Chapter 124
The two golden taro plants growing near the small spirit saplings had thrived under the daily infusion of spiritual energy, growing astonishingly fast. In just a few days, they had shot up to nearly two meters tall.
Under Su Ci’s guidance, Lang Ze grabbed one of the stalks and easily cut it down with a tool.
Each plant had about three or four such stalks, long and straight, topped with large, oval-shaped leaves that resembled little umbrellas, casting a significant area of shade.
These shaded areas were one of Xing Xing’s favorite hiding spots. As they prepared to uproot the entire plant, he looked a little reluctant to part with it.
Just as he thought that, a large stalk was shoved into his arms, and a boy’s cheerful laughter rang out.
“Xing Xing, this is fun! Hold onto it!”
The small boy, clutching the long, heavy golden taro stalk, struggled under its weight. In the end, he had to prop it against the ground, using both arms to hold it.
With the giant leaf shading him, he looked even more like a wide-eyed, innocent kitten.
Su Ci couldn’t resist ruffling the little “kitten’s” hair before turning his attention back to the cubs hard at work.
Noisy as ever, Lang Ze had already dashed back to cut more leaves and joined his friends in digging up the plant.
Golden taro, also known as gold yam, has its edible portion in its tubers. Named for their golden-colored skin, the tubers are shallowly rooted. After just a few scoops of dirt, the top of the taro became visible.
“Is this the golden taro?” Lu Jiao touched the round top of the taro and couldn’t help but say, “It really does look like a head.”
As he dug through the soil, memories of their first day following Brother A-Yan—watering and fertilizing the seedlings—flashed in his mind.
What was once a tiny sprout had now grown so big! Although he had watched it grow day by day, reflecting on it still felt surreal.
“It does look like one,” Rong Heng agreed.
Lu Li stayed quiet, focusing on digging.
“Brother A-Yan said taro can be made to taste like chips. Ah, I can’t wait to try it! Let me tell you, chips are so delicious…”
Little Lang Ze kept talking while digging, his chatter nonstop and his body radiating excitement.
Hearing his descriptions, the cubs, whether they had tasted chips before or not, quickened their pace.
Considering how hard they were working, Su Su would probably let them have some taro to eat later, wouldn’t he? The cubs couldn’t help but wonder.
Finally, after about twenty minutes of teamwork, the first golden taro was dug out.
The taro was entirely golden-yellow, large in size, with a diameter exceeding ten centimeters and a length over forty centimeters. It was so heavy that Little Lang Ze struggled to lift it.
Despite being tired and covered in dirt, the cubs couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the harvest, their exhaustion replaced with joy.
After a brief rest, Little Lang Ze jumped up and said, “Alright, let’s dig out the second one!”
Rong Heng and the others, feeling rested, got up, ready to tackle the second golden taro in one go.
However, when they turned to look at the other golden taro plant, they were stunned.
Two girls had somehow wandered over to the second golden taro, and the sweet, gentle Xue Wei was now holding a golden taro in her small, fair hands.
The golden taro was as large as the first one, possibly even bigger, yet Xue Wei was casually lifting it with one hand.
It was an image that completely shocked the boys. Even the composed Rong Heng slightly widened his eyes and parted his lips.
Only Lu Li remained unfazed, his expression calm and indifferent.
As for Xue Wei, now the center of attention, she was startled by their sudden stares.
Realizing she was still holding the golden taro, the girl hurriedly set it down and nervously began explaining, “I… I just wanted to help… I thought I’d cut the stalks first…”
Who would have guessed that with just a slight effort, the entire golden taro would come out of the ground?
“Maybe… maybe this soil is just really loose?” Xue Wei attempted to salvage her image.
At her explanation, Lu Li nodded calmly, but Little Lang Ze and the others glanced at the golden taro at her feet, which was even bigger than the one they had dug up. They couldn’t agree.
Even if the soil was really loose, none of them could lift such a massive golden taro with one hand!
And…
They looked at Xue Wei’s face. Her cheeks were indeed a bit red, but it seemed more like shyness than the result of exertion.
Little Lang Ze, being straightforward, stepped forward with a puzzled look. He grabbed the golden taro with one hand and tried to lift it…
But it wouldn’t budge.
He then used both hands, held his breath, and finally managed to lift the massive taro, cradling it in his arms.
Even so, his forehead was already dripping with sweat.
Not wanting to waste any more energy, Little Lang Ze turned to Xue Wei. He compared their heights and sizes, then their fists, his face filled with disbelief.
“Wow, Weiwei, you’re so strong!” he exclaimed in awe.
“Chirp, chirp!”
The little sparrow perched on the girl’s shoulder puffed out its chest proudly.
