Beast World: From Villainess to Cub-Raising Chef

Beside them, Yodel couldn’t help but break into a relieved smile. "Miss Bai, you’re finally back. You have no idea what the Chief and the two young masters have gone through these past few days."

"The Chief had already mustered his troops and was preparing to attack the Southern Country."

The two little ones didn’t say a word.

They had mobilized all the resources of their entire organization to search within the Southern Country’s borders, but they hadn’t been able to find any trace of their mother.

This incident alone made the two little ones realize just how powerless they were.

’We have to get stronger, even stronger, so we can protect Mom!’

Lu Tingyan was left with lingering trauma. For several days in a row, he watched over Bai Su without leaving her side for a moment, terrified that if he looked away, she would disappear again.

Bai Su could only let him be.

The first thing she did after getting her new smart-brain was to log into her account on the live-streaming platform.

Lu Tingyan stood by his side, looking crestfallen. "I know how much you care about your account, so I hired someone to manage it. Every day, they’ve been posting clips from your old streams and updating the cooking tutorials."

Bai Su breathed a sigh of relief. That was how her account was normally run anyway—teaching people various cooking methods.

She wasn’t afraid of people copying her.

In her original world, everyone knew how to cook and the internet was flooded with tutorials, yet restaurants still lined every street and alley.

She didn’t have to worry that posting tutorials would reduce her number of customers.

Bai Su hugged Lu Tingyan and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

Lu Tingyan’s ears and tail drooped completely. "Thank me for what? I couldn’t even protect you. For a useless male like me, it would only be natural for you to abandon me."

Bai Su looked at him, amused. "Why would I abandon you? You’re the father of my children, after all."

Lu Tingyan’s ears and tail drooped even lower. "Is that all I am? Just their father?"

Bai Su cupped his face and gave him a rewarding kiss on the lips. "You’re also the man I love. Don’t blame yourself. Li Chenlin was just too cunning, and it caught all of us off guard, didn’t it?"

"Don’t punish yourself for the mistakes of a person like him."

"You’ve already done so well."

"Thank you for taking care of the children at the mountaintop restaurant while I was gone. If it weren’t for you, I would have been worried to death."

She was telling the truth.

It was because of Lu Tingyan that she had the backbone to stand up to Li Chenlin and the patience to wear him down.

She didn’t have to worry about the children at the mountaintop restaurant being left uncared for.

The moment she stepped out of the submarine and into Lu Tingyan’s arms, his strong, warm embrace made her feel grounded, safe, and like she belonged.

She was incredibly grateful for his presence in her life.

’A sense of belonging... That was something she had strived for her entire past life but had never been able to obtain.’

’For the first time, she felt the system hadn’t deceived her.’

’It was rewarding her with a new life.’

’A life with Lu Tingyan, a future with a sense of belonging, with the hope of building a family of her own—a life that felt like a safe harbor, like coming home.’

*

After getting some rest, the first thing Bai Su did was restock the ingredients in the cold storage. Then, she stewed some meat for Bablo to deliver to the beastmen of the Disabled Tribe.

Fortunately, Lu Tingyan hadn’t made a big public deal out of the incident. She didn’t want everyone to know what had happened to her—that she’d been kidnapped.

Dealing with the fans’ concern and their endless questions would be exhausting.

Once everything was taken care of, she reopened the restaurant.

Now, the little ones didn’t even dare to slack off. They stayed at the restaurant every day, helping to carry plates and keeping a close watch on Bai Su.

Bai Su was somewhat amused. "You don’t have to do this. If you’re tired, go rest. With so many people watching me, do you think I can just run away?"

Lu Tingyan had beefed up security; the mountaintop restaurant’s entire defense system was now on par with a military base.

It would be strange if Li Chenlin could easily sneak in now.

Bai Xiaolang shook his head firmly. "No! I’m not tired! I want to carry plates."

Bai Xiaoshe followed his brother’s lead, mimicking him completely.

Bai Su shook her head with an amused smile. "All right, suit yourselves."

With that, she lowered her head and went back to prepping her ingredients.

