Chapter 26: The Destined One

By noon, Cristi arrived almost right on time for lunch.

Just as Wuming had finished cooking, Crosti arrived at Wuming’s home a step later, and she hadn’t eaten either.

It was just adding one more pair of chopsticks, so Crosti unceremoniously came to Wuming’s home to “mooch a meal.”

“Hah—? You said you encountered an attack at the Other Race Bureau!?”

When Wuming mentioned this morning’s encounter at the dinner table to Crosti, Crosti looked at the two of them with an incredulous expression.

“That’s right, and it’s thanks to me that I saved Wuming!”

Serena patted her seemingly flat chest, looking very proud, practically writing “Praise me quick!” on her face.

“What exactly happened?!”

Crosti really wanted to hear what happened to them, to understand the course of events.

“Hum hum~~”

“Then you better listen carefully!”

Wuming sat across from them, listening to Serena embellish the description there.

Except for the part about saving him and her ability being real, the rest was her exaggerating the facts!

“You mean you took down 5 armed assassins in one go!? Just you alone!?”

“Yeah, pretty amazing, right?!”

“This…” Crosti shifted her gaze to Wuming, seeking his confirmation.

“…It really was like that.”

Wuming didn’t want to dampen Serena’s spirits, so he “admitted” this fact.

Let her say whatever makes her happy.

“Time slowing? Sounds like a really powerful ability!”

“Not really~” Serena scratched her head, “It’s just a small space; I can’t stop all time yet.”

Then Serena’s gaze also turned to Wuming, as if grateful for his cooperation just now. “Compared to Wuming’s ability, mine is far inferior.”

“…”

Wuming didn’t speak, just focused on eating.

If it weren’t for his blood restricting it, it would probably be a very powerful ability…

But honestly, it couldn’t compare to Mom’s.

After lunch, Wuming cleaned the table by himself.

As for Crosti and Serena, although they wanted to help Wuming clean up, he refused, insisting not to let them help and telling them to go play in the living room first.

Although they lived together, some private space was still needed, and the kitchen was his favorite place.

Wuming quite liked cleaning the kitchen alone; after cleaning it spotless, it gave a great sense of accomplishment.

If he cleaned with his original loli true appearance, in others’ eyes, he’d be a proper virtuous wife.

Who wouldn’t want a loli virtuous wife who can cook?

But probably no one would get this treatment.

“…”

Suddenly, Wuming’s dishwashing hands stopped.

Wait a minute—

He remembered agreeing with Serena that she’d do the housework; how did it turn to him washing dishes now?!

Although he did tell her not to do it, didn’t that mean he broke the agreement himself!?

It was a conditioned reflex to take over the chore.

But if she didn’t do any chores, it would be hard to adjust, so forget it; no need to demand so much from Serena.

Just let her handle it when he’s at work.

After cleaning the kitchen, Wuming returned to the living room. 

Watching the two lolis sitting on the sofa playing video games.

How peaceful…

Looking at the two of them, Wuming felt this morning’s encounter completely swept away, replaced by the warmth of the two lolis chatting and laughing.

Right.

Why not ask Crosti, see if she knows something? About that blood clan.

This idea suddenly popped into Wuming’s head.

“Crosti, let me ask you something.”

“What, Wuming?”

The game had just ended, and Crosti turned to look at Wuming behind the sofa, not knowing what he wanted to ask?

“About companies starting with ‘n,’ do you have any ideas?”

“n—?” 

Crosti looked puzzled, not knowing what Wuming was talking about.

“Give a bit more hint? Saying it like that, I can’t understand right away.”

“…”

It seemed like that; these clues felt like finding a needle in a haystack, hard to have any leads.

Was it the company name? 

Or someone’s surname? 

Or something else like the company logo?

Thinking like this, there really seemed a lot to investigate.

Wuming put on a thoughtful expression, wondering if there were any details he could tell Crosti.

“Hm…”

“”—?””

Serena and Crosti both looked at Wuming curiously.

“Blood clan’s… company with n… and lawyer…”

The two of them listened to Wuming muttering there.

“Probably like that, blood clan’s with ‘n,’ probably has many lawyers, such a company. Do you have any ideas?”

He saw Crosti still shake her head.

“Don’t know.”

“Then… can you ask the black households on your side?”

She saw Crosti still shake her head.

“If I ask too bluntly, it’s easy to get suspected, Wuming. And I think those black households in my stream probably don’t know these things.”

“After all, they’re just small fry; how could they know about higher-ups.”

Crosti knew well those black households in the stream; they were at the bottom level. Wuming wanting to get information from them probably wouldn’t work.

“…”

It seemed the clue was broken again.

He could only see if Uncle Park found anything.

Wuming looked a bit disappointed.

“If Doctor Wuming wants… then I’ll try asking.”

Although the chance of getting information seemed slim, Crosti was willing to ask those black households for Wuming’s sake.

“Then I’ll trouble you, Crosti.”

Wuming seemed to see hope again, and also reminded Crosti to be careful.

