Chapter 93

Chapter 94: This is the first time the young master has brought another friend home

Qian Qi rubbed the imaginary white whiskers on her chin, pretending to be wise, then said: “I am a veterinarian, what could I not know?”

She tapped her chin again and put on a show: “Do you often feed it Gold Magi Yak, Red Brocade Fox, and Ice Spinner Beast meat?”

Si Kong Wang’s eyes went wide as he blurted: “Exactly!”

He stared at her in shock. She had only touched Bai Yin a few times and somehow knew the menu at his house?

Qian Qi delivered her verdict: “Diagnosis: elemental disorder. Your Ghost Panther is Wind Attribute. You kept giving it mixed-attribute Magibeast meat, then you added Phantom Heart Grass, which speeds up absorbing Elemental Power. That combo clogged its channels and threw its elements out of balance.”

Si Kong Wang leaned forward, voice tight with worry as he pinned all his hopes on her: “Is there a way to fix it?”

Qian Qi flicked a glance at the System, then said: “There is, but the consultation fee…”

Si Kong Wang waved fast: “The fee is fine. Classmate Qian, just name a price. How much?”

Qian Qi opened her Light-Brain account with a crisp motion and said: “Six thousand fifty.”

Si Kong Wang had expected it to be higher. He paid, then blinked in curiosity: “I get the six thousand. What’s the extra fifty for?”

Qian Qi fell silent for a beat.

[System: Hahaha]

She huffed: “Fifty is the registration fee. Six thousand is the treatment.”

“Oh, oh.” Si Kong Wang nodded, impressed by how proper she made it sound. He transferred 6050 right away and asked: “So what do we do?”

Qian Qi counted on her fingers and gave the plan: “Go into a Dungeon and find wild Odd Eight-Lobed Fruit, the red kind. Give one in the morning and one at night. If it refuses, force it. Seven days is one course. During that time, switch its diet to only Wind Attribute Magibeast meat. If you must give Fire or ice types, wait until it fully digests the last meal. Do not cram them together.”

Si Kong Wang wrote quickly and said: “Got it, got it. Anything else?”

Qian Qi stood up and added: “Odd Eight-Lobed Fruit is rare, so it’s not easy to find. While you search, feed the Ghost Panther plain raw beef mince. If it won’t eat, give it hawthorn juice to spark its appetite. If you’re ruthless, a little laxative also works. Once it empties itself, hunger will do the rest.”

Si Kong Wang opened his mouth. He had not expected such a plain, no-frills prescription.

Qian Qi was about to ask him to send her back when her stomach growled two times.

Si Kong Wang clapped his palm with sudden realization and offered at once: “You haven’t had lunch, right? Stay and eat at my place, then I’ll drive you back.”

Qian Qi patted her stomach, very pleased that the timing had saved her a meal: “Then I won’t be shy.”

The main hall of the Si Kong manor was even more lavish than the Ghost Panther’s den. European-style noble décor lined the walls, and a giant pale yellow crystal chandelier cast shimmering light from the ceiling. Intricate carvings covered the walls. Servants stood in two straight rows along the white carpet, bowing as their young master returned.

When they saw Qian Qi by his side, their gazes gathered on her, full of surprise.

A few whispered as they watched: “The young master actually brought another friend home?”

“It’s the first time he has ever brought a different friend.”

“He hasn’t brought anyone home in ages. Looks like he made a new friend.”

Qian Qi’s back prickled. [Why do the Si Kong servants feel a little creepy?]

She glanced at Si Kong Wang. He either did not hear or was used to it, because he kept walking calmly toward the dining room. She scratched her head and hurried to keep up.

After a long, wide corridor, they reached the main dining room. The chefs were already at their stations, stoves lit, preparing lunch. Servants brought fruit and pastries first and set them before the two of them. Qian Qi did not stand on ceremony and began eating.

Only after she finished did Si Kong Wang ask, careful and hopeful: “Classmate Qian, if my Contract Beast has trouble later, can I keep coming to you?”

Qian Qi wiped her mouth, rubbed three fingers together, and said: “As long as the money’s there, everything’s good.”

Si Kong Wang smiled with relief. He lacked nothing but had more money than most. If he could stay on good terms with Qian Qi, then Bai Yin would always get proper treatment.

He waved to the servants and said: “Bring more pastries.”

Qian Qi wanted to save room for the main dishes, so she only nibbled two. Noticing her half-hearted snacking, Si Kong Wang urged the kitchen: “Serve the dishes as soon as they’re ready.”

Course after course arrived. The smell alone made Qian Qi’s mouth water, and she dug in with gusto. Si Kong Wang ate slowly, tiny bites, more proper than a noble lady from ancient times.

Qian Qi eyed him twice and wondered: [Is he the type who gains weight easily? He eats so little yet still looks soft and chubby. Is he being reserved on purpose? Or did the System mess with him earlier and hurt his pride?]

She shot a glare at the System skittering around nearby.

[System: Qian Qi, Qian Qi! This place is so fancy. When can you buy a manor too? We can live in it together!]

Qian Qi blinked. “You’re a System Panel and you want a house?”

[System: Why not? Systems aren’t monks. We don’t live on air.]

She snorted. [True. This System loves money.]

[Fine, once I buy a big manor, I’ll build you a dedicated closet to achieve complete boxer shorts freedom.]

She went back to eating, trading light talk with Si Kong Wang about why Magibeasts have low birth rates, when steady footsteps sounded in the hall outside.

Leather boots clicked cleanly on the tiles. In this manor where the servants moved quietly, only one of the masters would walk with sounds like that.

Si Kong Wang put down his chopsticks. His expression turned a little strict. Qian Qi had seen this look before. He showed it to Awakeners he led, though in private he acted easygoing and kind.

She turned to see who it was as a middle-aged man stepped into the dining room. He wore a fitted black Commander uniform with three different badges that showed his rank and status. His face was cold and stern, lined with fatigue. There was dried blood on his jaw, as if he had just come down from a battlefield, and the killing aura around him had not fully faded.

He paused when he noticed an unfamiliar guest, then frowned at Si Kong Wang.

Si Kong Wang stood and said quietly: “Father, you’re back.”

The man’s eyes cut to Qian Qi as he asked in a blunt tone: “A friend?” His sharp gaze swept her again, and his frown deepened as he changed the question: “A girlfriend?”

Qian Qi: [???]

Si Kong Wang: [???]

[System: Oh ho]