Category: I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet (Page 12 of 19)

Chapter 71 – A fledgling at first

 

Jian Luo sighed heavily and said, “Look, everyone is queuing up. Why are you in such a hurry? We still need your help with our stall.”

 

“Since you have your mom, you don’t need me,” Jian Sheng, now completely irresponsible when it came to his idol, replied, “How about I go first, and you join me later, bro?”

 

Because of the class teacher’s invitation, Su Liang accompanied Jian Luo. As a mother, she was quite considerate and good at taking care of people.

 

Whenever a friend was thirsty or hungry, she always noticed it first. Even though the dark star students might have some initial reservations about humans, most of them quickly let go of their prejudices after getting to know Su Liang.

 

Jian Luo thought for a moment and said, “Alright, let’s go together.”

 

Jian Sheng was thrilled, “Yeah!”

 

He was basically dragged along by his younger brother. As Lu Shifeng’s number one fan, Jian Sheng was extremely interested in everything about his idol. While walking, Jian Luo chatted with Lu Shifeng.

 

He sent a message, “How come there are still some covers left outside?”

 

Lu Shifeng replied, “That’s unusual. Damaged ones should be collected uniformly and not left outside. Why?”

 

Jian Luo hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to tell him about the covers being used as attractions at the flea market by the kids. After some thought, he casually said, “Oh, it’s nothing. It just crossed my mind. By the way, I heard you’re pretty famous in school. Many people admire you and think you’re amazing.”

 

He thought Lu Shifeng would be a bit conceited. Little did he know that Lu Shifeng replied, “It seems Mr. Jian has a different opinion?”

 

Jian Luo felt cornered. In a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, he said, “No, not at all. I know you’re amazing, but we see each other every day, right? My admiration is all in my heart.”

 

Every day? Lu Shifeng disagreed, “It’s been two days since we last met.”

 

“…”

Why calculate so precisely!

 

Following Jian Sheng, Jian Luo walked up to the stall. There was already a long line ahead. He replied to Lu Shifeng while waiting, “I can go back today. The flea market will end soon. Will you come to pick me up later?”

 

Most of the time, it was Secretary Jin who picked him up. Jian Luo didn’t have much hope, so he just said it casually. However, Lu Shifeng agreed readily, “Give me a specific time, and I’ll be there.”

 

Jian Luo was slightly surprised at first, then agreed, “Alright.”

 

After the chat, he turned his attention back to the things on the stall. He also heard the class president of this class maintaining order in front, “One touch per person. If you want to take photos, you have to buy something.”

 

People of various races had come, and young ones tended to seek security by attaching themselves to powerful races. This was one of the reasons why the alien students liked to attach themselves to nobles. Weak individuals would feel safe and happy when they relied on powerful ones.

 

For young children, the textbooks contained the achievements of several generations of Dragon Kings. Lu Shifeng’s remarkable feats were even being adapted into idol dramas. To the alien students, the Dragon King might be like Ultraman and Power Rangers that Earth kids admired—a source of unspoken pride.

 

Jian Sheng said, “Lu Shifeng is amazing. He’s my favorite among all the Dragon Kings. At first, many people didn’t think much of him, but he eventually succeeded through his own efforts. He has indestructible scales and unparalleled leadership. I heard his dragon body is even larger, and one tail can destroy enemy warships.”

 

Jian Luo remarked casually, “Scales might not be as indestructible as you think; he can get injured.”

 

He had just said it casually, but Jian Sheng vehemently disagreed, “No way! Marshal Lu won’t get hurt!”

 

Another kid behind Jian Luo joined in, “…”

 

Jian Luo sighed and turned to meet the gaze of another one of Lu Shifeng’s fanboys. Feeling somewhat defeated, he nodded, “Yeah, what you said is right.”

 

The other fanboy chimed in, “How tough are Marshal’s scales? Are they colder than ice?”

 

Jian Luo casually replied, “No, I don’t think so. His scales should be quite warm.”

 

“Really?” Jian Sheng innocently asked, “Aren’t dragons cold-blooded creatures? The books say that their scales only warm up when they’re being affectionate with their mates. Otherwise, they’re usually cool. Is that what you mean, bro?”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo gradually widened his eyes.

 

Jian Sheng looked puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

 

“No… nothing.” Jian Luo felt like he had been schooled by a kid today, “Is that really what the books say?”

 

Jian Sheng nodded, “Of course!”

 

They continued to browse the items in front of the stall, but many things here seemed overpriced and not worth it.

 

Jian Sheng, always straightforward, commented, “Aren’t these items priced much higher than the market rate?”

 

The person in charge of the stall replied, somewhat defensively, “What? How are these expensive? After buying them, you can get up close with the things Marshal has used. You’ll profit, you know?”

 

Jian Sheng frowned.

 

Although they also bought things to get freebies, the situation was entirely different from this. Their items were priced based on their actual value, and the cakes were edible. It was still reasonable, but here it was a complete rip-off.

 

A kid behind them stood at the stall, pointing at a toy ball and asked softly, “How much is this?”

 

The salesperson said, “It’s 50 star coins.”

 

The child looked at the ball in silence, then finally said softly, “I only have 40. Can I buy it?”

 

“Of course not! We don’t haggle.” The salesperson placed their hands on their hips, “If you don’t have enough money, go wait over there. Don’t block others from buying.”

 

Jian Sheng watched for a while and spoke up, “Isn’t this ball damaged? I remember a brand new one costs only 45.”

 

The salesperson’s face turned slightly red, and they replied sternly, “Where is it damaged? If you don’t understand, don’t make baseless claims!”

 

This attitude was somewhat hard to accept.

 

Jian Luo found it quite amusing and asked Jian Sheng, “Did you buy anything?”

 

Jian Sheng held a clock he had just picked, “Yeah.”

 

Jian Luo suggested, “Let’s go take a look at the legendary covers together.”

 

The two of them waited in line for a while and finally reached the stall. They saw the legendary covers, which were golden and gleaming with a metallic sheen.

 

Jian Sheng exclaimed, “Wow, they’re so cool.”

 

The squad leader with the protective cover in his hand enjoys watching these inexperienced people: “Be careful, don’t touch it.”

 

Jian Sheng looked at it with great interest.

 

In just a few seconds, the squad leader urged them, “Hurry up and leave after you’re done. Don’t delay the others.”

 

Jian Sheng was surprised, “So fast?”

 

The squad leader was a bit impatient, “What else do you expect?!”

 

…

 

Jian Luo looked at a group of students not far away who were enduring unfair prices, and finally spoke, “This protective cover isn’t from Lu Shifeng.”

 

As soon as these words fell, silence filled the surroundings. Everyone’s gaze turned towards him, indicating their astonishment. This statement was no small matter. They had bought so many things, and the reason they all bought in was to see General Lu’s protective cover. Did he just say it wasn’t real?

 

The squad leader’s reaction wasn’t pleasant either. She was somewhat annoyed, “What nonsense are you talking about?! This was worn by General Lu during the battle on Planet A in the first month!”

 

Jian Luo remained calm, “Lu Shifeng doesn’t like gold. His equipment is generally black. Even if it’s not, it wouldn’t be gold.”

 

This was the first time someone had put forth such a novel claim.

 

People looked at each other, unsure of how to react.

 

The squad leader, seeing that everyone was silent, grew angry, “What do you know? You’re a human. How would you understand the preferences of our Dark Star General? Do you think we snatched your class’s business? Of course, this is Lu General’s protective cover. Would I lie to you?”

 

With her imposing manner, others started to believe her a bit.

 

“Does General Lu really dislike gold?”

“I don’t know.”

“But no matter what, humans are more knowledgeable, right?”

 

Jian Luo didn’t want to argue with her, but since she was being confrontational, he had no choice. Despite the girl’s defiance, Jian Luo remained calm and raised an eyebrow, “Humans use the internet too. Don’t they check? Since you claim it’s Lu Shifeng’s, do you know that he always engraves his name on his protective equipment? Yours should have it too, right?”

 

The squad leader was taken aback.

 

Although she was also a fan of Lu Shifeng, she hadn’t seen this video and didn’t dare to refute Jian Luo, fearing that she might say something wrong and expose herself.

 

But it didn’t matter; she wouldn’t let Jian Luo inspect it.

 

With this in mind, the squad leader asserted confidently, “Yes, what’s the matter?!”

 

Jian Luo’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he spoke slowly, “I’m really sorry. I haven’t watched that video, and I made up the part about the engraving.”

 

…

 

A hushed silence fell over the crowd.

 

All the students stared dumbfoundedly at the cunning adult. Some of the quicker ones realized they had been deceived.

 

“Isn’t this not General’s protective cover at all?”

“Are you lying?”

“I want a refund.”

“Yeah, you sold it so expensive; do you think we’re fools?”

 

The children’s remarks pierced the squad leader’s pride. She didn’t have much confidence to begin with, and now she was completely flustered. The item had been given to her by the robotic butler, and she didn’t know if it was real. She was already someone who couldn’t back down easily, and now, being publicly humiliated, she had to muster her courage to save face.

 

With this in mind, the squad leader decided to take drastic action. She raised her head defiantly and said, “This is definitely real. If you don’t believe me, you can use a Soulstone to test it!”

 

The crowd exchanged puzzled looks.

 

Jian Luo didn’t know what this thing was, so he lowered his voice and asked Jian Sheng, “What’s a Soulstone?”

 

Jian Sheng quickly explained, “It’s a stone used to test spiritual power and combat ability. You don’t need to do it in front of the owner. You just need to ignite it and confirm the connection with the object, and it will display the object’s spiritual power value. General Lu’s spiritual power value is very high. We can just test it!”

 

Jian Luo heard about this for the first time. He seemed to understand and said, “I see.”

 

In fact, all the evidence he mentioned was fabricated on the spot. The real reason he was so certain it wasn’t Lu Shifeng’s item was because he had personally seen General Lu’s protective cover when he returned from the battle on Planet A in the first month, and it was black. However, he couldn’t reveal this, so he had to keep up the act.

 

“Let’s go ahead and test it,” Jian Luo said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

 

The squad leader hadn’t expected Jian Luo to be so confident. Initially, she had just made a casual remark, but now, being unable to back down in front of her class, she had to double down.

 

With this in mind, she raised her head and stubbornly declared, “This is definitely real. If you don’t believe me, you can use a Soulstone to test it!”

 

The crowd exchanged puzzled looks.

 

Jian Luo didn’t know what this thing was, so he lowered his voice and asked Jian Sheng, “What’s a Soulstone?”

 

Jian Sheng quickly explained, “It’s a stone used to test spiritual power and combat ability. You don’t need to do it in front of the owner. You just need to ignite it and confirm the connection with the object, and it will display the object’s spiritual power value. General Lu’s spiritual power value is very high. We can just test it!”

 

Jian Luo heard about this for the first time. He seemed to understand and said, “I see.”

 

In fact, all the evidence he mentioned was fabricated on the spot. The real reason he was so certain it wasn’t Lu Shifeng’s item was because he had personally seen General Lu’s protective cover when he returned from the battle on Planet A in the first month, and it was black. However, he couldn’t reveal this, so he had to keep up the act.

 

“Let’s go ahead and test it,” Jian Luo said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

 

The squad leader hadn’t expected Jian Luo to be so confident. Initially, she had just made a casual remark, but now, being unable to back down in front of her class, she had to double down.

 

Other students chimed in:

“We demand a test.”

“Yeah, we want to test it.”

“You have to prove it’s real.”

 

The squad leader clenched her teeth and decided to take a gamble. The students behind her said, “Bring the Soulstone!”

 

Seeing that it was getting serious, quite a few kids gathered around. Although this place was somewhat remote, the crowd was growing because of this incident.

 

Jian Luo leaned against the stall, calmly watching the drama unfold.

 

Before long, the Soulstone arrived. It was a red stone placed on a tray, gleaming under the sun. Everyone was waiting for the moment the Soulstone would be ignited, especially to see how it interacted with the protective cover.

 

“Snap.”

 

The flame flickered in the air as the squad leader cautiously lit the Soulstone. Everyone held their breath, anticipating the moment when the red smoke would envelop the protective cover.

 

The red smoke slowly began to burn from the Soulstone, gradually spreading in the air, and the entire stone started to glow. This was indeed a reaction that only occurred in the presence of pureblood dragons.

 

The squad leader’s eyes lit up, and she proudly said, “See? I told you!”

 

As she spoke, the red smoke encircled the protective cover and then seemed to disdainfully move away. It swirled in the air like a dog sniffing around, and finally, with a burst of enthusiasm, it rushed towards the onlookers, particularly targeting Jian Luo, who was standing to the side.

 

In the wide-eyed gaze of the crowd, the smoke from the Soulstone hit Jian Luo’s abdomen like an affectionate puppy.

 

Jian Luo was taken aback. He had been lazily leaning against the stall with no reaction, but the smoke from the Soulstone came too quickly. He had no time to dodge, and everyone was astonished at what happened in the blink of an eye.

 

The air fell silent for a moment.

 

After a while…

 

“Ugh…”

 

A piercing pain radiated from his abdomen. Jian Luo’s face turned pale. This familiar pain was something he had experienced only once before in Peace Paradise. The dragon reaction forming in his abdomen was even more intense than the last time. Jian Luo suddenly doubled over, half-crouching on the ground, his face devoid of color.

 

This sudden turn of events left all the children in a panic.

