Didn’t Mother Fa say earlier that the new place was so remote it was hard to even get eggs, so she planned to bring some chicks to raise herself?

Then, when we moved, she brought a whole box of eggs.

Ahem! Didn’t that mean they emptied their entire savings just to buy a school district house? She wanted to save some money, but in trying to save, the chicks turned into eggs. Though the seller had guaranteed with a thump on the chest that they were 100% fertilized eggs, reality proved that such a guarantee meant next to nothing. This clutch of eggs ultimately hatched only one chick—and it was a rooster that never laid eggs.

Mother Fa and Father Fa decided to find it a mate—or rather, a whole flock of mates.

Meanwhile, they needed jobs too—after all, they had three kids in school!

With these thoughts in mind, Mother Fa and  Father Fa, who had just returned safely from the cultivation world and the interstellar era, exchanged a glance before their eyes drifted toward the tree.

True, there had been a little mishap when their second son and youngest daughter went to school, but maybe that was just a fluke? After all, their previous trips had been spot-on—Mother Fa had even gone alone to get a property deed!

With these thoughts in mind, Father Fa and Mother Fa packed up the chicken, grabbed their resumes, and dusted off their long-unused academic credentials, determined to try their luck there once more.

Maybe this time they’d make it across? If they could work in the same city as their eldest son, even if they couldn’t make it in time for pick-ups and drop-offs, at least it would be convenient for other matters, right?

And so, Father Fa and Mother Fa marched proudly behind their eldest son. The three of them once again made their way through the branches toward their three-square-meter school district home. But then—

Reality proved that their previous smooth arrival in Zhongdu City had been an anomaly. Watching their son vanish through that window ahead of them, when it was their turn, that small slice of space representing another world suddenly shifted color. Before Mother Fa could pull her foot back, she plummeted straight down—and Father Fa was dragged down with her. ← Spotting his wife falling, he instinctively grabbed her arm.

In short, when the couple finally scrambled back to their feet, they found themselves surrounded by icy springs and molten lava. The barren ground held nothing but boulders of varying sizes and long, deep gashes that looked like the claw marks of some enormous creature…

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Claw marks? What kind of creature could have paws that big?” Clutching her only son, the little cockerel, and tightening her grip on her resume and academic credentials, Mother Fa let out a few forced chuckles.

Just as Father Fa was about to agree, he saw that “impossible” creature.

A massive triangular head, ruby-hard scales covering its entire body, eyes like flames, a long, muscular neck, a bulging belly, a long tail… and those incredibly sharp claws…

A dragon?!

This is a dragon?!

Father and Mother’s eyes widened like copper bells!

Next, they witnessed firsthand how that colossal “dragon-like” creature used its massive claws to leave terrifying marks on the hard rock ground.

The dragon lowered its head extremely low, its neck and chest nearly touching the ground. Its two short front claws stretched wide forward, while its hindquarters and tail arched high. Then—

Scratch scratch scratch~~~

As the stubby claws retracted and the hindquarters and tail snapped back into place, ten deep, fresh gullies appeared on the ground. Simultaneously, the dragon’s crimson claw tips gleamed, polished to a shine by the rock—just like…

…freshly done manicure?

That was the first thought that popped into the mind of every Mother Fa who’d ever gotten a manicure.

Later, she realized her brain must have short-circuited right then and there.

Of course it did. If it hadn’t, how else would she have ended up choosing to stay and work there?

Even though the path they’d come by was now blocked by the dragon’s massive rear end, forcing the couple to lurk around for ages—so long that their only son found a mate there, so long that the son and his wives produced clutch after clutch of chicks and eggs, long enough that they found work selling eggs in a nearby village, even fixing up a small cottage and furnishing it simply…

That still wouldn’t mean they planned to stay and work there! Mother Fa thought, tears welling in her eyes.

Even though neither she nor Father Fa had high academic credentials, and their alma maters weren’t exactly prestigious, they both had decades of diligent experience in the same field. If they weren’t too picky, they could surely find decent jobs back in Zhongdu.

But they’d stayed there far too long—so long that everything had settled into perfect stability: steady work, steady income, neighbors who were all good people (except for that dragon). Could they really find such good jobs/working conditions back in Zhongdu?

Mother Fa hesitated inwardly.

And  Father Fa’s brain must have malfunctioned along with hers, because he didn’t object to his wife’s decision at all—he actually thought it was a good idea.

“Haven’t we always wanted to leave those stressful jobs behind and open our own little shop?” Father Fa chuckled, picking up an egg. “This is like getting an early start on that dream!”

As if hearing a crack in her own skull, Mother Fa thought: Oh no, oh no—her brain had completely fried.

And so, with her “brain completely fried,” Mother Fa decided to build their family business right here.

But while the business was important, the children mattered even more.

While expanding their chicken farm venture, Father Fa and Mother Fa kept a close eye on the red dragon in the Dragon Valley beside the village. They were always ready—the moment that dragon left its nest, they’d lock the door and head straight home!

Previous times had been manageable, but this time, after the red dragon vanished, a tiny red dragonling appeared in the nest! Look closely—there were two half-shells beside it!

Good heavens—the red dragon had suddenly given birth!

Facing the tiny yet already flame-breathing red dragon, the couple frantically fled with the eggs, barely making it back home from the dragon’s lair. Their clothes were scorched in patches by the young dragon’s fire.

It was nothing short of a harrowing escape. No wonder Mother Fa and Father Fa rushed over to their eldest son the moment they saw him, embracing him and weeping bitterly.

Then, right in the middle of their tears, Fa Mulin returned.

In stark contrast to his parents’ disheveled state, the youth stood smiling at the doorway, his snow-white robes gleaming. His smile radiated warmth like spring sunshine as he greeted, “Greetings, elder brother! Oh… what a splendid day! Father, Mother, you’ve returned! Father, is your health well? Mother, are you in good health?”

