Jinbao's origins

As soon as Xiao Zhen finished speaking, he saw Qin Yan toddle over and pick up the black-and-white cat that had been fighting him.

The black-and-white cat's fur was soaked, making it look like a long, skinny strip.

Qin Yan wore a pale yellow waterproof raincoat and looked like a fluffy little duckling.

The tiny girl struggled to pick up the soaking-wet adult cat.

Then she put it back in the basin.

The black-and-white cat that had struggled and screeched in Xiao Zhen's hands was perfectly obedient now, like an entirely different cat.

Qin Yan crouched down and rubbed the cat's fur.

Fu Nanshan crouched down to help too.

Then several pairs of eyes turned toward Xiao Zhen.

Jinbao even gave him a contemptuous look.

Xiao Zhen: ...

He felt ostracized.

The black-and-white cat was soon washed clean.

The other cats were also very well-behaved as Qin Yan carried them over for their baths.

"Why do these cats have double standards?!" Xiao Zhen said.

Xiao Zhen glanced at the uncle and niece and cried out in indignation.

"They judge people by their looks too!"

Qin Yan laughed at his antics, the corners of her mouth lifting and her eyes curving.

After all the cats were bathed, the servants came to tidy up the backyard.

Although Xiao Zhen was a little dejected, he still gave Qin Yan the gift he had brought.

She really was such a sweet little thing.

Qin Yan hugged the white teddy bear and thanked him in her milky little voice.

"Thank you, Uncle."

She carried the teddy bear upstairs.

Only Xiao Zhen and Fu Nanshan remained downstairs.

Xiao Zhen immediately grew serious.

His tone, however, was a little complicated. "I believe what you told me now."

"Who would have thought that little puppy was actually an S-Rank Anomaly?"

An S-Rank Anomaly could turn an entire city into its own domain.

Yet now, this absurdly powerful S-Rank Anomaly was willing to become a little puppy and stay by a child's side.

"Could your niece have awakened some incredible talent?"

Fu Nanshan shook his head.

"Then do you know why the Hellhound stays with her?"

Fu Nanshan shook his head.

"I just noticed that the Dreamweaving Butterfly seems really attached to her too. What's going on there?"

Fu Nanshan shook his head.

Xiao Zhen lost his temper. "Can you do something besides shake your head and actually speak? Don't play mute with me."

Fu Nanshan finally spoke, sparing his words. "I don't know."

Xiao Zhen lost it. "You... you don't know anything, and getting you to talk is like asking you for money. Fu Nanshan, you're going to be the death of me..."

Upstairs, Qin Yan heard the noise and stood on tiptoe, peering down cautiously and curiously.

So scary.

The little tot's pretty face scrunched up.

She hugged Tuantuan and gave them a squeeze.

Tuantuan's jellylike body was very springy, quickly returning to its original shape after being squashed.

"Should I go down?"

"She's yelling at Uncle."

The little girl muttered quietly to herself.

In the end, she put Tuantuan on her head, picked up Jinbao, and took a deep breath to work up her courage.

With her little face taut, she went downstairs, trying to look fierce.

The pretty baby pattered up to the two men, looking adorably fierce.

"D-don't bully Uncle."

Her voice trembled terribly, and her little face was flushed.

Fu Nanshan and Xiao Zhen both immediately looked at her.

Under their gazes, Qin Yan shrank back, her little face turning even redder and her eyelashes trembling.

She crouched down and hid behind the table.

Boohoo... I'm so useless.

So scared (?﹏?)

The soft, fair little dumpling huddled up timidly.

But she had not hidden for long before a pair of hands lifted her up.

Qin Yan's big, watery eyes looked blankly at the person who had picked her up.

An exceptionally handsome face grew larger before her eyes.

Unfortunately, it had no hair.

"Y-youngest Uncle."

Qin Yan called to him softly.

Fu Nanshan hummed in acknowledgment, looking to be in a good mood, and tucked the soft little white dumpling into his arms.

Xiao Zhen was positively jealous.

He wanted a pretty little baby who, despite being scared, would stand up and act fierce when she thought he might be getting bullied.

Why couldn't she be his daughter?!

Qin Yan lay in his arms and sneaked a glance at Xiao Zhen.

Jinbao: "Awooo, awooo..."

It was getting squashed flat.

Fu Nanshan put it on the floor.

Jinbao shook out its fur and brazenly rolled its eyes at Fu Nanshan.

Xiao Zhen coughed twice. "A misunderstanding. That was all a misunderstanding."

"Besides, who was bullying whom? I talked to your uncle for ages, and he wouldn't answer me. I was just angry!"

He was clearly the one being bullied!

Qin Yan buried her little face back in her Younger Uncle's chest.

Don't care.

Xiao Zhen was immediately at a loss for words.

After that, Qin Yan stayed obediently nestled in her Younger Uncle's arms.

Xiao Zhen got down to business.

"Our people checked the slaughterhouse. They found a strange formation diagram at the very bottom of the pit."

His expression was grave. "That formation diagram can gather resentment."

"So the Hellhound's appearance wasn't an accident."

As he spoke, he glanced at Jinbao.

"But that alone could only produce a B-Rank Anomaly at most."

Yet Jinbao was S-rank.

Jinbao snorted coldly. 'That's because they didn't know there was a tomb beneath the slaughterhouse, and a special stone inside that tomb.'

As for anything more, Jinbao did not want to say. They could investigate it themselves.

Xiao Zhen understood.

He had thought as much. If those people wanted to artificially create an anomaly, they would need a way to control it.

But judging by the scene, those people had not only failed to control it, but had been killed by it instead.

So there was definitely something to that tomb.

Xiao Zhen wanted to ask more, but Jinbao shot him a threatening look.

'Quit bothering me!'

It was extremely arrogant.

But a second later, when it faced Qin Yan, it put on a harmless, adorable expression again.

Xiao Zhen: Acting cute is shameful!

An S-Rank Anomaly acting cute is even more shameless!

Jinbao clearly disliked him, and Xiao Zhen could get nothing more out of it.

He prepared to leave.

As he stood up to go, Qin Yan climbed out of her Younger Uncle's arms.

"Uncle."

"This is for you."

She was timid, and her voice was quiet too.

After quickly stuffing something into Xiao Zhen's hand, she hurried back to Fu Nanshan and hid herself, as though something were chasing her.

Xiao Zhen looked down at the medicine and adhesive bandages in his hand and immediately smiled.

This child really was adorable.

What a shame she wasn't his.

Giving Fu Nanshan a jealous look, Xiao Zhen left in a lighthearted mood.

The trip had not been entirely fruitless.

At least he had confirmed that Fu Nanshan's little niece really could keep that S-Rank Hellhound anomaly under control.

Although it was incredible, and he was still shocked even now.

Still, this was a good thing for the Special Administration Bureau, and even for all of Dongyan Country.

But that meant they would have to keep a close eye on the Fu Family's little girl.

If anything happened to her, judging by that S-Rank Anomaly's attitude, it would probably turn the whole world upside down.

Xiao Zhen decided this had to remain a secret. The more people knew, the more danger the little girl would be in.

So he sent Fu Nanshan a message.

Xiao Zhen: What's going on with your niece and the Hellhound has to stay secret. Don't tell anyone.

Fu Nanshan: Mm.

As it happened, he thought so too.