TCPUAAV Chapter 41

 

The stall was just as chaotic as before, with a haphazard pile of miscellaneous goods strewn about. It was likely even the stall owner didn’t know exactly where everything was.

 

The items on display were all ordinary goods—nothing particularly strange or eye-catching. Just your run-of-the-mill stall in the underground marketplace.

 

Was he being overly suspicious?

 

Ruan Shiqing squatted down and casually rummaged through the stall, chatting idly as he said, “One of the rock crystals you sold me last time was fake.”

 

“????”

 

The stall owner widened his eyes in disbelief. “I never sell fake goods. Are you trying to scam me?”

 

Instinctively clutching the money pouch in his arms, he said defensively, “I don’t have the money for you to extort from me!”

 

Judging by his reaction, there didn’t seem to be anything suspicious. Ruan Shiqing withdrew his probing tone and raised an eyebrow. “One of the rock crystals turned out to be a dragon egg. It hatched into a dragon cub.”

 

The stall owner: “!!!!!”

 

“The dragon cub you’re raising… came from the rock crystal I sold you?” His voice rose in pitch, and he looked as if he were about to faint.

 

“Where else would it have come from?” Ruan Shiqing smirked.

 

“Then you need to pay me the difference!” The stall owner grabbed his arm, looking utterly grief-stricken. “I’m losing so much on this deal!!!”

 

“What’s sold is sold. There’s no such thing as retroactively negotiating prices,” Ruan Shiqing said firmly. He picked out a few small items and set them aside. “Where do you source your rock crystals?”

 

The stall owner’s expression twisted in frustration. “How would I know? I just collect them from other places. Rock crystals like those usually come from Luso Star or nearby planets.”

 

“You collect so many things. Why not sell them on other planets? They probably fetch a better price than here on B3024,” Ruan Shiqing asked casually.

 

“How do you know I haven’t?” The stall owner grinned slyly, gesturing at the odds and ends on his stall. “What do you think all of this is? Leftover junk that didn’t sell well on other planets. That’s why I’m giving you such a cheap price.”

 

His answer was flawless, and his reasoning perfectly sound.

 

After several rounds of questioning yielded no results, Ruan Shiqing dropped the matter. He pointed at the items he had set aside. “How much for these? I won’t haggle today.”

 

“You already scored such a great deal. How do you still have the nerve to haggle?” The stall owner muttered indignantly before replying, “One thousand star coins.”

 

Ruan Shiqing paid promptly and waited as the stall owner packed up his items.

 

“You’re doing pretty well for yourself these days, huh? Got some money to spare?” the stall owner asked curiously as he packed.

 

“Not bad,” Ruan Shiqing joked. “But I’m definitely not giving you any ‘difference.’”

 

The stall owner shook his head and leaned in conspiratorially. “Last time I underestimated you. But this time, I’ve got a real treasure. Want to take a look?”

 

Ruan Shiqing’s interest was piqued. He gave the stall owner another once-over and said, “Show me.”

 

The stall owner didn’t reveal it immediately. Instead, he cautiously looked around, adjusted his cloak to block others’ view, and pulled out a small, dusty pouch from inside his clothes.

 

Carefully untying the thin string, he opened the pouch just enough for Ruan Shiqing to see inside. Lowering his voice, he said, “I’ll let you take a quick look. Just to check the goods. This isn’t something you want attracting attention.”

 

Ruan Shiqing leaned closer and saw a small pouch of gemstones inside.

 

The gems were of various shapes, sizes, and colors, glittering in the dim light.

 

If they were genuine, they would be worth a fortune.

 

The contents of the pouch were a little beyond what Ruan Shiqing had expected. While the gemstones were indeed valuable, they weren’t particularly unique.

 

He was about to decline when he suddenly remembered something the little dragon cub had said before: back when he was still in his egg, his dad had promised to let him eat all the gemstones in the house. Later, while browsing the holo-net for information on dragons, Ruan Shiqing had come across mentions of their innate love for shiny gemstones.

 

At the time, he had been too poor to afford such luxuries for the cub.

 

But now, money was no longer an issue.