Meanwhile, Xue Wei’s face had turned a deep shade of red. She clasped her hands behind her back, speaking in a soft, stammering voice, “I… I’m not…”
She lowered her head, and her long bunny ears drooped as if she had done something wrong.
Little Lang Ze, oblivious to her embarrassment, was now convinced that Xue Wei’s rabbit bloodline being classified as a “ferocious beast” made sense.
With strength like that, who wouldn’t be left speechless?
“What’s your limit? How heavy can you lift?” he asked curiously.
Xue Wei blinked and hesitated before cautiously raising her head. Seeing only pure curiosity in the boy’s eyes—without a trace of fear or disgust—she felt a glimmer of hope rise within her.
She still remembered the time when she was sent back to the orphanage by the Mister. The adults around her, especially those who were supposed to take care of her, always looked at her with strange eyes, as if they were staring at a monster.
Recalling how she had injured the Madam during her bloodline’s frenzy made Xue Wei despise her abilities even more.
If even she couldn’t accept herself, how could she expect anyone else to?
Yet, now that her strength had unintentionally been revealed, Little Lang Ze’s reaction left her surprised. She glanced at the other boys.
Their eyes held amazement and curiosity, but no fear or disgust—nothing like what she had expected.
Huh? This wasn’t what she imagined.
Xue Wei lowered her gaze to Little Li Hua beside her. The girl tilted her head up, her bright, sparkling eyes—so similar to the Madam’s—overflowing with admiration and awe.
“Big Sister Weiwei, you’re amazing!” Little Li Hua exclaimed. “Even stronger than my brother!”
Rong Heng, standing nearby, immediately froze upon hearing that. However…
He looked at the massive taro at Xue Wei’s feet. Though he was stronger than Little Lang Ze, he wasn’t sure his strength could match Xue Wei’s to such an extent…
He pursed his lips and stepped forward to give it a try.
The young lion’s strength was significant—after all, the Red-Tail Lion was known for its physical prowess. He managed to lift the large golden yam with one hand, but veins bulged on his temple.
Clearly, the act wasn’t easy for him.
Little Li Hua, however, didn’t notice the difference. She clapped her hands enthusiastically and said, “Big Brother, you’re amazing too!”
Only then did Rong Heng set the yam back down. He looked at Xue Wei with a newfound seriousness in his eyes.
The girl merely curved her lips slightly, exuding an air of calm indifference. For some reason, it reminded Rong Heng of their caretaker, Su Ci. He instinctively turned his head to glance at the young man.
Su Ci was also watching them—or more accurately, watching Xue Wei. His eyes, oddly enough, seemed to sparkle.
Naturally, Su Ci was pleased with Xue Wei’s “feat.” He hadn’t expected that rabbits were not only adept at digging holes but also exceptionally skilled at pulling up root vegetables—no, yams.
This was excellent news, as it meant he’d gained yet another capable helper for the future.
The cubs were quick to accept Xue Wei’s strength. After their initial shock, they quickly adjusted.
After all, Su Su also looked frail and slender, but when his “wake-up grumpiness” kicked in, he was absolutely terrifying!
This led the cubs to a somewhat skewed belief: the more petite and delicate someone looked, the more formidable their strength likely was!
Xue Wei had no idea that her display had caused such a shift in her companions’ worldview. However, when she saw that none of the cubs disliked her, she couldn’t help but smile.
This place was wonderful… Just like Su Su had said, coming to the nurturing facility was truly her good fortune!
Following Su Ci’s instructions, the cubs eagerly carried the two freshly dug golden yams to the kitchen to be cleaned.
Meanwhile, Luo Shengfei watched enviously. He wanted to help—so he’d have a legitimate excuse to stick around and share in the yams.
Unfortunately, as soon as he approached, the cubs shooed him away, grumbling that he was only getting in the way.
Left with no other choice, he turned to Su Ci for help.
Su Ci wasn’t inclined to indulge him. Though the two yams were quite large, they wouldn’t last even two days in the facility, especially considering the nine cubs and one chubby little bird they had to feed.
“Fine, fine,” Luo Shengfei sighed, knowing better than to push his luck. After all, the yams were the result of the facility’s hard work, and he hadn’t contributed much beyond opening up the land.
“I’ll come back tomorrow to help with the remaining land,” he offered.
The greenhouse now covered the entire courtyard of the nurturing facility. Removing the rest of the metal flooring wasn’t too difficult.
Looking at the once barren land now brimming with lush greenery, Luo Shengfei couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe.
Maybe, as more plants grew, he’d eventually get a share of the bounty? Surely Su Ci wouldn’t stay this stingy forever… right?
