I, Valon, am frantically searching for my mother.

"Oh dear, Annie, why are you scaring the child?"

The old lady immediately turned her head, tapped Annie lightly with her cane, and adopted a stern posture.

Then she turned back and spoke softly to Wayne with a kind smile and a rural accent from who-knows-where.

"Don't worry, Auntie won't let my child pay. Just pick me up and give me a good hug, Auntie can carry me. When I'm done, Auntie will even give you money!"

Wayne looked around blankly.

For the first time, Wayne, who came from another world, felt like a green recruit.

No way, are there any humans here?

Wayne looked at Vivian, whose face was flushed and who seemed to be holding back something, and couldn't help but ask:

"Vivian, are people on Spring Street here used to bringing their kids to work?"

"what?"

Vivian was taken aback by the sudden question and rubbed her cheeks vigorously.

"No, no, right? Although I don't shop around much, I do know that they seem to have their own methods of contraception."

"Otherwise, an unplanned pregnancy would be very troublesome and would affect business. Moreover, most people, even if they do get pregnant, will usually give birth to the child and send it to an orphanage sponsored by Jinlong."

If there's one particularly good thing about Hel City, it's that their orphanages are all free, and many of them have a Golden Dragon background.

This is probably related to Jinlong's fondness for masturbating people.

"They're just stupid!"

Anne, standing to the side, offered her sharp critique without hesitation.

"A baby born can fetch a large silver coin! And you can earn even more after you get pregnant! Some old folks even like this kind of thing, saying it brings good luck!"

"Annie, don't talk nonsense! How can you sell a child?"

The old woman on the side suddenly gave a stern rebuke.

Wayne nodded slightly.

It seems there are still humans here.

After all, there are differences in quality even among those who sell purely for profit. Our old lady truly deserves to be called a senior artist; she's already quite respectable.

Just as Wayne was thinking this, the old lady spoke again.

"How can a child only think about selling them?!"

"We need to have a long-term vision!"

"Child, you should keep her and nurture her from a young age! Teach her to read, teach her math, teach her how to please customers! When she grows up, she'll be a long-term money-making machine!"

"If your child from over ten years ago were still with us, how much more money would we need to earn?"

"You're so short-sighted! You sold it for a single silver coin! What a spendthrift!"

……

Now we know how Sofia's mother raised her.

Wayne felt a chill run down his spine; he knew he might have to resort to some unconventional methods next.

This scene was clearly not suitable for a pregnant woman and an elderly woman to watch, so Wayne secretly gave Vivian a wink, signaling her to send the elderly woman away.

Soon, under Vivian's cheerful urging, the old lady reluctantly returned to her room.

Before leaving, she didn't forget to turn back and wink at Wayne.

"My little one, if you ever want something again, remember to come find Auntie, and Auntie will give it to you for free~"

I was so scared I cried.

With the old lady gone, only Wayne, Vivian, and Mrs. Anne, who looked impatient and clearly felt she had delayed her business, remained in the courtyard.

Wayne remained silent for a moment.

To be honest, Wayne couldn't understand why Sophia's mother would be so divine.

Could it be that she, like Vivian, has some kind of tragic past that makes her feel guilty, which has twisted her into the way she is now?

Wayne decided to try again.

And so, under everyone's watchful eyes, Wayne's figure began to change drastically!

Human disguises receded like the tide, bones crackled slightly, bodies swelled, and dazzling golden scales pierced through clothing, radiating a majestic and sacred glow in the dim courtyard!

In the blink of an eye, a giant golden dragon, over three meters tall, exuding an aura of oppression and with menacing scales, appeared in this small, effeminate courtyard!

Vivian was startled by this sudden change.

Although I knew that Wayne was a dragon, the impact of his complete form appearing at close range in a small space was still too strong.

She instinctively took a small step back, leaned against the wall, and stammered:

"Sir, sir? What's wrong...?"

Mrs. Anne, sitting opposite, was clearly stunned as well.

Those alluring eyes widened instantly, her mouth slightly agape, and she blinked.

"You...you are the Golden Dragon?"

But Anne quickly realized what was happening.

"You have to pay when Jinlong comes to play, right? And you have to pay more, since one dragon is equivalent to two or three people."

Then, as if remembering something important, Mrs. Anne's expression turned serious, and she added in a very solemn tone:

"And another thing! You're not allowed to use your butt! Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll end up like my mom when I'm old, unable to hold my poop!"

Wayne was truly out of options.

But deep down, Wayne still couldn't believe that the resilient and kind little girl who trembled in the cage yet still tried to remind others and believed "Mom loves me" even in dire straits... could have such a divine mother.

Wayne thought for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.

"Mrs. Anne..."

"I don't know what you've been through. Perhaps you've had a very difficult and painful past. So, I don't want to make any judgments about your current actions and choices."

"I only have one question to ask you..."

"If you had a chance right now to leave this place, leave your current life... and start a new one, would you be willing?"

"I will find you a good job so you won't have to sell your body and dignity to survive anymore. Perhaps then, I'll have another amazing surprise for you."

"Well? Would you be willing to... give it a try?"

After Wayne finished speaking, the huge dragon head lowered slightly, and its red vertical pupils looked at the human woman in front of it with a last glimmer of hope.

Mrs. Anne frowned.

She tilted her head, as if to make sure she hadn't misheard.

Then, in a straightforward and clear tone, he stated:

"Are you an idiot?"

"..."

Mrs. Anne seemed to feel that this word was not enough to express her bewilderment, and continued:

"I can earn so much money just by lying down, why should I bother working? Work is never that easy!"

The more she talked, the more she felt Wayne was out of his mind, and she gave him a look as if he were an idiot.

"Furthermore! Even if you are Jinlong, a very important person, you shouldn't be interfering in other people's lives so casually, should you?"

"I'll live however I want! So what if I like to sell myself to you?"

"If you want to mess with me, hurry up and give me a few more silver coins. If you don't want to mess with me, then stay away, or you might as well mess with my mom. I still have five customers here!"