The barrage comments exploded again: [It’s only been a few days, but how have my two little husbands gotten even more handsome?]

[They’re such beautiful little guys! I have to go visit, even if it’s just to see how good-looking they are!]

[Sob sob sob, will you be open during winter break, Sis? As a student, winter break is the only time I have to travel and visit your restaurant.]

Bai Su smiled. "Of course, we’ll be open. We’ll probably stay open until right before the New Year, so don’t worry."

[Yay! That’s awesome!]

[Boss Lady, why haven’t you been streaming for so long? Were you upset because of those troublemakers from last time? Did you close up shop to take a break?]

[Boss Lady, don’t let those scumbags get to you!]

[Those damn thugs! If they bullied the Boss Lady and made her not want to run the restaurant anymore, I’ll beat them to a pulp!]

An idea sparked in Bai Su’s mind, and a helpless smile touched her lips. "That is part of the reason, yes."

"As you all know, running a restaurant is tiring enough, but on top of that, a bunch of people were slinging mud at me, even though I’ve refuted the rumors time and time again..."

"But whether online or in person, there are always people talking, people who refuse to believe me."

"It just felt a little... disheartening."

’As if.’

’She couldn’t be bothered with what those people were whining about.’

The barrage comments rushed to comfort her: [Ahhh, please don’t be discouraged because of them, Boss Lady!]

[Don’t pay any attention to them! We believe you!]

[Don’t worry, Boss Lady, the Bai Family Army is here! We’ll stand guard in your stream and your comment section. Let’s see who dares to run their mouth!]

[That’s right! Don’t worry, you still have us!]

Another wave of gifts flooded the stream.

Bai Su looked at the screen gratefully. "Thank you, everyone. I knew you all were always supporting me, so after giving it some thought, I decided to keep the restaurant going."

’A little bit of drama always increases fan loyalty.’

’She knew the game.’

Sure enough, as soon as she said that, her fans were moved all over again, and her account gained another wave of followers.

While the atmosphere here was cheerful, light, and healing, the same could not be said for elsewhere.

「Elsewhere.」

Li Chenlin lay on the deck of a large ship, his heart like dead cinders. He hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for three days.

His entire being exuded an aura of deathly, ashen stillness.

His face was covered in stubble, his expression vacant.

His mind endlessly replayed the days when Bai Su had been by his side, her face full of smiles.

’Her gentleness, her obedience, her innocence, her charm... and the adorable way she’d hidden in his arms when his tail had startled her, her hands flying to cover her eyes.’

’From the day he was born until now, Bai Su was the only one with whom he could be his true self. Wasn’t that enough to prove they were fated to be together?’

’He could clearly feel her affection for him, so how could she not love him?’

’How could she rather die to punish him than be with him?’

’His Susu...’

Li Chenlin stared at the iron railing on the deck, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

He grabbed the arm-thick hemp rope he had prepared, tied a knot around the iron railing, and his ashen face filled with the grim resolve of a man ready to die.

His assistant stood by, beaded with cold sweat. "President, please reconsider! Even without Miss Bai, there are plenty of other females..."

Li Chenlin’s eyes were glacial. "There’s no need. Leave all my assets to Bai Xiaoshe. After I die, go find him. The boy has potential. If you train him well, he won’t disappoint you."

The assistant’s eyes welled with tears. "President Li!"

Li Chenlin slipped the noose around his neck and jumped from the railing, letting the rope suspend him over the surface of the sea.

At ten in the morning, the sea was shrouded in dark clouds. Li Chenlin hung there, not even struggling.

The scene was both tragic and mournful.

Suddenly, a "special follow" notification chimed from the smart-brain on his wrist: [DING DONG! The streamer you’re following, Bai Su, has started her broadcast! Come and interact with her!]

The smart-brain, retaining its previous settings, automatically opened the live stream.

Bai Su’s sweet voice drifted from the smart-brain: "Hello, everyone! Long time no see! It’s me, your cute and sexy Boss Lady, Bai Su~"

The hanging man suddenly began to struggle violently, his arms and legs flailing!