I adopted a child demon from the Gap, and I'm a special agent for the Bureau of Supernatural Ab

Kiritsugu Emiya picked up a piece of lotus root and commented on it with great expertise.

"Hey, Kiritsugu, I want that piece of fish, but I can't reach it."

Illya sat beside Kiritsugu Emiya, trying her best to reach the pot with her chopsticks, but eventually gave up in frustration because her arms were too short. Instead, she tugged at Kiritsugu Emiya's sleeve and whispered timidly.

"Hey, this piece of meat is pretty good, come and try it."

On the other side of the table, Kokutou Kanya picked up a thinly sliced ​​piece of tender beef and offered it to Ryougi Shiki, who was sitting next to him.

"No need, thank you, I can pick out the vegetables myself. Uh, okay, thanks. Mmm (chewing), umm, delicious (whispering)."

White, warm smoke drifted through the large room, while below, in the bustling interior, people chatted and laughed as they ate.

A hot pot feast—that's why the members of Group Six gathered. The location was in the Emiya family's large living room, where several iron pots were set up, offering both spicy and mild flavors, all emitting a rich aroma.

The Emiya family, including Mikiya and Ryougi Shiki, Touma and Index, Li Cheng and Shio, and Wuming and Rin, who deliberately sat together in the corner. A total of more than a dozen people were happily eating and chatting around the steaming hot pot in front of them.

"Speaking of which, Emiya, is that the strongest person below the Transcendent level you mentioned?"

Pointing to a slender man standing silently next to Konoe Hitoshi on the television screen, Li Cheng asked somewhat uncertainly.

"Why does he not look strong at all? I remember you said he was a martial artist, didn't you? How come I don't see the strong physique of a martial artist?"

"I'm not a martial artist, how would I know?" Kiritsugu Emiya replied irritably as he picked out a few pieces of fish for Ilya beside him. "Besides, there are plenty of A-rank martial artists whose strength isn't apparent from their appearance. Can't you tell if they're strong or not? Why ask me, an amateur, such a question?"

Tsk tsk, with Illya by his side, Kiritsugu Emiya is surprisingly aggressive.

Li Cheng clicked his tongue, no longer disturbing the dazzling interaction between Emiya Kiritsugu and Illya. He turned around, ready to see just how powerful Cheng Yan really was, when suddenly a small figure pounced on him.

"Cheng, my love!"

Turning around, the little girl's face was flushed, and her expression was one of barely suppressed excitement.

"tide? What are you doing?" Li Cheng was puzzled by the girl's reaction and suddenly smelled a strange odor on tide. "Wait, tide, have you been drinking?"

"Cheng, kiss me, I want a kiss!"

tide seemed completely deaf to Li Cheng's questions, relentlessly wrapping her arms around his neck and attempting to force a kiss.

"Wait a minute, you brat! Where did you go drinking? Emiya, Emiya, did you do this?"

Pressing his face against tide's to prevent her from getting too close, Li Cheng, his face full of black lines, looked at Emiya Kiritsugu, who was picking out vegetables for Illya not far away, and said loudly.

"What does this have to do with me? I don't drink alcohol. Come on, Ilya, have some of this. It tastes really good."

Damn it, Kiritsugu Emiya, you bastard!

"tide, kiss me, kiss me! Cheng, kiss me!!"

Having been blocked for too long, Xi was on the verge of going berserk.

"You're such a headache, I really don't know who taught you these things. Hmm, let me think, how about a kiss on the cheek?"

The other party's reaction was too intense, and he worried that they might tear the house apart in their dissatisfaction. Helpless, Li Cheng sighed, grabbed Xi's shoulder, leaned over, and gently kissed her cheek.

"Hehehe~"

tide smiled dreamily, then happily hummed a tune while clinging to Li Cheng's arm. But quickly, she pouted, looking displeased, and said:

"tide, tide wants a kiss, tide wants a kiss!"

This child, does she actually like to act so spoiled when she's drunk?

Despite Li Cheng's initial resistance to Xi's persistent pestering, he eventually gave up amidst the teasing laughter of the crowd. The little girl threw herself into Li Cheng's arms, grabbing his head and nibbling at it, leaving saliva everywhere, along with the smell of alcohol on Li Cheng's face.

"Hehehe, Cheng, I like it!"

With her eyes still blurry from drinking, Xi hugged Li Cheng's neck. After a good while, she shook her head, closed her eyes, and fell fast asleep.

At the opportune moment, Touma Kamijou handed over a napkin, allowing Li Cheng to wipe the drool Xi had left on his face. Irisviel, standing nearby, covered her mouth and chuckled, unable to resist mentioning a similar gesture Illya had made as a child. This made Illya blush again, and she quickly ran to Irisviel, trying to cover her mouth.

"So, who gave tide the wine, and who taught her to kiss me?"

Li Cheng wiped his face clean and asked the question again.

"Who knows? Maybe Xiaoxi accidentally drank it herself. After all, she's quite greedy." Chloe, sitting opposite Li Cheng, chuckled and kicked a small bottle of wine under the table, pretending not to know anything.

"Everyone, I've brought over the freshly chopped vegetables!"

Emiya Shirou walked happily into the living room, carrying a bowl of fresh ingredients.

…………

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill and cleared away the dishes, it was time to say goodbye. They exchanged a few words, and then the guests departed one by one. Li Cheng, carrying the sleeping tide on his back, was the last to leave, bidding farewell to the Emiya family at the door before leisurely strolling home under the night sky.

