Chapter 370: Small Rewards
About half of the laundry had already been finished.
As Qiong Xing hung up the completed clothes first, he suddenly felt something tug at the hem of his shirt.
Looking down, he found Mao standing there.
"Help."
"Thank you, Mao."
Mao seemed much more accustomed to his human form than he had been at the beginning.
Qiong Xing smiled at the familiar blue eyes looking up at him, the same eyes he had possessed as a cat.
Mao appeared to be around the same age as the twins.
However, having spent most of his life as a cat, everything about living as a person was new to him.
Walking, speaking, and daily life itself were all unfamiliar, and he seemed to struggle with many things.
Still, perhaps because he wanted to adapt as quickly as possible, he now spent most of his time in his beastman form.
He often helped Qiong Xing like this.
Though clumsy, he always did his best with his small hands.
"Wash."
"That’s right. Just do whatever you’re able to."
Qiong Xing had suggested several times that Mao did not need to help and could go play with the other children instead.
Each time, Mao had firmly shaken his head and refused.
In the end, Qiong Xing let him do as he pleased.
He had a feeling he understood the reason.
Mao wanted praise.
Even knowing that, Qiong Xing could not bring himself to tell him to stop.
Besides, learning how to help with chores would only benefit him in the future.
"There really isn’t a cloud in the sky today. It’s hot, but I’m happy the laundry dries so quickly."
"Hot... don’t like?"
"If it’s not too hot, I like it. Speaking of which, I’ve heard cats are very good at finding cool places. Is that true?"
"...? Don’t know."
Perhaps it was not something cats consciously thought about.
As they continued chatting while they worked, the laundry ended up being finished faster than usual.
"Thank you for helping. We finished much sooner because of you."
Mao looked up at him with an expression that clearly expected something.
Qiong Xing smiled and gently patted his head.
"Good work."
Mao immediately brightened.
A happy smile spread across his face as he threw his arms around Qiong Xing and hugged him.
At first, Qiong Xing had never intended to give him a name.
He had always believed that one day he would have to entrust him to someone else.
If he became too attached, it would only make that day harder.
Even now, those feelings had not completely changed.
Still, it felt wrong to keep calling a child who cared for him this much "little cat" forever, so he had given him a simple name.
Mao.
Joa and the others had pointed out more than once that it sounded as though Qiong Xing secretly wanted to raise him as his own child.
But Qiong Xing already held too many precious people in his arms.
It was not impossible.
He could do it if he truly chose to.
The problem was the way Mao still interacted with the rest of the family.
That uncertainty remained.
For now, Qiong Xing could still devote time and attention to him.
But once Leander’s child was born, he would no longer have that luxury.
Even if Mao cried for attention, Qiong Xing would not always be able to indulge him.
When Lian was born, Cari threw tantrum for attention.
When the twins were born, Lian become the one who threw tantrum for attention.
And when Lingxiao was born, it’s both Lian and the twins who had clamored for attention.
But if Mao reached that stage, there was no one who could step in and support him in Qiong Xing’s place.
"How about we take a little break? I made some sweets using apples, your favorite fruit. Let’s eat them together."
"Eat!"
Mao’s face immediately lit up.
Qiong Xing did not know how much longer they would remain together.
But during the time they had left, however short it might be, he hoped Mao would learn to trust people a little more.
...
"Those turned out looking delicious. Come on, let’s go show them to your mom together."
"...Do you think Mom is still mad?"
"If you apologize properly, she’ll forgive you. And besides, they turned out so delicious. I’m sure she’ll be happy."
When Qiong Xing said that, Petra nodded.
Qiong Xing then led him toward the front door while holding his hand.
A few hours earlier, after finishing the laundry, Qiong Xing had decided it was time for everyone to take a break and have some tea.
However, only a few minutes after everyone had settled into their seats, Petra suddenly saying that he wanted to go home.
"Did you not like the snacks?"
Qiong Xing asked if the treats hadn’t suited his taste, but Petra shook his head.
Since his mother still had not come to pick him up, Qiong Xing suggested waiting a little longer.
Even so, Petra stubbornly insisted that he wanted to go home.
Somehow, Qiong Xing understood.
Petra was still at an age where he needed his mother.
So instead, Qiong Xing took him into the kitchen.
"Your mom and dad work hard for you every day, don’t they? How about giving them a reward for a change?"
"A reward?"
"When you do something well, your mom and dad praise you a lot, right?"
"Yeah."
Any parent would say things like, "You did it!" or "That’s amazing!"
Petra’s parents were surely no different.
If that was the case, then perhaps it would be nice to reverse the roles for once.
"How about giving your mom and dad a reward from you? You can put your apology for this morning and your gratitude for everything they do into it."
"Can I really do that?"
"Of course. I’ll help you, so let’s do it together."
"Okay! Let’s do it!"
Since Petra wanted to go home, Qiong Xing could have simply taken him back before his mother arrived.
However, the fact that she still had not come suggested that she was probably still busy with her chores.
