After everyone had been sent off, only Bai Su and a few children remained in the orphanage.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward.
Bai Su stared at the little brats, her face dark. "So, I abuse you, do I?"
The little wolf cub protectively shielded the others behind him, staring warily at Bai Su. "This was all my idea. If you're going to punish someone, punish me!"
Bai Su's expression was grim as she swept her gaze over the children. Suddenly, she slammed a hand on the table. "You've all gotten pretty bold!"
The loud SLAM made the children jump in fright.
The corner of Bai Su's eye twitched. She'd slammed her hand down too hard, and her palm throbbed with a fiery pain, but she couldn't let it show. She had to keep the pressure on. "Are you looking to die? You actually dared to have people come investigate me? You think I don't know what you're plotting?"
"Every last one of you is itching for a beating! Will you only be happy once I've beaten you black and blue?"
"Go three days without a beating and you'd tear the roof down! I don't lay a hand on you, and you pull this self-sabotage stunt? A bunch of idiots!"
She violently threw a few bowls to the ground, making the children flinch again.
The little wolf cub shielded the younger ones behind him, silently enduring Bai Su's rage.
The children closed their eyes, bracing themselves for a severe beating.
The kitchen fell deathly silent.
The little ones' hearts pounded in their chests, their anxiety mounting with each passing second.
The timid little cat cub had already started to tremble.
Seeing that she had achieved the desired effect, Bai Su finally said in a cold voice, "Seeing as you've all caused me such a huge amount of trouble, your punishment is to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen tonight! No one sleeps until it's spotless!"
The little wolf cub had been waiting, but he never expected such a light punishment.
He snapped his head up to look at Bai Su, his eyes filled with confusion.
The children couldn't help but look at each other. 'That's it?'
'What kind of punishment is this?'
Bai Su paid them no more mind. Having eaten her fill, she returned to her room.
'As a successful entrepreneur, she knew exactly how to manipulate people.'
'First, you use price hikes to agitate consumers. Then, just as their emotions are at a fever pitch, you don't just cancel the increase—you slash the price in half.'
'That's how you create an even stronger impulse to buy.'
'Handling kids was the same principle.'
'She had deliberately mimicked the original owner's explosive temper, making the children think their doom was certain.'
'Build them up for the worst, then let them down easy. By delivering a punishment as trivial as washing the dishes, the immense sense of relief would make them far more likely to change their opinion of her.'
Bai Su was also eager to get back to her room to take a bath.
Every time she ate, her body would expel a tiny amount of black impurities, like the grime that builds up on your skin after not bathing for several months.
Downstairs.
Seeing there was still food left in the kitchen, the little wolf cub consulted with the cat cub and the others, then secretly brought a portion back to Little Tiger.
Little Tiger was doing much better, though he still had a slight cough.
He asked about the day's events.
The little wolf cub shook his head. "It failed."
The little cat cub couldn't help but whisper, "Actually, I think Director Mom is pretty nice now. Not only does she make us delicious food, but she doesn't hit us anymore!"
Just as Little Tiger was about to speak, the little wolf cub shot the cat cub a scowl. "Idiot! That's only because she knew beforehand that we reported her for abusing a Little Beastman!"
"She was just putting on a show for those adults."
The little cat cub was confused. "But the adults left, and she still didn't hit us."
The little wolf cub snorted. "That's just because she saw we're capable of calling the authorities, so she's toned it down. Just you wait. In a little while, she'll go right back to how she was before. A leopard can't change its spots!"
The cat cub quietly retorted, "But she's a Dutch Rabbit, not a leopard..."
The little wolf cub shot him a glare.
The cat cub silently shut his mouth.
Little Tiger suddenly said, "Actually, I also think Director Mom seems different..."
Seeing that they'd all been bought off by that damn woman's few cheap snacks, the little wolf cub got angry, turned on his heel, and ran out.
