Chapter 862: The Clever Little Fox
Just as Rong Ye was settling into Su Qinglan’s arms, a sharp scratch-scratch-scratch echoed against the wooden bedroom door.
Rong Ye’s enthusiastic expression instantly froze. He took a quick breath, patting his own chest in relief. "Thank God I locked the door!"
Su Qinglan placed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away. "Are you being a total hooligan right now? Ciao Ciao is still right outside! There’s no one out there to take care of him!"
Rong Ye rolled his eyes without a shred of shame. "He’s already a grown cub! If he can’t take care of himself for five minutes, that’s not my problem."
Su Qinglan was rendered completely speechless, glaring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. How dare he speak about his own flesh and blood like that?!
Seeing her angry expression, Rong Ye instantly changed his tone. "Lanlan, don’t worry! He’s a male cub, so he needs to learn how to fend for himself anyway. There’s no need for everyone to pamper him all the time. Besides, I already cooked those poached eggs for him, so his belly is full. Just ignore him! He’ll get bored in a second and go outside to play."
He leaned down to pin her back against the soft mattress, gently caressing her arm to distract her. However, Su Qinglan’s attention remained entirely focused on the persistent scratching sounds outside the door.
Rong Ye inwardly cursed in frustration. That little brat! You better pray you don’t cross my path later, or I’ll definitely teach you a lesson!
Unable to continue, Rong Ye grumpily stood up and grabbed a piece of cloth to wrap around his waist, intending to shoo the cub away. But just as he took a step forward, familiar footsteps echoed from the living room.
It was Han Jue! He had returned home!
A second later, the annoying scratching sound at the door abruptly stopped.
Rong Ye let out a massive sigh of relief. He immediately tossed the cloth aside, diving right back onto the bed with a bright grin.
"Lanlan! Brother Han Jue is truly wonderful! I’m definitely going to cook him a feast later!"
Su Qinglan couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst out laughing at his shameless antics.
Meanwhile, in the living room, little Ciao Ciao was standing near the bedroom door, looking utterly aggrieved as he stared up at Han Jue.
Han Jue stood there, completely speechless. Rong Ye was getting more and more shameless by the day!
Ciao Ciao pointed a tiny, trembling paw at the locked door, his voice full of dramatic panic.
"Father Han Jue! Father Rong Ye is definitely beating Mama in there! I heard the bed creaking! It’s making so much noise!"
Han Jue found the situation immensely amusing. Crouching down, he looked at the anxious little fox. "Oh? So what if your father is beating your mother? What are you going to do about it?"
Ciao Ciao’s small face instantly morphed into a ferocious scowl. "I’m going to bite him! I’m going to... how dare he bully my mama?! Does he think I, Ciao Ciao, am dead?!"
𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Han Jue couldn’t contain himself and laughed out loud. What an absurdly cute baby! He reached out and affectionately pinched the cub’s chubby cheeks.
Ciao Ciao looked at him in total disbelief, pouting deeply. "Father Han Jue! Are you not worried at all?! Mama is being bullied by him! Father Rong Ye is so completely unreliable!"
Han Jue laughed even harder, scooping the little fox up into his arms and rubbing his soft fur until it was hilariously messy.
"Of course your father is shameless. But how on earth did a shameless fellow like him manage to give birth to such a cute little baby?"
Ciao. Ciao vigorously shook his head, trying to smooth down his wild, tousled fur.
Han Jue stroked the cub’s back, comforting and calming him down.
"Don’t worry about them. Do you really think anyone in this house could actually bully your mother? Before your father could even attempt to bully her, she would definitely teach him a painful lesson first."
Ciao Ciao’s eyes lit up like bright stars.
Right! He had completely forgotten! His mother was terrifyingly strong and fierce! How could his father...who only possessed a pretty face ever defeat his mother in a fight?
He had been worrying over nothing! If those creaking sounds coming from the room meant his mother was angry and currently beating his father up... then that was fantastic news!
Without warning, Ciao Ciao wriggled out of Han Jue’s arms, landed nimbly on the floor, and plunked his fluffy bottom right in front of the bedroom door.
He waved his little paw at Han Jue, grandly announcing, "Father Han Jue, you can go now! I’m going to wait right here! I want to watch Mama beat Father up!"
Inside the bedroom, both Su Qinglan and Rong Ye nearly choked on their own breath. They had heard every single word of the conversation outside!
Rong Ye ground his teeth in pure disbelief. Look at this filial son! Look at the ungrateful brat I raised with my own two hands!
Su Qinglan muffled her laughter into her pillow, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Outside, Han Jue shook his head in helpless amusement. He reached down to drag the stubborn little cub away by his scruff before the little brat overheard anything even more inappropriate!
Just outside the gates of Dragon Beast City, Stove and Little Hua were happily playing together in the soft grass.
Little Hua was gleefully chasing a small flower petal carried by the gentle wind, while Stove rolled around nearby, occasionally poking at the soil with one of his thin little roots. Everything was tranquil and peaceful.
Until...
Rustle.
Stove suddenly stopped moving, his little leaves stiffening in the air. He slowly turned his head toward a thick patch of bushes nearby.
Rustle...
There it was again! Something was definitely moving inside.
Stove immediately raised one tiny leaf to his wooden mouth. "Shhh!"
Little Hua blinked her big, innocent eyes, looking at him in utter confusion, as if asking what on earth was going on.
Stove didn’t answer. Instead, he quickly grabbed one of her little hands and dragged her straight into the dense foliage.
The two little spiritual plants immediately activated their natural concealment abilities.
In the blink of an eye, they blended perfectly into the surrounding greenery, holding their breath and looking like nothing more than two ordinary, harmless plants growing in the dirt.
A second later, three shadows quietly crouched behind the bushes.
Stove’s little eyes widened as he peeked through the leaves. They were beastmen! And they possessed a very distinct, familiar aura...a strong, pungent fox aura.
Behind the first old beastman, seven fluffy tails swayed slightly. Behind the second were eight tails, and behind the third were six.
Stove narrowed his tiny eyes. Fox Beast City?
He had heard about that place before. These three certainly looked like they belonged to Rong Ye’s prestigious clan. But what were they doing hiding outside Dragon Beast City like sneaky thieves?
Stove and Little Hua remained completely still, locking their breath away. The three fox elders had absolutely no idea that two little spiritual plants were spying on them from mere inches away.
The oldest of the three, Elder Luo, quietly peeked through the leaves toward the city gate. "Where is the little prince?"
The second elder, Elder Hu, scanned the area anxiously. "Where is Prince Ciao Ciao?"
The third elder, Elder Shen, frowned deeply. "I haven’t seen him since he ran away this morning."