C15 My Good Grandson Don't Cry Anymore

After saying goodbye to Zhang Liang and the others, Zhou Mu handed the car keys to the housekeeper, Chunhua, and hailed a taxi back to the Zhou family estate.

"Grandfather! Grandfather! Grandfather!" Zhou Mu called out instinctively, then paused, feeling a bit off. Why did he sound like a character from a children's show?

"My dear grandson, you've finally decided to visit your old grandpa," the elder Zhou greeted him with a warm, twinkling smile, showing no trace of the ferocity he had when he chased Uncle Ming and Zhou Ming out of the house during the New Year festivities.

"I've been swamped with exams lately!" Zhou Mu explained as he settled next to the old man, carefully avoiding any mention of needing money and instead chatting about school life.

The old man had weathered many storms over the years; he had seen it all and could read people like an open book. The moment Zhou Mu shifted uncomfortably, the old man knew exactly what was coming.

On the surface, the two engaged in trivial family talk, but inwardly, each was biding their time, waiting for the other to show their hand.

Eventually, Zhou Mu caved.

The old man had the patience of a saint and could wait days, even weeks, if necessary. Zhou Mu, on the other hand, was in dire straits—he urgently needed the cash.

"Grandfather, could you lend me some money? My dad's been so harsh on me, only giving me five hundred thousand a month. It's barely enough to live on. I've had to hunt fiend beasts in the wilderness just to survive, always on edge, always in danger. If luck hadn't been on my side this time, the Zhou lineage might have ended with me."

As he spoke, Zhou Mu covertly rubbed his eyes with his finger, releasing the sting of capsaicin and causing large tears to stream down his face.

The capsaicin he'd bought from the system store was potent—after practicing his 'spicy palm' technique for so long, he wouldn't dare touch his food with that hand, let alone his eyes.

But desperate times called for desperate measures. He risked it for the sake of convincing his grandfather, only to immediately regret it as the fiery sensation invaded his nostrils, triggering a flood of tears and mucus.

That was bad enough, but then memories of his past life's struggles for survival surfaced, overwhelming him with a wave of sorrow that left him sobbing uncontrollably.

Then, he burst into uncontrollable tears!

The sight of his grandson sobbing so deeply took the old man by surprise.

He had assumed the boy was merely whining about being broke, but now, seeing his current state, he couldn't fathom the hardships he'd endured lately.

Recalling Zhou Mu's earlier words about struggling without enough food or warm clothes, living in constant fear, and facing endless crises, the old man's heart ached, quickly followed by a surge of rage.

Of the Zhou family's second generation, the youngest son was a wild card, the middle son preoccupied with quelling spatial rifts, leaving only the eldest to produce an heir.

It was bad enough not to coddle the sole successor, but to cut off his allowance, driving him into the perilous wilds to hunt fiend beasts, was beyond the pale!

The old man's fury knew no bounds. He embraced Zhou Mu, offering words of comfort, then furiously dialed Zhou Chun's number and unleashed a tirade, "Zhou Chun, you wretched cur, damn you..."

His tirade left Zhou Chun completely bewildered, clueless as to what had set him off.

Once the old man's anger seemed to cool slightly, Zhou Chun was about to inquire about the cause of the outburst, but the line went dead.

Zhou Chun: "???"

Feeling terrible after the inexplicable scolding, Zhou Chun pondered briefly and suspected it had to do with Zhou Mu.

The old man, long retired and living a life of quiet cultivation at the family estate, could only be driven to such fury by the Zhou family's lone heir.

After calling a subordinate to pinpoint Zhou Mu's location, Zhou Chun's own anger flared.

"That little wretch!"

Zhou Chun was so livid he nearly shattered his cup, seething with frustration.

He had hoped to bend the boy to his will, not expecting him to seek refuge with his grandfather.

Where was the justice in that?

"Qi Xiang has been his childhood sweetheart, always so docile and pretty. Why the refusal? Maybe it's time for tougher measures, perhaps a potion?"

Zhou Chun stroked his stubbled chin, feeling a twinge of guilt for considering such extremes.

"But then again, the boy's recent behavior is quite suspicious. I personally examined that little snake; apart from its lively, intelligent eyes and pretty color, there was nothing unusual. How then did it evolve from an ordinary beast to a leader? And his body's toxins, so deeply embedded in his cells and genes, even his second brother is at a loss. How on earth did he detoxify?"

"Genetic mutation? Or perhaps the work of some ancient creature?"

Zhou Chun paused briefly before finally making the call to his younger brother, Zhou Hao.

...

"There, there, my good grandson, no more tears."

The elder patted Zhou Mu's shoulder, only to find that his attempt at consolation only made the boy weep harder.

Having navigated the martial world for decades, the old man had seen it all. Yet, faced with his grandson sobbing uncontrollably, he found himself unexpectedly disconcerted.

Gently wiping the tears from Zhou Mu's face, the elder's own nose tingled with emotion as memories of his own childhood surfaced.

Orphaned at a young age, shunned by kin who feared him as a curse, he was left to fend for himself at the tender age of eight.

Scrounging for food in trash heaps, brawling with stray dogs—he had endured untold hardships.

