Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 278 - 217: Making Dumplings

After dinner was over.

The cubs were still hungry, ready for a whole other late-night meal.

Sang Luo asked Lan Cang, "Do you know how to make dumplings?"

"Dumplings? I’ve actually never heard of those. I don’t know how to make them."

"I’ll teach you!"

Sang Luo explained the steps for making dumplings to him.

Lan Cang had experience in the kitchen, so he understood immediately. "Got it. I’ll give it a try."

"This is my first time on the North Continent. I wonder how strong the Star Beasts are here. I’m going to go kill a few and we can have a taste," Si Ye said, then took his daughter out.

Meanwhile, Lan Cang followed Sang Luo’s instructions, kneading several large balls of dough and setting them aside to rise.

Just as it was time to prepare the filling, Si Ye returned with his spoils: freshly-killed King Rank Star Beast Meat, which was perfect for dumplings.

Sang Luo catered to everyone’s tastes by making three different kinds of filling.

A meat filling, a vegetable filling, and a seafood medley filling.

Sang Luo and Lou Xianyue took charge of folding the dumplings.

Sang Luo cupped her palm and effortlessly folded several dumplings. ’I can’t believe my skills haven’t gotten rusty after all this time,’ she thought.

Lou Xianyue tried to copy her technique, but his dumplings always ended up either too loose or with the filling leaking out... All of his usual dexterity had vanished.

"Here, let me show you."

Sang Luo guided his hands, teaching him step by step.

Lou Xianyue learned quickly. He then enveloped her small, soft hand with his own. His long fingers easily created several neat pleats, forming a plump dumpling with a thin wrapper. He smiled and whispered softly in her ear, "Mm, like this, right?"

A pleasant tingle shot through Sang Luo. ’This fish is flirting with me on purpose!’

THWAP!

Little Zhenzhen leaped onto the table and reached a small paw toward the bowl of meat filling. "I’m hungry again! I want meat now!"

"Don’t make a mess. Go play somewhere else." Si Ye grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and casually set her down on the floor.

Little Zhenzhen swiped at his arm with her claws.

Si Ye was already used to it. Ever since he’d started raising this daughter of his, his arms had been perpetually covered in scratches.

’This father-daughter duo is certainly one of a kind...’ Sang Luo shook her head with a smile. She picked Little Zhenzhen up and noticed the fur on her paws was soaking wet and dotted with mud.

She flicked her little head. "Look how filthy you are, and you still jump on the table. Go get cleaned up."

Then she said to the Wolf Pups, "You all go wash your paws, too."

Little Stone returned with his younger siblings after they’d all washed their paws. Watching the adults fold dumplings, they were itching to join in and help.

"Are your paws clean?" Sang Luo asked.

"Mama, my paws are super clean! Extra super clean!" Zhenzhen turned and held up her four paws for inspection, revealing their pink, flower-shaped pads.

"My hands are clean, too," said Little Blue Eucalyptus. He had a Water Ability, so he was always spotless.

"Mama~ we’re clean, too!" the three little Wolf Pups chirped in unison.

"Alright, then you can all help fold the dumplings."

Sang Luo showed them the steps.

The children listened intently, practicing over and over again and wasting many wrappers in the process.

Sang Luo didn’t stop them, instead encouraging them to keep trying.

Soon enough, one of the cubs was the first to successfully fold a dumpling.

Unsurprisingly, it was Little Blue Eucalyptus. After all, he was the only semi-humanoid among the cubs, and his hands were far more dexterous than paws.

Aside from being a bit floppy on the tray, it was quite commendable.

"Next time, put a little more filling inside. Don’t be afraid you won’t be able to close it."

"Okay, I will."

The second to succeed was Little Zhi Xin, proving she was indeed Sang Luo’s most deft little daughter.

Unfortunately, her paws were a bit clumsy for the task. She couldn’t make the classic crescent shape, only round, pot-bellied dumplings. But as long as they didn’t fall apart when boiled, it was good enough.

After a bit more practice, Zhi Xin managed to fold a dumpling that looked like a little ingot.

Making the slowest progress were the two young male Wolf Pups, Little Stone and Zhuizui. The brothers finally managed to form a decent-looking dumpling, but the wrapper was covered in paw prints. No one else could possibly bring themselves to eat it.

"You have to eat the ones you make yourselves," Sang Luo said with a laugh.

Lan Cang comforted them, "It’s alright. If you really can’t get it, Dad will make some for you."

Little Stone was stubborn. "We don’t need help. If our sister can do it, there’s no reason we can’t... I’ve almost got it. I just need to control my strength..."

Little Zhenzhen was also folding quickly, but her dumplings were impossible to cook. Her claws were too sharp and kept tearing the wrappers, spilling juice and filling all over her paws.

Sang Luo used a Cleaning Technique to wash her paws, then told her to stop.

"Come rest with Daddy." Si Ye opened his arms to catch Zhenzhen. He rubbed her frustrated little head and settled her on his left shoulder to lie down.

Zhi Xin raised her paw. "I’ll make your share of the dumplings for you, sister."

"Thank you, Sister Zhi Xin!"

Worried Zhenzhen would get bored, Zhi Xin took a square milk-flavored ice pop from the freezer. "I made this myself! It’s really good. Here, you can have it!"

Little Zhenzhen’s attention was instantly captured by the treat. She began eating it happily. It had a rich, milky flavor with a faint floral scent. ’Super yummy!’

They were busy until around midnight. It was New Year’s Eve, after all, a night for staying up late. The four little cubs continued to fold dumplings.

Some were well-formed, while others were all sorts of strange shapes.

Sang Luo cooked all the dumplings they had made.

Several of them split open while boiling.

Still, it was the cubs’ first time making dumplings, and they had made great progress.

After finishing his dumplings, Zhuizui let out a satisfied burp and licked his lips. "Mama, that hot pot thing you were eating last time you came back... the spicy, mouth-scorching one... it was so good! I want to eat it again!"

"You want hot pot, huh?" Sang Luo patted his round little belly. "Your tummy is about to burst. No more food for today. We’ll have hot pot tomorrow."

"Okay!"

Once the children were full, Sang Luo sent them off to bed.

Around two or three in the morning, Sang Luo was exhausted. She stretched languidly and went back to her room to sleep.

Tonight, she would sleep with Lan Cang. The Beast Husbands had tacitly agreed to a fair and just rotation system.

Sang Luo lay in bed, nestled in Lan Cang’s arms, inhaling the fresh, soapy scent from his recent shower. She took out her camera to look through the day’s photos with him.

They were all pictures she had taken earlier.

The little cubs’ every emotion, her three Beast Husbands, all of them gathered together for a rare meal, making dumplings... Just looking at the photos filled her with an incredible warmth.

"From now on, no matter how busy you all are, even after the children grow up and have families of their own, we have to get together for a meal at least once a year," Sang Luo murmured, her voice lazy with sleep as she snuggled into Lan Cang’s embrace.

"Okay. Whatever you say." Seeing she was about to fall asleep, Lan Cang gently took the camera from her hands, placed it on the table, and pulled the blanket over her.

Sang Luo’s eyes fluttered open again, and she pouted with regret. "It’s a shame the other four children couldn’t be here..." She stroked her still-flat stomach and sighed. "We might not be able to see them at next year’s get-together, either."

"Not necessarily. How can we know this year what will happen next year? Maybe things will take an unexpected turn," Lan Cang consoled her. "Children naturally love their mother. I’m sure they’ll want to find you."

"You think so...?" Sang Luo thought of Little Qi, and her heart ached even more.