Beast World: From Villainess to Cub-Raising Chef

Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Li Chenlin’s Mother Goes Missing

The abrupt, nonsensical words made Bai Su furrow her brow slightly.

Bablo and Kong Ji grew even more vigilant.

A kind person in the crowd spoke up. "Miss Bai Su, that’s a beggar who showed up in the city recently. She’s been hanging around this area for days. She’s a bit of a simpleton."

"That’s right, Miss Bai Su. You don’t have to pay her any mind. She might be looking for her lost daughter."

"No, it’s her daughter-in-law!"

"Bullshit! She’s definitely looking for her lost child!"

Everyone chattered at once, but no one could say for sure where the woman came from.

Bai Su met the beggar’s gaze, and for some reason, her heart softened. She said to Bablo, "Give her some money for food."

Bablo nodded, blocking the woman from getting closer.

Bai Su found the situation strange.

In the Federation, females weren’t supposed to be treated like this.

Even when she had been exiled, she had still received a 3,000-credit monthly subsidy from the Federation.

So there was no reason for anyone to be reduced to begging.

But this female seemed a bit simple-minded, and when she held out the doll, her wrists were covered in scars.

It looked like she had been abused.

A wave of sympathy washed over her for no particular reason. Shaking her head, she pushed the matter to the back of her mind.

Bai Su arrived at the hospital to visit Yan Qingya.

Yan Qingya had just finished nursing her four children and put them down to sleep. Her Beast Husbands were watching over them now.

Seeing this, Bai Su didn’t want to disturb them. She just left the food, said a quick hello to Yan Qingya’s Beast Husbands, and turned to leave.

On the way back to the restaurant, she got caught in rush hour traffic.

Bai Su was staring out the window, bored, when she suddenly spotted a blurry figure in the rearview mirror.

Her stumbling gait and filthy clothes made her look exceptionally pitiful.

She seemed to recognize Bai Su’s car and started jogging anxiously toward it, clutching a doll to her chest as she drew closer and closer.

The weather had just started to warm up, but after the sun set, it was still a bit cold.

The beggar’s hands and feet were red from the cold, and her toes were bleeding.

Her gaze was so intense, like an anxious child lost in a strange place who had just spotted Bai Su, the only person she recognized.

Bai Su’s heart softened, and she had Kong Ji pull the car over.

The beggar quickly caught up, looking at Bai Su eagerly.

Bai Su said, "Bablo, get her in the car. We’re taking her back with us."

Bablo frowned slightly. "Miss Bai Su, we don’t know who she is."

"It’s fine," Bai Su replied.

For some reason, even though she didn’t know this female, Bai Su’s heart couldn’t help but soften whenever she met her clear, innocent eyes.

Bablo had no choice but to help the woman into the car.

Bai Su brought the woman back to the residence, had someone give her food and a bath, and only then was she brought to see her.

When the beggar saw Bai Su in the magnificent side hall, she finally let out a sigh of relief, still clutching the doll tightly in her hand.

The side hall was full of guards.

The three little ones were watching the beggar lady warily.

Bai Xiaoshe whispered, "Could she be Leia in disguise?"

Bai Xiao Zhu shook his head. "No way. Leia is a shorty. She’s not even as tall as me."

Bai Xiaolang added cautiously, "What if last time was a disguise? Or maybe both are disguises?"

Bai Su walked over and looked at the three of them with amusement. "Alright, you three. Go play somewhere else."

Surrounded by the three little ones, the beggar was trembling and didn’t dare to move.

Bai Xiaolang shook his head. "No! I have to stay here and protect you!"

Bai Xiaoshe and Bai Xiao Zhu said in unison, "Us too!"

Bai Su paid them no mind and walked over to the woman, asking gently, "Do you know me?"

The beggar nodded meekly.

"Did you come looking for me on purpose?" Bai Su asked.

The beggar nodded again.

