TCPUAAV Chapter 37

 

Having finally recovered the missing Snowball, Ruan Shiqing was overjoyed. Even after learning that the little one he had raised for so long wasn’t actually a puppy but a young Beastkin, his happiness didn’t waver.

 

As he gently stroked Snowball’s back, his once stern demeanor softened considerably.

 

He even spoke to Dares with warmth: “How long do you two plan to stay on B3024?”

 

Dares glanced nervously at Rong Heng, silently begging for guidance.

 

Rong Heng glared back coldly. Figure it out.

 

Receiving no help, Dares could only improvise. “We haven’t decided yet. It depends on how quickly we wrap up our business here.”

 

Ruan Shiqing’s eyes brightened. “In that case, may I invite you and Mr. Rong to my home as guests?” His fingers unconsciously pinched the tip of Snowball’s ear, and the joy in his expression was impossible to hide. “There are three little ones at home, and they’ve missed Snowball terribly since he left. I’d like them to see each other again.”

 

Ruan Shiqing knew he couldn’t keep Snowball, given that he was someone’s younger brother, but since the two parties were about to establish a partnership, it seemed reasonable to invite them over for a visit.

 

Hearing that they were invited to Ruan Shiqing’s home, Dares was immediately tempted.

 

This is the legendary Master Ruan’s house!

 

“Of course!” he blurted out eagerly.

 

Realizing his mistake, he quickly added, “But Mr. Rong is very busy, so he might not be able to attend.”

 

“That’s alright,” Ruan Shiqing replied, smiling warmly.

 

Whether he comes or not doesn’t matter. Snowball’s the real focus here.

 

It was decided that in the evening, after the little ones returned from school, Dares would bring Snowball over to Ruan Shiqing’s place for a visit.

 

After finalizing the plans, Ruan Shiqing, noticing that Dares and Mo Li had other matters to discuss, didn’t linger and left first.

 

Once they confirmed that Ruan Shiqing had returned home and wouldn’t double back, the three of them collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“So, what’s the plan now?” Dares and Mo Li both turned to Rong Heng.

 

Rong Heng, his face still in his cub form, leapt down from Dares’ arms and returned to his room to shift back into his humanoid form. Once dressed, he walked back out, casting a frosty glance at the two of them.

 

“Dares,” he said coldly, “after you drop me off at his house tonight, tell them you have urgent business and leave.”

 

Dares immediately tried to protest. “But I already agreed to visit Master Ruan’s house!”

 

“Trust me,” Rong Heng snorted. “He won’t care if you’re there or not.”

 

What he cares about is me.

 

When Ruan Shiqing had pressed a gun to his forehead earlier, Rong Heng hadn’t felt offended. Instead, the slight gloom that had lingered in his heart quietly dissipated.

 

So, he hasn’t forgotten me after all.

 

Though he outwardly insisted it didn’t matter, Rong Heng couldn’t deny how peculiar and gratifying it felt to be someone Ruan Shiqing cherished and remembered.

 

It was a sensation he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

 

“But Master Ruan doesn’t care about you either,” Dares mumbled under his breath, careful not to let Rong Heng hear.

 

Master Ruan only cares about Snowball. What does that have to do with our noble Crown Prince?

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

And even if it did, you wouldn’t admit it.

 

As if sensing his thoughts, Rong Heng narrowed his eyes and looked at Dares. “The first batch of energy rifles is ready for delivery. You’ll handle the shipment to Yanji.”

 

Pausing for a moment, he added, “The little ones finish school at five. Make sure to get me there on time.”

 

With that, he stood and left, his departing figure as cold and imposing as ever.

 

Unfortunately, after witnessing his earlier fluffy cub form, neither Dares nor Mo Li could take his “cold and imposing” demeanor seriously.

 

It wasn’t intimidating.

 

It wasn’t dignified.

 

If anything, it was almost… adorable.

 

*

 

Ruan Shiqing’s good mood lasted throughout the day. After finding Snowball, he and 09 went to the inner city, placing a rush order for fresh ingredients. He planned to cook a grand feast to celebrate Snowball’s return.

 

Although he couldn’t keep Snowball, knowing that he was safe and sound was enough.

 

After finishing his shopping, Ruan Shiqing sent 09 ahead with the groceries while he went to pick up the little ones from school.

