Pov Hua Teng:
The beginning of Meilin's upbringing on my part, it wasn't so bad.....
Rawr! Rawr! Rawr! Rawr!
"Why are you crying, little Meilin?"
Pam!
*Sound of something falling*
"Don't touch that, Meilin!"
Rawwwr!
"Why are you looking at me like that, Meilin?"
Who am I kidding, Meilin was a very complicated baby to take care of, and I say so myself, who was involved in raising my younger sister.
The tantrums my sister threw are cute compared to what Meilin does, I mean, my sister would just burst into tears every time I scolded her, and well, Meilin....
She was smashing everything she could find.
Meilin was getting more and more out of my control, so I thought about going to the empress and asking her for advice, but before that, I 'casually' asked a dragon maid at the palace, and she casually replied.
"Lady Hua, we dragons respect the strong."
When I heard those words from the maidservant, I had an enlightenment and immediately decided to put into practice what I got from her.
--
I returned to my shared room in the imperial dragon palace.
Thanks to me being the caretaker of the second princess, I have some benefits, like staying here in a very luxurious room and some rather expensive cultivation resources, although I have to share the room with Meilin....
I sat on my bed and noticed Meilin, who was shamelessly sleeping in the middle of my bed with all her limbs stretched out, as if she was avoiding anyone to accompany her to sleep.
I said nothing and simply waited for her to wake up.
Yawn!
An hour later, Meilin woke up.
She stretched first. I must admit that Meilin looked very cute when she did this. Then she looked around as if to get her bearings, and when she noticed my presence, she came toward me.
(I guess she's in a good mood...)
Grr!
When she was close to me, she bit my hand lightly. Although I thought it was strange at first, the empress said that this action is like a loving greeting a baby dragon normally gives to its mother, and that's also the reason I didn't give up on Meilin, even though she has dubious behavior.
(She loves me in her heart, but her dragon instincts make her act fucking annoying).
The day went on as normal, you know, eating, going for walks, and even played with the young dragons who were also in the infant stage.
Although I think it looked more like Meilin was blatantly bullying the others, but I didn't see any dragons standing up to her or trying to stop her, so I just turned a blind eye.
Come afternoon, it was time for the truth, as she was getting quite irritable at this time.
It was time for her morning nap, and well, as these dragons are very hyperactive, they do not hesitate to disobey.
"Meilin, it's time," I said.
At that moment, she was playing with some kind of diamond-encrusted ball, but when she heard my voice, she turned her head and looked at me.
(Royalty certainly spends on unnecessary things...oh, that look.)
Yes, Meilin was doing the typical defiant look I see every day.
(But not today, dear Meilin).
I simply watched her.
She, seeing that I wasn't doing anything, kept playing.
"Meilin," I said a little louder.
When she heard my voice, she got up and went step by step to the window, but without taking her eyes off me.
(She's going to do it again...).
Meilin had devised a way to make me angry by taking advantage of my own humility, Since this room is shared, whatever happens here is my responsibility. And, well, when someone visits this place, the first thing they will think is that what they see will reflect my habits.
And what does Meilin do?
She breaks the windows and jumps out of them.
The worst thing is that she does it without any remorse and stares at me the whole process.
As she was about to touch the window, I put on my characteristic angry mother look.
"Meilin, if you do that, I will get angry."
She didn't look scared, as her little claw was about to touch the window.
Just as she was about to touch the window, I activated my Sovereign of Existence aura. Although it was not as powerful as her mother's (the empress), it was strong enough to do the job.
Waa!
When she sensed my aura, she crouched down like a submissive animal and obediently came to me.
(It worked, well, I guess I should keep that maid in mind).
I repeated this action every time she disobeyed me and thus corrected her habits, or at least until she was able to turn into her humanoid form some years later.
---
"So... my useless father was no good for that job?"
"Don't say that, Meilin. Your father made a great effort, but sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to."
I was sitting on my bed with Meilin already in her humanoid form. Since she took that form, I have told her many stories and inevitably mentioned a bit of my past.
"Don't defend him, Auntie. Even Mom hasn't had much contact with him since my younger sister's birth. It's obvious what she thinks."
(Haaa, this girl and her dragon thoughts).
Understanding dragons is very difficult from a Heavenly Fox's point of view, no matter how long she has lived with them.
Their thinking is quite... different, as they advocate powerful offspring, and to achieve this they spend decades, centuries or even millennia searching for a good mate.
Also, they don't mind polygamy or having mistresses, as long as you do your duty and, most importantly, dragon mothers are elusive when it comes to their children.
(I still remember when my mother used to chase me...).
Heavenly Fox mothers, on the other hand, are constantly watching over their young. Maybe it's because we are so fragile, or just our nature is much kinder.
The days went by like this until Meilin turned 200, which is considered a full-fledged dragon woman.