Hearing this peculiar voice, both Father and Mother, who had been clutching their eldest son and weeping, turned their heads simultaneously. Mother beckoned to Fa Muzhi. Just as he approached with a smile, his mother pressed his neck against Fa Muzhi’s shoulder—and then—

Now all four family members were clinging to each other, weeping bitterly.

Alright, alright, Truth be told, only Father Fa and Mother Fa were truly weeping the whole time. The two sons were merely passing tissues. Still, the sight of their sons’ increasingly sturdy chests brought immense comfort to the elderly couple. Though they hadn’t gotten to see their daughter return, having both sons together was rare enough. Father Fa and Mother Fa were overjoyed, their hearts deeply resonating with the words their second son had spoken upon coming home—

“Today is truly a good day. Your Father Fa and I came back, and our second son came back too.” Wiping away her tears, Mother Fa burst into laughter.

Then, the couple and their second son went upstairs. Some changed clothes, some washed hands, some washed faces. By the time they came back down in their home clothes, Fa Muzhi had already reheated the dishes on the table. The resourceful Mother Fa even pulled out a few eggs from the basket she’d brought, intending to let her two sons taste “Mom’s cooking.” However—

“Whoa—the little Red Dragon’s heat control is intense! These eggs are already cooked through—no need to scramble them.” Realizing this after cracking one open, Mother Fa decided to skip the scrambled eggs altogether and brought over the already-cooked ones.

Crack and peel—hey! The little Red Dragon had mastered the heat perfectly—these eggs were flawless onsen eggs!

“Here, this one’s for the eldest.” Mother Fa handed the egg to Fa Muzhi beside her.

“This one’s for the second son.” Father’s hands were just as quick. Almost simultaneously, he peeled a perfectly cooked “hot spring egg” and handed it to the second son beside him.

Fa Muzhi and Fa Mulin weren’t idle either. They didn’t peel eggs themselves, but instead each picked their parents’ favorite dishes from the table and placed them in their bowls before accepting the eggs handed to them by their parents.

While eating, Fa Mulin commented:

“Delicious, delicious! Though I’ve given up regular food, whenever I return home, I always find the taste of our family meals irresistible. I can’t help but eat a few extra bites. And the eggs Father and Mother brought are truly exquisite. I’ve tasted eggs laid by chickens fed on celestial herbs and jade dew over there, but their flavor pales in comparison to ours…”

Hearing her second son speak like this always gave her goosebumps. Mother Fa simply peeled another egg and stuffed it directly into his mouth, saying, “If you like it, eat more. Your father and I don’t have much to offer these days, but we do have plenty of chickens and eggs. I brought quite a few for you and your brother this time. Take some with you when you leave.”

Fa Mulin chuckled in agreement, eating his egg while serving his mother another helping of vegetables with his chopsticks.

The Fa family table had no rule against talking during meals. In fact, ever since the brothers were children, they’d grown accustomed to chatting over dinner. Not only were all major announcements made during supper, but even on ordinary days, they’d share their daily experiences around the table.

The previous day’s events alone could fill an entire meal’s worth of conversation. Now, with the family reunited after so long, a single meal was nowhere near enough. So, after finishing their meal, they brewed a pot of tea and continued chatting.

No need for Fa Muzhi this time. Fa Mulin volunteered to handle the tea. Cultivators truly were different—without even rising from his seat, he merely tapped his finger, and an antique-style teapot appeared on the table alongside four cups. Like Fa Mulin himself, clad in pure white, the teapot gleamed snow-white, as did the cups. Mulin poured from the pot, emerald-green tea flowing into the cups. He filled all four, then pushed three of them toward his parents and elder brother.

“I’ve been traveling lately,” he explained. “This is a gift from an immortal’s cave I visited. Inside is tea brewed from an ancient immortal herb. The herb itself isn’t particularly miraculous, but the flavor is superb. For ordinary people, it has health-enhancing properties. I’ll keep this cup for my little sister. The rest is for you all.”

Both Father and Mother Fa, as well as Fa Muzhi, were accustomed to whatever their second son brought home. So, they each accepted the tea he offered and took a sip.

“Fine tea!” Father Fa’s eyes lit up.

Mother Fa said nothing, but her eyes sparkled, clearly enjoying the flavor too.

Fa Muzhi, however, remained impassive. His expression gave nothing away—no sign of liking, nor of dislike.

Smiling warmly at his family, Fa Mulin produced several more items from his pocket-sized storage ring.

Two baskets again, and this time a black handbag← Look closely, it was identical to the one Fa Muzhi was carrying now.

Pointing to the baskets and bags on the table, Fa Mulin explained:

“You always say I carry things so lightly and conveniently, right? Well, ordinary people can have this kind of light and convenient method too. I had these made. On the outside, they look like ordinary baskets and a bag, but inside, they’re connected to a Sumeru Space. Each can hold about three cubic meters of stuff—living things included. So feel free to use them, Father, Mother, and Brother.”

After speaking, he looked at Father, Mother, and Fa Muzhi with a warm smile.

Seeing this, Muzhi was fine—he simply took the bag. But Father and Mother felt much more complicated inside.

Sigh… With our second son like this, we don’t know whether to say he’s thoughtful or not thoughtful enough.

If we say he’s not thoughtful enough, he knew how to make the Sumeru Space look exactly like the everyday items they use, down to the last detail, clearly the result of careful observation.

But if we say he is thoughtful… He knows we’re getting this thing to make storage easier, so couldn’t he have made it smaller?!

Carrying this huge basket is such a hassle, you know?! Silently, Father and Mother Fa turned their gaze toward their second son.