As he passed Bai Su's door, she suddenly opened it, and he ran right into her before he could stop.
His nose was filled with a light, fresh fragrance, like a peach just washed in a cool mountain stream—a crisp, sweet and sour fruity scent.
Bai Su's reflexes were quick; she grabbed him to keep him from falling.
The little wolf cub's body tensed instantly. He stared at her, his expression wary. "I'm sorry... Director Mom."
Bai Su held him steady. "Where are you running off to in such a hurry?"
Seeing her pleasant expression made the little wolf cub think of how his friends hadn't trusted him just now, and he grew even angrier.
He summoned his courage and shook off Bai Su's hand. "None of your business!"
He turned and ran downstairs.
Bai Su shook her head but didn't chase after him.
'She searched the original owner's memories and found that the little wolf cub was actually a very talented young Wolf Beastman. He had reached Level 5 when he was only seven or eight and had even mastered the innate Skill, Wolf Claw Ripping.'
'But because of the original owner's abuse, his tail had been brutally torn off, and his Level could no longer increase.'
'For a Beastman, their animal features contained the vast majority of their power.'
'The inability to advance his talent was a major source of anguish for the little wolf cub.'
'His other was his blinded left eye.'
'Winning this little cub over was simple, really. She just had to fix the damage the original owner had caused.'
'Since she had a Healing Ability, she wasn't worried about that.'
The little wolf cub ran out and still hadn't returned.
It was getting later and later.
Just as she was about to go look for him, she spotted the little wolf cub hiding furtively behind a large tree not far from the orphanage gate.
Bai Su was speechless.
She turned and went into the kitchen, deciding to make two bowls of mushroom, shrimp, and shredded chicken noodles for a late-night snack.
A fresh, savory aroma began to drift steadily from the kitchen.
A wolf's sense of smell has always been sharp.
The little wolf cub swallowed hard and couldn't stop himself from peeking out from behind the tree trunk, his gaze fixed on the kitchen.
The kitchen door was open.
A warm, dim light cast out from inside, barely illuminating a small triangle of ground at the doorway.
Through the narrow kitchen door, the long dining table was visible.
Bai Su carried two bowls of noodles and placed them on the table, directly facing the doorway.
The little wolf cub quickly and warily ducked back behind the tree trunk.
Bai Su sat down with her back to him and sighed softly. "Why isn't the little wolf cub back yet? The noodles will get soggy and won't taste good soon."
Her voice wasn't loud, almost as if she were murmuring to herself.
Behind the tree trunk, the little wolf cub's ears twitched. He had heard her loud and clear.
Bai Su wasn't in a hurry. She just began to eat her own bowl of noodles at a leisurely pace. "Mm, this is delicious..."
"Looks like my cooking skills are improving."
'She had complete confidence in her cooking.'
'In her past life, in the culinary paradise of Hua Country, she had built her own food service and business Empire with her own two hands.'
'Let alone in a place like the Interstellar Beast World—a true culinary desert millions of times more desolate than even Hang City.'
Sure enough, not even five minutes later, the little wolf cub couldn't hold out any longer.
He walked in, feigning nonchalance, and went to the stove to pour a glass of water.
A flicker of a smile crossed Bai Su's eyes. She said gently, "You're finally back? Are you hungry? Come have a bowl of noodles. I made this late-night snack especially for you."
Hearing this, the little wolf cub's two ears instantly perked up, and his half-broken wolf tail began to wag furiously behind him.
"Ahem..." Bai Su was hit with such a wave of cuteness she nearly broke character, wanting to squeal and pounce on him for a cuddle.
'As a businesswoman, she could be iron-willed about anything—except fluffy things.'
'No one in the world can refuse a fluffy creature!'
The little wolf cub had no idea what Bai Su was thinking. He just turned his head and put on a reluctant expression. "It would be a waste not to eat it, so I guess I'll have some..."
But his haste in sitting down completely betrayed his true feelings.