ASFTB 42: Try a Painless Method 1

Alice cried very sadly.

After a while, a flying ship descended.

A woman, who appeared to be somewhat frail, stepped down. She seemed to be a beastman with a cat ear. Although she tried to hide it with a hat, the attempt wasn’t very successful.

The woman had golden hair. She looked over and softly called out, “Alice.”

The crying Alice turned around and saw her mother.

The woman looked at her daughter in confusion.

Alice probably didn’t want her mother to see her crying, so she tried hard to wipe the tears away with her arm, but no matter how she wiped, it couldn’t get completely clean.

Jian Chengxi sighed and took a tissue out of his pocket, handing it to her.

Alice was a little surprised, but she still took it. The young girl’s eyes were red, and she politely said, “Thank you.”

Jian Chengxi thought to himself, No need to thank me.

As long as you don’t go back and hold a grudge against my daughter.

From a distance, her mother’s voice called out again, “Alice?”

Alice wiped her face but accidentally messed up her hair a bit, and she became a little flustered.

Jian Chengxi watched her clumsily make her hair messier and messier. When he was considering whether to help, Li Suisui stepped forward—the young girl tiptoed, straightened the hairpin, and even helped her smooth out her disheveled clothes.

Alice’s tears stopped. She sniffed and inexplicably felt a little touched in her heart. “You… Why are you helping me?”

Even though Suisui said she was a bad egg.

Yet she’s still willing to tie her hair for her.

Could it be that she misunderstood Suisui?

Actually, Suisui is quite a good person…

Li Suisui patted her shoulder and said with a childish voice, “Because in stories, the villains are always really impressive when they appear. Their hair has to be tied well.”

Alice froze.

“Go ahead,” Li Suisui’s little face showed encouragement. “Now you’re a qualified bad egg!”

The well-behaved Alice since childhood: “…”

Boo hoo!

Suisui really is so bad!!

After picking up the two kids from school, Jian Chengxi’s heart was complicated.

While in the car, Jian Chengxi asked Li Chen to read first, while he changed Li Suisui’s jacket and asked his daughter, “Suisui, you and Alice… aren’t getting along very well at school, are you?”

Li Suisui ate the fruit Jian Chengxi bought for her while nodding.

Jian Chengxi’s heart sank.

As expected, the protagonist and the antagonist are naturally at odds with each other.

The system has said that the protagonist is protected by the world’s luck. The antagonist and the protagonist being together won’t end well.

Jian Chengxi definitely wants to protect the children, he thought for a moment and said, “If you don’t like Alice, Daddy will think of a solution. I’ll change your seatmate for you or switch classes, how about that?”

Li Suisui shook her head and said, “No need!”

Jian Chengxi froze. “Why? Aren’t you not getting along very well?”

Li Suisui’s cheeks were puffed out, she was eating while looking up and said, “Because Suisui doesn’t get along with the other students either.”

Jian Chengxi felt a little nervous inside. “Why?”

Li Suisui looked at her father, with a bright voice, she answered, “Because no one except Suisui wants to eat rabbits. Suisui can’t talk with them.”

“…”

You are a bit like a rabbit killer.

After returning home, the sky had already gotten a bit dark.

Jian Chengxi asked the two children to do their homework. Some of the fruits and goods bought at the mall today had already been delivered, and he was tidying up.

The kitchen at home was very big so it was sufficient.

Jian Chengxi bought a lot of vegetables. These vegetables were from other planets, extraterrestrial, and they were very expensive. He repackaged and stored them, carefully putting labels on each one.

When Li Lingfeng came back, the house was already filled with a pleasant aroma.

Jian Chengxi glanced at him. “You’re back?”

Li Lingfeng nodded. “Mm.”

The man in military uniform stood in the living room and glanced at the kitchen, each cabinet stuffed full. The pot must be simmering meat, so the whole house was filled with the aroma.

Jian Chengxi said, “Then go wash up. After washing up, you can eat.”

Li Lingfeng saw the vase on the dining table and asked, “Did you arrange the flowers?”

Jian Chengxi nodded and said, “Yes, does it look good?”

Li Lingfeng looked at the brightly blooming flower, his gaze lingered for a moment. “The blooming period of this flower is very short. According to the smugglers, once removed from the soil, it will wilt in about four or five days.”

Jian Chengxi followed his gaze and looked over, “Really? I think it looks quite good!”

The problem is right here.

How could it be blooming so well, even better than when it was just brought back.

He had once heard that the elf race was close to nature and that the power and aura of elves would make flowers and plants grow vigorously.

But his own wife was clearly a half-elf.

A half-elf does not possess the power of nature. Otherwise, during the years when the sacred tree withered, Jian Chengxi would have already died.

Li Lingfeng’s gaze became a bit deeper.

