Chinese Superman

「!?」

Xia Xinghe was completely bewildered.

No, how did this alien who came in a spaceship get involved with Nezha?

Zhang Xiulan naturally looked completely bewildered.

"Huh? What?!"

"Nezha! The Third Prince Nezha who stirred up the sea!" Wang Tiezhu gestured excitedly, pointing to the spaceship. "Look at this round, chubby iron lump, doesn't it look like a ball? In mythology, Nezha was born from a giant ball of flesh!"

"Now a doll has popped out of the 'Fairy Ball,' isn't this destiny?!"

He became more and more certain as he spoke, leaning closer to examine the baby's bright blue eyes, overjoyed: "There's no mistake! This is a deity reincarnated into our family! Our family name is Wang, and from now on he will be called Wang Nezha!"

"I've already thought of a nickname: Tiedan! My name is Tiezhu, and he came out of a lump of iron. Tiedan sounds sturdy, easy to pronounce, and easy to raise!"

In his excitement, Wang Tiezhu subconsciously wanted to pat the "fairy ball" to express his affection, but instead kicked the spaceship's outer shell. As a result, he grimaced in pain and hopped on one leg.

Wang Nezha, Wang Tiedan?

Xia Xinghan was devastated.

He's supposed to be a future god on earth; having such a name would make him a laughingstock among his enemies.

To express his protest, Xia Xinghan tried to open his mouth: "Ah...ah ah...ya!"

The words that came out were still soft, baby talk.

"I was born with the ability to see, probably because my eyes were the first to be exposed to light, but my vocal cords are developing a little slower. I estimate it will take a few more days before I can speak fluently." Xia Xinghan pondered the reason and silently accepted the fact that he could only speak baby talk at the moment.

The baby's babbling words just now immediately gripped Zhang Xiulan's heart.

"Dad, be gentle! Don't scare the baby!" She quickly stepped forward and carefully lifted the baby out of the floating seat. The baby felt slightly heavy in her hands, and the swaddled swaddle had a unique, warm feel. The little life in her arms was quiet and warm, instantly filling the void she had felt for many years.

"He's making 'ah ah' noises, he must be hungry!" Zhang Xiulan said confidently.

"Yes, yes, eating is the most important thing!"

"Let's hurry home and cook!"

"Why cook rice? The baby is breastfed."

"Oh right, look at my brain, I'm still nursing!" Wang Tiezhu, gritting his sore feet, grabbed a flashlight. "I'll go to the village and see if anyone has any milk powder, I can borrow some for an emergency!"

Zhang Xiulan carefully carried "Tiedan" in her arms, as if it were her entire fortune, and walked step by step toward her old house, which was dimly lit.

As she walked, she couldn't help but look down at herself.

The baby's blue eyes were crystal clear in the moonlight. He didn't cry or fuss; he just quietly looked at her, which almost melted her heart.

"Don't be afraid, my dear Tiedan, Mom will find you something to eat..." she coaxed softly, her heart filled with a tremendous joy, as if something had been lost and then found again.

However, Wang Tiezhu soon returned looking disheveled.

Wangjia'ao is mostly inhabited by elderly people living alone; how could they possibly have any milk powder?

"What should we do? We haven't been able to borrow any."

Wang Tiezhu scratched his head, looking anxiously at the baby his wife had placed on the kang (a heated brick bed) wrapped in an old quilt.

Zhang Xiulan was also anxious. She rummaged through the room, and suddenly her eyes lit up. She pulled out a jar covered in dust from the deepest part of the cabinet.

"Honey, how about this? A few years ago, when your mother was still alive, a relative gave her some milk powder for middle-aged and elderly people, but she never drank it."

Wang Tiezhu took the jar, wiped off the dust, and checked the expiration date in the dim light. His heart sank.

"This...this has been expired for almost a year!"

The couple looked at each other, bewildered, at the baby on the kang (a heated brick bed) who was neither making a sound nor fuss, but simply blinking his big eyes at them.

"This...it's expired. Won't the child get diarrhea if he drinks it?" Wang Tiezhu asked hesitantly.

Zhang Xiulan rolled her eyes at him.

"Try it and you'll see if it gives you diarrhea!"

"But there is a way."

Zhang Xiulan, however, was calmer than him. She deftly scooped out a small half-bowl of rice, added water, and started cooking it on the stove.

"Rice water is the most nourishing; there's an old saying that goes, 'Rice water is oily, better than ginseng soup!'"