 

“How much for the bag?”

 

The stall owner hesitated for a moment before tentatively saying, “One hundred thousand… maybe?”

 

He looked at Ruan Shiqing cautiously, as if expecting him to haggle.

 

But Ruan Shiqing wasn’t focused on the price. Instead, he asked, “Can dragon cubs eat these gemstones?”

 

“????”

 

The stall owner stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “What kind of question is that? No cub can eat gemstones!”

 

He had heard of dragons showering in gemstone rain or sleeping on gemstone beds, but eating them? That was a first.

 

“Wouldn’t that hurt their teeth?” he asked nervously.

 

Ruan Shiqing: …

 

It was only then that he realized dragon cubs didn’t actually eat gemstones.

 

Relieved, he transferred the star coins to the stall owner. “I’ll take it.”

 

The stall owner was overjoyed at his generosity, gripping Ruan Shiqing’s hand with excitement. “Let’s exchange contact information! If I get more good stuff, I’ll save it for you!”

 

After a moment’s thought, Ruan Shiqing exchanged contacts with him before leaving.

 

*

 

After wandering through the marketplace, Ruan Shiqing returned home with a bag full of gemstones.

 

The bag contained a significant amount, so Ruan Shiqing carefully found a delicate little box, into which he poured the cleaned and sterilized gems.

 

The variously shaped and glittering gemstones sparkled brilliantly within the box.

 

Thinking for a moment, Ruan Shiqing realized that other cubs might enjoy these beautiful stones as well. He set aside the work he had been about to begin, grabbed a piece of scrap paper, and began sketching some rough designs.

 

The paper quickly filled with ideas for small accessories in various shapes and styles.

 

After picking his favorite designs, Ruan Shiqing gathered his tools and materials and got to work.

 

For the little mermaid, he crafted a sapphire necklace. For the little fox, a ruby hair clip. Snowball got a black gemstone earring, and the refined little robot 09 would receive a gemstone-encrusted bow tie.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s hands worked quickly. Making crafts had become his way of unwinding after long hours of work and study. In about three days of free time, he had finished all the gifts.

 

He waited until the cubs returned home from school, then brought out the gifts.

 

The cubs were caught completely off guard. Like a flock of delighted little birds, they flocked around Ruan Shiqing and even lined up in an orderly queue.

 

One by one, Ruan Shiqing gave each cub their gift.

 

The little fox, who didn’t like tying up her hair, had her bangs pinned neatly behind her ears with the ruby hair clip.

 

The little mermaid’s sapphire necklace was ornate and elaborate, and Ruan Shiqing adjusted its length carefully to cover the scar on his neck. The golden tassels swayed gently, and the blue gemstone at the tip refracted light, dazzling and luxurious.

 

“Your turn now,” Ruan Shiqing said, pulling out the black satin bow tie and walking toward 09.

 

The golden little robot stood there, overwhelmed, its display flashing with a small red dot that blinked frantically in surprise and delight. “For me too?”

 

Ruan Shiqing tied the bow tie around it and adjusted the angle, smiling softly. “Of course. It suits you perfectly.”

 

Now only the little dragon cub and Rong Heng were left without gifts.

 

“What about mine? Where’s mine?” The little dragon cub anxiously circled Ruan Shiqing’s feet.

 

Rong Heng glanced at him and let out a disdainful snort.

 

Pathetic.

 

“Yours comes last,” Ruan Shiqing said, picking up the black gemstone earring and scooping up Snowball, who was lying nearby.

 

Gently parting the fur on Snowball’s right ear, he found a small, almost imperceptible piercing near the tip. Smiling, he remarked, “Does your family have a tradition of ear piercings?”

 

He had noticed the tiny hole on Snowball’s ear before but hadn’t thought much of it until he saw Mr. Rong’s earring.

 

Mr. Rong wore a small, unassuming black earring in his right ear—so inconspicuous it was easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention.

 

So both brothers have their ears pierced.

 

It seemed like a family tradition of some kind.

 

Ruan Shiqing carefully threaded the black gemstone earring through Snowball’s piercing.

