Chapter 140
Bai Tu had already witnessed the extent of everyone’s wild imaginations multiple times, yet he was still shocked every time.
Like now—although Bai Chi had only said one sentence, Bai Tu could already deduce from his words and tone what kind of misunderstanding he had come up with this time.
Knowing that explaining would be pointless, Bai Tu simply pointed to the roasted sweet potatoes on the grill and said, “Chi, have a taste.”
Seeing that Bai Tu was struggling yet still offering food to him, Bai Chi felt even more heartbroken. They had all been eating well every day thanks to Bai Tu’s efforts, yet Bai Tu himself seemed to be left with nothing but these simple roasted sweet potatoes. And now, he was even inviting Bai Chi to share what little he had.
Bai Tu immediately recognized the dramatic misunderstanding unfolding in Bai Chi’s mind. He fed the last spoonful of mashed sweet potato to the wolf cub, dusted off his hands, and picked up a small roasted sweet potato. Breaking it in half, he handed one piece to Bai Chi and kept the other for himself.
“Try it first before you say anything.”
At this point, any explanation would be meaningless. Only by tasting it himself would Bai Chi realize the truth.
Bai Chi started to sense that something was off. If this was truly poor-quality food, Bai Tu wouldn’t insist that he try it. Even though they had only spent about ten days together, everyone already had a clear understanding of Bai Tu’s character. Whenever he sincerely invited someone to try something, it was usually something delicious—just like the first time they had hotpot.
Thinking of that flavorful hotpot, Bai Chi looked down at the food in his hand. Steam was rising from it, carrying a unique aroma unlike anything he had ever smelled before. Even though he had eaten many new foods since arriving at the Snow Rabbit Tribe, nothing resembled this.
Bai Tu had already started eating. Roasted sweet potatoes were best when eaten hot, freshly peeled from the skin. He peeled back a small section, gently blew on it, and took a bite, instantly feeling satisfied.
Even though these sweet potatoes had just been harvested and weren’t at peak flavor, it had been so long since Bai Tu last had them. Especially considering that this body had never tasted sweet potatoes before, they seemed even more delicious.
The variety they had grown was a yellowish-red type—soft and sticky in texture, somewhat like chestnuts but even softer. Bai Tu gestured toward another small sweet potato, reminding Lang Qi to hurry up and eat. Noticing that Bai Chi still hadn’t taken a bite, he urged, “Eat before it gets cold.”
Roasted sweet potatoes were best enjoyed hot. Once they cooled, they lost some of their aroma.
After a moment of hesitation, Bai Chi mimicked Bai Tu’s actions, peeling back the skin and cautiously taking a bite—only to be completely surprised.
He had expected it to be bitter or tasteless, yet it was sweet.
Sweetness was rare on the Beast God Continent. While ripe fruits were naturally sweet, they were usually harvested early before they could fully ripen. Otherwise, even if no other beastmen took them, birds and tree-climbing animals would devour them before they could be picked.
To prevent animals from eating their fruit, beastmen not only had to constantly chase them away but also had to pick the fruit early. Once harvested, the fruit had to be stored for a few days to develop its full flavor. However, due to food shortages, most beastmen lacked the patience to wait—even if their tribe had a capable leader, the starving members often ate everything on the day it was gathered, leaving nothing to ripen.
In the Black Forest Tribe, the situation was even worse. Even if there were ripe fruits, they were never given to the imprisoned beastmen. The food given to them was barely any different from what was provided to hunters like Hu Wan, except that it had fewer scraps. As for taste, it was beyond terrible.
It had been a long time since Bai Chi had eaten anything naturally sweet. Now, with just one bite, he was reminded of his youth in his original tribe. As a sub-beastman with the potential to become a shaman, he had once eaten the best food his tribe had to offer.
Without letting Bai Tu notice his emotions, Bai Chi silently finished his half of the sweet potato.
“Tastes good, right?” Bai Tu had already finished his portion and was selecting another one.
To ensure even cooking, he had chosen sweet potatoes of similar size, avoiding ones that were too large or round. If they were soft inside without a hard core, they were ready to eat.
