Need for Control

"Shiling, who was that very pretty and tall auntie who came to pick you up with your mother yesterday?"

Today, the kindergarten was having a large activity class, and several classes were together. Xiao Mei naturally went up to Liu Shiling and then asked in a low voice.

"She's my very capable older sister," Liu Shiling replied in her usual reserved tone, but her expression carried a hint of pride and smugness.

Xiao Mei asked curiously, "Why is it so amazing?"

Liu Shiling would never say that the "Roast Chicken Wing Sister" has "magic" and is a super powerful "magician." For an excellent magician, a sense of secrecy is essential!

Thinking about her conversation with Xia Libing yesterday, she glanced out the window at the sky and said, "Do you know why it rains?"

Xiao Mei also looked out the window at the white clouds and blue sky, and whispered, "Because there are clouds?" She remembered watching an animated film before, which explained that rain comes from clouds.

"Where do clouds come from?" Liu Shiling asked again.

"Clouds? Were they made by the fairies in the Heavenly Palace?" Xiao Mei gave what she thought was a very "romantic" answer.

Liu Shiling gently shook her head. "That's feudal superstition, it's unscientific. Have you ever seen water boil? When the water boils, the steam is just clouds."

Xiao Mei paused for a moment, then blinked, and exclaimed in sudden realization, "Oh right... those are clouds! Clouds are made of water, so clouds can turn into water and fall down..."

Liu Shiling hummed in agreement and then asked, "Do you know why there's thunder, why there's lightning, why our lights work, where electricity comes from, why we eat, and where food comes from?"

Xiao Mei listened in a daze, and after a long while, she whispered, "You knew all this? Shiling, you're amazing!"

"The sister who picked me up yesterday knows everything! She knows everything, so she's an amazing sister!" This time, Liu Shiling's voice couldn't hide her pride. However, she was also a little relieved. Although she had forgotten or didn't understand 98% of what the "Roast Chicken Wing Sister" had explained to her yesterday, she had at least remembered a few of the less complicated things.

Xiao Mei subconsciously nodded in agreement with Liu Shiling's words, feeling that both Liu Shiling and that very beautiful aunt... sister were very capable, and she admired them greatly.

"What about the bald uncle who came with that older sister... and that bald older brother?" Xiao Mei asked again.

"'Bald Uncle' is an incredibly amazing person," Liu Shiling added.

Xiao Mei nodded, sensing the "progression" in the adjectives Liu Shiling used, which she found impressive but didn't quite understand.

Moreover, the uncle is definitely of a higher rank than the sister.

As soon as the morning classes ended, Shiling's Mother and Xiang Kun came to pick up Liu Shiling, and had asked the kindergarten teacher for leave.

Because Shiling's Mother learned that Tang Baona, who arrived today, was the "pretty sister" who had been teaching her daughter to draw via video call recently.

After all, kindergartens don't have the same curriculum as primary schools. Since Tang Baona and the others have come to Star City, Shiling's Mother wanted Liu Shiling to have more time to play with them.

She vividly remembered how her daughter chatted with Xia Libing last night, and realized that her daughter might be more mature than other children her age, which is why she preferred to be with these outstanding older sisters.

Following her mother to the kindergarten gate, Liu Shiling saw Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er waiting outside next to Xiang Kun. She slowed down and carefully observed them for a while, confirming their identities before excitedly running over and calling out:

"Beautiful lady! Fairy-like lady!"

Liu Shiling originally ran towards Tang Baona, but Yang Zhen'er squatted down halfway to "intercept" her, cupped her little face and gently rubbed it, complaining, "Little Bell, I'm not an old immortal, old immortals are all villains, I'm... never mind, since you're so cute, old immortal it is."

Although Yang Zhen'er is usually thick-skinned, she was still too embarrassed to let the Little Chubby Girl call her "Fairy Sister" with Shiling's Mother standing right next to her.

The group of six hailed two cars and headed to a well-known restaurant in Star City.

Xiang Kun checked last night; that restaurant has a dry pot rabbit dish that's quite famous online with high ratings.

So when Tang Baona and Yang Zhen'er came over, Xiang Kun suggested that they go eat together and compare the same dishes at their "Youlong Restaurant".

Of course, Xiang Kun was absolutely confident in his rabbit dishes, but to gather everyone in Star City, he needed some "respectable" excuse, didn't he?

It was precisely because everyone was holding this mindset of "evaluation" and "comparison" that, on the way back after lunch, everyone except Shiling's Mother expressed extreme dislike for the dry-pot rabbit dish, finding fault with it in every way.

Even Lao Xia, who is usually not picky about food when eating out, rationally and indifferently listed all the details of the dry pot rabbit dish, from the preparation of the ingredients to the seasoning.

Just from their descriptions, you might think you've just eaten at a rip-off restaurant.

But in fact, Xiang Kun, who had swallowed "Super-Linked Object" pebbles before the meal to prepare, had also tasted the dish and felt that it was actually quite good, at least worth the price. The online reputation was not entirely unfounded or hyped.

