The two doctors stayed here for two days before leaving.
Maria was in perfect health, far surpassing all her peers. In the words of the two doctors, Maria was remarkably healthy.
Zhao Lun also had himself checked, and like Maria, he was in excellent health. According to Master Liu, his vitality was abundant, and there was no need to worry about falling ill.
To ensure the well-being of his employees, Zhao Lun offered a comprehensive health check as part of their benefits, and had Nicole and the others undergo thorough examinations.
Time passed quietly, and one day, Zhao Lun found Angela, Nicole, and Monica busy at work.
The yard was decorated with numerous small balloons, and the house had been meticulously cleaned, from top to bottom.
"Hey, Monica, what are you guys doing? Why all the fanfare?" Zhao Lun asked in confusion.
"Hey, boss, don't tell me you've forgotten what tomorrow is?" Monica winked, with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"What day? There's no special holiday coming up, is there?"
Zhao Lun racked his brain, thinking of both Eastern and Western holidays, but couldn't recall anything significant.
"It's Maria's birthday!" Monica said, her tone turning serious.
"Maria's birthday!?" Zhao Lun felt awkward; he had actually forgotten Maria's birthday. "Okay, that's my fault, I shouldn't have forgotten such an important day," Zhao Lun muttered, tapping his head in frustration. But he couldn't entirely blame himself—before crossing over, he hadn't celebrated a birthday in years. After arriving here, survival had kept him constantly busy, and although things seemed easy, his nerves were always on edge. The concept of birthdays had long since faded from his mind. "Her birthday is tomorrow?"
"Yes," Nicole added, while continuing her work.
"No one reminded me, and it's been so long since I've celebrated anything. You know the situation," Zhao Lun reflected, recalling how, back in his old life, he had been too tired and busy with food and work to even think about such things. "Luckily, it's not too late to prepare."
While feeling guilty, Zhao Lun also felt relieved that he hadn't missed the occasion.
"Sorry, boss," Monica said, her eyes inexplicably watery, a sentiment shared by Nicole and Angela.
"It's alright, it's just the way it is," Zhao Lun waved dismissively, unconcerned.
Angela and the others turned their faces away to hide their reddened eyes.
For Zhao Lun, birthdays were both familiar and distant. Before his transition, he had never had the time or opportunity to celebrate such occasions. After arriving here, who would remember? Naturally, it was forgotten.
Maria's birthday was celebrated with Zhao Lun, Nicole, Angela, Monica, and Hodar.
The celebration was simple yet filled with surprises, making Maria feel warm and unforgettable. The little girl was so moved that tears flowed uncontrollably.
Maria was a strong girl, and it was the first time Monica and the others had seen her cry. They too felt a deep sense of emotion.
After Maria's birthday, another traditional Chinese holiday—the Mid-Autumn Festival—was approaching.
Among the group, Angela was from Hong Kong and was a true Chinese native. She had been celebrating this holiday every year.
Of all the important Chinese holidays, Angela cherished the Mid-Autumn Festival the most. It held great significance in her heart.
Zhao Lun supported her plans and had Monica follow her instructions to prepare for the celebration.
In Great Britain, the busiest place on Mid-Autumn Festival was Chinatown. The Chinese celebrated many important holidays here.
Even after Angela left, their connection never broke, and friends would occasionally reach out. She was always reminded of what festivals were coming up. All the necessary holiday goods could be found here.
With everything ready, the house was decorated, and the festive atmosphere was set.
Zhao Lun didn't mind and let them arrange things as they pleased. Maria was thrilled, running around and even pulling Zhao Lun along to share her joy. Her infectious laughter spread throughout the house, filling it with a celebratory spirit.
During this time, everyone had been living quite happily, and even those they typically didn't get along with had stayed away.
Monica's private detective had done a great job, collecting plenty of evidence. Those who had hurt them received their just punishment, and those who needed to go to prison did so. People they didn't like were scared off and moved away. Now, the land in the small village was fully purchased, and planning and designing were underway.
This village would soon become theirs—an idyllic place that would transform into their kingdom.
Regarding the kingdom's design, Zhao Lun was being very cautious.
The Mid-Autumn Festival was livelier than before, and their guest list had expanded. It was now the Hodar family—Hodar, his wife Elena, and their one-year-old daughter, Sandy. Zhao Lun and Maria were delighted by their arrival, and Angela had carefully prepared special dishes to ensure the guests enjoyed their meal.