“There’s plenty of food in the tribe. You don’t have to worry about it.” Bai Tu reassured them.
Although he hadn’t expected to bring back so many sub-beastmen, he had never been idle since the end of the snow season. He had continuously planted crops, one batch after another. Even though the rainy season had already begun, they had managed to plant a round of rice crops outside before the rain started. If the rice survived the season, that would be great. If not, the only loss would be some seeds.
Recently, the tribe had harvested several types of crops—enough to sustain a large number of people. Additionally, the livestock area was continuously expanding.
By using heated kang beds to hatch chicks, the process was dozens of times faster than relying on hens. Each incubator held thousands of eggs.
While the hatch rate was slightly lower than natural incubation, the sheer quantity more than compensated for it. After all, during the incubation period, hens continued to lay more eggs. With each batch producing over a thousand chicks, they were kept in caves for a few days before being transferred to the livestock area, making the process highly efficient.
Chickens, ducks, and geese grew quickly—the females began laying eggs within two to three months, while only a small number of males were kept for breeding, with the rest slaughtered for meat. Because of this, the tribe now had chicken and duck meat at every meal, reducing the consumption of cattle, sheep, and pigs. During their time at the market, the tribe had refrained from hunting, yet the total number of livestock had increased instead, thanks to the ongoing births of piglets, calves, and lambs.
As long as they ensured enough feed for the livestock, the tribe would have no concerns about food shortages. And the feed problem was the easiest to solve—many surrounding plants were edible, and even crop stalks could be repurposed as fodder.
All the beastmen in the tribe understood that as long as Bai Tu wasn’t worried about food, it meant that there was plenty to go around. However, Bai Chi and the newly arrived sub-beastmen didn’t yet grasp this. They had been concerned about food scarcity ever since they left the Black Forest Tribe.
Even in the past few days, while eating the Snow Rabbit Tribe’s food, they had been cautious and uneasy, fearing they might be consuming too much and burdening the tribe.
Even though Bai Tu reassured them that there was enough food, Bai Chi still wasn’t fully convinced—until one particular event.
Bai Tu and Lang Qi both knew Lang Ze too well. Before starting the barbecue, they had already accounted for Lang Ze’s share, which was why there was far more food on the grill than just what Bai Tu and Lang Qi could eat.
Recently, Lang Ze had been following his usual schedule—going out at night and resting during the day. Normally, he would wake up later than this, especially since the patrol areas had shrunk after the two tribes merged.
However, today, in the middle of his sleep, he caught a whiff of an unfamiliar and incredibly enticing aroma.
He immediately recognized that it was coming from next door. Without hesitation, he bolted upright and rushed over—choosing to climb over the wall rather than use the door because he found it too slow.
Bai Tu and Lang Ze were long past the point of formalities. In the past, Lang Ze would at least wait politely, but now, unless the food was still cooking, he wouldn’t wait at all.
Bai Chi watched in stunned silence as Lang Ze devoured three sweet potatoes in the blink of an eye. Before he could even process what had happened, Lang Ze had already eaten half of the food.
After polishing off a good portion of the roasted sweet potatoes, Lang Ze clapped his hands together, attempted—and failed—to ruffle his nephews’ fur, and then reluctantly withdrew his hand. “I’m off to eat dinner!”
“Go, go,” Bai Tu waved him off.
Young beastmen had too much energy—they were constantly trying to play with the cubs. But their strength was unpredictable, and Bai Tu now fully understood why Tu Cai had once refused to let them touch the cubs. It really was for the best.
Bai Chi: “???”
Bai Chi carefully recounted the food that was missing and realized that most of it had indeed been eaten by Lang Ze. After a brief moment of silence, he slowly turned to Bai Tu and asked, “That wasn’t dinner just now?”
All this time, he had assumed that what they had been eating was the tribe’s evening meal.
“No, that was just a snack. The wolf cubs still need meat—if they only eat this, they’ll be hungry again soon.” Bai Tu explained matter-of-factly.
