Chapter 10: Come Home With Me, I’ll Raise You!
“Cub pounce-trainer, cub rocker, Ding-dong beast… this place is too remote, and there are too few toys for cubs. I could only buy these. Do you… like them?”
Li Heng followed what he had liked to play with and eat as a child, and almost scoured everything the space station had. At the space station’s shop, while others were debating over the price of a piece of bread, a “nouveau riche” appeared next to them. Without a second word, he cleared out the entire cub specialty area.
Li Heng was the Ikaruosi Emperor; the total amount for these small things was less than what he usually spent on a single meal, so he didn’t feel any pain spending it. Looking at the large and small bags in the hands of the guards, he still felt unsatisfied. But a small place was just a small place; even if you had money, you couldn’t buy anything more expensive.
Li Heng piled his scavenged spoils together like he was presenting a treasure, so much that it almost buried the temporary cub room. He held his head high, excitedly introducing the names of these items to the cub. His eyes frequently drifted toward the cub, as if waiting for his praise.
It was a bit childish. This couldn’t be blamed on Li Heng; he was born a Crown Prince. No beastman of his age had a higher status than him; they feared him and flattered him. Perhaps at first, the Crown Prince could enjoy these gazes, but over time it only became boring. Finally, he had met a cub he liked, who didn’t fear or distance himself because of his SS-grade bloodline. Instead, a pair of dark eyes would follow him at all times.
Li Heng was encouraged, wishing he could explain the use of every single toy in detail.
Shen Lin had indeed never seen so many novel and fun toys. The only toy he ever owned was a small bear his Big Monster Baba had picked up from an abandoned human city and given to him. Even after Big Monster Baba left, he had protected that small bear very well. Unfortunately, he had died, and he didn’t know who would pick up that bear.
Shen Lin’s mood was only briefly depressed before it was filled by a bundle of toys. The boy’s fire-red hair was dazzling and brilliant. He looked very much like the “sun” his Big Monster Baba talked about—piercing to the eyes but not harmful. The boy’s eyes were bright as he looked at him. He heard him ask expectantly: “Do you… like them?”
“Ying!”
Shen Lin’s vocal cords hadn’t fully developed yet; he could only bounce syllables out of his throat one by one. But even with this one sound, Li Heng felt his hard work this trip hadn’t been in vain. Being admired by the little cub’s damp eyes, Li Heng’s ego expanded. If the stock of the space station hadn’t been emptied by him, he could have gone on another shopping spree right now. How should he describe that feeling? Yes, it was a sense of full achievement.
Shen Lin didn’t know what Li Heng was thinking. He was just like when he used to give anything the Big Monsters found to him; he would praise them while giving them looks that said, “You’re so amazing” and “Great job.” He gave full emotional value. At those moments, the Big Monsters’ tails would be held very high. The Big Monsters liked being praised, and this brother he just met should also like it… right?
Shen Lin was a bit uncertain; the main thing was that he couldn’t see any expression on Li Heng’s face and could only feel his emotions. Clearly, a cheerful emotion was transmitted, and Shen Lin felt relieved. He was happy.
Looking at the toys and cub snacks filling the floor, Shen Lin’s heart felt warm. These things were enough for him to wander for a long time without having to look for food. He felt full of gratitude toward the boy and subconsciously used his head to rub against his hand.
The soft fur rubbing against his finger produced a tingling sensation. Li Heng’s mouth quirked up, and he reached out to smooth the cub’s fur. “Then, are you willing to come home with me? I’ll raise you in the future!”
It was the first time the boy had liked a cub. Even if raising a cub was tedious and boring, he was willing. The emotional value he got from the cub was something others couldn’t give, not even Sang Hu, who had always followed him. Li Heng was willing to be patient and take the cub into account; from the moment he planned to raise the cub, he had mapped out the cub’s future path. As long as he nodded, under his protection, the path beneath his feet would be a golden road.
Li Heng didn’t feel at all that it was strange to ask an unhatched cub such a question as “Are you willing to go with me?” and whether the other party understood. His intuition told him the cub understood.
The starship at the berthing station, as dazzling as a fierce sun, emitted a burst of crimson gas from its turbines. With a wave of spatial distortion, it disappeared in the blink of an eye. At the same time, another black Federation starship left in the opposite direction.
