After getting off the boat, Feng Yuan said to Dou Yanlan with a smile,
"Yanlan, remember to give me a copy of the photos～"
"Sure～"
"I want one too!"
"Considering how well you took them, I want a copy too."
"Okay, I'll send a copy to everyone when we get back."
Qi Chen also wanted to speak up, but upon hearing Dou Yanlan's words, he swallowed the words he was about to say with a smile. Feng Yuan put Xiao Ji on his head and watched the sun slowly setting with some regret, saying,
"Time to go back..."
"Ji?"
"It's nothing."
Feng Yuan glanced at the sky and, turning around, looked puzzled as he saw his own Qi Chen running ahead. On the ride back, most people slept in their seats. Seeing Xiao Ji asleep on his lap, Feng Yuan turned his head and looked at Qi Chen, who was asleep against the window, then sneakily took out his phone to take a few pictures of Xiao Ji's sleeping face,
"Beep!"
"Ah Mu, don't be like that, just taking a photo for a keepsake～"
"Beep!"
Seeing Ah Mu staring at him, Feng Yuan softly tried to persuade Ah Mu. As he spoke, Feng Yuan sneakily took out his phone and snapped several photos while Ah Mu wasn't paying attention. Ah Mu glared at Feng Yuan, wanting to act but hesitated because Qi Chen's body was in the way and made no move.
After getting off the bus, Qi Chen, seeing Ah Mu staring discontentedly at Feng Yuan, asked with some confusion,
"Did you do something on the bus? Why is Ah Mu looking at you like that?"
"Me? How would I know why Ah Mu is looking at me like that～ I'm heading out first～"
"Hey! Wait! Did you do something bad?"
Hearing Qi Chen's shouting, Feng Yuan quickened his pace and soon disappeared from Qi Chen's sight. Seeing Feng Yuan like that, Qi Chen shook his head with a smile and let Ah Mu climb into his backpack before carrying Ah Mu and heading out of the school gates.
"Ji?"
The next morning, Xiao Ji woke up early to wake Feng Yuan but unexpectedly found that Feng Yuan was not in bed,
"Ji!"
In a panic, Xiao Ji searched everywhere for Feng Yuan, not even sparing the corners and under the bed. After a full circle without finding Feng Yuan, Xiao Ji sat on the ground despondently. Just then, the sound of the door opening was heard, and Xiao Ji slowly lifted his head to see Feng Yuan entering with a satisfied look on his face. Angered, Xiao Ji leaped up and pecked at Feng Yuan's arm.
"Ouch! Hey! What are you doing, Xiao Ji!"
"Ji!!!"
"Ow! Xiao Ji, stop pecking!"
"Ji!!! Ji!!!"
It took a while before Xiao Ji calmed down, and Feng Yuan looked at Xiao Ji, somewhat mystified, and said,
"What's gotten into you? Why do you keep pecking me."
"Ji!"
"Forget it, you eat first, I'll take you somewhere later."
"Ji?"
"Come down now, I need to change clothes."
"Ow～"
The Dreaming Dragon Baby, lying on Feng Yuan's shoulder, yawned, floated up from his shoulder, and coiled up on the table to continue sleeping. Seeing the Dreaming Dragon Baby's actions, Xiao Ji seemed to remember something, gave Feng Yuan a resentful look, and then pecked at the Dreaming Dragon Baby.
"Ow?"
Noticing Xiao Ji's actions, the Dreaming Dragon Baby was a little perplexed, and after recalling Feng Yuan's warnings, swallowed the fireball in its mouth, floated into the air, and looked down at Xiao Ji with disdain before continuing to sleep.
"Ji!"
"Alright, Xiao Ji, what's gotten into you? Eat your food and don't fight with the Dreaming Dragon Baby. If you break the dorm, I can't afford to pay for it."
"Ji..."
After being scolded by Feng Yuan and having his head rubbed, Xiao Ji sat down discontentedly to eat, occasionally glancing fiercely at the Dreaming Dragon Baby floating in the air.
"What's wrong? You're so angry early in the morning."
"Ji!"
"Are you coming with us or staying in the dorm to sleep?"
Feng Yuan picked up Xiao Ji and noticed he was still angry, so he hesitated before deciding not to put Xiao Ji on his head. Hearing Feng Yuan's question, the Dreaming Dragon Baby pondered for a moment, then floated down to find its usual spot on Feng Yuan's shoulder, coiled up, and continued sleeping. Xiao Ji glanced at the spot on Feng Yuan's head, then turned away, showing his back to Feng Yuan in discontent.
"Ji?"