Not only the dry pot rabbit, but the other dishes were also quite delicious. After deduce the seasoning and cooking methods from the taste, Xiang Kun actually came up with a few more recipes. That chef really knows his stuff.

However, he also knew why Tang Baona, Lao Xia, and the others had given him that evaluation, since they were all used to the various dishes he made, which were specially adjusted to suit their tastes.

If you eat someone else's version of the same dish first, and then Xiang Kun adjusts the flavor to suit your taste, you'll only find Xiang Kun's version increasingly delicious. Your memory of the other people's versions will gradually fade, leaving no lasting impression. However, if you're used to Xiang Kun's customized versions, the difference will be very noticeable when you eat the same dish from someone else.

This is perhaps what is meant by "once you've seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant."

Although Shiling's Mother had also eaten Xiang Kun's dry-pot rabbit, Xiang Kun had just started learning to cook at that time. Although he improved quickly and made targeted adjustments to suit the tastes of the Xiangchu, he hadn't eaten at the same table with others like they did, receiving real-time feedback and constantly improving the flavors. Therefore, she hadn't tasted Xiang Kun's "custom-made" "true chef" level cooking skills like Tang Baona and Xia Libing, and naturally didn't quite understand their comments. She was just too embarrassed to raise any objections and even wondered if it was her own problem.

As for Liu Shiling, the Little Chubby Girl, after moving to Star City with her mother, she never ate any dishes that Xiang Kun cooked to her taste. However, when she first merged with Lao Xia's dream, she ate the dry pot rabbit that Xiang Kun made, which Lao Xia had seen in his dream.

Although the dry-pot rabbit meat that appeared in Lao Xia's dream was adjusted by Xiang Kun to suit her taste, when the Little Chubby Girl tasted it in her dream, she was also affected by Lao Xia's emotions in the dream. The emotions and the food that appeared were "integrated" together.

That dreamlike tasting experience directly influenced Liu Shiling's perception of the actual taste of dry-pot rabbit meat in reality.

In addition, since the three older sisters she admired and liked all said the same thing after eating, she naturally followed suit, saying "Me too."

As they chatted, Yang Zhen'er suggested that Xiang Kun cook a "real dry pot rabbit" dish that evening.

Upon hearing this, everyone except Shiling's Mother, who felt a little embarrassed about having guests cook, agreed, Xiang Kun naturally smiled and agreed as well.

Then, Yang Zhen'er, as the proposer, decided to go buy groceries herself, while the others went to play as planned, taking the Little Chubby Girl to the amusement park.

Shiling's Mother suggested that she go shopping, but Tang Baona, based on past experience, was also a little worried about Zhen'er buying groceries by Xiang Kun was about to cook in the evening, she would find that she hadn't bought this or that, and it would be too late. So she also wanted to go with her.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shiling also said that she didn't want to go to the amusement park, but wanted to go grocery shopping instead.

So... the six of them spent the afternoon "grocery shopping together."

If Xiang Kun himself, he would definitely plan everything he wanted to buy in advance. Upon entering the mall, he would use his superhuman senses to collect environmental information, analyze the location of each area and the current distribution of people, immediately plan the most efficient shopping route, and then quickly buy everything he needed, pay, and leave.

If we only go grocery shopping with Lao Xia and adopt a "split the team and harvest quickly" strategy, the efficiency will be improved even more.

But now that a group of six people are shopping for groceries together, including little Liu Shiling, the focus is naturally not on the result, but on the process.

Don't be fooled by the seemingly simple and boring task of grocery shopping. With the quirky and eccentric Yang Zhen'er, the inquisitive Liu Shiling, and the all-around expert Xiang Kun around, everything can be quite entertaining.

Fresh produce section.

Liu Shiling pointed to a live fish and asked Xia Libing beside her, "Sister, what kind of fish is that?"

Xia Libing glanced at it and said, "Bluefish."

"Did the fishermen catch it from the sea?" Liu Shiling asked again.

"No, they are freshwater fish, living in lakes and rivers. But the ones sold here are probably farmed fish. The sea fish are over there, those are sea fish," Xia Libing said, pointing to the sea fish displayed on ice on the other side.

"Is it good?" Liu Shiling asked, biting her lip.

"Whether it tastes good or not depends not only on the ingredients, but also on how it's cooked. Bluefish is best when it's boiled in chili oil, and it has to be super, super spicy!" Yang Zhen'er interjected from the side.

Tang Baona immediately retorted, "No, it's only delicious in fish soup. Last Christmas, Xiang Kun made such wonderful fish soup with tofu, it was so fragrant! I still remember the feeling of taking my first sip of the fish soup, it was truly... delicious to the core. And the fish was so tender, so incredibly tasty..."

"Wasn't it a bluefish that Chef Xiang that day?" Yang Zhen'er asked.

"We're discussing the approach now."

"Lao Xia, tell me, is it better to boil fish slices or fish in clear broth?" Yang Zhen'er asked Xia Libing.

"Braised in soy sauce is also good," Lao Xia replied simply.

