Chapter 7: Please Keep the Cricket Behind You

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Xing Yuan said, “Young Su, you should learn to be independent.”

Once a child’s energy is spent, they’re no different from a doll with dead batteries.

Su Ninglong drooped her head. “I’m so adorable; don’t I deserve a hug?”

The willful little ancestor, wrapped in the guise of a little angel, quickly earned the honored spot in Xing Qiren’s arms.

She rested her head on Xing Qiren’s shoulder, drifting into drowsiness.

The child behind her also wanted the guide to hold him.

“Master Charlie, I am a delicate Haidan, more skilled in music. If you want me to tell stories or sing, I’d be happy to personally provide you with high-quality entertainment.”

Charlie’s full name was easy to remember.

Charlie pouted in grievance. The person he had chosen wasn’t nearly as good as Xing Yuan. “No wonder sister didn’t pick you.”

The guide sighed helplessly. Children’s thinking was always so straightforward.

It’s okay. Once he understands, he’ll realize that having an experienced guide saves a lot of detours.

Zou Shuyi sat in the hall, anxiously watching. When she saw Su Ninglong firmly held by Xing Qiren, her tense throat relaxed.

She quietly stepped forward and took Su Ninglong from Xing Yuan’s hands.

Su Ninglong’s apricot eyes opened, meeting a familiar figure. She hugged Zou Shuyi’s neck, feeling safe, then closed her eyes again.

“Is it over?” Zou Shuyi asked softly.

Xing Yuan bowed slightly. “Respected Ms. Zou, greetings. My name is Xing Yuan, and I will be Su Ninglong’s guide.”

“No need for introductions. I know what’s going on. After you return, just explain the school matters to Ninglong.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Zou Shuyi didn’t celebrate loudly. She took Xing Yuan and silently left the distribution center.

Meanwhile, on Charlie’s side, his mother learned he had passed the tests. She screamed with joy, hugging and kissing him until his cheeks flushed.

“You’re amazing, darling. See? My baby is entering the Star Alliance.”

“Congratulations, congratulations.”

“How did your child get in? Can you teach mine?”

“So impressive. Poor me—my two kids failed the test three times each. Every planet’s test changes yearly, they say it measures ability and psychology, but the little ones aren’t grown yet. How can they be tested?”

Charlie was shy under so much praise, burying his face in his mother’s embrace.

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“Why is my child so smart but still fails? Your kid’s just a fool,” someone questioned.

“Heh, if being smart was all it took to join the Star Alliance, they might as well only test IQ,” Charlie’s mother retorted sarcastically.

“So far, only one child has passed?”

“Definitely the only one,” Charlie’s mother said with a smile. “After all, we’re the only ones cheering here right now.”

Charlie’s guide quietly told her the truth, hoping she’d tone it down.

She still had to sign a confidentiality agreement later, not the time to be boastful.

“Master Charlie is not the only one who passed. A girl passed alongside him. It was that girl who led Master Charlie through all the tests.”

Sometimes, luck is a kind of strength.

Charlie’s mother’s smile froze, her fiery heart instantly cooled.

She should have guessed.

With so many children present, it was her little fool who passed because he had a ‘master’ guiding him.

Worried that Charlie might get expelled later and lose face, she quickly left the scene of gossip.

Back home, after some time, Su Ninglong woke up, rubbed her eyes, climbed out of bed, and checked the clock.

Fortunately, she hadn’t missed dinner.

The broken robot was in her room, placed among other mechanical items.

Its eyes were lifeless; its head had been unscrewed and removed.

The bookshelf was piled high with various machines. Su Ninglong complained about how small the house was. “Not even one percent the size of my cave dwelling.”

She pushed open the door, ran downstairs, and followed the aroma into the kitchen. “Godmother, what’s for dinner?”

But the one working in the kitchen wasn’t Zou Shuyi.

It was Xing Yuan.

He wore a slightly ill-fitting lace apron, standing in front of the stove, tossing food in the pan. The ingredients included both meat and vegetables, each coated with a thin layer of sauce, making the colors look superb.

“Wow!” Su Ninglong’s eyes sparkled. “You actually learned cooking?”

“Yes, my family was often too busy to cook. Eating out too much gets tiring. Cooking at home lets you change ingredients and methods anytime to taste different flavors,” Xing Yuan patiently explained.

“Godmother can cook too, but she needs the frying machine’s help. Since the frying machine broke down, her dishes have just been barely edible.”

Su Ninglong couldn’t help but tease Zou Shuyi’s cooking skills. “She’s best at boiling meat in plain water and dipping it in chili salt, sweet and sour sauce, or soy sauce. Of course, we always have snacks like peanuts, candied fruit, and jerky. When she’s busy, that’s what she feeds me—those tasteless things.”

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The little ancestor loved food so much that even in the Great Ascension stage, she occasionally had her senior sister’s disciples make delicious treats for her.

To please her and gain guidance, their culinary skills improved greatly.

Her earnest childlike words made Xing Yuan smile. “Then eat more later and rate my cooking.”

“Sure, sure! Your dishes look a hundred times better than godmother’s food; the taste must be much better too.”

“Hey, hey, don’t forget the old when the new comes,” Zou Shuyi stood outside the kitchen, watching the little one’s greedy face. “Go outside, wash your hands, and wait for dinner. Don’t mess around in the kitchen. Have you forgotten you almost blew up my kitchen?”

Su Ninglong retorted, “That was an accident.”

“Three accidents?” Zou Shuyi said.

A heartbreaking truth—who would have thought a fire-element prodigy, skilled in countless forge crafts, couldn’t master cooking?

Su Ninglong snorted coldly, turned, and went to the dining table, kicking her short legs as she sat in a child-sized chair, waiting to be fed.

Xing Yuan thoughtfully served all the dishes on small plates in front of her, finally adding a small bowl of rice. “Is this enough?”

“Enough.” Su Ninglong nodded vigorously. Her small hand grasped the chopsticks and carefully picked up a piece of meat to eat.

She ate while giving a serious review. “The meat is tender, perfectly blended with the vegetable aroma. Super delicious.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Xing Yuan noticed she didn’t need an adult to feed her, and though her mouth was messy, she knew to wipe it with a napkin.

He had never seen such an easy-to-care-for four-year-old during his school days.

“A lovable, obedient treasure.”

Xing Yuan couldn’t understand why Zou Shuyi warned him that Su Ninglong was actually a mischievous little demon.

Some things are hard to explain in just a few words.

Zou Shuyi said, “You’ll understand me someday.”

Su Ninglong said, “When you tease me, can you do it behind my back? It’s hard to pretend not to hear if you do it face to face.”

Xing Yuan couldn’t help but laugh.

“See!” Zou Shuyi said, “When her verbal attacks start targeting you, you’ll be miserable.”