[Host binding successful. Your identity is the director of this orphanage, an infertile rabbit. The children here are your emotional punching bags.]
Bai Su hadn't yet recovered from the searing pain of the fire. 'Huh?'
The towering flames still seemed to dance before her eyes, and her own sister's crazed screams still echoed in her ears.
"Why is it that even though we worked just as hard, only you got into college?"
"Why is it that when we both went into the restaurant business, I kept losing money while you opened one five-star chain after another?"
"Why is it that I could only marry a local office worker, while you get to marry the president of the largest hotel and business Empire in Hua Country?"
But the truth was, Bai Su was the one who had gotten into college. Their parents just let her sister take her spot and go instead.
The restaurant business she had painstakingly built was smeared online by their parents until her reputation was ruined and her hotels went bankrupt—all to pave the way for her sister's new hotels.
Even her marriage to the president of the hotel and business Empire was because he valued her abilities; it was nothing more than an alliance between two powerhouses.
She never imagined, however, that the one time she didn't give in to her sister would result in being drugged with sleeping pills, locked in her dressing room, and burned alive on her wedding day.
[Congratulations, you have been reborn into the novel "Beast World's Beloved" as the villainess, Bai Su.]
[Plot information and Healing Ability have been distributed. Your cheat ability will manifest as a Beastman's Companion Ability. Please confirm receipt, Host!]
Bai Su quickly accepted her new reality. She had always been highly adaptable.
Fortunately, knowing the novel's plot, she was aware that tomorrow, the story's heroine would arrive with one of the male leads to expose the crimes of this unscrupulous orphanage. She was supposed to be arrested and thrown in jail.
Decades later, after her release, several of the children she had abused would have grown into vicious arch-villains and hunt her down to kill her.
This new body was obese and seemed to be riddled with ailments.
But that was fine. The Companion Ability the system gave her was a Healing Ability. Any food she cooked could cure all illnesses, which meant she could quickly get healthy again.
Following the original owner's memories, Bai Su found the kitchen. A few small children were huddled in a corner, staring at her in terror, their faces covered in bruises.
'They have fluffy things on their heads?'
Bai Su's eyes lit up, and a look of tender affection crossed her face.
She deftly fired up the stove and started cooking. 'Time to change this villainess's fate, starting with healing these future little villains!'
"What is she doing? Why is she ignoring us?"
"We used to get food after every beating. If she's not hitting us, does that mean she's not going to give us any?"
"We can't let that happen. Little Tiger has a fever. He'll starve if he doesn't eat."
The wolf-eared boy shielded the other children behind him, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
He had already sent a distress signal down the mountain. 'The adults will definitely come tomorrow.'
'As long as I can prove this woman abuses children, we can get her kicked out of here.'
The Little Wolf calmed the children behind him, then mustered his courage and stepped forward. "Director, we'd like to trade for some food. Little Tiger has a fever."
He looked utterly wretched, his left eye blinded and a large scar covering the socket. The wolf tail behind him was severed halfway.
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for a blow, a sight pitiful enough to soften any heart.
But the expected violence never came.
Bai Su patted his little head and gave his fluffy ears a gentle rub. "Just wait, it'll be ready soon."
She expertly retrieved ingredients from the pantry, rinsing rice and washing vegetables.
The Little Wolf and the other children exchanged confused glances, unsure what she was doing.
But soon, a rich aroma began to waft from the pot.
The children had never smelled anything like this rich congee with shredded chicken, shrimp, and tofu. Their mouths began to water, and they crept closer, their eyes wide with longing.
Even the normally wary and composed Little Wolf found himself drawn in, swallowing hard as he edged closer.
Beastmen rarely cooked. They usually ate their food raw; at most, meat would be boiled. Otherwise, food was processed into canned rations or nutrient paste.
The skill of cooking was on the verge of disappearing entirely in this interstellar age.
Bai Su glanced back at them, then grabbed some small bowls and ladled a serving for each child. "Here, eat up!"
She'd always had a soft spot for children, especially pitiful, battle-worn ones who were still cute despite their beast ears and injuries.
The children clutched their bowls excitedly and began to wolf down the congee.
The Little Wolf took a suspicious bite, and his eyes widened in disbelief. "This is... so good! How can it be this delicious? Is this really congee?"
When he finished, he suddenly felt a slight itch in his blind eye and his severed tail.
He rubbed his eye but didn't think much of it. He just placed his bowl in the sink. "Director, we're finished..."
'Which means, if you're going to hit us, you can do it now.'
'The harder she hits us, the better. That way, when the inspectors come tomorrow, they'll see how this evil woman abuses children, and we can finally get rid of her!'
Bai Su didn't expect to change their opinion of her in a single day. She just nodded. "Alright, you can go play. I'll make you all delicious food every day from now on."
Seeing that they really weren't going to be beaten, the little ones were in disbelief.
Bai Su paid them no more mind and carried a bowl of congee upstairs to find Little Tiger.
Little Tiger was a Tiger Beastman cub, so thin he was nothing but skin and bones. He was still running a fever, and his lips were chapped and peeling.
Bai Su's heart ached with pity. 'The original owner was so cruel,' she thought as she quickly began to feed him the congee. "Here, eat up, you poor little thing. Once you're done, all the pain and sickness will fly away."
Little Tiger nestled in her arms. After eating, his fever quickly broke, and the bruises on his body vanished. He even snuggled drowsily against Bai Su, nuzzling her affectionately.
Bai Su's heart melted. She couldn't resist holding the little one close, gently soothing him to sleep.
'What's the difference between this and raising a whole litter of fluffballs?!'
Bai Su wanted nothing more than to march back to the kitchen, fire up the stove, and cook a feast to fatten them all up!
'No matter the species, babies are always unbearably cute!'
Outside the door, several little heads were peeking in, secretly watching.
"That idiot Little Tiger actually tugged on her clothes, and he didn't even get hit!"
"She's holding Little Tiger and singing to him... She's so gentle..."
"Wow, she was right! After we ate the congee, all our injuries disappeared!"
The little ones rolled up their sleeves and saw that all their wounds had completely healed.
The Little Wolf pulled the others back into the kitchen. "Don't be fools," he hissed. "She might know about our plan and is just putting on an act. We can't let our guard down. We have to make sure she gets taken away tomorrow!"
A cat cub scratched his head. "But our injuries are all healed now. The adults won't believe us."
A dark look flashed in the Little Wolf's eyes. "Then we'll injure ourselves!"
He took the lead, slamming his arm against a nearby corner, then pinching and twisting his own skin.
Seeing this, the other little ones hesitated for a moment before gritting their teeth and doing the same...