While sweet potatoes could fill the stomach, they weren’t ideal as a main meal. They were only suitable when one wasn’t doing heavy work. If a beastman had duties like hunting or patrolling, they needed to eat meat as well. Otherwise, they would need to carry some dried meat or other protein-rich snacks with them to avoid getting hungry too quickly.
Previously, Bai Tu had told Bai Chi that the tribe had enough food, but Bai Chi had assumed he was just trying to comfort them.
Now, seeing Lang Ze’s appetite—and hearing that there was still more food to come—he finally believed it.
The tribe’s food supply was truly abundant.
Bai Chi felt as though he was in a dream.
The lifestyle that the Black Forest Tribe had falsely promised to other tribes as bait—the Snow Rabbit Tribe had actually achieved it, and for real.
Unlike the Black Forest Tribe’s exaggerated lies, the Snow Rabbit Tribe had genuinely built a prosperous way of life. While Wu Jiu and Bao Ren had been smugly scheming their manipulative plans, someone else had already done far better—and without oppressing anyone in the process.
The reality of life in the Snow Rabbit Tribe shocked not only Bai Chi but also all the beastmen who had recently joined them.
Before arriving, they had thought that as long as things were even slightly better than life in the Black Forest Tribe, it would be enough.
But as they traveled with Bai Tu and then settled into the tribe, they realized that life here was far better than they had ever imagined.
Still, they couldn’t shake their concerns. Like Bai Chi, they feared that this level of comfort came at a cost—that someone else had sacrificed their own food for them.
It wasn’t until Bai Chi returned with the news—along with the sight of beastmen carrying baskets upon baskets of sweet potatoes—that the newly arrived beastmen finally understood. Bai Tu’s assurance that there was enough food wasn’t just meant to comfort them; it was the truth.
The rescued beastmen adapted to eating wheat, corn, and sweet potatoes even faster than the Snow Rabbit Tribe and Blood Wolf Tribe. This was because their diets in the Black Forest Tribe had been so poor that these foods, which would have once been considered luxuries, were now things they eagerly embraced.
Most importantly, these foods contained no drugs.
In addition to the sub-beastmen and female beastmen, Bai Tu had also brought back many male beastmen. Because they had been forced to consume drugged food for so long, they now suffered from withdrawal symptoms every few days. However, since they all knew the consequences of continuing to take those drugs, they endured the discomfort rather than seeking them out again.
Not that they could even if they wanted to—the problematic plants cultivated in the Black Forest Tribe had been completely eradicated by Bai Tu. The medicine supply they had brought back had been thoroughly inspected, and any drugged portions were destroyed, leaving only the safe medicine.
Bai Tu couldn’t have done this alone. The reason they had managed to work so quickly was thanks to Wu Xi’s help. Since most shamans delegated their work to apprentices, others often asked Wu Xi to handle medical tasks. He knew exactly what ingredients had been used in which medicines. As long as Bai Tu identified a particular problematic plant, Wu Xi could determine which medicines had been made from it, locate them based on their packaging or storage method, and hand them over to Bai Tu for destruction.
In less than two days, Bai Tu had destroyed all the toxin medicine brought back from the Black Forest Tribe, ensuring that not a single seed remained.
A significant number of beastmen had been brought back from the Black Forest Tribe. In addition to those who had been captured or deceived into joining, there were also Black Forest Tribe members themselves—including some who had actively collaborated with Bao Ren after joining.
The biggest problem among them was the Snake Tribe. More than half of its members were deeply involved in wrongdoing. Some of the snakes who had been imprisoned separately had once worked with Bao Ren to lure people into the tribe using seduction tactics—similar to the fabricated story Bai Tu had told before.
Their methods were almost identical to Bai Meng’s. They would first make contact with beastmen from other tribes, using their attractive appearances to pose as helpless wanderers. Their excuses were always similar—either they had been separated from their tribe or had gotten distracted by something and lost their way.
Not all beastmen fell for their looks. Many, driven by kindness, simply wanted to help someone in distress and would offer to escort them back to their tribe or at least to a familiar road. However, once they had traveled some distance together, the beastmen would realize too late that something was wrong.
