God of Pets

Chapter 777 The Dream Stops
In the North District, the least prosperous of the four districts outside the ancestral temple, there is a narrow alleyway that is full of life and local flavor.

Two men, both of whom looked to be of a certain age, were sitting at a table, eating wontons face to face.

"Old Ji, these wontons are getting less and less flavorful today." The old man in the faded white shirt looked at the wontons in his wrist, stirred them a few times with a spoon, picked one up, looked at it from left to right, and after a long while said, "They look no different from the wontons we had when we were kids, and even seem more refined, but why do they just taste wrong?"

“When we were kids, we didn’t eat much. Having a wonton to eat was like celebrating the New Year. Now we eat so many good things, so wontons just don’t taste the same as they used to.” Old Ji paused, then continued.

"That's true, but not entirely. Nowadays, wontons have been changed to cater to the tastes of young people, and they no longer taste like they did when we were kids," the old man said again.

"The change in flavor is to make it taste better. The flavors now are much richer than they were back then. Back then, we were lucky if we just added a little salt and MSG to taste," Old Ji said.

"That's true. Maybe I'm just getting old and not used to the tastes of young people anymore." The old man put down his spoon, seemingly having completely lost interest in eating wontons.

Old Ji scooped up a wonton, blew on it slowly, and then put it in his mouth, chewing it slowly.

After a while, Lao Ji finally swallowed the wontons, savored the taste, and said, "They put water chestnuts in it, which makes the filling even sweeter and more delicious. It tastes really good. You should try it."

"Forget it, I'm not in the mood." The old man put down his spoon and looked at Lao Ji, saying, "I've worked so hard all these years planting trees, and now they're finally bearing fruit, but someone cut off half the trunk and dug up the roots. If you were in that situation, would you still be in the mood to eat this bowl of wontons?"

"I also helped when the trees were planted," Old Ji said calmly.

“Yes, back then we were single-mindedly focused on planting fruit trees in the desert and turning the entire desert into an orchard. But so many years have passed, and we were getting closer and closer to our dream from when we were young. Now someone wants to cut down the trees and destroy our dream. Can you watch our dream be destroyed?” The old man stared at Lao Ji and said.

“I’m old, so old I’m about to die. What can you expect from someone who’s about to die?” Old Ji sighed.

"Only you can find the person who cut down the tree and dug up the roots," the old man said.

Old Ji pondered for a moment before speaking, "Old Qi, have you ever considered that perhaps these fruit trees are already diseased?"

“If it’s broken, it can be repaired; if it’s sick, it can be cured. At least it’s a glimmer of hope. Without it, there’s no hope at all. Do you want to watch everything go back to the beginning? Do you want to watch the orchard oasis that we’ve worked so hard to build be destroyed like this?” Old Qi said somewhat agitatedly.

The sound was so loud that it attracted the attention of everyone around.

Old Qi quickly composed himself, but his eyes remained fixed on Old Ji as he said, "You were the one who insisted on letting them go back then, and now they're coming to dig up our graves. You have to take care of this."

“Birth, aging, sickness and death are the laws of nature. If an old tree does not die, the new saplings will not be able to receive sunlight and will not be able to grow into a towering tree.” Old Ji looked at Old Qi sincerely and said, “Old friend, we are all getting old, and you have a very good successor. Maybe you can take a rest and not be in such a hurry to do things. Why not hand things over to the younger generation? Maybe you will have unexpected gains.”

“He’s still too green, and how can I impose our dreams on him? He should take care of his own affairs.” Old Qi stared intently at Old Ji and said, “I know you’re a sentimental person and can’t bear to break the sapling you’ve nurtured for so many years. I can ignore her, but you have to take care of the other person who cuts down the tree, right?”

"I'm sorry, I'm really too old, I can't handle that anymore," Old Ji said, shaking his head. Old Qi didn't get the answer he wanted, his gaze fixed on Old Ji, his eyes unblinking.

"Are you really going to just ignore it? That's a kingdom we built together, bit by bit. Can you really be so heartless?"

Old Ji met Old Qi's gaze with a calm look and said with a smile, "Childhood dreams don't necessarily have to come true. Keeping them in your memory is perhaps a better thing."

"Just like when I was a child, I loved big houses, beautiful flowers, floor-to-ceiling windows, and watching the sunset over the western mountains. I thought it was so beautiful. I didn't have any of those back then, and although I feel regretful, I don't want a house like that anymore now."

"I feel that big houses are too empty now. I prefer a smaller house with a small yard where I can grow some vegetables, feed some fish, and raise some cats and dogs. I can fatten them up and, when I'm happy, pick some vegetables I've grown and some peanuts, have a pot of tea, and enjoy a delicious meal."

"I don't want to grow flowers anymore because they're too bright. I don't like French windows and sunsets anymore because they feel too sunny. Now that you've made me think back, I realize that my childhood dreams were wonderful, but actually having them again, I really can't bring myself to like them anymore."

"This is betrayal! Betrayal of our dream! How could you do this? Don't forget, you were the one who brought this dream to me in the very beginning. You were the one who started weaving this dream. Now I've poured my whole life's blood into it, and you're telling me you don't like it anymore? You're not playing anymore? You don't care anymore?" Old Qi's eyes widened, his emotions completely out of control.

"Old Qi, I really can't dream anymore," Old Ji said with a wry smile.

Old Qi stared intently at Old Ji, his excited expression gradually calming down, but the determination in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

"Fine, you can disregard our dreams, but what about Qinglian? Are you just going to let bygones be bygones? If you don't help now, how will her child take over the Heavenly Army and rule the Ancestral Court in the future? Are you going to leave such a mess for him?"

Old Qi's aggressive approach angered Old Ji as well: "I've already paid back everything I owed. Her child took everything from my child. Isn't that enough?"

"Is that your child?" Old Qi asked coldly.

“Of course,” Old Ji said.

"I think you've lost your memory. You raised her only to take everything from her. You chose her. Now you're telling me she's your child?" Old Qi said disdainfully.

Old Ji remained silent for a long time without saying a word. He got up, turned around, and left, only waving his hand behind Old Qi's back.

"Old Ji, old buddy, help me one last time, I really need you." Old Qi stood up and said, looking at Old Ji's back.

"I don't need you anymore." Old Ji didn't turn back or pause; he simply left resolutely.

(End of this chapter)