 

Rong Heng, observing quietly, felt his heart stir slightly. His gaze shifted toward Ruan Shiqing, and he let out a soft “Mm,” approving of his care.

 

The piercing had been given to him by his mother when he was young.

 

As a frail newborn, his mother had feared he wouldn’t survive. In desperation, she returned to their ancestral land and carved a small bone earring from an ancient relic left behind by their forebears, hoping that the spirits of their ancestors would bless him with health and safety.

 

It was the gentlest thing his mother had ever done for him in his memory.

 

For such a strong and formidable figure to pin her hopes on something so intangible… it was deeply moving.

 

After her passing, he had kept the bone earring as a treasured memento, though he continued the habit of wearing earrings.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s attention to such details surprised him.

 

His heart rippled faintly as Rong Heng gazed at him quietly, then nuzzled his head into Ruan Shiqing’s palm.

 

Ruan Shiqing chuckled and patted his head before scooping up the restless little dragon cub and setting him on his lap. “Alright, now it’s your turn.”

 

The little dragon cub’s golden eyes widened with excitement as he looked at his dad expectantly.

 

“This is for you. Open it yourself and see.” Ruan Shiqing handed him a delicate little box.

 

The box was about the size of two palms. After using some of the gemstones for the accessories, the rest had been stored inside.

 

The little dragon cub eagerly opened the lid, and when he saw the pile of sparkling gems inside, he gasped in amazement.

 

Overjoyed, he hugged the box tightly to his chest, his little wings fluttering non-stop. He looked like he might take off at any moment from sheer happiness.

 

“Thank you, Daddy!” He nuzzled Ruan Shiqing’s arm enthusiastically, then leapt off his lap and began running around the house, looking for a place to hide his treasure.

 

But there weren’t many good hiding spots in the house. After some thought, the little dragon cub finally decided to place the box under his belly. He sprawled on top of it, his two tiny wings drooping down to shield it.

 

The little fox looked at him disdainfully. “You look like a miser.”

 

She didn’t see what was so great about those shiny little stones. They couldn’t be eaten or played with.

 

The little dragon cub huffed and turned his back to her, then couldn’t resist peeking inside the box again.

 

He even tried to squeeze himself into the box, but his round little body was far too big. After struggling in vain for a while, he gave up and earned a hearty laugh from Nota.

 

Frustrated, he dumped all the gemstones onto a soft cushion, then sprawled out on his back, belly up, lying atop the pile of gems. Only then did he close his eyes with satisfaction.

 

Ruan Shiqing couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed he had made the right choice—dragons’ love for gemstones truly was instinctual.

 

The cubs were thrilled with their gifts and couldn’t wait to show them off at school the next day.

 

The little dragon cub, in particular, had been clutching his gemstone box since the night before. He refused to let it go—even during meals, naps, or while heading to school.

 

Ruan Shiqing had no choice but to let him be.

 

*

 

After watching the cubs enter the school, Ruan Shiqing left with 09 to attend an appointment.

 

Shen Wuzhuo had organized a small gathering scheduled for that morning.

 

The venue was a quaint little tavern in the southern district, run by an ancient human.

 

While the tavern wasn’t upscale, it was clean and tidy, exuding a nostalgic charm that brought people closer together.

 

By the time Ruan Shiqing arrived, Shen Wuzhuo and a few others were already there. Upon seeing him enter, they enthusiastically stood up to greet him.

 

As the host, Shen Wuzhuo introduced everyone, and soon the group was seated in a cozy booth.

 

The tavern owner, Dodd[mfn]His name kinda resembles the one of the principal lol[/mfn], brought over drinks. “This is my new creation, the ‘Blue Star.’ Give it a try.”

 

The cocktail shimmered in shades of blue, with flecks of gold resting at the bottom. It was stunningly beautiful.

 

The group clinked their glasses, and the atmosphere gradually grew livelier.

 

Ruan Shiqing’s gentle personality made him easy to talk to, and the others, eager to build a connection, quickly brought up shared topics. Their shared heritage as ancient humans further bridged the gap, and the conversation flowed naturally.