The Snake Tribe had tricked many in this way. Since their deception usually targeted small groups rather than entire tribes, missing individuals weren’t always immediately recognized as victims of foul play. Many assumed their lost kin had simply suffered an accident, when in reality, they had been lured into the Black Forest Tribe.
When Bao Ren had told Bai Tu he could give him twenty “beauties,” it had been a trap as well. Most of these snakes only obeyed Bao Ren. Even if they were handed over to someone else, they would still remain loyal to him. Had Bai Tu actually accepted the offer, it wouldn’t have been long before he, too, was ensnared by Bao Ren’s schemes.
The Snake Tribe had panicked and attempted to escape before everyone left the Black Forest Tribe because they feared their past actions would be exposed. After all, they hadn’t just deceived people—many beastmen who had seen through their tricks had been killed.
However, their escape attempts were in vain. After circling around the caves, all they managed to do was unknowingly reveal the route where the sub-beastmen had hidden the cubs to Bai Tu. Meanwhile, they also caught the attention of the Hawk Tribe.
The eagle beastmen were particularly excited whenever they spotted a member of the Snake Tribe—battle instincts kicking in immediately. They almost wished the snakes would try to escape every day just so they could practice their grasping skills. The Snake Tribe attempted multiple escapes, but each time, they ended up with nothing but more claw marks on their bodies. Not a single one succeeded.
After getting caught several times, the Snake Tribe finally settled down. However, the Black Forest Tribe beastmen remained restless. They had lived in the Black Forest Tribe for so long that they were used to other beastmen treating them with fear and respect, always hoping for a chance to join their ranks. Never before had they been locked away in cramped, dark rooms and given only one meal a day.
Both their living conditions and food supply left them extremely dissatisfied. Relying on their numbers, they attempted to break out of their confinement and overpower the guards.
However, before they could even make it out, they ran into another group—the very same lower-ranked beastmen they had once bullied and mistreated.
Some of them, failing to recognize the shift in power, arrogantly ordered the “lowly” beastmen outside to let them go.
But the beastmen outside had endured years of humiliation and oppression. Their pent-up anger had reached its peak. The moment the Black Forest Tribe beastmen let their guard down, they were beaten mercilessly, repaying past grievances.
Bai Tu never interfered in the grievances between the deceived beastmen and the Black Forest Tribe. Some of these beastmen had been trapped there for so long that their loved ones—mates, children, or kin—had already passed away. Their hatred for the Black Forest Tribe ran deep.
Compared to the many beastmen who had died because of the Black Forest Tribe’s deception, these captured beastmen were at least still alive. If others wanted to vent their anger on them, then so be it—it was their rightful burden to bear.
Perhaps it was due to releasing their frustration, or maybe their bodies were finally recovering from years of malnutrition, but the beastmen quickly regained their strength. After living in the Snow Rabbit Tribe for over ten days, they started sending representatives to Bai Tu, hoping to be assigned work.
During their time in the tribe, they had already observed how things operated. Unlike the Black Forest Tribe, where lower-ranked beastmen were forced to work while the privileged lived comfortably, the Snow Rabbit Tribe—and the now-merged Blood Wolf Tribe—required everyone to contribute, including their leaders.
Beastmen earned points based on their work, which could then be exchanged for supplies. This system was completely new to them, and while they found it intriguing, they quickly began calculating what kind of work they could do and how much they could earn.
No matter how they looked at it, one thing became clear—whatever they did here would be far better than their lives in the Black Forest Tribe.
Watching everyone around them staying busy, these beastmen didn’t want to just sit idly in their living quarters. Almost as soon as they arrived, they began seeking out Bai Tu to ask what work they could do.
However, Bai Tu always told them not to rush. With the rainy season already beginning and the rain growing heavier each day, their impatience only increased. Finally, unable to wait any longer, they sent representatives to demand a clear answer from Bai Tu.
Beastmen were simple-minded and direct. Having been imprisoned or enslaved for so long, they now cherished the opportunity to live in the Snow Rabbit Tribe. They wanted to contribute, fearing that if they didn’t, they might eventually be driven away.
But Bai Tu had no intention of driving them away.
