Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 417 - 356: Exploiting Child Labor

...

「North Continent, Ice-breaking City.」

Sang Luo had just gotten back when she ran into Zhuizui, who was returning from playing wildly outside. His eyes lit up and he grinned. "Mom, are you cold? Don’t just stand out here. I’ll go inside and pour you a nice, hot cup of tea!"

"You’re a thoughtful one, you little rascal." Sang Luo pinched his cheek. This child was the biggest sweet-talker. "Have you gotten taller?"

Zhuizui stood at the doorway, trying to stand on his tiptoes. "I’m 1.42 meters now! I’ve grown a whole fifty-one centimeters!"

Sang Luo saw several red marks carved into the doorframe and couldn’t help but smile. "Alright, alright, I see you’ve gotten taller."

Little Zhi Xin and Little Stone were inside doing their homework, but they both ran out when they heard the commotion. Seeing their mother’s pregnant belly, they hesitated to get too close, so Sang Luo beckoned to them. She bent down slightly to hug both children. "Little Zhi Xin and Little Stone have gotten taller, too. Hmm... let Mommy see. Little Stone is the tallest, then Little Zhi Xin. And Little Zhi Xin is a bit taller than Zhuizui, by about half a finger’s width."

Zhuizui stomped his foot. "Hmph! I’ll just have to try harder to grow taller!"

"Luoluo." Lan Cang was in the middle of making dinner for the children and hadn’t had time to take off his apron yet.

Sang Luo ruffled Little Stone’s hair again before walking over and gently hugging him. "I missed you."

An overwhelming tenderness filled Lan Cang’s features. He hugged Sang Luo with a touch of bashfulness, lowering his head to place a kiss on her forehead. "The children and I all missed you very much, too."

He asked curiously, "Whose child is it this time?"

"Anubia’s and mine. You’ve probably never met him; he’s from the Insect Clan. Before this baby, I also had a Demon Fetus with Quan Jin. Anubia is being very protective of his own right now, but when I have time later, I’ll bring them all over for you to see."

Lan Cang had indeed never met Anubia. Sang Luo briefly explained his history, and her partner’s expression grew even more complicated when she mentioned how Anubia had sacrificed his life to save Little Zhi Xin when she was captured by the Insect Clan years ago. "If I have the chance in the future, I must visit him personally to offer my thanks."

Little Zhi Xin seemed to recall seeing this "uncle." She had been too young at the time and was only semi-conscious, so she didn’t remember much. But she did recall a very handsome uncle returning her to her mother’s arms...

She said, "Mommy, I want to meet that uncle too and thank him."

"Haha, good girl." Sang Luo ruffled her daughter’s hair.

Then she looked back at Lan Cang.

"I’ve already repaid my debt to him for what he did for Little Zhi Xin." She patted her belly. "I just don’t know how many are in here this time."

"Be careful." With a sigh, Lan Cang supported her by the waist and led her inside. "I’ll stir-fry a couple more dishes in a bit and make some chicken soup to nourish you."

Sang Luo gave his handsome face a peck. "Thanks, Cangcang~"

Lan Cang blushed slightly. "The children are still here..."

"Hehe, we didn’t see anything! Daddy, we finished our homework, so we’re going out to play now!" The three kids were incredibly perceptive. Covering their eyes, they scattered like happy little ponies.

Lan Cang’s handsome face flushed an even deeper red. He looked down and saw the teasing glint in Sang Luo’s bright eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he lowered his head to kiss her lips.

...

「After spending two days in Ice-breaking City, Sang Luo made a trip to the South Sea.」

In the study, Lou Xianyue was handling official documents.

Little Blue Eucalyptus sat to his right with a pen in one hand and an abacus in the other. The abacus beads clacked loudly as he helped his father go through the treasury’s ledgers.

’Tsk, he’s even exploiting child labor!’

Little Carp sat to Lou Xianyue’s left, practicing drawing talismans. She glanced toward the door, her beautiful pink eyes narrowing into crescent moons. "Mommy~ Did you bring any yummy snacks? I want some of the jerky you make!"