Jian Chengxi looked at him from the kitchen counter and said with a smile on his face, “According to what you’re saying, could it be because I’m good-looking and the flowers bloom when they see me?”

Li Lingfeng glanced at him. The man’s stern features looked especially serious and dignified.

Jian Chengxi choked up. He had just spoken without thinking, but now, when meeting those calm eyes, he became a bit nervous again.

Who would have known—

Li Lingfeng’s gaze seemed to carry a rare warmth and the corners of his mouth slightly curled.

Jian Chengxi: ?

Li Lingfeng took a step forward and said, “I’ll go check on the kids.”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Hey! Why don’t you finish your sentence!!

He watched the person leave, somewhat annoyed. When the kitchen was left with just him, his thoughts seemed to wander, and his heartbeat no longer felt as calm.

What did Li Lingfeng’s smile mean?

Does he think I’m good-looking, or not good-looking?

Jian Chengxi touched his face. Some people have praised him for being good looking, but Li Lingfeng didn’t seem to be the type to care much about looks.

The system popped up and said:【Host, although I don’t want to interrupt your thoughts about men, but your pot is boiling.】

Jian Chengxi: !!

He hurriedly went to open the pot lid.

It was a bit hot, but fortunately, he was used to being burned and reacted quickly. He immediately pulled his hand back and used a clean cloth to lift the lid.

The system said:【Host, your reflexes are indeed much quicker.】

Jian Chengxi chuckled. “Thank you for the compliment, and also, can you not suddenly pop up and startle me next time?”

The system sounded a bit aggrieved:【I was just speaking the truth. Host, are you in love?】

Jian Chengxi’s hand trembled so much that he almost couldn’t hold the pot lid steady. A bit flustered, he said, “How could I, talking about love and all that, stop making things up. Li Lingfeng and I are just ordinary…”

The system:【Ordinary marital relationship?】

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Why do I always feel that you’re subtly mocking me?

He still scooped the meat out of the pot. The meat was stewed until very tender, and because this planet didn’t have many seasonings, he could only rely on boiling it in water to remove the smell.

Jian Chengxi shaped the meat into meatballs.

He added the cooked vegetables and meatballs into the pot and cooked it into a pot of meatball soup.

Next—

He then added the pork fat he had fried into the pot and put the other plate of meatballs in to fry. The oil temperature gradually rose, and he fried the meatballs until golden brown. The crispy, fragrant smell spread, making one’s mouth water.

Jian Chengxi nodded with satisfaction. “It should be pretty good, we’ll have it with some flatbread later.”

The soup in the pot still needs to be cooked for a while.

Jian Chengxi took off his apron.

At the far end of the first floor was the children’s study, and they usually do their homework in here.

When Jian Chengxi walked over, Li Chen was seriously working on something on the electronic light screen sandbox. He got closer to take a look and he was surprised to see that it was a habitat he had built himself. The habitat was finely crafted and it looked like a lot of effort had gone into it. The habitat was built in the center with turrets surrounding it, and there were even many hidden small mechanisms whose purpose was unknown.

“What is this?” Jian Chengxi leaned over and asked, “Is this a game?”

Li Chen stopped what he was doing. “It’s homework.”

Jian Chengxi became interested. “Was this assigned by the teacher? It’s really well done.”

Li Chen spoke, “Yeah, the teacher said to create a cozy habitat for a hamster and each of us to set up one. Tomorrow, all of the habitats will be simulated, and each classmate will have a hamster enter their virtual habitat. The hamster that lives the best will win.”

Jian Chengxi froze. “This is for hamsters?”

Li Chen nodded.

Jian Chengxi looked at the habitat full of mechs in silence, and he cautiously asked, “What’s the cozy concept behind this habitat?”

Li Chen was always silent and not fond of talking.

He’s usually not very talkative, but when it comes to talking about his design concept, the child becomes much more lively.

Li Chen pointed at the blueprint and said, “This habitat is mobile. If it’s attacked, pressing this button will make the habitat stand up, turning into a mech. The hamster can enter the control panel, entering combat mode.”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

It sounds very cozy.

He thought for a moment and picked a small swing that looked very childlike. He asked, “This swing looks really cute, can the hamster play on it when it’s not busy?”

Li Chen said, “Yes.”

Jian Chengxi let out a sigh of relief. It seemed the child was still quite normal.

Li Chen pressed a button. To Jian Chengxi’s surprise, the swing started transforming right under his nose with the swing’s wooden seat surprisingly lifting a row of machine guns!

Jian Chengxi: ?

Li Chen explained, “If it goes out to play and encounters enemies while swinging, it will be easier to counterattack this way.”

Jian Chengxi’s eyes widened.

As if afraid his father wouldn’t understand his design, Li Chen pressed the button again.

