Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 496 - 435: Their Fortune, and Mine Too

Zhuizui picked up the bouquet and stuffed it into her arms. "Mom, you head inside. Dad is still in the front hall talking with the envoy from Pingling City. I’ll go get him!"

With that, he dashed off again, as reckless as he was in his childhood.

Sang Luo smiled and shook her head, looking at the Seven-star Flower Bouquet in her hands. ’I wonder which little female gave this to that little rascal of mine...’

"Luoluo." A tall, handsome figure appeared before her.

"You’re here." Sang Luo smiled, looking up at him.

"Yes. I sensed it the moment you arrived," Lan Cang chuckled.

The joy in Sang Luo’s eyes faltered, replaced by a bittersweet pang. She dazedly caressed his face. "...Cangcang, you’ve gotten so much older."

The man’s features were still sharp and handsome, his posture as straight as a pine. He hadn’t changed much from her memories.

But years of hard work had left their mark. There were threads of white in his black hair and fine lines at the corners of his eyes. As much as Sang Luo didn’t want to admit it, she had to accept the truth before her. The boy who had walked by her side had become a young man, and now a middle-aged one. He was growing older, year by year.

Lan Cang paused, then smiled with ease. "Luoluo, everyone gets old."

’He was no longer in the prime of his youth, yet she was still so young and beautiful, unchanged from his memories.’

"Our Zhuizui has grown up so much. He’s so handsome~ Even better-looking than you were in your youth," Sang Luo teased, but the trace of bitterness in her heart was hard to shake.

Lan Cang took off his coat and draped it over Sang Luo, then took her hand and led her inside. "Yes, Zhuizui takes after you more. He was always the best-looking of the three Wolf Pups. Even as a child, he was popular with the little female beasts. Now that he’s grown, there’s no telling how many females have sent him love letters."

"What? Are you jealous of our son?"

"A field of blooming flowers can be blinding. He’s had it too easy his entire life, and now he faces even more temptations. Out of all of them, he’s the one I worry about most." Lan Cang walked to the bar, poured a glass of a specially mixed milky liqueur, and handed it to her. "To warm you up."

Sang Luo took a small sip. "What about Little Stone and Little Zhi Xin? I haven’t seen them. Don’t tell me they ran off to play and forgot to come home again?"

"...Luoluo, all three of them are adults now. They’re not that mischievous anymore. They have important things to do."

Sang Luo was speechless once again. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

’She still couldn’t quite wrap her head around it, subconsciously seeing her children as little kids. And yet, she had only been gone for a little over half a year...’

"Where did they go? I’ve missed them terribly. I even brought them gifts... But they’re adults now. They probably won’t care for these little trinkets anymore."

"That’s not necessarily true. As long as it’s from you, they’ll absolutely love it," Lan Cang said, gazing at her gently.

He explained further, "The children have all grown up, and I don’t have the same energy I did when I was young. After Little Stone and the others came of age, I began gradually handing my duties over to them. I transferred the businesses in the major cities into their hands as well. Once they’re all able to stand on their own two feet, I can finally take it easy."

"Zhuizui is used to a carefree life and has no interest in managing the businesses. I remember you once told me I was too strict with the children, that I shouldn’t push them so hard and should let them develop freely. That made a lot of sense, so I’ve let him do as he pleases. Little Stone and Little Zhi Xin, on the other hand, are managing their businesses in various cities very well. They moved away from Ice-breaking City a few years ago, but they’ll make time to come back for a visit soon."

Sang Luo stared out the window in a daze. There were barely any servants to clean the City Lord Mansion. Aside from the guards at the gate, it was just the two of them. The air felt desolate and lonely.

Lan Cang followed her gaze, a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

’In the past, he’d had three lively, boisterous little pups to keep him company. The mansion had been in a constant state of chaos—it was so full of life. He’d poured all his energy into the children, but in a way, wasn’t that just to comfort himself?’

’Now, the children were all gone.’

’The mansion felt vast and cold. When he was alone, he would often take out photos of Sang Luo, the toys the children had left behind as they grew, and the doodles Little Zhi Xin had drawn. Sometimes he’d spend the whole day just looking at them.’

"Sigh, I miss Little Stone and Little Zhi Xin."

"I’ll call them back."

"No, don’t. The children are busy. I’ll go see them in a few days." Sang Luo wrapped her arms around Lan Cang’s neck and snuggled into his chest, taking a deep breath of his familiar scent, her heart content. "It’s been so long since I’ve been here. The city has changed a lot. Take me out for a walk."

Lan Cang’s long, broad hand, covered in a thin layer of calluses, gently stroked down her long, thick black hair. The chill was long gone, chased away by his body heat. His handsome features had grown more mature, more reserved. "Alright. We can walk for as long as you like. I’ll go with you. It’s market time in the city these next few days, so there will be plenty of interesting things to see."

Sang Luo’s slender, delicate fingers gently traced the lines of his eyes and brows. "My Cangcang, even when you’re older, you’re still a handsome, mature man~"

She clicked her tongue. "So many years have passed. The Beastman population in the city must have turned over a few times. No one recognizes me anymore. What do you think people will say when they see us walking down the street together?"

"...Father and daughter?"

"Ahem! It’s not that bad. You’re not that old yet, Cangcang! A mature man has a certain charm!" Seeing his spirits fall, she tried to console him. "With your handsome face, I bet if people saw you holding my hand on the street, they’d secretly gossip that I’m some sweet young thing being kept by the City Lord~"

Lan Cang’s expression darkened. "If anyone dares to gossip, I’ll have them thrown in jail."

"Hahaha!" Sang Luo doubled over with laughter. "I was just joking, Cangcang, don’t be angry. But I’ve been gone for so many years, and you’ve been all alone... did you really never think about finding a sweet, gentle little mistress to keep you company?"

"Luoluo!" Lan Cang shot her a displeased glare and shook his head. "I’m not that kind of person. I’ve never even considered it."

’His mate-mark was on her. He could never fall for another female, no matter how long she was gone.’

"You didn’t have anyone to talk to. Weren’t you bored all these years?"

"Not really. I only got some free time in the last few years. Before that, I was busy raising the children and handling all sorts of miscellaneous affairs. I was too swamped to even think about things like that."

Sang Luo sighed softly. "That’s no different from before I left. Aside from tinkering with cooking, you spent all your time raising the kids and running your businesses. You don’t have any hobbies. Your life is too rigid... You’re always thinking of others but never learning to be good to yourself. That’s not right."

"My time is limited. This life is rich and happy enough for me. I’m Little Stone and the others’ father, and I want to do everything in my power to give them a better life," Lan Cang said in a low voice. "Their father might not be able to give them the best status or resources, but I will give them the very best that I can. It doesn’t matter how tired I am. As long as my children, and their children after them, can live better lives under my protection, that’s enough for me."

"Even after I’m gone, the tree I’ve planted will continue to shelter my descendants for generations to come."

"Cangcang..." Sang Luo wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face against him. Her voice was muffled. "I haven’t been a good mother. I wasn’t there to watch our children grow up. But for Little Stone and the others to have a father like you... that is their greatest blessing. And mine, too."