Asking her for help already made him feel bad; if Crosti encountered danger again, Wuming would feel guilty for life.

Perhaps he shouldn’t trouble Crosti.

But if this matter wasn’t resolved quickly…

Suddenly, Wuming’s phone vibrated. Opening it, it was a message from Mom.

It should be late night there now? Why wasn’t Mom sleeping and messaging him?

“【Can’t sleep, want to see how my cub is.】”

“【I’m fine, Mom. Eating well, sleeping soundly】”

Mom was still worried about him.

Wuming showed a gratified smile.

“【Cub, got anyone?】”

“【When can Mom hold a granddaughter?】”

Pfft—!!!

Mom’s words really startled Wuming!

Mom didn’t put a camera here, right?! Did she already know Serena was living at home?!

If she knew, wouldn’t she also know he got involved in dangerous stuff!?

Wuming suddenly felt his hairs stand on end!

Calm down, calm down…

Mom wouldn’t do such privacy-invading things, and if she really knew, Mom would have flown back in a hurry already.

So Wuming still leaned toward her not knowing.

If she knew, it’d be a big deal!

“【Where, you know me, Mom.】”

“【How could I have a boy(girl)friend, Mom.】”

Wuming saw Mom send a resentful emoji.

“【Not to say, cub, you should find a partner too.】”

“【You know, Mom.】”

“【I don’t want to harm others.】”

Wuming didn’t want his other half to suffer the family curse and lose their life; that was something Wuming didn’t want to see.

Mom sent a sighing emoji.

“【That’s true, cub.】”

“【This trip out is also to find a solution.】”

Solution…

Mom did say she was looking for a way to lift the family curse; don’t know if Mom found it this trip.

“【Did you find it? Mom?】”

Wuming saw her send another sighing emoji.

Seemed not…

“【No way, cub. Tried all I could.】”

“【Only the ‘destined one’ can break this curse.】”

Destined…

This was passed down in the family: only combining with the destined one and bearing offspring could break the family curse.

But who would be this destined one…

At least his dad definitely wasn’t.

“…”

Wuming secretly glanced at Serena beside him.

Could it be her…

Just as Wuming stared in a daze, Mom sent another message.

“【Send a selfie from home, cub.】”

“【Want to see our home before coming back soon.】”

Wuming sent an 【OK】 emoji, then opened the camera and switched to selfie.

He didn’t want Serena and them in the shot for Mom to find out, so he adjusted the angle to avoid the two of them in the selfie.

This way, Mom should be reassured.

After sending the message, Wuming still stood behind the sofa watching them play games, but for the first time felt deep worry about the days ahead.

…

And in a distant land of freedom, in a luxurious hotel…

A girl with ghost horns was lying on the bed in pajamas, happily looking at her phone, her feet swinging because of joy.

My cub has become even better looking~

She was looking at the selfie Wuming sent, and this ghost-horned girl in front was Wuming’s mom.

Her appearance was identical to Wuming’s; aside from height, standing together, it’d be hard to tell who was who.

—Jiutun Youming.

This was Wuming’s mom’s real name, recognized as someone neither human nor demon worlds dared provoke. At this moment, she was still happy from seeing the photo her cub sent.

But strange, why did her cub use male identity for the selfie?

Youming felt puzzled.

Usually, her cub sent selfies with true appearance; why this time…

Suddenly, the guest room bathroom opened, and a dragon clan girl wrapped in a towel with beautiful curves came out.

“Showered so fast?”

Wuming’s mom smiled at the girl.

“It’s just a shower; why take so long?”

“You hurry and shower too, Youming.”

The dragon clan girl said to her, then took off the towel and conjured a set of pajamas to wear, lying beside her.

“No rush; I’m still looking at the selfie my cub sent, seeing how home is.”

“Wuming?”

The dragon clan girl heard and leaned over, looking at the selfie Wuming sent together.

“He’s handsome; didn’t expect Wuming to grow so handsome already.”

The dragon clan girl said looking at the photo Wuming sent.

“Hehe, want me to introduce my son to you?”

Wuming’s mom squinted, making the dragon clan girl roll her eyes speechlessly.

“Would your son like this hundreds-year-old auntie? Forget it, and I don’t want to die from your family curse.”

“Hey—you stinky dragon!”

“You want to marry in, I won’t let you!”

The two slept on one bed, seeming very close, like best friends.

If not best friends sleeping on one bed, what else?!

“…”

The dragon clan girl ignored what she said and continued looking at the selfie.

“But… why didn’t your cub include the living room?”

“Don’t know, but doesn’t matter; seeing him like this reassures me.”

“Feels like hiding something…”

The dragon clan girl suddenly muttered softly; no matter how she looked, the photo felt off.

“Don’t overthink; he’s my cub, what could he hide from me?”

Wuming’s mom didn’t see any clues.

“…”

Then the dragon clan girl lay back down, looking very sleepy and immediately closing her eyes.

“Don’t yell; I’m sleeping first.”

“Hm, good night.”

“I’ll chat a bit more with my cub first.”

“…”