A virtual wooden figure entered the estate and the guns on the swing even automatically scanned. In no time, it turned the wooden figure into a sieve!!

Li Chen looked up at Jian Chengxi.

He didn’t say anything.

Yet those dark and calm eyes seemed to carry a silent expectation, waiting for his father to praise this great design.

Jian Chengxi: “…”

I don’t know how to respond to what you just said.

He remembered his dream, in which Li Chen was also piloting a mech, and was praised as the most talented mech engineer in the future.

In the end, he was surrounded by many, many warships and was shot down.

He admitted that his child was very powerful, but no matter how strong Li Chen was, how could he fight against so many people?

Jian Chengxi felt uneasy in his heart just thinking about that scene. He didn’t want his child to follow the old path.

“Isn’t this supposed to be a cozy home for the little hamster?” Jian Chengxi tried to guide the child, “Shouldn’t we set up a comfortable and warm environment for it? The teacher also said that the hamster with the best living conditions will win, right? Yet now, this hamster’s home is full of traps, and it’s busy every day… busy killing other hamsters, how is it going to win in the end?”

Li Chen said, “It can win.”

Jian Chengxi was puzzled.

The boy sitting in front of him looked at the screen sandbox in front of him. With a youthful and delicate face, his gaze was firm. “If only one hamster is left alive in the end, doesn’t that mean it wins?”

“…”

What a cozy way to win.

It sounds pretty good… yeah, right!!!

Jian Chengxi’s heart was filled with mixed feelings. As a salted fish and just wanting to lie flat and live a simple, ordinary life as an old father, he was troubled inside.

How can he raise a son who is always looking to cause trouble and set him on the right path?!

…

While he was thinking, footsteps were heard from outside. Li Lingfeng walked in, looked at the people in the room, and said, “What are you doing?”

When Jian Chengxi saw him coming, he was momentarily surprised.

Great. He, as the dad, has already been unable to persuade him—now he’s relying on the father to take action!

Quick, hurry up and properly manage your son!!

Jian Chengxi winked at him. While wildly hinting, he pointed at Li Chen’s sandbox and said, “Xiao Chen is building a cozy habitat for the hamster.”

Li Lingfeng walked over.

He looked down at the sandbox designed by Li Chen and furrowed his brows.

Jian Chengxi felt a glimmer of hope inside. How about it, you also think this little home doesn’t fit the cozy theme right? Yes, that’s it, hurry up and point it out!

Li Lingfeng spoke in a deep voice, “This design of yours…”

Li Chen and Jian Chengxi both looked up at him.

Li Lingfeng’s tall frame stood in the children’s room. The battle-hardened general, who had fought on the battlefield for years, raised his hand and pointed at the design. “There’s a problem here. You’ve only considered the front yard, but haven’t thought about the backyard.”

Li Chen looked over.

Li Lingfeng’s voice was steady and powerful. “You’ve put too much thought into the front yard. This mech of yours has an obvious weakness. The protection here isn’t enough, and once someone seizes the opportunity, it could hit the vital point.”

Li Chen’s little face was more serious than ever before.

The small child, in front of his tall and handsome father, looked like a little bundle. He said, “I saw some ship models in a book that look like this.”

Li Lingfeng didn’t brush him off just because the child was three years old, but said, “You’ve never actually operated a warship, so you don’t know the critical weak points. The most vulnerable part of a warship is not the tail wing, but the glass. For example, this habitat…”

The two people, one big and one small, started a serious discussion.

Jian Chengxi was stunned.

Finally—

Li Lingfeng made changes to Li Chen’s design, and designed the entire yard to be as solid as a fortress, then nodded. “Hmm, no problem now.”

Li Chen’s eyes were so bright as he looked at the improved version of the little yard in front of him, filled with excitement.

That was a look Jian Chengxi had never seen before.

Even though he didn’t want his child to walk down that path, when he saw Li Chen’s happy face like this, his emotions became complicated.

Li Chen turned around and looked at him. The usually silent child had a smile in his eyes for the first time and softly said, “It was made by father for me.”

Jian Chengxi’s nose suddenly felt a bit sour.

His child had already suffered enough. If designing these things was the only thing that could make him happy, then why not?

Jian Chengxi took a step forward. He walked up to the child, ruffled his hair, and softly asked, “Do you like it, Xiao Chen?”

Li Chen nodded. “I like it. I want to be someone like father in the future.”

Jian Chengxi felt a glimmer of hope rising in his heart.

Li Lingfeng is the Marshal of the Empire, after all. The child now has a role model, and will become a general to protect the homeland in the future. This is a good thing!

The old father said, somewhat excited, “Really?”

“Mm.” Li Chen showed a confident look in his eyes and whispered, “This way, I won’t miss killing any hamster again.”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

A bit inspirational, but not much.

After dinner that night, the evening had already grown dark.