Upon realizing Feng Yuan was holding him on the bus, Xiao Ji turned around curiously to look at Feng Yuan, who held Xiao Ji in one hand and swiped his card with the other, explaining,
"I'm taking you to meet someone, hmm... they also put in effort for you to be able to hatch."
"Ji?"
Having gotten off the bus and looking at the large gate before him, Feng Yuan instructed Xiao Ji in his arms,
"Be good once we get in there, okay? No temper tantrums~"
"Ji!"
Feng Yuan, holding Xiao Ji in one arm and pushing open the glass door with the other, heard the bell ring—ding-a-ling-a-ling~
"Welcome! Oh, it's you."
A graceful woman, busy wiping down a table, looked up at the sound of the bell, and with a lively voice said, only to lower her head back to the cleaning as she spoke,
"You can sit over there for a while; I'll call Granny. I'm a bit tied up tidying up the hall to attend to you right now."
"Granny! Feng Yuan is here!"
"How come you're the one cleaning the hall? Where are Chudie and the others?"
"They're busy with the guest rooms. We suddenly got a huge influx of guests today, and just like that, all the rooms are taken. I'm afraid I won't be able to arrange a room for you tonight if you were planning to stay."
"Ji?"
"It's okay, I have classes tomorrow, I won't be staying overnight."
Seeing her busy, Feng Yuan did not feel comfortable interrupting any further. Holding Xiao Ji, he sat down on the side. Watching the woman tie her hair up in a bun, he shook his head and whispered to Xiao Ji,
"Really, Granny doesn't want to hire more people. Look how busy she's made Yun You sister~"
"I do apologize for keeping your sister Yun You so busy."
"Ji!"
Upon hearing someone clearing their throat from behind and speaking, Feng Yuan quickly stood up, turned around, and bowed,
"Not at all~ Granny, you must have your reasons for doing things this way~"
The elderly woman in front of Feng Yuan paid no attention to his excuses and, after observing Xiao Ji in Feng Yuan's arms, asked,
"Is this the Spirit Beast that hatched from that egg?"
"Yes, it's called Xiao Ji—Xiao Ji, say hello to Granny Mianlan~"
"Ji~"
Granny Mianlan looked at Feng Yuan in surprise and said,
"I thought you wouldn't bother signing a Beast Tamer contract with just a frail native pet like this one, but you're not too bad, lad."
"Ji?"
"No way, I said I would hatch it and make it my first Spirit Beast, and I meant it!"
"Ji~"
Granny Mianlan smiled as she watched Xiao Ji snuggle against Feng Yuan's chest and said,
"Good, Granny didn't misjudge you. Those materials I gave you weren't for nothing."
"Ji?"
"Xiao Ji, some of the Spiritual Medicine and Materials used to save you were gifts from Granny; you should thank her."
"Ji~"
Seeing Xiao Ji hop out of Feng Yuan's arms and bow properly, Granny Mianlan laughed and said,
"Xiao Ji is quite smart, eh? Alright, come with me, let's not just stand around here."
Feng Yuan picked up Xiao Ji and followed Granny Mianlan to the back dining room. From a cabinet, Granny Mianlan took out some biscuit-like things, placed them on a plate, and set it down on the table in front of Feng Yuan, saying,
"Not sure if Xiao Ji will like these Spirit Beast treats; give them a try."
"Ji?"
"Ao~"
"What's that?"
Granny Mianlan, surprised by the Dreaming Dragon Baby that suddenly fluttered up from Feng Yuan's shoulder, observed it for a while and asked,
"Is this Dreaming Dragon Baby your next Spirit Beast?"
"No, I'm just delivering it back to Sleepy Dragon Valley for someone else, it's staying with me temporarily. As you know, I can't make it all the way there until vacation time."
"Besides, with both of them like this now, signing a Beast Tamer contract would just mean non-stop chaos."
Feng Yuan said this as he watched Xiao Ji continue to provoke the Dreaming Dragon Baby. Granny Mianlan smiled and replied,
"Not being able to balance the relationships between your Spirit Beasts doesn't make for a good Beastmaster, you know."
"It's fine, I never planned to rely solely on the power of Spirit Beasts for combat anyway."
Remembering Feng Yuan's situation, Granny Mianlan felt a tinge of sadness. Just then, a spherical Spirit Beast surrounded by white cotton balls toddled by. Feng Yuan couldn't help but pick it up and rub his face against its soft cottony body.
"Ji!"
"That's not right!"
Feng Yuan ignored Xiao Ji beside him, who was clearly jealous, and looked seriously at the Spirit Beast in his hands.