The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH48

Chapter 48

Number Three held the potato chip in his hand, his dull blue eyes set in his small, delicate face giving him a slightly dazed and innocent look.

He could sense that the “potato chip” in his palm was thin and crisp, emitting a faint aroma that made his mouth water. But…

As Number Eight urged him to eat, Number Three didn’t take a bite. Instead, he gently pushed the chip back toward Number Eight.

“No… I can’t take it,” he said softly. His voice, rarely used, was hesitant and stuttering, yet the gentle, childlike tone carried an unexpected sweetness that stirred a protective instinct in those who heard it.

So cute! Number Eight couldn’t help thinking.

But also a little silly. How could anyone refuse such a delicious treat? The more Number Three resisted, the more determined Number Eight became to make him take it.

He firmly pushed Number Three’s small hand back.

“Just eat it already! I’ve got plenty. The caretaker just gave me a whole bag—it’s not like I’m short on chips.”

Number Eight was bluffing, assuming Number Three wouldn’t know otherwise. Little did he realize that Number Three had been using his spiritual sense to observe everything in the room. He knew full well that the caretaker had only given Number Eight three chips.

Still, Number Three wanted to return the chip. He had seen how happy Number Eight was when he received it, and it was clear that this “potato chip” was a rare and precious thing.

Besides, Number Three wasn’t particularly fond of eating. He only ate when hunger became unbearable. His disinterest in food extended to nearly everything in the world around him. People, objects, and experiences all failed to spark his curiosity.

Of course, hearing the caretaker’s flute had shifted something within him—a small change, but not one he thought would fundamentally alter his outlook.

But Number Eight was not the kind of person to let things go easily.

“I said eat it, so eat it!”

After being rejected one too many times, Number Eight’s temper flared. “Do you not think of me as your friend? If you keep acting like this, I’m gonna get mad!”

Unlike most of the cubs in the nursery, Number Eight had come to the facility at an older age. Growing up, he had developed the concept of “friends” and “companions.”

After all, wolves were naturally pack animals.

This was why Number Eight had gravitated toward Number Four and Number Five upon arriving at the nursery. He wanted to bond with those he liked and form closer relationships.

In contrast, due to their upbringing, the other cubs, such as Number Two, hadn’t developed this sense of camaraderie. Before Number Eight’s arrival, every cub kept to themselves, and even fights were often one-on-one.

While Number Four and Number Five shared a closer bond due to their familial ties, Number Five, being the only girl and the youngest among them, wasn’t fond of fighting. Her combat ability was limited and rarely impacted the group dynamics.

But Number Eight’s arrival changed everything.

He was about the same age as Number Six, older than Number Five and Number Seven, and full of energy as a young wolf cub. He had never lost a fight against Number Six or Number Seven.

Worse still, he got along exceptionally well with Number Four and Number Five. Whenever Number Eight was ganged up on, Number Four and Number Five would step in to back him up. This forced Number Two, Number Six, and Number Seven to form their own alliance just to balance the power dynamic.

Number Three had always been on the periphery, untouched by the rivalries or alliances forming among the other cubs.

This fact was entirely lost on Number Eight.

In the little wolf cub’s mind, making friends was a natural and obvious thing. It was as if it were his right—what could possibly be wrong with that?

Now, after spending the entire day with Number Three, he found himself liking the quiet boy more and more.

Sure, Number Three didn’t talk much, but he never complained about Number Eight being too chatty. Instead, he listened attentively, even if he was a bit timid. But that wasn’t a problem—Number Eight could protect him from anyone trying to bully him.

Even that annoying monkey, Number Six, wouldn’t dare!

Number Three was confused. He didn’t understand what Number Eight was saying or why he suddenly seemed upset.

After thinking for a moment, he softly asked, “What… is a friend?”

Number Eight froze, startled by the question. He stammered, “A friend… a friend is…”

He realized he couldn’t explain it properly.

In the end, he blurted, “It’s like us! We spent almost the whole day together, so we’re friends now! Good friends play together and share tasty food!”

