Chapter 288: It’s What I Should Do

Hearing this, the other little ones’ ears drooped. With blissful expressions on their little faces, they snuggled tightly against her.

They cooed in their childish voices:

“Mother is the bestest mother in the whole world! Wubao loves Mother so much!”

“Me too! Liu Bao wants to be Mother’s baby forever!”

“We all love, love, love Mother! We want to be with Mother forever and ever!”

The little ones’ love was overflowing. Every single word was a testament to their adoration for her.

Shen Yue’s heart felt warm and sweet, filled to the brim with the happiness of being surrounded by her children.

The little ones soon fell asleep in her arms.

She went to each of them, rubbing their little feet. She gently lanced the blisters that had formed and applied a drop of Vitality Water.

As she watched the little ones sleeping so blissfully, a worried expression crossed her face.

She knew that in a world like this, her children couldn’t live under her wing forever.

One day, they would have to face the cruelties of this world on their own.

If she didn’t take this chance to teach them how to survive, they would face a life-or-death struggle in the future.

「The next day.」

The moment Shen Yue opened the door, she saw Huang Ziyue already standing in the courtyard. He had even finished making breakfast.

She froze for a moment, smelling the rich aroma of fish soup and fried eggs.

In the courtyard, Bai Chaosi, Mu Silin, and Si Muye were also there, helping by the stove.

Obviously, Huang Ziyue had woken up this early specifically to make breakfast for them.

And while Mu Silin and the other two didn’t know how to cook, they were doing their best to learn, acting as his helpers.

She watched the men, feeling quite moved for a moment.

She had six men, and to see four of them being so diligent and proactive was a pleasant surprise.

And it had to be said, watching the men from a distance as they busied themselves with cooking, the more she watched, the more delighted she felt.

Especially Huang Ziyue. He was wearing a pink apron, which, paired with a face as cold as a god of the night, created the ultimate contrast. Even the simple act of frying an egg seemed incomparably noble when he did it.

‘This man is truly becoming more and more perfect!’

Yesterday, he had personally helped her search for soil without a single complaint. Today, he was up early cooking for everyone, working tirelessly and being so incredibly thoughtful.

Perhaps her gaze was too intense, because the man, who had been looking down while frying an egg, slowly raised his eyes to meet hers.

Their eyes met, and Shen Yue’s heart skipped a beat. ‘No matter how many times I look at him, my heart still races.’

Just then, Bai Chaosi, Mu Silin, and Si Muye noticed her as well and slowly straightened up.

The four men, each handsome in his own way, formed a breathtaking sight in the courtyard—so pleasing to the eye it could easily make one’s imagination run wild.

‘Who could possibly handle seeing four handsome, virile men first thing in the morning?’

Mu Silin’s eyes lit up when he saw her, and he was the first to speak:

“Shen Yue, you’re awake!”

As he spoke, he was carrying two buckets of water, his sturdy arms and bulging muscles making her eyes widen in appreciation.

Her face grew a little warm, and she cleared her throat.

“Mm, how long have you all been up?!”

Si Muye glanced at Huang Ziyue before answering:

“We’ve only been up for a little while. The Great Emperor Master, on the other hand, was up before any of us!”

Si Muye had been in shock ever since learning Huang Ziyue’s true identity. He never imagined that the Great Emperor Master of the K Empire, the mysterious Flood Dragon King, was actually one of Shen Yue’s Beast Husbands.

But no matter how shocking it was, it was the truth.

Back when he served as a Great Knight in the Royal City, he had been endlessly in awe of the legendary Great Emperor Master.

‘But who would have thought that this unfathomable Great Emperor Master, a man of legend, would now be guarding A Yue alongside me? And wearing an apron, frying eggs, no less…’ It was truly something he had never expected.

Hearing Si Muye’s words, Shen Yue looked at Huang Ziyue, tilting her head and flashing a breathtakingly beautiful smile.

“You’ve worked hard, my esteemed Great Emperor Master!”

That breathtaking smile, combined with her light and playful tone, became the most moving melody of the morning, striking a chord in the hearts of the men present.

Huang Ziyue’s heart pounded in his chest. Looking at her picture-perfect face, he desperately wanted to rush over, pull her fiercely into his arms, and kiss her. To press her beneath him and possess her completely.

But with three other men standing right there, all he could do was swallow hard, suppressing the impulse again and again.

He looked at her, his expression as cold as ever, but his tone was exceptionally gentle:

“It’s what I ought to do.”

Those few simple words demonstrated his commitment to his duties as a husband.

For such a noble man to dote on her and love her so openly, without caring about a man’s damn pride, was something else.

Shen Yue’s heart swelled with a unique happiness and warmth that only Huang Ziyue could give her.

The three other men listened. In the past, they would have certainly gotten jealous and sniped at him, competing for her affection.

But now, they could only watch in silence as Huang Ziyue openly expressed his love for Shen Yue.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to compete, or that they weren’t upset; it was that they knew Shen Yue wanted a stable and harmonious environment.

Even as they watched her smile at him so sweetly, so happily, they were going mad with jealousy inside.

But they knew that instead of competing with and targeting Huang Ziyue out of jealousy, it was better to focus on being the best they could be.

Among them, Bai Chaosi felt he had the least right to say or do anything, so he just lowered his head and kept working.

Just then, two figures walked in through the gate.

It was Ye Lüqi and Gu Fangqi.

The moment they entered, they saw Shen Yue’s stunningly beautiful smile.

Gu Fangqi was captivated. Dressed in bright red robes, he was particularly dazzling in the morning light as he said:

“I didn’t expect to be greeted by a beautiful smile the moment I returned.”

Ye Lüqi was also momentarily dazzled by her smile:

“Yes, what are you so happy about?”

Shen Yue looked at the two of them, slightly startled.

She had assumed they were still asleep, not expecting them to walk in from outside.

She cleared her throat and composed herself.

“You’re up early too? Where have you been?”

Gu Fangqi said, “We haven’t been up long. We just made a trip to the City Lord Mansion to pick out the location for the houses we’re building today!”

Ye Lüqi added, “That’s right. We went to have the city guards lay the stone foundations and drive the ground piles first. That should save a lot of time later. We also had the guards notify the citizens to gather in front of the City Lord Mansion in three hours!”

As Shen Yue listened, she realized she hadn’t expected them to have accomplished so much so early in the morning.

‘So,’ she thought, ‘none of the men are slacking off. They’re all so proactive, each taking on their own responsibilities.’

Before she had even woken up, they had already taken the initiative to carry out the tasks she had assigned yesterday.

For a moment, she was overcome with surprise, relief, and a deep sense of gratitude.

She knew better than anyone how arrogant these men could be, how they looked down on others and thought so highly of themselves.

‘Yet now, they’re willing to work from dawn till dusk, all to accomplish a single goal alongside me!’

The corners of her lips curved up, and she praised them without hesitation:

“Alright, you two have worked hard as well!”

“Looking at you now, I have to say, you’re both even more charming than usual today!”

‘After all,’ she thought, ‘a man who takes his work seriously is truly captivating.’

The two men froze, a thrill of excitement running through them…

‘Is Shen Yue… praising us?’