ADLH Chapter 14: My Dragon
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
Jun Hua cleared his throat and gestured toward the sofa beside him. “Ahem, Mr. Ruan, you’re certainly a humorous and witty human. Qian Ji probably came today to get a mission from me. Why don’t we sit down and talk?”
Ruan Xingzhou smiled brightly. “Thanks, love rival.”
Jun Hua: “…”
Qian Ji, who was beginning to catch on, had never encountered such a dramatic love triangle before. He stiffened slightly and, for some reason, felt the need to explain: “Jun Hua is just a good friend of mine…”
“Oh, really.” Ruan Xingzhou clung to his chest, flashing a wide smile. “In my eyes, anyone who can take your gaze away is a love rival.”
Hearing this, Jun Hua widened his eyes slightly in surprise and then teasingly looked at Qian Ji, dragging out his words with a chuckle: “Oooh~~~ Dragon Lord still has that charm, huh?”
Qian Ji was silent for a few seconds. His golden slit pupils flickered with discomfort. He clenched his fist and covered his mouth with it as he coughed lightly.
“Let’s sit.”
Jun Hua, who had known him for years, couldn’t help but laugh. This old dragon… actually looked shy.
The three of them, plus little Jun Dou, sat on the soft sofa. Jun Dou insisted on being held by Qian Ji. Jun Hua stopped him, and the palm-sized Jun Dou burst into loud sobs.
“I want godfather to hold me! Only godfather! Waaaah!”
Qian Ji frowned and reached over to pick him up, patting his little head and settling him on his shoulder.
Though the young dragon lord was stern and short-tempered, he had a mysterious indulgence for children.
Little Jun Dou stood on Qian Ji’s shoulder, clutching one of Qian Ji’s dragon horns with his chubby white hands, and stuck out his tongue at Ruan Xingzhou.
Hmph! Godfather is mine!
Jun Dou felt that this human was trying to steal his godfather, so he deliberately tried to provoke him.
He grinned smugly: See? Godfather still loves me the most! Bad guy, go away!
Ruan Xingzhou, sitting next to Qian Ji, turned his eyes away indifferently. Then, he suddenly asked Jun Hua, “By the way, when we came in, wasn’t there something blocking the way?”
Jun Hua didn’t expect that question but still replied warmly, “Yes, that was a barrier. It isolates this place to prevent ordinary people from entering, and also protects weaker yokai.”
“Oh,” Ruan Xingzhou said. “Can an armor-piercing shell get through?”
Jun Hua: “…”
“And,” Ruan Xingzhou’s smile faded as he expressionlessly looked at Jun Dou. The backlight cast shadows over his face, making his eyes seem sunken and lifelessly dark.
That puppet-like cold face suddenly stretched into a ghostly grin. Whether he was speaking to Jun Hua, to Jun Dou, or mumbling to himself, no one could tell:
“Actually, I own a company known domestically and internationally as the Aerslan Factory. It’s the world’s fourth-largest life gene research institute. I’m very curious about non-scientific beings like you all. If I could catch one and slice it open... hehehe…”
He lowered his head and let out a creepy laugh, muttering in a dead-fish tone: “Slice it up, slice it up, slice it up…”
Qian Ji: “…”
Jun Hua: “…”
Jun Hua’s face went blank. In a flash, he yanked Jun Dou into his arms and shot a look at Qian Ji: Don’t hold him anymore, I don’t want to lose my only heir.
It took him thousands of years to grow this little sprout—if it gets dissected, who would he complain to?!
Qian Ji clicked his tongue impatiently and turned to the still-muttering Ruan Xingzhou. He clamped a large hand around his head and applied some pressure.
“Shut up,” he said.
Ruan Xingzhou stopped mumbling. He tilted his head to look at Qian Ji.
Pouted. “That hurts.”
Qian Ji: Did I just see a trace of hurt on this deadpan scary face…? You’re scaring a kid and you’re the one who feels wronged?!
Jun Dou was also frightened. His teary little eyes welled up again, and he clutched Jun Hua’s black vest suit with his chubby hands, sobbing. Jun Hua lifted him and kissed his cheek.
“There, there, don’t cry.”
“I want godfather… sob sob…”
Apparently, the Dragon Lord was unexpectedly popular with children—Jun Dou didn’t even respond to his real father.
Jun Hua looked at Qian Ji, both amused and helpless. Qian Ji, looking irritated, released Ruan Xingzhou’s head and said coldly, “Give me Jun Dou.”
Jun Dou looked at him expectantly with outstretched arms but then spotted Ruan Xingzhou and shrank back in fear.
Qian Ji’s face darkened further. He, a dignified Dragon Lord, was being rejected by his beloved godson thanks to a human? Outrageous.
Just as he reached out to grab Jun Dou, Ruan Xingzhou opened his phone, pulled something up, and handed it to Jun Dou.
Jun Dou peeked and let out a delighted “Wow!”
Curious, Qian Ji and Jun Hua leaned over to look.
They saw that Ruan Xingzhou had opened a shopping app displaying rows of luxury children’s toys—celebrity-endorsed or big-brand items, each priced in the thousands.