 

Eventually, the topic shifted to Ruan Shiqing’s profession.

 

“With your talent, Mr. Ruan, have you ever considered advancing your career? Staying on B3024 seems like such a waste of your potential,” said Joel, a businessman who traveled frequently between planets and only occasionally returned to B3024.

 

Ruan Shiqing shook his head. “I don’t have such plans for now.”

 

Part of it was because of the cubs at home, but another part was his growing sense of belonging to B3024. Despite its poverty, chaos, and lack of development, this gray planet had its own unique charm.

 

Though he was an outsider, B3024 had become a place where he felt at home.

 

The others looked at him with surprise. They were all desperately trying to leave the planet and establish themselves on wealthier, more advanced worlds. None of them had expected Ruan Shiqing to willingly stay.

 

“You must be a sentimental person, Mr. Ruan,” Joel said with a smile. “In fact, my return to B3024 this time is because of you. I’d like to invite you to join the ‘Black Crow’ Business Alliance. With your abilities, you could help us open new markets and challenge the Big Four monopolies.”

 

“Black Crow Business Alliance?”

 

“It’s a coalition of small tech companies that refuse to bow to the Four Major Conglomerates,” Joel explained, spreading his hands helplessly. “The members support each other to resist the suppression from the Big Four. As you know, the energy and tech industries are monopolized by those conglomerates. For small businesses like us to survive, we have no choice but to band together.”

 

Ruan Shiqing had heard of the Galactic Empire’s Four Major Conglomerates. These corporate giants used their overwhelming dominance to monopolize markets, inevitably suppressing promising newcomers and squeezing small companies out of existence.

 

This was one of the reasons why the economic disparity across planets in the Galactic Empire was so severe.

 

Take B3024 for example: capital planets’ metal waste was transported here via Schwarz Transport ships, then converted into new energy at power plants owned by Planck Energy Investments. The energy produced was shipped off to fuel the nearby affluent planets.

 

All of this was controlled by the government, Schwarz Transport, and Planck Energy—the profits stayed in their hands. Meanwhile, the ordinary citizens living on this planet received nothing but constant noise and mountains of metal waste encroaching on their already limited living space.

 

As these corporate titans raked in enormous profits from the converted energy, the impoverished citizens scavenged among piles of garbage just to survive.

 

Ruan Shiqing was all too familiar with the darkness lurking behind these practices. It was precisely because he understood so well that he was painfully aware of how insignificant and powerless he was in the grand scheme of things.

 

These deep-seated issues couldn’t be changed by a single person.

 

Shaking his head, he said with resignation, “You overestimate me. I’m just a mechanic. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be of much help.”

 

Though Ruan Shiqing declined, Joel wasn’t discouraged. He sighed and said, “You’re underestimating your own value.”

 

Seeing Ruan Shiqing’s disinterest, Joel didn’t press further. Instead, he smoothly transitioned the conversation. “Even if you don’t join Black Crow, I do have a business proposal for you. I recently took on an order for a shuttle modification. The client has high requirements, and among the mechanics I know, you’re probably the only one who can meet them. Would you be interested?”

 

Since it was an honest job, Ruan Shiqing readily agreed. After briefly discussing the details, the deal was struck.

 

Joel was just as straightforward with the deposit, transferring it promptly. He promised to deliver the shuttle within three days.

 

With the business settled, the gathering wound down. After a few more drinks, Ruan Shiqing excused himself—it was about time for the cubs to get out of school.

 

At school that day, many of the cubs had drawn “heroic emblems” on their faces. Some had simple markings, while others had painted their entire faces with colorful oil paint, making for a rather amusing sight.

 

In contrast, the little mermaid looked even more elegant and distinct among the crowd.

 

Ruan Shiqing had to hold back his laughter as he picked up the little dragon cub, who clung to his legs.

 

“Why do you feel heavier?” he asked as soon as he lifted him, noticing something unusual.

 

In just one day, the little dragon cub seemed noticeably heavier.

 

Thinking he might be imagining it, he handed the cub to 09, who also confirmed, “He’s definitely heavier.”