There was no shortage of mooncakes, and stories filled the air. The candlelit dinner, the moonlit banquet—everything was relaxed and casual, with a warm and inviting atmosphere. Everyone was satisfied and had a memorable time, which would stay in their hearts forever.
Half a month passed quickly, and the village had been replanned, now with vacant houses available for occupancy. Elena and Sandy officially entered their lives from this day forward.
After Mid-Autumn Festival, the weather truly turned cold. The surrounding people added more layers to their clothing, and Zhao Lun also donned a loose, long-sleeved sweater. The house remained warm, only needing to dress warmly when going outside. Maria also added a light, warm long coat when leaving the house.
Zhao Lun's plan to send her to school had yet to come to fruition, so he hired several teachers to ensure Maria met the "normal" standards for schooling.
The learning tasks were not difficult for Maria, who found the lessons easy, but it was Nicole's courses that challenged her. Nicole always adjusted her lessons to suit Maria's abilities, requiring her full effort to keep up.
The arcade game Zhao Lun developed had also hit its stride, with the game's background set, and they were now preparing for release.
The game's story was an adventure, starting with a male and female protagonist fighting evil on the streets, only to uncover an illegal child trafficking ring. They investigated and discovered the group's headquarters, ultimately defeating them and saving hundreds of innocent children.
That was just the beginning. As the investigation continued, they uncovered more truths, and the mastermind behind it all turned out to be a well-known corporation, and thus the story unfolded.
The story was turned into a comic, with Zhao Lun somewhat narcissistically basing the protagonist's appearance on himself. Maria insisted on having the female lead modeled after her, and under her strong request, the character design reflected her likeness.
The protagonists thus became a young boy and girl.
The comic was published, and to cater to Zhao Lun's personal interest, Nicole and the others formed the "Hero Comic Society," which specifically released their game stories.
This comic was initially for Zhao Lun's enjoyment, but it also accepted submissions from other creators.
The stories were a huge hit, and the comics quickly gained popularity throughout the city. Many publishers sought collaboration.
As for management, Zhao Lun had no expertise, but he didn't mind, as he trusted those he worked with to handle it. Time had proven that Nicole, Monica, Angela, and Hodar were trustworthy. They all had managerial abilities, and after being inspired by the spring water, they had become top-tier managers.
Handing over the management to them was a breeze.
In the divine realm, the mysterious seed that Zhao Lun had almost forgotten about, after being planted by Aiya, finally sprouted. This plant was dominant—everything around it absorbed no nutrients and withered away as the plant sucked everything dry.
Aiya had mixed feelings about the sprout—she loved it for its magical allure, but hated how it killed surrounding flora by absorbing all their nutrients. As a flower fairy, she was heartbroken but couldn't bring herself to reprimand this extraordinary plant.
Through divine realm communication, Zhao Lun learned that this sprout was called the World Tree, but the information surrounding it was still unclear. He was eager to see its potential, but it grew so slowly that, after all this time, it had only produced a tiny shoot that resembled grass. To become a towering tree, it would take many years.
This was a rainy season, with storms every few days and few clear skies.
They had also celebrated Halloween, followed by a sharp drop in temperature, with snow and heavy rain marking the beginning of winter, leading up to Christmas.
Each festival was a day of relaxation, one they never missed, and each left a joyful memory.
The situation in the Su Empire grew worse, with internal instability. Some high-ranking officials were looting everything in sight. While they appeared strong, they were on the brink of collapse and could falter at any moment.
Sensitive organizations, like hyenas on the prairie, lurked nearby, waiting to take advantage of the situation when the beasts faltered.
Zhao Lun and his group were like small fish, lurking in the shadows and picking up scraps of food.
After nearly a year of operations, their Su Empire had finally earned the trust of a few, securing more profits.
The hyenas didn't know when the predators would fall, but Zhao Lun did, so he struck swiftly and without mercy. Compared to the hyenas, they were like greedy beasts, hiding in the dark to quietly amass wealth.
They gathered talent, technology, and antiques. Unfortunately, both manpower and funds were limited.
They needed to expand!
Hodar began recruiting.
Monica and the others also started hiring.