Didn't you go to Teyvat to earn money to support me?

"Yes, that's the difference between men and women. Men calling their partners 'father' is mainly to elevate themselves and humiliate them. But women..." Mistelin whispered, "Girls basically only affectionately call their boyfriends 'kid' or 'baby,' not to humiliate, but because they genuinely and often fantasize about treating their boyfriends like their own children... It's in our nature."

【Shut up. 】

Of course, most girls have self-control and won't frequently fall into this fantasy. But you know, honey, for well-known reasons, when you're in my shoes as my "boyfriend," it's really hard for us to escape this fantasy. But don't worry, this is absolutely not humiliating; it's just an adult woman's overflowing affection for you.

【Shut up.】

Mistelin was completely unaware that the very attitude of "no humiliation" was probably the ultimate humiliation for Shen Liang.

However, this is also why they all felt a little regretful. Clearly... this little wildcat was very suitable to be treated with such a nickname. But there was nothing they could do. If they really angered Shen Liang, the pure and lovely white cat and the energetic wolf cub would be only one step apart.

I'm so envious! Only that awful Thunder God can spoil his child so freely! He's so despicable!

"Thinking about the World Tree?" Alice asked.

“Hmm.” Shen Liang said, looking down and adjusting the drink in his cup. “There are three gods in Sumeru. The one who controls the World Tree is the Tree King, but the one who holds power is the Flower Goddess, and the most powerful one is the Crimson King. Obviously, I can’t just communicate with the Tree King; I need to persuade all three gods.”

"It definitely can."

"Purely in terms of strength, I don't have that confidence," Shen Liang said calmly. "And don't suggest that I communicate with Sky Island. Sky Island might care whether a civilization is destroyed, but it won't casually change the course of a world's civilization for my sake."

Alice glared at him helplessly. "Don't talk to me about this nonsense. I don't understand it, and I don't want to hear anything important. Instead of talking about this, let's go buy medicine now!"

"Buy medicine?" Shen Liang asked, puzzled. He didn't know what kind of medicine was needed all of a sudden.

"Angelica sinensis, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Paeonia lactiflora, Astragalus membranaceus, Magnolia officinalis, Notopterygium incisum, Cuscuta chinensis, Fritillaria cirrhosa, Citrus aurantium, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, ginger, licorice, and Artemisia argyi." Alice counted on her fingers, "Gan Yu said to buy these, but it's hard to say whether Liyue herbs can be bought in Sumeru. I've already finished what I brought. I also need to buy some supper for tonight. We should eat more beans and less spicy and oily food, but we still need to ensure we get enough fat. I'll buy a few servings of barbecue."

Buying some food to take back is understandable, since Gan Yu is still asleep in the hotel and will have a late-night snack later. But...

“Sister Gan Yu is a vegetarian,” Shen Liang reminded her. “And what about these medicines?”

Alice rolled her eyes at him. "I know, I'm not stupid. I specifically asked her, and Gan Yu shyly told me that she would gradually start eating more meat. The fat in meat is a major source of energy for our bodies, and we must ensure that we consume enough meat to ensure that the fetus has a healthy mother in the future."

Shen Liang was taken aback, then suddenly realized, "Those medicines..."

"It's a fertility-inducing and pregnancy-stabilizing drug." Alice pouted, looking at the boy with some displeasure. "You didn't just realize that now, did you? That's really embarrassing for a girl. You know, according to the customs of Liyue, or rather, think about the pure hearts of the Qilin clan, once they've given themselves to you, they haven't thought about anything else. Unlike you, Liang'er, who's so fickle. People of Liyue are always faithful to one person. Now that the relationship has started, the things to consider are when to get married, when to buy a house, and when to have children. But you are a demon god after all. I've checked the historical records, and there really aren't any demon gods who reproduce with mortal beings. Let's try to increase the probability as much as possible. It won't hurt to take better care of your health."

Shen Liang was somewhat surprised, "Sister Alice too?"

“What do you mean me too?” Alice sat up straight, looked down, and touched her stomach. “When have we ever used protection? Have you ever given me a chance? Tsk, Liang’er, you little brat, today wasn’t even a safe time.”