 

Thanks to his partnership with the principal, the school had begun renovations. New teachers were being hired, and once the staff was in place, the younglings would be sorted into age-appropriate classes. The once-empty playground was also being equipped with more facilities, including a swimming pool—a feature Ruan Shiqing had specifically requested, though his true motive was to give the little mermaid a place to play.

 

At the school gate, Ruan Shiqing waited for ten minutes before the younglings were dismissed.

 

The little ones rushed out like birds freed from a cage, chirping and jostling as they crowded the gate. One by one, their parents picked them up.

 

The dragon cub and the fox cub were the quickest, climbing onto Ruan Shiqing’s shoulders the moment they saw him. They snuggled against him, chattering excitedly like returning fledglings.

 

The little mermaid was slower, maneuvering his small wheelchair through the crowd of children blocking his path. He wasn’t in a hurry, his shy smile lighting up his face as he finally reached Ruan Shiqing. His bright blue eyes sparkled like jewels.

 

Ruan Shiqing pushed the little mermaid’s wheelchair as the family headed home, the atmosphere lively and cheerful.

 

On the way, the dragon cub and the fox cub chattered endlessly.

 

The fox cub said, “Today, Mila saw us and took a detour!”

 

The dragon cub immediately chimed in, “If he dares mess with us again, I’ll burn all his fur off!”

 

The little mermaid, overhearing this, glanced nervously at Ruan Shiqing and tugged discreetly on the dragon cub’s tail to warn him.

 

“Why are you pulling my tail?” The dragon cub flicked his tail to swat at the little mermaid’s hand, completely missing the hint. He even thought it was a new game.

 

Proud of himself, the dragon cub clearly had forgotten Ruan Shiqing’s previous warnings.

 

The little mermaid: “…”

 

He puffed up his cheeks slightly before turning his head away in silent resignation.

 

Ruan Shiqing, amused by the scene, couldn’t resist tugging on the dragon cub’s thick tail.

 

The dragon cub wagged his tail against Ruan Shiqing’s palm, his golden eyes narrowing in delight. Dumb as he was, he was undeniably adorable.

 

Not to be outdone, Nota whipped out her ten fluffy tails and placed them in Ruan Shiqing’s hands. “Papa, touch mine too!”

 

Laughing, Ruan Shiqing gave each of them an equal share of pats, finally ending their little competition.

 

Back at home, Ruan Shiqing let the cubs play in the yard while he prepared dinner.

 

The dragon cub, drawn by the tantalizing aroma, peeked into the kitchen and asked, “What are we celebrating today?”

 

For the younglings, Ruan Shiqing cooking was a rare event, usually reserved for special occasions.

 

“Someone’s coming to visit,” Ruan Shiqing replied, deciding to keep the surprise for later.

 

The dragon cub sniffed the air again before scampering off, his little wings flapping. Even from a distance, Ruan Shiqing could hear his excited voice shouting, “Papa says we have a guest coming!”

 

By now, the cubs in the yard were already buzzing with speculation about the guest’s identity.

 

At 5 p.m. sharp, Dares dutifully arrived at the door with Rong Heng in tow.

 

When Ruan Shiqing invited him in, Dares shook his head vigorously. “I just remembered I have some urgent matters to attend to!”

 

With an exaggerated smile, he handed Snowball over to Ruan Shiqing, along with a gift. “Mr. Rong is too busy to attend but prepared this gift as an apology. I hope you won’t mind.”

 

The gift was beautifully wrapped, clearly prepared with care.

 

Recalling his earlier confrontation with Rong Heng, Ruan Shiqing’s impression of him improved slightly. Snowball’s brother might seem cold, but he’s surprisingly thoughtful.

 

“Please pass along my regards to Mr. Rong. I hope he can visit next time,” Ruan Shiqing said as he accepted the gift.

 

After exchanging contact details, Dares left in a hurry, clearly eager to escape.

 

The moment the door closed, three little heads popped out from behind it.

 

“Snowball!” The dragon cub bolted forward like a cannonball, launching himself into Ruan Shiqing’s arms and wrapping Snowball in an enthusiastic hug.

 

Rong Heng raised a paw in protest, trying to push the dragon cub away, only to have his face buried in the fox cub’s soft fur as it pounced on him.

 

The two small creatures piled onto him, enthusiastically expressing their delight with their full weight.

