Chapter 336: Chapter 191: This Won’t Do! We Need More Little Padded Jackets to Wear in Rotation

The one snoring was none other than Su Liyan’s daughter, Bengbeng.

Su Liyan stepped forward, looked at Bengbeng, and remarked, "Wow, how did Bengbeng get so big?"

For the past two months, Aunt Zhao had been feeding Bengbeng with meticulous care.

Whenever she had milk, she always prioritized Su Liyan’s child.

It was just like a country woman who saves the best wine and meat at home, reluctant to touch it herself. Only when guests arrived would she generously bring it all out, often murmuring, ’If we eat all the good food and drink ourselves, what will we serve when company comes over?’

And breast milk wasn’t like rice and oil from the market; you couldn’t just buy it with money.

Leaning against the bed, Aunt Zhao cupped her hands as if weighing something and said, "You’re telling me! Out of two full pails of milk, our Bengbeng can drink a pail and a half. And she throws a fit if you don’t give it to her."

Su Liyan said, a little embarrassed, "Aunt Zhao, we’ve really put you through a lot lately."

Aunt Zhao smiled. "Nonsense. Our Huanhuan can’t drink this much by herself anyway. Though, if you’d come back a few days later, I really might not have been able to keep up."

Lu Yuan leaned forward and lifted Bengbeng into his arms. Aunt Zhao hurriedly exclaimed, "Hey, what are you doing? Bengbeng just fell asleep and you’re already scooping her up!"

Even Su Liyan, their mother, only leaned against the bed to watch the two babies, not daring to touch them for fear of waking them from their deep sleep.

Lu Yuan explained, "It’s fine, it’s fine. Listen, Bengbeng’s snoring. She’s sleeping like a log. She won’t wake up anytime soon. I’m just holding her up so everyone can get a look."

Lu Yuan then added, "Aunt Song, if you hadn’t stopped me, I could have held one in each arm."

Aunt Zhao teased, "Your Aunt Song is all better now, too. Hurry up and make another one with her, and then I’d like to see you carry three."

Hearing this, Song Meiqin perked up. "That’s right! My body’s recovered too, and you’ve been gone for almost two months. You’ve really kept your aunt waiting."

Cradling Bengbeng and swaying her from side to side, Lu Yuan said, "No rush, no rush. When the time comes, you can each give me seven or eight kids. I could hang them all over me, believe it or not."

"Who wants to have that many kids with you?!" Su Liyan and the two aunts said in unison.

Lu Yuan didn’t argue. ’Women,’ he thought. ’They can’t lose face in public. In private, they’re not any more reserved than I am.’

Lu Yuan carried Bengbeng over to Song Chi and Xiaoqian. "She’s gotten so much heavier," he said. "Come on, let everyone have a look at our little Princess."

Meanwhile, Su Liyan pulled Aunt Zhao and Aunt Song over to look at the sleeping Huanhuan, whispering and gesturing, "Look at her eyebrows. Now that I see them, she really does look a bit more like Aunt Zhao."

Su Liyan kept adding a few words of praise.

Hearing Su Liyan’s praise, Aunt Zhao demurred, "Oh, not at all. She’s not as cute as Bengbeng. It’s no good if she looks like me; she needs to take after her father to be a real beauty."

Though she was being modest, Aunt Zhao was inwardly blooming with joy.

Song Meiqin knew her friend too well and called her out. "Oh, stop being so modest. Our Huanhuan will grow up to be the prettiest girl in all the surrounding villages—no! She’ll be a one-in-a-million beauty."

Lu Yuan was chatting with Song Chi and Xiaoqian when he suddenly yelled, "HOLY HELL, THAT HURTS!"

Lu Yuan’s cry startled everyone.

Never mind everyone else; even Lu Yuan himself was startled.

Lu Yuan looked down at Bengbeng in his arms. The baby had her big eyes wide open, staring intently at him, while her mouth was clamped firmly around his index finger.

Just moments before, while chatting with Song Chi and Xiaoqian, Lu Yuan had been playfully poking his index finger around Bengbeng’s little mouth.

It was hard to say whether Lu Yuan had bad-mouthed his daughter one too many times, or if his finger had simply prodded her awake.

Having been woken up, Bengbeng was in a foul mood. She chomped down on Lu Yuan’s index finger like an Old Turtle from the river—once she bit down, she refused to let go.

Lu Yuan never imagined Bengbeng had so much strength; she was biting down with all her might.

Looking at Bengbeng in his arms, Lu Yuan felt a mix of love and exasperation. He channeled his power to reinforce his finger, terrified she might actually bite it off.

’My own daughter,’ he thought, ’she’s disliked me since the day she was born. I don’t think I’ve done anything to offend her, have I?’

