Seven Cubs, Seven Fathers, Zero Days Off

Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Building a House

Shen Yue took in everyone’s reactions. With a smirk, she walked into the bamboo house.

She tidied up the house a little, then took a pair of scissors and several padded cotton jackets she had previously tossed into her storage space. She was going to make some winter clothes for the children ahead of time.

She cut the large jackets into smaller pieces with the scissors, then began sewing them together, tailoring them to the little ones’ sizes.

After eating their fill, the little cubs began to roughhouse inside, their cheerful laughter spilling out of the house.

Outside.

Five grown men stared at the roast boar on the stone table, their brows furrowed as they secretly gulped.

Ye Lüqi said, ”She said to throw it away, but I feel that would be a terrible waste. How about we split it amongst ourselves?”

Huang Ziyue raised an eyebrow, pursing his lips without speaking.

’Although I’m dying to try it, Shen Yue said to throw it away. How could I bring myself to eat it?’

’I, Huang Ziyue, could never do something so shameless.’

Lan Cangyue swallowed hard. He really, really wanted to eat it.

He hadn’t eaten much food from the land, and he’d never smelled anything this fragrant before.

Then, he came up with a brilliant idea.

”Anyway, these are our cubs’ leftovers. We’re their fathers, so it’s perfectly normal for us to eat what they don’t finish, right? Besides, it’s still hot and perfectly clean. Let’s just put it to a vote. One vote per person on whether to eat it or toss it!”

Mu Silin had already snuck a piece earlier, and the taste was so incredible he couldn’t even begin to describe it.

He cleared his throat and immediately chimed in.

”I think that’s an excellent proposal.”

Bai Chaosi, with his gentle features and a bearing as serene as a clear sky after a storm, stood ramrod straight, seemingly wanting no part in this.

But he still covered his lips with his hand and stated his position.

”I’m impartial.”

Huang Ziyue shot them a glance with his dark red eyes. He kept a stern, icy expression, but his legs honestly carried him closer.

Seeing his chance, Lan Cangyue announced:

”Alright, let’s start now. Raise your hand if you agree we should throw it away!”

The moment he finished speaking.

Not one of the five men raised a hand.

The men exchanged glances.

Then, by some unspoken agreement, they all averted their eyes.

The feigned indifference on their faces was a sight to behold; each man was a better actor than the last.

Lan Cangyue already knew the outcome, but he proceeded with the vote anyway.

”Then, raise your hand if you agree we should split it!”

He immediately raised his own hand.

Mu Silin, done with the charade, raised his hand as well.

’Nothing wrong with eating my kid’s leftovers, is there?’

’Besides, I saw with my own eyes that Shen Yue didn’t even touch this half when she was carving the meat.’

Ye Lüqi shot a look to the side, a little embarrassed, but his hand shot up quickly nonetheless.

Next was Bai Chaosi. He gracefully adjusted his sleeves and, without a blush or a single flutter of his heart, nonchalantly raised his hand.

At this point, all eyes turned to Huang Ziyue.

His expression was taut, as if he were caught in a war between his pride and his stomach.

Just as he steeled himself under their collective gaze, ready to throw caution to the wind and raise his hand...

...Mu Silin, ever the impatient one, gave him no quarter.

”That’s enough. The Great Emperor Master is far too noble to eat leftovers. Just look at him—he clearly doesn’t want any. Our four votes are enough. The four of us will just split it!”

Ye Lüqi nodded.

”He’s right. We won’t force you, Great Emperor Master!”

’Perfect, one less person to share with,’ he thought. ’I was worried there wouldn’t be enough to go around!’

The hand Huang Ziyue was about to raise froze mid-air.

His face turned so dark it looked like ink might drip from it, but crucially, he couldn’t let his anger show.

Fuming, he let out a cold snort. Deciding he was done with the four of them, he flicked his sleeves and stormed away.

Bai Chaosi watched his retreating, frosty figure, a smirk playing on his lips.

’When it comes to vying for the Female Master, a man that obsessed with his pride will have a hard time getting any meat.’

Once Huang Ziyue was gone.

The four men swiftly divided the roast boar into four equal portions. Ye Lüqi grabbed his share and eagerly took a bite.

