"That annoying Zhou Zilong has been gone for four years. At first, he'd call me every night to chat, but then he stopped contacting me altogether. I can't stand him! Once I find the Dragon Balls, I'm definitely going to give him a piece of my mind!" Bulma stood by the stream, tossing stones into the water as she muttered to herself. Determination shone in her eyes, but beneath it lay a hint of loneliness and disappointment.
Just as Bulma was lost in thought, a familiar voice suddenly sounded behind her. "Bulma, I'm sorry. I let you down. I'll be more careful from now on!"
At the sound of his voice, Bulma's body jolted. She spun around and saw Zhou Zilong standing behind her, a gentle smile on his face. Though four years had passed, his manner had grown steadier and more reserved, but the warmth in his eyes had never changed.
The moment she saw Zhou Zilong, Bulma's eyes reddened. She rushed up to him and pounded his chest with both fists. "You big jerk! You big jerk! Didn't you promise you'd say good night to me every day before you left? You kept it up for a year, then stopped. Did you find someone else you like?"
Bulma's blows sent Zhou Zilong stumbling backward, but he didn't complain at all.
He opened his arms and pulled her tightly into his embrace. "Of course not, Bulma. I've been waiting for you all along. It's just that after that, I got caught up in training so I could get stronger. I neglected you, and I promise I won't do that again!"
In Zhou Zilong's arms, Bulma finally couldn't hold back her tears. She clung to him, as if letting out all the longing and hurt she'd kept inside for four years. Zhou Zilong held her just as tightly, letting her tears soak his clothes.
After a while, Bulma pulled away and wiped her tears. "Then let's go back to West City, Zilong. I came out to gather the Dragon Balls and make a wish to bring you back, but it looks like I don't need to do that anymore!"
To grow closer and help the story move forward, Zhou Zilong shook his head. "Bulma, we hardly ever get a chance to go out like this. Let's travel and have an adventure together. The Dragon Balls won't be easy to find anyway, so we can search for them along the way!"
Bulma thought it over and decided he had a point. She nodded. "Mm, sounds good! You're right, Zilong. Let's travel and have an adventure together. We can't waste our rare summer vacation!"
And so, the two prepared to set off on an adventure to find the Dragon Balls.
Night fell beneath a brilliant, starry sky. In an open area far from the city, a house that had emerged from a Capsule stood quietly. Inside, warm lamplight spilled through the windows onto the grass, where two shadowy figures could be seen.
"Bulma, there's something I need to tell you." Zhou Zilong's voice broke the silence of the night. He sat at the dining table, facing Bulma as she busied herself preparing dinner.
Bulma turned around, still holding a freshly cut carrot. She gave him a playful wink. "Don't tell me you had a kid while you were away these past four years?"
Zhou Zilong laughed at her teasing. He gently ruffled her hair. "You little rascal, what do you think about all day? What I need to tell you is that I'm not from this planet!"
The carrot nearly slipped from Bulma's hand. She stared at Zhou Zilong in surprise, as if trying to read his expression.
Seeing her reaction, Zhou Zilong took a deep breath and revealed the tail he'd been hiding around his waist.
"What's that...?" Bulma asked, pointing at Zhou Zilong's tail in astonishment.
"This is my tail. I'm actually a Saiyan from a planet called Planet Vegeta." Zhou Zilong told Bulma, in the form of a story, about the identity Xiao Ling had given him, the Saiyans, and how he'd been exiled.
Bulma listened intently. She'd never imagined Zhou Zilong had such a past.
"Then... could King Vegeta find out you're still alive? Could he send people to hunt you down?" Bulma suddenly realized how serious the situation could be and looked at Zhou Zilong anxiously.
Zhou Zilong gently took Bulma's hand and reassured her. "Don't worry, he won't. The spaceship that brought me here was destroyed when I was little, so they'll never notice. Even if they do come after me, I'm strong enough to deal with them now!"
Only then did Bulma relax. She leaned against Zhou Zilong's shoulder, comforted by the warmth and sense of security he gave her.
As the first light of dawn streamed through the treetops, Zhou Zilong and Bulma had already packed their things and were ready to continue their search for the Dragon Balls.
A good night's rest had left them both refreshed, and Bulma was especially excited about finding the third Dragon Ball.
Their car slowly made its way into the mountains. The trees grew denser, and the road grew rougher, but Bulma was an excellent driver, and the car moved steadily onward. Zhou Zilong sat in the passenger seat, glancing out the window now and then to keep an eye on their surroundings.
"Zilong, look at that waterfall! It's so beautiful!" Bulma suddenly said, pointing ahead.
Zhou Zilong looked where she was pointing. A waterfall poured down from the mountaintop, sending water flying and roaring as it crashed below. Sunlight caught the spray, forming one rainbow after another. It was a breathtaking sight.
"It really is beautiful!" Zhou Zilong nodded.
Meanwhile, in a modest house on Mount Paozu, a little boy stood with his hair sticking up like a hedgehog. He wore a blue-purple sleeveless martial arts uniform, blue pants, and a pair of black training shoes. With his chubby cheeks, he looked both adorable and a little simple-minded.
He pressed his palms together and respectfully bowed to the spherical orange object, which had four orange-red stars embedded in its center: the Four-Star Ball.
"Grandpa, I'm going out to find some food!" the little boy said, his voice clear and determined. He stood up and walked out of the small but cozy house, the door closing softly behind him.
The forest on Mount Paozu was his playground. He darted between the trees, chasing small animals one moment and climbing trees the next, happily enjoying everything nature had to offer. His face was full of carefree joy, as if nothing in the world could ever trouble him.
After playing with a saber-toothed tiger and falling into the water, the little boy hung his soaking-wet clothes over a rock and said, "I'll have fish today!"
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