Chapter 18

Because he had been working in the basement these past few days, Qi Chao moved the Mother Stone from the study down there. Whenever he felt tired, all he had to do was look up and see the Mother Stone. Thinking of the unborn Little One filled him with renewed energy, and it counted as a way to relax.

After the cartoon Lan Luo liked ended, he would run to the basement and sit beside Qi Chao, watching his movements with obedient curiosity in his azure eyes.

Worried that the Little One might be bored, Qi Chao tore off some extra clay and taught Lan Luo to shape simple little animals, such as frogs and rabbits.

When it came to handicrafts, Lan Luo was not as clever as he was at reading. His hands were particularly clumsy, and after two hours of kneading, he had only made something with an enormous head that looked like no creature on earth.

Qi Chao had originally wanted to laugh, but when he saw the Little One's expectant gaze, he immediately held it in. Overflowing with fatherly love, he praised him against his conscience. "The frog you made really looks like one!"

It was supposed to be a frog, right?

Fortunately, that strange thing really was a frog. Lan Luo did not doubt the praise in the slightest and smiled especially happily, carefully holding the frog and placing it beneath the desk lamp.

The lighting was better there, perfect for illuminating the little frog. As though he had completed some sort of mission, Lan Luo sat back in his chair and looked at Qi Chao expectantly. His gaze drifted from Qi Chao's Light Brain to the frog beneath the lamp, then back again, over and over.

Qi Chao lowered his head to glance at his Light Brain and immediately understood. He took a photo and sent it to Doctor.

Dad Chao: [Lan Luo made this frog himself. Cute, right?]

To make sure Lan Luo's dad could tell what this thing was, Qi Chao thoughtfully included a hint.

A few minutes later, the Light Brain vibrated.

Doctor: [The frog really is cute.]

Qi Chao's lips twitched as he relayed the response to Lan Luo, who had been secretly peeking over.

The little puppet immediately looked as though he had received some incredible praise. His azure eyes curved into crescents, and his legs swung gleefully in the air as he picked up another lump of clay, preparing to make another cute animal.

Qi Chao was utterly melted. He forcibly restrained his restless hands, suppressed the fatherly love overflowing in his heart, and turned back to continue making the puppet.

It had been almost a month since he started, and the clay model for the new Little One's head and limb joints was nearly complete. Now, all that remained was continuous refinement and polishing.

The flat scraper moved constantly over the clay model. Qi Chao gradually altered and smoothed out the parts that had not been quite right, in a process that was dull and tedious.

After Lan Luo finished making another animal, he quietly sat beside him and observed Qi Chao's movements. After watching the same few motions back and forth until he grew tired of them, he turned his attention to the Mother Stone on the table.

After nearly a month of being nourished by Mental Power, the Mother Stone was still dull gray, yet it seemed to have gained a layer of smooth, solid glaze like porcelain. It was quite pleasing to look at.

A Mother Stone in this state indicated that it could awaken at any moment and shed its dull gray outer shell.

A Mother Stone needed a great deal of Mental Power during its critical period. Its aptitude also depended entirely on this stage. Looking at the green Mental Power surging around it, Lan Luo thought that this Mother Stone would probably be very beautiful.

Just then, the Light Brain suddenly vibrated.

Qi Chao was immersed in his work and did not pay attention to it. A few minutes later, after refining the puppet's knee, he finally opened the Light Brain.

Seeing the profile picture, Qi Chao was somewhat surprised. After all, the other party rarely took the initiative to message him.

Doctor: [Are you free tomorrow? My assistant is expected to examine Lan Luo's injuries tomorrow. Would that be all right?]

Back then, because Doctor had matters to attend to, the two had agreed that he would come repair the puppet a month later, while sending his assistant ahead of time to assess the situation.

Now that nearly a month had passed, it was indeed time to repair the puppet.

Perhaps because the message had come so suddenly, Qi Chao actually felt a little nervous.

Chapter 18

Neither Doctor nor his assistant lived in Linjing District.

Since they were coming here to treat Lan Luo, Qi Chao felt it was only right to play host, at the very least covering their expenses while they were in Linjing District.

Dad Chao: [All right. Doctor, what time will your assistant arrive tomorrow? Is there anything he can't eat? Once you arrive, I'll cook something delicious for you!]

Doctor: [There is no need to go to so much trouble. We can take care of ourselves.]

How could that be okay? Setting other matters aside, Qi Chao now regarded Doctor as his friend. How could he neglect a friend visiting his home? Besides, he was genuinely looking forward to Doctor staying at his house.

Dad Chao: [Don't be polite. The Little One misses you very much. You can stay here when you come, and it will be a good chance for you and Lan Luo to bond.]

The other party seemed somewhat hesitant. The chat box kept showing that he was typing. Seeing this, Qi Chao pressed his advantage and rapidly typed out a whole pile of messages. Before long, the other party conceded and accepted Qi Chao's suggestion.

Doctor: [My assistant is Lan Luo's older brother. He is rather unusual, so I hope you will not be frightened when you see him tomorrow.]

Qi Chao: !!! Lan Luo's older brother? Wouldn't that make him a puppet?

Frightened? How could he possibly be frightened?

He was going to be thrilled to death, okay?

Ever since crossing over, Qi Chao had only seen one puppet in total—Lan Luo. The thought of getting to see a second one was unbelievably exciting.

Qi Chao's fingers moved so fast over the keyboard that they became a blur. [What's Lan Luo's older brother's name? What time will he arrive tomorrow? I can pick him up! Oh, right, what color Energy Stones does he like to eat? Does he prefer a soft bed or a hard bed?]

One message followed another. Within seconds, the chat screen was filled with Qi Chao's messages.

As always, Doctor was patient and good-tempered, answering every one of Qi Chao's questions seriously and gently.

Only after gathering all the information about the little puppet did Qi Chao finally stop, satisfied. Seeing that it was getting late, he chatted with Doctor for a little longer, said goodnight, then got up to prepare rooms for Lan Luo's older brother and Doctor.

Lan Luo's older brother was named Moss. According to Doctor, Moss would arrive in Linjing District on a nine o'clock spaceship tomorrow morning.

"Little One, your older brother is coming tomorrow. Are you happy?" Qi Chao turned to look at Lan Luo, who was following close behind him, his dark brown eyes smiling.