After staying for a while, Zhan Xi had originally planned to wait for Ningning to wake up so he could at least say goodbye to his biological father before leaving.
But he wasn’t sure how much longer Ningning would sleep.
The man looked at the little child, then raised his eyes to Zhan Xi and said, “You should head back first. I need to rest too.”
“Alright, I’ll take Ningning back to White Mist Star. Here, take this. This is Ningning’s star device. When he goes back, I’ll get him a new one. You can use this one for now.”
“We can use this to stay in touch if anything comes up.”
The man initially didn’t plan to take it, but Zhan Xi added, “If he doesn’t do his homework properly after going back, I’ll video call you, and you can make him do it.”
Zhan Xi had it all planned out. In the future, he’d send the little child here whenever possible.
With the uncle training the little child’s body and the biological father overseeing his homework, neither Zhan Xi nor Huo Lin would have to play the bad guy.
Mentioning homework, the man paused, then finally took the star device.
Zhan Xi was also quite enthusiastic: “I’ve uploaded all his childhood videos and photos here. If you ever wake up and feel bored, you can look through them. I’ve recorded a lot—enough to keep you busy for a long time.”
Zhan Xi had taken an overwhelming number of photos and videos of the little child.
After he left, the man went through the photos and videos, only to discover that Zhan Xi had even taken pictures of the little child’s poop when he was just a few months old.
The man, staring at the poop: “…”
After a few seconds of silence, he continued scrolling.
When Zhan Xi first brought the little child home, he wasn’t too chubby. But he would guzzle several bottles of milk a day, and later, when he started eating solid food, he would eat whatever was fed to him. Gradually, he became visibly chubbier.
The man watched a video of the little child eating. In the video, the chubby-faced little child tilted his head back, mouth wide open, looking just like a baby bird waiting to be fed.
After scrolling for what felt like an eternity, the man sealed the exit and fell into a deep sleep once more.
This time, before closing his eyes, his heart no longer felt as barren and lifeless as before. This time, he felt a newfound sense of hope.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
When Zhan Xi took the little child back home, he also brought Wagner along. Savi wanted to tag along to pay a New Year’s visit, but since Ningning was still asleep, he decided not to go.
He left Lele behind: “When Ningning wakes up, I’ll come over with Lele.”
Both Wagner and Ningning had school to attend, so Savi couldn’t keep them.
The silly Lele hadn’t started school yet, so he could stay a bit longer.
Zhan Xi had no objections to the kids’ decisions.
“Alright, when Ningning wakes up, I’ll have him call you.”
“Okay!”
After bidding farewell to Savi and the elders behind him, Zhan Xi set off on his journey back to White Mist Star.
On the spaceship.
Wagner kept checking on Ningning, his face scrunched up in worry. He must have asked Zhan Xi eight hundred times a day: “Uncle Zhan, why isn’t Ningning waking up yet? When will he wake up?”
Zhan Xi looked at the still-sleeping little child, unsure himself: “He’ll wake up when he’s had enough sleep.”
This kind of non-answer made Wagner’s face scrunch up even more.
Seeing Wagner sitting by the little bed with nothing to do, Zhan Xi suggested, “Wagner, why don’t you work on your winter break homework?”
He also had connections with Twain. If Wagner didn’t finish his homework this time, he would definitely get a scolding when he went back.
Wagner had originally planned to do his homework, but now that Ningning was asleep, he couldn’t bring himself to focus on it alone.
“Uncle Zhan, there’s no rush,” Wagner said, resting his little face on his hands as he leaned over Ningning’s small bed. “I’ll do my homework after Ningning wakes up.”
Zhan Xi: “…”
Alright then.
At least his own kid had already finished his homework.
By the time the spaceship returned to White Mist Star, Ningning still hadn’t woken up in his little bed. And Wagner, who insisted on waiting for Ningning to wake up before doing his homework, naturally hadn’t written a single word.
Not long after the spaceship landed, the people sent by Marshal Twain came to take Wagner back.
After Wagner was taken home, it was said that Marshal Twain took three days off to help his son with his homework.
Zhan Xi didn’t know what happened to Wagner afterward. He had been staying in the palace these past few days. The palace had medical equipment, and the little child needed to undergo regular check-ups.
This time, the little child had been asleep for several days without waking up, so Zhan Xi was naturally worried.
After the check-up, the results came in.
“Physical exhaustion…” Zhan Xi frowned as he read the report. “Is physical exhaustion the only issue? Ningning’s head was hurting badly this time too.”
“Aside from exhaustion, there’s one more thing—his weight has dropped significantly.”
Zhan Xi was startled. “Weight loss? Is that considered abnormal?”
The doctor, Ella, who was conducting the check-up, had more than just this report in her hands. She also had the results from previous check-ups.
After studying the data for a while, Ella finally shared her observation. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but every time Ningning uses his mental abilities, he loses weight. Not only that, but his appetite also increases…”
As Ella pointed this out, Zhan Xi, as a father, began to recall more details.
He remembered how, every time the little child used his mental abilities, the first thing he did after waking up was ask for food.
The adults, feeling sorry for the little child, would always feed him generously during these times. The little child would gain weight quickly, and with such intensive feeding, he would plump back up in just a few days. But this time, the weight loss seemed more pronounced than before.
Zhan Xi’s frown deepened as he considered the implications. “So, you’re saying that using his mental abilities has a direct impact on his body? Is there any way to mitigate this?”
Ella hesitated for a moment before replying, “We’re still studying the effects of mental abilities on the body, especially in children as young as Ningning. For now, the best we can do is ensure he gets plenty of rest and nutrition after using his abilities. We’ll also need to monitor him more closely in the future.”
Zhan Xi nodded, though his worry didn’t ease. He glanced at the little child, still peacefully asleep in his bed. “Thank you, Ella. I’ll make sure he’s taken care of.”
As Ella left the room, Zhan Xi sat down beside the bed, gently brushing a hand over Ningning’s forehead. The little child’s breathing was steady, and his face looked calm, but Zhan Xi couldn’t shake the unease in his heart.
He thought back to all the times Ningning had pushed himself too hard, using his abilities to help others without considering the toll it took on his own body. Zhan Xi sighed softly. “You’re too kind for your own good, little child.”
For now, all he could do was wait for Ningning to wake up and make sure he was there when he did. And when the little child finally opened his eyes, Zhan Xi would be ready with a warm meal and a reassuring smile.
