Chapter 92: The Secret Operation of the Bear Kids

Liu Heming smiled as he lay awake in the early hours of the morning, listening carefully for any sound in the room. There was a faint noise—sure enough, the two Bear Kids were sneaking out again.

After a few moments, Liu Heming heard the Bear Kids head downstairs. He shifted slightly and was about to get out of bed when, in the moonlight, he caught sight of his daughter staring at him with wide, bright eyes.

“Why are you still awake, little one?” Liu Heming whispered.

“I woke up when you got up, Dad,” Alex replied, blinking.

Liu Heming shook his head helplessly. She must have overheard his conversation with Robin earlier, and now she was just as curious about tonight’s activity.

Luckily, it wasn’t too cold at night. Holding his daughter, Liu Heming quietly slipped downstairs, trailing the two Bear Kids.

The Bear Kids in front seemed completely unaware. However, they weren’t walking with purpose; they zigzagged here and there, making Liu Heming take a long and unnecessary detour.

After wandering around, the Bear Kids finally reached the area where Liu Heming grew the Finger Sweet Potatoes, peanuts, and soybeans.

Liu Heming scratched his head, worried. The peanuts had only just begun to form, and the soybean pods were still flat and empty—otherwise, he would have already cooked fresh peanuts and soybeans for Alex. He feared the Bear Kids might nibble on his immature crops.

Watching nervously from a distance, he saw the two Bear Kids skip the peanut and soybean patches entirely. Instead, they headed straight for the Finger Sweet Potato patch. There, they started digging with their bottoms in the air.

Liu Heming felt frustrated. These were Finger Sweet Potatoes—how many had these Bear Kids already ruined? They had clearly developed a taste for them, leaving Alex with fewer to enjoy.

Having discovered the Bear Kids’ secret—raiding his sweet potatoes—Liu Heming saw no point in hiding anymore. Carrying his daughter, he walked right up to them.

The Bear Kids, busy munching away, suddenly froze. Slowly, they turned their heads, and upon seeing Liu Heming and Alex, they quickly hid their paws behind their backs.

This was a usual punishment at home when they misbehaved; now, they knew sneaking out for a midnight snack was wrong and quietly accepted their fate.

Even as they surrendered, the half-eaten Finger Sweet Potatoes in their mouths were still slowly swallowed. They probably didn’t even dare to savor the taste.

Liu Heming stepped closer and knocked each gently on the head. Then he turned his full attention to the Finger Sweet Potatoes growing nearby.

The moonlight was bright enough. He noticed the Finger Sweet Potatoes the Bear Kids were eating weren’t as small as he thought—they were about the same size as the ones he had received from the System.

He pulled one out of the sandy soil effortlessly, even without the Bear Kids’ claws. The Finger Sweet Potato was special: though it grew in sandy soil, a few light puffs of breath sent the dirt falling right off its skin.

Liu Heming was puzzled. How could these sweet potatoes grow so fast? Even though he wasn’t an expert in farming, he recalled sweet potatoes usually took months to ripen.

He took a small bite and froze—it tasted exactly like the first Finger Sweet Potato he had ever eaten. This Finger Sweet Potato was truly ripe.

He couldn’t believe it. Could it be because the System created this species that its growth cycle was much shorter?

To double-check, he inspected the Sweet Potato Vines. But the vines still looked lush and healthy, offering him no clues.

“Dad, is it yummy?” Alex asked, looking up at him and smacking her lips.

“Um…” Liu Heming scratched his head awkwardly, then dug out another Finger Sweet Potato. He dusted it off and handed it to his daughter.

The little girl took a happy bite, and her eyes squinted with delight. The small Finger Sweet Potato disappeared quickly under her efforts. Then she, along with the two Bear Kids, stared expectantly at Liu Heming—who was still savoring his Finger Sweet Potato bite by bite.

“You finished that quickly. It’s cold at night, so you can’t eat too much. How about one more, but that’s it?” Liu Heming asked his daughter.

“Okay, just one more,” Alex chirped brightly.

Liu Heming dug out three more from the soil. How could he and Alex eat while the Bear Kids watched? If it weren’t for their sneaking out, he wouldn’t have known the Finger Sweet Potatoes were ripe.

While the two Bear Kids and Alex enjoyed their sweet potatoes, the Bear Cubs didn’t rush this time—they nibbled slowly.

Liu Heming did a quick count: he’d eaten one, Alex had two, and the Bear Kids had eaten at least four each. Not many seemed to be left, so he grabbed the Sweet Potato Vine and pulled the whole plant up.

The vine was quite long, and although the sweet potatoes weren’t thick, there was a full clump of them. Three more Finger Sweet Potatoes dangled from the long vine, immediately catching the eyes of Alex and the Bear Kids.

“You little foodies, these are for you. But just this once—no more late-night snacks from now on. And especially you two Bear Cubs, don’t sneak over here to eat again,” Liu Heming said, holding the three Finger Sweet Potatoes.

Both Alex and the Bear Kids nodded in agreement—though their eyes were fixed not on Liu Heming, but on the sweet potatoes in his hand.

Liu Heming sighed in resignation. After all, these Finger Sweet Potatoes had a way of making you crave more. Luckily, he had planted quite a few—it seemed each plant could yield at least seven to ten sweet potatoes.

Carrying the Sweet Potato Vine and leading Alex and the Bear Kids, he headed back home. Mainly, he thought the vine looked tender and juicy, and he wondered if Charming Girl would like to eat it. He decided to bring it back—if she liked it, she’d eat it; if not, she wouldn’t be tempted.

When they entered the Warehouse, Charming Girl seemed curious about their late visit. As Liu Heming approached, she lowered her head and sniffed the Sweet Potato Vine before starting to munch on it.