Having delivered his somewhat clumsy explanation, Number Eight shot up to his feet.

“Anyway, the chip is yours! Eat it or don’t, I don’t care!”

With that, he stomped back to the table, grabbed one of the remaining chips, and plopped down cross-legged on the floor. Carefully, he started nibbling on the chip.

“Crunch, crunch—”

The wolf cub ate with great focus and care, as if each crumb were a treasure not to be wasted.

As the bold, savory flavor burst on his tongue, and the chip’s crunch gave way to a satisfying melt-in-your-mouth sensation, all his earlier frustrations melted away. He was lost in the sheer bliss of the experience.

Oh my gosh, potato chips are the best!

How could something so delicious exist? If only he could eat them every day…

Number Three, sensitive to emotions, could feel the waves of happiness radiating from Number Eight. Lowering his gaze, he softly sniffed the air.

The smell was tempting, and before he knew it, his mouth began to water again.

This reaction was strange to him—such physical instincts were rare for him to experience. The potato chip… was it really that good?

Number Eight didn’t give him a verbal answer, but the way his fluffy tail wagged wildly and the overwhelming joy pouring out of him seemed to provide all the confirmation needed.

Finally, Number Three opened his mouth, bringing the chip to his lips and gently taking a bite.

The initial crunch was slightly firm, but as it softened and the barbecue flavor spread across his tongue, he froze in astonishment.

It was… amazing.

This was unlike anything he had ever tasted before.

No wonder Number Eight liked them so much…

Number Three watched Number Eight carefully nibbling on his potato chip and imitated his actions. Lowering his head slightly, like a cautious little squirrel, he started to slowly and deliberately bite into his chip, savoring each small piece.

With every nibble, he paused to fully experience the wonderful flavor lingering in his mouth. Only when the taste faded would he take another bite.

For the first time, Number Three was immersed in such pure and simple happiness.

Meanwhile, Number Eight’s wolf ears twitched slightly. He turned to glance at the small boy in the corner and, seeing the expression on his face, couldn’t help but grin. His green eyes shone with pride and satisfaction—he’d succeeded in sharing the magic of potato chips!

See? I knew Number Three would love them!

Even though he had one less chip for himself, Number Eight felt surprisingly content. After spending the day learning the flute, he’d realized how wonderful it felt to share something he liked with someone else who appreciated it.

Thinking this, he turned his attention back to his own chips and resumed nibbling them with care.

“Crunch, crunch—”

The room was filled with the crisp sound of the two children enjoying their chips.

*

Su Ci left Number Three’s room, glancing at the cart still sitting in the hallway, then at Number Five’s room.

4586 might need a little more time in there.

Accepting his fate, Su Ci pushed the cart into the elevator and headed to the fifth floor to deliver meals to Number Six and Number Seven.

[Identity verification in progress…] A beam of white light scanned Su Ci’s face.

[Beep—Identity verified.]

[Welcome, Trainee Caretaker Su Ci. Alert: Number Six’s emotional state is heightened. Risk of berserk behavior increased. Would you like to open Room 501 immediately?]

Su Ci raised an eyebrow.

Number Six…

Aside from Number Four, the only cubs he hadn’t yet interacted with were Number Six and Number Seven.

Ignoring the AI’s warning, Su Ci pressed the confirmation button. As the metal door slid open, a water cup came flying straight at him.

Raising his hand, Su Ci easily caught it.

“Huh?”

A surprised sound came from within the room.

As Su Ci stepped inside, he saw a blonde boy about the same age as Number Eight standing on the bed. The boy had been happily bouncing up and down before the door opened, and even now, he showed no signs of stopping.

“You’re the new caretaker, aren’t you?” Number Six asked, still bouncing.

Number Six had a head of bright golden hair, which bobbed up and down with his movements. His snow-white skin was flawless, and his features were delicate and adorable. His round, light-red eyes sparkled with an impish glint, making him look like a carefree little sprite.

Of course, the impression would have been far better if he weren’t on the verge of breaking his bed with his energetic jumping, all while letting out sharp, ear-piercing laughter.

