head, coaxing him gently. "Well, Sol, if you want to see Petunia, you have to eat properly. What if you get skinny and aren’t as strong anymore, and Petunia doesn’t like you then?"

"This tiger understands!" The cloud of gloom hanging over Sol vanished completely, and he became full of spirit. "This tiger will definitely eat more meat! Get stronger! And protect Petunia in the future!"

"That’s good." A faint smile touched Renee’s lips as she felt relieved. "I’ll be going now."

"This tiger will wait for your good news!" Sol watched her retreating figure until she was far away.

Renee had only walked a short distance before the other tigers surrounded her, all talking at once as they asked about Sol’s secret.

"Didn’t you just say you were going to respect Sol’s privacy?" Renee raised her eyebrows slightly, teasing them. "Decided not to?"

The tiger brothers’ furry faces immediately showed their guilt.

"W-Well, we won’t ask then?"

"We just couldn’t help asking..."

"We respect it! We tigers respect other tigers’ privacy!"

Renee said, amused, "It’s actually good news. Sol has a tiger he likes."

"Huh?" Rory exclaimed. "What does that mean?"

"This tiger doesn’t get it either!"

Renee once again had to explain it to the tiger brothers.

"Oh, so that’s how it is!" Carter found it fascinating. "Is that Petunia pretty?"

"That kid Sol actually got bullied at another tiger park?" Rory was furious. "Which tigers bullied him? This tiger is going to get revenge for him!"

"Rory, you’re so good to everyone." Renee reached out and petted his head. "You’re a truly loyal tiger."

"Yes," Rory nodded with a stern face. "Sol is this tiger’s brother. Anyone who bullies this tiger’s brother is making an enemy of this tiger!"

Renee smiled and soothed him, "Don’t be angry. Petunia already helped Sol."

"This Petunia tiger sounds pretty great," Sabin commented. "No wonder that kid Sol likes her."

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