"Let's just have some rice water for now."

"Okay, okay, I'll go heat the kang (heated brick bed) and warm up the house."

The couple worked tirelessly through the night.

Xia Xinghan lay on the gradually warming kang (a heated brick bed), weak and powerless.

"I want to sunbathe..."

Whether or not he drinks milk is not important to Xia Xinghan; he just wants to get more sun and grow up quickly.

Since we're here, let's make the best of it; nothing can be rushed.

After a while, the rice porridge was ready. It was clear and thick, with a fragrant aroma of rice.

Zhang Xiulan carefully scooped out the top layer of rice oil, gently blew on it until it wasn't too hot, and then used a small spoon to feed it to the baby's mouth little by little.

Xia Xinghan had initially thought he wasn't hungry, but his body's instinctive cravings overwhelmed everything, and the unique sucking instinct of an infant manifested itself.

The warm, slightly sweet liquid, carrying the natural aroma of grains, flowed down my throat, bringing a strange sense of comfort.

More importantly, he seemed to feel that every cell in his body was slightly excited, absorbing the life energy contained in the seemingly ordinary food, which was perhaps the most basic life energy of this planet.

"Rice water is also good. Although it can't compare to the radiation from the yellow sun, it can give the body a little strength."

After hearing the "it smells so good" theory, Xia Xinghan opened his mouth and made "ah ah" sounds.

"He drank it! He drank it!" Zhang Xiulan cried with joy and quickly fed him another spoonful.

Wang Tiezhu breathed a sigh of relief, his face beaming with joy: "I knew it! Such an easy baby! He even drinks rice porridge with such relish!"

The bowl of rice porridge was quickly emptied.

The little guy seemed to want more, licking his lips, looking incredibly cute.

Zhang Xiulan lovingly held him in her arms and patted him gently.

After the initial joy, the harsh realities of life surged into my mind like a cold tide.

Looking at the bare walls of the house, Wang Tiezhu sighed, "Xiulan, rice porridge can last for a while, but what about later? In our village, even a can of milk powder is hard to find. I heard that raising a child these days involves more than just milk; there are diapers, regular vaccinations, and so many other things..."

Zhang Xiulan tightened her grip on the child's arms; how could she not know?

They were struggling to make ends meet and getting old; how could they provide the best for their child's upbringing? Just thinking about how difficult it would be to get to the town for medical treatment if the child got sick, given their remote location in the mountains, made her heart clench.

And education...

Is he going to be trapped in the mountains like me?

"His father," her voice choked, "we...we're afraid we can't raise him well. This child comes from an extraordinary background; following us will only hinder his development."

Wang Tiezhu nodded emphatically. This simple, honest man displayed foresight and selflessness that surpassed his knowledge and experience: "Yes! We can't just think of ourselves! This kid and that lump of iron are both extraordinary. We should hand them over to the country! Only the country can give them the best care, let them grow up properly, and become successful!"

Making this decision felt like a piece of their hearts had been torn out; looking at their well-behaved baby in their arms, they were extremely reluctant to part with him.

What?

Xia Xinghan suddenly became anxious.

What kind of script is this? One second they're talking about adopting him, and the next they're telling me he has to be handed over to the state?

He's an alien. If you hand him over to the state, he'll be dissected and studied.

If all else fails, "sacrifice" the spaceship, exchange it for money and a certificate, and secretly raise him!

Xia Xinghan wanted to protest, but could only make "ah ah" sounds.

What appears as childish anger is seen as endearing by adults.

In his haste, Xia Xinghan felt a throbbing in his lower abdomen, and an uncontrollable force surged toward a certain spot—

A clear jet of water, like a miniature fountain, with a force and range far exceeding that of an ordinary baby, accurately sprayed Wang Tiezhu's face!

"Ha!"

Wang Tiezhu was caught off guard and stunned for a moment. Far from being angry, he wiped his face and exclaimed with delight, "Hey! Look! This new part is really useful; it can even pee three miles into the wind! Our Tiedan is amazing!"

Zhang Xiulan was both amused and exasperated. She glared at her husband and said, "What nonsense are you spouting! The child is telling you he needs to pee! Look how clever he is, not crying or fussing, he knows to use this method to signal!" She quickly found a rag to clean up the child.

Just then—

"Knock knock knock!"

Suddenly, a clear and urgent knocking sound came from outside.