As long as they didn’t cause trouble, the Snow Rabbit Tribe welcomed all beastmen. In fact, the tribe desperately needed more people. There were too many tasks to handle, and even now, some jobs still required the Wolf Tribe’s help. Only with a larger population could they ensure that every job was adequately covered.
Bai Tu wasn’t refusing to assign them work—he had already planned everything out. The entire rainy season would be dedicated to resting and regaining their health. Only after the rains subsided would work officially begin.
Both the male beastmen who had been under Wu Jiu’s drug control and the imprisoned sub-beastmen and female beastmen needed time to recover. Bai Tu wasn’t short-sighted—forcing them to work immediately would only harm them in the long run. If they fell ill or collapsed from overwork, it wouldn’t just delay productivity—it would also be an unnecessary suffering for them.
Seeing that Bai Tu had even considered their physical well-being, the beastmen felt guilty for pushing the issue. They finally dropped the matter, understanding that continuing to argue would make them seem ungrateful.
Bai Tu breathed a sigh of relief when they relented.
To be honest, the rainy and snowy seasons were among the few times when beastmen could rest and focus on their health. During these months, there were fewer dangers and less work to do. The burdens on the tribe were lighter, and there were no urgent tasks pressing them.
As the rain poured harder outside, the final tasks in the tribe were slowly wrapping up. All the harvested grain had been transported to the newly built granary.
The granary was constructed with cement and bricks, reinforced with lime and other moisture-resistant materials. This ensured that any stored grain remained dry and could be preserved for one to two years without issue.
Sweet potatoes, which had a high yield, didn’t need to be stored in the granary. Instead, Bai Tu distributed a large basketful to every beastman. The remaining supply was placed in underground cellars, where Tu Mu could retrieve them as needed for cooking.
The sweet potatoes distributed to everyone could be roasted or boiled, and their natural sweetness—while not as strong as fruit—made them more filling. It didn’t take long for them to become a favorite among the beastmen.
After all, aside from honey and a few types of fruit, sweet foods were rare in the tribe. While fruit was sweet, it wasn’t filling; in fact, eating it often left them hungrier afterward. Honey, on the other hand, was delicious and paired wonderfully with meat, but its supply was too limited—each person only got a small share. Any food made with honey at the communal kitchen was snatched up the moment it was placed out, with no chance for latecomers.
Sweet potatoes weren’t as sweet as honey, but they had a unique texture. The beastmen especially loved roasting them—if done correctly, the edges would caramelize, releasing a syrup-like substance that made them taste even richer and sweeter.
Previously, many beastmen had been reluctant to leave their caves, partly because of the natural cold storage cave at the base of the mountain. However, now that their food supplies no longer required refrigeration, and meat was no longer stockpiled for extended periods but prepared and eaten fresh, there was no need for cold storage.
Some beastmen had initially been hesitant to leave their long-inhabited caves, but after seeing the new houses, they decisively packed up all their belongings and moved. There was no choice—housing was limited, and if they didn’t move quickly, the best spots would be taken.
For beastmen, the best locations were those closest to the communal kitchen. The next best were those near the chief’s residence. The least desirable were the houses far from both the kitchen and other facilities.
A few days into the rainy season, everyone had fully settled into their new homes. Bai Tu had nearly finished drafting the new residential area map, which would be posted in the center of the district once the rainy season ended to help everyone find each other more easily.
For now, the constant rain made travel inconvenient, and few people ventured outside unless necessary. Plus, the rain would wash away the ink, so the map couldn’t be put up just yet.
During their first rainy season in the new homes, beastmen gathered under their porches, roasting sweet potatoes while watching the heavy rain. For the first time, rain didn’t feel like a struggle. Even compared to last year, everyone was noticeably happier.
In the past, the rainy season had always brought two major concerns—food and safety. But now, both of these issues had been completely resolved. Even the youngest wolf cubs, who had just learned to walk, joined in the excitement.
Seeing the tribe prosper made Bai Tu happy, but something else also brought him joy—Lang Sui and Lang Ying, the two older wolf cubs, had officially started walking on their own.
They had taken steps before, but only while holding onto walls or being guided by someone. Now, they no longer needed any support.
