Free Web NovelChapter 21: Chapter 21: The Villagers’ Misunderstanding of Bai Su Is Dispelled
When Bai Su saw Bai Xiaolang emerge unharmed, she let out a huge sigh of relief and rushed over. "Are you okay?"
Bai Xiaolang had a strange expression on his face. He glanced at Lu Tingyan, then silently pursed his lips and shook his head. "I’m fine."
Lu Tingyan glanced at him as well, a dark look flashing in his eyes. He turned to say something to his adjutant, Yodel, then led Bai Su and Bai Xiaolang away. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Yodel expertly addressed the reporters, explaining the night’s events.
Bai Xue and the Federation Commissioner were detained nearby, forced to listen.
It was only then that the media reporters learned that Miss Bai Su wasn’t a trafficker at all.
On the contrary, she had participated in the raid that dismantled the trafficking ring’s stronghold that night!
Strictly speaking, she could even receive a third-class commendation for it.
As a child from the orphanage, Bai Xiaolang had bravely volunteered to act as bait, playing a crucial role in the operation.
Lu Tingyan’s men acted with swift efficiency, completely uprooting the Beastman cub trafficking rings along the border and eliminating a large swath of their associated downstream operations.
In just three days, they had rescued over a hundred Beastman cubs from the black market.
The only reason this story became public news was because of the live broadcast Bai Xue had arranged with the media that night.
The Beastman network also exploded into an uproar.
[I’m just watching the drama, but this is blowing my mind. Is the Bai family’s second daughter sick in the head?]
[So you’re saying, Bai Su was there helping catch the criminals, and this girl shows up with a whole noisy mob to sling mud, nearly botching the whole operation?]
[What a piece of work. Ruining important business just to sling mud out of jealousy?]
[Her stupidity is physically painful to watch.]
[I was about to start flaming, but I feel much better now that I see she got arrested by Major General Lu.]
[Wait, does this even make sense to you guys? If I remember correctly, the second Miss Bai is a Level 5 female, right? Her fertility is extremely high. Why would she be desperately clinging to Major General Lu?]
[I’ll admit Major General Lu is handsome, but he’s not really good enough for the second Miss Bai. Are you seriously saying she caused all this trouble out of jealousy over him?]
Soon enough, the paparazzi dug up evidence of the second Miss Bai constantly trying to get close to Lu Tingyan, leaving the netizens speechless.
[The world of high society is too messy. I don’t get it. I really don’t.]
[Never thought I’d see the day Major General Lu was a hot commodity again.]
The Beastman web was rife with hostility. With the number of females dwindling in recent years, more and more males had become psychologically twisted by their inability to find a mate, and they vented all their anger on the internet.
Because Bai Xue’s jealous fit had nearly allowed child traffickers to escape justice, the entire Bai family was implicated. The stock prices of several major public companies under the Bai family name plummeted.
Some people even began to question why the Bai Family had exiled their eldest daughter, Bai Su, to the border. What had she done wrong?
Bai Xue spent days at home having meltdowns and crying, screaming that she would tear Bai Su to shreds.
Mrs. Bai, terrified the paparazzi would dig up what happened all those years ago, had no choice but to release a statement announcing that they would bring Bai Su home in the near future.
When the news broke, Bai Su was in the kitchen cooking. A few of the little ones had turned on her smart-terminal and were projecting the broadcast onto a wall screen.
Several of the little cubs were passing around Bai Xiaolang’s award, examining it from every angle with immense curiosity.
Bai Xiaolang sat at the table, his eyes gloomily fixed on the news. The tension in his back betrayed his feelings.
He suddenly turned to look at Bai Su, who was at the stove with her back to him. "Matron Mama, are you going back to the Bai family?"
Bai Su was deftly cleaning crab gills. "Why would I go back there? I’m not wanted by my father or loved by my mother. You want me to go back just to get bullied?"
Only then did the tension in Bai Xiaolang’s back ease. His eyes sparkled as he stared at Bai Su. "You’re not going back?"
