Na'er met his gaze without the slightest fear. Instead, like a kitten that had stumbled upon something new, her eyes darted about, brimming with curiosity.
She even tightened her grip on his hand, holding on for dear life. Lu Chen could clearly feel that her two little palms were slick with sweat and still trembling slightly.
"H-hello, my name is Lu Chen." The corners of Lu Chen's mouth lifted, and he kept his voice very soft. "I've chased all the bad guys away. What's your name?"
"My name is Na'er." Na'er tilted her little face up, her gaze glued to his eyes, which had regained their clarity, utterly curious.
Lu Chen lowered his head and lightly scratched the top of her head with his fingertips, asking with a smile, "Then where are your mommy and daddy? Where are they?"
"I... I don't think I have a mommy or daddy," Na'er murmured. Her other little hand, the one he wasn't holding, clutched the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "I want to go with you, big brother."
Lu Chen's heart melted. He nodded firmly, took her little hand, and turned toward the orphanage.
Actually, their orphanage had no worries about funding at all.
Especially after he had awakened his Martial Soul and Soul Power, the Federation had approved a large sum of money without a second thought. Life at the orphanage couldn't have been more comfortable.
Taking in one more child, Na'er, should be possible. Besides, the director had once said that if he encountered orphans being bullied outside, he could bring them back, and she would raise them.
Besides, judging by Na'er's appearance, she probably wouldn't stay at the orphanage for more than a few years.
Lu Chen sighed softly and raised his hand to stroke Na'er's head again. Just like that, the two tiny figures held hands and made their way toward the orphanage, step by step.
"Little Lu Chen, you're back? How did it go? Nothing happened, did it?" Granny Director came over with a beaming smile. When her gaze fell on Na'er beside him, she paused. "Oh? How come you've brought a little girl back with you?"
"I met her on the way. Some bad guys wanted to abduct her, so I brought her back." Lu Chen lifted his little face, his tone perfectly matter-of-fact.
"Good boy, well done!" Granny Director cheerfully ruffled his hair, her expression full of approval.
She then crouched down until her eyes were level with Na'er's and asked in a gentler voice, "Little one, what's your name? Where are your mommy and daddy?"
"My name is Na'er." Na'er's voice was as faint as a mosquito's whine. A thin veil of mist seemed to cover her purple eyes, making her look pitiful. "I don't have a mommy or daddy. I want to stay with big brother."
"Sweet Na'er, don't be afraid." Granny Director's voice was so gentle it could have been wrung for water, her eyes filled with tender, aching affection. "Then let's have you stay here from now on, all right? Come, Granny will take you for a bath and get you into some clean clothes."
"Okay..." Na'er's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. Her cheeks were red, with a little shyness and a little timid fear. Her eyes remained glued to Lu Chen, and she didn't dare move a single step.
Lu Chen hurriedly gave her a broad grin and nodded vigorously.
"Little Lu Chen, go back to your room and wait for now." Granny Director waved at him. "Later, we'll have Na'er share your room."
Granny Director understood as clearly as if her heart were a polished mirror: most children at the orphanage were sensitive and felt inferior.
Even covered in dirt, this child Na'er couldn't hide her breathtaking beauty.
And Lu Chen, with his overly exquisite looks and a temperament steadier and more mature than other children's since he was little, didn't like romping around with others and had often been excluded by the other children at the orphanage.
Judging by the way Na'er kept clinging to Little Lu Chen, she didn't seem likely to get along harmoniously with the others either.
Putting these two children together should let them look after each other a little.
Granny Director took Na'er by the hand and went to the orphanage's separate bathhouse. Looking at that small, thin figure obediently following behind her, she couldn't help sighing softly again in her heart.
Meanwhile, the moment Lu Chen returned to his room, he couldn't wait to try entering Nibelungen and see whether anything on his panel had improved.
As soon as his consciousness sank into Nibelungen, an enormous figure suddenly crowded over.
Fenrir rubbed his huge head hard against Lu Chen's arm, making wheedling, purring noises in his throat as he clamored in a muffled voice, "Chips! I want chips!"
Lu Chen instantly froze where he stood, not even daring to move a finger.
Holy shit, what was this? A fierce dragon acting spoiled?
Who could handle that?!
Lu Chen's mind raced as he desperately tried to remember how he had produced the chips last time. Hadn't he just silently repeated it in his mind?
He hurriedly shouted inwardly, I want chips!
Whoosh!
The next second, bags of chips came pouring down from the sky like rain, pelting his head and face and instantly burying him completely.
This many?!
Lu Chen pushed aside the bags of chips covering him, inwardly exclaiming, Good grief! If I could take these outside, wouldn't the kids at the orphanage go wild?
I could probably make quite a bit of money, too.
He and Fenrir each opened a bag, then crouched on the ground and crunched away.
Seeing that he was no longer so stiff, Fenrir swished his tail and walked over beneath the crooked tree nearby.
Lu Chen followed him, his gaze falling on the writing that appeared on the stone slab.
Bloodline awakening: 5.1%.
Hey, it really did go up!
It looked like this improvement was inseparably tied to his bloodline.
He glanced around the empty Nibelungen and sighed inwardly. The moment the thought of returning arose, his consciousness whisked away and returned to his body.
Lu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed and cultivated, but his Soul Power progressed as slowly as a crawling snail, without the slightest sign of movement.
About half an hour later, the door was gently pushed open. Wearing a spotlessly washed little floral dress, Na'er skipped inside on tiptoe, plopped down on the little bed beside him, and even rolled over twice in excitement.
Grrr-
A loud stomach growl broke the silence.
Lu Chen opened his eyes and looked at Na'er. "Are you hungry?"
Blushing, Na'er nodded obediently. Her little hands nervously picked at the hem of her dress, her voice as faint as a mosquito's whine. "I... I don't think I've eaten anything for several days."
Lu Chen glanced up at the clock on the wall, smiled, and patted the edge of the bed. "Perfect timing, it's mealtime! Come on, big brother will take you to get something tasty!"
Lu Chen stood up and ruffled Na'er's hair, then took her little hand and led her outside.
The orphanage's dining hall was right next to the dormitory building, not far away. They had only just reached the entrance when the aroma of food wafted over, tempting their stomachs into growling.
Quite a few children had already arrived in the dining hall, filling it with noisy chatter and commotion.
As soon as Lu Chen entered with Na'er by the hand, the uproar dwindled by half, and many of the children's gazes fastened on Na'er.
In clean clothes, Na'er revealed an unbelievably exquisite little face. Her gleaming purple eyes were like crystal beads, and she looked as though she had stepped straight out of a painting.