Like the West Couldn't Do Without...

Over the next few days.

Whenever Xiao Hua had time, she would sit by the bed and chat with Vegeta.

As if she hadn't spoken to anyone in years, she poured out all the words she'd been holding in.

She talked about little things from everyday life, then about her childhood.

Vegeta would respond now and then. Most of the time, he simply listened.

"You know, I got lucky today and found a few bird eggs..."

"I caught a rabbit in a trap today!"

"I was chopping wood just now and missed. I almost hit my foot..."

Xiao Hua chatted away without stopping.

For the first time, Vegeta experienced a feeling he could only describe as warmth.

His state of mind gradually changed.

It was as if something was nourishing his heart.

After getting to know the place, Vegeta finally learned that he was in a forest out in the wilderness, with no homes nearby.

Xiao Hua had been the only one living here before.

Now there were two of them.

One day, Vegeta was finally able to move again.

He had enough strength to stand up and move around freely.

It was nighttime, and Xiao Hua wasn't in the room.

For some reason, Vegeta wanted to share the good news with her.

He walked out of the room.

In the courtyard, he saw Xiao Hua sitting alone on a rock, her chin resting in her hands.

She looked somewhat downcast.

Moonlight spilled over her, draping her in a faint glow.

"Hey."

Vegeta called out.

Xiao Hua turned around, and her face immediately lit up with a smile.

"Congratulations, Vegeta! You can walk again."

Vegeta kept a straight face and said nothing.

He walked over and sat beside her.

"Can you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Xiao Hua asked, startled.

"You're in a bad mood tonight."

"You noticed..." Xiao Hua smiled faintly.

Her expression grew gloomy again.

"I miss my parents. A venomous snake bit them, and they didn't get treatment in time. They left me..."

Vegeta listened in silence.

He drew a deep breath.

Then he stood up and gathered Xiao Hua into his arms, holding her there without a word.

Xiao Hua looked up at him and smiled.

She bloomed like a beautiful flower.

Over the next few months.

Vegeta's injuries slowly healed, and little by little, he became able to join in the hunting.

Xiao Hua gathered fruit and grew a few vegetables.

Vegeta went out to hunt.

Their lives gradually improved.

After a few months.

They worked together with increasing ease and settled into a life of farming and homemaking.

Vegeta returned from a hunt and found Xiao Hua wasn't home. He figured she'd gone out to gather fruit.

Since she wasn't there, he started preparing the game he'd just brought back.

Just then.

The grass nearby rustled, and someone came running out. It was Xiao Hua.

She looked panicked as she ran, glancing back every so often.

Chasing her was a small, two-meter-tall dinosaur—a velociraptor!

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, and he rushed forward.

Suddenly, Xiao Hua stumbled and fell to the ground.

The velociraptor was about to pounce on her when Vegeta's heart lurched. All he could see was her.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

He unleashed what little ki he had left, boosting his speed several times over, and slammed into the velociraptor!

Thud!!

The velociraptor was knocked off its feet.

Vegeta stood in front of Xiao Hua, shielding her behind him, his gaze fierce as a god of war.

The velociraptor flipped back onto its feet. Seeing his eyes, its meager intelligence told it instinctively that this black-haired monkey was trouble!

Without a second thought, it turned and ran.

Vegeta turned around, helped Xiao Hua up, and gathered her into his arms.

Before, he hadn't been able to make sense of his feelings.

Did he love her, or did he just feel sorry for her?

In that moment.

He understood.

"I was so scared just now..." Xiao Hua's body trembled slightly.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here."

They embraced, and Vegeta awkwardly stroked Xiao Hua's back with both hands.

He carried Xiao Hua back to the room.

"Get some rest first..."

"Okay."

That night, after they turned out the lights.

As usual, Vegeta lay on the bedding on the floor beside the bed.

Suddenly, Xiao Hua's voice came from the little bed beside him.

"Vegeta, I'm scared. Come sleep beside me."

"But... I'm right here beside you."

"..."

Xiao Hua said nothing.

After a while, Vegeta felt someone slip into his bedding...

"Hey, go back to your bed."

"Hmph, no! I want you to hold me..."

"My patience has its limits!"

Feeling her soft skin, Vegeta breathed heavily and reached out to touch her.

Xiao Hua's body shuddered.

"Hey, I can't hold back..."

"Say my name..."

"Xiao Hua..."

"Mm... love me."

A few months earlier.

Jiang Ling used Instant Transmission to arrive on King Kai's Planet.

"Hey there, North Kai!"

"Holy crap!"

North Kai jumped in fright.

"Can't you stop popping up out of nowhere and scaring me?"

Jiang Ling shrugged helplessly. "It's not like I want to. You're just too easy to scare for a Kai..."

"Cut the nonsense. What do you want?"

North Kai said irritably.

Jiang Ling's expression turned serious. "Can't I come visit an old man?"

"Yeah, right. As if you'd bother visiting me."

North Kai curled his lip.

"Fine, you caught me." Jiang Ling laughed. "I came to ask you to help find the location of New Namek."

"I knew you wanted something! But I don't know where New Namek is either!"

North Kai spread his hands.

Jiang Ling just looked at the two antennae on his head.

His meaning was clear.

"..."

"So now you've got your eye on these, huh!"

North Kai grumbled.

Then he started using his antennae to search the universe for a ki signature.

He was all bark and no bite.

He might say he wouldn't help, but he was still pretty quick to act.

"Found it! That way!"

North Kai's face lit up.

Jiang Ling put a hand on North Kai's shoulder, memorized the ki signature at that location, and returned to Earth.

He went to Bulma and explained what he wanted to do.

"So you're taking me to New Namek to bring someone back? And do a little sightseeing while we're at it?" Bulma asked in surprise.

"Don't put it like that." Jiang Ling looked a little helpless. "You should say it's for the future of Earth. After all, Earth can't do without the Dragon Balls, just as the West can't do without Jerusalem..."

"Enough of your nonsense. I'll go with you." Bulma rolled her eyes.

Jiang Ling immediately wrapped an arm around Bulma's slender waist.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? You want to do that in broad daylight? Though... I do like it!"

Bulma's eyes glimmered with desire.

"..." Jiang Ling could only think, You're the one who took it the wrong way.