The ancient return was exposed by his sister's live stream.

"My darlings, the little Mengmeng family has just escaped a life of hardship. What they need most right now is security, not to be disturbed. Let's keep our distance and let them live in peace."

Most of the comments expressed understanding. A few were still spamming "keep raising her," but Chen Siyao ignored them.

Yang Wanqing sat on the balcony railing with a bowl in her hand, her legs dangling out from the gaps in the railing and swinging back and forth.

"Yao Yao".

"Um?"

"When that little male was standing at the entrance of the hole blocking the view... it was so tiny."

"Um."

"It's so small." Yang Wanqing chewed on some fruit. "What's the point of blocking it like that? If the brain-eating beast really comes, it'll just swallow it whole."

"That's why we have to block him; if something goes wrong, he'll be the first one."

Yang Wanqing didn't reply. She chewed a couple of bites of fruit and looked down at the blue grass below the attic.

The setting sun pressed down from the west.

Orange-red light bathed the entire grassland. In the distance, that big tree... the one near Little Mengmeng's new home... cast a long shadow in the sunset.

Chen Siyao glanced at the other end of the balcony out of the corner of her eye.

Chen Hao sat in a wicker chair, holding a cup of tea. Orange-red light shone on his profile, and a few strands of his hair were blown by the wind, falling across his forehead.

She quietly turned the photo crystal around.

Crystal's lens was aimed at Chen Hao's profile.

This scene was broadcast live.

The comments section changed drastically in 0.3 seconds.

"Aaaaaaah..."

"Who can stand Chen Hao's face?"

"I'm dead to love this scene, enhanced by the sunset."

"Yaoyao, keep shooting, keep shooting, don't stop!"

"Screenshot taken, screenshot taken, will last forever"

"I'll use this profile picture as my phone's wallpaper for the rest of my life."

Chen Hao paused, his hand holding the teacup still. He turned his head and glanced at the recording crystal.

He glanced at Chen Siyao again.

Chen Siyao was still chewing on half a piece of fruit, giggling.

Chen Hao didn't say anything, but raised the teacup to his lips and took another sip. His expression didn't change much, except that he sighed again.

Yang Wanqing, who was standing nearby, almost choked on the fruit when she saw this.

"Even his helpless expression is so handsome..."

"Shut up and eat." Chen Siyao kicked her.

The sky had completely darkened. Stars filled the heavens, and two pale purple bands of light stretched across the night sky from south to north.

Chen Siyao ended the live stream and accepted the commemorative crystal.

Go to bed early.

Yang Wanqing yawned, rubbed her eyes, and went upstairs.

The attic quieted down.

Chen Hao was already on the balcony when it was just dawn.

He doesn't sleep much. Or rather, with his current level of cultivation, it makes little difference whether he sleeps or not. He meditates with his eyes closed for three hours every night.

A pot of hot tea was brewing on the table on the balcony.

He is boxing.

It wasn't a magical technique used during cultivation; it was an ancient martial art. The movements were slow and small, taking two or three seconds to throw a punch. The footwork was also slow—the left foot stepped out, followed by the right, the shift in weight flowing smoothly.

The morning light spilled over from the eastern horizon and shone on him.

His right fist had just been brought to his waist, and he hadn't even started the next move...

The movement paused for a moment.

He turned his head and glanced down the steps of the attic.

The very bottom step of the stairs.

A tiny figure was squatting there.

A cute little male.

Its golden fur was much drier in the morning light; most of the dirt from yesterday had somehow been rubbed off. Its fluffy tail was curled behind it, and its four short legs were together, squatting properly.

It was holding something in its arms.

A few nuts. Brown shells, about the size of longans. Little Mengmeng held the nuts tightly with its two front paws, almost unable to hold them... One of them was stuck between its chin and front paws, teetering on the verge of falling.

It is looking upwards.

Looking at Chen Hao on the balcony.

There was still a hint of fear in its golden eyes. Its ears were half-erect and half-drooping, and the tip of its tail lightly brushed against the steps twice.

It wanted to come up.

But I'm not too bold.

It moved its two hind legs on the steps, lifted them up slightly, and then pulled them back down.

Chen Hao looked at it.

He put down his boxing stance. He turned around and faced the steps.

"Put it here."

Three words.

The voice was soft, gentle, and soothing, carrying a calming power.

Little Mengmeng's ears perked up instantly.

It stared at Chen Hao's face for two seconds. Chen Hao didn't make any extra movements, just stood there on the balcony, the morning light streaming in from behind him.

There was a slight smile on that face.

Not much. The curve of her lips was barely visible. But the lines around her eyes had loosened, changing the overall look of her face from cool and aloof to warm and gentle.

Little Mengmeng's back foot finally stepped onto the stairs.

One level.

Two levels.

Its four legs were short, and each step was half a body length high for it. With nuts still in its front paws, it could only push up with its hind legs... each push caused it to wobble. The nuts in its arms rattled and tumbled, and one rolled out.

It turned around, picked it up, clamped it again, and continued climbing.

I climbed eight steps to reach the second-floor balcony.

Little Mengmeng tiptoed to the table. The tabletop was higher than her, and she couldn't reach it.

It looked at the table, then at Chen Hao, hesitated for two seconds... then kicked off with its hind legs, its whole body springing onto the tabletop.

The nuts spilled.

A few nuts rolled around on the table, one of them hitting the teapot and making a soft sound.

Little Mengmeng hurriedly gathered the scattered nuts together, pushed them into a small pile with her two front paws, and placed them in the center of the table.

It's all set up.

It took a step back, then another. It retreated until it reached the edge of the table.

The golden eyes glanced at Chen Hao, then turned to jump.

"Wait a moment."

Little Mengmeng stopped and turned around.

Chen Hao took something out of his Qiankun bag.

A spiritual fruit.

The fruit was about the size of a child's fist, crystal clear, with a pale golden sheen on its surface. Wisps of spiritual energy emanated from its peel, carrying a sweet, fruity aroma... many times more concentrated than the few brown nuts on the table.

Chen Hao flicked his fingers. The spirit fruit flew from his palm and landed steadily in front of Xiao Mengmeng.

Little Mengmeng stared at the spirit fruit.

He sniffled twice.

It lowered its head and sniffed. Its eyes lit up instantly... This smelled better than any food it had ever eaten.

But it didn't take it.

It tucked its two front paws into its chest, looking at the spirit fruit, then at Chen Hao. It looked back and forth three times.

"Here's your return gift. Take it."

Little Mengmeng's ears twitched.

Two tiny paws slowly reached out... tentatively touching the surface of the spirit fruit. It wasn't hit, it wasn't scolded. Its paws grasped the spirit fruit, and it hugged it close to its chest.

The spirit fruit was huge. It had to lean back to hold it securely.

They hugged.

It turned around and paused for a second at the table.

She glanced back at Chen Hao.

Chen Hao maintained the same expression. A faint smile played on his lips, almost imperceptible, but his eyes were gentle.

Little Mengmeng kicked her hind legs and jumped from the table to the chair, then from the chair to the ground. Clutching the spirit fruit that was bigger than her head, she hopped and skipped down the steps.