 

Just when they didn’t know what was going on, suddenly, a somewhat immature but rapidly forming dragon aura began to emanate. It was the distinct unease unique to Dark Star hatchlings. In an instant, it covered the entire school. The flea market was quite large, composed of numerous classes, and everyone was bustling around, but the scent of the beast was very sensitive, and the children were no exception. It happened in almost an instant—

 

Everyone stopped what they were doing, collectively turning their heads to look in the same direction.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 70 – Long ge, you’re the best!

 

The entire classroom turned their attention towards the door. Fei Yuhuan furrowed his brow and asked, “Which one is Jian Sheng?”

 

Even the class teacher was somewhat surprised. How did this troublemaker end up here? Fei Yuhuan, the little overlord of the Dragon Clan, was a prominent figure in the school, just slightly overshadowed by Lord Dragon himself during his time at school.

 

“Um, what’s the matter, young man?” The class teacher tried to salvage the situation for her student. “This isn’t the way to resolve problems.”

 

Fei Yuhuan frowned, “Are you Jian Sheng?”

 

The class teacher shook her head, “I’m not.”

 

“You take over,” Fei Yuhuan leaned against the door, arms crossed, his tone unfriendly. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

 

Jian Sheng was feeling a bit uneasy. He glanced at his son, as if worried that he might associate with troublemakers.

 

But Jian Sheng wasn’t too afraid. He stood up and said, “I am.”

 

Compared to the Dark Star people, humans were quite frail, especially Jian Sheng, who had always been undernourished. In front of Fei Yuhuan, he appeared even more fragile.

 

Jian Sheng turned to the class teacher, “Teacher, I’ll be right back.”

 

The class teacher nodded.

 

Before he left, Jian Luo pulled him aside, “If anything happens, call for help in time.”

 

Although he didn’t want to jump to conclusions about others, this Fei Yuhuan seemed extremely formidable, comparable to Lord Dragon in terms of aura.

 

Jian Sheng gave him a reassuring look.

 

As the parent-teacher conference was coming to an end, Jian Luo prepared to leave. Before he left, he had a chat with the class teacher about the children’s recent developments.

 

The class teacher said, “Mr. Jian, on behalf of the children, I would like to invite you and your mother to our flea market.”

 

Jian Luo was surprised, “Why invite me?”

 

“It’s evident that you care for the children and don’t mind being around them,” the class teacher said politely. “Under your guidance, the children were lively and enthusiastic today. We sincerely hope you can join us at the flea market.”

 

Jian Luo wasn’t particularly interested in these activities, but he didn’t want to refuse directly. “But I can’t be of much help.”

 

The class teacher smiled, “We’re just inviting you to have fun; we don’t really need your assistance. If you have the time, please grace us with your presence.”

 

Jian Luo thought for a moment and didn’t rush to decline, “Alright.”

 

Ever since he became pregnant, his tolerance for children had increased for no apparent reason. He simply liked children.

 

Seeing them always made him think of little dragons. He hoped that the little dragons would be happier in the future and encounter more kind-hearted people, so the world would be gentler to them.

 

“Ding Ling Ling.”

 

The bell signaling the end of the class rang outside.

 

Jian Luo bid farewell to the class teacher and left. As he came out, he met Jian Sheng returning and accidentally bumped into his brother. He quickly checked to see if he was hurt.

 

Jian Luo rushed even faster, “Ah Sheng, are you okay?”

 

Jian Sheng shook his head, “I’m fine. Why would I be hurt? I came to return something to Senior.”

 

This piqued Jian Luo’s interest, “Return what?”

 

Jian Sheng scratched his head in embarrassment, “I found his meal card the day before yesterday. Since I can’t enter the S-class classrooms, and I was busy these days, I didn’t get a chance to return it.”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo was actually a bit disappointed, “Is that it?”

 

Jian Sheng was puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

 

Seeing his younger brother’s innocent gaze, Jian Luo couldn’t help but suppress his own thoughts. After all, children could also have pure friendships, and as an adult, he should fully support them!

 

The group returned to the peaceful park.

 

On the way, Jian Sheng couldn’t resist asking Jian Luo about the voting issue, “Brother, you didn’t rig the votes, did you? Some people…”

 

Jian Luo patiently replied, “No.”

 

Jian Sheng: “…”

 

Slightly more clever, their father, Su Liang, stepped in to answer for Jian Luo, “Because your big brother is going to do a livestream, he’s getting to know more people. Surely there are some kind-hearted folks among them.”

 

This explanation seemed to work.

 

Jian Sheng completely believed it.

 

Jian Luo smiled a little guiltily and didn’t argue with the excuse Su Liang had given. In reality, he didn’t have any reservations about revealing Lu Shifeng’s identity. He just wasn’t sure where this relationship was heading, and he decided it was best to leave it at that for now.

 

Once they returned home, the three of them began to discuss the flea market.

 

Su Liang, preparing dinner while wearing an apron, commented, “Dark Star people are very skilled in high-tech. If we sell ordinary things, they won’t be interested.”

 

Jian Sheng, helping with the vegetables in the living room, added, “Each of them has different preferences; there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.”

 

That was indeed true. Dark Star people had varied tastes, with no unified standard.

 

Jian Sheng and Su Liang chatted on and off, but they couldn’t come up with a plan. Meanwhile, Jian Luo, sitting on the couch and watching TV, decided to contact Lu Shifeng.

 

He thought for a moment and began typing a message to Lu Shifeng: “Hello?”

 

This message seemed a bit formal, as he was asking for help. Perhaps he should sound friendlier. With that in mind, Jian Luo changed it to: “Dragon bro, you there? ^-^”

 

After sending the message, he expected to wait for a while for a response, but surprisingly, Lu Shifeng replied quickly: “What’s up?”

 

Jian Luo felt a mix of disappointment and excitement. “Oh, do you know what Dark Star students usually like or what’s popular at the flea market?”

 

After sending the message, there was silence. Jian Luo occasionally glanced at his communicator while watching TV but received no reply. He began to feel a bit anxious and secretly held some expectations.

 

This kind of hidden anticipation was reminiscent of his teenage days when he chatted with his crush on WeChat. However, he attributed it to the anxiety he felt for his younger brother.

 

After a while, Lu Shifeng finally responded: “Different ethnic groups have different preferences; there’s no unified answer.”

 

Jian Luo wasn’t sure whether to feel disappointed or relieved. “Oh, I see.”

 

Lu Shifeng followed up with some advice: “Rather than asking them what they like, it’s better to stick to your strengths and make the most of them.”

 

It was as if he were a seasoned general guiding an inexperienced soldier.

 

Jian Luo rubbed his chin, pondered for a while, and finally found a direction. His eyes lit up as he came up with an idea. “Got it, I understand!”

 

Lu Shifeng was quite satisfied with his response and sent Jian Luo a document. The document was quite large, and given the slow internet in their area, it might have been sent earlier but only just appeared on Jian Luo’s communicator.

 

As the document was being received, Jian Luo couldn’t resist his curiosity. “What’s this?”

 

“Have a look,” Lu Shifeng replied succinctly. “It’s a compilation of the most popular items at flea markets in recent years.”

 

Jian Luo was amazed. Was Lu Shifeng some kind of genius? How could he find something like this?

 

Jian Luo admired Lu Shifeng, and in addition to admiration, he felt an unusual emotion welling up inside him. It was a feeling of being seen and cared for. Even if it was just because there were children present, the feeling of being noticed and cared for by Lu Shifeng was simply wonderful.

 

Regardless of the reason, he was genuinely thankful for Lu Shifeng’s kindness. “Dragon bro, you’re amazing!”

 

Lu Shifeng responded with a plain, “Is that so?”

 

Jian Luo had to compliment him further, “No, really. Thank you so much. I’ll definitely repay you later!”

 

Lu Shifeng, looking at the word “repay,” narrowed his eyes and replied, “No need to go to great lengths. If you really want to repay me, just be a good boy and take your medicine. Don’t mess around. That would be a repayment in itself.”

 

Jian Luo was left speechless.

 

Done.

After chatting with Lu Shifeng, Jian Luo began to read the documents. There were indeed many things that could be borrowed from them, whether it was more toys or food, they were among the top choices.

 

Thinking about it, the flea market was just a few days away. Mass-producing toys was not practical and wouldn’t be done in time. If they had to, it was quicker and simpler to make food.

 

After hearing Jian Luo’s thoughts, Su Liang asked, “But Luo Luo, how do we know what these races like to eat?”

 

Jian Luo stood up, a smile on his face. “Who doesn’t know?”

 

The next day – the flea market.

 

This was a relatively bustling day at the academy. Different classes and sections sold similar items, mostly based on the preferences of different races.

 

The Dark Star didn’t just have a few major noble families; there were also smaller clans like the rabbits, dogs, and cats. These races all existed in reality.

 

The dog race liked to sell various bone decorations, rabbits liked to sell grass-made woven toys, and cats liked to make various traps. Of course, these were all basic-level items. As you went higher in class, the variety and rarity of items increased.

 

Many classes were bustling with activity, but there were only a few people in Class G. In fact, the children had all carefully brought something with them.

 

Jian Sheng brought a food platter prepared for Jian Luo, divided into four small sections, containing different foods tailored to the tastes of several noble races.

 

Jian Sheng, who was next to Jian Luo, asked, “Brother, do you think they will really like it?”

 

“Hmm?” Jian Luo remained calm. “If they don’t like it, then what? I can make a taste survey next time for targeted improvements.”

 

“You really don’t waste any effort.”

 

Soon, students approached their booth, attracted by the aroma of the food. The food on the platter had different colors and flavors, including spicy sticks that the Dragon race liked, sweet cakes preferred by the Phoenix race, and a slightly salty cake for the Pixiu. The different flavors were alluring.

 

The children from Class G, however, showed little interest.

 

Jian Sheng encouraged, “Shall we come up with a catchy slogan?”

 

No one agreed.

 

Finally, a little girl said, “Class Leader, there’s no one here to attract with slogans.”

 

Compared to the small stalls of the major noble families, there was so much to explore, and nobody had the time to come to this remote place to find trouble. Not only this little girl, but the others also seemed dejected, looking as though they were waiting for it to end.

 

Everyone seemed lifeless, like they were participating in an activity forced upon them.

 

Jian Sheng was not satisfied; he found a board and started making a sign that said, “Buy something and get snacks.”

 

As he was making it, people passing by were drawn to the commotion of creating the sign. When they approached, they saw the pastry platter and couldn’t help but ask, “How are these snacks sold?”

 

Jian Sheng hurriedly replied, “They’re not for sale. When you buy an item, you get a snack.”

 

The child who asked was from the dog race, a subsidiary of Pixiu. His nose was sharp, and he had his eyes on the cake from a distance. It was simply too enticing.

 

The young boy from the dog race looked around the stall and then pointed to a workbook, saying, “I’ll buy a workbook.”

 

Jian Sheng’s eyes lit up with joy. “Alright!”

 

He quickly helped with the packaging, and soon, their first sale was made, unexpectedly fast and unbelievable. Once it started, the rest of the business seemed to go smoothly.

 

Word spread, and more and more children came, all lured by the promise of prizes.

 

“Have you gotten your prize yet?”

“You haven’t tried these snacks?”

“Hurry up, the prizes will run out.”

 

The Dark Star people generally loved to eat, especially children. Their expressions of likes and dislikes were usually more straightforward. Gradually, the booth that had initially been ignored began to attract more people.

 

Some children were initially indifferent but became interested as more people gathered. Those with good manual skills approached Jian Sheng and said, “Class Leader, let me help.”

 

The livelier ones shouted to attract customers, “These items are not negotiable, but they’re very affordable. This ball isn’t just for taking pictures; look, it can also record videos…”

 

The other children also started doing various tasks, and the entire class was visibly bustling with activity.

 

This change didn’t go unnoticed by the students from the opposite class. They were a higher class than Class G, usually looking down on them with superiority. However, they couldn’t believe that this time, Class G had actually improved and not only won the vote but also attracted so many customers at the flea market.

 

One child asked, “Class Leader, what should we do?”

 

Their class leader, a girl, snorted. “We’ll also give away snacks, just like them.”

 

A curious child asked, “What activity should we organize?”

 

After thinking for a moment, the girl took out a framed handguard from her storage grid with pride. “Do you know what this is? It’s a handguard used by Marshal Lu, Marshal Lu touched it.”

 

To the children, Marshal Lu Shifeng was a legendary figure. The items associated with him were like celebrity memorabilia. When this item came out, it instantly attracted a crowd of onlookers.

 

The class leader smiled triumphantly. “Anyone who buys something can take a picture with it, touch it, and help make a sign!”

 

The other children all agreed.

 

Their efficiency was also fast, and in no time, they had made a sign. Many passersby were attracted by the sight of the three characters “Lu Shifeng,” a testament to the charisma of Marshal Lu.

 

Jian Sheng noticed Jing’s reaction and turned to Jian Luo. “Brother, it seems like they’re selling Marshal Lu’s handguard over there!”

 

Jian Luo, who had been dozing off in the back, was startled.

 

Jian Sheng eagerly said, “I really like Marshal Lu, do you want to go see it, Brother?”

 

“…Not interested.”

 

Jian Luo casually remarked, “It might be fake, who knows.”

 

“Brother, you’ve never seen it, how can you say it’s fake?” Jian Sheng pulled him. “Come on, let’s take a look.”

