Chapter 36 – “The Ultraman King”
914 Words
Lunch at the Village
The next day, Fan Jian cheerfully picked up Luo Ye and Su Bai‑Zhou and took them back to his home. For lunch, the two of them cooked together. Su Bai‑Zhou handled the cooking, while Luo Ye chopped vegetables and acted as assistant. One by one, he carried steaming dishes out of the kitchen.
Fan Xin‑yǎ and Fan Jian watched the scene, smiling at the wholesome sight.
Luo Ye (placing a plate on the table): “Aunt, Uncle, if you’re hungry, feel free to dig in. I’m going back to help the senior.”
Fan Xin‑yǎ: “Thanks, kid.”
She kept glancing at him, finding the boy increasingly pleasing.
Back in the kitchen, Fan Xin‑yǎ whispered to Luo Ye:
“He’s got a serious crush on our little Bai‑Zhou.”
“It’s obvious.”
Fan Jian grew pensive, lowering his voice:
“Sister, do you know anything about his family?”
Fan Xin‑yǎ shook her head.
“In the Fan family we marry our daughters without looking at the family background. If the suitor is wealthy, our Bai‑Zhou is more than qualified. If he’s poor, she’ll never look down on him.”
Fan Jian leaned close, murmuring something else in her ear. Her expression changed slightly, a look of surprise crossing her face, followed by a faint trace of regret.
“So that’s how it is…”
When Luo Ye re‑emerged from the kitchen, Fan Xin‑yǎ’s eyes were warm, almost maternal, as if he were her own son.
At that moment, the phone rang. Fan Xin‑yǎ glanced at the caller ID, her brow furrowing. Fan Jian snatched the phone, answered, and snapped:
“What the hell do you think you’re doing calling my sister!”
On the other end was Su Bai‑Zhou’s father, Su Chang‑qing.
Su Chang‑qing: “Xin‑yǎ, is Bai‑Zhou with you?”
Fan Jian (furious): “She’s my niece—what does it matter to you?”
Before the argument could continue, Su Bai‑Zhou entered the room wearing an apron, snatched the phone, and coldly said:
“If you divorce my mother, I’ll stay with my mother.”
She hung up and returned to the kitchen without a word. Fan Jian and Fan Xin‑yǎ stared at each other, speechless.
Soon after, Luo Ye carried a stack of plates to the table—the fruits of his and Su Bai‑Zhou’s joint effort. Although his contribution had been modest, he felt proud of the abundant lunch.
After lunch, a neighbor asked Fan Jian for help harvesting corn. Being generous, he agreed, taking Luo Ye along. For Luo Ye, it was a rare chance to experience the toil of a farmer.
It was early October—summer’s end turning into autumn, yet the sun still blazed, making Luo Ye sweat heavily. Over the next two days, he helped harvest corn in the fields, earning 200 yuan. Though his monthly writing earnings ran into tens of thousands, this small cash felt precious, tucked into his pocket.
Riding a small tricycle back with Fan Jian, Luo Ye became well‑known among the villagers. Kids idolized him for his gaming prowess—he was a legend in “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” and “Honor of Kings,” with gold‑skinned skins that the local children envied. He was essentially the “king of the village” for a short time.
The “Ultraman King” Moment
It was now the fifth day of the seven‑day break. Su Bai‑Zhou and Luo Ye were heading back to Jiang City. At the village gate, they climbed onto Fan Jian’s electric tricycle. A crowd of kids clustered around them.
One chubby boy cried out:
“Ultraman King, we’ll wait for you to come back!”
Su Bai‑Zhou instinctively glanced at the boy beside Luo Ye. Luo Ye’s face turned embarrassed.
“My Ultraman dad is waiting for you too.”
“My Ultraman is waiting too!”
The other children shouted similar lines, their eyes sparkling.
A girl shouted:
“Luo Ye brother, when I grow up I’ll marry you!”
Su Bai‑Zhou’s face darkened.
Luo Ye shivered, feeling a sudden, unsettling aura—like danger. He turned to see Su Bai‑Zhou staring blankly ahead, expression calm, as if nothing mattered.
Fan Xin‑yǎ smiled, patting Su Bai‑Zhou’s head.
“Bai‑Zhou, the cold’s coming soon. Buy more clothes so you don’t catch a chill.”
“Okay, Mom. You take care of yourself, too.”
Simple parental concern—the kind that is practical, not maternal. They couldn’t help with school or work, only remind each other to stay healthy.
Su Bai‑Zhou turned to Fan Jian with a serious look.
“Dad, if you divorce Mom, I’ll stand by you.”
“I know. I’ll rest at home for a while, then talk to him about it.”
After a brief mother‑daughter conversation, Fan Jian sat up front, turned, and said reassuringly:
“Sister, don’t worry. Both kids are well‑behaved. Bai‑Zhou has Luo Ye looking after her.”
At his words, the children gasped, eyes widening, smirks forming. Su Bai‑Zhou gave **Fan J
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