Beast World: From Villainess to Cub-Raising Chef novel Chapter 268

Chapter 268: Chapter 266: Wen Lan’s Past

Bai Su’s face flushed. "Do we really have to do it this way?"

Lu Tingyan nodded. "None of us knows when the first beast tide will hit, so the sooner, the better."

Bai Su had no choice but to nod, creating two Clones.

She gave one to Yelias and one to Wen Lan.

Li Chenlin was green with envy. "What about me?"

Lu Tingyan said, "You go to the Crystal Stone Warehouse. Absorb power as fast as you can and break through to Level 10."

Li Chenlin’s face darkened. "Fine..."

Everyone except Li Chenlin took a Bai Su and returned to their own rooms.

Li Chenlin could only hug cold stones and keep getting stronger.

Bai Su’s original body stayed with Lu Tingyan.

She was a little nervous. "I..."

Lu Tingyan kissed the corner of her mouth. "Relax, Susu. Just think, we’re doing this to increase our power. Everyone really needs you..."

Bai Su nodded emphatically.

She took a deep breath and suddenly threw herself at Lu Tingyan. "Let’s get this over with!"

Lu Tingyan raised an eyebrow. "?"

Mortified, Bai Su buried her face in his chest. "That was a mistake... You’re too big now, I can’t tackle you."

Lu Tingyan let out a low chuckle and patted her back reassuringly. "No rush. I’ll take a shower first."

But if this was awkward, the situation over with Wen Lan was even more so.

Wen Lan cleared his throat. "So... want a drink?"

Bai Su felt even more awkward. "N-no, I don’t think so."

They weren’t going to do anything tonight, just quickly get to know each other and build rapport by chatting.

But trying to get along with that specific goal in mind was just weirder, wasn’t it?

Bai Su felt like she’d hit a dead end.

The two of them were silent for a long moment.

Wen Lan asked, "What do you usually do when you’re with the others?"

Bai Su fell silent.

’Actually, everyone’s usually very busy, each with their own things to do. We never did anything special to cultivate our bonds; it all just seemed to happen naturally.’

Bai Su thought for a moment. "Well... we eat? And talk?"

Wen Lan took a deep breath, sounding frustrated. "Should we just get to it?"

Bai Su: "???"

Before she could react, Wen Lan’s face was inches from hers.

The sharp scent of tobacco instantly enveloped her.

Bai Su froze. "Wait..."

She was about to say something but suddenly noticed something was wrong. "Wen Lan, what’s the matter with you?"

He was trembling, and his face was unusually pale.

Wen Lan abruptly stumbled back a few steps, creating a safe distance. "Sorry..."

Bai Su suddenly recalled Lu Tingyan’s quiet warning, telling her to avoid physical contact with Wen Lan as much as possible.

She asked worriedly, "Are you allergic to females?"

Wen Lan shook his head. "It’s not you. Stay there and don’t move."

Seeing how frighteningly pale he was, Bai Su had no choice but to nod. "Okay, I won’t come any closer."

Sensing something was off with Wen Lan’s state, she released a calming spiritual power, trying to get closer to him.

’Once the chain was established, there were times, like during holiday promotions, when she could net tens of millions in a single month.’

’But sometimes, a single minor issue could be exaggerated by some internet blogger chasing clicks, and the entire hotel chain’s reputation could be destroyed in an instant. Then her competitors would swoop in to suppress her and take her place, and all her efforts would turn to nothing.’

’Besides, the restaurant industry was exhausting, and the pressure was immense.’

’On top of that, her family was always causing trouble, and her own sister was constantly scheming behind her back.’

’When she couldn’t relieve her stress, she’d tried medication, she’d tried binge drinking, and she’d tried smoking.’

’After trying them, she realized they were all just... so-so.’

’Besides, she had a rebellious streak. She often thought, why is the smell of tobacco on a man considered a sign of maturity and reassurance, while a woman who smokes is, to some extent, always judged?’

’Out of sheer defiance, she ended up smoking even more heavily.’

’But having been reborn, she had quit.’

Seeing Wen Lan’s disbelief, she took the unlit cigarette from his hand, lit it skillfully, took a drag, and blew out three perfect, round smoke rings in succession. "Believe me now?"

Wen Lan suddenly let out a low laugh. "That is surprising."

He no longer hesitated, taking out another cigarette and lighting it right in front of her.

Bai Su said, "So, why are you allergic to females? Don’t tell me you were born this way. I’ve never seen you have any allergic reaction around Da Bao and Xiao Bao."

Wen Lan pressed his lips together. "It’s true, it isn’t a physiological allergy."

"When I was very young, my parents were always busy, so they hired a live-in nanny to take care of me."

"But because I was very active as a child, a bit like Da Bao is now, the nanny didn’t like me..."

"To make her job easier, the nanny would often put sleeping pills in my milk to make me sleep for hours."

"Later, my mind grew slower and I became clumsy, but my family never noticed anything was wrong."

"Because the nanny told my parents that I hadn’t been focusing on my studies lately and was always just playing around."

"So my parents gave me a harsh beating and hired a tutor for me—another female. That’s when the real nightmare began."