Su Ci considered for a moment before pointing at the robot 4583, which happily buzzed after the cubs. Its post-modification speed now rivaled that of 4586, and its overall performance had met Su Ci’s expectations.
“What’s up?” Luo Shengfei asked, confused.
“You’ll need more modified robots,” Su Ci stated. “I’ll send you the specifications.”
Luo Shengfei hesitated, glancing at him uncertainly. “But…”
Su Ci then pointed to the growing fruits on the vines and said, “One robot for five star-chain fruits.”
Luo Shengfei’s eyes lit up like searchlights. Without a second thought, he nodded.
“Deal!”
Once Luo Shengfei left, thoroughly satisfied, only Su Ci remained by the green field.
He glanced at the stalks left behind, and with a wave of his hand, he left the largest one for Zheng Xing to play with, burning the rest into ashes using crimson flames.
Spreading the ashes evenly across the green field, he then retrieved a bag of ash from his spatial button. These ashes were the remains of the giant spiders burned by Ran Lie, and in keeping with his principle of not wasting anything, Su Ci had collected them to use as fertilizer.
He looked at the land yet to be planted and lightly stepped on it. The compacted soil instantly loosened and became ready for planting. Su Ci sprinkled the ashes over the soil and then accessed the greenhouse’s control panel. Selecting the appropriate area, he activated the watering mode.
“Shhhhhh—”
Fine mist sprayed from the sprinklers installed at the top of the greenhouse. These sprinklers were connected to the nurturing facility’s purified water system, infusing the soil with faint spiritual energy as the ashes mixed with the earth.
The previously silent land seemed to exhale a contented sigh, as though coming alive under the gentle watering.
Meanwhile, A-Yan led the cubs into the kitchen. Ran Lie, who had been meditating there earlier, had left at some point. Except for Xue Wei, who glanced around twice, none of the other cubs seemed to miss him.
With 4586’s assistance, the cubs filled two large basins with water to clean the golden yams, which were each about half the size of Zheng Xing. The task was initially challenging, but with Xue Wei’s help, it became surprisingly manageable.
The young boys were secretly competitive. While they knew it was hard to compare with her bloodline abilities, they still didn’t want to lag too far behind Xue Wei.
After thoroughly cleaning the yams, they set aside the larger one for the next day and hoisted the smaller one onto the counter under A-Yan’s direction. They carefully cut off the stalk portion, planning to replant it and grow more golden yams.
When the yam was cut open, its pale yellow flesh emitted a faint milky aroma.
At that moment, Xue Wei’s eyes lit up with recognition.
“I’ve eaten this kind of golden yam before!” she exclaimed in surprise. Since she’d only seen the cooked versions served at meals, she hadn’t initially recognized it in its raw form.
“Is it delicious?” Lang Ze couldn’t help asking.
The other cubs also turned their attention to her—especially since she had taken over the task of cutting the yam, making her the center of attention.
Having grown accustomed to this attention, Xue Wei no longer felt shy. Instead, she nodded confidently. “It’s delicious! Yams can be steamed, boiled, fried, or even made into yam paste desserts. They’re so fragrant and tasty!”
Lang Ze gulped and quickly turned to where A-Yan was, calling out sweetly, “Brother A-Yan…”
His tone was so soft and sugary, completely unlike his usual demeanor. The other cubs were unfazed, having grown used to his antics. Even Lu Li only gave him a passing glance.
But Xue Wei and the little sparrow perched on her shoulder were utterly stunned, their expressions betraying their disbelief.
If A-Yan hadn’t been invisible, they might even have witnessed Lang Ze tugging at his sleeve, acting coy and adorable.
A-Yan, however, remained entirely unperturbed.
He looked at the little wolf cub frantically wagging its tail and gazing at him pitifully, silently noting down the cub’s actions in his mind—
Though it seemed a bit embarrassing, A-Yan figured this might actually work well with Su Su!
Without delay, he spoke through the communicator: “If you behave well, I’ll ask if you can have some too.”
“Yay! Brother A-Yan, you’re the best!” The little wolf cub jumped with joy.
The other cubs also lit up with happiness.
Following A-Yan’s instructions, they peeled and chopped the massive golden yam. For this task, A-Yan made them wear waterproof gloves.
“Why do we need gloves?” Lu Jiao asked curiously.
“Because yams can bite.”
A-Yan’s reply instantly drew curious stares from the cubs. After consulting the base’s AI for more details, they finally understood.
It turned out yams secreted a substance that could cause itching if it came into direct contact with skin, much like a bug bite.
Having learned this new fact about yams, the cubs became extra careful.