"Ah, you've suffered so much through the years," he murmured.

As he dabbed at his moistening eyes, the old man realized something was amiss.

Burning!

Intensely burning!

His eyes were on fire, tears streaming uncontrollably!

Sensing something, Zhou Mu looked up to see his grandfather's tear-streaked face.

An odd tableau unfolded as the two locked gazes—one astonished, the other solemn.

The elder remained silent, and Zhou Mu was at a loss for words.

After nearly two minutes of silence, Zhou Mu's eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.

He sensed danger, an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Grandfather..."

Zhou Mu's voice trailed off as he contemplated making a break for it.

Money was the least of his concerns now.

The real question was whether he could make it out in one piece.

"You little rascal, acting like you're my elder!" the old man bellowed, pulling off his shoe and delivering a swift smack to Zhou Mu's backside.

...

"Old timer, that was a low blow."

Zhou Mu clutched the bank card in one hand and his sore backside with the other, wincing in pain.

This was a localized bruise, not the result of energy or toxins, and thus, it couldn't be traded with the system.

Of course, Zhou Mu could opt for some potent but toxic medicinal herbs to expedite healing before making the exchange.

"Despite being found out, I've accomplished my mission."

Zhou Mu slipped the bank card into his pocket and boldly made his way toward the Love Lovely Pet Breeding Base.

"Sure, I blew my cover, but I achieved my goal."

Zhou Mu tucked the bank card into his pocket and strode confidently toward the Love and Care Pet Breeding Center. In a world ruled by Animal Whisperers and spirit animals, the trade and breeding of these creatures were incredibly lucrative.

Centuries of evolution had given rise to innumerable shops dedicated to the sale of spirit animals, and the Love and Care Pet Breeding Center was among the elite. Whether you needed a melee, long-range, or a hybrid combatant...

Attack, defense, or healing types...

If you had the cash, you could acquire anything your heart desired.

Even the most unusual spirit animals could be found here.

Zhou Mu was feeling lucky, hoping to find the perfect match. If not, he'd check out the Animal Whisperer Union next.

"Big brother, looking to buy a spirit animal?"

The moment he entered the shop, a piercing voice greeted Zhou Mu.

"Yep!"

He replied casually, taking in his surroundings. The Love and Care Pet Breeding Center was modest in size, under a thousand square meters, but it was packed with dozens of metallic cages, each housing a young spirit animal. Rows of temperature-controlled incubators held a spectrum of eggs, and the area was surrounded by hundreds of varieties of feed and food.

The quantity of spirit animals might have been limited, but their quality was exceptional. There were the dopey barbed sus scrofas, the boisterous white-horned bullfrogs, and the adorable snow foxes.

A few steps in, Zhou Mu's eyes caught a stunning emerald creature in a water tank.

"A Crystal Cold Toad? I never expected to find such a rare spirit animal here!"

He marveled, knowing he was in the right place.

"Brother, what kind of spirit animal are you after? You must know the reputation of the Love and Care Pet Breeding Center. There's nothing you can't find here."

The sharp voice rang out once more. Zhou Mu scanned the area but couldn't pinpoint the speaker.

"I'm looking for a combat-ready spirit animal. The more powerful, the better," Zhou Mu stated, continuing his search.

He found it odd that the shopkeeper wouldn't meet him face-to-face. This disembodied conversation was bordering on rudeness.

"The more powerful, the better?"

"I'm all about practicality. Types don't matter to me. As long as it's battle-ready, I'm interested."

As Zhou Mu made his way eastward, the sound of a voice seemed to beckon him from that direction. Curious, he decided to investigate what the shopkeeper was up to.

"For those in need of a creature with formidable combat abilities, I'd recommend the Giant Toothed Elephant. Its hide is tough, and it can take quite a beating. There's no elite spirit animal more resilient than it," the voice rang out, guiding Zhou Mu.

"The Giant Toothed Elephant is well-armored, but it lacks speed. It's liable to become an easy target on the battlefield. Do you have anything else?" Zhou Mu inquired.

"Consider the Iron Armored Rhinoceros, a leader-grade beast known for its combat prowess and defense. It's swift too, capable of easily ripping through the hide of the Giant Toothed Elephant."

"The Iron Armored Rhinoceros has the speed, but it's not the most agile. Once it charges, it's quite challenging to redirect. We can keep it as an option. Anything else?" Zhou Mu continued to probe as he navigated the aisles.

He was close now, no more than twenty meters from the shopkeeper, after weaving through several shelves.

"If you're looking for a balance of attack, defense, speed, and agility, your options are limited. Most elite spirit animals excel in one area, and a leader might cover two or three. For a truly versatile creature, you'd be looking at the stuff of legends—the dragon species," the voice advised sharply.

After rounding a couple of bends and circling a massive water tank, Zhou Mu finally laid eyes on the "shopkeeper"—a plump, colorful parrot with a small crest of feathers atop its head.

The parrot perched nonchalantly by a pile of dried fruit, effortlessly shredding the tough shells with its sharp claws before tossing the morsels into its beak, exuding an air of cheeky defiance.