“Come eat,” Su Ci said, frowning slightly. His tone was calm, but firm.

Immersed in his fun, Number Six had no intention of stopping. But for some reason, as soon as the caretaker’s light words reached his ears, a sudden urge to eat overwhelmed him.

He wasn’t even particularly hungry, yet the craving to eat was undeniable.

Number Six wasn’t one to deny himself.

If I feel like eating, then I’ll eat!

Without hesitation, he stopped bouncing, leapt gracefully off the bed, and landed beside Su Ci. Flashing a mischievous grin, he snatched the food container from Su Ci’s hands and plopped it on the ground.

“What’s for dinner today?”

The boy sat cross-legged on the floor, opening the container with practiced ease. But as soon as he saw the contents, he couldn’t help but groan.

“Ugh, this stuff again?”

Still, he grabbed a spoonful and shoved it into his mouth before tilting his head back to look up at Su Ci.

“You’re the new caretaker, right? I’m Number Six, but you can call me Six Six!”

His ruby-like eyes sparkled with curiosity and mischief, exuding a lively charm that made it hard to stay annoyed at him.

“Six Six?”

Su Ci looked at Number Six with some surprise. Ever since he arrived at the nursery, this lively little boy—apart from A-Yan—was easily the most enthusiastic toward him. He also seemed well-adjusted to life here, showing no signs of the usual emotional strain found in other cubs.

Squatting down beside the boy, Su Ci introduced himself, “I’m Su Ci.”

“Ohhh.”

Number Six pulled the spoon from his mouth and, after scooping another bite, mumbled with his mouth full, “Did you catch my water cup earlier?”

Su Ci glanced at the cup in his hand before placing it gently next to the boy.

“You’re pretty quick!” Number Six said with admiration.

Su Ci looked at him steadily. “You threw it on purpose?”

“No, I wasn’t aiming for you. I thought it was 4589 delivering the food,” Number Six explained.

Su Ci frowned. “4589?”

“Uh… or was it 4587?” Number Six sounded uncertain. “A few days ago, 4586 got wrecked by Number Two, so I figured this one must be 4587 now!”

Watching the boy struggle to remember the robot’s designation, Su Ci corrected, “That was 4583. The one currently taking care of you is 4586.”

Number Six tilted his head, then shrugged. “Eh, doesn’t matter!”

He waved dismissively, clearly unbothered.

“They’ll just switch it out in a few days anyway. The numbers don’t make a difference.”

It was just like the caretakers—always a new one every so often, which kept things exciting.

Su Ci studied him for a moment before finally saying, “Don’t throw things around.”

With the reflexes of a service bot, 4586 probably wouldn’t have dodged the cup in time, much less caught it. While the throw wasn’t hard enough to cause serious damage, reckless behavior like that could lead to accidents.

“Ugh, I already said I wasn’t aiming at you!”

Number Six grumbled as he scooped another bite of food. “It’s just a game I play with 4585. Next time, just let it deliver my food.”

Once again, he got the robot’s number wrong.

Perhaps it wasn’t intentional; he simply didn’t care enough about the robots to remember such details.

Su Ci thought back to how much Number Five cherished 4586, then compared it to Number Six’s nonchalance. He couldn’t help but marvel at how different people—or cubs—could be.

Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the nursery’s bots had such a high attrition rate.

After all, some cubs really did treat the nanny robots as toys to play with.

Number Six had not gone berserk. In his rational state, he was quite friendly toward Su Ci, and the two didn’t have any conflicts.

In fact, when Su Ci left, Number Six even waved at him with a bright smile, looking carefree and cheerful.

The room next door, 502, belonged to Number Seven.

Compared to Number Six’s rambunctious behavior, Number Seven was much quieter tonight.

When Su Ci entered from outside, he saw the little boy curled up on the bed asleep, just like the day before. His small body was tightly huddled, forming a ball.

Number Seven was slightly older than Number Five and was probably the second youngest among the seven cubs, apart from A-Yan.

A distinct bruise was visible on the boy’s neck, a result of the conflict with Number Eight when the little wolf cub had gripped his throat. The mark was still fresh and noticeable.