Bai Tu had been the first to notice. Although it had been raining almost every day, the brief moments when the rain stopped were often uncomfortably humid. The cubs’ small beds were safe but not well-ventilated.
Since wolf cubs were even more sensitive to heat than adults, Bai Tu decided to make a large woven mat to keep them cool. He placed it in the living room so they could rest there.
With Bai Tu and Lang Qi sitting outside on the porch, they could hear any movement from the cubs inside.
As for why they were sitting outside—it was because Bai Tu was roasting sweet potatoes again. But this time, it wasn’t just sweet potatoes; he was also grilling ribs and other meats. Compared to his first attempt, his cooking setup had been upgraded.
He had asked Bai Hui to build a new roasting stove, modeled after the ones Bai Tu had seen used by street vendors in his past life. This version had separate compartments for different foods, allowing them to cook simultaneously. When one was ready, they could eat it right away.
The stove had only been completed the day before, and Bai Tu was still excited about using it. Last night, he had tested it with sweet potatoes, potatoes, and skewered meat. Today, he had added ribs to the mix.
However, things never went exactly as planned.
The household was running low on coal and firewood. Since there were now three adults, including Lang Ze, even though Bai Tu didn’t eat much, the daily cooking fuel consumption was high.
Lang Qi and Lang Ze had gone out to gather more firewood, leaving Bai Tu alone. Seizing the opportunity of Lang Ze’s absence, he carefully flipped the ribs on the grill. The handmade stove made some noise while being used, and that clanking sound drowned out any noise from the cubs inside.
Compared to the three younger cubs, Lang Sui and Lang Ying were significantly larger. Even when sleeping, they naturally positioned themselves around their younger siblings.
Cubs of the same age usually had synchronized sleep patterns—they tended to wake up and fall asleep together. However, the two older cubs needed less sleep than the younger ones and often woke up earlier.
The gray-furred Lang Ying woke up, glanced at the three younger cubs still sleeping, then shifted to the side. Suddenly, he transformed into his human form and stood up from the woven mat.
Lang Sui didn’t know what his younger brother was planning, but he followed suit, shifting into his human form as well. The two of them instinctively moved a little away from the other cubs before standing up—ensuring that if they fell, they wouldn’t land on their younger siblings.
This wasn’t their first time transforming. Once on their feet, they instinctively wanted to reach for their father or a nearby wall for support. However, they quickly realized that the nearest wall was much farther away than expected.
Lang Ying looked around, gauging the distance to the doorway. Instead of heading toward the wall for support, he chose to walk straight ahead.
Under normal circumstances, they would have just shifted back into their beast forms and run across the room. But today, they both wanted to walk on two legs.
The two wolf cubs exchanged a glance, one extending his right hand and the other his left. Holding hands, they slowly but steadily made their way forward.
By the time Bai Tu heard sounds coming from the room, the two had already reached the doorway.
Lang Ying was particularly fascinated by the rain outside. Before Bai Tu could even celebrate the fact that they had walked out on their own, he noticed Lang Ying’s eager gaze and immediately rushed over, scooping up both cubs—one in each arm.
Lang Ying’s grand plan to go play in the rain was swiftly foiled by his father. However, being an obedient and well-behaved cub, his favorite thing in the world was still his father. Everything else could wait. He didn’t mind missing out on the rain for now—once his uncle arrived, there would be another opportunity to play.
Bai Tu had no idea what Lang Ying was scheming. He simply carried the two back inside to check on the other cubs. Fortunately, they were still fast asleep. Bai Tu gently adjusted the small blankets covering them.
Calling them “blankets” was a bit of an exaggeration—they were more like soft towels, custom-made for each cub’s size. Every cub had their own, marked with a small identifier in the corner, just like their clothes and other belongings. There were always five of everything, neatly separated.
Once he made sure the younger cubs were comfortable, Bai Tu dressed Lang Sui and Lang Ying. When they were in human form, they couldn’t run around naked. Most of their clothes were made from soft, breathable cotton, designed to be slightly oversized.
Beast cubs, especially wolf cubs, were used to running around in their beast form. Clothes that fit too snugly would feel restrictive, so slightly looser garments were more comfortable for them.