Bai Su thought for a moment. "What’s your name? And how do you know me?"

The beggar shrank back, frightened by Bai Xiaolang’s dark stare.

Bai Xiaoshe scratched his head. "I don’t think this lady is a bad person. She doesn’t seem very bright."

The beggar answered timidly, "My name is Hua Hua. I’ve seen you on television."

Bai Su nodded, understanding now. The woman had probably seen her livestreams or related news reports.

Now that Hua Hua was cleaned up, it was clear she must have been very beautiful and elegant when she was younger.

Her skin was very white, probably because she hadn’t seen the sun for years.

The skin on her palms was delicate, like that of someone who lived a pampered life, yet her body was covered in scars of all sizes.

Especially in places that weren’t visible.

The maids had only seen them when they were helping her change.

It seemed there were many wounds, with new injuries layered over old ones.

Hua Hua looked at Bai Su timidly. "I’ll give you the doll. Please don’t be angry."

Bai Su found this odd. "Why would I be angry?"

But Hua Hua just looked at her, trying to please her. "You’re not angry?"

"Who would I be angry with?" Bai Su asked.

Hua Hua said, "You are... angry. You’re ignoring him."

Bai Xiaolang sharply caught on to this piece of information and pressed, "Who is ’he’?"

Hua Hua flinched in fear and fell silent.

Bai Xiaoshe quickly held him back. "Brother, you’re scaring her! Let Mom ask."

The corner of Bai Xiaolang’s mouth twitched. "Do I look that scary?"

Bai Xiaoshe tried to placate him by rubbing against his wolf tail. "Brother, you’re super handsome!"

Bai Xiaolang couldn’t help but laugh at that and stepped aside.

Bai Su asked, "Who is he? Who am I ignoring?"

But Hua Hua suddenly clammed up.

She just looked at Bai Su with pleading eyes, wanting her to take the doll.

Lu Tingyan’s people had already thoroughly inspected the doll. There was nothing inside; it was just an ordinary cloth doll.

No matter how much they asked, she refused to say another word.

Bai Su felt a bit helpless and was about to have someone send her away.

But Hua Hua suddenly grabbed her arm, refusing to let go no matter who tried to pull her off. Her small eyes gazed up at Bai Su pitifully.

The eyes can’t lie.

Hua Hua’s eyes were too pure, like those of a child who knew nothing of the world.

Bai Su couldn’t help but give in. "Well... why don’t you stay here with me for now?"

Only then did Hua Hua nod cautiously.

Bai Su had no choice but to get her settled in first, then had Kong Ji and Bablo investigate her identity and try to contact her family.

*

"Useless fools! Go! Keep searching! A female with less strength than a child and the mind of a five-year-old managed to disappear right under your noses! If you don’t find her, you’ll all be buried with her!"

Li Chenlin’s eyes were bloodshot with rage as he furiously smashed a pile of things.

His subordinates retreated in terror, yet they found something surprising.

’When did their boss kick his man-eating habit?’

’For something this major to happen, for him to get this furious, and yet he hasn’t eaten a single person.’

At that moment, Li Chenlin was standing in a field of rubble. The collapsed beams and walls all around had been torn apart by his rampaging spiritual power.

His assistant hurried forward cautiously. "President Li, please don’t worry. The Royal Family has sent everyone out to search. We’ve also discreetly posted missing person notices in the main plazas of every nation. There should be news soon."

Li Chenlin snorted. "That bunch of useless fools! What good are they?!"

His mother was simple-minded and had been kept in the Imperial Palace for years, never once stepping outside.

And now she had somehow gotten lost.

’She’s so naive. What if she was abducted by traffickers? What if someone hurt her...’

’What if she’s starving and has no idea what to do...’

Li Chenlin didn’t dare to let his thoughts spiral any further. He furiously demolished two more estates before leading his men to continue a sweeping, systematic search of the city-states surrounding the Imperial Palace.