Hu Jiao Jiao cut the leg meat into smaller pieces and placed them in her bowl to eat. She had been so busy all day that she was starving.

Focused on eating, she didn’t notice that across from her, Long Mo was watching her suspiciously.

Long Mo couldn’t believe his eyes. The female who used to hoard food for herself had not only prepared his meal today but had also given him an entire leg. She and the cubs had only half a leg each.

What was she up to? Could there be poison in his food?

Cautiously, he took a bite, and his golden beast eyes briefly flashed with surprise. The meat was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bursting with flavor as soon as it hit his tongue.

This female could actually cook so well?

Without realizing it, Long Mo had devoured the entire leg. Staring at the bone in his hand, he resisted the urge to gnaw on it and placed it aside.

Hu Jiao Jiao, done with her roasted meat, started serving vegetables to the cubs, but then noticed Long Mo sitting across from her, staring darkly at her, motionless.

“Wh-what’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” she asked, confused.

Long Mo’s face was grim as he looked at her chopsticks, then down at the spoon in his bowl, the same one the cubs were using.

“Why is mine different from yours?” he asked, his deep voice filled with grievance.

Having grown up shunned by the tribe, Long Mo was mostly solitary. To beastmen, he was just a wild creature, and he knew little of their customs or tools. Now, seeing that Hu Jiao Jiao had given him the same utensils as the cubs, he felt humiliated. Was she suggesting that he was only worthy of using what the young cubs used?

Hu Jiao Jiao blinked in surprise, then realized what was bothering him.

“Oh, you want to use these?” She held up her chopsticks, testing the waters.

“Yes,” Long Mo replied coldly, his face stony.

Hu Jiao Jiao hesitated. She pulled out a clean pair of chopsticks from her space, unsure. “Are you sure? You really want to use these?”

Beastmen typically didn’t use chopsticks. Why was this villain acting like a child, throwing a tantrum over utensils?

“Yes.” Long Mo answered firmly and took the chopsticks from her. He had watched her use them just moments ago—how hard could it be? He was sure he could figure it out.

Hu Jiao Jiao sighed and let him do as he wished.

Determined, Long Mo gripped the chopsticks with his left hand, trying to mimic how Hu Jiao Jiao had used them. But the moment he held them, his fingers seemed to rebel, forming all kinds of awkward shapes. His brow furrowed in frustration as he struggled to hold them properly. After several failed attempts, he tried to grab a piece of meat from the plate, but the chopsticks wouldn’t cooperate.

After what felt like an eternity, he still couldn’t manage to pick up a single piece of meat.

Long Mo: “…”

The cubs watched, struggling to keep straight faces.

Feeling bad for him, Long Zhong used his spoon to serve him some food. “Dad, just use a spoon. At this rate, you’ll starve before you manage to eat.”

Long Mo’s expression darkened. “Mind your own business. Eat, and stop talking.”

“Zhong’er!” Hu Jiao Jiao quickly covered Long Zhong’s mouth, giving Long Mo an awkward smile. “He’s just worried you’ll be hungry. How about I serve you myself?”

“No need. I can do it myself,” Long Mo growled, his face growing even darker.

His stubbornness was fully ignited now. He gripped the chopsticks more tightly, and when he realized they still wouldn’t work as intended, he clenched them in his fist and stabbed a piece of meat on the plate.

Crack!

The chopsticks pierced the meat, and he flipped them around to finally take a bite.

His face relaxed a little, and with his newfound method, he stuck with it, spearing pieces of food to eat.

Hu Jiao Jiao had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing.

Who would’ve thought the terrifying villain could be this adorable?

“Pfft…”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

Sensing the icy glare from across the table, she quickly covered her mouth, pretending to cough. “Ahem… I just choked on my soup. That’s all.”

Long Mo continued to stare at her, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Seeing that, Hu Jiao Jiao quickly added, “I’m not laughing at you, really! Your method is actually quite smart. It makes eating so much easier. I think I’ll try it too.”

With that, she mimicked him, spearing a piece of meat with her chopsticks and popping it into her mouth.

“Mmm, it does taste better this way. Honestly!”

Her cheeks were puffed out with food, her eyes squeezed shut into little crescents, making her look both embarrassed and guilty.

Long Mo let out a cold snort, then lowered his gaze. He was certain she was mocking him.

The five cubs could sense the tension, and each quietly focused on their own meal, not daring to provoke their father.

After dinner, the cubs cleaned up and went back inside. Hu Jiao Jiao tidied the dishes, while Long Mo cleaned up the yard, though she refused his help again.

“I’ll wash the dishes. You should go take care of the cubs and rest. The sooner you heal, the better,” she said, offering a more considerate excuse this time.

Reluctantly, Long Mo retreated into the house.

The five cubs had been eavesdropping outside, and when they saw their father enter, they exchanged puzzled looks.

“Dad, why are you in this house?” Long Ling’er asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

Shouldn’t Dad be sleeping with Mom?

Ever since Hu Jiao Jiao built the little wooden house, she had been sleeping separately from the cubs, as the boys were getting older. The cubs had assumed Long Mo would sleep with her in the small house.

Hearing Long Ling’er’s question, Long Mo’s brow furrowed.

Was the small house outside meant for him?

Since that night so long ago, he and Hu Jiao Jiao had never shared a room again. Clearing his throat, Long Mo said, “I just came to check on you.”

Then, he turned and headed toward the small wooden house.

Meanwhile, Hu Jiao Jiao was down by the river, washing the dishes, completely unaware that Long Mo had left the cubs’ room and gone to her little house instead.

Hu Jiao Jiao, exhausted and sore from the day’s work, washed up and collapsed onto her bed, eyes barely staying open.

But the moment she lay down, she landed on something hard.

“Hiss…”

A sharp intake of breath echoed beneath her, jolting her wide awake.

“Who—who sneaked into my room?”