For a long time, this space station in the remote star zone would tell legends about these two starships from the high-tier Astral zones. The nobles on the ships had cleared out half a year’s stock at the station in one go. The star coins added up were enough for them to live without worry for half their lives.
Those beastmen who heard that two nobles from high-tier planets had come to the space station rushed over, trying to flatter the nobles and leave the remote star zone. They hadn’t expected to be too late, and they beat their chests in regret. During the time the nobles were docked, the beastmen who were already at the space station saw this and curled their lips. Quite a few beastmen had that idea, but they were rebuffed by the guards before they could even get close.
Earlier, there were some ruffians who tried to cling to the nobles, but the guards had mercilessly triggered their bloodline riots, turning them into beasts, and slit their throats as if throwing away trash. It served as a warning to the restless beastmen.
Shen Zeyu placed the cub back into the nutrient pod, which was lined with a thick layer of plush blankets. Seeing him tightly clutching a crimson plume with golden patterns, his heart felt a bit sour. “How long have you known that lit—cough, Li Heng, and you’re already so reluctant to part?”
The nickname he was grumbling in his heart almost slipped out, but luckily Shen Zeyu corrected himself in time. His own family was a mess, yet he wanted to snatch his brother away. If Shen Zeyu hadn’t remembered that the late King of Ikaruosi was an old friend of his father, he would have kicked the Little Tyrant off the ship when he first tried to snatch the egg.
Shen Lin didn’t know about his big brother’s tangled thoughts; he was just thinking that the boy’s name was Li Heng. Was he reluctant to part with Li Heng? Actually, it was alright. Shen Lin simply felt that Li Heng had given him too many things, and he didn’t know how to repay him. After thinking it over, he could only help pick up more trash in Li Heng’s brain while the boy was accompanying him.
Li Heng’s brain had the most trash he had ever seen. Previously, the Big Monsters’ brains combined didn’t have even half of what the boy had. This one “cleaning” session had directly emptied his energy. This also led to Shen Zeyu seeing Shen Lin’s wilted state and thinking he was sad to part, his tone carrying a trace of jealousy he didn’t notice himself.
Shen Lin lifted his eyelids to look at Shen Zeyu, clutched the warm plume, and curled into a ball to fall into a deep sleep. Shen Zeyu’s gaze swept over the plume again and again before he finally reached out to put a small blanket over the cub.
The cub didn’t seem to be used to the repair liquid in the nutrient pod. Shen Zeyu took charge and drained the pod. He lined it with thick, milk-scented Yeye Grass and added a layer of plush blankets, forming a small nest. The cub slept very sweetly.
Shen Lin didn’t know when his big brother left after he fell asleep. When he woke up again, his big brother was no longer there. The lagging feeling from the energy consumption slowly washed over him. His limbs were weak, and his whole body was limp.
Ding-ling, ding-ling…
The crimson plume in his arms emitted a red-gold light that hit the nutrient pod. Passing through the energy shield, gold light spots like stars scattered toward the ceiling. Above the room full of toys, countless Long-eared Star Conchs hung down. With just a bit of wind, the Star Conchs would automatically make a silver-bell-like pleasant sound.
The Long-eared Star Conch was a sea species that grew on Planet Lyra. Their shells were not only beautiful but could also collect various sounds. After being processed by a factory, they were suitable for cubs who had just hatched and were curious about everything. They were highly sought after by parents of all Astral races.
Merchants had smelled profit and specifically brought them from high-tier Astral zones to remote star zones to sell, but the price remained high. The beastmen in small places were busy with food and clothing every day and stayed away from such flashy and impractical things, leading to the items remaining unsold. Because of this, the merchant was practically going bald with worry. Who would have known that once Li Heng came, he would clear out the shop, including this batch of Star Conchs? The merchant was so happy he practically worshipped Li Heng as an ancestor.
Shen Lin twirled the plume in his hand, and the light spots on the ceiling changed rapidly like thousands of stars in the universe. The words Li Heng said before leaving were still echoing in his ears.
“Are you willing to come home with me? I’ll raise you in the future!”
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