Bai Su shot him an amused glance before turning back to her cooking. "Nope. What’s the matter? Still hoping you can find a new Matron Mama?"
Hearing this, Bai Xiaolang immediately rushed over to hug her leg, shyly burying his face. "No."
Bai Su chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I haven’t even asked you yet. What were you and Lu Tingyan talking about that day? You two were muttering to each other for so long."
Bai Xiaolang’s eyes grew somber as he recalled the events of that day.
That day in the cave, the traffickers had been alerted.
They quickly realized something was wrong and decided to kill the children to silence them.
To save the other children, Bai Xiaolang had used his Companion Ability: Tearing Space.
His Companion Ability was something he was born with. He could use his wolf claws to tear open a five-meter-wide black space anywhere.
Anyone who got too close to this space would be sucked into the black hole and disappear completely.
As the men charged, he unleashed his superpower and tore open a five-meter black space. The traffickers at the front were sucked in, vanishing from the world completely.
Lu Tingyan was standing at the mouth of the cave, his sharp eyes wide with utter disbelief.
The rift appeared and vanished in an instant.
Only Lu Tingyan had seen it.
Later, Lu Tingyan pulled him aside for a private talk, asking him how he was able to use Tearing Space.
He told him it was his Companion Ability.
He still remembered Lu Tingyan’s words from that day with perfect clarity.
He had said, "Tearing Space is a bloodline ability, passed down through the leader’s clan."
"You are my son. Who is your mother?"
Bai Xiaolang couldn’t answer. He had been in the orphanage for as long as he could remember.
But he didn’t particularly want a father.
None of the children at the orphanage had fathers.
’A father wasn’t some rare treasure, anyway.’
And he certainly wouldn’t condone Lu Tingyan’s attempts to steal Matron Mama away, even if the man might be his father.
Lu Tingyan had said he would investigate and help him find his mother.
He just felt the man was going to unnecessary trouble.
’He didn’t need a new mother and father. Matron Mama was perfect just the way she was.’
’She made the most delicious food.’
Seeing him spacing out, Bai Su ruffled his hair again. "I’m asking you a question. You and Lu Tingyan were whispering to each other for so long that day, and you’ve been totally out of it ever since. What did you talk about?"
Bai Xiaolang snapped out of it and shook his head. "Nothing. Just a little secret between men."
Bai Su didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, alright. So now you’re keeping little secrets from me."
Just as they were about to eat, another commotion erupted outside.
Bai Xiaolang and a few other children rushed out to see a large crowd of villagers from the foot of the mountain heading for their gate again.
The children stood guard at the orphanage gate, eyeing them warily. "What do you want?"
Bai Su was busy frying stuffed lotus root and preparing crab with scallion oil.
She heard the noise outside—they were probably here to thank her. She poked her head out. "Don’t be rude." fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
The females, led by Xiao Mi, caught a whiff of the aroma filling the courtyard and couldn’t help but look entranced. "It smells so good!"
"What is that smell? It’s incredible!"
"Oh my god, I’m drooling. I’ve never smelled anything so wonderful."
Bai Su poked her head out from the kitchen and looked at them. "Did you need me for something? I’m cooking, so please wait a moment."
Xiao Mi nodded eagerly and edged closer, full of curiosity. "Bai Su, what are you up to? How come your cooking smells like this? It’s ridiculously good!"
"Just whipping something up," Bai Su replied without turning around. "The children love it."
Xiao Mi blushed. "So what everyone was saying is true. You really do know how to cook..."
Bai Su said warmly, "Your Beast Husband wanted to come learn my secrets the other day so he could go home and cook for you."
The other females crowded around to get a look, and they couldn’t help but blush as well.
They could barely stop themselves from drooling at the fragrant aroma, so how could their Beast Husbands at home—who did hard labor and had huge appetites—possibly resist?
It seemed they really had misjudged Bai Su before.
Food this fragrant... they couldn’t help but want to come by every day, just to smell it. The scent alone was enough to lift their spirits!
