Volume 1, Chapter 2: Isn't Duoduo the Cutest Little One?

"South... land division... also... rice... rice mountain style... warm!" Jiang Duoduo sat on the chair with her legs tucked beneath her, her upper body draped over the table as she pointed at the newspaper, reading aloud word by word. When she encountered a character she didn't recognize, she would vaguely mumble her way past it.

After finishing, she looked up expectantly at Jiang Cheng beside her.

It had been nearly half a year since they returned from the hospital. Thanks to Jiang Cheng's tireless efforts, Jiang Duoduo’s face had filled out with some baby fat, and her eyes were dark and bright, like two freshly washed large grapes.

Being stared at like this, no one could bear to be harsh to her. The little one used to be afraid of everything; she would growl at cars for a long time, treating them like ferocious monsters and confronting them with bared claws. Now, she had gradually grown accustomed to these things, and her personality had become more lively. She was also very clever and highly skilled at imitating the adults' actions. From only being able to howl like an animal at the beginning, she could now communicate basically normally and even recognized quite a few characters.

Jiang Cheng reached out and ruffled the little girl's long, thick hair. This child refused to cut her hair no matter what, claiming that she had no fur on her body, and if she lost the useless long hair on her head, Mother Tiger and her other animal friends would despise her in the future. Her hair was not pure black, but rather a deep, brownish shade that looked as if it had been dyed under the sunlight, with a natural wave that made her look just like a doll.

"That's fantastic!" Jiang Cheng didn't skimp on her praise, saying with exaggerated enthusiasm, "How is our Duoduo so amazing! You can actually read the newspaper for Mommy now! Oh my, Mommy just loves Duoduo so much!"

As she spoke, she pulled Jiang Duoduo over for a tight hug. Jiang Duoduo soon heard her mother's inner voice—*My dear little Duoduo, my sweet girl*—and she squinted her eyes, smiling broadly.

*So Mommy loves me this much!*

Indeed, she was a very special little girl, not only because she had been raised by animals, but also because she could read other people's minds through touch. However, Jiang Duoduo had never revealed this. She was very smart! In the animal kingdom, the one who acted the strangest was either the king or someone exiled to die miserably; the two-legged humans must be the same!

Ever since she learned human language, Jiang Duoduo knew she was not her mother's biological child. She loved Mother Jiang very much and didn't want to leave this little home. She wanted even less to be taken away by people in white coats, tied to a bed, and poked with needles like the two-legged beings on television. Therefore, after discovering that her mother and uncle did not possess this ability, Jiang Duoduo quietly hid her little secret.

Jiang Rui, who was walking by, glanced sideways at the newspaper on the table and sneered, "A 'cliff-like drop in temperature in parts of the south'—you messed up five words in a single sentence. You're such a dummy." As he spoke, he tapped Jiang Duoduo on the forehead.

But his touch was light, clearly just teasing the little one. Outside, Jiang Rui was a business elite, polished and professional, with everyone addressing him as Mr. Jiang. Yet, back in Su City, he always loved to tease this little niece he had picked up from the mountains. Initially, he hadn't agreed with Jiang Cheng's decision, but the child was truly pitiful, and... ever since his sister's divorce and miscarriage years ago, she had barely shown a smile. Jiang Rui had even worried that Jiang Cheng might one day jump off a mountain during one of her hiking trips.

But after having this child, his sister changed. Her eyes were no longer grey and lonely, and she stopped mentioning those people from Jing City, as if the past pain had been smoothed away by this tiger cub who had fallen from the sky. Jiang Rui tacitly accepted the adoption. At first, it might have been just to find comfort for his sister, but after half a year together, Jiang Rui had long since come to view Jiang Duoduo as one of his own. Every time he came from Jing City, he brought her plenty of good food and toys, so much so that even Jiang Cheng joked that her brother couldn't see his sister now that he had a niece.

Hearing that, the proud little face Jiang Duoduo had lifted up suddenly turned pouty, looking just like a little pufferfish. However, when Jiang Rui’s finger touched her forehead, Jiang Duoduo heard his voice echoing incessantly in her mind:

*Ah! Cute, cute, cute! Duoduo is truly the cutest baby in the world! As expected of my niece! Cute, cute, cute, I really want to pinch her chubby little cheeks...*

Assaulted by a barrage of "cute" in her brain, Jiang Duoduo was almost dazed. *Uncle is so dishonest; he clearly likes Duoduo, so why does he deliberately make her angry!*

Once she heard the inner thoughts that followed, she quickly retracted her puffed-out cheeks and, in terror, used her chubby little paws to cover her face.

Jiang Rui thought she was still angry, but instead of coaxing her, he reminded Jiang Cheng, "By the way, is it time for this little one to take a bath today? I brought a pretty little dress this time; it'll be perfect for her to wear after her bath."

"It is time for a bath." Jiang Cheng nodded, then showed a look of distress. There was nothing to be done; the child was perfect in every way, except... she hated baths, and she was incredibly strong and agile. The first time she encountered hot water in the bathtub, she leaped three feet high and nearly flipped the bathroom over. Every bath since had been like a war. Fortunately, the little thing