While Lang Ze was tempted to test what being “bitten” by a yam felt like, one glance at the blond-haired boy beside him held him back. He wasn’t about to embarrass himself in front of the annoying monkey!
Apart from dealing with the yam, they also had to slice meat. This gave Lang Ze an opportunity to showcase his improved knife skills in front of Lu Li.
Seeing Lu Li’s somewhat clumsy slicing, Lang Ze couldn’t help but gloat. But remembering the candy from before—and the fact that this meat was for Su Su—he begrudgingly gave Lu Li a few pointers.
Lu Li, struggling with the chunk of meat in his hands, glanced up and said, “Thanks.”
Lang Ze snorted and turned his head. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not planning to be friends with you yet. You think one candy can buy me? Dream on!”
Though his words were harsh, Lu Li didn’t take offense. He simply nodded thoughtfully.
Feeling that his words hadn’t landed as intended, Lang Ze lost interest. With a pout, he focused on cutting his meat.
When dinner time arrived, Su Ci sat at the table and was greeted by an even more sumptuous spread than before.
The spider meat, which A-Yan had previously cooked in a variety of ways, now featured a new dish—steamed golden yam with meat.
The soft and fluffy yam, already a delicacy when steamed, was topped with thinly sliced meat, drizzled with oil and seasonings, and steamed to perfection. The aroma alone was enough to whet the appetite.
Alongside this was a pot of yam sweet soup. The golden yam, simmered until it became soft and mushy, carried a subtle milky fragrance. Combined with the fresh sweetness of the magic flower honey, it was a dish bursting with flavor and texture.
Of course, Lang Ze’s long-anticipated crispy yam chips made their appearance too. Thin slices of yam were fried to a golden crisp and sprinkled with a blend of spices, resulting in a snack that was even tastier than potato chips.
Su Ci was thoroughly pleased with the meal. During the feast, A-Yan asked if the cubs could have a taste.
“You decide,” Su Ci replied.
Now that food was plentiful and would only become more so in the future, Su Ci didn’t mind sharing. The cubs had also contributed their labor, and having grown accustomed to A-Yan sharing food with them, Su Ci was becoming more generous.
At the same time, he found himself trusting A-Yan more and more, especially when it came to food. He had now fully entrusted A-Yan with its management.
Feeling the trust placed in him, A-Yan couldn’t help but grin widely. Watching Su Ci eat with such satisfaction made him happier than if he’d eaten the food himself.
So, with the cubs intentionally slowing down their eating pace, A-Yan finally appeared in the dining room to deliver their long-awaited treat.
After the previous night’s feast of half a plate of roasted meat, tonight the cubs were treated to a smaller portion of steamed yam with meat and a warm, sweet bowl of yam soup.
“Yams are so delicious! They’re as good as meat!” exclaimed Lang Ze, unable to hold back his amazement after taking his first bite of the steamed yam.
The yam was soft, tender, and filling—more so than anything he’d ever eaten before. It required little chewing, much like meat jelly, but tasted infinitely better.
Lang Ze never knew plants could taste this good!
“Brother A-Yan is the best!”
Hearing this, the other cubs eagerly nodded in agreement, with even Zheng Xing giving a small nod of approval.
Roasted meat was delicious, yams were delicious, and the sweet and soft yam soup won over the cubs entirely. It quickly became a favorite, tying with roasted meat as their most beloved dish.
“We need to grow a lot more yams! Just three plants aren’t nearly enough!”
One of the golden yam plants wasn’t planted near the spiritual sprout and was still small, so it might take some time before it was ready for harvest.
But the cubs were already brimming with anticipation. They also began to wonder: could Jade Snow and Emerald beans taste just as amazing?
That night, the cubs ate to their hearts’ content, feeling more satisfied than ever before.
The feeling of fullness that came from eating a staple food was something they hadn’t experienced with roasted meat or nutrient paste. For many of them, it was their first time experiencing such a comforting sense of being well-fed, making them feel happier than ever.
Having Su Su around was the best! They earnestly hoped they could eat like this every day. All the cubs silently wished for Su Su to stay with them forever.
A-Yan watched their contented faces and couldn’t help but smile as well.
After the meal, led by Xue Wei, everyone helped tidy up the dishes before leaving.
However, just as Lang Ze was carrying Zheng Xing down the corridor, Lu Li called out to him.
“What do you want?” Lang Ze instinctively tensed up, becoming wary.
Lu Li, seemingly unaware of his defensiveness, reached into his pocket and pulled out another candy, holding it out to him.
Lang Ze froze. “You… what are you doing now?”
The blond-haired boy in front of him looked completely innocent as he replied, “Didn’t you say one candy wasn’t enough to win you over?”
If one wasn’t enough, then how about two?