As Su Ci approached, Number Seven seemed to sense something. His long, curled pale lashes trembled uneasily before he slowly opened his deep black eyes, tinged with a hint of blue.

Half-awake, he suddenly saw a figure in the room. The boy instantly snapped awake, sitting up abruptly and retreating to the corner of the bed with alarm, stopping only when his back pressed against the wall.

“Who’s there?” he shouted.

Upon recognizing Su Ci, the boy, who had initially emanated hostility as though ready to attack, paused slightly and gradually relaxed.

“It’s you.”

His voice was raspy, clearly strained from the earlier choking incident.

Although the boy’s guard had lowered somewhat, his face still bore the wariness of someone easily startled, showing that he did not fully trust Su Ci.

Su Ci remembered how, when faced with Number Eight, this little white deer had shown a ferocity that rivaled even a carnivore. Even when gripped by the berserk wolf cub, he had not begged for mercy. His tenacity was remarkable.

Faced with the child’s vigilance, Su Ci didn’t approach further. Instead, he turned to place the meal box on Number Seven’s desk—this room was in much better shape than Number Six’s chaotic mess. At least the furniture here was intact.

“Your dinner.”

After setting the box down, Su Ci prepared to leave, but unexpectedly, the boy called out to him from behind.

“Hey, wait.”

Su Ci stopped and glanced back.

Sitting on the bed, Number Seven scrutinized the new caretaker with a probing gaze.

He had noticed this caretaker on his first day. Unlike the previous ones, who were tall and brawny, this newcomer was slender, delicate, and unusually beautiful. His skin was fair and seemingly fragile, and his frame looked so thin it might collapse at a touch.

Number Seven felt no sense of threat from him. Even now, alone together in the closed room, that impression hadn’t changed.

Realizing this, the boy’s tense body gradually relaxed.

“That big stupid wolf didn’t hurt you?” Number Seven asked. “Or have you already healed yourself?”

After Number Eight had knocked him unconscious, Number Seven couldn’t remember anything that happened afterward. Although he vaguely recalled a scene of the caretaker lifting Number Eight with one hand, he dismissed it as a dream.

After all, how could someone so frail handle a berserk wolf cub single-handedly?

Having personally experienced Number Eight’s terrifying outburst, Number Seven thought it was impressive enough that the caretaker had escaped unscathed.

From the sympathy and concern in the child’s gaze, Su Ci couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.

Since arriving at Base 24, he had encountered many people who looked at him this way, but this was the first time a cub had shown him such pity.

It seemed that this child’s personality wasn’t as domineering as it appeared.

Su Ci replied honestly, “I wasn’t hurt.”

Number Seven gave him an “I understand” kind of look and didn’t press the matter further. Instead, he pointed at the table and said, “Can you move that over here for me?”

At this moment, the boy was no longer the sharp and defensive figure he had been when facing Number Eight. Like a small animal sensing safety, he slowly tucked away his thorns, becoming calm and even quite friendly.

Su Ci didn’t refuse. He moved the table over to the bedside and even helped open the lid of the meal box.

“Do you want to eat together?” Number Seven asked.

Su Ci thought for a moment, nodded, and sat down. Since there was still time before he needed to go back for Number Eight, having a little food to replenish his energy seemed like a good idea.

He pulled over Number Seven’s small stool, sat down, and took out an open bag of potato chips from his spatial button, munching as he sat there.

Number Seven blinked in surprise, a bit dumbfounded by the sight. He hadn’t expected the caretaker to carry his own food—let alone conjure it out of thin air.

The aroma was distinct, and it made him crave a taste.

He sneaked several glances at the chips, but seeing that the caretaker had no intention of sharing, he opened his mouth slightly as if to speak but ultimately puffed out his cheeks and reluctantly looked away.

Number Seven picked up his spoon and began to eat.

Being of the bloodline of the Silver Deer, a herbivorous creature, Number Seven’s diet mainly consisted of vegetarian foods. The gelatinous meal in front of him had a fresh taste and a clear, transparent color.

