Chapter 2
The castle was a typical Gothic structure.
Towering spires, walls inlaid with exquisite murals, shrouded in dark light, mysteriously magnificent and impervious to any prying eyes.
Shen Wen liked this kind of gloomy and oppressive architecture.
Unfortunately, the dim and damp interior of the castle wasn’t suitable for raising a cub.
Shen Wen had once thought of demolishing the castle and building a pastoral-style house, giving Zaizai a warm room with sunlight spilling across the floor.
However, he discovered with sorrow that there was almost no sunlight in this world.
Speaking of which, this horrifying instance world was created by Shen Wen himself.
Even though he now loathed it intensely.
The light in the castle basement was dim, with brightly glowing merfolk pearls lining both sides, illuminating the path ahead.
Although Xing Nuo was only a little over two years old, he was no stranger to this basement.
For some unknown reason, when Xing Nuo was born, his body was weaker than even a premature kitten, his breathing faint and intermittent, seemingly unable to survive.
Shen Wen tirelessly cared for the cub for several days, finally resorting to a certain formation in the basement to summon a blood pool.
The blood pool was a type of sacrificial restorative pool, devouring Shen Wen’s energy to nourish the cub immersed within it.
Xing Nuo soaked in it for a whole year before he could finally open his eyes and react to the outside world.
Although his body remained frail, at least he wasn’t constantly teetering on the brink of death.
Shen Wen meticulously raised Zaizai for two to three years, regularly bringing Xing Nuo to soak in the pool.
The blood pool originally bubbled with thick, crimson liquid, but Shen Wen, fearing it would frighten Xing Nuo, forcibly turned it milky white.
Misty and swirling, like a hot spring in a heavenly pool.
Xing Nuo was already quite proficient at using the pool. Wearing shorts printed with sunflowers, he walked over with his little legs.
He sat by the pool, his small hands supporting the edge, slowly sliding in like a dumpling.
To accommodate the cub’s height, the water in the pool was shallow, reaching only to Zaizai’s thighs.
Xing Nuo sat in the pool, revealing a wet, round little head.
Then, pfft, the cub spat out a mouthful of water he had accidentally swallowed.
“Dad, water… bitter.”
Scrunching up his little face, the cub stuck out his tongue, too bitter to retract it.
Shen Wen was amused, shaking his head as he walked over, gently soothing him.
“Dad will get you some sweet milk with honey later.”
Saying this, he put a special little crocodile swim ring on Zaizai.
Zaizai, whose swimming skills were still not very proficient, instantly became like a fish in water with the little crocodile swim ring.
He splashed his little hands in the water, calling out “Dad” while swimming.
Wet hair stuck to Xing Nuo’s fair cheeks, and his watery, black eyes sparkled with joy.
Xing Nuo paddled the water with his small hands, swimming over like a little dog digging in the water, tilting his face up to talk to his dad.
He didn’t know many words, repeating the same few over and over, sometimes his voice so mumbled it was hard to understand.
Shen Wen sat by the pool, although he couldn’t understand the meaning of every word Zaizai said, he still responded to each one.
Along with a bonus head rub.
After playing for a few minutes, Xing Nuo’s body couldn’t keep up, and he started to pant slightly.
His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, finally, he couldn’t help but tilt his head and rest it on the swim ring, falling asleep just like that.
Before Xing Nuo could topple into the pool, Shen Wen stepped into the pool, gently picking up the cub.
The pool water was shallow, reaching only to Shen Wen’s calves.
His smooth ankles submerged in the water, he walked steadily, step by step, and gently placed Xing Nuo on the special water bed in the center of the pool.
Xing Nuo slept soundly for three whole days.
It wasn’t convenient to frequently use the blood pool in the human world, so this time, Shen Wen deliberately let Zaizai soak for a longer time.
Having prepared all the necessary items, Shen Wen chose an auspicious day and set off for the human world with Zaizai.
Happy Family Residence, a new father and son moved in.
The complex had nearly a dozen buildings. Logically, the arrival of a new resident wouldn’t attract any attention.
But, this father and son pair were simply too good-looking!
Lin Ke was walking home from school, starving, when he looked up and saw his new downstairs neighbor moving in.
Instantly, he let out a “Whoa!”
His original whining of “Mom, I’m starving to death” was immediately swallowed back the moment the blonde beauty looked over, his expression turning reserved.
Blushing, Lin Ke was grabbed by his mother and dragged upstairs, embarrassed.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Shen, my child is a bit boisterous, please excuse him.”
Mother Lin walked down, her eyes unable to help but sneak glances at Shen Wen.
My goodness, this golden-haired neighbor was so stylish and handsome!
Shen Wen was taking out Zaizai’s clothes and organizing them. Hearing this, he smiled.
“It’s alright.”
He said he didn’t mind, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes.
A flicker of impatience crossed his gaze.
At this moment, Xing Nuo, having just woken up, toddled out of the bedroom to find his dad.
His eyes were red-rimmed. Seeing his dad in the living room, he felt incredibly wronged, stretching out his short arms:
“Dad, hug.”
Pouting, Xing Nuo woke up to find himself in a strange place, without his dad beside him. He was so scared that tears welled up in his eyes.
His nose red, Xing Nuo coughed softly a few times. Although the tears didn’t fall, his crying expression made him look pitiful.
Shen Wen hurriedly picked up the little crying cub and pinched his nose.
“Why are you crying? Did Xing Nuo forget what he said?”