"Hmm..." Shen Liang leaned on the table and looked at her, smiling softly.

Alice didn't know what he was laughing at, but after exchanging a glance with the boy who was putting on a cute and innocent smile, she couldn't help but smile back. She couldn't stay angry; instead, a wave of sweetness washed over her.

Shen Liang indeed did not have this habit. Firstly, the Teyvat continent was too backward and there were no protective measures to learn from. Secondly, he was well aware of how slim the possibility was of leaving offspring.

Even his own birth was an almost impossible accident; cloning based on his initial genes was impossible. In fact, the reason he became a well-known "Little Sea King" during his time at the Fire Chaser Base was because Mei and others wanted their son to be replicable, so they recruited all the beautiful girls in the base as "volunteers."

So it's probably not possible for him.

However, Shen Liang wouldn't shatter Alice's beautiful expectations. A mature and strong woman speaking to you like a young girl about marriage, starting a family, and wanting your children, her eyes shining with hope as she speaks—who could bear to break this beautiful picture?

He reached out and touched Alice's long hair. Her blonde hair was a little frizzy because he had dried it quickly with his water control ability after taking a bath. He gently brushed away the frizzy hairs, feeling as if he were stroking golden silk.

"It really is better to let it air dry naturally. Forcing it to dehydrate will make your hair rough. I really envy you, Liang'er. You don't have this problem. No matter what you do, your hair is always fragrant and smooth." Alice laughed. "Are people with OCD born this clean?"

Shen Liang stroked her cheek with his fingers and pinched her earlobe.

"Liang'er?"

"Does Sister Alice really like children?"

"Well, not really. Over the years, I haven't really said whether I like or dislike her... It's just that if it's you, Liang'er, having one would be great." Alice stretched and winked at him. "After all, I can imagine how adorable our daughter would be, with such stunningly beautiful parents."

Then she suddenly turned her head, looked at the guests at the other tables, and whistled.

The patrons in the surrounding seats who had been eavesdropping were dumbfounded. At first, they thought it was some young mother with a child, but now... what the hell was this conversation? Did I hear wrong? Who is that white-haired loli who's barely taller than my chest when she stands up? Say it again, what's your relationship?

Shen Liang chuckled at her deliberately teasing the other customers and shook his head. "Two more servings of grilled pork ribs, two servings of mixed salad, and two servings of naan bread too. We're not eating here, we're taking them to go."

----------

As dusk approached, Shen Liang and Alice walked slowly, stopping at a craftsman's shop.

A tarpaulin was set up here, and a dozen or so people were using screwdrivers and knives to hammer and tinker with Lan Yu's board, sweating profusely.

Shen Liang's heart stirred. Remembering that he still needed to buy some gifts, he strolled into the shop. The curtain rustled, and the old carpenter, who was diligently inlaying gold thread on a jade plaque, looked up and opened his dim old eyes. He saw a boy carrying a large, rectangular body walk in. The boy had white hair that reached his hips, wore a fitted straitjacket, and was holding the hand of a mature and graceful Mondstadt beauty, looking around curiously.

The carpenter glanced at the boy a few more times, because he could clearly see the doting affection in the woman's eyes. It wasn't just doting; it was more like the tenderness and submissiveness one would show to a husband. This was quite unusual. Judging from the boy's appearance, this woman might be his maid or… a child bride? In other words, although her clothing wasn't conspicuous, she was probably from an extremely wealthy family.

The carpenter's eyesight wasn't great, but his eyesight was excellent. Normally, he would have taken extra care of a customer like this. However, he had a big order coming up and didn't have time to deal with individual customers. So, he walked up to Shen Liang with a smile and said, "Little customer, it's getting late, we're closing soon. Please pick out anything you like as soon as possible."

Shen Liang nodded, looking left and right among the various beautiful carvings. Most of them were handmade furniture, with excellent craftsmanship. Since he was looking for a gift, he took a closer look at the trinkets, such as incense burners, jade plates, and jade pots.