The two older cubs were very obedient, knowing better than to disturb their younger siblings’ sleep. They remained quiet the whole time. Only when Bai Tu carried them outside did they excitedly point toward the roasting stove Bai Tu had set up earlier.
They could smell the delicious scent!
Bai Tu also caught a whiff of the ribs roasting on the grill. He tapped each of the cubs’ noses and said, “Wait a little longer.” The meat wasn’t quite ready yet.
The cubs understood and immediately sat down on their small stools, staring at Bai Tu without blinking, silently urging him to hurry up.
Bai Tu couldn’t help but laugh. He wanted to finish cooking quickly too, but this wasn’t something he could rush. The ribs needed to be fully cooked before they could eat them, and increasing the heat too much would burn the outside while leaving the inside raw.
As he reassured the cubs while adding more firewood to the grill, Lang Qi and Lang Ze returned. They hadn’t planned to take so long, but since it was still raining, they had taken extra precautions. Knowing that wet firewood would produce a lot of smoke, which could be unpleasant indoors, Lang Qi had covered it with a thin wooden board to keep it dry.
The moment Lang Ze saw that the two older cubs were awake, he abandoned the cart of firewood and rushed over to play with them. If Bai Tu hadn’t stopped him in time, his hands would have already been grabbing at the cubs’ faces.
“Go wash your hands. You can’t touch them unless they’re clean.” Bai Tu’s voice was firm and unyielding.
If he hadn’t stopped him, the cubs’ clothes would have been covered in dirt within minutes. And guess who would have to wash them? Bai Tu and Lang Qi.
As for Lang Ze? He was infamous for getting clothes dirty at record speed but was completely hopeless at cleaning them. If left to wash clothes himself, they wouldn’t last long before turning into a pile of shredded rags.
This wasn’t an accusation—it was a proven fact.
Last time, Lang Ze had secretly played with the cubs while Bai Tu wasn’t around. When he got their clothes dirty, he panicked, fearing Bai Tu and Lang Qi would scold him. So he quickly changed them into fresh clothes and secretly took the dirty ones out to wash.
The problem?
He scrubbed so vigorously that he ruined every single one.
Bai Tu only realized something was wrong when he noticed the cubs were missing several sets of clothes. He asked Lang Qi, who hadn’t touched them. Then Lang Qi questioned Lang Ze, who had to confess the whole incident.
Since then, Lang Ze’s interactions with the cubs were strictly supervised—only when Bai Tu or Lang Qi were present.
Now that he had finally found an opportunity to play with them, Lang Ze wasn’t about to waste it. Without a word, he rushed off to fetch water and thoroughly washed his hands. Since he was already at it, he even rinsed himself off before coming back to find the cubs again.
Seeing that he was finally clean, Bai Tu didn’t stop him this time. Instead, he turned his attention to preparing food with Lang Qi.
On rainy days, most beastmen preferred cooking at home rather than eating at the communal kitchen. Since there wasn’t much else to do, they could take their time preparing meals and season them exactly to their liking.
For example, Bai Tu liked spicy food.
The communal kitchen, to accommodate everyone’s tastes, rarely made overly spicy dishes. Aside from a few famously spicy dishes, most meals were only mildly spicy or had no spice at all.
But Bai Tu preferred things with a kick—especially the grilled ribs he was cooking now.
If the natural juices and roasted aroma of the ribs were already worth a seven out of ten, adding chili powder, cumin, and other seasonings would take them straight to a nine. One bite would leave you craving more.
Lang Qi brought over the tableware, with the two largest bowls belonging to the two older cubs, the medium-sized one for Bai Tu, and the smaller ones for the younger cubs.
The little wolf cubs had started eating meat, but they couldn’t chew large pieces yet. Bai Tu carefully stripped the meat off the ribs, chopped it into small pieces, and placed it in their bowls. For the slightly older cubs, he left the pieces a bit larger. Even though they looked about the size of one-year-old human children, their teeth were much stronger—strong enough to gnaw on ribs if given the chance.