Juice burst in his mouth, and his eyes practically popped out of his head.

Not to be outdone, Lan Cangyue took a bite as well.

He froze completely.

”This is incredible.”

Bai Chaosi, in contrast, was slow and methodical. With an air of nobility, he speared a piece of meat with the tip of his knife and placed it in his mouth.

After just one chew, his eyes filled with amazement and disbelief.

’How could one even describe this?’

The skin was perfectly crisp. The moment he bit down, it let out a loud CRUNCH as hot juices sizzled and burst forth.

The meat itself was tender and succulent. The lean portions were delicate and smooth, yet offered a satisfying chew.

The fatty portions, on the other hand, melted the instant they touched his tongue—rich without being greasy.

’I’ve never tasted anything so delicious in my life.’

Mu Silin was already devouring his portion. Heaven only knew how long he had been waiting for this day, craving this very bite!

Today, he had finally tasted it.

Every bite he chewed left a lingering, unforgettable flavor in his mouth.

The unfamiliar spices had soaked deep into the meat, electrifying his palate. He couldn’t stop, taking one bite after another.

Hovering in mid-air, Huang Ziyue was so furious it felt as if the air around him might freeze solid.

He watched the four men devour the half-boar, completely lost in the experience. Even the fox, who had just been so elegantly cutting his meat, was now eating with much more haste.

Even from this distance, he could see the exaggerated expressions on their faces and feel their utter shock and enjoyment.

’That was the boar *I* hunted, and I didn’t even get a single bite!’

His subordinate beside him couldn’t stop gulping.

’I wish I could taste it too!’

’If the Great Emperor Master had just raised his hand, I might have gotten a taste. But now...’ He wept silently in his heart.

’But who could be blamed? My Great Emperor Master is just too noble, too proud, too obsessed with his image!’

After finishing a few pieces of clothing, Shen Yue saw that the little cubs had played themselves to exhaustion and were now fast asleep. She stepped out of the house.

She came out to find the stone table wiped completely clean.

There wasn’t a single bone left on the ground, either.

She turned to fetch water, planning to mix it with yellow mud and straw to add a layer of insulation to the bamboo house.

The bamboo house was sturdy, but it didn’t offer much insulation. Plastering a layer of mud over it and letting it dry would not only make it stronger but would also help keep the cold out and the warmth in.

This was something she had been planning to do for a few days.

She picked up a bamboo bucket and headed for the water cistern.

Just then, she turned and bumped into Mu Silin, who was walking into the yard while wiping his mouth.

Mu Silin quickly froze, his hand still near his mouth, and looked at her guiltily.

”Fetching water? I’ll go.”

With that, he took the bucket from Shen Yue’s hand and dashed over to the cistern to fill it.

When he returned, Shen Yue noticed the faint traces of grease still lingering at the corners of his mouth. She knew immediately.

’I knew it,’ she thought. ’There was no way they’d just throw away half a roast boar.’

’I’m not the kind of person who’d guard a mouthful of food with my life.’

’As long as they’re willing to stay here, help me hunt, and don’t try to take the children, I’m not going to be stingy with food.’

’That’s why I roasted the whole boar in the first place.’

’In fact, I even secretly added a drop of Vitality Water to the seasoning.’

’Bai Chaosi and Mu Silin were both injured protecting me back in that underground hall. I’m not a heartless person. Since they were hurt for my sake, it’s only natural that I repay the debt.’

’I may not have said thank you or even asked about their injuries...’

’...but a single drop of Vitality Water is a small price for me to pay.’

’Thinking about it now, I just wonder if that fox got any of the meat.’

Mu Silin looked at her:

”Where should I put this water?”

Shen Yue’s train of thought was broken. She pointed to a pile of yellow mud on the ground.

”Just pour it on that mud!”

Mu Silin walked over, poured out the water, and asked curiously:

”What are you doing with all this yellow mud?”

Shen Yue didn’t hide the truth. ”Building a house.”

She gave the mixture a couple of stirs. Seeing that the mud had already absorbed the water and was still dry, she said:

”It’s not enough. I need three more buckets.”

Mu Silin was stunned by her plan to build a house. ’You can build a house with this? Just mud, straw, and water?’