But as he looked around, he noticed something the workers were working on overnight: a square coffin, entirely made of blue jade...

He was stunned.

Seeing his expression, the carpenter hurried over and waved his hand, saying, "Young sir, no, no, no, this is not for sale. This is a custom-made item for another customer, and I cannot sell it to you no matter how much you offer."

“I don’t mean to buy it,” Shen Liang smiled, “I’m just a little interested.”

It wasn't some blue jade. Shen Liang only realized it when he got closer; it was a fragment of the outer shell of the landing module he used when he came to Teyvat years ago. After being scorched by the atmosphere, the outer layer was oxidized and burned, leaving the inner high-density ceramic insulation in this state, resembling a translucent blue-white jade.

“Young sir, you have a good eye. This is ‘Azure Jade’ from Liyue. Long ago, a celestial star fell into Liyue, leaving behind this fragment. Later, the star vanished, and each piece of this jade becomes one less.” The carpenter suddenly realized, “But I can’t sell it to you. Please look at the others.”

Chapter Four: Ms. Alice! You are my teacher!

Shen Liang scratched his head and laughed, "No, no, I... I want to find a gift to give to someone."

The carpenter breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I wonder what the young guest would like."

"I'm not quite sure either. I... I rarely give gifts to others." Shen Liang hesitated for a moment, looking at the dazzling array of gifts in the shop. "If I don't know the recipient's preferences, I don't know how to cater to them."

Seeing the boy's hesitant expression, the carpenter thought for a moment and asked, "Young customer, are you buying a gift... for a woman?"

"Hmm, you could say that." Shen Liang thought of the three gods of Sumeru, two of whom were goddesses.

The carpenter sized up the child. His features were exquisite and flawless, comparable to the beauty of a young girl. He could tell at a glance that the child was destined to be surrounded by suitors. He immediately smiled and said, "Then let's choose jade."

"Jade? How do you interpret it?"

The carpenter didn't answer, but turned and went into the inner room. A moment later, he came out carrying an exquisite box.

He and Shen Liang left the workshop and sat down in a clean spot in the shop. Shen Liang and Alice looked over curiously. The carpenter opened the box with a smile. In that instant, it seemed as if a bright red light filled the dark room, illuminating the tabletop with a faint, shimmering glow.

They were two red jade rings, reflected in the white brocade, like the glance of a mature and charming woman.

The carpenter took out the jade ring and looked at Shen Liang with a hint of pride: "This is a fine piece. Although I've been working on it these past few days, I still managed to carve this ring. It's top-quality jadeite from the Abundant Oasis, a crystal-clear red with a watery base. I'm not bragging, but this quality surpasses even the pieces from the Glorious Hall in Liyue. If you don't believe me, hold it up to the light. It's so red you can see through it, yet it's translucent without being diffused; that's called 'Moon Maiden Red.' As the saying goes, 'Ten thousand pieces of jadeite are easy to find, but one piece of jadeite is hard to come by.' This red jadeite has been the pinnacle of jadeite since ancient times."

Shen Liang looked at it as he instructed, holding it up to the candlelight, and sure enough. The ring was crystal clear, with only a golden-red luster floating inside the jade, like a bright flower; the name "Moon Maiden's Red" was well-deserved.

“The guest probably doesn’t know anything about jade,” the carpenter suddenly said.

Shen Liang nodded somewhat embarrassedly, "Actually, all that you're saying is like casting pearls before swine. I don't know anything about the quality of jade, so if you're trying to convince me with this... you've probably come to the wrong person. But the item is indeed a good one, even I, a layman, think so."

Seeing the young man's honesty, the carpenter couldn't help but smile: "That's normal, but young sir, you probably don't know this, but no matter how valuable this red jade is, I don't lack it. Just the day before yesterday, it was just a piece of jade. It was only yesterday that I met a woman who amazed me with her beauty that I couldn't resist carving this ring... In fact, this ring was completed in just two or three hours, which didn't delay anything. But don't be fooled by how quickly it was finished; these two rings are indeed my proudest works in recent years. Well, they're even comparable to the one I made for my wife when we got married."