So Yang Zhen'er turned to Xiang Kun and asked, "Chef Xiang, if you were cooking this fish, how would you prepare it?"

Xiang Kun laughed and said, "We're not cooking fish tonight."

In this way, the group could discuss any food from its characteristics to its texture, then to its cooking methods, and often reminisce about things they had eaten before, making Liu Shiling lick her lips incessantly.

If Xiang Kun hadn't finished his shopping in the fresh produce section and forced them to move, they probably could have spent hours there enjoying themselves.

While buying some seasonings at the seasoning section, Xiang Kun noticed a young man secretly taking pictures of the snack section across the aisle. Judging from the angle of the camera, he was obviously trying to film the three girls, Xia Libing, Tang Baona, Yang Zhen'er.

So Xiang Kun took a step, which just happened to block his camera angle.

The young man, however, was not discouraged. He pretended to look at his phone while choosing snacks, slowly moving his position and continuing to find angles to secretly take pictures.

Xiang Kun was somewhat annoyed, but he didn't turn around to look at the young man. Instead, he controlled several beads to "crawl" out of his pocket, down to his sleeve, and then "casually" flicked them. The beads shot out from the bottom of the shelf on the ground and "ambushed" the young man.

Just as the young man locked onto Tang Baona's profile through his phone's camera and was about to press the shutter button, the screen suddenly went black. No matter how many times he pressed the power button or tried to unlock the phone with his fingerprint, the phone did not respond.

It took several dozen seconds for the phone to be restored, but by then, Xiang Kun and the others who had been in the condiment area across the street had already moved to another location.

When it was time to pay, Liu Shiling counted the items Xiang Kun took out of the shopping cart one by one, pointing them gently with her little finger. As she pointed, she asked Lao Xia, who was standing behind her, about the words on the packaging bags that she didn't recognize, and Lao Xia patiently answered them one by one.

Of course, Liu Shiling might not have understood everything, but she still enjoyed listening to it.

"Sister, what's the difference between chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns?" Liu Shiling asked, tilting her head back.

Xia Libing explained simply, "Chili peppers are mainly spicy, while Sichuan peppercorns are mainly numbing."

"Oh."

Seeing that Liu Shiling looked confused, Yang Zhen'er gently pinched her chubby cheeks and said, "Eating too many chili peppers makes you 'Wow! Wow wow wow!~', while eating too many Sichuan peppercorns makes you 'Hiss~~~~~~~', understand?"

Now Liu Shiling will definitely nod more often.

Because Xiang Kun had taken the money to pay for lunch, Shiling's Mother insisted that she pay for the groceries they bought that evening at the supermarket. Xiang Kun couldn't refuse, since they didn't buy too much anyway, so he and Tang Baona went to the exit to wait for them to avoid too many people blocking the line and hindering the people behind them from paying.

"I didn't expect that Lao Xia and Zhen'er are actually quite good at taking care of children." Tang Baona said to Xiang Kun beside her, looking at Yang Zhen'er chatting and laughing with the Little Chubby Girl.

"Because Little Bell isn't an ordinary child either," Xiang Kun said with a smile.

Tang Baona turned back to look at Xiang Kun and said, "It feels like we've only known each other for a few days, but you've changed a lot."

"Oh? What's changed?" Xiang Kun asked, startled.

There were definitely changes. This time when he returned, he completed a routine blood-drinking ritual and devoured other "Mutated Creature," so naturally, significant mutations and evolutions occurred within his body.

However, after each time he drank blood, he would examine and record his appearance. After these two blood-drinking experiences, although there were clear changes in his sensory abilities and other internal functions, the changes in his appearance and physique should have been very small and not noticeable, right? If they were very obvious, Lao Xia would have reminded him.

Tang Baona said, "You seem calmer and more confident in your speech and actions." She couldn't help but laugh as she spoke, "I remember when I first met you, you would always be the first thing to do when you arrived at a new place, constantly observing your surroundings. Lao Xia said it was because you were very guarded and insecure, but now I rarely see you observing your surroundings like that."

Xiang Kun smiled and said, "After all, I'm going to be a boss and start a company now, so of course I need to be confident."

He smiled bitterly to himself. It wasn't that he wasn't observing his surroundings; he just didn't need to use his eyes to observe them anymore.

In fact, the scope of his observation is now much larger than before, and the types of information he obtains are much richer. Moreover, he no longer needs to concentrate on observing or analyzing the sensory information he receives; it has become instinctive. So, on the surface, he doesn't need to be distracted by observing his surroundings at all; everything is already under his control.

These subtle changes in behavior can indeed be noticed by those who know them well—and Tang Baona is certainly quite perceptive.

Xiang Kun thought back to how he had stopped others from taking photos without his consent, and how he had helped the plainclothes officers find the "escaped fish" when he first arrived in Star City yesterday.

The more information he knows and the more abilities he acquires, the more he seems to want to influence things within his control, and his desire for control grows stronger.

Realizing the changes in his own psychology, Xiang Kun decided to find time to "consult" with Dr. Lao Xia, a psychiatrist.