Beauty and the Beasts

“Mm.” The little snake gave Bai Qingqing an affirmative reply, shocking her.

He was only two years old and already he could tell herbs apart! Genius baby!

Reading Bai Qingqing’s expression perfectly well, an excited and gleeful smile bloomed on the youth’s tender face. “I have my father’s legacy memories. Whatever he knows, I know them too.”

“Oh, right. Curtis has mentioned this to me before.” Bai Qingqing was enlightened by his explanation. Nonetheless, the fact that the little snake knew all these at this young age was still highly astonishing.

The little snake smiled and cast one final gaze at her, before turning around and going into the rain. As he moved, he transformed into a snake and disappeared into the bushes.

Watching as the little snake vanished from sight, the corners of Bai Qingqing’s lips curled up.

Although her body remained cold, and her palms searingly painful, the complaints in her heart had faded. That she got to see the little snake made everything worth it.

“Babies.” Bai Qingqing called out to them gently. She knew they must be feeling aggrieved from being shouted at earlier.

Indeed, the cubs all looked glum and didn’t even respond when their mommy called out to them. They merely looked up at her before continuing to ferry the firewood.

Already tens of pieces of firewood were by her feet. With her attention occupied by the little snake earlier, Bai Qingqing only realized this now.

“Alright, alright. That’s enough firewood. You can stop now.”

“Ooh ooh~”

The leopard cubs halted for a moment, before continuing to move the firewood.

Alright, seems like the cubs really felt very aggrieved.

An’an, who had drunk her fill, let out a yawn and narrowed her eyes.

When Bai Qingqing placed her on top of a grass pile, the latter didn’t kick up a fuss and just continued doing whatever.

Bai Qingqing touched her nose and said, “Do you three know how to use the flint? Mommy doesn’t know how to. What should I do?”

Roar?

The leopard cubs raised their heads. Taking her word for it, they immediately ran over and offered their help. Roar! Roar! Roaaar!

Even though she couldn’t understand what they were saying, Bai Qingqing knew they were teaching her how to start a fire. Feeling warm and soft inside, she fondly rubbed them on their heads vigorously.

“Mommy remembers how to do it now.”

The cubs didn’t believe that and raised their heads to look at her.

Bai Qingqing picked up two rocks and said, “Strike these two rocks against each other, right?”

Roar!

The cubs nodded in unison, seemingly heaving a sigh of relief and proud of themselves for succeeding in teaching their mommy.

They reached out their claws and pried the rocks from Bai Qingqing’s hands, wanting to light a fire with their short fingers. With a serious countenance, they made “clang” sounds as they rubbed the two rocks against each other on the ground, as though they were playing with marbles.

Bai Qingqing simply let them be. Pretending to be reliant on them, she waited for a while, before saying, “You’d better let Mommy do it. You three can’t transform into humans yet, and your claws aren’t nimble enough.”

Howl~

Eldest let out a regretful howl.

Second sighed regretfully.

Third dug his claws into the ground regretfully.

All three were regretful, yet at the same time excited and proud of themselves for being able to render this “great help” to their mommy.

“You’re so obedient, my babies,” Bai Qingqing said with a smile. She picked up the two flints on the ground and started striking them against each other while holding back the pain.

Bai Qingqing had succeeded in striking a flint before, but as the rocks were damp from the weather today, add to the fact that she was injured, she tried striking for a long time but didn’t manage to produce any sparks.

Forget it, she decided to wait for the little snake to come back.

Giving up, Bai Qingqing tossed the rocks to one side.

“When your Brother Snake comes back later, don’t get into a fight with him, okay?” instructed Bai Qingqing.

The leopard cubs turned their heads away disgruntledly.

“It’d be three against one if you beat him up. How unfair is that? Don’t you feel embarrassed bullying your older brother?” Knowing that little boys were prideful, Bai Qingqing deliberately put it this way.