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"If you need them, I still have nearly fifty unpublished outfit design drafts from my previous life. I can sell them to the Marketplace cheaply." Qi Chao flicked his abacus. If the system agreed, those fifty drafts could be directly converted into money.

The Marketplace was issued by System Headquarters and held far more authority than the Artisan General Bureau. A low-level system employee really could not make that decision. Even if it could negotiate, the system would still have to put in considerable effort, so its first instinct was to refuse.

"If this works out, how about you take thirty percent of the points and I take seventy?" Qi Chao's single-lidded eyes, which usually made him look somewhat fierce, were remarkably sincere. As he smiled, the dimple at the corner of his mouth gave him a roguish sort of charm.

The system swallowed its refusal.

[Really?]

"Of course." Qi Chao nodded.

The system had only just started its job, and the points it received each month were the minimum amount. Those points would be gone after buying just one bottle of energy fluid. After thinking it over, the green glow around it flickered faintly within Qi Chao's consciousness. Finally, it made up its mind. "Okay! I'll ask my superior for approval."

After saying that, the system left.

Qi Chao did not idle around after the system left. He had always liked to prepare two plans.

Opening the Doll Forum, Qi Chao saw nothing but posts offering payment in exchange for outfit designs and quietly bookmarked them. If things did not work out with the system, he would take commissions directly. It would be more tiring, but the money would come quickly.

If time had not been so tight, Qi Chao would have preferred a more reliable way of making money, but those methods took far too long.

After sitting for so long, Qi Chao's body had stiffened a little. He got up and stretched, then went downstairs to see what Lan Luo was doing.

Well, he was actually still watching cartoons.

Qi Chao could not help reflecting on himself. Although he had already planned to teach the child how to read, cartoons were the child's only form of entertainment. His guidance as a parent had truly been a failure.

He stood behind the sofa and rubbed the little doll's golden hair through his headband. "Lan Luo, do you want to go out and play?"

Lan Luo looked puzzled, as if he did not understand. Tilting his head up, he asked, "To the amusement park?"

"No, we're just going to the park outside. I remember there's a swing there. Lots of children like playing on it." Qi Chao placed particular emphasis on "children."

He had noticed before that the little doll paid special attention to human children.

Maybe it was because he was too lonely and had no playmates? Qi Chao was not an only child; he had a younger brother, and the two had grown up bickering and roughhousing. Thinking about it now, having just one child really was rather lonely for the little one.

Sure enough, the moment Qi Chao said that, Lan Luo immediately nodded in agreement.

The golden-haired doll hurriedly got up and turned off the projection, ran upstairs to change into the clothes he had worn to the amusement park, then scampered back down. His fluffy, slightly curled golden hair bounced through the air with his movements, making it obvious just how eager he was.

"I'm all ready!"

Lan Luo tilted his head up at Qi Chao. His azure eyes were full of anticipation, and the rising lilt in his voice was crisp and cheerful, especially sweet.

Qi Chao's heart instantly melted. He wanted nothing more than to scoop the little one into his arms, kiss him, hug him, and lift him high into the air. He cleared his throat, calming the excitement in his heart, and said steadily, "Let's go."

The original owner's villa was located in Blue Star's most luxurious wealthy district. Naturally, the parks built for the rich to relax in were anything but ordinary. There was even a water park next door. Little dolls could play in water, but special salts had to be added to it, or their skin could easily be damaged.

So the water park was out of the question.

Qi Chao took the little doll straight to the park next door. There were few children in the villa district, and it was a weekday, so only three or four children were playing in the sand and on the swings.

Lan Luo gripped the strap of his backpack, glanced at the swings in the distance, then looked up at Qi Chao. He turned back to look at the swings again, repeating the motion several times, looking eager to try.

Qi Chao's fatherly heart practically melted from the cuteness.

"Come on, kid. You can pick any swing in the park." Qi Chao declared grandly. The little doll was so adorable that if he had more money, he would definitely build seventy or eighty swing sets for him to play on whenever he wanted.

The moment he said that, Lan Luo immediately ran over to a swing and stopped in front of it. He tilted his head toward a child not far away, carefully copied the child's movements, and sat down. He began swaying in small arcs and quickly got the hang of it.

Having found the joy in it, Lan Luo swung higher with every pass. His eyes sparkled, and his face was full of delight, just like an ordinary child's.

Qi Chao sat on some fitness equipment three meters away and snapped pictures like crazy. This angle perfectly captured the little doll from the front. It was his child's first time on a swing—of course he had to record it!

The more he took, the happier Qi Chao became. Such an adorable little one was his! He lowered his head to watch the clip he had just recorded, the pride filling his chest almost overflowing, and could not help wanting to share it with someone.

But after

coming to another world,

Qi Chao had not met many people. It did not seem appropriate to show off to them. Just then, Lan Luo's biological father appeared in his mind.

Qi Chao immediately came to his senses.

Was there anyone more suitable than Lan Luo's biological father?

With a few swipes across his light brain, he sent the video over. He had only typed a few words and had not sent them yet when a message popped up on the screen.

Qi Chao: !!!

What was this called? This was called having a kindred spirit!

Dad Chao: [He's ridiculously adorable, okay!]

[image.jpg][image.jpg]

Qi Chao sent several more pictures in succession. His fingers clattered over the keyboard as he typed a whole string of praise for how well-behaved Lan Luo was. Just after sending it, as he waited for a reply, a child suddenly screamed.

He looked up and saw a short, chubby boy reach out from behind and yank Lan Luo straight off the swing. Lan Luo was thrown hard onto the ground.

Fuck! Where did this rotten kid come from?!

Qi Chao hurried over, pulling his little one into his arms as he checked him for injuries.

In truth, S-Rank Dolls were not as fragile as they looked. Qi Chao was simply worried out of concern. After confirming that the little doll was not hurt, he turned to the child and demanded, "What are you doing? Why did you pull my child down?"

Qi Chao had single eyelids and exceptionally lively dark brown eyes. When he was not smiling, he looked somewhat fierce, and now that he was glaring angrily at the little brat, he looked even less like a good person. The chubby boy had been rather pleased with himself, but one glare from Qi Chao scared him into tears.