Sensing the coldness and wariness in Long Yu’s eyes, Hu Jiaojiao helplessly smiled.

She handed him a towel and spoke in a negotiating tone, “How about you wipe yourself? I’ll go help your younger siblings.”

Long Yu was silent for a moment, took the towel, and kept a three-meter distance from her.

Long Zhong and Long Xiu, holding each other’s hands, shared the same attitude as Long Yu—unwilling to approach Hu Jiaojiao.

Hu Jiaojiao didn’t have many strengths, but patience was certainly one of them.

The children were covered in dirt, but since they were injured, she couldn’t bathe them in the river. So, she handed them towels to clean themselves while she turned to Long Ling’er and Long Yao.

“Ling’er, Yao’er, come here,” she beckoned.

While Long Ling’er hesitated, Long Yao, swaying his little dragon body, approached her feet.

Hu Jiaojiao felt a bit relieved. Finally, one child was willing to come close to her.

She picked up Long Yao and gently wiped the bloodstains from his body.

As soon as she finished, Long Yao nudged her hand with the small bump on his head, where his dragon horns were yet to grow. He opened and closed his mouth, sticking out his tiny pink tongue as if licking his lips, letting out soft, broken sounds, “Ha…ha~.”

Hu Jiaojiao immediately understood his meaning.

“Yao’er, are you hungry? Be good. After I clean Ling’er’s wounds, I’ll make some food.”

No wonder this little guy was willing to approach her—he was hungry and seeking food!

Beastman cubs who hadn’t yet fully transformed into human form had the intelligence of a three-year-old. Their instincts were focused mainly on eating, and their understanding of the world was limited.

Long Yao only knew that staying close to Hu Jiaojiao meant he would get food.

Hearing there was food, Long Ling’er also obediently let Hu Jiao Jiao tend to her wounds.

Once she had cleaned all the children’s injuries, Hu Jiaojiao took back the towels and reminded them, “Don’t let your wounds get wet. Mother will go make food for you now.”

She carried the blood-stained towels inside.

The children had been living in harsh conditions, hardly ever eating enough. Fearing they might have trouble digesting too much food from the previous day, Hu Jiao Jiao chose two pieces of lean meat and a bag of rice to make a pot of lean meat porridge.

As she retrieved the food from her space, she suddenly remembered—yesterday, in her haste to feed the children, she hadn’t considered how she would explain the origins of these supplies.

But in the past, she hadn’t allowed the children to enter the house. It would seem normal for her to have some hidden items inside. She could simply say that her family had sent these supplies to help her.

Yes, that explanation would work!

Feeling confident with her reasoning, Hu Jiaojiao carried the meat and rice outside, only to see Long Yu and Long Zhong struggling with heavy stone buckets, their small bodies wobbling as they walked into the yard.

With each step, water splashed out from the buckets.

Startled, Hu Jiaojiao quickly put down her things and rushed over to grab the stone buckets from their hands.

How could such small children be doing such heavy labor?

Long Yu and Long Zhong trembled as they saw the stern look on Hu Jiaojiao’s face.

She’s angry!

“We’re sorry! We were just about to fill the water tank. Please don’t be angry—we’ll finish it right now,” Long Yu quickly apologized, fearing Hu Jiaojiao’s wrath.

Seeing the fear in Long Yu’s eyes, Hu Jiaojiao paused, quickly realizing what was happening.

The previous Hu Jiaojiao had made the children do all the work, and if they failed to meet her expectations, she would beat them. Filling the water tank was probably one of their many duties.

Softening her expression, she gently placed her hand on Long Yu’s shoulder and said seriously, “From now on, I’ll be the one fetching water. You go play and wait for the food, okay?”

Upon hearing this, the two boys looked even more frightened.

“Please don’t throw Long Xiu and Long Yao into the forest. We can work! We’ll do whatever you want us to!” Long Yu pleaded, his innocent eyes filled with desperation.

“Why would I throw them into the forest?” Hu Jiaojiao asked, confused.

Then it hit her. The previous Hu Jiaojiao, disgusted by Long Xiu’s blindness and Long Yao’s inability to transform into human form, had frequently threatened to throw them into the forest to feed the wild animals.

Long Yu had likely agreed to work to protect his siblings.

Realizing this, Hu Jiaojiao felt an even bigger headache coming on.

The previous Hu Jiaojiao had been useless at everything—except digging holes!

Taking a deep breath, Hu Jiaojiao tried to maintain a gentle demeanor, “Don’t worry, Yu’er. You’re all my children, and I would never throw you into the forest. From now on, I’ll take care of these chores. I’ll take care of you.”

Long Yu’s small, dark face remained tense, his skeptical eyes fixed on her. He said nothing.

Long Zhong kept his lips tightly sealed, turning his head away, unwilling to listen to her lies.

Feeling helpless, Hu Jiaojiao turned to the other children.

Long Xiu stood in the corner, one hand resting on the wall. His eyes were lifeless, staring in her direction but covered by a milky-white fog, unable to focus.

Next to him stood Long Ling’er, guarding Long Yao behind her, gripping a thick wooden stick, her small face filled with vigilance.

Hu Jiaojiao realized that if she didn’t let them do something, the children would feel uneasy.

So, she pointed at the pile of firewood beside Long Ling’er, “Why don’t you help Ling’er pick up the firewood? Once I’m done fetching water, I’ll start cooking.”

The neatly stacked firewood in the yard had been knocked over by Xiong Hua, and Hu Jiao Jiao hadn’t had a chance to tidy it up yet.

Picking up firewood was much lighter work than carrying stone buckets, and it wouldn’t be too hard on the children.

“Okay,” Long Yu nodded and led Long Zhong to help.

He dared not disobey the orders of the vicious female. Whatever she asked them to do, they had to do it.

Watching the children’s reluctant movements, Hu Jiaojiao sighed.

These children had been deeply scarred by the previous Hu Jiaojiao. Beastmen matured quickly, and her evil image was already deeply ingrained in their minds. Changing their perception of her in the short term seemed impossible.

Such misfortune!

Redeeming herself was going to be a long and difficult task!

When she returned with the water, the children had already restacked the firewood neatly.

Hurriedly, she began lighting the fire, washing the rice, and cutting the meat to make porridge.

Beastmen had large appetites, and preparing food for six of them was no small task. She worked quickly, her hands and feet hardly stopping.

The children stood in the corner, coldly watching Hu Jiaojiao’s busy figure, a trace of suspicion flashing in their eyes.

Could this vicious female actually be so diligent?

She used to lie in bed, ordering them to find food while she never lifted a finger.

Seeing Hu Jiaojiao cutting meat with a silver tool she had never seen before, Long Ling’er hesitated for a moment, then walked over.

“Mother, let me help you.”

Ah, daughters really are their mothers’ cotton-padded jacket!

It seemed Ling’er still cared for her.

“Sure, Ling’er, you can help me add wood to the fire,” Hu Jiaojiao smiled warmly, feeling much less tired.

Long Ling’er shyly smiled back and squatted in front of the stove, adding wood to the fire.

Her dark eyes darted around sneakily, thinking: There are only two pieces of meat, and the evil woman is cutting them so thin. She probably doesn’t want to give us any.

She decided to stay close. If the evil woman tried to poison them, she would be able to discover it immediately.