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 69 – A child’s boundless future

 

The head teacher’s voice came to an abrupt stop, his gaze fixed on the page, a mixture of shock and disbelief in his eyes. The classmates in the room had been waiting for the head teacher to lecture them, but after waiting for a long time without any sound, they impatiently raised their heads. They had intended to urge the head teacher to speak up, but when they saw the vote count and rankings on the page, they were all stunned.

 

In the 5th-grade class G, Jian Sheng had 680 votes, ranking first. On the other hand, the second-place, Fei Yuhuan, had 1720 votes. Jian Sheng had overtaken him by 1040 votes, securing the top position.

 

In an instant, the entire classroom fell silent. Almost everyone in the room seemed to have a question mark appear above their heads simultaneously. They looked at each other in disbelief, even the head teacher couldn’t believe it and rubbed his eyes. He clearly held a skeptical attitude towards these vote counts. He even clicked the refresh button on the page, trying to find some issues with it.

 

Jian Sheng himself was also stunned. His friend, Su Liang, asked, “What’s going on, Asheng? Is that for real?”

 

“I think it should be,” Jian Sheng replied.

 

Next to the vote count and rankings, there were also credits and student numbers. Even if something was amiss with the counts, student numbers wouldn’t change. Jian Luo, who was sitting beside him, was looking at his friends’ social media updates. After just half an hour of not checking, he found that there had been a dramatic change in his social media feed. The comments under his posts were numerous:

 

【Setting a small goal first】: Can I get a few votes?

 

【Did you attend class today?】: The dishes you cooked for me last time were delicious.

 

【Dragonheart】: Just send the link next time, no need for a lottery.

 

【I’m fierce】: Stinky tofu, stinky tofu, making a wish for stinky tofu.

 

Just by reading the text, Jian Luo could easily tell who each of these posts belonged to. Aside from their classmates, there were also comments from others.

 

【My last name is Jin, not Jin Long】: Luo Luo, keep it up, we’ve all voted.

 

【Programmer’s tired heart】: Voted. Do you want me to write a program to automate the voting?

 

The lively comments section made it seem very festive, and Jian Luo couldn’t help but smile.

 

The head teacher on the stage cleared his throat and said, “Jian Sheng.”

 

Jian Sheng stood up promptly and replied, “Yes.”

 

“About this vote count…” The head teacher hesitated and pushed his glasses up. “It might be a system problem. Don’t worry too much about it.”

 

Jian Sheng was initially excited but didn’t feel too disappointed after the head teacher’s words. Instead, he nodded understandingly and said, “I understand, teacher.”

 

Jian Luo chimed in from the side, “Teacher, there shouldn’t be a problem with the vote count. I just helped my little brother get some votes.”

 

…

 

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell into silence. In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned towards Jian Luo. Some were curious, some skeptical, and many simply couldn’t believe it. Even the head teacher himself thought that Jian Luo was merely joking.

 

Jian Luo didn’t insist and just smiled, “Maybe you can check if there’s any vote manipulation. Can’t you see the specifics in the backend?”

 

Some began to think the same way. Gradually, people noticed the changes in the rankings, and discussions started to unfold:

 

“Is this human?”

 

“Vote manipulation, right?”

 

“Are humans really this brazen?”

 

“Low vote count, yet it surpassed Fei Yuhuan’s votes. Fei Yuhuan, of all people, was overtaken?”

 

“There’s a series of events here.”

 

Many people began to feel discontented. If it was someone with real abilities, it would be acceptable, but it happened to be an unknown student who claimed the first place. Who could believe such a thing? Who could accept it?

 

The ranking system among the Dark Star people was strict. Just like a leaderless group of animals would become chaotic, so would a crowd of people. They would naturally establish a hierarchy based on their abilities. Great noble families, aristocrats, dukes, marquises – the children born into these prestigious families were the most outstanding and usually had strong abilities. Throughout history, the descendants of the great noble families had always occupied the position of leaders in the Dark Star society, and the Dark Star people generally accepted this hierarchy.

 

So when someone challenged this hierarchy, it undoubtedly meant breaking the established rules and challenging the boundaries.

 

“Ding.”

 

The head teacher’s message terminal beeped. He raised his hand to silence the discussions in the classroom and cleared his throat. “Please wait, I need to take a call.”

 

As soon as the call connected, the school principal’s skeptical voice came from the other end. “Xiao Li, what’s going on with that student from your class? Is he up to something behind the scenes? Why is his weight so high? Anyone with common sense can see that something’s fishy, right?”

 

The head teacher would occasionally question things internally, but he was protective when speaking to outsiders. He replied firmly, “Principal, you’ve misunderstood. I know Jian Sheng’s character well. He wouldn’t engage in vote manipulation. If there were any irregularities, I would be the first to address them. However, I just talked to the student’s family, and it seems like a normal campaign. They’ve also requested a backend data audit.”

 

The principal widened his eyes as if he had heard a big joke. “Do we even need an audit for this? How can an account have such a high weight? Do they think great noble families are just stones by the roadside, easy to pick up and vote for them?”

 

The head teacher felt a bit uneasy but persisted, “Let’s still conduct an audit. We should cooperate with the investigation. If there’s a problem, we can address it proactively. If not, it will be based on lack of evidence, and we can clear his name, right?”

 

“…”

 

It had to be admitted that there was some logic to what he said. After some consideration, the school principal made a concession. “Fine, do as you say.”

 

The call ended.

 

The head teacher sighed while looking at the disconnected call, and when he returned to the classroom, all the students were looking up at him. This situation was complicated. Class G had been suppressed for years, often labeled as an underachieving class, but the head teacher had secretly harbored a sense of pride. This time, their class leader had risen to the top, and it couldn’t help but make him feel a bit delighted.

 

If… it wasn’t due to vote manipulation.

 

Jian Luo was calm and even had the mood to tease Jian Sheng. “Have you thought about what to sell in the flea market?”

 

Jian Sheng was in turmoil. “Not yet.”

 

“Try making some handicrafts yourself,” Jian Luo suggested. “Use your brain and see if our schoolmates need anything. I haven’t seen a single toy in our classroom. Don’t they play with toys?”

 

Jian Sheng shook his head. “What toys?”

 

Dark Star children had such a sad childhood?

 

Jian Luo let his imagination run wild. He thought about the dragon cub in his belly and how to raise it in the future. As the hope of the world, they would surely have plenty of companions. He wouldn’t have to worry about it himself. But this little one was still so small, and he had to worry about their early education. When the main body came out, would they be able to read at the age of three and engage in battles at five?

 

Jian Luo sighed and patted his belly. “Sigh, it’s not easy being a parent…”

 

If he wanted to, he could actually become a great noble. After all, he was just a child, and as long as he had a good heart, he wouldn’t have to worry about inheriting any throne.

 

Wait a minute.

 

It seemed like there really was one waiting for him…

 

…

 

Jian Luo was lost in his thoughts, and the head teacher’s phone had received several notifications. Finally, the call with the investigation results came through. The head teacher wiped his forehead and answered the call. “Principal?”

 

The principal’s voice on the other end sounded heavy. “That student in your class… What’s his background?”

 

The head teacher was taken aback. “He’s just an ordinary human child. He transferred here, and you personally approved it, didn’t you?”

 

And he had been quite dissatisfied with that decision.

 

This time, the principal wiped his forehead and looked at the records of backend weight calculations and real-name information. It showed that at least one SSR account had voted, and there were no fewer than 60 S-level noble accounts supporting the campaign. What kind of treatment was this?

 

The holders of SSR accounts were just a few, and it was unheard of to gather all of them. What was even more terrifying was that these data were authentic!

 

The head teacher hesitated. “Vote manipulation?”

 

The school principal felt his legs shaking and tried to maintain a steady voice. “No, it’s genuine.”

 

“Really…” The head teacher’s heart was filled with joy. “Are you saying that our Asheng is really the first, and our class has a first-place student this time?”

 

The principal sighed, unable to reveal too much but with a meaningful tone. “This child has boundless potential…”

 

The head teacher hadn’t fully grasped the meaning behind this but responded, “Yes, I will nurture him well. Thank you, Principal, for giving the child a fair chance!”

 

The call ended.

 

The head teacher, now armed with the news, couldn’t wait to announce it to the class. “The investigation results are out. Ah Sheng’s votes are genuine.”

 

The classroom fell into a profound silence.

 

The head teacher was a bit anxious and worried that some students might not be able to accept this news. But after a moment, someone in the classroom, it was unclear who, started cheering. One child began clapping, and it was an applause free from any bias. The joyful atmosphere spread throughout the entire classroom.

 

Jian Sheng himself couldn’t believe his eyes.

 

Beside him, Jian Luo smiled and patted his shoulder. “Brother, I wasn’t lying, was I?”

 

The head teacher on the stage also sighed deeply. “Hard work doesn’t always go to waste. Don’t give up, everyone, and learn from Asheng in the future.”

 

*Bam!*

 

The classroom door was pushed open. The joy in the room was interrupted as a boy in a deep blue uniform stood at the door, leaning against it with an imposing posture. He looked noble, his brows carrying a hint of hostility. His gaze swept over everyone and then raised an arrogant eyebrow. “Who’s Jian Sheng?”

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 68 – Everyone come and vote

 

Jian Luo said to his little brother, “I’ll go out for a moment.”

 

Jian Sheng thought he needed to go to the lavatory and quickly asked, “Brother, should I accompany you outside?”

 

“No.” Jian Luo didn’t let him follow and said directly, “I’ll go out for some fresh air on my own, take a breather.”

 

Jian Sheng nodded only.

 

Jian Luo stretched lazily and walked out. The architecture of the Dark Star School was rather antique, with uniform milky-white walls and intricately carved glass windows. It had a classical vibe. The corridor was straight, and something similar to wisteria leaves adorning the walls. When you got closer, you could even smell the fragrance of flowers. It was a warm afternoon, and the sunlight was pleasant.

 

Jian Luo found a secluded spot and sat down.

 

He thought for a moment. If he tried to find someone individually to vote, it didn’t seem right. The High Priest had taught him about something called “circle of friends” and it was a sort of messaging app with a status sharing feature. So, he decided to post the voting link in his circle of friends’ accounts. Maybe if someone saw it, they would help with the vote. If no one voted, he could then message them one by one. This way, it seemed perfect.

 

“Where;s the circle of friends app?” Jian Luo muttered to himself.

 

He opened his information terminal. As an outdated person in terms of technology, using the Obsidian Information Terminal felt like an old lady using a smartphone. After searching for a while, he finally found the place to post in the circle of friends, feeling quite pleased.

 

After copying and pasting the link, Jian Luo started typing: “Please kindly vote for my little brother~!”

 

After typing, he checked the text. Jian Luo thought for a moment and added: “[Help to vote and you could win a free meal!]”

 

This time, Jian Luo was satisfied. He clicked send and sent the message.

 

After sending, he waited for a while, but no one voted. Feeling a bit lonely, Jian Luo refreshed the page, but still, there were no votes.

 

Jian Luo pursed his lips. “Is it possible…?”

 

There was no activity in his circle of friends. He could only console himself and wait patiently. He put away the information terminal and was about to get up and leave when his phone received a call from Lu Shifeng.

 

Jian Luo unconsciously curved his lips, a smile building up in his eyes, and he answered, “Hello?”

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice came from the other end, “Need more votes?”

 

“Huh?” Jian Luo didn’t expect to be asked this. He stammered, “What’s up with that? I just casually posted a vote request. You don’t have to take it too seriously.”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “I saw it in your circle of friends.”

 

Jian Luo nodded and said, “Yeah, just wanted to see if anyone would vote for my little brother. Their school is having this voting activity, and kids need votes to participate in the sports festival. Did you have this kind of activity back in school?”

 

Thinking that the Marshal probably went to school too, he should be familiar with such activities. However, Lu Shifeng said, “No.”

 

Jian Luo was stunned, “Huh?”

 

“When I was in school, they came to invite me to participate,” Lu Shifeng said in a calm tone. “I’ve never heard of voting.”

 

“…”

 

Hardcore.

 

Talking to you big shots always leads to dead-end conversations.

 

Jian Luo cleared his throat, suppressing the disappointment in his heart and muttered, “Anyway, that’s how it is. Since you saw it…”

 

As they say, when you have no shame, you can take on the world.

 

Jian Luo, with a thick skin, said, “Then, can you help vote too?”

 

Whether he was mistaken or not, it seemed like Lu Shifeng chuckled and replied, “Sure, I’ve voted.”

 

Jian Luo was satisfied and felt a bit happier. “Thank you. When I get back, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

 

Lu Shifeng paused for a moment, and the Marshal, dominated by familiarity and fear, unconsciously furrowed his brows. “You’re not coming back tonight?”

 

Jian Luo nodded, “Yeah, my little brother’s school has a parent-teacher meeting today, and he’ll have a break afterward. I’m going home for a couple of days.”

 

…

 

Marshal Lu narrowed his eyes, tapped his fingertips on the table, and pondered for a while. He finally made up his mind and nodded, “Alright, I understand.”

 

Jian Luo inexplicably had a bad premonition. It was the kind of premonition that small animals sometimes had, but he had been out for quite a while, and it was time to go back. So, he just nodded and hung up the phone.

 

On the other side.