"You all ate most of the jerky, and I haven’t made any in a while. I’ll make some more for you when I have time." Sang Luo smiled, walking over to pat her head.

Her hair had gotten longer, and Lou Xianyue had styled it for Little Carp in a cute and playful bow-shaped bun. Her hair clip was adorned with shimmering, beautiful shells and pearls, making her the very picture of a lovely little Mermaid princess.

Sang Luo lifted the little girl onto her lap and sat down nearby, remaining silent so as not to disturb their work.

For a time, the only sounds in the hall were the scratching of a pen on paper and the clacking of abacus beads.

Little An was calculating the funds allocated last month to settle refugees who had fled from the Central Sea to the South Sea. He could not afford to be distracted.

About fifteen minutes later.

He finally finished with the ledgers. Setting down his abacus, he hopped off the stool and trotted over to hug Sang Luo’s arm affectionately. "Mommy, you haven’t been back in so long! How come you’re having another baby? Is it a little brother or a little sister?"

Sang Luo smiled, ruffling his beautiful blue hair, which had also grown longer. "This time, it should be both a little brother and a little sister."

"That’s great! I’m getting a new little brother and sister! Mommy, you have to remember to bring them here to play with me. By the way... what race will they be?"

Lou Xianyue had long since lost the will to deal with official business. He set down the document in his hand and also looked up, his curiosity piqued.

"They’ll be your little brother and sister from the Insect Clan," Sang Luo said.

Little Blue Eucalyptus’s lip jutted out in a pout. ’The Insect Clan? The insects I know are all really ugly. I don’t want ugly little siblings... But they’re Mommy’s babies... I’m so torn. Should I prepare a gift for them or not?’

Little Carp, on the other hand, didn’t mind. As one of the youngest, she was just happy to be a big sister again.

"When are you due?" Lou Xianyue asked.

"Soon, in another two or three months. How are things progressing on your end?"

Lou Xianyue’s long, silver-blue eyes glinted with satisfaction. "I’ll leave the South Sea for Little An to manage, and then I’ll make our daughter the Sea Emperor of the whole Central Sea."

Little Carp happily raised her little hands. "I want to be the Sea Emperor! I’ll help the people of the Central Sea live better and better lives!"

"Haha, what lofty goals for such a little girl. Mommy supports you." ’The Sea Emperor of the Central Sea is still alive and well, yet this father-daughter duo is already plotting a coup,’ Sang Luo thought, amused.

After lunch, the two children went to take their naps.

Lou Xianyue had restrained himself in front of the children, but the moment they were gone, he couldn’t help but pull Sang Luo close for some affection.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers.

A kiss full of longing...

Sang Luo’s hands found their way around his neck.

After the long, deep kiss, her lips were tingling, and she felt her strength give way.

Lou Xianyue’s long, slender fingers gently caressed Sang Luo’s full, rosy lips. His exquisite face possessed the ethereal charm unique to the Merfolk Clan, and his silver eyes stared intently at her. "You’ll stay with me today, won’t you?"

Sang Luo clutched her belly, chiding him playfully. "I’m only two months away from giving birth. Don’t you get any funny ideas."

Lou Xianyue kissed her lips again. "No funny ideas. I just want you to keep me company."

"Alright."

「Sang Luo stayed in the Sea Palace for a few days before returning to the East Continent, where she first went to the Marquis Mansion.」

She didn’t find Si Ye.

Little Zhenzhen wasn’t there either.

She had no idea where the father and daughter had gone.

She used her child-summoning ability, and a moment later, a grimy "little kitten" landed in her arms—it was Little Zhenzhen.

"Where have you been off playing this time? Mommy’s going to give you a bath." Sang Luo flicked her on the forehead.

Little Zhenzhen’s eyes went wide in protest. "No! I’m not taking a bath! I hate water!"

"If you don’t get clean, we’ll see if your dad lets you sleep in the bed tonight."

"Hehe, Dad won’t know! He’s been away the last few days!"

"That explains it. With him gone, there’s no one in this house who can handle you." Sang Luo cast a simple Cleaning Technique on her. "Where did your dad go?"