The little one’s ribs had been violently kicked and broken.
He had drunk the Vitality Water, and over the past two days, she had seen that his ribs had already healed. Still, she worried they might not be fully fused or could have hairline fractures.
She quickly placed her hand on his little belly.
The touch tickled Dabao, who giggled and kicked his legs wildly.
"Female mother, that tickles! Hahaha, I’m ticklish!"
Shen Yue watched him roll around and kick his feet, and she let out a sigh of relief.
’They’ve healed properly!’
’And his bones feel even stronger now!’
Joy bloomed in her heart. He was just too adorable, his little round eyes squinting into smiling crescents.
She couldn’t help but gently ruffle his fur and play with him.
"Ticklish, are you? Come on, let female mother tickle you. Is it here?"
Her fingers tickled his chubby little belly.
"Hahaha, it tickles, it tickles! Female mother, that tickles!"
The little one giggled endlessly. Even as his four little legs kicked about, he was careful to avoid Shen Yue’s hand, afraid he might scratch her.
Shen Yue’s heart melted. Dabao was truly an Angel Baby.
He was so small, just born, yet he already knew to protect her.
No matter how excited he got while playing, he always kept his little claws in check, careful not to scratch her.
She couldn’t resist scooping him up and burying her face in his fluffy little head.
"Dabao, you’re such a good boy for your female mother! Mwah!"
Dabao closed his eyes in bliss, affectionately pressing his wet little nose against her cheek. He mimicked her and gave her a little kiss back.
"Female mother is Dabao’s good female mother, too! Mwah!"
His antics made Shen Yue burst out laughing.
’This little guy copies everything he sees. He’s just too cute.’
"Female mother, Er Bao wants some too!"
Their playful roughhousing woke up Er Bao, who was sleeping on the straw mat.
The little black furball rubbed his eyes with a tiny, adorable paw and gave a pitiful look to Shen Yue and Dabao in her arms.
Shen Yue’s heart nearly melted at the sight!
She reached out and pulled him into her arms too, cooing in a high-pitched voice,
"Oh dear, did female mother and Dabao wake you up? Come here, come here. Let female mother hug our little Mo Mo and make it all better!"
The two little ones were held affectionately in her arms.
They snuggled contentedly into her embrace, acting spoiled.
Then, Dabao looked at the Little Black Panther and asked in his squeaky, high-pitched voice,
"Female mother, why is Er Bao so black?"
PFFT—
Shen Yue burst out laughing.
’I should say he fell into a vat of black dye.’
But she said aloud, "Because Er Bao was born with black fur, that’s why he’s so black!"
Dabao’s round eyes stared at Er Bao.
"But Er Bao doesn’t seem to look like me, either~"
’When children ask such sensitive questions,’ Shen Yue thought, ’you have to guide them carefully.’
She stroked Er Bao’s small frame.
"That’s because Er Bao is a Black Panther, and you’re a Golden Lion. But no matter what breed you are or what color your fur is, you’re still brothers. You’re both my good boys, and you have to protect each other. Got it?"
Dabao nodded emphatically.
"Yes! Dabao remembers! Dabao will protect female mother and Er Bao!"
Er Bao enjoyed Shen Yue’s stroking, his big round eyes slightly narrowed.
"Yes, Er Bao remembers too. Er Bao will protect female mother and Big Brother!"
A smile touched Shen Yue’s lips.
’Two Angel Babies. Being a mom, even an unexpected one, is so worth it.’
’I love this so much!’
She couldn’t help but glance at the five remaining eggs. ’The rest should be Golden Lion Babies... or maybe Black Panther Babies, right?’
’There won’t be a third breed, will there?’
Si Muye had actually been peeking at this heartwarming scene from the doorway for a while, and a warmth spread through his heart as well.
He remembered that when he was young, he seemed to have never felt a female mother’s warm embrace.
From the moment he was born, he was tossed to his father to be raised. His life was nothing but training, then more training.
As a little cub, he rarely even had the chance to play and be affectionate with his female mother.