 

Secretary Jin came in with a pile of documents and asked Lu Shifeng to sign, “Sir, the test reports for the new recruits are out. The first team is applying for field training starting tomorrow. Please give your approval.”

 

Lu Shifeng nodded and took the documents. Secretary Jin stood nearby, waiting obediently. While he was at it, he also organized the daily schedule and reported on the upcoming work.

 

After signing the documents, Lu Shifeng asked, “Did you check Jian Luo’s circle of friends?”

 

Jin Secretary, “Huh?”

 

Lu Shifeng sat elegantly in his chair, idly twirling his pen with one hand and raising his eyelids as he looked at Secretary Jin. His crimson eyes exuded a palpable pressure.

 

Secretary Jin finally realized what he meant and quickly opened Jian Luo’s circle of friends. She saw Jian Luo’s latest update and promptly said, “I’ve voted!”

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow without confirming or denying, “How many votes?”

 

Secretary Jin opened the page and honestly replied, “8 votes.”

 

This couldn’t really be blamed on anyone. If she had to analyze it, it was probably because Jian Luo’s social circle was quite barren! To the point of being extreme. Normally, an average person’s circle of friends would have a couple hundred people, but not Jian Luo. According to Secretary Jin’s knowledge, Jian Luo’s circle of friends probably consisted of just a dozen or so people, and most of them were busy individuals who didn’t have much time to check their friend’s updates.

 

Of course, it was possible that Marshal Lu had a keen interest in Jian Luo and was the first to notice the latest updates in his circle of friends.

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Only 8 votes?”

 

Secretary Jin nodded, agreeing, “Yes, there are 8 votes…”

 

As they spoke, their gazes met. Secretary Jin choked up a bit, under the meaningful gaze of Marshal Lu. Within that gaze, she gradually understood.

 

Secretary Jin had some abilities to reach this point. If she were truly foolish, she would have been laid off already. She just hesitated for a few seconds and immediately said, “I understand!”

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow without confirming or denying, “Go ahead.”

 

On the other side.

 

Jian Fengtai was having afternoon tea with the young emperor.

 

The information terminal made a “ding” sound. The High Priest set down his tea cup, glanced at his friend’s circle, and raised an eyebrow before casting a glance at the emperor. Quietly, he clicked on the link and cast a vote.

 

The young emperor had been talking incessantly before but suddenly noticed that the High Priest beside him seemed to be busy with something. He asked curiously, “Minister, are you looking at something?”

 

Jian Wentai said, “Just taking a look.”

 

The young emperor felt there was something unusual about it. Minister Jian never just “took a look.” If it was official business, there was no need to hide it. If it was a personal matter, the old Phoenix wouldn’t have such expressions. The thing he was most concerned about now was that young student, wasn’t it?

 

The emperor keenly sensed something different. He opened his information terminal, found no messages, and then opened his friend’s circle. Sure enough, the latest update was from Jian Luo’s circle.

 

The young emperor clicked on the link, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “Why are there so few votes?”

 

Jian Wentai had cast his vote and closed the terminal. “Your Majesty also noticed it?”

 

“Yes!” The young emperor’s competitive spirit was aroused. “Only 20-something votes, and it seems like the Dragon Clan is dominating below. No, if this goes on, the prize of a meal might be taken by my imperial uncle. I still want to eat stinky tofu!”

 

Jian Wentai silently watched him.

 

The young emperor turned to his aide and said, “I just posted a link in the group. Pass the order to all the palace staff to vote!”

 

The aide’s mouth twitched but nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

…

 

The High Priest moved his finger slightly.

 

Winning a meal in a lottery was not something he particularly cared about, but the customized meal that Jian Luo was offering had piqued his interest. With so many people in the palace, the probability of him winning was relatively low unless…

 

Jian Wentai remained silent for a moment, moved his hand, and reopened his information terminal. He sent the link to a few trusted subordinates with a concise message: “Vote.”

 

The members of the Phoenix Clan were quite curious lately, especially when it came to gossip. The main topics of discussion revolved around:

 

“Did the Lord’s little wife come today?”

 

“It seems not. Is the Lord playing hide and seek today?”

 

“He seems to have taken a leave.”

 

“Maybe their relationship isn’t what it seems?”

 

The Phoenix Clan, by nature, had an innate curiosity for the unknown, and this desire for knowledge extended to the realm of gossip. Just when everyone was discussing fervently, a link suddenly appeared in the work group. The link’s message was concise: “Vote.”

 

On the other side.

 

Jian Luo returned to the classroom where the head teacher was briefing all the parents and children about recent events. He had just come back, and when he opened his mouth to speak, “Next week, we’re planning to hold a flea market. On one hand, everyone can bring their unused items for exchange, and on the other hand, those who are good at crafts can showcase their skills. Outstanding performances can earn extra points, and with more points, you can participate in the sports festival.”

 

The children below began discussing.

 

One child spoke up, “Teacher, even if we earn more points, we still can’t compete with the D-ranked classes. Do we still need to participate?”

 

The head teacher felt a bit awkward and adjusted his glasses, “Everyone should strive.”

 

But once one child spoke up, others followed suit:

 

“We participated before and still couldn’t win.”

 

“They have a higher household registration level than us.”

 

“The class leader worked really hard, but he was still overtaken.”

 

Jian Sheng, caught off guard, became the center of attention due to the words of a child. Even if it wasn’t intentional, the collective gazes converged on Jian Sheng, and having so many eyes on him was enough to make anyone uncomfortable.

 

Jian Sheng felt a moment of awkwardness, and his hand unconsciously clenched. The child who had spoken hesitated, “I think we should still give it a try. How can we know if we can succeed if we don’t try?”

 

The head teacher nodded and decided to use Jian Sheng as an example, “Take a look, everyone. Jian Sheng is an example worth emulating. Although his vote count is… not high, he has been working very hard. As long as you put in the effort, there is always hope.”

 

As the head teacher spoke, he turned and opened the voting website, saying, “For example, right now he only has a meager… “

 

The page refreshed, and the head teacher choked on his words.

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 67 – Household registration

 

But this was their own matter, and Jian Luo didn’t feel like commenting on it. 

 

At their table, there was also a child, probably Jian Sheng’s good friend, who was struggling with folding paper on his own. Jian Sheng said, “Brother, let me teach him.”

 

Jian Luo shrugged, “It’s up to you.”

 

Jian Luo was quite pleased that Jian Sheng was getting along with his little friend. After all, kids were supposed to have fun. 

 

Jian Sheng tried to teach for a while, but it was clear that he was planning to make origami with his friend. Unfortunately, he lacked experience and didn’t even know how to cut the paper properly. He had to turn to Jian Luo for help.

 

Jian Luo understood the situation, stood up, and walked over. “What’s wrong?”

 

Jian Sheng held up a piece of paper and said, “Why can’t I fold the paper into stars?”

 

It was a somewhat irregular and soft sheet of paper. Jian Luo quickly understood where the problem was. He bent down, sat next to the two kids, and said as he adjusted the size of the paper, “When folding paper, it’s generally better to use not too soft paper; otherwise, it won’t fold well. Also, stars usually have elongated shapes, so the paper shouldn’t be too wide, or it won’t fold nicely.”

 

The Dark Stars’ child seemed a bit uncomfortable with the adult’s presence. Jian Luo noticed this and moved a bit further away, then he placed the well-folded stars on the table. “There, like this.”

 

When choosing paper, he picked a golden one, and the small stars he folded also shone brilliantly under the light, looking very attractive. The little stars stood on the table, and the children liked this unusual plaything.

 

Jian Sheng opened his mouth in amazement. “It’s beautiful.”

 

His friend, who appeared to be a quiet boy, also whispered, “Beautiful.”

 

Jian Luo was also satisfied. “Yes, very pretty!”

 

Both children nodded, but it would be quite challenging for them to learn. Luckily, Jian Luo was patient and willing to explain to the kids.

 

They were sitting at the front of the classroom, and naturally, others noticed what they were doing. Originally, most of the kids were in their own world in the class, and it was unlikely they would engage in such handicrafts. However, when they saw Jian Luo quickly creating a craftwork, it seemed so effortless!

 

The first one who couldn’t resist was a Dragonkin, as they had a keen sense of the dragon aura, and Jian Luo naturally felt close to them.

 

“Teacher?” a Dragonkin girl approached, smiling and bending down. “I saw you were doing handicrafts, can I learn too?”

 

Jian Luo recognized the Dragonkin and promptly agreed, “Of course!”

 

The Dragonkin girl’s child, a golden-haired boy, came with her. She introduced him, saying, “I brought little Kai here to learn with me.”

 

Jian Luo nodded and complimented, “Your son is adorable.”

 

The Dragonkin girl brought a chair and sat down, then shook her head, “Oh, he’s not my son; he’s my comrade’s child.”

 

Jian Luo was surprised. “Oh, isn’t your partner a Dragonkin too? I didn’t know.”

 

The girl smiled shyly, “No, my partner isn’t a Dragonkin. He passed away, but before he did, he donated his genetic material, and this is his clone. Since the child is still young, I’m taking care of him.”

 

Jian Luo nodded thoughtfully.

 

They gathered together to make crafts, and because they had colored paper, the stars they folded were colorful and beautiful.

 

Other children in the classroom were also attracted to what they were doing. They were curious and came over to take a look. Some children were more obvious, moving closer to observe, while others were more reserved and watched from a distance.

 

Jian Luo signaled to Jian Sheng.

 

Jian Sheng understood immediately and approached a classmate who had come closer. “Do you want to join us?”

 

The child hesitated, torn between the fact that Jian Luo was from a different species and the allure of the beautiful stars. Jian Sheng didn’t rush him.

 

After all, creating handicrafts like this was a matter of the heart. Most importantly, they all enjoyed themselves. Jian Luo and Jian Sheng created a joyful atmosphere in the classroom, and soon, many children couldn’t resist joining in the fun.

 

Especially Jian Luo, he loved innovation. 

 

Gradually, cutting flowers didn’t satisfy him anymore, so he started cutting dragons and phoenixes. These were the aristocratic crafts, and many children from prominent families made them.

 

The children couldn’t resist it any longer.

 

“Class monitor, can I learn to cut phoenixes?”

 

“I want to cut flowers.”

 

“This dragon looks so cool…”

 

The exclusion among the humans was relatively shallow among the kids. Older children didn’t have as many worldly concerns, and if something was fun, they would all come over to watch.

 

When the homeroom teacher arrived, the classroom was lively and bustling, a scene they hadn’t seen in a long time. In previous years, the school meetings were always silent. Not to mention the school meetings, even during regular breaks, there weren’t many children gathered together so enthusiastically.

 

Jian Sheng remembered the last time it was this lively; it was when Jian Luo transferred to this school. He brought potato pancakes to share with everyone, being the first human child in the school. He was warm, generous, and actively involved with everyone. He was like a flame that lit up the whole class, breaking the stereotypical impression of humans.

 

So, the homeroom teacher had chosen Jian Sheng as the class monitor back then. This child had shown a surprising sense of responsibility and ability, shattering the conventional image of humans.

 

“Uh, have all the crafts been completed?” the homeroom teacher coughed lightly. “If they are, please hand them in. We’ll need to get them evaluated.”

 

The paper cutting and small stars were colorful and beautiful, and the children brought them up one by one.

 

Jian Luo casually asked his younger brother, “What are they being evaluated for?”

 

“Oh, our school is going to participate in a joint sports event with other schools soon, and there will be evaluations. The classes with high scores get to participate in the sports events,” Jian Sheng explained. “There are many criteria for evaluation, and this performance at the school meeting is one of them.”

 

Jian Luo seemed to understand. “So, how are they being evaluated?”

 

Jian Sheng patiently explained, “Through voting. For example, we just did handicrafts, right? There are online polls on the school intranet. The class or individual with the most votes gets to participate in the sports event.”

 

Jian Luo propped up his chin. “Is it really that important to participate in the sports event?”

 

Jian Sheng was taken aback, looking at Jian Luo in surprise. After all, most educated people knew about this kind of thing, but Jian Luo’s ignorance was unexpected. He explained kindly, “Yes, it’s important. These things count as bonus points when you graduate, and the school may also allocate good positions based on this.”

 

This was interesting. Jian Luo suddenly became interested. “What’s your vote count? I’ll vote for you.”

 

Jian Sheng felt a bit embarrassed but provided the link to the intranet. “I have 13 votes now.”

 

The website displayed the rankings differently, and Jian Sheng had very few votes. There were already some real-time comments below:

 

“It looks pretty good. Did a human make this?”

 

“The work is nice. Is it made by a human?”

 

Of course, there were some friendly comments too:

 

“It looks great. Beautiful.”

 

“Your class did well in this school meeting.”

 

Jian Luo looked at his younger brother’s meager vote count and quickly noticed something suspicious. He pointed at one person on the list, “This person only has 5 votes. How come they’re so high on the list?”

 

With a total of a thousand pages, Jian Sheng and their class were on page eight hundred. This person with only 5 votes was somehow floating around page five hundred. Did that make any sense?

 

Jian Sheng explained patiently, “It depends on the weight of the voting accounts. The Dark Stars have account tiers, ABCD, and then the nobles have SSR tier accounts. This classmate, even though they only have 6 votes, has a relative with an SSR account who voted for them.”

 

Jian Luo clicked on that classmate’s work, which was quite lackluster compared to their class’s beautiful crafts. He realized that despite their hard work, their class was being surpassed just because a noble gave a like.

