Chapter 142
Chapter 142: For the Cub, They Finally Ended Up Living Together
“Two of them are too small and might die? That can’t be right.” Jiang Tea Tea propped herself up, leaning toward the imaging screen.
Cheng Yuan turned the screen toward her.
Five golden cubs floated on the display—tiny, short, but unmistakably pure-blooded.
Cheng Yuan pointed, explaining patiently. “All five are small. These two are especially small.”
“The imaging shows they’re about 1.2 to 1.8 centimeters shorter than the other three.”
“Don’t underestimate that difference. That length can determine whether they survive and whether they can be born.”
“It also affects their beast-form length after birth and adulthood. Generally, a Dragon Clan that just reaches adulthood is about twelve to eighteen meters. Between twenty and thirty years old, they grow to about twenty to sixty meters.”
“Dragon Clan grow in ten-year stages, based on ability level. Higher level, longer beast form.”
“Of course there are exceptions. If the parents naturally have longer beast forms, then even if their level isn’t that high, their children may inherit longer bodies.”
He paused, then hit the hardest point. “The key issue is this: the cubs are small, and they lack the father’s psychic force soothing. Even if they’re born safely, their awakening will be affected.”
“There’s an eighty-five percent chance the smallest two won’t awaken abilities.”
“In this era, where strength is judged by abilities, life is hard for anyone who doesn’t awaken—beastfolk men, beastfolk women, pure humans.”
“For Gold Dragon Clan… it’s especially hard.”
Cheng Yuan’s words came from the heart.
Gold Dragon Clan reproduction was notoriously difficult. For thousands—tens of thousands—of years, a Gold Dragon Clan couple might have one cub. Two at most.
Their cubs always awakened abilities. The only question was how strong.
If two of Jiang Tea Tea’s five didn’t awaken, once they grew up and understood comparison, the pressure would crush them. They’d feel inferior. They’d call themselves worthless.
Some wounds didn’t fade.
Jiang Tea Tea stared at the screen.
Five golden dragons.
Not one tea tree seedling. Not one tea tree sprout.
If even one had been a Little Tea Tree seedling, she could’ve found a pot, dumped in rich soil and fertilizer, watered it, given it sunlight, and it would’ve grown on its own.
She looked up. “Cheng Yuan… are you saying I have to stay with Chong Ming all the time from now on, so all five cubs grow safely and can be born?”
Cheng Yuan nodded. “Yes. While they’re in the mother’s body, they must receive the father’s psychic force soothing. That’s the only way they’ll grow strong.”
“Your cubs are different from normal ones. They have no eggshells. If they had shells, even after birth the father could incubate them, and they could still grow during incubation.”
“Now they can only grow inside your body.”
He hesitated, then admitted, “And there’s one more thing I can’t judge. I don’t know if your cubs can truly be born at ten to fifteen months.”
If he couldn’t judge the birth time, then the cubs would stay in her belly.
How long?
Even he didn’t know.
A dragon hatchling being carried as a live birth was already a medical miracle—a one-in-a-billion special case with no reference.
Jiang Tea Tea rubbed her belly, feeling movement inside. “Would it help if I drank more dragon blood?”
Cheng Yuan frowned. “Dragon blood from the cubs’ father can provide energy. But it isn’t psychic force soothing. It’s missing something.”
Jiang Tea Tea exhaled. “So I have to receive Chong Ming’s psychic force soothing every day.”
“Yes.”
Jiang Tea Tea fell quiet for a beat, then said, “I don’t want him to know I’m carrying five. Show him only one cub’s image—the weakest one—and tell him about that.”
“Understood.” Cheng Yuan removed the tool and helped her sit up. “Give me a moment.”
He and Cheng Lin Yue worked together, modifying the imaging report from his private machine and transferring it onto the Imperial Palace exam system.
Within minutes, the Imperial Palace machine printed a complete report—for a single cub.
Cheng Yuan let Cheng Lin Yue check the details.
Cheng Lin Yue couldn’t find any flaws.
Cheng Yuan reviewed it again and again, then deleted the data from his own machine and stored it back into his storage button.
“All set,” he told Jiang Tea Tea. “We can go downstairs.”
Jiang Tea Tea quietly released a breath.
He’d only found the cub problem—and nothing abnormal about her own body.
That was good.
Down in the first-floor hall, Chong Ming stood the moment he saw them. One look at their expressions, and his face sharpened.
He walked over. “Jiang Tea Tea, you and Cheng Lin Yue will stay at the Imperial Palace tonight. Tomorrow I’ll have someone send you to school.”
“Now go rest with her. I’ll speak with Healer Cheng Yuan alone, all right?”
Jiang Tea Tea glanced at Cheng Yuan—silent warning.
Cheng Yuan nodded once. “Classmate Jiang Tea Tea, it’s late. You should rest. Go. I’ll discuss your condition with Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming.”
“All right.” Jiang Tea Tea smiled. “Cheng Lin Yue and I will go rest first.”
Chong Ming called out, and two male and two female stewards arrived, politely gesturing for them to follow.
Jiang Tea Tea walked off like she belonged there.
Cheng Lin Yue followed like a drifter stepping onto Capital Planet—stiff, curious, and careful.
Two stewards led in front. Two guarded behind.
Jiang Tea Tea walked between them at an unhurried pace, like she was strolling through her own territory.
Her quarters were enormous.
A rock garden. A wide pond. Simple furnishings that still looked priceless.
The bed was half-round, like a nest, inlaid with gemstones that glittered.
On the shelves were more gemstones—some the size of fists, some like pigeon eggs or chicken eggs—each one looking worth a fortune.
“Classmate Jiang Tea Tea.” The steward who escorted her stood in the outer hall and called in. “The kitchen has sent a late-night snack. Would you like something to eat?”
Jiang Tea Tea popped right out. “Yes. I’ll eat.”
She’d been running around all night. She was starving.
“This way, please.” The steward led her into another hall.
The table was covered with delicate food—meat, vegetables, pastries, fruit.
Jiang Tea Tea sat. The steward asked respectfully, “Is there anything else you’d like? I can have the cook make more.”
“No.” Jiang Tea Tea waved. “This is enough. You can go.”
“Yes.” The steward bowed. “I’ll be at the courtyard gate. If you need anything, you’ll see me the moment you step out.”
“All right. Thank you.”
The steward backed out.
This was where His Highness Chong Ming stayed inside the Imperial Palace. If Classmate Jiang Tea Tea could live here, it meant she was the future princess consort.
To be chosen as one of the stewards serving her was the highest honor.
Jiang Tea Tea patted her belly and started on the snack—balanced, warm, satisfying.
She was almost done when Chong Ming walked in wearing his uniform, carrying a tray. He collected her empty plates and set several dishes on the table.
Jiang Tea Tea swallowed quickly and stared at him. “Old Loach, men and women shouldn’t be this close. Why are you coming into my quarters in the middle of the night?”
Chong Ming sat across from her and handed her a napkin. “This is my palace within the Imperial Palace. Tonight, I’m staying here with you.”
Jiang Tea Tea froze mid-reach.
Then her eyes blew wide. “You’re staying with me? What relationship do we have that you get to share a room and a bed with me? Do you have no shame?”