At this thought, he looked down at the small woven bamboo plate in his hands.
"A Yue, the chopsticks and bamboo plates are done!"
Hearing this, Shen Yue, still holding the two cubs, announced,
"Dabao, Er Bao, your female mother made lots of delicious food for you! Come on, let’s go eat!"
The two little ones immediately perked up.
"Yay! Er Bao can smell it! It smells so good!"
"Dabao smells it too! Time to eat!"
Shen Yue planned to use this first meal to teach the two little ones some eating habits and table manners.
So, she and Si Muye worked together to bring the prepared food out of the cave and place it on a large rock that Si Muye had found earlier.
This rock was like a small, flat, round table. Its surface was perfectly smooth, making it excellent for placing things on.
After arranging the fried eggs, fish soup, and roasted rabbit meat on lotus leaves and bamboo plates,
Shen Yue looked at Dabao and Er Bao squatting beside her, drooling. She cleared her throat and spoke solemnly.
"Dabao, Er Bao, don’t be hasty. Female mother is going to teach you a few things. You can only start eating after you’ve learned them!"
The two little cubs’ stomachs rumbled loudly.
But they obediently turned their big eyes toward Shen Yue and waited for her to speak.
Even Si Muye sat quietly beside them, ready to learn.
Shen Yue picked up the chopsticks in her hand and skillfully demonstrated how to hold them.
"These are called chopsticks. They’re specifically for picking up food when you eat."
Dabao asked, "Chopsticks? Do you hold them with your hands?"
Shen Yue nodded. "That’s right. You hold them with your fingers like female mother does. It’s more hygienic and convenient to eat this way, and you won’t burn your hands on hot food."
Dabao and Er Bao looked down at their little paws, looking troubled.
As she continued to demonstrate, Shen Yue picked up a water cup made from a bamboo tube and a bamboo bowl.
"This is called a bamboo cup. You can put water in it. And this is a bamboo bowl. You can put food and soup in it to eat."
Dabao and Er Bao stared in amazement at the bamboo bowl and cup in Shen Yue’s hands.
As she spoke, Shen Yue used a nearby bamboo ladle to scoop some fish soup into the bamboo bowl, then took a gentle sip.
She savored it, smacking her lips. "So good, and it smells wonderful~"
Dabao and Er Bao watched and swallowed hard.
"See? This is how you use it. This is how you use a bowl. So, from now on, you’ll eat with bowls and chopsticks just like female mother. This is called civilized table manners."
Dabao and Er Bao’s big, round eyes widened as they exclaimed in unison,
"Whoa! Civilized table manners?"
Si Muye listened intently, unable to stop himself from looking at Shen Yue with an expression of admiration.
Shen Yue nodded. "That’s right. I know that since you were just born, your spiritual power is still too weak to control your bodies and change into human form. So, once you’re able to transform..."
POOF!
Shen Yue hadn’t even finished speaking.
Dabao gathered all his strength, held his breath, and transformed into a toddler with blond hair and beast ears.
His skin was fair and smooth, looking impossibly delicate. He blinked his big, sky-blue eyes, a small dimple appearing on his chubby cheeks. Two tiny fangs poked out from his rosy lips, giving him an adorably fierce look. He was so cute it was overwhelming!
Shen Yue’s jaw dropped, and the chopsticks nearly fell from her hand.
"Ah! Dabao, you transformed!"
Si Muye was stunned, too. ’This little one hatched less than five days ago, and he can already transform into a human shape!’
Shen Yue swept him into a hug, feeling his soft, smooth little body.
"Dabao, you’re so adorable! Just so adorable!"
’A real, living, adorable baby,’ she thought. ’One I can see and touch.’
She hugged him tightly, finding it impossible to let go.
"Quick, cover up your little bottom! How embarrassing!"
As she said this, she quickly grabbed a large leaf from nearby and covered his little bottom with it.
Si Muye: "...."
’She did that a little too smoothly...’
He cleared his throat. "I’ll go inside and get a blanket."