 

Jian Sheng comforted Jian Luo, “It’s okay, brother. I’m used to this unfair weighting system. Our class is used to it too.”

 

The Dark Stars had strict tier divisions, and classes also had tiers. Jian Sheng’s class was in the lowest tier, F class. The better the class, the higher the weighted accounts of their relatives and friends. So, F class was usually left in the dust.

 

The homeroom teacher said, “Our ranking is quite high this time. There might be a chance to participate in the sports event!”

 

Jian Luo looked up. The screen displayed Jian Sheng’s score, and after the paper cutting and origami, it quickly climbed into the top two hundred.

 

Jian Sheng’s eyes sparkled. “We have 200 votes!”

 

Initially, the children hadn’t held much hope, but the sudden increase in their ranking gave many of them hope. Several teachers were also excited. Just as the school meeting was about to end, the screen ranking started changing again.

 

F class was pushed down with just 80 votes.

 

It was a matter of account weight; nobles had voted.

 

…

 

The entire class fell silent.

 

Jian Luo sat in his chair, chin resting on his hand, pondering for a moment. “It’s time to leverage some connections…”

 

In this day and age, who didn’t have some influential connections?

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 66 – The children of Dark Stars

 

The man was having a hard time accepting this reality and struggled, “Are you kidding me?”

 

Jian Luo handed the communication device over to him, saying, “You’ll know if you answer it yourself.”

 

…

 

Indeed.

 

With some hesitation, the man reluctantly accepted the call and cautiously said, “Hello, Mr. Nie?”

 

Nie Yan replied, “Yes, it’s me, Nie Yan.”

 

This voice!

 

The man’s eyes widened. He had met Nie Yan once, and he would never forget that voice!

 

How could this be? It shouldn’t be possible. How could this human know Nie Yan? And isn’t Nie Yan known for being a businessman who values worth, what value could this human possibly have?

 

“I said, did you stain a shirt?” Nie Yan prepared to resolve the matter swiftly. “Tell me the brand, and I’ll have my secretary find it in the warehouse for you.”

 

!!

 

The man panicked, “Mr. Nie, I’m Fang Licheng. We worked together last time, and whether it’s about clothes or not, we are friends, right? It’s not that big of a deal.”

 

Nie Yan tapped his fingers on the table and extended his voice, “Oh? Is that so?”

 

Fang Licheng continued, “Yes, it’s just a minor misunderstanding.”

 

“But Luoluo said it doesn’t seem that way,” Nie Yan raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to force yourself too much. I’ll have someone deliver the clothing to you.”

 

Fang Licheng’s forehead was covered in sweat. “It’s all just a misunderstanding.”

 

Nie Yan was a cunning figure in the business world; how could he not understand the situation? Besides, it was an opportunity to make Jian Luo feel better.

 

“Fang Boss, don’t worry about the misunderstanding between you and me,” Nie Yan said. “Talk to Luoluo and resolve it before we continue our conversation.”

 

Fang Licheng hurriedly agreed, “Sure, thank you, Mr. Nie!”

 

The call ended.

 

Jian Luo and Jian Sheng stood to the side, both waiting for the call to finish so they could discuss compensation. Since the call connected Fang Licheng, Jian Luo didn’t actually get to speak with Nie Yan directly.

 

After the call, Jian Luo asked him, “What did the boss say?”

 

Fang Licheng’s attitude had done a complete 180-degree turn. He became polite and approached Jian Luo. “Mr. Jian, I’ve been blind. I didn’t know about your relationship with Mr. Nie. Let’s forget about the clothing; let’s be friends instead.”

 

?

 

Jian Luo had a puzzled look on his face, but he guessed that perhaps the boss had resolved the issue for him. However, his younger brother, Jian Sheng, was still technically responsible for the incident, so he needed to handle it properly.

 

“This clothing is worth three million on the market,” Jian Luo said. “Please give me your payment code, and I’ll transfer it to you.”

 

Three million wasn’t a small sum. Jian Luo’s earnings from his live broadcasts for half a year added up to just over three million.

 

Jian Sheng was a bit shocked and looked at his brother. “Brother…”

 

“If we make a mistake, we must take responsibility,” Jian Luo patted his brother on the shoulder. “A man should be responsible.”

 

Fang Licheng was somewhat surprised. “You’re going to compensate?”

 

Jian Luo nodded and extended his hand to request, “However, I need you to provide the purchase invoice for verification.”

 

He wanted to be cautious. In the past, when he was a streamer, he encountered various scams and attempts to take advantage of him. So this time, he wanted to be thorough.

 

But to Jian Luo’s surprise, Fang Licheng appeared hesitant and somewhat guilty. “I’ve already thrown it away. I bought it through a friend, and why would I keep it?”

 

Jian Luo was puzzled. “From what I read on the official website, there should be an invoice, and it’s electronic. You can request it from customer service if you’ve discarded it.”

 

Fang Licheng was sweating profusely. “I said, if you don’t compensate, I can’t be bothered with it. I don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting an invoice.”

 

…

 

Jian Luo suddenly felt speechless.

 

“If not?” Jian Luo offered an alternative. “Perhaps you can send the clothing to us later, and we can try to clean it.”

 

The crowd of onlookers was growing.

 

A woman stepped forward and said, “Mr. Jian, I’ve been watching for a while. This clothing is Luke’s summer limited edition. I work in the fashion industry, and this clothing comes with a one-year warranty and specialized cleaning service to prevent dirt. Mr. Fang, you don’t need to help clean it. Instead, you should be thankful that Mr. Jian is willing to compensate.”

 

The woman chuckled. “Did the salesperson inform you about the cleaning service when you bought it? Or, were you not buying it through official channels?”

 

Fang Licheng, who had been quite pushy earlier, was now on the defensive. “I, I didn’t know.”

 

“You said earlier that you bought it through a friend, not from an official store,” the woman smiled. “I happen to know the Luke sales manager. Let me contact them for you.”

 

Fang Licheng’s face changed drastically, and he loudly interrupted, “No!”

 

The woman, curious, stared at him, her eyes filled with suspicion. Considering Fang Licheng’s behavior and the comments from those around them, it was clear that something was amiss.

 

“Did you buy counterfeit goods?”

 

“Wow, buying counterfeit and making someone pay for the authentic one. How shameless.”

 

“Talk about losing face for the Dark Star people.”

 

“Who’s this student’s parent?”

 

The scattered discussions continued, and Fang Licheng, a man who cared about his reputation, found himself exposed in public. Even his proud daughter looked at him with uncertainty, saying, “Dad?”

 

Fang Licheng was sweating profusely, feeling utterly embarrassed. In reality, he had bought one of those shirts and sent it to Nie Yan to please him. However, he liked the shirt so much that he purchased a fake one to satisfy his vanity.

 

He had been cooperating with Nie’s companies for a while, but lately, he had been getting rejected. Today, he was in a bad mood, and when a human approached him, he vented his frustration, but he had never expected to run into someone who wouldn’t back down.

 

“I have something to attend to,” Fang Licheng wiped his forehead, and then he briskly walked away, saying, “Mr. Jian, let’s meet again next time. I’ll treat you to dinner.”

 

Jian Luo said, “Uh… you…”

 

Before he could finish speaking, Fang Licheng had already left.

 

The onlookers, Dark Star individuals, dispersed as well.

 

Jian Luo turned to the woman who had spoken earlier and extended his hand, saying, “Thank you for speaking up. I’m Jian Luo, nice to meet you.”

 

The woman smiled and said, “You’re welcome. I’m one of your fans. I watch all your live broadcasts, and I came out when I heard you speak.”

 

Jian Luo was pleasantly surprised that one of his fans had come to his aid in person.

 

The woman added, “But I work in the fashion industry. I happen to know Luke’s sales manager, and I could tell right away that the clothing Mr. Fang had was fake. So, I thought I’d help our brand by speaking up.”

 

Jian Luo nodded in understanding, “I see.”

 

After chatting for a while, both of them had to leave for a parent-teacher meeting. Jian Luo briefly explained the situation to his brother and found Jian Sheng’s classroom.

 

The Dark Star school’s classroom was spacious and well-lit. For the parent-teacher meeting, they had arranged the seats differently, with a sign hanging at the front row that read “Jian Sheng.”

 

The class teacher, whose surname was Wang, said, “Jian Sheng is our class monitor. He’s very studious and capable. A promising student.”

 

Jian Sheng interjected, “Did I cause any trouble for you, Mr. Wang?”

 

The class teacher shook his head, “On the contrary, he’s a bit quiet…”

 

Jian Luo didn’t pay much attention to the discussions among the parents and the class teacher. He sat in the corner, chatting with Nie Yan via messages.

 

Nie Yan asked, “Is it your turn for the parent-teacher meeting?”

 

Jian Luo replied, “I’m here with my mother. It’s a good opportunity to learn about my younger brother’s progress. After all, we’ll have to attend these meetings in the future. When you have children, won’t you find it difficult?”

 

“It’s hard to say,” Nie Yan replied. “Depending on the circumstances, I might have to.”

 

Jian Luo continued, “Understanding the current situation should be enough. We can request a report from the school. No need to waste time.”

 

Nie Yan’s response was straightforward, “Agreed.”

 

Jian Luo and Nie Yan continued chatting for a while, but then the parent-teacher meeting was about to begin. Jian Luo expected that many parents would be sitting together, but to his surprise, there were only a few parents in the whole classroom, including himself and his friend, Su Liang. The rest of the seats were occupied by children, most of whom were about the same age as Jian Sheng, around ten years old.

 

Jian Luo glanced around and saw Jian Sheng.

 

Jian Sheng explained in a hushed voice, “Many Dark Star individuals donate their genes after their death, and the incubation centers raise the children. Most of them are taken care of by robotic caretakers, so many parent-teacher meetings have the students attending in person.”

 

…

 

That explains it.

 

Jian Luo surveyed the room again, noticing that there were very few parents present. Out of a classroom with about thirty to forty students, only a few parents had shown up. Among them, Jian Luo, Su Liang, and the others were the only adults, while the rest were children of similar ages, around ten years old.

 

If they were on Earth, most of these children would still be under the care of their parents, but now, it was somewhat tragic to see these kids sitting by themselves, attending the parent-teacher meeting, knowing that they didn’t actually have parents to go home to, just robotic caretakers.

 

Jian Luo suddenly felt a pang of sadness and averted his gaze, forcing himself not to dwell on it.

 

The class teacher stood at the front of the room and cleared his throat, “Thank you all for attending the parent-teacher meeting. Today, we’ll summarize the semester’s progress. But before that, let’s have a little game. I’d like each family to create a handmade craft as a memento of this parent-teacher meeting. You’ll have limited paper and half an hour to complete it.”

 

Handmade craft?

 

Jian Luo was quite familiar with this, as he used to be a streamer and had to have some artistic talent.

 

Paper and crafting materials were distributed, and after the time limit was set, the teacher left.

 

Jian Luo held the paper and looked at it. Jian Sheng suggested, “Brother, how about we make a paper potato?”

 

“…What?”

 

Jian Luo said, “That seems a bit complicated. How about we fold some origami instead?”

 

This new concept, even Su Liang, had mentioned it. She asked, “Luoluo, what’s origami?”

 

“Um… let’s fold the paper into shapes we like,” Jian Luo casually took a long strip of paper and, following the steps from his memory, deftly folded it into a small star. He handed it to Su Liang and Jian Sheng, saying, “Like this.”

 

A little white star lay in their palms, looking very cute.

 

Jian Sheng opened his mouth wide in amazement, “It’s so pretty! Teach me, Brother.”

 

“Sure, it’s straightforward,” Jian Luo said. He patiently taught them, “First, you fold this corner, and then…”

 

In the entire classroom, only the three of them were busy, lively, and accompanied by laughter:

 

“You can make a wish if you fold many stars.”

 

“Wow, why can’t I do it?”

 

“White is too dull; let’s find some colored paper…”

 

Their interaction was typical of how human families would engage in activities, gathering and chatting while working on a craft. Gradually, Jian Luo noticed an underlying sense of restraint in the classroom. He looked around and saw many children with their heads down, quietly crafting their projects.

 

It was supposed to be a parent-child game, but most people seemed quite constrained, and there were only a few who had their parents present. Their interactions appeared awkward, as if they were strangers.

 

Su Liang, who was witnessing this for the first time, asked, “Sheng, is it always like this in your class?”

 

Jian Luo was curious as well.

 

“It’s okay, I guess. The first time I saw it, I found it a bit intimidating, but most of the time, it’s like this,” Jian Sheng said, his expression somewhat melancholic. He added, “Brother, I think most Dark Star people feel very restrained.”

 

Although humans might be noisy, lacking in many aspects, and had their share of shortcomings, their gatherings were lively and spirited, with everyone chattering and creating an atmosphere full of vitality.

 

Dark Star individuals, on the other hand, were different. They lacked for nothing and had everything, yet they seemed somewhat lifeless. It felt as though the vitality of their entire race was slowly fading away, as if this planet, which had given birth to new life for millennia, was gradually nearing its end.

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 65 – The wickedly wealthy

 

Jian Luo furrowed his brows, lifted his foot, and walked up. When he approached, the parent was still talking endlessly, so Jian Luo had to remind him, “Sir, please keep your voice down in the school. Could you also lower your tone a bit, please?”