Ruan Xingzhou lowered his voice like a negotiator, seductive and sly: “Want these?”
Jun Dou’s eyes locked on the toys. He hesitated but nodded.
Ruan Xingzhou smiled, swiped up, added everything to his cart, and tapped "checkout." A payment screen popped up.
He said, “All of this can be yours. Just say two words. And from now on, whatever you want—cars, yachts—you’ll have it. How’s that sound?”
This human… is bribing a child.
Qian Ji couldn’t help but smirk.
Jun Hua covered his face. “Mr. Ruan, I appreciate the gesture, but…”
Before he could finish, Jun Dou looked seriously at Ruan Xingzhou and nodded: “No problem!”
Jun Hua: …You ungrateful little brat!
Ruan Xingzhou smiled and tapped to complete the payment. Pointing at himself, he said, “Alright, from now on, call me ‘godmom’—two words, no more, no less.”
Jun Hua: “Hmm!!!”
Qian Ji: “Hmm???”
Jun Dou cheerfully shouted, “Godmom!”
“Good boy!”
Ruan Xingzhou scooped up Jun Dou and nestled him into Qian Ji’s arms, holding him up proudly. “Look, our son.”
“…”
“…”
“Hahaha.” Qian Ji burst out laughing at this performance.
Meanwhile, Jun Hua looked at his shameless, sell-out son and nearly wept. At this moment, this father has nowhere to stand…
Using his business acumen to turn his love rival’s child into their child, Ruan Xingzhou, now wearing his “fatherly filter,” thought Jun Dou was a hundred times cuter.
He and Jun Dou started watching cartoons on his phone.
Qian Ji turned to Jun Hua and started discussing the mission.
“It’s a big help that you came. You probably already know that after we exited the Painted Realm, due to the brand curse, our demon powers and abilities have been greatly reduced. The weaker yokai can’t handle high-level missions and are only taking low to mid-level ones.”
“At this point, only me, Fenghuo, and Langyan can manage more difficult assignments.”
Fenghuo and Langyan? Those two serious-looking men at the door?
Ruan Xingzhou looked toward Qian Ji, but Qian Ji remained silent, listening.
Jun Hua frowned in concern. “It’s not enough. There’s a backlog of missions. Luckily, you came. With your strength—even weakened—it won’t be too difficult. Dragons are more… complicated than regular yokai. They need high-level missions. I just happen to have a very urgent one. I’ll assign it to you and Fenghuo and Langyan.”
He opened his palm, forming a few thin paper-like sheets of glowing light, and handed them to Qian Ji.
Qian Ji scanned them with his golden eyes and nodded. “Got it.”
He flicked his fingers, and the papers dissolved into glowing dust.
Ruan Xingzhou, still holding Jun Dou, stroked his leafy hair and asked, “Why are dragons more complicated than other demons?”
Qian Ji glanced at him and said nothing.
Jun Hua smiled but paused. “That’s…”
Is it forbidden? Or do they think it’s none of his business?
“Qian Ji, when you go on missions, will you take me?” Ruan Xingzhou asked.
Qian Ji looked at him and said coolly, “Why would I take you? You’re just an ordinary human. Don’t get involved. When I’m gone, the dragon mark on your chest will protect you in danger. Just focus on your own business.”
Ruan Xingzhou went quiet.
Thinking he gave up, Qian Ji continued to discuss the mission location and timing with Jun Hua.
Jun Hua explained: “It’s at a university here in the city. We don’t have enough people, so we’re prioritizing nearby areas. A scouting yokai said it might be ghosts summoned by humans playing with spirit boards or coin games. But there’s also demon aura mixed in—it’s not looking good.”
Qian Ji nodded, half-smiling: “You did the right thing. Your little demon are scared of people—they’d be cannon fodder in there.”
Jun Hua smiled wryly. “That’s why I’m relying on you. Fenghuo and Langyan are twin wolf demons—former wolf kings. Their powers are weakened, but they’re obedient and capable.”
“I work alone,” Qian Ji said, narrowing his eyes. He preferred solitude to crowds.
“I know…” Jun Hua sighed. “But they’re repaying a karmic debt. Please take them along, help them free themselves from fate.”
Qian Ji thought for a moment and finally nodded. “Alright.”
Jun Hua visibly relaxed. “Great. Since you brought someone today, I’ll have them dig out a jar of my treasured wine to welcome you.”
“Just one jar? After all our years, you’re still stingy.”
Qian Ji smirked, teasing him.
Jun Hua raised an eyebrow. “That wine is rare, you know!”
The two exchanged a glance and laughed.
Unbeknownst to them, Ruan Xingzhou was quietly typing a message.
Ruan Xingzhou: Mirdan, I need a set of surveillance and tracking equipment, and Sample No. 3. Also, send me a list of all universities in the city.
Special Assistant Mirdan: Yes!
Ruan Xingzhou, having received the instant reply, looked at Qian Ji.
My dragon… isn’t getting away.
Meanwhile, Jun Dou, having seen the message: Sorry, godfather… but I want those toys.
Heehee.
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