 

Pinned and breathless, Rong Heng thought helplessly: …

 

Seeing that the two little ones had all but flattened Snowball, Ruan Shiqing chuckled and gently peeled them off, giving Rong Heng a moment to catch his breath.

 

The little mermaid also maneuvered his little cart[mfn]It may be a bit confusing, but from how I understand, he has “different” means of transportation, a wheelchair for school, a little cart at home (if I’m not wrong it has water too?) and a stroller when he goes out with the family. my understanding is that mermaids don’t need to be kept in water as long as they don’t dry it, they can stay outside of it?[/mfn] closer, his eyes curving into crescents as he stretched out a small fist. When he opened it, a golden star-shaped brooch lay in his palm.

 

It was his favorite brooch recently, and he had saved it to gift to Rong Heng as a welcome-home present.

 

Another flashy accessory from those overly-decorated merfolk, Rong Heng thought, his expression betraying a hint of disdain.

 

But when his gaze met the little mermaid’s eager blue eyes, he sighed internally and extended a paw, carefully nudging the brooch closer.

 

Fine, since you’re so insistent, I’ll reluctantly accept it.

 

After the heartwarming welcome, it was time for dinner.

 

Not only Ruan Shiqing and the little ones but also the Xiong brothers and 09 gathered at the table. Everyone who saw Rong Heng greeted him warmly with smiles: “You’re finally back,” and “Welcome home.”

 

As Rong Heng looked at the table filled with meticulously prepared dishes and the familiar faces gathered around it, he was hit by an unexpected illusion.

 

It felt as though this really was his home.

 

That his earlier departure hadn’t been a farewell but just a journey.

 

And now, having returned, he realized that there would always be people waiting for him here.

 

A surge of unfamiliar emotion filled his chest, and when he glanced at the three little ones again, even they seemed less annoying than before.

 

For the first time, the little ones didn’t clamor around Ruan Shiqing during dinner. Instead, they flocked to Snowball, eagerly chattering about which dishes were the best.

 

“Try this! It’s delicious!”

 

“No, this one’s better!”

 

“This is your first time eating Papa’s food. You’re so lucky!”

 

Having eaten Ruan Shiqing’s cooking many times before, the little ones were determined to guide Snowball through the best of the spread.

 

After dinner, the little ones played in the yard to digest their food.

 

The fox cub curled up on a lounge chair with Rong Heng, while the little mermaid and dragon cub splashed around in the pool.

 

The dragon cub, as usual, couldn’t sit still. After only three minutes of floating peacefully, he grew bored and started sneakily splashing water toward the lounge chair.

 

The fox cub, busy grooming her fur, was immediately doused and leapt up in outrage, pouncing on the dragon cub and shoving him under the water.

 

Bubbles rose from beneath the surface as the dragon cub frantically blew air and flailed his limbs, silently pleading for the little mermaid to rescue him.

 

Soon, all three were caught up in a chaotic game, splashing and shrieking in the water.

 

Rong Heng watched the scene with a frosty expression, his gaze full of disdain.

 

Childish.

 

But the chaos didn’t stop there.

 

A mischievous water stream arced through the air, landing squarely on Rong Heng and soaking him to the bone.

 

“…”

 

Dripping wet, Rong Heng stood up and shook out his fur, his brown eyes gleaming with a simmering fury.

 

These brats need to be taught a lesson.

 

Jumping off the lounge chair and landing by the pool’s edge, Rong Heng joined forces with the fox cub to push the dragon cub—who had just scrambled onto the ledge—right back into the water.

 

With a victorious flick of his tail, the Crown Prince let out a haughty snort.

 

You dare challenge me? You’re still a hundred years too young for that.

 

From the window of his workshop, Ruan Shiqing paused to watch the scene by the pool.

 

The glowing warmth of the house’s yellow lights softened the dark blue of the night sky. Star vines swayed gently in the breeze, their reflections rippling on the pool’s surface.

 

The four little ones were a tangle of laughter and splashes, their eyes shining brightly as the water reflected the light.

 

Ruan Shiqing put down his tools, picked up a pen and paper, and began sketching the scene.

 

On B3024, the night sky held only two artificial moons and no stars.

 

But at that moment, the eyes of the four little ones were brighter than any starlight.

 

 

 

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THIS CHAPTER IS SO FLUFFY AND CUTE I CANNOT COMPUTE ANYMORE σ(≧ε≦σ) ♡

 

Thanks for reading!

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