Su Liyan hurried over to Lu Yuan’s side. Humming a little tune, she gently took the baby from his arms. "Oh, there, there, my sweet baby. Let’s not bite Daddy, okay?"

Seeing her mother, Bengbeng let go and giggled happily. Her little expression seemed to say, ’Mommy, I haven’t seen you in so long! I missed you!’

Lu Yuan said indignantly, "You little rascal! If you don’t like your dad, then I won’t give you any of the good stuff in the future. I’ll give it all to Huanhuan!"

Bengbeng squinted one eye, curled her lip, shot him a sidelong glance, and snorted.

She was only a few months old, yet Bengbeng could already trade barbs with an adult.

No one in the group paid it much mind. Bengbeng was so little; it had to be a coincidence.

Only Su Liyan was overjoyed. Swaying Bengbeng back and forth, she cooed, "Our Bengbeng is so smart! She’s already trying to babble. When will you learn to say ’Mommy’?"

"Mo... mmy..."

Bengbeng managed to squeeze out the word with great effort.

Her voice was soft and childish, but the word was clear.

Su Liyan froze, tears welling in her eyes. She looked at Lu Yuan and said, "Did... did Bengbeng just call me Mommy?"

Lu Yuan nodded!

In disbelief, Su Liyan looked at the others gathered around her.

Their affirmative gazes told her this wasn’t a dream.

Aunt Song was very curious and murmured, "That’s magical. Simply incredible."

After all, most babies roll over at five months, stand at eight or nine months, and only learn to walk and babble simple words after they’re a year old.

They don’t start speaking clearly until they’re two or three.

And Bengbeng was still a week or so shy of being three months old.

Su Liyan wanted to try again. Cradling Bengbeng, she urged, "Bengbeng, can you say ’Mommy’ one more time?"

"Mo... mmy..."

This time, her voice was a little louder and even clearer than before.

Su Liyan was so moved she nearly burst into tears.

Everyone chimed in with congratulations, praising Bengbeng for being such a clever child.

It was, indeed, completely unprecedented.

If she had inherited traits from Su Liyan’s Half-demon Race, it would be understandable.

After all, Su Liyan’s birth of Bengbeng hadn’t been ordinary—she had laid an egg.

’Aren’t animals born from eggs much stronger than live-birthed ones shortly after hatching?’

But when Su Liyan’s mother gave birth to Su Liyan and Su Changliang, they were born more like humans.

So, everyone found it relatively easy to accept that a three-month-old Bengbeng could open her mouth and call for her mother.

Lu Yuan quickly leaned in, puckering his lips. "Bengbeng," he coaxed, "say ’Daddy.’ Let me hear you say it, too."

Bengbeng just stared at Lu Yuan without a flicker of reaction. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and began to suck on it, looking hungry.

Su Liyan said it was time to nurse Bengbeng.

Lu Yuan grabbed Su Liyan’s arm. "No rush, no rush. It’s not too late for her to have some milk after she calls me ’Daddy.’"

Su Liyan held Bengbeng, letting Lu Yuan try to coax her into saying "Daddy."

Lu Yuan said, "Say ’Daddy.’ Are you going to say it or not?"

Impatient for her meal, Bengbeng finally opened her mouth, lowered her hand, looked at Lu Yuan, and spoke with great difficulty.

"Won’t... say..."

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Zhao Qiao’Er even teased him, "My dear, for a ’daddy’s girl,’ she’s certainly giving you the cold shoulder!"

Defeated, having been played by his own daughter, Lu Yuan pressed his left hand to his forehead. He lowered his head, feeling a headache coming on, and waved his right hand dismissively. "Honey, just... take Bengbeng to our room and feed her."

Su Liyan said, "Darling, don’t worry. Take it slow. She’ll learn eventually. We’ll go feed her now."

’What the hell!’ Lu Yuan screamed internally. ’Is this a matter of whether she *can* learn? She obviously just doesn’t give a damn about her father! Just you wait ’til you’re older! If I don’t get you back for this provocation, then I’m not your dad!’

’I’ll definitely teach her a lesson someday.’

Song Chi patted Lu Yuan’s shoulder. "Brother-in-law, come on. She’s just a baby. Don’t stoop to her level."

Lu Yuan looked up, grunted dejectedly, and then turned to look at Huanhuan, who was still fast asleep on the bed.

Lu Yuan muttered to himself, "Little Huanhuan, you better not learn from your sister, alright? Or else neither of you will ever pay any attention to your old man."

It was obvious to everyone that Lu Yuan was completely and utterly wrapped around his daughters’ little fingers.

Only Xiaoqian, who rarely spoke, watched from the side with a face full of envy for this happy family.

Looking at Huanhuan, Lu Yuan suddenly blurted out, "This won’t do! I need to have more ’little padded jackets’ so I can switch them out!"