“Aww~ Son, you’re the capable one, so more work for you. Never mind that, who did you give the Holy Light Bracelet to? Which lucky girl caught your eye so much that you’d part with it? Show your mom already.”
Shen Xinwan swiftly changed the subject.
At the mention of Ruan Shu, Almer’s expression finally softened a bit.
“It’s the daughter of Marshal Ruan.”
“Hm?”
Both parents looked puzzled. They’d been so caught up in their vacation and enjoyment that they rarely kept track of external affairs.
So Marshal Ruan actually has a daughter?
“Did Marshal Ruan remarry?”
They both thought of this at the same time. How could they have missed such big news?
“No, Shushu’s background is a bit complicated.”
Almer explained Ruan Shu’s background, and his mother, naturally more sentimental, felt a pang of heartache after hearing it.
“That woman doesn’t deserve to be called a mother.”
Reynold nodded gravely but added, “Still, that’s no reason for you to give her the Holy Light Bracelet! Since when did you become so sympathetic?”
Almer’s mother, Shen Xinwan, gave her husband’s head a light push.
“Don’t mind him. Show me a picture. What does the girl look like?”
She was curious. What kind of girl had charmed her smug son enough to make him give up the Holy Light Bracelet?
Could there be something wrong with her son’s mental state? He was only a hundred years old and already wanted a daughter?
Almer, having a good relationship with his mother, found a photo of Ruan Shu and showed it to her.
The next second, he saw his mom almost pressing her face against the screen.
“Oh my, that little face! She looks just like the daughter of my dreams!”
Shen Xinwan was utterly charmed. What mother wouldn’t want a beautiful, soft little girl by her side—someone to go shopping with, to dress up beautifully, and to show off?
Taking a daughter like that out would definitely be a point of pride!
Back when her son was about to hatch, she even prayed to the Beast God, begging for a little girl. Even if she were mischievous, it didn’t matter, as long as she could wear dresses and have little braids.
But alas, fate had other plans, and what hatched was a pitch-black little dragon boy who, upon hatching, managed to singe his father’s hair with a single breath of dragon fire.
From then on, their father-son dynamic was established: a constant back-and-forth of rivalry and mutual pranks.
But this soft-looking child was exactly the baby she had dreamed of. If she’d had a child like this back then, her husband and son would have been totally sidelined.
As they say, like mother, like son—their taste is eerily similar.
“Not bad, son! You actually found such a cute little one!”
Almer lifted his chin slightly. Naturally, right?
Reynold snorted, “No matter how good she is, she’s still someone else’s kid. What does that have to do with him?”
Shen Xinwan shot him a look. “Oh, stop it. Let’s face it, there’s no way we’ll have such an obedient child in the dragon family. Honestly, I think our son did nothing wrong. Who knows how long it’ll be until the next generation of dragon eggs? The Holy Light Bracelet is just sitting around anyway; what’s the harm in letting the girl wear it for a while?”
Almer nodded, “Exactly!”
Reynold started, “But…”
“Alright, alright, son, you go take good care of that girl. It’s good practice for being a father. Your dad and I have things to do, so we’ll hang up now,” Shen Xinwan cut in, quickly ending the call without giving her son a chance to argue.
Honestly, she had no intention of returning to her role as Empress. She’d been in that position for thousands of years, and staying any longer would drive her mad.
“What are you doing, woman? That’s the Holy Light Bracelet!” Reynold protested.
Shen Xinwan glared at him. “Are you dense? Our son is smarter than you!”
Reynold, tall and strong, wilted slightly at his wife’s words, looking like a large, dejected dog.
“Think about it,” Shen Xinwan continued. “The bracelet is meant to be passed down, but dragon lifespans are so long, and it’s not like they easily find a partner, right?”
Reynold promptly reaffirmed, “Absolutely, my love. I didn’t look twice at anyone until I met you.”
“So, isn’t it a good thing that our son has taken a liking to a girl so early? I mean, I already adore her just from her photo. Let’s not think of the Holy Light Bracelet as a family heirloom right now. Consider it a gift to our future daughter-in-law instead.”
Reynold’s eyes widened. “Huh???”
Future daughter-in-law?
Could she mean…what he thought she meant?!
Shen Xinwan’s expression grew more animated. “Our son has great taste—much better than yours. Sure, he sees the girl as a daughter right now, but who’s to say it’ll stay that way? Dragons are notoriously possessive. Once she grows up into a beautiful young woman, I doubt he’ll have it in him to let her go. Just wait and see.”
Reynold was at a loss. This was a direction he’d never considered.
But the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Dragons live long lives and are intensely loyal to their partners. They don’t easily settle down, with some remaining solitary for millennia. If his son raised that girl and developed a deep bond with her, that possessive dragon nature might just turn her into…well, a future mate!
At this point, Reynold was no longer concerned about the Holy Light Bracelet being given away. After all, was she really an “outsider”? She might very well be his future daughter-in-law!
He’d still have someone look into the girl’s background, though, just to be sure.
“Achoo…”
At the Ruan residence, Ruan Shu sneezed three times in a row, rubbing her little nose in confusion.
She didn’t feel sick; her nose was just a bit ticklish.
Setting the last stroke on her drawing, she climbed off her stool and took the picture she’d made for her grandfather to find him.
This was her promise to him.
“Grandpa, I finished the drawing.”
In a cute, chibi style, the little old man on the paper looked spirited and lively, and even a little adorable.
Ruan He was all smiles when he received his precious granddaughter’s gift, beaming with joy as he snapped a couple of photos and posted them to his social feed.
“My granddaughter is the sweetest little treasure: Gift from my granddaughter ❤️ [Photo]”
Even his nickname showed off his pride in his beloved granddaughter.
His post quickly stirred up waves of envy and admiration. Many grandparents, inspired by his post, turned to their own grandchildren with a hint of dissatisfaction.
“Look at other people’s granddaughters! Making treats for their grandpa, giving massages, even making gifts! Why can’t you learn to be more like that?”
The kids on the receiving end of these lectures were speechless. Hadn’t things been fine before? Why were grandpa and grandma suddenly so riled up?
Ruan Shu, completely unaware, had now become the “ideal grandchild” in her grandparents’ social circles.
Meanwhile, her needle-felted animal was finally finished!
It hadn’t been easy—her fingers had been pricked more than a few times over the past few weeks. But after countless attempts, she’d finally completed a miniature, palm-sized felted version of her big brother in the form of a star beast.
Ruan Shu’s eyes curved in satisfaction as she looked at the tiny black qilin-tiger in her palm. Its fierce little face gave it an adorably menacing charm.
When her big brother returned, she’d have a special gift ready just for him.