Shen Liang smiled and nodded, "What kind of woman would make you unable to resist personally taking action for her?"

“If you were a girl, she would be almost as beautiful as you,” the carpenter chuckled. “I’m lucky to have seen such an unparalleled beauty two days in a row at my advanced age.”

"You flatter me." Shen Liang gently stroked the ring, then paused. "How much are these two red jade rings?"

"Two million Mora."

"Your most prized work only sold for two million?" Shen Liang asked, somewhat surprised.

Everything in the shop was priced, and this shop clearly wasn't doing low-end business; there were many gift items selling for millions. Since it was his masterpiece, Shen Liang had already prepared for it to sell for over a hundred million.

Looking at the boy's adorable, puzzled face, the carpenter's smile grew even more benevolent: "I've never heard of anyone complaining about buying something cheap. You're such a charming little customer, I can sell it to you at cost price without any problem. Secondly, although I'm proud of my craftsmanship, the craftsmanship itself isn't valuable. What I'm selling is the cost of the jade. As you know, the larger the jade, the more expensive it is. Small items can't be made into anything special, just bracelets or rings, so they're often made from scraps. With that impression, even a ring made from good material won't be worth much."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Thirdly, as I mentioned before, this was something I was able to carve only because I met an extremely noble woman. It's not something an ordinary person can accept. Even if I, an old man, were to carve a ring on a whim, I would worry that I might offend someone and be struck dead by lightning."

"No, you won't be struck by lightning, that's the only thing I can guarantee," Shen Liang smiled.

This remark made Alice laugh as well, while the carpenter looked at the two of them, puzzled.

Two million Mora isn't expensive. Shen Liang is no longer the kind of person who needs to ask his mother for pocket money. The year he spent at Jigong planning the clothing designs for the Gewu Academy, along with the credits he earned, adds up to a considerable sum. Moreover, the General Affairs Department fully supports his personal spending; whatever he spends, Gan Yu will reimburse him after returning to China.

Shen Liang carefully put away the wooden box containing the two rings, thinking that since it was a gift for the Tree King and the Flower Goddess, it shouldn't be too stingy. Then he looked around to see if there was any suitable gift for the Crimson King. The Crimson King was a male demon god, so bracelets, rings, necklaces, and the like wouldn't be appropriate.

As he was looking at the money, the carpenter, seeing that Shen Liang was still there and their conversation hadn't ended, smiled and said, "I wonder, young guest, who you're pledging your love to with this ring?"

"A declaration of love?" Shen Liang was taken aback.

The carpenter paused, realizing he'd made a mistake with the word "engagement" both today and yesterday. He thought it wasn't engagement but rather using a coffin, and he assumed it was definitely an engagement ring...

“Isn’t that right? A jade ring is… a token of love.” The carpenter said cautiously, “This isn’t just a tradition of us Sumeru people, I think. I remember the Seven Kingdoms all have this custom. Generally speaking, anyone who gives betrothal gifts will wear a ring. This thing can only be used to express love. I see you’ve been thinking about this, young sir, and it’s for a girl… isn’t it to buy a token of love for your sweetheart?”

“I…” Shen Liang’s face flushed, and he turned to look at Alice.

Alice chuckled at first, then suddenly remembered something, frowned, and glared at him unhappily, "Damn it! Liang'er, you can remember to buy them rings, but you can't even remember to buy me one! I want one too!"

Feeling guilty, Shen Liang could only whisper, "We'll give it to you when we get married... together at the wedding."

"Kid, you're still thinking about getting married together? That's outrageous! You're even unwilling to give each of you a separate wedding just to save time!"

"I didn't mean that..."

"Okay, but I can only accept marrying a girl from Mondstadt, because I require my wedding to be Mondstadt-style!"

Shen Liang couldn't respond. He stroked the outer velvet of the wooden box, and after a long while, he looked up at the carpenter: "If it's for... a gift for an elder like my aunt, is that alright?"

"If it's an aunt who isn't related by blood, that would be fine," the carpenter said with a knowing smile.