Lately, he's been living a carefree life. This kind of simple happiness would have been quite distasteful to his past self, who would probably have said things like, "A man should shed his blood on all fronts." But for him now, he is genuinely content with this kind of life.

tide mumbled a few words in her sleep on his back, then rubbed against him slightly before falling back asleep. Li Cheng carried the sleeping girl on his back, walking alone along the empty road under the streetlights.

The streets were sparsely populated and quiet, and walking on such a road, one could feel a sense of tranquility and harmony. Li Cheng walked slowly forward, feeling his mind gradually relax.

It was at this moment that he noticed an old man sitting on a bench by the street, dressed in very simple clothes. His expression was desolate, his figure thin, and he looked particularly lonely in the night.

The old man had a very peculiar aura about him, which made Li Cheng take a second look. Unexpectedly, the old man then raised his head and met Li Cheng's gaze.

"Hello, young man."

The old man smiled kindly.

"Uh, hello."

Although he didn't understand why the other person had suddenly struck up a conversation, Li Cheng still answered politely.

"Well then, can we chat, young man?" The old man gestured to the side and said with a smile, "This old geezer of mine has some questions that I can't quite figure out. I wonder if you, young man, could give me some answers..."

Hey, what's going on here?

Li Cheng was somewhat at a loss.

I was just walking down the street, so why did an old man suddenly jump out and start a conversation with me? And what was he saying? Was he trying to discuss philosophy with me? But all I know is philosophy...

"Ah, was it really a bit abrupt? Oh well, just consider it the ramblings of an old geezer. Let's go, young man, there's no need to stay here."

Seemingly noticing Li Cheng's helplessness, the old man's expression darkened slightly, but he still forced a smile and spoke gently to Li Cheng.

It seems there really is something unspeakable on her mind.

After thinking for a moment, Li Cheng changed his carrying method from on his back to holding Xi in his arms. This slight movement wouldn't wake the sleeping Xi, but she shifted her body to make herself more comfortable. Then, Li Cheng sat down next to the old woman and calmly looked at her.

"Although I don't quite understand what's going on, I do have some spare time," Li Cheng said calmly, giving the old man a fairly cheerful smile. "If you have something to say but can't find anyone to confide in, I'm happy to be a listener."

…………

Thank you so much to the reader "Beyond the Fantasy Land" for the donation!

Thank you to reader Night Sacrifice Scale for the blade and monthly pass.

Thank you to the readers "The Villainous Minor Character," "The Non-Existent Eight," and "The Immortal in Xuandu Temple" for their recommendation votes.

A long chapter of 3000 words. Hmm, I'm tired. I have things to do during the day tomorrow, so tomorrow's update will be a little late. Please forgive me, readers.

Section 72, Chapter 7: Strangers' Conversations at Night

"What an interesting young man. I appreciate you listening to me, but let me make it clear beforehand that this old man can be quite long-winded."

The old man said with a smile, straightening his posture slightly.

“Haha, I’m quite experienced with this kind of thing,” Li Cheng said, sitting on the bench with Xi in his arms, smoothing her long hair to prevent it from being crushed by his elbow. “Kids are much harder to deal with than old people. If I can handle the trouble of a kid, I can certainly handle the trouble of an old man.”

"Haha, you're quite blunt, aren't you?"

The old man smiled, and the tense expression on his face relaxed a little.

“My son would never be so rude to an old man like you.”

"Is he your son?"

Li Cheng asked with some curiosity.

"Hmm, I don't think so, although I did watch him grow up. Well, if you're just being sentimental, you could consider him my son, but he's much more capable than you, kid."

As he spoke, the old man's expression revealed a hint of pride.

"Haha, that's not necessarily true," Li Cheng replied with a laugh. "Although I don't look like someone with any special skills, if I were to write a resume, I could still outshine a considerable number of people."

"I'm still confident in that, old man. That kid is definitely better than you."

As if unwilling to admit defeat, the old man stubbornly said.

"So, is it because of this kid who's better than me that you, old man, have come here alone to sit on a street with hardly any pedestrians and start talking to strangers?"

"..."

A seemingly casual remark silenced the old man.

"Sorry, it seems I've forgotten how to speak."

Realizing he might have said something wrong, Li Cheng quickly spoke up.

"It's nothing, it's just that this old man can't figure some things out," the old man sighed deeply, then turned to look at Li Cheng and asked earnestly, "Have you ever had any ambitions or pursuits, young man?"

Ambitions? Pursuits?

So, is it about young people pursuing their dreams and having conflicts with the older generation?

If it's this kind of contradiction, as an outsider who doesn't know the specifics, I really can't offer advice, nor do I have the right to do so.

"...As for me, well, I guess I should say I did."

After thinking it over, Li Cheng decided to just go with his own ideas. After all, he was just chatting casually with a stranger he met on the street, so there was no need to put too much pressure on himself.

"What are your thoughts? Would you mind sharing them?" the old man asked with interest. "It's not something too embarrassing to say, is it?" he chuckled softly as he spoke.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem a little embarrassing..."

Li Cheng scratched his head, recalling his youthful thoughts, and couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. Indeed, the passion of youth always seems to carry a hint of embarrassing history as one gets older.

"My previous pursuit was probably to help others."

Thinking about his past experiences, Li Cheng's expression gradually softened.

"To help those in need, to rescue the bullied and weak, to defeat the wicked who prey on the weak, and to prevent tragedies from happening. In short, it's a somewhat immature heroic dream. That's probably what I used to be like."