Normally, Number Seven enjoyed eating, but as he listened to the crisp crunching sounds of the caretaker munching on his chips, he suddenly felt that his nutrient jelly wasn’t as appealing as before.

“Caretaker, what are you eating?” he asked curiously while chewing his food.

“Potato chips.”

“Potato chips?” The silver-haired boy tilted his head slightly. “What’s that? Is it made of meat?”

“It’s made from the roots of a plant.”

“Plants have edible roots too?” Number Seven’s eyes widened, a “Wow, I learned something new today” expression spreading across his face. After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Does the plantation have plants like that?”

Su Ci thought for a bit. “There might be something similar.”

“Wow!” The child’s face lit up with a look of longing. Without any trace of the earlier vigilance or hostility, he displayed an innocence that was rare for a child his age, making him appear particularly endearing.

“Does that mean there’ll be fruit tomorrow? Will I be able to eat this plant’s roots too in the future?”

The plantation delivered vegetables and fruits once or twice a week. Although the other cubs weren’t very fond of them, Number Seven was an exception.

As a herbivore, he couldn’t resist vegetables and fruits, even though they weren’t particularly fresh.

This was something Su Ci wasn’t entirely sure about.

“Never mind, you’re new here; you probably don’t know,” Number Seven concluded before Su Ci could answer.

He continued eating and asked in between bites, “Aren’t you scared, being a caretaker here? Were you tricked into coming by the adults at the base?”

Though he was ranked second youngest in age, Number Seven spoke fluently and logically.

For some reason, he seemed unexpectedly kind toward Su Ci.

Looking into the boy’s clever, deer-like eyes, Su Ci found himself in the mood for conversation. Still munching on his chips, he replied slowly, “Why would you think that?”

Number Seven furrowed his little brows. “Did you know what this place was like before you came?”

Su Ci thought for a moment and shook his head.

“Then, if you had known, would you still have come?” Number Seven’s expression said, There’s no way you’d have come.

But this time, Su Ci nodded without hesitation.

The confidence on Number Seven’s face faltered. He stared at Su Ci, his brows scrunching into a tiny knot. Leaning forward slightly, he lowered his voice and asked, “Aren’t you scared?”

This was the second time Su Ci had been asked this question.

The first time, when Yan Ping asked, he had shown a frightened expression, which only raised more suspicion. This time, he was more cautious. Mimicking the boy’s hushed tone, he leaned closer and asked, “What should I be afraid of?”

Number Seven looked exasperated, staring at Su Ci with an expression that said, Are you an idiot?

“Being a caretaker here, you’ll get beaten up badly!” The little boy pointed to his neck. “See? Just like me.”

The bruises on his pale, delicate neck were a striking blue and purple, standing out alarmingly against his snowy skin.

Of course, 4586 had already treated the injury, so it looked worse than it was. The discoloration would likely fade overnight, disappearing by the next day.

Su Ci hesitated for a moment, then took out a bottle of medical spray from his spatial button and placed it gently on the boy’s desk. “Do you know how to use this?” he asked.

Not quite catching his drift, Number Seven froze momentarily. He glanced at the bottle of spray and then at the caretaker, hesitating. “I… I think so?”

“Give it a try.” Su Ci nudged the spray toward him. “It’ll feel better if you use it.”

Number Seven picked up the medical spray with both hands. His small hands couldn’t fully wrap around the bottle, but he was quite strong and handled it with ease.

Mimicking the movements of the nanny robots, Number Seven pointed the nozzle at his neck and pressed down firmly.

“Hiss—”

The cooling, soothing mist landed on his skin, making Number Seven squint his eyes in relief. The faint pain in his throat disappeared almost immediately.

He couldn’t resist spraying two more times before carefully putting the bottle back in its place. “Thank you, this works really well!” he said politely.

The silver-haired boy, his short, snowy hair framing his face, bent his eyes into crescents as he smiled at Su Ci—a small, soft smile like that of a white deer gently emerging from a forest. His movements were graceful, his demeanor indescribably endearing.