 

The parent was taken aback, turned around, glanced at Jian Luo, and sneered, “Who the hell are you?”

 

Jian Sheng rushed over when he saw Jian Luo. “Big brother!”

 

Jian Luo quickly stepped back to avoid his younger brother’s embrace and pleaded, “Hey, hey, don’t rush at me.”

 

Jian Sheng halted in his tracks.

 

It was a hot day, and Jian Luo was wearing a simple T-shirt, which made his slight belly protrusion visible. However, his limbs were slender, giving him an unusual appearance. But he was clever enough to choose an oversized T-shirt, which concealed it for the time being.

 

“I’m his guardian,” Jian Luo looked up at the man and asked, “Did you just say my brother dirtied your clothes?”

 

The man scrutinized Jian Luo up and down and was surprised to find that this human was entirely dressed in designer brands, and they were not the affordable ones either; they were high-end limited editions that only the wealthy elite could afford.

 

But…

 

He was still a human.

 

“It’s surprising how humans these days are so into fashion,” the man sneered, unable to conceal his disdain. “Everyone wants to wear designer brands, but it’s a pity that fake stuff can’t last.”

 

Jian Luo understood and raised an eyebrow, “Authentic items also need discerning eyes. Some people can mistake real for fake, and fake for real. It’s quite pitiful.”

 

The man’s face changed, his tone turned unfriendly, and he stepped forward aggressively, pointing at Jian Luo, “What did you say?”

 

Jian Luo, of course, wasn’t afraid of him. After all, he had seen Lu Shifeng’s fierce demeanor. Now, how could such a person intimidate him? But he wasn’t alone now; he had his unborn child inside him. Although Long Ge had said there would be someone to protect him, Jian Luo wouldn’t take any chances with his child’s safety. Thinking of this, he said to Jian Sheng, “Tell your brother, did he really dirty this man’s clothes?”

 

Jian Sheng stood by Jian Luo’s side and hurriedly said, “Brother, it wasn’t on purpose. I rushed over to meet both of you when I found out you and mom were coming. I was in a hurry and didn’t pay attention. He happened to turn the corner, and I didn’t notice, and we collided.”

 

Jian Luo frowned, “Collided?”

 

The man’s clothes were quite soaked with beverages.

 

“The drinks weren’t mine,” Jian Sheng quickly clarified, his eyes slightly red. “The man had his own drinks, and I bumped into him, causing the spill.”

 

So, that was the situation.

 

Jian Luo understood what had happened.

 

“What do you mean?” The man was displeased. “Do you think I’d extort money from you? My clothes are so expensive. Do you think I’d deliberately carry a cup of water and wait for you to bump into me? Ridiculous, trying to extort a human!”

 

Their commotion had attracted the attention of other parents and students passing by, forming a small crowd. He deliberately raised his voice and emphasized the word “human.”

 

Jian Luo furrowed his brows, feeling uncomfortable deep down. He had worked in a high-quality environment before, surrounded by people of high caliber. Although he could sense the discrimination and disdain for humans, it hadn’t been so overt.

 

But now was different, vastly different. He was once again confronted with such blatant discrimination, and it was disconcerting.

 

Jian Luo decided to control his temper, “How much did this outfit cost? I’ll compensate you.”

 

“I said I don’t want your money. Can’t you understand?” The man retorted, hands on his hips. “This is a limited edition. Unless you find me an identical one, I’ll definitely report this to the school authorities.”

 

He seemed certain that Jian Luo would beg for forgiveness.

 

Jian Sheng couldn’t take it anymore; his childish face pouted, “Why are you like this? You said it’s a limited edition. If we can’t afford to compensate you, should we not attend this school? We didn’t mean to be clumsy.”

 

“Hey,” the man said with an unfriendly tone, “You dirtied my clothes, and you’re still arguing?”

 

Standing not far from Jian Sheng was a little girl around his age, the man’s daughter. She glanced at Jian Sheng, “Class Monitor, don’t you always talk about fairness and justice? You dirtied my dad’s clothes, so in the name of fairness, you should compensate.”

 

Jian Luo was surprised and looked down at his brother. He had no idea that his little brother had become the Class Monitor. Mostly because the child hadn’t mentioned it when he got home!

 

Jian Sheng, with his delicate features, pouted, “Qi Yue, can you discuss it with your uncle? I really didn’t do it on purpose.”

 

“We’ve already discussed it,” the man said, displeased. “Why can’t you understand? If you can’t afford to compensate, don’t come to this school. You’re always so hasty, making mistakes like this all the time. You’re truly uncultured.”

 

This was clearly an attitude that didn’t want an amicable resolution.

 

Jian Luo furrowed his brows. If he had wanted an amicable resolution earlier, he didn’t now. He took a step forward, “Limited edition clothes?”

 

The man choked up, somewhat daunted by Jian Luo’s demeanor.

 

Jian Luo looked at him with a deep gaze and said word by word, “If I can find another one for you, will you also apologize for your rude attitude today?”

 

The man was taken aback at first, then laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke. He said, “What are you doing? Fine, if you can find another one for me, I’ll apologize.”

 

But this was impossible.

 

As far as he knew, the only person who had the same clothing as his was the richest man, Nie Yan. The clothing had originally belonged to him, but due to some business dealings, he had given one of them to Mr. Nie as a gift. So, it was almost like a unique piece now, and Jian Luo would never be able to find another one.

 

Jian Luo nodded, “Alright, please wait.”

 

He reassured Jian Sheng, patted his shoulder, and whispered, “Wait here.”

 

Jian Sheng held his hand, sounding somewhat worried, “Brother…”

 

Jian Luo didn’t need to guess what was on the child’s mind. Sometimes, he felt that being too understanding was also a kind of sorrow. Most children who could cry and throw tantrums had an abundance of love and self-esteem, but the overall human environment was a sad one.

 

“It’s okay,” Jian Luo crouched down. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

 

His brother kept his head low and remained silent.

 

Jian Luo sighed inwardly and stood up, walking over to initiate communication with Nie Yan, his boss. Usually, he rarely initiated contact with him.

 

On the other end – a business meeting.

 

The tallest building of the Dark Star exuded an aura of opulent wealth and corruption. Nie Yan sat at the head of the conference room, listening to the managers of various subsidiaries eloquently presenting this quarter’s performance.

 

Suddenly—

 

[Ding ding.]

 

A message alert shattered the tranquility of the room. Nie Yan glanced down at the communication device, then slowly raised his hand, making a gesture that silenced the previously chattering executives. Everyone at the table fell silent like chickens.

 

Nie Yan opened the communication and said in a deep voice, “What is it?”

 

On the other end, Jian Luo sounded a bit nervous. “Boss, am I bothering you?”

 

“It’s fine,” Nie Yan looked at the people around the table. “I’m in a meeting. The time these people are spending here without working is worth about ten million stars a day. I hope our conversation is equally valuable.”

 

Jian Luo choked for a moment, momentarily tempted to hang up the call. Fortunately, his composure held, and he didn’t lose his mind.

 

“Well, boss, I have something to discuss with you.”

 

Nie Yan remained silent for a while. “Is it about this?”

 

Jian Luo’s heart hung in the balance, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous. This matter might be significant to him, but for someone like Nie Yan, it could be quite trivial.

 

What if Nie Yan demanded compensation of ten million stars dollars later?

 

“Sorry,” Jian Luo wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I hope I’m not bothering you with this. Should I contact your secretary instead?”

 

He was making this call in the communications room, but everyone in the background was paying close attention.

 

Especially the man who had been closely observing Jian Luo. He sneered, “Haven’t they said not to waste time on trifles? Nowadays, humans like to make a mountain out of a molehill, huh?”

 

Jian Luo furrowed his brow.

 

Nie Yan heard what was said on the call, and he tapped his fingers lightly before speaking, “I don’t remember the specific piece of clothing you’re talking about. I receive gifts from many people every day, and there’s no value in my going through them one by one.”

 

Jian Luo sighed inwardly. “It’s okay; I’m sorry to have bothered you and wasted your time.”

 

“Hmm,” Nie Yan responded, then continued, “However, since you’ve come to me, and you’ve already wasted my time, in terms of value, solving this issue won’t be a loss for the time you’ve taken.”

 

Jian Luo was puzzled.

 

Nie Yan hadn’t finished. “Go back, and let the person on the other end know I want to speak with him.”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback. “You want to talk to him?”

 

“Yes,” Nie Yan didn’t want to say much. “Hurry up, don’t waste time.”

 

“You have the money, so you have the right,” Jian Luo turned around and faced the man who had been smirking at him. He took a few steps forward and said, “Hey, would you like to take a call?”

 

The man was dumbfounded. “What call?”

 

“Mr. Nie’s call. I just discussed the situation with him, and he said he wants to talk to you.”

 

The man looked at Jian Luo as if he couldn’t believe his ears. “Who did you say?”

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 64 – Lu Shifeng’s beloved wife

 

The salesperson at the women’s clothing store was momentarily taken aback. Jian Luo turned and looked at the woman over there, asking, “But your men’s clothing store, I want to buy women’s clothing.”

 

The salesperson looked slightly surprised. “Are you buying for someone else?”

 

Jian Luo nodded and introduced Su Liang, saying, “I brought my mother here to try on some clothes.”

 

The salesperson smiled warmly. “Of course, we also have a women’s clothing store right next door! You’re our esteemed member, and I’m here to assist you with anything you need.”

 

Jian Luo hadn’t expected that their store also sold women’s clothing. He immediately said to Su Liang, “Let’s switch to another store then.”

 

Su Liang nodded.

 

Just as they were about to leave, the manager of the women’s clothing store reacted first. She stepped forward to intercept Jian Luo and said, “Sir, did you just find a women’s outfit in our store that you’d like to try on? We can prepare it for you to try right away.”

 

Jian Luo paused and looked at the manager, his tone indifferent. “Worried about it getting dirty?”

 

The manager chuckled awkwardly and stood in front of Jian Luo. “Sir, what are you saying? How could that be? The girl who just served you is new here, and she’s very considerate. Please don’t judge us based on her.”

 

Her attitude now was completely different from her earlier arrogance.

 

Jian Luo raised an eyebrow and looked at the manager. After a moment of silence, he glanced at the salesperson who had spoken initially and smiled faintly. “New, you say?”

 

The manager nodded, “Yes.”

 

Jian Luo’s expression remained indifferent. “If she’s new, then let’s consider it training. I wouldn’t want to make a mess in your store.”

 

The manager choked up, her face turning somewhat unpleasant.

 

Jian Luo, accompanied by Su Liang, left the store. The salespeople in the store opposite them were all smiles, as if they had seen a wealthy patron approaching them. “Please come in.”

 

The group left together.

 

One of the female salespersons walked up to the manager and said, “Manager, why did you try to keep him? Look at the clothes he was wearing…”

 

The manager cursed in frustration, “What do you understand? Do you know how much a VIP like Lord Huangchen Clothing spends to qualify?”

 

The female salesperson hesitated, “How much?”

 

“Ten million!” The manager gritted her teeth. “I heard that his store was once emptied by someone, all the clothes for the small-sized humans. Have you considered that?”

 

The female salesperson was at a loss. “Well, maybe…”

 

The manager sighed deeply and gave a cold look to the female salesperson. “You’d better hope it’s maybe, or else…”

 

Losing a big order like that was an absolute disaster.

 

On the other side – Huangcheng Clothing Store.

 

Jian Luo had noticed before that their store’s styles and materials leaned more towards the aesthetics and requirements of humans. He hadn’t expected there to be a women’s clothing store as well.

 

The salesperson was enthusiastic towards Su Liang. “Your skin is so fair, and your figure is really good. We just received a new batch of dresses and suits. Please be sure to try them on.”

 

Su Liang looked at the dresses on the rack – fitted ones, long ones, with fresh and innovative colors and patterns.

 

Her eyes sparkled. “I’d like to see them.”

 

The salesperson happily handed her some dresses. “Please try them on. The fitting rooms are in the back.”

 

Su Liang blushed a bit. “Thank you, but I’m a bit older, maybe these aren’t suitable…”

 

The salesperson, an alien herself, understood the situation. Women like Su Liang, at her age, were in the prime of their youth, the most beautiful time of their lives. She reassured, “You’re worrying too much; these clothes will suit you very well.”

 

Jian Luo, who was behind them, added, “Mom, just give it a try.”

 

Su Liang nodded and went to try on the clothes.

 

Jian Luo sat down and sighed a bit. He had found that Su Liang’s mindset was somewhat conservative and reserved. He had inquired and learned that Su Liang was still in her thirties, not even 40 yet. In the environment of the Dark Star, human lifespans had increased significantly, with most living to around 100 years.

 

In other words, Su Liang’s life had only just begun.

 

Jian Luo didn’t want her to end or give up so quickly. He hoped that Su Liang could regain her confidence and truly be herself.

 

The curtain opened.

 

Su Liang walked out in a white, form-fitting dress. Her skin was fair, her figure graceful, and her temperament gentle. Her hair was simply arranged at the back of her head, with a few strands falling by her ears, adding a soft touch. There were a pair of high-heeled shoes specially provided in the fitting room, and she walked in them gracefully, the high-quality fabric of the dress emitting a dazzling radiance.

 

The server couldn’t help but exclaim, “Truly remarkable.”

 

Jian Luo sincerely added, “Mom, you look beautiful.”

