Beast World: From Villainess to Cub-Raising Chef
Chapter 147 - 146: An Argument in the Research Lab
He turned back to continue helping with the experiment, not forgetting to remind Li Yue beside him, "Don’t open that again. The smell is filling the entire research lab."
Li Yue gave a cool acknowledgment and didn’t touch the food container again. She picked up the fish sample from the table that Sai’er had taken the previous night and began to analyze it.
The test results came back: the food contained no Healing Power whatsoever, showing the same results as any ordinary food.
In fact, residue from these foods would sometimes spoil, which could negatively affect a female’s health. The extracted nutrients weren’t as pure as those from canned food or nutrient packs.
Li Yue glanced impassively at Sai’er beside her, extracted the analysis data, and sent it to Flar and McKoff’s smart-brains.
A moment later, the old men finally shook their heads. "As expected. It’s still no good."
Flar’s eyes were filled with disappointment. "How is this any different from ordinary food?"
McKoff said, "Looks like we’ll have to find that old man Yarko after all. Who knows where he got that food sample? The data from that tiny sample isn’t nearly enough to study!"
Flar shook his head. "When I smelled it just now, I thought it was..."
McKoff met his gaze, a tacit understanding in their eyes.
When Li Yue had lifted the lid of the food container, they had both noticed that the aroma of Bai Su’s food was very similar to the food Yarko had brought back from god-knows-where.
Though the scent wasn’t identical, it carried the same distinct fragrance of having been cooked with fats and oils.
The hope that had just begun to blossom in the two of them was once again crushed.
’Maybe Bai Su just used the similar aroma to fool that kid Yelias into getting her a spot here?’
Bai Su heard Grandpa Yarco’s name and subconsciously glanced in their direction.
Li Yue looked at Bai Su coolly. "Alright, that’s all for your work today. You may leave."
Hearing this, Bai Su nodded and said nothing more.
「The next day.」
Bai Su brought new food again.
This time, however, she didn’t bring a full meal, but rather two small pastries she had made herself.
When Sai’er saw the two small pastries she had packed, he frowned slightly. "Is this all?"
Bai Su shot him a cold glance. "Not enough?"
Sai’er noticed her unusual attitude, and his expression soured. "Why are you being so hostile? It’s not like I’m the one making you bring food."
He added, exasperated, "If you don’t want to do this, go tell Yelias. You’re acting like we’re forcing you to bring samples here every day."
Seeing the dispute, Flar glanced toward Bai Su, displeased. "Miss Bai, a research lab is not like the outside world."
"Here in the Lanton Family’s research lab, we don’t care if you’re a Duke or what kind of power you have."
"If you plan on putting on airs and throwing your weight around, I suggest you withdraw from this project sooner rather than later."
McKoff was also perturbed. "The food samples are getting smaller by the day. Am I to understand that you’re getting lazier by the day?"
"Wanting to share in the project’s findings without doing the work—that sort of thing doesn’t fly in a Lanton Family laboratory."
Bai Su crossed her arms. "With which eye did either of you see me wanting a share of your research findings?"
"Yelias invited me to participate in this experiment. It’s not as if I came begging for the opportunity."
"If you truly have an issue, take it up with Yelias. Don’t be two-faced and put on an act for me."
Flar’s brow furrowed deeply. "What is this attitude?"
Bai Su was completely unafraid. "Whatever attitude a dog has when it bites me is the attitude I’ll have when I beat it."
McKoff slammed the instrument in his hand onto the table. "Insolent!"
"Do you think that just because you’re Yelias’s wife, you can be completely lawless?"
Bai Su raised an eyebrow. "That’s right. Isn’t Yelias the head of the Lanton Family? As his wife, I haven’t received the respect or courtesy I’m due from you, so why should I be courteous to you?"
She glanced up at them. "You’re just throwing your weight around because you’re old. Just how important do you think you are?"
"You... you... you!" Flar was so angry his hands were trembling.
They had spent their entire lives dealing with educated, cultured people. When had they ever met a junior so impolite and confrontational?
This was exactly what Sai’er had been hoping for. After enjoying the show from the sidelines, he quickly stepped in to play peacemaker. "Everyone, please stop arguing."
He looked at Bai Su with disapproval. "Even if you’re unhappy, you can just take it out on me. Grandpa Flar and Grandpa McKoff are seniors who have spent their entire lives in this lab."
"Countless research achievements of the Lanton Family have come from them. You’ve probably benefited from the medical technologies they developed in your own life. You really shouldn’t be so disrespectful to them."
"Yelias may be the head of the Lanton Family, but the accomplishments from his research projects don’t even begin to compare to what these gentlemen have achieved."
"Surely you don’t think Yelias can back you up here, in this lab?"
Bai Su shot him a look. "Why the phony act? Aren’t you the one who started all this?"
Sai’er was taken aback. "When did I start anything? Don’t you dare accuse me!"
Bai Su wasn’t buying it. She stated calmly and directly, "You complained that I didn’t bring enough food today. I simply asked a very normal question—if it wasn’t enough—and you suddenly played the victim and started a scene, claiming I was hostile to you."
She pointed to the security camera overhead. "Should we check the surveillance footage? Drama king?"
Sai’er’s face flushed red, then went pale. "You..."
He shrank back behind Grandpa Flar and muttered under his breath, "But you really were being hostile! I wasn’t wrong!"
Bai Su couldn’t be bothered to argue with him further. This was their turf, and everyone present was naturally on Sai’er’s side.
She had only talked back because she refused to be taken advantage of; she had no intention of convincing these old men to take her side.
Bai Su added, "From now on, this is the amount of food I’ll be bringing. I’ve seen that you only take a tiny bit for your samples. It’s a waste to just throw the rest away."
"Since you don’t need that much, there’s no reason for me to bring more."
If Yelias hadn’t told her that this research project would benefit every female on the planet and would also be a precision strike against the Medical Alliance, she wouldn’t have bothered wading into this mess.
Having said her piece, Bai Su didn’t spare them another glance and turned to leave.
Sai’er glared at Bai Su’s retreating back, a sinister glint in his eyes.
’He had given Bai Su a chance. It was her own fault for not appreciating it. He couldn’t be blamed for what happened next!’
In a corner, Li Yue picked up a pastry, secretly took a bite, and her eyes suddenly brightened.
’This little thing actually tastes pretty good...’
She curled her lips into a silent smile. ’Looks like Leia’s little sister really is something special. Whether she’s actually smart, though, is another question. Letting an idiot like Sai’er repeatedly mess with her... If she really can’t see what’s going on and lets them push her out, then she’s just another fool, and nothing to worry about. And Leia won’t have to get involved.’