 

“Is he starting to grow?” Ruan Shiqing cradled the cub, inspecting him closely. “He does seem a bit bigger.”

 

“Really?” The little dragon cub, oblivious to the changes, was overjoyed. “No wonder the flames I spat out today were bigger too!”

 

To prove his point, he puffed out a small flame for Ruan Shiqing to see.

 

It was slightly larger than before.

 

“You’re getting stronger, Heli,” Ruan Shiqing praised, patting his head. He then scooped up Snowball and held the little fox’s human-shaped hand, heading home with the group.

 

The realization that he was growing sent the little dragon cub into a frenzy of excitement. As soon as they got home, he loudly demanded that Xiong Yuanyuan weigh him, then insisted on measuring his height.

 

“What’s there to measure?” The little fox stood next to him, gesturing with her hand. “You were only up to my knee before, and now you’re barely past it.”

 

!!!!!

 

Nota is so annoying!!!

 

Glaring at her in fury, the little dragon cub stomped off, his tiny claws thudding loudly on the floor.

 

The little fox, baffled, turned to the little mermaid. “Why did he get mad all of a sudden?”

 

The little mermaid turned his face away, choosing not to answer.

 

*

 

The shuttle Joel had promised arrived the next day.

 

It was a T5-a “Swallow” shuttle produced by Quark Shipyards, about 20 meters long. Both its hull and shields had been specially reinforced, and its high safety and stability made it a popular choice in the civilian market.

 

Some transport ships used this model for ship-to-ship cargo transfers, while others repurposed it as personal transportation. Its functionality was versatile.

 

The one Joel delivered was clearly a private transport.

 

According to Joel, the customer behind this order was someone of importance who had high demands for stealth and defense. The modifications would focus on enhancing these two aspects.

 

Improving stealth and defense primarily meant working on the deflector shields and cloaking systems—areas Ruan Shiqing had been researching extensively recently. This project was a perfect opportunity to test his theories.

 

The only real challenge was the tight timeline. The client had paid a premium for expedited service, demanding that the modifications be completed within two weeks.

 

Ruan Shiqing spent five days refining the blueprints and confirming the plans with the client. Once approved, he began procuring materials and started the modifications.

 

Compared to small hover racers, the complexity of modifying a shuttle was much greater. Even with the Xiong brothers assisting with basic tasks, Ruan Shiqing spent most of his time on the project, to the point where he couldn’t even spare time to drop the cubs off at school.

 

Fortunately, the cubs were understanding. Knowing he was busy, they behaved well and let 09 handle their pickups and drop-offs.

 

When Ruan Shiqing finally completed the main modifications and could take a breather, he realized that in just two weeks, the little dragon cub had grown noticeably larger again.

 

Previously, the cub only reached Nota’s knees, but now he was up to her hips.

 

The cub himself didn’t notice anything unusual. Instead, he was secretly delighted that he was catching up to his sister.

 

Having missed his chance to show off while Ruan Shiqing was busy, the little dragon cub now couldn’t wait to flaunt his progress.

 

As always, he launched himself into Ruan Shiqing’s arms like a cannonball, asking for a hug.

 

But he was so much heavier now that the impact nearly knocked Ruan Shiqing over. Stumbling back two steps, Ruan Shiqing barely managed to catch the overly hefty dragon cub.

 

Frowning with concern, he muttered, “Why are you growing so fast all of a sudden?”

 

Since hatching, the little dragon cub’s growth had been slow and steady, but now it felt like he’d been injected with growth hormones.

 

No matter how Ruan Shiqing thought about it, something felt off. But the cub seemed full of energy, with no signs of discomfort. Even after searching the holo-net, Ruan Shiqing couldn’t find any similar cases. Reluctantly, he set his worries aside.

 

It was Rong Heng, however, who glanced at the oblivious dragon cub and furrowed his brow slightly.

 

 

 

---

 

What the heck this chapter took me completely by surprise because in my mind the cubs are roughly the same size/toddler shape. What do you mean Heli only reached Nota’s knees initially?? How tiny was he (or how big was she??) lol? Is Rong Rong the only small one now?

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~