--
Although raising Meilin mitigated my obsession, the emptiness I felt at not being able to give birth haunted me every time I watched her grow up.
So I decided to follow my late mother's advice: travel the world and find my place in it. I waited for Meilin to become a grown woman before I left, and the result....
"Auntie, I'm all grown up now, so I'll find a male much better than my father and force him to conceive you. In fact, I've heard that when you threaten them, you're more likely to be conceived."
(Oh, my child, where did you hear that?)
"Mom... aunt!"
I hugged Meilin. I must say, I am proud of what she has become. Although her overbearing dragon nature is still present, Meilin has learned to care for those she cherishes and also not to underestimate other people, or at least not as much as her peers do.
"My Meilin, don't make your aunt's mistakes. Follow your heart and you will find what you desire most."
(This is a saying of the Heavenly Foxes, but I wonder where the dragon heart will take her?)
In any case, I just hope Meilin has a good life.
Of course, I also said goodbye to the Empress, who has become my best friend. I've even been invited into her inner circle, where I also met some rather nice people.
"Be sure to come back every so often. That girl is very fond of you," the dragon empress said.
"Even if you didn't say so, I would come back. That girl has helped me a lot with my mentality," I thought deep in my heart. Truly, she has healed my lonely heart a little.
"Good luck and don't die," the empress said goodbye.
And so I began my journey around the world, but first I had to visit grandmother, whom I haven't seen in hundreds of years.
---
As I reached my clan's territory, I could make out a certain situation.
"Help, please!"
I watched as a woman from my clan was dragged away by normal humans.
This situation is not unusual, as our beauty makes us appetize to many races. That is why some heartless ones come on occasion to kidnap girls and young women. Although we have guardians in our home, it is inevitable that some will escape them.
(But not in my presence)
I stopped and simply finished off those humans. They weren't cultivators, so it wasn't much of a challenge. After all, they are normal humans and are very fragile creatures if they don't cultivate.
"Thank you very much, big sister," the young woman said thanking me.
But I could not respond.
She was the spitting image of my mother when she was young. Even her coat was the same: black hair, amber eyes and a beautiful silky black tail.
(That's right... if I'm not mistaken, she is my sister's descendant).
That's what I thought, since in our Heavenly Fox culture, our parents reincarnate in our grandchildren. This young reincarnation of mom must come from my younger sister's lineage.
I didn't respond and simply stroked her head, just like the last time I saw her.
"Heh, heh...", curiously, she showed no expression of displeasure, and even enjoyed my touch.
"Take care of yourself and don't go too far from the fence," I told her.
The fence is what we call the boundaries we think are safe, since there is always some guard nearby, or at least it used to be that way in my day.
"Yes, big sister, I'll be safe next time," she said.
(It's really awkward for her to call me big sister, having my mother's face).
"If big sister has time? Would you like to come for a drink?"
I was tempted to go with her and get to know her better, but....
(My mother has passed away)
"I'm sorry, but I have things to do. But if you want to do something for me... you can."
I could see her little ears lower, but when I said she could do something to pay me back, her expression changed, and she immediately responded.
"I'll do anything for my big sister savior."
"If you have a son, and you feel like it, could you call him Jiang?" I said.
"Jiang...it's a nice name. Sure, sister. If my firstborn is a boy, I'll name him Jiang," she said and put on a big smile.
(I'd better go before I get sentimental).
"Goodbye, sis." That was the last thing I heard as I flew away.
As for why that name, well, that was my father's name.
---
After visiting grandma, who by the way looked the same as when I left, I began my journey through the immortal world.
I visited many territories, some had quite curious cultures, such as the Amazons, who kidnap men to force them to conceive.
Or the descendants of the three-legged ravens, who have a rather interesting social structure....
So my travels brought me countless experiences, which I shared every time I returned with Meilin.
She was becoming quite a skilled warrior, I must say.
I repeated that habit of traveling and returning with her, until....
"Hua, I remember you telling me that your senses are exceptional, so I would like to ask the favor of you finding Meilin."
Yes, Meilin had eloped, and when I asked why she ran away, the answer was quite interesting.
"I told her she had to get married. I mean, even her younger sister already has a boyfriend, but she still thinks that no dragon of her generation is worthy."
(Haaa, this girl is still with that idea).
I said nothing and continued listening.
"Although I don't blame her, I have personally seen those young people and they are quite disappointing. But what can I do? Meilin's genes are exceptional, and every time I feel that something bad might happen in the Immortal World."
(The senses of a dragon like the empress are no joke...)
"So, Hong, dear friend, I would like you to bring her back, along with her lover, if she finds one while she is away."
I didn't refuse and agreed. I mean, I raised that girl since she was a baby, so I think it's my responsibility.
(I hope she doesn't have the same idea she had as a child).