Just as Bai Tu was thinking about this, something felt off. He glanced to the side and saw the two older cubs, each holding a rib in their hands. Next to them, Lang Ze was holding an even bigger rib. The three of them looked exactly the same—each one with a rib in hand, identical expressions of delight on their faces.
At that moment, Bai Tu suddenly understood why Lang Ying had been so excited about the rain earlier—it was the same eager expression that Lang Ze always had!
Bai Tu noticed, and naturally, Lang Qi did too. Randomly handing food to the cubs was a big no-no in Bai Tu’s book. So before Lang Ze could enjoy his stolen meal, Lang Qi grabbed him by the collar and tossed him into the storage room.
The storage room was part of their house—every home in the residential area had the same layout: two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen on one side of the courtyard, and a storage room on the other.
The kitchen was for cooking, while the storage room held long-lasting food supplies and tools, making it convenient to grab what was needed without going to the communal kitchen every time.
When Bai Tu moved into the house, he had stored a lot of miscellaneous items from the caves in the storage room. Since he needed frequent access to herbs for drying, he had designated the right-side room specifically for medicinal storage. This meant the storage room had nothing particularly valuable in it—making it the perfect place to put Lang Ze in “time-out.”
After checking the cubs’ teeth and ensuring they were fine, Bai Tu felt reassured. Technically, they could chew on ribs, but he was worried they might bite incorrectly and damage their teeth. If that happened, they’d have to wait years for their adult teeth to come in.
Of course, Lang Ze wasn’t just locked up for this one incident—it was also a lesson to help him remember that just because today it was ribs, tomorrow it could be something even more problematic.
The little wolf had an adventurous spirit and loved to take risks, even when he was with the cubs. Bai Tu needed to make sure he learned some restraint.
After washing the cubs’ hands, Bai Tu handed out the chopped ribs and gave each one a small wooden spoon. The older cubs in human form no longer needed to be fed—they could handle eating on their own as long as the food was given to them.
For their tableware, Bai Tu had specially prepared wooden bowls and spoons. Not only were they lightweight, but even if a cub accidentally dropped one, they wouldn’t break—just needed a quick rinse before being used again.
The two older cubs ate quietly and obediently, while Bai Tu went inside to carry out the three younger ones. As soon as it was mealtime, they instinctively woke up. After wiping their hands and faces, they were fully alert—just in time for their meal.
Once the cubs had eaten, Bai Tu changed their clothes and let them play on the woven mat while he and Lang Qi finally sat down to eat.
The ribs, now perfectly seasoned, were ready. The aroma of the spices had fully developed from the second round of roasting, blending perfectly with the rich, meaty scent. Even before opening the grill, Bai Tu’s mouth was already watering.
Inside the storage room, Lang Ze smelled it too. He anxiously scratched at the walls, but he knew that if he actually damaged the walls, his brother would probably tear him apart. After a while, he gave up and started rummaging through the storage room, hoping to find something edible.
Bai Tu opened the grill and pulled out several large ribs. The cubs’ eyes immediately locked onto them, their gazes lingering longingly.
They knew these weren’t for them, so they could only watch.
For some reason, the little wolf cubs always believed that their father’s food tasted better than theirs. But every time Bai Tu gave them a piece of his food, it tasted exactly the same.
Still, they couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a difference.
The young cubs weren’t old enough to figure out why, so their best solution was to stare at Bai Tu while he ate, hoping to understand the mystery.
Setting the ribs aside to cool, Bai Tu pointed toward the storage room, signaling Lang Qi that it was time to let Lang Ze out. If they waited any longer, he’d probably end up tearing the whole place apart.
Lang Qi stood up and opened the storage room door. The moment it was unlocked, Lang Ze shot out like a rocket.
“Tu! Where are the ribs? The grilled ribs?”
He was panicking—surely his brother hadn’t eaten them all already?!
Bai Tu had originally planned to remind him once again about the rules for playing with the cubs, but seeing Lang Ze in his current state, it was clear he wouldn’t listen. With a sigh, Bai Tu helplessly pointed to the cutting board nearby.
Just as he lowered his head, he suddenly noticed something in Lang Ze’s hand.
“Wait! What are you holding?”