Xing Nuo had indeed forgotten.
He had fallen asleep on the way here, and before falling asleep, he had told his dad not to worry about him.
Their brave little knight slept alone!
But the moment he woke up, he started crying for his dad.
His little face flushed, Xing Nuo saw a strange auntie outside the door frame and quickly buried his head in his dad’s shoulder.
Mother Lin’s heart melted seeing the cub with light-colored hair.
“Mr. Shen, your child takes after you, so cute!”
Hearing this, Shen Wen’s eyes held a bit more genuine warmth, accepting the compliment without modesty.
“Yes, Xing Nuo is the most well-behaved and adorable human cub.”
Although Xing Nuo and Shen Wen weren’t even the same species, it didn’t prevent Shen Wen from having an incredibly thick filter when it came to Zaizai.
Mother Lin, with her forthright personality, laughed heartily.
“Moving requires a lot of physical work. If you need help, just ask. My son isn’t good at anything else, but he’s got plenty of strength.”
Lin Ke, eavesdropping on the stairs, felt mortified hearing his mother talk about him like this in front of the new neighbor.
“Mom! Come on up, the food’s getting cold!”
Mother Lin finally responded with a couple of “Ays” and grumbled her way upstairs.
Shen Wen watched her go upstairs, his seemingly gentle eyes filled with aloofness and indifference.
This residential complex was carefully chosen by Shen Wen after much deliberation.
The atmosphere within the complex was harmonious and warm, with friendly relations between neighbors.
The people living here were generally well-off and well-mannered; across the street were shops and a hospital, a prime location.
And in the national happiness index ranking of residential complexes, Happy Family Residence had consistently ranked at the top in recent years.
Shen Wen, inwardly gloomy, didn’t consider himself a righteous or virtuous being.
But that didn’t stop him from hoping his Zaizai would grow into a bright, happy, and warm person.
This complex was currently the most suitable place for them to settle down.
And most importantly, it was in a good school district.
With the property deed, the child could be directly enrolled in the private kindergarten and elementary school across the street.
As long as his grades weren’t too bad, he could also directly advance to junior high and high school.
Shen Wen, the villainous boss feared by human players, had carefully planned for his child’s future education.
He gently patted the cub’s back, soothing his unease from the new environment.
Looking up, Shen Wen gestured to the monster butler who was cleaning to close the door.
As Xing Nuo slowly adjusted to his new home, the anonymous chat group of Happy Family Residence was already buzzing with activity.
[I saw the new neighbors in Unit A, Building 3. They are way too good-looking!]
[Are they celebrities? Isn’t Little Zhou’s child a celebrity? There are quite a few paparazzi outside our complex!]
[Ahhh, I saw him from afar, I’m in love, waaaah! ]
[Well, Little Shen has a child. I live just upstairs from them. The child is so cute, just a little shy.]
[Ah, just fell in love and now I’m heartbroken.]
As they were chatting, a newcomer joined the group.
The newcomer, Shen Wen, using a newly taken picture of Xing Nuo’s dazed little face as his profile picture, politely greeted the group.
[Hello everyone.]
Everyone in the group replied with various emojis, welcoming the Shen father and son to the community.
On the sofa, Xing Nuo emerged from under his dad’s arm, poking out a fluffy little head, staring at the small, square object in his dad’s hand.
Xing Nuo, who had never seen a cell phone before, pointed and asked, “What’s that?”
Shen Wen, also encountering human world technology for the first time, fumbled for a while before turning off the screen and shaking it slightly, explaining to the little cub,
“This is a cell phone.”
Xing Nuo looked slightly confused.
Having come from an ancient castle, Xing Nuo was like someone from the last century, expressing great surprise at this small cell phone.
“Wow.”
The cell phone Dad was holding looked colorful, black and white and green.
It was as bright as the projector in the castle!
Like any other cub, Xing Nuo was curious, but his body couldn’t keep up. His eyelids drooped, and he nestled in his dad’s arms, letting out a small yawn.
Leaning against his dad, Xing Nuo clung to him like a sticky bun.
Helpless, Shen Wen had to put aside the unpacking and took a nap with Zaizai.
Traces of the setting sun lingered on the horizon.
The community garden was at its liveliest time of day.
Parents and children playing, elderly people enjoying the cool evening air, elementary school students chattering and running around with their schoolbags after school…
A scene full of life.
Shen Wen held the still-sleepy cub who had just woken from his nap and took the elevator downstairs.
He lowered his eyes, rubbed Zaizai’s little head, and prepared Xing Nuo repeatedly.
“We’ll go downstairs in a bit, and we’ll meet many, many people. Is Zaizai afraid?”
Now that they were in the human world, Xing Nuo would inevitably have to interact with humans someday.
Shen Wen hoped Zaizai would experience the normal world sooner rather than later.
So, on the first day of moving, he resolved to take Zaizai outside.
Xing Nuo tilted his little face up and said loudly: “Not afraid!”
The little knight must bravely explore new environments!
So far, apart from Mother Lin at noon, Xing Nuo hadn’t seen any other humans.
Well, not exactly. Xing Nuo had seen them in documentaries.
What did humans look like in documentaries…?
As Xing Nuo pondered in confusion, he looked up again and suddenly saw the humans in the small park.
His eyes widened instantly, and Xing Nuo hurriedly hid his face against his dad’s shoulder, whispering:
“People!”
His tone filled with amazement.
