Chapter Fifty: Such an Appetite—No Wonder He's So Fat

Ai Zhe merely snorted without replying. Xuanxuan found the child even less likable.

“You—!” Wanqi Weihang nearly rushed forward, but his older brother Wanqi Weihao pulled him back; after all, Ai Zhe was still a guest. This time, Ai Zhe had come along with the brown-haired boy.

The brown-haired youth got along well with the Wanqi brothers. If one were to talk about the most outstanding figures at school, aside from the Wanqi siblings, it would be Ai Zhe. Although Ai Zhe was two years below the Wanqi brothers, he was by no means inferior to them in physical skills.

However, the Ai family and the Wanqi family were at odds—differing political views, and everyone knew that while the Wanqi family held military power, the Ai family controlled politics. Their rivalry was notorious.

Despite this, the tension between their families had never affected the relationship among the three boys. The Wanqi brothers and Ai Zhe had never clashed.

Still, despite being a true prodigy, Ai Zhe always found himself overshadowed by the two brothers. People mostly commented that Ai Zhe was “like the Wanqi brothers.” But with his proud nature, how could Ai Zhe ever accept such an assessment? He wanted to be unique, not forever second to those two. This time, he’d lowered his pride to come with the brown-haired boy, mostly to get a sense of the brothers’ abilities—and he didn’t want to completely antagonize them either.

As for that chubby little girl, he certainly didn’t find her cute.

Xuanxuan turned away, refusing to look at Ai Zhe, and sat on a soft cushion, munching on the snacks brought over by the Wanqi brothers. After a few days at home, her family had come to understand her preferences—she couldn’t be happy without meat. So, despite Wanqi Lianhao’s strict prohibitions, thanks to the combined efforts of Wanqi Yi and his wife, Xuanxuan seemed to have put on another two pounds.

Of course, Xuanxuan didn’t mind in the slightest.

Ai Zhe glanced at the speed with which Xuanxuan ate and couldn’t help wondering—was the Wanqi family so poor?

Though she was really quite fat, surely they could let her father take her home and feed her if they truly couldn’t afford it. No wonder she was so chubby—she really was a little fatty. Xuanxuan noticed the little prince Ai Zhe’s gaze but ignored him completely; to her, a piece of dried meat was far more important.

Ai Zhe said to the Wanqi brothers, “Aren’t we starting yet?”

Xuanxuan watched as the boys took out several model mechs. Fortunately, Wanqi Weihao’s bedroom was large enough—otherwise, five people wouldn’t have had space to move around.

Each model mech came with a control panel. They held them in their hands, manipulating the mechs’ movements. Xuanxuan curled her lip—what a childish game.

Though these toy mechs were fairly responsive in the children’s hands and could help improve their mech control skills, the control panel method was still inferior in her view.

Actually, for the Federation’s technology, these simulation mechs were quite decent—so small, yet so agile, and easy to operate. Xuanxuan’s disappointment stemmed from her high expectations.

She’d seen the Federation’s robots and found them wondrous—dolls crafted with such precision, both in appearance and control. Yet, compared to these mechs, even the puppets on the Mata Continent seemed better. Only now did she realize that those robots operated by set programs, strictly following routines, with no adaptability or flexibility in a crisis—hardly intuitive. For daily tasks, the Federation’s robots were certainly superior.

But for combat, puppets were better. Controlled by a person’s mental power, puppets were more convenient, swift, and intuitive, and training with them strengthened one’s mental faculties. Though their construction was challenging, the simplest types could be mass-produced: Xuanxuan could create a template, and with the Federation’s mechanical methods, they could be manufactured on an assembly line.

Half-heartedly watching the children play, Xuanxuan drifted into her own thoughts about simulation-type puppet mechs.

She’d considered dismantling a few mechs to study them, but with her current body, it was impossible. She’d have to explore on the StarNet again.

She wondered how the “Illusion Grass” seeds she’d planted last time were doing. Because Wanqi Lianhao insisted on the teacher’s approval before using any medicine, Xuanxuan had logged into the StarNet and, as “Xuan,” met with her father.

After sorting out the medicinal and cultivation matters, she and Zhan Yu had arranged for a plantation. Not only was her pet phantom fox being raised there, but she’d also planted some “Illusion Grass” seeds.

By now, it was time to check on them. She wondered if StarNet would make any difference.

As she pondered, someone called, “Xuanxuan?”

She looked up abruptly and bumped into the little prince, Ai Zhe. Ai Zhe was momentarily stunned—this little chubby girl was actually rather cute up close.

Xuanxuan shoved him aside. Why was he blocking her way? Though she wasn’t strong, the push made Ai Zhe stagger, and his controller fell to the ground.

Ai Zhe gritted his teeth. Not cute at all, just a disagreeable little fatty.

Xuanxuan turned to Wanqi Weihao, who had just called her.

“Shall I walk you back?” Wanqi Weihao offered.

Xuanxuan looked at him, noting his embarrassment. She realized he didn’t want their father to find out and didn’t want to make things difficult for him, so she nodded.

Wanqi Weihao, relieved, took Xuanxuan’s chubby little hand and led her away.

His younger brother looked longingly after them. Wanqi Weihao said, “There are still guests. Next time, you can walk your sister back, all right?”

Wanqi Weihan gazed at Xuanxuan, then at his friends, and finally nodded reluctantly. “Goodbye, sister.”

Xuanxuan nodded graciously and followed Wanqi Weihao out.

As they walked, Xuanxuan looked back at the dried meat she hadn’t finished because she’d been lost in thought. Seizing a moment when no one was watching, she tucked it away. She could enjoy it later.

Ai Zhe was mentally grumbling about Xuanxuan when he noticed her glancing back at him. The soft, round little child actually looked rather adorable. Since she’d gone so far as to look back at him, he decided to forgive her for pushing him earlier.

He crouched to pick up his controller, only to find the plate before him spotless.

Ai Zhe glanced at the departing Xuanxuan and thought, She really can eat. No wonder she’s so chubby.