Every time they ate, their dog Wangcai, who refused to eat dog food, would stare longingly from outside the glass window.

Jian Chengxi found it a bit amusing. These days he would always treat Wangcai’s leg, but for some reason, it never got better. Since the dog kept limping, the plan to send it away was put on hold.

Li Lingfeng came into the yard and draped a cloak over his shoulders.

The weather outside had indeed grown a bit chilly.

Jian Chengxi looked up at the sky and said with a hint of emotion, “Is winter coming soon?”

No matter which planet it was, winters were always hard to endure.

Li Lingfeng spoke, “Two more months.”

Jian Chengxi relaxed a little. As he watched Wangcai on the floor finish the meatballs on the plate, he said, “You know, it’s actually not that picky. It eats everything except dog food.”

Li Lingfeng gave him a deep look.

It was as if he was silently saying, Do you really think a dog not eating dog food isn’t being picky?

Jian Chengxi gave an awkward smile. “It’s still relatively easy to take care of.”

Li Lingfeng looked at Wangcai, who was avoiding him, and said, “Its leg, I’ll send it to the doctor tomorrow for a check-up.”

Jian Chengxi nodded. He had now learned to take the initiative to discuss things with Li Lingfeng. “The doctor is sometimes not here. I plan to go back to the Underground City tomorrow, and I’ll take Wangcai along to see the doctor.”

Li Lingfeng glanced sideways and said, “I’ll have someone take you there.”

Jian Chengxi didn’t stop him. He was only thinking about the events of the day. He wanted to go back and grow fruit, but setting up a stall definitely wasn’t practical anymore. It would be great if he could rent a shop to sell them, and the doctor, who had experience running a shop, should be able to help him with that.

“That’s fine, the kids have a holiday tomorrow so I’ll take them over to have some fun,” Jian Chengxi said, “And I’ll get some advice from the doctor by the way.”

He didn’t mention for now that he wanted to open a shop, afraid it wouldn’t work out.

Li Lingfeng glanced at him sideways, gaze dark and deep, raised an eyebrow and said, “Get advice from her?”

Jian Chengxi nodded and said, “Yes, I actually think the doctor is quite amazing. I often learn a lot from her.”

Li Lingfeng’s voice was slow and deliberate. “For example, that packet of powder, and the bedroom’s special bed?”

Jian Chengxi: “…”

Uh.

That’s not because of this.

The next day.

The sunlight today is very good.

The kids have a holiday. Jian Chengxi planned to put a leash on Wangcai early in the morning to take him out for a walk.

As a result, the dragon cub was completely uncooperative. It was constantly shaking its head and trying to break free from the leash. Even more so, it seemed like it wanted to hide to avoid being caught!

Stupid elf, trying to leash the noble Dragon Lord like a dog!

It would rather die than submit!!

Jian Chengxi was chasing, panting heavily.

Li Chen and Li Suisui came out of the house and saw this scene.

Jian Chengxi had his hands on his waist, panting as he said helplessly, “Why are you running…?”

Li Chen’s leg was in the treatment phase, but it was already much better. He would only limp slightly when walking. Li Suisui came out wearing a little skirt.

Li Suisui looked at the lawn in confusion. “Daddy, doesn’t Wangcai want to be on a leash?”

Jian Chengxi nodded.

Li Suisui glanced at Wangcai, who was stubbornly refusing, and said in a sweet, childish voice, “Then let it be. I heard from Alice that her family’s spirit pet isn’t on a leash either.”

The dragon cub, upon hearing this, was so in agreement that it almost wanted to nod.

Jian Chengxi asked in confusion, “Really?”

“Mm, and then their family’s spirit pet was diagnosed with a mental disability.”

Li Suisui glanced at the black cub not far away and said, “Poor Wangcai, it might also be a dumb dog.”

The dragon cub: “?”

Jian Chengxi suddenly realized. “So that’s why, I was wondering why it refuses to eat dog food!”

The dragon cub: ?!

It’s not because of that reason!

Li Chen glanced over and said, “That’s quite normal, it doesn’t look very smart.”

The dragon cub: “?”

You can insult my appearance, but you can’t insult my intelligence!

Jian Chengxi sighed and said, “It seems like Wangcai won’t understand what I mean…”

His words had just fallen—

When the dragon cub, enraged, ran out from the corner and barked, quickly putting on the leash.

Its gaze was very determined.

Stupid humans, see, I’m not stupid!

Jian Chengxi stared dumbfounded at Wangcai’s actions.

Li Suisui pointed and said, “Daddy, look. Wangcai didn’t want to earlier, but now it suddenly went back on its word and rushed over to put it on itself. It really isn’t very smart.”

Jian Chengxi thought deeply. “It really is.”

The dragon cub: “…”

Grandfather is going to bite you all!

Bares its teeth!