 

“Really?” Su Liang took a few steps, and due to the high heels, her steps were a bit awkward. She walked up to the glass and looked at the woman in the mirror with a hint of disbelief.

 

The server chimed in from behind, “It suits you very well. You look beautiful.”

 

Su Liang stared at herself in the mirror for a moment and murmured, “I’ve never worn anything like this before. It looks…”

 

She had never worn clothes like this, as she always had to work, and wearing such clothes would hinder her movements. Even during her wedding, she hadn’t dressed so elegantly.

 

Jian Luo walked up from behind, saying, “Mom, you look really good in it.”

 

Su Liang murmured, “But these are not the kind of clothes you wear in daily life.”

 

“In that case, let’s buy something for daily wear as well,” Jian Luo replied casually. “After all, you have a clothes rack, so you can wear whatever you want.”

 

Su Liang wanted to refuse, but when she thought about Jian Luo’s current achievements and status, and the embarrassment of attending a school parent meeting in shabby clothes, she reluctantly agreed.

 

What Su Liang didn’t expect was that Jian Luo had packed up all the clothes she had tried on, both the ones she liked and the ones she hadn’t tried yet. Clothes of all sizes filled the entire long table, and the store employees were busy packing them.

 

The manager even personally escorted them to the door. “Don’t worry, we will have someone deliver these to you. The clothes also come with after-sales support. If there’s any damage or wrinkles, we will provide free repairs, and even cleaning services are included. Just contact me, and a specialist will come to your door.”

 

Jian Luo nodded and said, “Thank you.”

 

The store employees expressed their gratitude, “It’s an honor to serve you.”

 

For customers of this level, the manager would never neglect them, and the commotion in the entire store also caught the attention of neighboring clothing stores.

 

The store had glass doors, and the long table filled with clothes swiped by credit cards piqued the interest of all the shopkeepers. Such a high-profile customer was a rare sight, probably not seen for a long time!

 

Across the street, the store was in even greater shock.

 

One of the female salespeople couldn’t believe it. “How is this possible…”

 

The store manager was so angry she felt like she was about to faint. She glared at the female salesperson angrily. “You useless thing! You’ve ruined the entire store’s performance! Starting today, you’re off your post, and you’ll need to undergo retraining!”

 

The female salesperson’s heart sank. She felt like the world was mocking her. She looked at Jian Luo and Su Liang’s attire, unable to believe how a human could be so wealthy. There must be something fishy going on…

 

The next day was the parent-teacher meeting at Jian Luo’s school.

 

It was a private noble school, so the parents who came for the meeting were all relatively well-off. On the day of the parent-teacher meeting, the place was bustling with various luxury cars.

 

Jian Luo had been sent there by Lu Shifeng. He sat in the back with Lu Shifeng, while Su Liang sat in the front. Throughout the journey, she listened nervously, fearing that her son would do something reckless and embarrass her, especially since the marshal seemed quite satisfied with Jian Luo.

 

However, Jian Luo had no self-awareness whatsoever.

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Finish eating it.”

 

“I’m full,” Jian Luo frowned, a bit annoyed. “I don’t like the taste; it’s bitter.”

 

Lu Shifeng tried to persuade him, “It’s nutritious.”

 

Jian Luo pretended not to hear, “Dragon fruit is nutritious too. I’ll eat more dragon fruit tomorrow.”

 

“Same thing.” Lu Shifeng made him finish the last bite. “This is the last one.”

 

Jian Luo stuffed the sweet fruit into his mouth and pretended to see something. “I’m full now. If I eat more, I’ll be too full, and then you’ll have to carry me.”

 

Lu Shifeng raised an eyebrow. “Do you still have room for sweet fruit?”

 

Jian Luo turned the tables on him, sounding a bit aggrieved. “So now you’re willing for me to eat something?”

 

Conversations like these made Su Liang’s heart race. She never imagined that her son would be so audacious. Wasn’t he afraid of angering the marshal? A person like Lu Shifeng could be terrifying when angered!

 

What surprised her even more was that Lu Shifeng put away the fruit. “If you want to eat sweet fruit later, take some with you. Don’t go hungry.”

 

Jian Luo nodded. “Okay, thanks, Long ge. I’ve already acted.”

 

Su Liang couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Wasn’t her child afraid of anything?

 

Lu Shifeng then repeated, “You can eat some sweet fruit later; don’t starve yourself now.”

 

Jian Luo nodded and adamantly said again, “Alright, thanks, Long ge. I’m already full.”

 

…

 

Getting off the car, Su Liang’s heart felt uneasy. Since the car couldn’t enter the school premises, they had to walk in from outside. Jian Luo was supposed to meet them at the entrance, but their son wasn’t at the designated spot.

 

Jian Luo waited for a while and tried to reassure Su Liang, “I’ll send a message to check.”

 

Su Liang nodded lightly. “I hope nothing has happened to him.”

 

“I’ll find out,” Jian Luo replied. He sent a message, but there was no response. Just as he was about to consider going inside himself, he noticed a group of people gathered under the shade of trees in the distance, seemingly for no apparent reason. He had a strange premonition.

 

Jian Luo said to Su Liang, “Mom, please wait for me here. I’ll go take a look.”

 

Su Liang hesitated for a moment but nodded. “Okay.”

 

Jian Luo walked towards the group of people under the tree shade, and as he got closer, he could hear Jian Sheng’s voice. There was another parent nearby, angrily shouting, “Are you capable of compensating? Can you afford it? Pay attention when you’re walking! How did a human child even get in here? Did you come to the wrong school? Do you know how valuable my belongings are?”

 

Jian Sheng lowered his head and kept apologizing, “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. I will compensate.”

 

The man brushed his clothes and continued, “How uncultured! You say you’ll compensate, but do you even know the value of my clothes? They are the same model as Mr. Nie’s. Do you know Mr. Nie? Besides him, there’s only me with this limited edition outfit. Fine, I also need an apology from you. Let your parents come to negotiate about the cost of the clothes. I need an explanation!”

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 63 – Pregnant with a little phoenix instead?

 

Jian Luo fell into deep thought, pondering whether his work attitude was still suitable for staying here.

 

“Ding ding.”

 

A message arrived. Jian Luo quickly opened it and found that it was from Zhan Wentai. Just seeing the name Zhan Wentai made his head ache and his scalp tingle, as if he had suddenly returned to his homeroom teacher.

 

Zhan Wentai: 【Are you at work?】

 

Jian Luo replied yes.

 

Zhan Wentai: 【Perfect timing. The courses I’ve arranged for you are almost done. If you’re free, I’ll come pick you up.No worries if you’re busy.】

 

Since there weren’t any leads on the watermelon incident for now, Jian Luo decided to tidy up and head over.

 

As he was about to leave, he said to Wang Heng, “I’m going out.”

 

Wang Heng didn’t even look up. “Go ahead.”

 

“…Aren’t you curious where I’m going?” Jian Luo raised an eyebrow. “Or do you not even want to know what I’m doing when I go out?”

 

Wang Heng straightened up. “Is it important? You won’t be of much use here.”

 

Harsh.

 

Jian Luo tidied up and headed to Phoenix Terrace. Now, going there was as familiar as going back to his own home, almost effortless.

 

A follower standing nearby said, “Please wait on the fifth floor. We’ll be there shortly.”

 

Jian Luo nodded. “Alright.”

 

“Don’t misunderstand.” The follower added, “Many matters from the Phoenix Clan’s affiliated planets require approval, so it’s quite busy.”

 

?

 

Jian Luo had question marks forming in his mind.

 

Something didn’t seem right, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. The explanation sounded fine at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it felt off.

 

“Well… that must be quite demanding,” Jian Luo replied dryly. “You all are quite impressive.”

 

The follower smiled. “It’s appreciated that you understand. Our leader is very good.”

 

Jian Luo silently nodded and walked upstairs, where a table was already set with hot tea and even sliced holy dragon fruit. Everything was prepared meticulously, so he picked up a book and began to review.

 

While engrossed in his reading, footsteps approached from the side, and Zhan Wentai asked, “How did you do with the assignments I gave you last time?”

 

Jian Luo looked up and met Zhan Wentai’s golden eyes. They were a unique shade of pure and clean gold, devoid of worldly distractions, like a rare and precious gem.

 

Uh-oh…

 

Why did his face-con tendencies act up again?

 

Zhan Wentai furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing!” Jian Luo desperately tried to maintain his composure. “I’ve completed my assignments, and I’ve asked Long ge to help me with corrections. Everything’s fine.”

 

As he spoke, Jian Luo sent his assignments to Zhan Wentai, but the priest fell into a long silence.

 

The silence was deadly.

 

Jian Luo grew anxious. “Is there something wrong with the way I wrote it?”

 

Zhan Wentai spoke slowly, “You call him Long-ge?”

 

???

 

Wasn’t that a common way to address someone at home?

 

Jian Luo stammered, “Is there something wrong with it? I’m not really familiar with these titles.”

 

Zhan Wentai thought for a moment, his gaze slowly sweeping over Jian Luo, finally resting on Jian Luo’s slightly protruding belly, which was now showing signs of pregnancy. The once slender Jian Luo had put on a little weight, looking round and healthy, filled with love.

 

Zhan Wentai said, “You can call me ‘teacher.'”

 

“Hmm?” Jian Luo thought about it and agreed. After all, it was appropriate to address his mentor as ‘teacher.’ So he said enthusiastically, “Teacher!”

 

Zhan Wentai’s expression improved slightly, and he nodded gently. “Hmm.”

 

The servant who had been waiting nearby, about to deliver an urgent document, had trembling hands. Finally, they confirmed the rumors circulating among the Phoenix Clan members. It turned out that their king was no longer indifferent to the prospect of marriage. And the person he was involved with was just an ordinary student!

 

Their king was usually so ascetic, spending his time either working, practicing, or meditating. He was incredibly rule-abiding and uninteresting. But ever since Jian Luo entered the scene, Zhan Wentai had become entirely different!

 

“He’s reading that history book that dates back eight hundred years.”

“He even studied how to attend online classes just to get closer to the younger generation.”

“Yes, he even set aside his lunchtime just to be with that student.”

 

Various rumors and gossip spread like wildfire. It began with suspicion about Zhan Wentai’s student, then evolved into speculation about his significant other, and ultimately, it reached the highest level of speculation: suspecting that he might marry that student.

 

Now, as the servant witnessed this scene, their hands couldn’t stop trembling. They never expected Zhan Wentai to be so open about his relationship. Teacher-student role-play? Who would have thought? This might affect the values of the Phoenix Clan…

 

Zhan Wentai, oblivious to the wild imaginings of his subordinates, put down the exam paper and asked, “Is this your own work?”

 

Jian Luo replied from across the table, “Yes, it’s my own work. I asked Long-ge to review it, and he pointed out some grammar errors. I’ve learned the correct usage.”

 

Zhan Wentai nodded. “Very good. Today, we’ll move on to the next unit.”

 

Jian Luo was full of enthusiasm. “Great!”

 

The teacher-student relationship continued to harmonize, and Zhan Wentai greatly appreciated diligent and intelligent students. Jian Luo, at the moment, was not only diligent but also eager to learn, so there were no conflicts between them.

 

After the lesson, as Jian Luo was packing up his books, Zhan Wentai said, “Today, the Research Institute rejected your application?”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback and mumbled, “Uh… I didn’t expect it to be that troublesome.”

 

“Do you study ancient Earth’s culture?” Zhan Wentai continued, “The reason they’re hesitant to approve it is because the culture of ancient Earth is complex. Even for students, not everything can be translated, and too many dead ends in research can impact the original data. However, if you can understand it, I can make an exception for you.”

 

Jian Luo considered and said, “I’ll give it a try.”

 

To him, ancient Earth was just a destination for a trip a year from now. English and Chinese were nothing for a native Chinese speaker like him.

 

Zhan Wentai nodded. “Good. I’ll grant you access once.”

 

Jian Luo hesitated. “What if I can’t find anything…”

 

“No problem.” Zhan Wentai’s face remained calm as he spoke in a serene tone, “I can bear that loss.”

 

Jian Luo looked at Zhan Wentai’s calm and composed demeanor and felt both moved and sad. It was lucky, but all of this was because of the child inside him. It was heartwarming but also bittersweet, as none of it was because of him.

 

Jian Luo finished packing up his books and said, “I’ll be going then.”

 

Zhan Wentai furrowed his brow, not understanding why Jian Luo suddenly seemed down, but he simply nodded and said, “Hmm.”

 

By the time Jian Luo left Phoenix Tower, it was already the end of the workday. He had arranged to meet with Su Liang later and take her shopping for some clothes. After all, clothes make the man, and beautiful clothing and makeup could boost a woman’s confidence.

 

His secretary, Jin, called, “Luo Luo, do you need a ride?”

 

“No, it’s okay.” Jian Luo considered and said, “If the driver could pick me up and drop me off at the mall, that would be great.”

 

Jin was enthusiastic, “Going shopping? Do you want me to accompany you? I’m quite familiar with the mall, and I have a gold card for discounts. It could save you a lot.”

 

Jian Luo was touched, “No, it’s fine. I’m just going with my mom. Thank you.”

 

“No problem at all.” Jin sent the QR code for the gold card and said, “Remember to use this. It offers discounts throughout the mall!”

 

Jian Luo accepted it gratefully, “Thank you!”

 

The driver picked him up, and Jian Luo bumped into Su Liang as they entered the opulent and dazzling Central Shopping Mall. It looked like a magnificent pearl in the night sky, exuding a unique elegance from top to bottom, with brightly lit windows.

 

Su Liang was experiencing such a place for the first time, and she was a bit reserved. “Luo Luo, are we really buying things in such an expensive place?”

 

Jian Luo, with his arm around his mother, reassured her, “Mom, this is the regular shopping mall for everyday expenses on Dark Star. It’s not that expensive here, and besides, it’s not a waste. Your son’s salary can afford a couple of clothes!”

 

The first and second floors were filled with women’s clothing. Jian Luo had previously bought men’s clothing, so this time, he took his mother to the women’s section and said, “Let’s take a look.”

 

Su Liang tilted her head and gazed at the dazzling array of clothing, her eyes wide with amazement. “They’re so beautiful…”

 

A welcoming staff member approached them with enthusiasm, but as soon as their eyes fell on Su Liang, their expression dimmed. It was evident that Su Liang’s appearance was humble.

 

The service was curt, “What would you like to order?”

 

Jian Luo was taken aback. When he had visited with Lu Shifeng before, the service had been excellent at every store. Why was it so different now?

 

Su Liang felt the awkwardness and looked at Jian Luo for guidance.

 

Jian Luo smiled reassuringly at her and led her to browse the clothes. He pointed at an elegant white dress on a shelf, which seemed to suit Su Liang’s style, and asked, “Mom, what do you think of that one?”

 

Su Liang nodded, “It’s pretty, but I don’t know the price…”

 

Jian Luo smiled, trying to ease her concerns, “It’s okay, go ahead and try it on. Don’t worry about the money.”

 

Having decided on the garment, Jian Luo turned to the staff member and said, “Excuse me, could you please take down that dress for us to try?”

 

The staff member glanced at them indifferently and responded with undisguised disdain, “Sorry, you can’t try it on.”

 

Jian Luo fell silent, “Why not?”

 

“Trying it on would make it dirty,” the staff member replied with a mocking tone. “If it gets dirty, you have to buy it.”

 

Jian Luo felt a growing anger inside him.

 

Su Liang’s eyelashes quivered, and she tugged at Jian Luo’s hand, saying, “Luo Luo, let’s forget it. Let’s go outside. This dress isn’t that important.”

 

As they stood there in an awkward silence, they suddenly heard a voice from not far away.

 

“Is that Mr. Jian?”

 

Jian Luo turned around and saw a staff member from the store where he had bought men’s clothing last time. He was pleasantly surprised. “Are you shopping today too?”

 

It turned out that the store where he had previously bought men’s clothing was right across the way. Jian Luo hadn’t realized it before.

 

The staff member was delighted. “Did you find something suitable? If not, please take a look at our store!”

 

Jian Luo was lost in thought, considering whether his current job attitude was going to work out for him.

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

Chapter 62 – Human Beings are quite fragile

 

As the words fell, Jian Luo felt like he had witnessed the legendary “dark face” in action. Guo Feicheng’s expression darkened instantly. Jian Luo regretted saying what he did, but in a situation like that, where the arrow was already on the string, he had to shoot it. If he didn’t make a sarcastic remark, Guo Feicheng might have mistaken him for an ally to expose Lu Shifeng’s weaknesses. 

 

Though he didn’t entirely believe Guo Feicheng’s words, Jian Luo somewhat agreed with one point: Lu Shifeng was truly inscrutable. He wanted to live a few more years, not end up in trouble because he knew too much.

 

“I see you’re not afraid to speak up,” Guo Feicheng’s voice turned cold, but his peach blossom face still carried a hint of a smile. “What, did you think I wouldn’t dare to do anything to you?”

 

Jian Luo stepped back quietly. “Why do you have to find me? Actually, what I said to him isn’t that important, and it’s not as impressive as you think.”

 

Guo Feicheng chuckled, “No, your talent is something else. It’s been centuries, and no one has your kind of talent.”

 

…

 

Simple words, yet so much meaning. Jian Luo was about to speak when suddenly, the balcony door slammed open, making everyone shiver. 

 

Standing at the door was a tall and upright man, Lu Shifeng. He raised an eyebrow, his blood-red eyes glinting ominously. Slowly, he raised his eyebrow and spoke clearly, “Are you about done chatting?”

 

The rooftop fell into silence. Before Jian Luo could react, Guo Feicheng sensed the dangerous aura. His face changed, and just as he was about to spread his wings to fly away, Lu Shifeng disappeared from his original spot and reappeared, sending Guo Feicheng flying off the 20th floor.

 

Free-falling, in danger. When a dragon is in danger, it spreads its wings, but if they can’t open due to a superior force, they become useless.

 

With a thud, Guo Feicheng crashed into a floating cloud car. Before he could react, a figure appeared next to him in mid-air. Lu Shifeng looked down at him, his eyes icy and full of malice.

 

Guo Feicheng sat up slowly, coughing, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. He chuckled hoarsely, “Big brother, you’re really angry this time. I’m scared.”

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice was calm, “If you dare to touch him, I’ll show you what real fear is.”

 

Guo Feicheng and Lu Shifeng locked eyes. He continued to smile, “You know, it’s dangerous if you have weaknesses. Humans are quite fragile.”

 

Lu Shifeng crouched down slowly, “Say one more word, and it will be dangerous.”

 

…

 

What was he thinking? Jian Luo was about to speak when suddenly, the balcony door slammed open, making everyone shiver.

 

Standing at the door was a tall and upright man, Lu Shifeng. He raised an eyebrow, his blood-red eyes glinting ominously. Slowly, he raised his eyebrow and spoke clearly, “Are you about done chatting?”

 

The rooftop fell into silence. Before Jian Luo could react, Guo Feicheng sensed the dangerous aura. His face changed, and just as he was about to spread his wings to fly away, Lu Shifeng disappeared from his original spot and reappeared, sending Guo Feicheng flying off the 20th floor.

 

Free-falling, in danger. When a dragon is in danger, it spreads its wings, but if they can’t open due to a superior force, they become useless.

 

With a thud, Guo Feicheng crashed into a floating cloud car. Before he could react, a figure appeared next to him in mid-air. Lu Shifeng looked down at him, his eyes icy and full of malice.

 

Guo Feicheng sat up slowly, coughing, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. He chuckled hoarsely, “Big brother, you’re really angry this time. I’m scared.”

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice was calm, “If you dare to touch him, I’ll show you what real fear is.”

 

Guo Feicheng and Lu Shifeng locked eyes. He continued to smile, “You know, it’s dangerous if you have weaknesses. Humans are quite fragile.”

 

Lu Shifeng crouched down slowly, “Say one more word, and it will be dangerous.”

 

…

 

Jian Luo and Lu Shifeng were silent for a while. Then, Lu Shifeng reached out his hand and said, “Come.”

 

Honestly, when a marshal extends his hand, life and death hang in the balance. Jian Luo hesitated for a moment but obediently walked over. He stood by Lu Shifeng’s side and whispered, “What about Guo Feicheng?”

 

Lu Shifeng said, “Let’s go.”

 

Fortunately, it wasn’t a fatal outcome. Jian Luo couldn’t help but feel curious about what Lu Shifeng was planning, but looking at his stern expression, he decided it was better not to ask too many questions. Sometimes, knowing too much could be dangerous. So, he continued to act as if he had no brains, no worries, and no danger.

 

But he still had questions.

 

“How did you know I was here?” Jian Luo raised his head and asked, “You arrived just in time.”

 

Lu Shifeng glanced down at him, seemingly disdainful of Jian Luo’s intelligence. “When I gave you the wristband, I mentioned that it’s for monitoring your safety.”

 

Jian Luo suddenly realized, “That’s right!” 

 

The two of them descended the stairs. The director in their bag had already had a bit too much to drink and was still clamoring for another round.

 

Jian Luo said to him, “Director, I’m going back first.”

 

The director, a bit intoxicated, protested, “Why are you leaving, Luo Luo? Don’t go. Have another drink. Where’s Feicheng? Let’s drink together.”

 

Jian Luo was embarrassed, and Lu Shifeng spoke for him, “He won’t drink. I’m taking him back. You guys can continue; the bill has been settled.”

 

The director didn’t quite catch that and just nodded vaguely.

 

After a while, as they walked away, the director almost lost his grip on his wine glass. He hesitated and asked, “Who was the person with Luo Luo just now?”

 

The staff beside him exchanged glances. “Guo… Guo Feicheng, perhaps?”

 

“Could be…”

 

“I can’t remember.”

 

“Who was it, exactly?”

 

No one could remember too clearly, but they all felt that something was not quite right.

 

The next day, Jian Luo overslept, as he often did.

 

“I’ve gotten used to it,” Wang Heng said. “Your habit of being late, leaving early, and taking days off every day is just something we’ve come to expect. If it weren’t for your chili cultivation, I’d still think you’re here because of connections. Actually, I still think that way.”

 

“…”

 

Too real.

 

Jian Luo wanted to struggle a bit more. “What if I told you I’m working hard to become a connection? Would you believe that?”

 

Wang Heng chuckled. “Heh.”

 

After their usual conversation, Jian Luo provided Wang Heng with a simple watermelon cultivation plan. The seasons on this planet were different from those on the Dark Star, and he had spent almost a year here. The weather was still hot as it was summer.

 

His belly had gradually begun to show signs of his pregnancy, a small round curve when he bent over, a little chubby.

 

Jian Luo spoke to the information terminal’s holographic screen, “When it comes to watermelon cultivation, one of the most important aspects to consider is disease prevention. Your seed is the disease. In fact, watermelons are quite prone to diseases, and there are many factors that can cause them. It’s challenging to prevent them all.”

 

Wang Heng asked, “Have you cultivated them before?”

 

Jian Luo’s mouth twitched. “I made a reasonable deduction, and we have a lot of books on our planet. I checked the information, so it should be fine. In fact, if you guys had been willing to dig deeper into the ancient records of our planet when you were developing the seeds, many things would have been easier.”

 

Wang Heng stood beside him. “You think we’re too proud, don’t you? It’s not that we didn’t dig, it’s that your planet has too many languages, especially ancient ones, which are quite convoluted. Who can understand them?”

 

“…”

 

Sorry, I misunderstood you.

 

Jian Luo thought about it. In English or French, the original Dark Star residents might also encounter words and grammar they couldn’t understand. It’s a common experience!

 

So, for the rest of the afternoon, Jian Luo and Wang Heng brainstormed about watermelon cultivation. To ensure the success of the seed planting, he even submitted an application to access and study the information left behind by the ancient Dark Star.

 

Wang Heng said, “The success rate is fifty-fifty.”

 

Jian Luo wanted to protest but never expected his application to be rejected. The limit for viewing research materials wasn’t met because, according to the research institute, watermelon’s nutritional value wasn’t high enough to justify requesting the data.

 

…

 

Wang Heng patted his shoulder. “Think about it.”

 

Jian Luo didn’t understand. “It’s just accessing information. Is it necessary to treat it like safeguarding national secrets?”

 

Wang Heng was serious. “You’re wrong. Originally, the equipment used by the Dark Star people to record information was too low-level. Every time we had to divert information, to support that low-level database from collapsing, we needed half of the research institute’s power equipment to work simultaneously…”

 

Jian Luo’s mouth twitched. “I’m really sorry about that.”

 

Wang Heng said, “Be more understanding.”

 

…

 

Because the path of accessing information was blocked, Jian Luo had to put his watermelon cultivation plan on hold once again. He was worried when he received a communication from Su Liang.

 

“Hey, Mom.”

 

Su Liang said, “Luo Luo, do you have some free time these days?”

 

Jian Luo was slightly surprised. “Why?”

 

He knew Su Liang well. She wouldn’t contact him if there wasn’t something important. After all, he had been pregnant for so long, and she wouldn’t contact him unless it was necessary.

 

Su Liang hesitated for a moment. “Your younger brother’s school is having a parent-teacher conference. Mom wants to know if you could attend it if you have the time.”

 

Jian Luo asked, “Is mom not going?”

 

Su Liang hesitated again. “Mom has never attended such meetings, and she knows that the school is filled with Dark Star people. If I go, I might embarrass Ah Sheng…”

 

Jian Luo fell silent for a moment. “Mom, you should have more confidence in yourself. You’re not worse than anyone else.”

 

Su Liang was still hesitant.

 

“So, how about we go together?” Jian Luo suggested. “I’ll accompany you, and you can also see the environment Ah Sheng is living in, as well as his school.”

 

Su Liang seemed tempted by the idea, and the fact that Jian Luo was willing to accompany her gave her some confidence. “Okay, then. The parent-teacher conference is tomorrow morning. Shall we meet in the morning?”

 

Jian Luo agreed.

 

But now, there was another serious issue – how would he explain another leave of absence? Did he even have any leave days left? Would he still receive a salary this month? Could he even get approval for another leave?

 

Lost in thought, Jian Luo looked at Wang Heng beside him. “Well, I have a question for you.”

 

Wang Heng asked, “What is it?”

 

“Let’s say, with my frequency of taking leaves, what do you think the probability of getting approval for another leave is? Or in your place, are there many people like me?”

 

Wang Heng said, “Don’t worry. People like you are perfectly fine.”

 

Jian Luo nodded. “That’s good.”

 

“Because they’ve all been fired.”

 

“…”

 

---

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

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